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Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

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Human Rights

Raleigh Report – March 11, 2019
Raleigh Report – March 11, 2019
Mar 11, 2019
George Reed, Former Executive Director

Raleigh Report – March 11, 2019

INTRODUCED BILLS GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION With the passing last month of the first anniversary of the… Continue Reading

Time to Take a Knee
Time to Take a Knee
Sep 29, 2017
Andrew Hudgins, Program Associate for Operations

Time to Take a Knee

It has been nearly fourteen months since Colin Kaepernick first knelt during the playing of the… Continue Reading

Police Brutality is not a Joking Matter
Police Brutality is not a Joking Matter
Aug 3, 2017
Andrew Hudgins, Program Associate for Operations

Police Brutality is not a Joking Matter

By Andrew Hudgins, NCCC Program Associate for Operations, for The Resistance Prays News: In a speech… Continue Reading

Anti-LGBTQ Policies Impact Us All
Anti-LGBTQ Policies Impact Us All
Jul 27, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Anti-LGBTQ Policies Impact Us All

Wednesday’s federal-policy-by-tweet announcement that children of God who are transgender could no longer serve in the… Continue Reading

Wages of War
Wages of War
Jul 20, 2017
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

Wages of War

Wartime profits are a thing — from the people who make the machines we use to… Continue Reading

Great to Meet You at Wild Goose!
Great to Meet You at Wild Goose!
Jul 17, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Great to Meet You at Wild Goose!

We were delighted to meet many of you at the Wild Goose Festival last week. Council… Continue Reading

The President’s New Policies are Bad for Cuba and the Church
The President’s New Policies are Bad for Cuba and the Church
Jun 27, 2017
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

The President’s New Policies are Bad for Cuba and the Church

I have been blessed with the opportunity to visit Cuba on two occasions: the first in… Continue Reading

Senate Health Care Plan — Let’s Keep Calling
Senate Health Care Plan — Let’s Keep Calling
Jun 21, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Senate Health Care Plan — Let’s Keep Calling

As the Senate continues its secret deliberations on a health care plan that will effect all… Continue Reading

Let Us Show Love and Compassion on World Refugee Day
Let Us Show Love and Compassion on World Refugee Day
Jun 19, 2017
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Let Us Show Love and Compassion on World Refugee Day

First celebrated in 2001, World Refugee Day is held annually on June 20​. The day marks a… Continue Reading

Now what? Staying Engaged and Grow the Interfaith Climate Movement
Now what? Staying Engaged and Grow the Interfaith Climate Movement
Jun 1, 2017
Susannah Tuttle, NCIPL Director

Now what? Staying Engaged and Grow the Interfaith Climate Movement

We were already living in a time of profound consequence. President Trump’s decision to pull the U.S. out of the… Continue Reading

2018 Budget Proposal is the Antithesis of our Call
2018 Budget Proposal is the Antithesis of our Call
May 23, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

2018 Budget Proposal is the Antithesis of our Call

Plenty of analysis is already happening around the 2018 budget proposal out of the White House.… Continue Reading

Raleigh Report — May 10, 2017
Raleigh Report — May 10, 2017
May 11, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Raleigh Report — May 10, 2017

By George Reed, Retired Executive Director [For more information on bills, including committee referrals and re-referrals,… Continue Reading

Raleigh Report — April 26, 2017
Raleigh Report — April 26, 2017
Apr 27, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Raleigh Report — April 26, 2017

By George Reed, Retired Executive Director [The deadlines for the introduction of most new bills have… Continue Reading

Efforts to Cut Health Care Continue in Congress
Efforts to Cut Health Care Continue in Congress
Apr 24, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Efforts to Cut Health Care Continue in Congress

The public is opposed to efforts to replace the Affordable Care Act, but some members of… Continue Reading

Raleigh Report — April 21, 2017
Raleigh Report — April 21, 2017
Apr 21, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Raleigh Report — April 21, 2017

By George Reed, Retired Executive Director [For the latest committee referrals and re-referrals, go to the… Continue Reading

Do We Treat Workers as We Would Treat Jesus?
Do We Treat Workers as We Would Treat Jesus?
Apr 21, 2017
Sandy Irving, Volunteer Program Associate

Do We Treat Workers as We Would Treat Jesus?

In this Easter season of the Christian church, we have just celebrated Resurrection Sunday and the… Continue Reading

SB 145 Debate Not in Accordance with Matthew 25
SB 145 Debate Not in Accordance with Matthew 25
Apr 18, 2017
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

SB 145 Debate Not in Accordance with Matthew 25

Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee of the North Carolina General Assembly discussed SB 145, an… Continue Reading

Raleigh Report — April 17, 2017
Raleigh Report — April 17, 2017
Apr 17, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Raleigh Report — April 17, 2017

By George Reed, Retired Executive Director Newly Introduced Bills BUDGET AND TAXES H 540, Teachers &… Continue Reading

Raleigh Report — April 10, 2017
Raleigh Report — April 10, 2017
Apr 10, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Raleigh Report — April 10, 2017

By George Reed, Retired Executive Director Bills are being introduced at a rapid pace as the… Continue Reading

Work for Just and Equitable Health Care is Not Finished
Work for Just and Equitable Health Care is Not Finished
Apr 6, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Work for Just and Equitable Health Care is Not Finished

Every state legislator should be required to listen to the stories shared at a press conference… Continue Reading

Swallow Hard: H.B. 2’s Less-than-Ideal ‘Repeal’
Swallow Hard: H.B. 2’s Less-than-Ideal ‘Repeal’
Apr 1, 2017
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Swallow Hard: H.B. 2’s Less-than-Ideal ‘Repeal’

Call it a head-on collision between politics and principle. Is anyone surprised that politics prevailed? Yet… Continue Reading

Raleigh Report — March 13, 2017
Raleigh Report — March 13, 2017
Mar 14, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Raleigh Report — March 13, 2017

By George Reed, Retired Executive Director Newly Introduced Bills CRIMINAL AND JUVENILE JUSTICE H 233, Ban… Continue Reading

Who Would Choose to be Poor or Sick?
Who Would Choose to be Poor or Sick?
Mar 13, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Who Would Choose to be Poor or Sick?

Around the release of the alt-health plan currently making its way through Congress, several elected leaders… Continue Reading

Taking Away Health Care
Taking Away Health Care
Mar 8, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Taking Away Health Care

Despite evidence that the Affordable Care Act is more popular and more needed than ever, some… Continue Reading

H.B. 2 ‘Compromise’ Must Protect Rights
H.B. 2 ‘Compromise’ Must Protect Rights
Mar 3, 2017
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

H.B. 2 ‘Compromise’ Must Protect Rights

The fight over North Carolina’s House Bill 2 – the law that notoriously stamps the state’s… Continue Reading

Raleigh Report — February 28, 2017
Raleigh Report — February 28, 2017
Mar 1, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Raleigh Report — February 28, 2017

By George Reed, Retired Executive Director Newly Introduced Bills ENVIRONMENTAL CARE H 171, Change Exclusion for… Continue Reading

Let Loving One Another Become Our Norm
Let Loving One Another Become Our Norm
Feb 23, 2017
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

Let Loving One Another Become Our Norm

Yesterday morning, the Sandra P. Lerner Jewish Community Day School in Durham received a bomb threat.… Continue Reading

Answering your Questions about Sanctuary
Answering your Questions about Sanctuary
Feb 16, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Answering your Questions about Sanctuary

President Trump’s recent executive actions impacting refugees and immigrants have faithful people increasingly interested in how… Continue Reading

Refugees Welcomed, Not Banned
Refugees Welcomed, Not Banned
Feb 10, 2017
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Refugees Welcomed, Not Banned

Last in a series of three blogs. Above all, these strangers bring to us the Christ.… Continue Reading

Walls Demonstrate Hostility, not Hospitality
Walls Demonstrate Hostility, not Hospitality
Feb 7, 2017
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Walls Demonstrate Hostility, not Hospitality

Second in a series of three blogs. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for… Continue Reading

Big Stakes in High Court Pick
Big Stakes in High Court Pick
Feb 1, 2017
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Big Stakes in High Court Pick

Compared with some of the provocatively, even outrageously unsuited people whom President Trump has chosen for… Continue Reading

Speak Against Vitriol; Stand for Values
Speak Against Vitriol; Stand for Values
Jan 30, 2017
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

Speak Against Vitriol; Stand for Values

For more than 80 years the NC Council of Churches has stood for essential human rights… Continue Reading

Blessed not Blocked or Banned
Blessed not Blocked or Banned
Jan 30, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Blessed not Blocked or Banned

This Sunday’s Gospel reading was the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:1-12. Jesus says blessed nine times, but he… Continue Reading

The Threat is not from Immigrants and Refugees
The Threat is not from Immigrants and Refugees
Jan 28, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

The Threat is not from Immigrants and Refugees

The Council has had a busy weekend. Much of the staff was helping with the Beyond… Continue Reading

Getting Back to Our Normal: Some Suggestions for the Long Haul
Getting Back to Our Normal: Some Suggestions for the Long Haul
Jan 27, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Getting Back to Our Normal: Some Suggestions for the Long Haul

Our friend Rob Schofield over at Policy Watch wrote a column on Tuesday that was as… Continue Reading

Let’s Keep Marching
Let’s Keep Marching
Jan 23, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Let’s Keep Marching

At another time in my life, I would not have spent most of Saturday occupying my… Continue Reading

A Letter to President Trump
A Letter to President Trump
Jan 20, 2017
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

A Letter to President Trump

Dear Mr. Trump, You ARE my president. I did not vote for you, but you were… Continue Reading

Speak Out on Cabinet Nominees
Speak Out on Cabinet Nominees
Jan 10, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Speak Out on Cabinet Nominees

Groups at the state and national level continue to mobilize around concerns about President-Elect Donald Trump’s… Continue Reading

Join us to Pray for Justice and Reconciliation and to Share Dinner Together
Join us to Pray for Justice and Reconciliation and to Share Dinner Together
Jan 3, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Join us to Pray for Justice and Reconciliation and to Share Dinner Together

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Durham and the NC Council of Churches invite you to join… Continue Reading

Seeds of Change in a Momentous Year
Seeds of Change in a Momentous Year
Dec 31, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Seeds of Change in a Momentous Year

As we watched the egregiously unqualified Donald Trump campaign for and win election to the White… Continue Reading

Advent Guide: First Sunday After Christmas Day, January 1
Advent Guide: First Sunday After Christmas Day, January 1
Dec 30, 2016
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Advent Guide: First Sunday After Christmas Day, January 1

Excerpted from How Will We Welcome the Prince of Peace? An Advent Guide for Lectionary Year… Continue Reading

Join in the Support of Belhaven’s Pungo Hospital
Join in the Support of Belhaven’s Pungo Hospital
Dec 16, 2016
The Rev. Jessica Stokes, Associate Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness, Mental Health Advocacy

Join in the Support of Belhaven’s Pungo Hospital

Community leaders continue to work endlessly to save the Pungo Hospital in Belhaven. Please join clergy… Continue Reading

Video — #LoveOneAnother
Video — #LoveOneAnother
Dec 8, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Video — #LoveOneAnother

The response to our sign-on ad was overwhelming and inspired the staff of the Council to… Continue Reading

The Cuban Church in a Post-Castro World
The Cuban Church in a Post-Castro World
Dec 1, 2016
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

The Cuban Church in a Post-Castro World

In September, I had an opportunity to travel to Cuba with Witness for Peace as part… Continue Reading

A Troubling Choice, Yet Glimmers of Hope
A Troubling Choice, Yet Glimmers of Hope
Nov 11, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

A Troubling Choice, Yet Glimmers of Hope

Those of us aligned with the Council of Churches share a political outlook whose priorities include… Continue Reading

Separating Church and Hate Since 1935
Separating Church and Hate Since 1935
Nov 9, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Separating Church and Hate Since 1935

We work toward a church that is all-loving. That’s what we’ve always done and that’s what… Continue Reading

NC Family Featured in Video on Need for Medicaid Expansion
NC Family Featured in Video on Need for Medicaid Expansion
Nov 7, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

NC Family Featured in Video on Need for Medicaid Expansion

By Nina Voli, Duke Divinity School Intern Although the Affordable Care Act expanded health care coverage to… Continue Reading

Sore Afraid
Sore Afraid
Sep 23, 2016
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

Sore Afraid

We are “sore afraid.” But not like the shepherds in the hills around Bethlehem on the… Continue Reading

Proposed H.B. 2 Deal Falls Short
Proposed H.B. 2 Deal Falls Short
Sep 19, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Proposed H.B. 2 Deal Falls Short

Who can blame North Carolina’s restaurant and hotel operators for wishing the whole House Bill 2… Continue Reading

North Carolina Passes a Decade with No Executions
North Carolina Passes a Decade with No Executions
Aug 18, 2016
Sandy Irving, Volunteer Program Associate

North Carolina Passes a Decade with No Executions

Many in our state are celebrating 10 years of no executions and putting out a call… Continue Reading

Stand with Refugees on World Refugee Day
Stand with Refugees on World Refugee Day
Jun 20, 2016
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Stand with Refugees on World Refugee Day

Today, June 20, is World Refugee Day, a day when people all over the world celebrate the… Continue Reading

Pray for Orlando, Pray for Us All
Pray for Orlando, Pray for Us All
Jun 12, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Pray for Orlando, Pray for Us All

In the coming days, there will be many questions about the who and why of the… Continue Reading

The Effort to Expand Medicaid in North Carolina Continues
The Effort to Expand Medicaid in North Carolina Continues
Jun 4, 2016
Liz Millar, Medicaid Expansion Project Coordinator

The Effort to Expand Medicaid in North Carolina Continues

As the General Assembly’s biennial short session continues, Medicaid expansion continues to be a hot issue… Continue Reading

Safety is Imperative to Worker Justice
Safety is Imperative to Worker Justice
Apr 25, 2016
Sandy Irving, Volunteer Program Associate

Safety is Imperative to Worker Justice

Worker Memorial Day is April 28, a day when we remember workers who have lost their… Continue Reading

Signs of Hope After Easter
Signs of Hope After Easter
Apr 3, 2016
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Signs of Hope After Easter

I do not believe that I am the only one who feels a little hopeless right… Continue Reading

Uncomplicating Justice
Uncomplicating Justice
Jan 5, 2016
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Uncomplicating Justice

A lot of times in the work that we do at the Council we preface our… Continue Reading

Prayer Vigil and Dinner: Remembering our Time Together
Prayer Vigil and Dinner: Remembering our Time Together
Dec 18, 2015
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Prayer Vigil and Dinner: Remembering our Time Together

Earlier this month, more than 170 friends and allies gathered at Durham’s St. Philip’s Episcopal Church… Continue Reading

Clergy Breakfasts​ Come at a Crucial Time
Clergy Breakfasts​ Come at a Crucial Time
Sep 27, 2015
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Clergy Breakfasts​ Come at a Crucial Time

Pope Francis has been an outspoken leader about the need to welcome immigrants and refugees in… Continue Reading

Lamenting the Syrian Refugee Crisis
Lamenting the Syrian Refugee Crisis
Sep 11, 2015
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Lamenting the Syrian Refugee Crisis

Last week, the European refugee crisis reached a tragic peak. More than 11 million Syrians have been… Continue Reading

Workers Deserve Dignity and Respect
Workers Deserve Dignity and Respect
Sep 4, 2015
Sandy Irving, Volunteer Program Associate

Workers Deserve Dignity and Respect

Monday, September 7 is Labor Day when we should honor the workers in our community with… Continue Reading

Week of Action to End Immigration Detention Quotas
Week of Action to End Immigration Detention Quotas
Aug 7, 2015
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Week of Action to End Immigration Detention Quotas

Next week, the American Friends Service Committee is coordinating a national week of action to end… Continue Reading

Calling for Freedom
Calling for Freedom
Jul 20, 2015
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Calling for Freedom

A few weeks ago, I, along with the rest of the nation, celebrated our nation’s independence.… Continue Reading

Statement on the Supreme Court’s ACA Decision
Statement on the Supreme Court’s ACA Decision
Jun 25, 2015
George Reed, Former Executive Director

Statement on the Supreme Court’s ACA Decision

The North Carolina Council of Churches celebrates today’s Supreme Court decision upholding the Affordable Care Act. … Continue Reading

Racism and Islamophobia — Local and Global
Racism and Islamophobia — Local and Global
Jun 19, 2015
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Racism and Islamophobia — Local and Global

By Wayde Marsh, Duke Divinity School Intern “Islamophobia doesn’t just affect Muslims, it affects a broad… Continue Reading

Refugees Find Hope in Meeting With Each Other
Refugees Find Hope in Meeting With Each Other
Jun 17, 2015
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Refugees Find Hope in Meeting With Each Other

By Wayde Marsh, Duke Divinity School Intern Storytelling is a central piece of community organizing because… Continue Reading

Sad Signals on Tolerance, Rule of Law
Sad Signals on Tolerance, Rule of Law
Jun 14, 2015
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Sad Signals on Tolerance, Rule of Law

Gov. Pat McCrory tried to warn his fellow Republicans who call the tunes in the General… Continue Reading

The Pope and Ecology: Shouts from the Highest Steeple
The Pope and Ecology: Shouts from the Highest Steeple
Jun 12, 2015
Susannah Tuttle, NCIPL Director

The Pope and Ecology: Shouts from the Highest Steeple

The excitement is building: for the first time in history, the Pope is issuing an encyclical… Continue Reading

Project NO REST Needs Your Input to Help Victims of Sex Trafficking
Project NO REST Needs Your Input to Help Victims of Sex Trafficking
Jun 12, 2015
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Project NO REST Needs Your Input to Help Victims of Sex Trafficking

At the North Carolina Council of Churches, our work is often guided by Isaiah 1:17, which… Continue Reading

David LaMotte on the Fair Food Program
David LaMotte on the Fair Food Program
May 11, 2015
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

David LaMotte on the Fair Food Program

The Council’s Farmworker Ministry Committee has long been supportive of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and… Continue Reading

Nepal and Baltimore
Nepal and Baltimore
Apr 29, 2015
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Nepal and Baltimore

Faced with darkness at home and abroad, may we do what we can to bring peace… Continue Reading

Prayers Today on Workers’ Memorial Day
Prayers Today on Workers’ Memorial Day
Apr 28, 2015
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Prayers Today on Workers’ Memorial Day

A few weeks ago, The News & Observer published an article entitled “Many NC workers’ death… Continue Reading

Medicaid Message Packs a Punch
Medicaid Message Packs a Punch
Mar 27, 2015
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Medicaid Message Packs a Punch

Call it an exercise in futility? Well, no. There may not be a chance in the… Continue Reading

What Does it Mean to Wear Ashes in Protest?
What Does it Mean to Wear Ashes in Protest?
Feb 24, 2015
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

What Does it Mean to Wear Ashes in Protest?

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the season of Lent. In liturgical churches, it begins… Continue Reading

Commentary About Torture Report Published
Commentary About Torture Report Published
Feb 19, 2015
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Commentary About Torture Report Published

People of faith with Council connections have spoken out strongly on the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report… Continue Reading

February 6 — Contact Senator Burr
February 6 — Contact Senator Burr
Feb 5, 2015
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

February 6 — Contact Senator Burr

Our friends at NC Stop Torture Now are organizing a call-in to the offices of Sen.… Continue Reading

Register Now for 2015 Faith and Immigration Summit
Register Now for 2015 Faith and Immigration Summit
Jan 28, 2015
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Register Now for 2015 Faith and Immigration Summit

This year’s summit will focus on issues affecting children and youth coming to our state from… Continue Reading

What Frightens Civitas?
What Frightens Civitas?
Jan 28, 2015
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

What Frightens Civitas?

Apparently I scare Civitas. Maybe it’s my upbringing. I was raised by a single mom (my… Continue Reading

Keep the Light Shining on CIA Conduct
Keep the Light Shining on CIA Conduct
Dec 11, 2014
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Keep the Light Shining on CIA Conduct

Perhaps you can fight fire with fire, but you can’t – or shouldn’t – attempt to… Continue Reading

Lifting Up the Mexican Children and Students
Lifting Up the Mexican Children and Students
Nov 13, 2014
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Lifting Up the Mexican Children and Students

As I have been traveling across the state educating clergy about immigrants in their communities and… Continue Reading

Petition to Expand Medicaid in NC — Signers Welcome
Petition to Expand Medicaid in NC — Signers Welcome
Oct 9, 2014
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Petition to Expand Medicaid in NC — Signers Welcome

Health Care for All NC is continuing the important work for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina.… Continue Reading

Educating the Littlest and the Least
Educating the Littlest and the Least
Sep 25, 2014
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Educating the Littlest and the Least

Recently, several counties in North Carolina have begun passing resolutions discouraging undocumented children, including unaccompanied minors,… Continue Reading

From Broken Communities to Beloved Communities
From Broken Communities to Beloved Communities
Aug 22, 2014
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

From Broken Communities to Beloved Communities

The recent trial of Alamance County Sheriff Andrew Johnson has focused on alleged profiling abuses against… Continue Reading

David Gushee on “The State of Things” and in Raleigh — Tuesday
David Gushee on “The State of Things” and in Raleigh — Tuesday
Jun 21, 2014
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

David Gushee on “The State of Things” and in Raleigh — Tuesday

Tune in to WUNC’s “The State of Things” on Tuesday, June 24, to hear David Gushee ahead… Continue Reading

Gushee, Powery, Cowger Discussion Marks Torture Awareness Month
Gushee, Powery, Cowger Discussion Marks Torture Awareness Month
May 29, 2014
Leslie Ware, Anti-Torture Project Coordinator

Gushee, Powery, Cowger Discussion Marks Torture Awareness Month

June is Torture Awareness Month, and we are gearing up for a presentation by David Gushee, Distinguished University… Continue Reading

David Gushee: Coming to Terms with Torture: Truth, Accountability, and Renunciation
David Gushee: Coming to Terms with Torture: Truth, Accountability, and Renunciation
May 13, 2014
Leslie Ware, Anti-Torture Project Coordinator

David Gushee: Coming to Terms with Torture: Truth, Accountability, and Renunciation

“This nation admits its errors, as painful as they may be.”  — Sen. Dianne Feinstein, April… Continue Reading

We Rejoice in Baptism, We Reject Torture
We Rejoice in Baptism, We Reject Torture
Apr 29, 2014
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

We Rejoice in Baptism, We Reject Torture

I was baptized a Baptist as a child, confirmed an Episcopalian as an adult.  I stood… Continue Reading

Gardening With a Purpose
Gardening With a Purpose
Feb 25, 2014
Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

Gardening With a Purpose

Recently, I received a notice from a local community garden organizer about a grant opportunity sponsored… Continue Reading

Ash Wednesday Worship Resources on Human Rights
Ash Wednesday Worship Resources on Human Rights
Feb 3, 2014
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Ash Wednesday Worship Resources on Human Rights

Date: Ash Wednesday – March 5, 2014
Topic: Human Rights
Focus Text: Isaiah 58:1-12
There are countless ways in which we can make these passages come to life in our own lives and in our society so that “We can be the change we want to see in the world.” Once again, following Jesus’ example is our best starting point. In Matthew 25, Jesus says the depth of our faith is measured by the depth of our relationship with those society labels “outcasts.” In Jesus’ day, outcasts were lepers, prostitutes and tax collectors to name a few. Today, outcasts include those with HIV and AIDS, gays and lesbians, Latinos, Muslims and prisoners, among others. Each of these groups of people faces scorn and vilification in our culture, but Christians must be different. We are called to provide love to those who are rejected and hated.

HKonJ 2014 — Saturday, February 8
HKonJ 2014 — Saturday, February 8
Jan 12, 2014
George Reed, Former Executive Director

HKonJ 2014 — Saturday, February 8

It’s now just four weeks until this year’s HKonJ People’s Assembly. There is nothing more important for… Continue Reading

Worship Resources on the Beatitudes
Worship Resources on the Beatitudes
Jan 8, 2014
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Worship Resources on the Beatitudes

Date: Epiphany 4 – Feb. 2, 2014
Topic: The Beatitudes
Focus Text: Matthew 5:1-12
The Beatitudes reflect the eschatological – or ultimate – nature of Jesus’ mission and proclaim the effects of the establishment of God’s rule. They list eschatological reversals for the unfortunate and eschatological rewards for the virtuous. It would be a mistake, however, to see the beatitudes as having only future significance. In fact, the first (5:3) and last (5:10) of the sayings are in the present tense. By bookending these future promises with the present tense, Matthew emphasizes the imminence of the Kingdom.

Sequestration Cuts 300,000 Families from Energy Assistance
Sequestration Cuts 300,000 Families from Energy Assistance
Nov 20, 2013
Sandy Irving, Volunteer Program Associate

Sequestration Cuts 300,000 Families from Energy Assistance

What does the Lord require of you? Christians are very familiar with the Micah 6:8 verse… Continue Reading

Chocolate the Fair-Trade Way
Chocolate the Fair-Trade Way
Oct 28, 2013
Sandy Irving, Volunteer Program Associate

Chocolate the Fair-Trade Way

With Halloween upon us and holiday baking not far behind, think in terms of fair-trade chocolate… Continue Reading

Shutdown Scenario: The Hunger Brink
Shutdown Scenario: The Hunger Brink
Oct 11, 2013
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Shutdown Scenario: The Hunger Brink

The political stakes and motives are plain to see. President Obama and his Democratic allies on… Continue Reading

NC Faith Leaders Call on Sen. Burr for Report’s Release
NC Faith Leaders Call on Sen. Burr for Report’s Release
Sep 19, 2013
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

NC Faith Leaders Call on Sen. Burr for Report’s Release

More than 190 faith leaders from across North Carolina have sent a letter to Senator Richard Burr,… Continue Reading

Jailhouse Justice
Jailhouse Justice
May 28, 2013
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Jailhouse Justice

For all the Christian emphasis on forgiveness and redemption, many if not most churchgoers likely are… Continue Reading

Moral Mondays – Clergy Issued Special Invitation for May 20
Moral Mondays – Clergy Issued Special Invitation for May 20
May 15, 2013
George Reed, Former Executive Director

Moral Mondays – Clergy Issued Special Invitation for May 20

As many of you already know, Rev. William Barber and the state NAACP are organizing weekly… Continue Reading

Execution Foes at Legislature
Execution Foes at Legislature
Apr 9, 2013
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Execution Foes at Legislature

A misguided push in the General Assembly to get capital punishment back on track is generating… Continue Reading

Interfaith Call-in Day to Prevent Gun Violence April 9
Interfaith Call-in Day to Prevent Gun Violence April 9
Apr 8, 2013
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Interfaith Call-in Day to Prevent Gun Violence April 9

The National Council of Churches, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and others are sponsoring an… Continue Reading

Stories That Lean Toward Liberation: My Discussion with Rev. Julio Ramirez-Eve
Stories That Lean Toward Liberation: My Discussion with Rev. Julio Ramirez-Eve
Feb 26, 2013
Scott Schomburg, Former Duke Divinity School Intern

Stories That Lean Toward Liberation: My Discussion with Rev. Julio Ramirez-Eve

Exploring the power of witness in the midst of a raging immigration debate, Scott Schomburg reflects on his experience interviewing Rev. Julio Ramirez-Eve, pastor of Iglesia Hispana Emanuel in Durham, NC.

Protect the Vulnerable Against Federal Cuts
Protect the Vulnerable Against Federal Cuts
Feb 22, 2013
Sandy Irving, Volunteer Program Associate

Protect the Vulnerable Against Federal Cuts

On March 1, new federal cuts will begin to take effect. If nothing is done, many… Continue Reading

Bulletin Insert from PFADP
Bulletin Insert from PFADP
Feb 21, 2013
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Bulletin Insert from PFADP

Our friends at People of Faith Against the Death Penalty have provided a bulletin insert for churches… Continue Reading

Needed: Lobbyists for the Voiceless
Needed: Lobbyists for the Voiceless
Dec 7, 2012
Sandy Irving, Volunteer Program Associate

Needed: Lobbyists for the Voiceless

Congress is overwhelmed with lobbyists for corporations, Chambers of Commerce, AARP, the Department of Defense, etc.… Continue Reading

Sharing the Story: Empowerment through Radical Hospitality
Sharing the Story: Empowerment through Radical Hospitality
Nov 15, 2012
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Sharing the Story: Empowerment through Radical Hospitality

Thank you for your decision to conquer evil with good. You have decided to defeat opposition and resistance with diligence and perseverance. But above all, thank you for allowing love and hospitality to prevail over hate and hostility. When I arrived to this country it was precisely people like you, women and men of faith that practiced hospitably and your Christian love, who left an impression and transformed my life forever. Please don’t have any doubt that God uses every gesture of Christian love and radical hospitality that you make towards an immigrant in order to transform lives.

On Finding Comrades: The 2nd Annual Faith & Immigration Summit
On Finding Comrades: The 2nd Annual Faith & Immigration Summit
Oct 17, 2012
Scott Schomburg, Former Duke Divinity School Intern

On Finding Comrades: The 2nd Annual Faith & Immigration Summit

Before the room could come into focus, I found myself in conversation with pastors, organizers, and advocacy groups, recognizing both a patience and an urgency that seems to come with this work. Our day together unfolded a compelling narrative of faith leaders in North Carolina moving forward in solidarity to make communities better for immigrants. This story of challenge and hope, of conflicting conceptions of justice, and of faith leaders forming a public voice, captured my attention early.

Immigrants are Big Business for Private Prison Companies
Immigrants are Big Business for Private Prison Companies
Oct 2, 2012
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Immigrants are Big Business for Private Prison Companies

Did you know that the detention of immigrants is big business? Over the last several years we’ve witnessed the disturbing trend of private, for-profit prison corporations benefitting from new anti-immigrant laws. These prisons operate like hotels, where each and every bed that is filled provides profits for the company. Every empty bed, on the other hand, costs money. These companies have a financial incentive to detain as many immigrants as possible, and they have poured millions of dollars into lobbying efforts ensuring maximum profits.

Farmworkers and Immigration
Farmworkers and Immigration
Sep 28, 2012
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Farmworkers and Immigration

Not all immigrants are farmworkers, and not all farmworkers are immigrants. Yet as the following facts show, our agricultural system has always relied on the labor of displaced people that do not have the benefit of full citizenship in this country—whether indentured servants, slaves, sharecroppers, or undocumented immigrants.

Worker Justice Leader in the Triangle This Week
Worker Justice Leader in the Triangle This Week
Sep 24, 2012
Sandy Irving, Volunteer Program Associate

Worker Justice Leader in the Triangle This Week

Kim Bobo, a religious and workers’ rights activist and executive director of Interfaith Worker Justice, will… Continue Reading

Tweet on Behalf of Children in Poverty
Tweet on Behalf of Children in Poverty
Sep 24, 2012
Sandy Irving, Volunteer Program Associate

Tweet on Behalf of Children in Poverty

Half in Ten reminds us that one in five children in the US lives in poverty… Continue Reading

Reclaiming the Bible’s Prophetic Voice
Reclaiming the Bible’s Prophetic Voice
Sep 7, 2012
George Reed, Former Executive Director

Reclaiming the Bible’s Prophetic Voice

Recently, I heard a powerful message from the Rev. William Barber. Many Council folks know him. He’s the President of the NC NAACP and pastor of the Greenleaf Christian Church (Disciple of Christ) in Goldsboro. The power of his message was not in fiery delivery. It was a low-key conversation with a group of fifty or so progressive leaders, sitting in a circle in the chapel of University United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill. The power was in the profound thoughts he expressed and in the clear rightness of his words.

Immigrants Are People (despite what the news tells you)
Immigrants Are People (despite what the news tells you)
Jul 30, 2012
Tim Hetzel, Former Duke Divinity School Intern

Immigrants Are People (despite what the news tells you)

“So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male… Continue Reading

The Affordable Care Act’s Prognosis for Farmworkers
The Affordable Care Act’s Prognosis for Farmworkers
Jul 23, 2012
Daryn Lane, Former Student Action with Farmworkers Intern

The Affordable Care Act’s Prognosis for Farmworkers

Every day, about 243 agricultural workers suffer injuries that cost them work time; about five percent… Continue Reading

Help Sustain the Governor’s Veto of the Gutted Racial Justice Act
Help Sustain the Governor’s Veto of the Gutted Racial Justice Act
Jun 29, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Help Sustain the Governor’s Veto of the Gutted Racial Justice Act

We applaud Governor Beverly Perdue for her veto of a rewritten Racial Justice Act that had… Continue Reading

Help Needed to Fight Repeal of the Racial Justice Act
Help Needed to Fight Repeal of the Racial Justice Act
Jun 26, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Help Needed to Fight Repeal of the Racial Justice Act

The following is from the NC Coalition for a Moratorium and the Carolina Justice Policy Center.… Continue Reading

Rio+20 and The Climate is Changed!
Rio+20 and The Climate is Changed!
Jun 19, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Rio+20 and The Climate is Changed!

One of my friends just posted this amazing YouTube video of Severn Suzuki who, at age… Continue Reading

Raleigh Report — House Votes to Gut Racial Justice Act
Raleigh Report — House Votes to Gut Racial Justice Act
Jun 15, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Raleigh Report — House Votes to Gut Racial Justice Act

The House of Representatives has voted 73-47 to gut the Racial Justice Act. The vote was… Continue Reading

Affirming Principles of Concern for the Poor and Vulnerable
Affirming Principles of Concern for the Poor and Vulnerable
Jun 8, 2012
North Carolina Council of Churches

Affirming Principles of Concern for the Poor and Vulnerable

Statement Affirming the Principles of Concern for the Poor and the Vulnerable as Made More Visible… Continue Reading

Raleigh Report: Racial Justice Act Veto Override and Lobby Day to Stop Fracking Bill
Raleigh Report: Racial Justice Act Veto Override and Lobby Day to Stop Fracking Bill
Jun 4, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Raleigh Report: Racial Justice Act Veto Override and Lobby Day to Stop Fracking Bill

Two time-sensitive issues for advocates: 1) A vote to override the Governor’s veto of the Racial… Continue Reading

Statement on Passage of Amendment One
Statement on Passage of Amendment One
May 9, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Statement on Passage of Amendment One

In light of yesterday’s vote to add a discriminatory amendment about marriage to our state’s constitution,… Continue Reading

Reed’s Full Radio Interview Against Amendment One
Reed’s Full Radio Interview Against Amendment One
May 7, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Reed’s Full Radio Interview Against Amendment One

Executive Director George Reed’s full interview with NC Policy Watch from Sunday is now available here. … Continue Reading

Reed Explains Council’s Opposition to Amendment One on Sunday Radio Show
Reed Explains Council’s Opposition to Amendment One on Sunday Radio Show
May 4, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Reed Explains Council’s Opposition to Amendment One on Sunday Radio Show

Hear George Reed explain the Council’s opposition to Amendment One on Sunday morning’s News & Views… Continue Reading

Keep Discrimination Out of the NC Constitution — Vote May 8
Keep Discrimination Out of the NC Constitution — Vote May 8
May 3, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Keep Discrimination Out of the NC Constitution — Vote May 8

Council Friends— I am writing you with a last-minute appeal to get to the polls for… Continue Reading

Clergy Engage Constitutional Amendment Debate
Clergy Engage Constitutional Amendment Debate
Apr 23, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Clergy Engage Constitutional Amendment Debate

Durham Herald-Sun

The ballot referendum that could cement the definition of marriage as “the only domestic legal union” into the state Constitution has turned a political debate into a religious one — and is mustering people of faith across North Carolina to the polls.

Early Voting and Amendment One
Early Voting and Amendment One
Apr 20, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Early Voting and Amendment One

Early voting is now under way for North Carolina’s May 8 primary. Between now and May… Continue Reading

New County Health Rankings Point to Disparities in Health
New County Health Rankings Point to Disparities in Health
Apr 10, 2012
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

New County Health Rankings Point to Disparities in Health

The 2012 County Health Rankings report, recently released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the… Continue Reading

Economic Justice Way of the Cross
Economic Justice Way of the Cross
Apr 2, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Economic Justice Way of the Cross

On April 6, state religious leaders and activists will remember Jesus Christ’s suffering and death and the suffering and death of immigrants coming to this country in an “Economic Justice Way of the Cross.” The North Carolina Council of Churches is a co-sponsor of the event which takes place from noon to 2 p.m. at the N.C. State Capitol.

The Good Friday commemoration of Jesus’ suffering and death will be linked with the need for justice, immigration reform, a change in US trade policies, and an end to US support for the war in Afghanistan and Colombia. Money needs to be spent on food and economic development instead of war, according to Gail Phares, director of Witness for Peace Southeast, the event’s primary organizer.

An End to Hunger
An End to Hunger
Mar 15, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

An End to Hunger

Ending world hunger is a pretty big goal, but the folks at Stop Hunger Now have… Continue Reading

In Thanksgiving for the Life of Lynice Williams
In Thanksgiving for the Life of Lynice Williams
Mar 14, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

In Thanksgiving for the Life of Lynice Williams

Lynice Williams died this weekend. Too soon by any measure. She was one of this state’s… Continue Reading

Pilgrim UCC hosting series on Amendment 1
Pilgrim UCC hosting series on Amendment 1
Mar 13, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Pilgrim UCC hosting series on Amendment 1

Durham Herald-Sun

Pilgrim United Church of Christ will host a community series this month on “Faith and the Marriage Amendment,” about the proposed North Carolina Amendment 1. If the ballot measure passes May 8, the only valid domestic union recognized by the state will be marriage of a man and a woman.

Read more: The Herald-Sun – Pilgrim UCC hosting series on Amendment 1

Jack Crum Conference on Prophetic Ministry Focuses on Amendment One
Jack Crum Conference on Prophetic Ministry Focuses on Amendment One
Mar 9, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Jack Crum Conference on Prophetic Ministry Focuses on Amendment One

We hope you’ll join us on April 14 for the Fourth Annual Jack Crum Conference on… Continue Reading

Council Provides Toolkit for Amendment One Opponents
Council Provides Toolkit for Amendment One Opponents
Feb 28, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Council Provides Toolkit for Amendment One Opponents

The NC Council of Churches, working in conjunction with the Coalition to Protect ALL NC Families,… Continue Reading

Compromising values
Compromising values
Feb 14, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Compromising values

Raleigh News & Observer

We would not have chosen to be a part of an issue like this, but we are. The world is watching North Carolina to see what we will do. There is compelling evidence that conspiracy to commit kidnapping and torture were committed by Johnston County’s Aero Contractors. The state should investigate these claims and determine their validity.

Update: GA Committee Meets on Immigration
Update: GA Committee Meets on Immigration
Feb 7, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Update: GA Committee Meets on Immigration

The newly formed House Select Committee on the State’s Role in Immigration Policy met for the… Continue Reading

2012 Critical Issues Seminar — Eating Well for Ourselves, For Our Neighbors, For Our Planet
2012 Critical Issues Seminar — Eating Well for Ourselves, For Our Neighbors, For Our Planet
Jan 10, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

2012 Critical Issues Seminar — Eating Well for Ourselves, For Our Neighbors, For Our Planet

Everyone eats. How and from where we get that food, how much is available to us,… Continue Reading

Resources for Remembering 9/11
Resources for Remembering 9/11
Aug 10, 2011
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Resources for Remembering 9/11

In one month, our country will mark the 10th anniversary of the attacks on our nation on 9/11. Many denominations, faith groups and religious organizations have prepared materials for use in community gatherings and worship services in congregations – click here for links to those resources. You will also find pastoral care materials and age appropriate resources for children.

Raise Your Hand if You Support Child Labor
Raise Your Hand if You Support Child Labor
Jun 9, 2011
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Raise Your Hand if You Support Child Labor

As a society, we decided 75 years ago that child labor needed very strict guidelines to make sure that education comes first and to prevent abusive conditions.  The only problem?  Children in agriculture were exempted from these protections, in part because most farms were small family operations that needed everyone’s help.  Today, mass-scale agribusiness has replaced family farms.  But the exemption allowing child labor on farms has remained, meaning that there’s a good chance that pint of blueberries you’re enjoying was hand-picked by 12- and 13-year olds – legally.  These same children are too young to work in any other industry.

Gardens of Forgiveness film and discussion
Gardens of Forgiveness film and discussion
Jun 4, 2011
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

Gardens of Forgiveness film and discussion

The Reverend Lyndon Harris, Executive Director of Gardens of Forgiveness and the priest in charge of Saint Paul’s Chapel at ground zero will be speaking about his experience during 9/11 and how that led him to create Forgiveness Gardens all over the world.

Why I Am in Jail
Why I Am in Jail
May 24, 2011
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

Why I Am in Jail

As I write this note, it is 12:30PM and I’m sitting comfortably in my office at… Continue Reading

Wild Goose Tix & Volunteering
Wild Goose Tix & Volunteering
May 3, 2011
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

Wild Goose Tix & Volunteering

June 23, the first day of the Wild Goose Festival, is 50 days away, and excitement is definitely building. Tickets are on sale and volunteers are needed. Read on for more information…

Raleigh Report – April 26, 2011
Raleigh Report – April 26, 2011
Apr 28, 2011
Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration

Raleigh Report – April 26, 2011

State Deadline Passes and Most New Bills Introduced

Good Friday Fast for Hunger
Good Friday Fast for Hunger
Apr 18, 2011
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

Good Friday Fast for Hunger

Friends of the NC Council of Churches in Western North Carolina will be fasting on Good Friday in solidarity with the poor, and in recognition that budgets are moral documents. They call upon Congressman Shuler to work with his colleagues find a way to balance the federal budget that does not place the burden for doing so on the shoulders of those vulnerable Americans who are least able to bear that burden.

Jack Crum Conference Focuses on School Diversity
Jack Crum Conference Focuses on School Diversity
Mar 24, 2011
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

Jack Crum Conference Focuses on School Diversity

Please join us for the 3rd Annual Jack Crum Conference on Prophetic Ministry: Saturday, April 9,… Continue Reading

2011 Pilgrimage for Justice & Peace
2011 Pilgrimage for Justice & Peace
Mar 7, 2011
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

2011 Pilgrimage for Justice & Peace

Join Witness for Peace Southeast, the North Carolina Council of Churches, and a host of other… Continue Reading

Sojourners Blog on Anti-Torture Conference
Sojourners Blog on Anti-Torture Conference
Feb 18, 2011
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Sojourners Blog on Anti-Torture Conference

Sojourners, a leading publication on the intersection of faith, politics and culture, ran a Feb. 16… Continue Reading

Anti-Torture Conference
Anti-Torture Conference
Jan 24, 2011
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

Anti-Torture Conference

Torture conference logoOn March 25 and 26, 2011, the Duke University Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina will be hosting a conference on torture. This two-day event aims to equip participants to understand the arguments against torture and to prepare them for anti-torture advocacy within their own communities, trusting that the greatest protection against the U.S. government’s use of torture is a shared understanding that torture is always wrong.

MLK Event and Bulletin Insert
MLK Event and Bulletin Insert
Jan 11, 2011
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

MLK Event and Bulletin Insert

A bulletin insert with an excerpt from Dr. King’s prophetic sermon at Riverside Church is available for download here. The Council’s David LaMotte will be preaching at Martin Street Baptist in Raleigh on Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday, January 16.

Ash Wednesday, Year A
Ash Wednesday, Year A
Jan 5, 2011
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Ash Wednesday, Year A

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

The Tortured Truth
The Tortured Truth
Dec 11, 2010
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

The Tortured Truth

NC Policy Watch

In recent days, the Internet has been abuzz with revelations brought to us by “Wikileaks” of comments that were never intended to be public. Meanwhile, George W. Bush is touring to promote his new book, enthusiastically admitting that he violated international and US law. As the US government calls for accountability for Mr. Assange of Wikileaks, it must consider the applicability of its own words to other situations.

Dr. Rynne to speak on Gandhi, Jesus and Nonviolence
Dr. Rynne to speak on Gandhi, Jesus and Nonviolence
Oct 18, 2010
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

Dr. Rynne to speak on Gandhi, Jesus and Nonviolence

Dr. Terrence Rynne is the founder of the Marquette University Center for Peacemaking. His new book “Gandhi and Jesus, the Saving Power of Nonviolence” examines the intersections between the life of Jesus and the teachings of Gandhi. He has three presentations coming up in North Carolina, in Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh.

Peace-related Events Around the State
Peace-related Events Around the State
Oct 5, 2010
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Peace-related Events Around the State

Hello friends, There are a couple of upcoming events I wanted to let you know about… Continue Reading

Social Justice and Mainline Protestants
Social Justice and Mainline Protestants
Aug 3, 2010
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

Social Justice and Mainline Protestants

Last month I received an email from Deborah Arca Mooney, a writer and editor with Patheos.com,… Continue Reading

Listen, But Don’t Emulate
Listen, But Don’t Emulate
May 16, 2010
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Listen, But Don’t Emulate

Rev. Jonah Kendall, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church (Durham)

Where are we with this? Have we ever used our faith to challenge and disrupt? For on this Ascension Sunday when we’ve been called by Christ to proclaim a message of repentance and the forgiveness of sins, that is God’s love for all, when we have heard in Acts about Paul and Silas, about how the proclamation of this love can lead to imprisonment, we’re invited to ask ourselves how our lives show forth Christ’s Gospel, a Gospel that precisely because it proclaims a love and well-being for all is radical and disruptive.

Conference targets rendition flights
Conference targets rendition flights
Apr 8, 2010
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Conference targets rendition flights

Raleigh News & Observer

The N.C. Council of Churches is among the sponsors of the conference, which will begin with an interfaith meditation led by Rabbi Raachel Jurovics of Raleigh and will include the participation ofAbdullah Antepli, the Muslim chaplain at Duke.

“The idea that we would deface the divine figure is repugnant in all our traditions,” said Jurovics. Judaism, Christianity and Islam consider human beings to be made in God’s image.

Statement on the Trafficking of Human Persons
Statement on the Trafficking of Human Persons
Dec 2, 2008
North Carolina Council of Churches

Statement on the Trafficking of Human Persons

The North Carolina Council of Churches unequivocally affirms the essential, inherent, and universal dignity of all persons, for “God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them.” This means that the value of any and every individual – all equally cherished by the Author of Life – must not under any circumstances be compromised, diminished, or infringed upon. At all times and in all way, the Council seeks to protect and promote the dignity and flourishing of the human person.

The Iraq War and the Use of Torture by Our Country
The Iraq War and the Use of Torture by Our Country
Dec 6, 2005
North Carolina Council of Churches

The Iraq War and the Use of Torture by Our Country

The North Carolina Council of Churches has a long history of stands regarding our nation’s warmaking.  Since 1935, we have called for political leaders to resist from entering wars, to follow international covenants and treaties while engaged in war, and to end conflicts that have begun.  In keeping with this history, we now reiterate our opposition to the current war in Iraq and to the use of torture as an instrument of war.

Race and the Death Penalty In NC
Race and the Death Penalty In NC
Apr 16, 2001
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Race and the Death Penalty In NC

This is a preliminary report concerning a new study of capital punishment in the State of North Carolina that has been undertaken during the past nine months – the North Carolina Death Penalty Study 2001. It is the first major social scientific study of the death penalty conducted in North Carolina in over 20 years, and the first systematic look for patterns of racial discrimination in capital sentencing in the South employing data more recent than 1984. The report has been prepared by Dr. Robert Unah of the Department of Political Science of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with the assistance of Professor John Charles Boger of the UNC School of Law.

As we will elaborate below, the preliminary findings present clear and disturbing evidence that North Carolina’s capital system in the 1990s continues to exhibit patterns of racial discrimination that cannot be explained by any of the legitimate sentencing considerations that have been sanctioned by North Carolina’s legislative and judicial branches.

Resolution to Support Legislation to Close the School of the Americas
Resolution to Support Legislation to Close the School of the Americas
Dec 2, 1998
North Carolina Council of Churches

Resolution to Support Legislation to Close the School of the Americas

Whereas the U.S. Army School of the Americas has trained 60,000 Latin American soldiers who have consistently returned to their countries to murder, torture, rape, and intimidate the poor and those who work for the rights of the poor, the Executive Board of the NC Council of Churches supports the closing of the US Army School of the Americas.


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