Black Lives Matter.
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

  • Voices
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Members
    • Covenant Partners
    • Issue Statements
    • Governing Board
  • Programs
    • Ecumenical Immigration Alliance
      • Ideas for Action
      • Sign Our Statement
      • The NC Sanctuary Coalition
      • Immigration Bible Study
      • Contact
    • NC Interfaith Power & Light
      • NCIPL Overview
      • Faith in Action NCIPL
      • NCIPL Articles
      • NCIPL Resources
      • Upcoming Events for NCIPL
      • Contact NCIPL
    • Partners in Health & Wholeness
      • PHW Staff
      • Mini-Grants
      • PHW Collaborative Pledge
      • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
      • PHW Articles
      • FAQs
  • Priorities
    • Racial Justice
    • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
    • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Public Education
    • NC Sanctuary Coalition
    • Farmworkers
    • Legislative Advocacy
    • Christian Unity
    • Peace
    • NC No Torture
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • Events
  • Resources
    • Publications & Reports
    • Raleigh Report
    • Lectionary
    • Sermons
  • Donate
  • Council Store
  • Show Search

Search NC Council of Churches

Hide Search

Two Kinds of Religion

Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director · September 27, 2011 · Leave a Comment

In my non-work life, I have the pleasure of serving on the advisory board for the Raleigh-area Episcopal Campus Ministry. It is a privilege to serve with the other board members in support of the diocese, the ministry led by the Rev. Deborah Fox, and the wonderful young people from NC State, Peace, Meredith and Shaw who participate in it.

That it happens to align well with my professional life is always a bonus, and particularly at times like this past Sunday when Bishop Michael Curry made his annual visit to ECM. If you’ve not had the pleasure of hearing him, Bishop Curry is an extraordinary preacher, and in this particular sermon he explained why he believes there are really only two kinds of religion — those that exclude and those that include. For a man who has preached all over the world and to much larger groups of people, it would have been understandable if he hadn’t brought his A game to our Sunday evening gathering. Instead he brought a powerful and richly prophetic sermon that reminded me why I feel called to volunteer for a program like ECM and to work for an organization like the North Carolina Council of Churches.

Take a listen.

–Aleta Payne, Communications and Development

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Christian Unity

Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

About Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Aleta Payne first joined the Council staff in the spring of 2001 as the Communications Associate. She continues to oversee that work along with development, represents the Council in several partnership efforts, and serves in other administrative roles, as well. Aleta is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in government and foreign affairs and spent much of her early career as a journalist. She has three young adult sons who continue to come home to Cary for dinner, or at least groceries, and two young adult terrier-mix dogs who keep the nest from feeling too empty.

Reader Interactions

More Like This

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
On Not Going to Church
Thanksgiving Notes

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Anonymous comments or comments that target individuals will not be posted (please include your first and last name). All comments must be on topic and respectful. Comments will not be posted until they have been reviewed by a moderator. Comments do not reflect the positions of the NC Council of Churches.

Footer

Contact

NC Council of Churches
27 Horne St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 828-6501
info@ncchurches.org

Facebook

Partners in Health and Wholeness

Featured

Two Kinds of Religion

Latest Tweets

2021 is the year for drawing districts in each state after the completion of the US Census. Check out the @LWV's blog on encouraging people to speak up about the drawing of fair maps. Read now >> lwv.org/blog/redistr… pic.twitter.com/4KMR…

About 3 days ago

ICYMI: Rob Schofield from @NCPolicyWatch highlights five hard truths that need to be addressed about violence against the AAPI community and other people of color in this commentary. Read more at the link >> ncpolicywatch.com/20…

About 4 days ago

Read Steve Ford's new Raleigh Report on H.B. 446, a new voting rights bill: "'Safeguarding Voting Rights,' introduced March 31 as House Bill 446, would protect popular voting options and in general encourage citizens to have their say at the polls." ncchurches.org/2021/…

About 4 days ago

ICYMI: Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, a scientist & Christian, says we are at a "love your neighbor" moment, when Americans can get vaccinated to help protect the vulnerable from severe illness and death. Watch now: youtube.com/watch?v=…

About 5 days ago

Our partners at @DownHome_NC have recognized that engaging people by listening is at the heart of building a responsible & active community. Check out their project of ways you can learn & support their efforts through listening & building relationships. docs.google.com/docu…

About 5 days ago

Follow @ncchurches

Latest Tweets

"We lost 88,000 people in the 12-month period ending in August 2020.'" (@NPRHealth) npr.org/2021/04/01/9… Please hold the #harmreduction community close and learn more about how you can get involved by visiting our website at ncchurches.org/progr…. #MindfulTogether

About 2 days ago

#YourSpotYourShotNC #MindfulTogether twitter.com/ncdhhs/s…

About 3 days ago

Make sure to register for "Growing Communities of Inclusion: Mental Health and Harm Reduction" happening tomorrow at 10 AM! #harmreduction #mentalhealth #MindfulTogether twitter.com/healthan…

About 4 days ago

Happy Easter! Today we find comfort in God's love that heals and nourishes our spirits. As we celebrate Easter again in the midst of COVID-19, let's continue to hold each other close from a distance as we await the moment we may hold each other close in person once again. pic.twitter.com/2BHP…

Last week

Reflect with the Rev. Karen Richardson Dunn, PHW Associate Director of Healthy Aging, on this Good Friday as we feel the faith, hope, and redemption of God's love that nourishes our spirits. #EnoughForAll ncchurches.org/2021/…

Last week

Follow @healthandfaith

Latest Tweets

RT @foe_us HUGE WIN! Thank you @POTUS for giving NOAA the funding it needs to protect the ocean & coastal communities from the climate crisis. @NOAA, use these new dollars wisely – don't add more industrial fish farms to our public waters! #DontCageOurOcean washingtonpost.com/w…

About 14 hours ago

RT @mocleanair The U.S. has released most of the GHG that are in the air now. We need a #USFairSharesNDC to set a fair, just, and ambitious goal to slow down global warming: 195% emissions reduction by 2030, to keep us in line with the #1o5C climate goal. #ClimateJustice foe.org/usa-fair-sha…

About 14 hours ago

RT @RepDeborahRoss The offshore wind industry is projected to invest nearly $140 billion in the U.S. by 2035 for the manufacturing, construction, and maintenance of offshore wind projects.

About 14 hours ago

RT @RepDeborahRoss Yesterday, @RepDavidRouzer and I led members of the NC delegation in a letter urging BOEM to promptly and responsibly advance lease sales of wind energy areas off our coast. NC has the potential to be a leader in offshore wind generation capacity and manufacturing. pic.twitter.com/QDFn…

About 14 hours ago

RT @Fridays4future We are still here and still united, and we still #FightFor1Point5. Despite the pandemic, our grassroots movement grows stronger every day. We are unstoppable! Another world is possible! #NoMoreEmptyPromises. pic.twitter.com/7Fww…

About 14 hours ago

Follow @ncipl

Latest Tweets

Copyright © 2021 NC Council of Churches · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design · Hosted by WP Engine