COVID-19 Response & Resources
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Partners in Health & Wholeness

An initiative of the NC Council of Churches

  • Voices
  • About
    • Staff
    • Values Statement
  • Programs
    • Collaborative
      • PHW Collaborative Pledge
      • Clergy Commitment
    • Mini-Grants
    • The Opioid Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
      • Listening Tour
      • Resources for the Opioid Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
      • Frequently Asked Questions About the Opioid Crisis the Faith Community Responds
  • Resources
    • Re-imagining Health Ministries During COVID: How to Stay Engaged
    • Sacred Series Toolkit: Becoming a Trauma-Informed Faith Community
    • Healthy Aging Resource Guide
    • COVID-19 Response & Resources
    • Hurricane Preparedness
    • Newsletter Archive
  • FAQs
  • Events
    • Upcoming PHW Events
    • Submit Community Event
  • nccc-logo-favicon
  • Show Search

Search NC Council of Churches

Hide Search

Race/Ethnicity

Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, & Sacred Work (Part III)
Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, & Sacred Work (Part III)
Dec 11, 2020
The Rev. Jessica Stokes, Associate Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness, Mental Health Advocacy

Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, & Sacred Work (Part III)

To read Part I of this series, click here. To read Part II of this series,… Continue Reading

Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, & Sacred Work (Part II)
Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, & Sacred Work (Part II)
Oct 29, 2020
The Rev. Jessica Stokes, Associate Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness, Mental Health Advocacy

Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, & Sacred Work (Part II)

To read Part 1 of the “Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, & Sacred Work” series,… Continue Reading

Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, and Sacred Work (Part I)
Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, and Sacred Work (Part I)
Oct 9, 2020
The Rev. Jessica Stokes, Associate Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness, Mental Health Advocacy

Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, and Sacred Work (Part I)

“Racism is a mental health issue because racism causes trauma”- Mental Health America. This is a… Continue Reading

From Domination to Dominion
From Domination to Dominion
Jun 9, 2020
Sarah Ogletree, Program Coordinator, NC Interfaith Power & Light

From Domination to Dominion

The following transcript was offered as a sermon by NCIPL Program Coordinator, Sarah Ogletree, on Sunday,… Continue Reading

Statement on Systemic Racism
Statement on Systemic Racism
Jun 2, 2020
North Carolina Council of Churches

Statement on Systemic Racism

A resolution adopted by the Governing Board of the North Carolina Council of Churches, June 2,… Continue Reading

Lament for a Life
Lament for a Life
May 15, 2020
North Carolina Council of Churches

Lament for a Life

This piece was written by Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director, in conjunction with Jessica Stokes, Associate Director… Continue Reading

Raleigh Report: Flawed deal to resurrect Silent Sam
Raleigh Report: Flawed deal to resurrect Silent Sam
Dec 13, 2019
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Raleigh Report: Flawed deal to resurrect Silent Sam

When leaders of the N.C. Council of Churches two years ago adopted a policy statement entitled… Continue Reading

Critical Issues Seminar: The Wisdom of Women
Critical Issues Seminar: The Wisdom of Women
Mar 22, 2018
Andrew Hudgins, Program Associate for Operations

Critical Issues Seminar: The Wisdom of Women

2018 is shaping up to the be the Year of the Woman. From the halls of… Continue Reading

The Commission Came to Town
The Commission Came to Town
Feb 13, 2018
Mary Elizabeth Hanchey, Program Associate for Legislative Advocacy and Interfaith Outreach

The Commission Came to Town

Only rarely does the United States Commission on Civil Rights hold hearings outside of Washington D.C.… Continue Reading

Be Reconciled
Be Reconciled
Feb 9, 2018
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

Be Reconciled

Black History month is North Carolina Council of Churches’ history starting in 1935 because our history… Continue Reading

Jesus, Martin, and Gilles
Jesus, Martin, and Gilles
Jan 17, 2018
Mary Elizabeth Hanchey, Program Associate for Legislative Advocacy and Interfaith Outreach

Jesus, Martin, and Gilles

A reflection on Jesus of Nazareth (out of which nothing good comes)¹, the life and death… Continue Reading

Defenders of Rights; Defenders of Privilege
Defenders of Rights; Defenders of Privilege
Sep 30, 2017
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Defenders of Rights; Defenders of Privilege

At many levels, Americans are confronting issues of race relations and racial justice with an intensity… 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

The Infection in Our Democracy
The Infection in Our Democracy
Aug 25, 2017
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

The Infection in Our Democracy

On April 26, 1865, my great-great-grandfather was camped a mere five miles from where I now… Continue Reading

In the Face of Violence
In the Face of Violence
Aug 18, 2017
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

In the Face of Violence

Today, Friday, August 18, 2017, South Main in Durham, NC, is closed to traffic. Civil employees… Continue Reading

Post-Charlottesville: What Trump Said, and When
Post-Charlottesville: What Trump Said, and When
Aug 17, 2017
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Post-Charlottesville: What Trump Said, and When

When President Trump stepped to a White House lectern on Monday and rebuked the instigators of… Continue Reading

Response to the Violence in Charlottesville
Response to the Violence in Charlottesville
Aug 15, 2017
Andrew Hudgins, Program Associate for Operations

Response to the Violence in Charlottesville

Before I came to call the great state of North Carolina home, I was a proud… Continue Reading

Supporting Young Immigrants’ Dreams
Supporting Young Immigrants’ Dreams
Aug 5, 2017
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Supporting Young Immigrants’ Dreams

Five years ago, President Obama created the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program to enable… Continue Reading

Rights Advocacy At Risk
Rights Advocacy At Risk
Aug 3, 2017
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Rights Advocacy At Risk

The optics, as they say, are terrible. But in a state whose motto is “To Be… Continue Reading

America’s Role in Torture — Beginning the Path to Forgiveness
America’s Role in Torture — Beginning the Path to Forgiveness
Jul 9, 2017
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

America’s Role in Torture — Beginning the Path to Forgiveness

With so many issues confronting us, our nation’s involvement in acts of torture is fading from… Continue Reading

Doomed Veto Spotlights Budget Flaws
Doomed Veto Spotlights Budget Flaws
Jun 30, 2017
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Doomed Veto Spotlights Budget Flaws

Presented with a new state budget that, whatever its occasional virtues, is mainly about easing tax… Continue Reading

New Budget with Old Agenda Falls Short
New Budget with Old Agenda Falls Short
Jun 22, 2017
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

New Budget with Old Agenda Falls Short

By now the strategy is familiar – the strategy used by the N.C. General Assembly’s Republican… Continue Reading

Sanctuary as a Sacred Act
Sanctuary as a Sacred Act
Jun 2, 2017
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Sanctuary as a Sacred Act

Photo courtesy of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. Under President Trump’s recent executive orders, many… Continue Reading

Rolling Waters
Rolling Waters
Jun 2, 2017
Andrew Hudgins, Program Associate for Operations

Rolling Waters

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I headed north for my sister’s graduation. Being… 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

Lines of Influence: Justices Zap Voting Map
Lines of Influence: Justices Zap Voting Map
May 25, 2017
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Lines of Influence: Justices Zap Voting Map

Following the elections of 2010 – tilted as they were by an intense right-wing pushback against… 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

Speak Out Against Anti-Climate Executive Order
Speak Out Against Anti-Climate Executive Order
Mar 29, 2017
Susannah Tuttle, NCIPL Director

Speak Out Against Anti-Climate Executive Order

This week, Donald Trump issued an executive order to turn back the clock on the climate progress… Continue Reading

2017 Legislative Seminar Check-In Instructions
2017 Legislative Seminar Check-In Instructions
Mar 24, 2017
Andrew Hudgins, Program Associate for Operations

2017 Legislative Seminar Check-In Instructions

Thank you to those who have registered for the 2017 Legislative Seminar. We are looking forward… Continue Reading

If a Budget is a Moral Document, Then What Does this One Preach?
If a Budget is a Moral Document, Then What Does this One Preach?
Mar 17, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

If a Budget is a Moral Document, Then What Does this One Preach?

The budget blueprint for 2018 released by President Trump on Thursday cuts a wide swath through… 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

2017 Legislative Seminar: Advocate in NC as well as DC
2017 Legislative Seminar: Advocate in NC as well as DC
Mar 6, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

2017 Legislative Seminar: Advocate in NC as well as DC

The political situation at the national level has occupied the time and attention of many faithful… 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

Whispers and Shouts
Whispers and Shouts
Feb 11, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Whispers and Shouts

Sometimes God whispers. Whether through hymns or homilies or kids dancing their way down the aisle… 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

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

Sanctuary, Not Deportation
Sanctuary, Not Deportation
Jan 27, 2017
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Sanctuary, Not Deportation

First in a series of three blogs. God calls people of faith to remember that they… 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

Healthy Churches 2020 National Conference
Healthy Churches 2020 National Conference
Jan 17, 2017
Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

Healthy Churches 2020 National Conference

Pizazz. Laughter. Friends. Singing. These words describe the Healthy Churches 2020 National Conference. But, did you… Continue Reading

Remembering the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Remembering the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Jan 15, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Remembering the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Excerpts from Dr. King’s remarks delivered on May 14, 1963 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Cleveland… 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

Update: Save Our Health Care Rallies Statewide on January 15
Update: Save Our Health Care Rallies Statewide on January 15
Jan 10, 2017
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Update: Save Our Health Care Rallies Statewide on January 15

On Friday, the House of Representatives voted to continue the process that could ultimately repeal the… 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

The Council Welcomes Your End-of-Year Gift
The Council Welcomes Your End-of-Year Gift
Dec 26, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

The Council Welcomes Your End-of-Year Gift

Looking ahead to 2017, there is much more work for the Council to do than we… Continue Reading

Support North Carolina’s Faithful Voice for Justice, Unity, and Peace
Support North Carolina’s Faithful Voice for Justice, Unity, and Peace
Dec 18, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Support North Carolina’s Faithful Voice for Justice, Unity, and Peace

We are living in unsettling times. Progress we once thought inviolable now feels threatened. One constant… 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

Becoming the Church Together and Including Youth
Becoming the Church Together and Including Youth
Nov 25, 2016
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Becoming the Church Together and Including Youth

Earlier this month, the North Carolina Conference hosted its annual Pilgrimage event, a time when several… Continue Reading

Be Thankful for Immigrants and Indigenous People
Be Thankful for Immigrants and Indigenous People
Nov 23, 2016
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Be Thankful for Immigrants and Indigenous People

Almost 400 years ago, in what is now Massachusetts, a group of newly arrived immigrants from… Continue Reading

December 2-4: Preach Love
December 2-4: Preach Love
Nov 14, 2016
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

December 2-4: Preach Love

The North Carolina Council of Churches is calling on people of faith and leaders of the… 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 Council of Churches Stands with Standing Rock
NC Council of Churches Stands with Standing Rock
Nov 6, 2016
Susannah Tuttle, NCIPL Director

NC Council of Churches Stands with Standing Rock

Many of us have been following with great interest the resistance of Native Americans in North… Continue Reading

At Campaign Trail’s End, Voters Rule
At Campaign Trail’s End, Voters Rule
Oct 27, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

At Campaign Trail’s End, Voters Rule

As the 2016 campaign season grinds along the final stretch toward Election Day on Nov. 8… Continue Reading

Early Voting Draws Support
Early Voting Draws Support
Sep 9, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Early Voting Draws Support

The folks in North Carolina who want to make it harder rather than easier for people… 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

Election Maps Under Scrutiny
Election Maps Under Scrutiny
Aug 12, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Election Maps Under Scrutiny

The Republican Party developed a national strategy to seize and hold legislative power, and in North… Continue Reading

Changing the View
Changing the View
Aug 11, 2016
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

Changing the View

This sermon was preached on August 6, 2016 at the Church Women United Leadership Conference. Then… Continue Reading

Voting Rights, Redeemed
Voting Rights, Redeemed
Aug 5, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Voting Rights, Redeemed

Even for ardent voting rights advocates, there’s little comfort to be gained from a federal appeals… Continue Reading

Keeping Our Brothers and Sisters
Keeping Our Brothers and Sisters
Jul 17, 2016
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

Keeping Our Brothers and Sisters

Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! — Genesis 4:10 For days… Continue Reading

Tar Heel Beacon of Tolerance
Tar Heel Beacon of Tolerance
May 13, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Tar Heel Beacon of Tolerance

Take heart, fair-minded North Carolinians. The state’s not-always-pristine but still vaguely operative image as a place… Continue Reading

Video: Sermon by T. Anthony Spearman at the Critical Issues Seminar
Video: Sermon by T. Anthony Spearman at the Critical Issues Seminar
May 5, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Video: Sermon by T. Anthony Spearman at the Critical Issues Seminar

The Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman delivered the sermon during worship at the Council’s 2016 Critical… Continue Reading

2016 Critical Issues Seminar — Register for Workshops
2016 Critical Issues Seminar — Register for Workshops
Apr 5, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

2016 Critical Issues Seminar — Register for Workshops

Registration for 2016 Critical Issues Seminar workshops is now available online. If you have not yet… 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

Hurtful Law Sends Signals
Hurtful Law Sends Signals
Apr 1, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Hurtful Law Sends Signals

Yes, it was a pretty neat trick — one bill that manages to expose many vulnerable… Continue Reading

Lenten Guide — Easter Sunday
Lenten Guide — Easter Sunday
Mar 26, 2016
Ashley Yohman, Program Associate for Finance and Development

Lenten Guide — Easter Sunday

Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power,… Continue Reading

Lenten Guide — Good Friday
Lenten Guide — Good Friday
Mar 24, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Lenten Guide — Good Friday

Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power,… Continue Reading

Lenten Guide — Maundy Thursday
Lenten Guide — Maundy Thursday
Mar 23, 2016
Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

Lenten Guide — Maundy Thursday

Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power,… Continue Reading

Trump’s Campaign of Us versus Them
Trump’s Campaign of Us versus Them
Mar 21, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Trump’s Campaign of Us versus Them

If Donald J. Trump successfully concludes his so-far-dominant push to become this year’s Republican presidential nominee,… Continue Reading

Lenten Guide — Palm Sunday
Lenten Guide — Palm Sunday
Mar 19, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Lenten Guide — Palm Sunday

Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power,… Continue Reading

District Challengers: ‘Oh, No, You Don’t!’ (Updated)
District Challengers: ‘Oh, No, You Don’t!’ (Updated)
Mar 7, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

District Challengers: ‘Oh, No, You Don’t!’ (Updated)

After a panel of federal judges threw out North Carolina’s congressional district map because it trampled… Continue Reading

Lenten Guide — Fourth Sunday
Lenten Guide — Fourth Sunday
Mar 5, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Lenten Guide — Fourth Sunday

Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power,… Continue Reading

The Path Toward Energy Justice: Creating a Climate for Change
The Path Toward Energy Justice: Creating a Climate for Change
Mar 4, 2016
Susannah Tuttle, NCIPL Director

The Path Toward Energy Justice: Creating a Climate for Change

Infographic by Tracy Loeffelholz Dunn / The Nation. Shutterstock images from Lorelyn Medina, Agusto Cabral The… Continue Reading

Lenten Guide — Third Sunday
Lenten Guide — Third Sunday
Feb 27, 2016
Shannon Axtell Martin, PHW Regional Coordinator

Lenten Guide — Third Sunday

Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power,… Continue Reading

Lenten Guide — Second Sunday
Lenten Guide — Second Sunday
Feb 20, 2016
Chris Pernell, Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness

Lenten Guide — Second Sunday

Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power,… Continue Reading

District Drama Spotlights Power, Fairness
District Drama Spotlights Power, Fairness
Feb 19, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

District Drama Spotlights Power, Fairness

The Republicans who control North Carolina’s General Assembly are determined to draw election-district boundaries favoring their… Continue Reading

Lenten Guide — First Sunday
Lenten Guide — First Sunday
Feb 13, 2016
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Lenten Guide — First Sunday

Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power,… Continue Reading

Lenten Guide — Ash Wednesday
Lenten Guide — Ash Wednesday
Feb 10, 2016
The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

Lenten Guide — Ash Wednesday

Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power,… Continue Reading

Thumbs Down on Racial Gerrymanders
Thumbs Down on Racial Gerrymanders
Feb 9, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Thumbs Down on Racial Gerrymanders

With an eye toward the battles over redistricting that have roiled North Carolina politics for the… Continue Reading

Critical Issues Seminar — Registration Now Open
Critical Issues Seminar — Registration Now Open
Feb 9, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Critical Issues Seminar — Registration Now Open

Join us for the Council’s 2016 Critical Issues Seminar, focused on Race, Power, and Privilege, on… Continue Reading

Lenten Guide Available — Love One Another
Lenten Guide Available — Love One Another
Feb 7, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Lenten Guide Available — Love One Another

When we set out to prepare this year’s Lenten guide, the contributors were told they could… Continue Reading

Tenth Annual HKonJ is February 13
Tenth Annual HKonJ is February 13
Feb 6, 2016
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Tenth Annual HKonJ is February 13

Join the NAACP, NC Council of Churches, and other coalition partners for the Tenth Annual Moral… Continue Reading

Race, Courts and Twisted Districts
Race, Courts and Twisted Districts
Jan 9, 2016
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Race, Courts and Twisted Districts

Few of the decisions made by the men and women of our General Assembly are so… 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

2015: Our Conservatives Weren’t Kidding
2015: Our Conservatives Weren’t Kidding
Dec 31, 2015
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

2015: Our Conservatives Weren’t Kidding

For those of us who want to see North Carolina governed with the interests of all… Continue Reading

Trump’s Anti-Muslim Bluster
Trump’s Anti-Muslim Bluster
Dec 14, 2015
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Trump’s Anti-Muslim Bluster

In the game of bridge, when a trump card is played to win a trick, that’s… Continue Reading

Doing Right by Syria’s Refugees
Doing Right by Syria’s Refugees
Nov 21, 2015
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Doing Right by Syria’s Refugees

Photo by I. Prickett, UNHCR Against the toxic brew of fear and political opportunism that has… 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

Bombing Survivor, Priest, and Community Healer Fr. Michael Lapsley Visits NC
Bombing Survivor, Priest, and Community Healer Fr. Michael Lapsley Visits NC
Aug 31, 2015
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Bombing Survivor, Priest, and Community Healer Fr. Michael Lapsley Visits NC

The Rev. Michael Lapsley, survivor of a bombing by South African apartheid agents, will visit North… Continue Reading

The Rotten Fruit of Hatred
The Rotten Fruit of Hatred
Aug 30, 2015
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

The Rotten Fruit of Hatred

The past few weeks and months have been filled with a lot of hatred. Innocent people… Continue Reading

Voting Rights Trial Winding Down
Voting Rights Trial Winding Down
Jul 30, 2015
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Voting Rights Trial Winding Down

National attention has been focused on North Carolina during the federal voting rights trial going on… 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

A New Heaven
A New Heaven
Jul 10, 2015
Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

A New Heaven

“Joy, can you still dance. Now that I just heard about the Charleston shooting, can you… Continue Reading

Voting Rights Sense, in a New Light
Voting Rights Sense, in a New Light
Jun 29, 2015
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Voting Rights Sense, in a New Light

Over and over, we heard North Carolina’s stringent voter identification law, enacted by the Republican-controlled legislature… Continue Reading

Standin’ in the Need of Prayer
Standin’ in the Need of Prayer
Jun 25, 2015
George Reed, Former Executive Director

Standin’ in the Need of Prayer

Raleigh’s Martin Street Baptist Church (historically African-American) and Pullen Memorial Baptist Church (historically white) have a… 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

Scrutiny for Gun Laws, Post-Charleston
Scrutiny for Gun Laws, Post-Charleston
Jun 23, 2015
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Scrutiny for Gun Laws, Post-Charleston

Their timing, as it turned out, was less than impeccable. The gun-rights boosters who are pushing… Continue Reading

Undocugraduation: Hope to Replace Fear
Undocugraduation: Hope to Replace Fear
Jun 23, 2015
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Undocugraduation: Hope to Replace Fear

By Wayde Marsh, Duke Divinity School Intern On my way to work one day last week,… 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

Statement on the Shootings in Charleston
Statement on the Shootings in Charleston
Jun 18, 2015
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Statement on the Shootings in Charleston

With people across the world, the North Carolina Council of Churches grieves with the congregation of… 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

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

Religious Freedom or Using Religion to Justify Discrimination?
Religious Freedom or Using Religion to Justify Discrimination?
Apr 2, 2015
George Reed, Former Executive Director

Religious Freedom or Using Religion to Justify Discrimination?

Discussions in recent days of so-called religious freedom bills in Indiana, Arkansas, and now North Carolina… 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

District Lines Entangle Race, Politics
District Lines Entangle Race, Politics
Jan 6, 2015
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

District Lines Entangle Race, Politics

The Republicans who rule North Carolina’s General Assembly start the new year riding tall in the… Continue Reading

So Long, 2014: It Wasn’t all Pretty!
So Long, 2014: It Wasn’t all Pretty!
Dec 29, 2014
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

So Long, 2014: It Wasn’t all Pretty!

Of the many decisions and activities that unfold in the arena of public affairs, the ones… Continue Reading

Council Post-Election Road Shows to Charlotte and Asheville
Council Post-Election Road Shows to Charlotte and Asheville
Nov 7, 2014
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Council Post-Election Road Shows to Charlotte and Asheville

What do Tuesday’s elections mean for North Carolina? How can people of faith in the state… Continue Reading

Clergy Breakfasts Kick Off with Sermons, Stories and Questions
Clergy Breakfasts Kick Off with Sermons, Stories and Questions
Oct 20, 2014
Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Clergy Breakfasts Kick Off with Sermons, Stories and Questions

For the past two weeks, the NC Religious Coalition for Justice for Immigrants has been on… Continue Reading

Voter Suppression Highlighted From on High
Voter Suppression Highlighted From on High
Oct 15, 2014
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Voter Suppression Highlighted From on High

When thorny constitutional issues are being hashed out in the courts, it’s a fact of life… Continue Reading

Judges Give ‘The Full Bill’ Thumbs-Down
Judges Give ‘The Full Bill’ Thumbs-Down
Oct 4, 2014
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Judges Give ‘The Full Bill’ Thumbs-Down

October 9, 2014 Update: On October 8, the US Supreme Court handed down the final word… Continue Reading

2014 Faith & Health Summit: Registration Deadline Extended
2014 Faith & Health Summit: Registration Deadline Extended
Sep 29, 2014
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

2014 Faith & Health Summit: Registration Deadline Extended

The deadline to register for the 2014 Faith and Health Summit has been extended until this… 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

NC’s Plan to Improve Health in Rural Communities
NC’s Plan to Improve Health in Rural Communities
Aug 22, 2014
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

NC’s Plan to Improve Health in Rural Communities

I had the pleasure of serving on the North Carolina Institute of Medicine’s (NCIOM) Task Force… Continue Reading

2014 Faith & Health Summit – Register Now!
2014 Faith & Health Summit – Register Now!
Aug 10, 2014
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

2014 Faith & Health Summit – Register Now!

Please join the North Carolina Council of Churches at the 2014 Faith and Health Summit, which… Continue Reading

Another Spirit-filled Weekend with Partners in Health and Wholeness
Another Spirit-filled Weekend with Partners in Health and Wholeness
Jul 24, 2014
Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

Another Spirit-filled Weekend with Partners in Health and Wholeness

Partners in Health and Wholeness co-hosted a youth conference on Saturday, July 12, with Empowering Word… Continue Reading

Cy King’s Noble Example
Cy King’s Noble Example
Jul 3, 2014
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Cy King’s Noble Example

Cyrus Baldwin King, a gentle spirit with an iron resolve, was a hero of North Carolina’s… Continue Reading

Council Spotlights Education, Opportunity
Council Spotlights Education, Opportunity
Jun 20, 2014
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Council Spotlights Education, Opportunity

The NC Council of Churches aims to exert a positive influence on public policies that have… Continue Reading

From Superior Court to Supreme Court, Education in the News
From Superior Court to Supreme Court, Education in the News
May 19, 2014
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

From Superior Court to Supreme Court, Education in the News

Education figured prominently in the news over the past few days, both nationally and locally. As… Continue Reading

April is National Minority Health Month
April is National Minority Health Month
Apr 9, 2014
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

April is National Minority Health Month

Differences in health currently exist between minorities and non-Hispanic whites in the U.S., with people of… Continue Reading

Healthy North Carolina 2020: Are We Gaining or Losing Ground?
Healthy North Carolina 2020: Are We Gaining or Losing Ground?
Apr 3, 2014
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Healthy North Carolina 2020: Are We Gaining or Losing Ground?

Healthy North Carolina 2020 is a health improvement plan for our state. It addresses a wide… Continue Reading

Worship Resources on the Death Penalty
Worship Resources on the Death Penalty
Mar 19, 2014
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Worship Resources on the Death Penalty

Date: Good Friday – Apr. 18, 2014
Topic: The Death Penalty
Focus Text: John 18:1-19:42
Because Christians have come to understand the cross as a rich symbol of all that God has accomplished in Jesus it is sometimes easy to forget that the symbol of our faith is (or was) also an instrument of torture and execution (it is certainly more than that, but not less). The details of Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion are a reminder that Jesus did in fact receive a form of capital punishment. As ethicist Glen Stassen writes, “Christians who remember that their Lord was unjustly and cruelly given the death penalty have a hard time being enthusiastic about imposing the death penalty on others.”

Two Churches Talk About Race
Two Churches Talk About Race
Feb 26, 2014
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Two Churches Talk About Race

A newcomer to Raleigh sooner or later comes up against a riddle: How can the city… Continue Reading

Election Law’s Racial Twist
Election Law’s Racial Twist
Feb 24, 2014
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Election Law’s Racial Twist

It’s easy to imagine the response from legislative leaders to a new scholarly look at the… Continue Reading

Taylor Branch Speaks in Raleigh Feb. 23
Taylor Branch Speaks in Raleigh Feb. 23
Feb 18, 2014
George Reed, Former Executive Director

Taylor Branch Speaks in Raleigh Feb. 23

We in the Triangle have a truly rare opportunity this Sunday, to hear and dialogue with… Continue Reading

Beech Valley Baptist Church in Sugar Grove to Participate in Strive to Revive Cardiac Arrest Rescue Program
Beech Valley Baptist Church in Sugar Grove to Participate in Strive to Revive Cardiac Arrest Rescue Program
Feb 5, 2014
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Beech Valley Baptist Church in Sugar Grove to Participate in Strive to Revive Cardiac Arrest Rescue Program

High Country Press Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC), the North Carolina Council… Continue Reading

King’s Voice for Voters
King’s Voice for Voters
Jan 17, 2014
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

King’s Voice for Voters

Our country’s annual salute to the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. honors him as the… Continue Reading

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 Racism & Reconciliation
Worship Resources on Racism & Reconciliation
Dec 19, 2013
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Worship Resources on Racism & Reconciliation

Date: Baptism of the Lord – Jan. 12, 2014
Topic: Racism & Reconciliation
Focus Text: Acts 10:34-43
This joining and reconciliation of people, Jews and gentiles, but also strangers and enemies of all kinds, has already begun with the work of Christ. In Christ, God invites us on the journey of reconciliation, the same journey of the church in Acts: a journey that includes the hard work of speaking someone else’s language (Pentecost), sharing food, resources, money, and space (Acts 2), transgressing social divides (Acts 10), dismantling discrimination (Acts 6:1-6), forming new intimacy and identity (Acts 11:19-26), and speaking out against injustice (Gal. 2:11-14).

God With Us: A Social Justice Advent Guide for Families
God With Us: A Social Justice Advent Guide for Families
Nov 4, 2013
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

God With Us: A Social Justice Advent Guide for Families

Because the season of Advent is a time of awaiting the Christ child and the risen Christ, it is a perfect time to think about social justice issues. Christ’s ministry, which is explored in other seasons of the Christian year, focuses on lifting up those whom society regarded as worthless or weak, including the poor, the ill, the foreigner, women, and children. Social justice was at the core of Jesus’ ministry. Based on the Advent readings for Lectionary Year A, this guide will assist you in slowing down this season by taking 20-30 minutes one night a week to focus on social justice.

PHW Receives Faith & Community Health Excellence Award
PHW Receives Faith & Community Health Excellence Award
Oct 13, 2013
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Receives Faith & Community Health Excellence Award

I had the pleasure of attending the Tri-Regional Faith and Community Health Summit in Atlanta, GA… Continue Reading

Court Tests for New Election Law
Court Tests for New Election Law
Aug 20, 2013
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Court Tests for New Election Law

North Carolina’s new voter ID law also cuts the period for early voting and makes other… Continue Reading

Voter ID Showdown Looms
Voter ID Showdown Looms
Jul 20, 2013
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Voter ID Showdown Looms

With the end of the 2013 legislative session in sight, Republicans in the General Assembly are… Continue Reading

Lines in the Wind
Lines in the Wind
Jul 12, 2013
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Lines in the Wind

North Carolina Republican legislators seem to be a little conflicted when it comes to their opinion… Continue Reading

Moral Mondays Reverberate Across the Country
Moral Mondays Reverberate Across the Country
Jul 5, 2013
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Moral Mondays Reverberate Across the Country

I finally had the chance to go my first Moral Monday earlier this week. Walking around Halifax Mall with our Executive Director, George Reed, I was struck by how many people we both knew. I’m deeply proud of the involvement by clergy and faith communities in particular. So many of our members are represented not only in the crowd but also in the faces of those participating in civil disobedience and getting arrested. As we celebrate Independence Day this week, we give thanks not only for the many freedoms our country offers, but in particular for the countless faithful voices speaking up and speaking out for those who are being pushed to the margins by this General Assembly.

Grant to Strengthen Community Garden Program
Grant to Strengthen Community Garden Program
Jul 4, 2013
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Grant to Strengthen Community Garden Program

Winston-Salem Chronicle

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) Foundation has partnered with the North Carolina Council of Churches to provide grants to faith-based organizations to help them supply healthy eating alternatives to their members and underserved communities.

United Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church (UMMBC) is one of 20 faith-based organizations that have received a $5,000 Healthy Eating Equipment Grant. The church will use the grant to purchase much needed equipment and supplies to support the 10 gardens that now comprise the S.G. Atkins Community Gardens at Winston-Salem State University.

PHW Success Story – Shalom Community Christian Church, Greensboro
PHW Success Story – Shalom Community Christian Church, Greensboro
Jun 20, 2013
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Success Story – Shalom Community Christian Church, Greensboro

Our church has made a concerted effort to emphasize healthy living to our congregation in several… Continue Reading

Tax Cuts’ Painful Costs
Tax Cuts’ Painful Costs
Jun 8, 2013
Steve Ford, Volunteer Program Associate

Tax Cuts’ Painful Costs

“Moral Monday” demonstrators at the General Assembly bring a wide range of grievances. They charge the… Continue Reading

Underlying Factors Contributing to Poor Health
Underlying Factors Contributing to Poor Health
Jun 6, 2013
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Underlying Factors Contributing to Poor Health

A person’s health is not only determined by genetics, their level of physical activity or how… Continue Reading

Were You at the March on Washington?
Were You at the March on Washington?
Jun 3, 2013
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Were You at the March on Washington?

On a hot Wednesday afternoon in August 1963, thousands of Americans from all parts of the… Continue Reading

Childhood Poverty is a Disease
Childhood Poverty is a Disease
May 16, 2013
Sandy Irving, Volunteer Program Associate

Childhood Poverty is a Disease

Pediatrician and author Perri Klass has written a powerful essay on childhood poverty as a disease.… Continue Reading

Rev. Joe Brown: From the Church House to the State House
Rev. Joe Brown: From the Church House to the State House
May 14, 2013
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Rev. Joe Brown: From the Church House to the State House

The Rev. Joseph Brown, Sr. is Presiding Elder, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. He is a… Continue Reading

New Videos: Legislative Seminar Awards
New Videos: Legislative Seminar Awards
May 3, 2013
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

New Videos: Legislative Seminar Awards

A leader against economic injustice and two longtime advocates on the Council’s board have received the North Carolina Council of Churches’ highest honors.

Gene Nichol received the Faith Active in Public Life Award. Barbara Volk and Sydnor Thompson II were recognized with Distinguished Service awards. All three were presented at the Council’s 2013 Legislative Seminar which took place April 11 at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Raleigh.

Gene Nichol: It’s Better Not to Be Poor in North Carolina
Gene Nichol: It’s Better Not to Be Poor in North Carolina
Apr 12, 2013
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Gene Nichol: It’s Better Not to Be Poor in North Carolina

Speaking to 200 social justice advocates, Gene Nichol delivered a powerful luncheon address at the Council’s 2013 Legislative Seminar held April 11 at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Raleigh. He received the Council’s Faith Active in Public Life Award at the Seminar for his “courageous, dedicated, humane and compassionate witness in the political arena.” Rev. George Reed, the Council’s Executive Director, introduced Nichol by saying in part, “To know Gene is to see the embodiment of Catholic social teaching about social justice and the common good.”

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

Free AEDs and CPR Training for Select Counties
Free AEDs and CPR Training for Select Counties
Apr 5, 2013
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Free AEDs and CPR Training for Select Counties

The NC Council of Churches, American Red Cross and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC are partnering together to provide more Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and CPR training to places of worship in select counties. To date, 183 congregations have received an award.

To learn more or to complete an application, please click here. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 24.

PHW Book Club Discussion: Eating Well Week 4 (Honoring Neighbors)
PHW Book Club Discussion: Eating Well Week 4 (Honoring Neighbors)
Mar 14, 2013
Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

PHW Book Club Discussion: Eating Well Week 4 (Honoring Neighbors)

Thank you for joining the Partners in Health and Wholeness Book Club. You can officially sign-up… Continue Reading

PHW Funding Opportunity – Webinar Posted
PHW Funding Opportunity – Webinar Posted
Feb 27, 2013
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

PHW Funding Opportunity – Webinar Posted

Partners in Health and Wholeness, in partnership with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC… 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

Interfaith Call-In Day to Prevent Gun Violence Feb. 4
Interfaith Call-In Day to Prevent Gun Violence Feb. 4
Jan 28, 2013
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Interfaith Call-In Day to Prevent Gun Violence Feb. 4

Gun violence has long been an issue of concern for the North Carolina Council of Churches.… Continue Reading

Looking for Community Sparkplugs for a Healthier Wilson County
Looking for Community Sparkplugs for a Healthier Wilson County
Jan 7, 2013
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Looking for Community Sparkplugs for a Healthier Wilson County

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation and The Rensselaerville Institute are looking for individuals with project ideas for creating a healthier Wilson County. Projects will be implemented over the next 6 months and must focus on increasing physical activity and/or access to and consumption of fresh produce.

Selected Community Sparkplugs and their teams will receive the following: a $3,000 grant (simple application process), individualized help to create an action plan and set project results, support and coaching over the next 6 months, and an opportunity to become part of a growing network of Community Sparkplugs across North Carolina.

Update on Free AED and CPR Program
Update on Free AED and CPR Program
Dec 13, 2012
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Update on Free AED and CPR Program

In the spring of this year, the NC Council of Churches and our partners, Blue Cross… Continue Reading

2012 A Victory for NC and for PFADP
2012 A Victory for NC and for PFADP
Dec 7, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

2012 A Victory for NC and for PFADP

For the first time in the modern era, no one was sentenced to death in North… Continue Reading

Date Change: Latino Pastor Dinner in Robeson Co.
Date Change: Latino Pastor Dinner in Robeson Co.
Nov 26, 2012
Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

Date Change: Latino Pastor Dinner in Robeson Co.

Partners in Health and Wholeness will host a dinner to connect Latino pastors with free resources and grants for churches. It takes place Thursday, Dec. 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Goodwin Heights Baptist Church, 704 Godwin Avenue in Lumberton. Please note this is a change in date from a prior announcement.

The meeting will be conducted in Spanish and is free. Please e-mail Joy Williams, for more information.

The Passing of Carolyn King
The Passing of Carolyn King
Oct 4, 2012
George Reed, Former Executive Director

The Passing of Carolyn King

  Our friend Carolyn King passed on Tuesday evening after a long “medical adventure” (to use… 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.

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

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

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

Upcoming Legislative Days and a Revenue Plan
Upcoming Legislative Days and a Revenue Plan
May 15, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Upcoming Legislative Days and a Revenue Plan

Several additional legislative days have been announced. Among them are: HKonJ, People of Color Justice and… Continue Reading

Ruling on Lead NC Racial Justice Act Case
Ruling on Lead NC Racial Justice Act Case
Apr 20, 2012
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Ruling on Lead NC Racial Justice Act Case

The lead case applying the historic and ground-breaking NC Racial Justice Act (RJA) concluded today with… 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

UNC-CH Minority Caucus Holds 33rd Annual Minority Health Conference
UNC-CH Minority Caucus Holds 33rd Annual Minority Health Conference
Feb 16, 2012
Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

UNC-CH Minority Caucus Holds 33rd Annual Minority Health Conference

Partners in Health and Wholeness is proud to promote the 33rd Annual Minority Health Conference, presented… Continue Reading

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

Join Us at HKonJ This Saturday
Join Us at HKonJ This Saturday
Feb 6, 2012
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Join Us at HKonJ This Saturday

The 2012 Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKonJ) People’s Assembly is this Saturday, February 11. We’ll… Continue Reading

Free AEDs and CPR Trainings for Congregations
Free AEDs and CPR Trainings for Congregations
Jan 4, 2012
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Free AEDs and CPR Trainings for Congregations

Have you ever been in church when someone suffered a heart attack?  If so, you know… Continue Reading

Anti-Muslim Bigotry is Wrong
Anti-Muslim Bigotry is Wrong
Dec 16, 2011
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Anti-Muslim Bigotry is Wrong

Lowe’s home improvement stores confirmed last week that, in response to agitation from an anti-Muslim group,… Continue Reading

Good News: Governor Perdue Vetoes Attack on Racial Justice Act
Good News: Governor Perdue Vetoes Attack on Racial Justice Act
Dec 14, 2011
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Good News: Governor Perdue Vetoes Attack on Racial Justice Act

Late this morning, Governor Bev Perdue vetoed the bill which would have gutted the Racial Justice… Continue Reading

Churches Unite: Being Healthy Being Faithful 2012
Churches Unite: Being Healthy Being Faithful 2012
Nov 28, 2011
Joy Williams, Former PHW Regional Coordinator

Churches Unite: Being Healthy Being Faithful 2012

Each year in North Carolina, thousands of people die of preventable diseases and almost 1.5 million… Continue Reading

Racial Justice Act and Fracking — Make Your Voice Heard on Two Critical Issues
Racial Justice Act and Fracking — Make Your Voice Heard on Two Critical Issues
Nov 28, 2011
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Racial Justice Act and Fracking — Make Your Voice Heard on Two Critical Issues

The General Assembly has returned for another mini-session, this one scheduled to last a couple of… Continue Reading

New Report: NC’s Infant Mortality Rate Lowest in State History
New Report: NC’s Infant Mortality Rate Lowest in State History
Nov 8, 2011
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

New Report: NC’s Infant Mortality Rate Lowest in State History

North Carolina has cause to celebrate – our 2010 infant mortality rate is the lowest ever,… Continue Reading

November is American Diabetes Month
November is American Diabetes Month
Nov 3, 2011
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

November is American Diabetes Month

The American Diabetes Association has launched a new faith-based program called “Live Empowered” which is designed to assist churches with integrating diabetes awareness messages and life application principles into worship services. Also, in observance of American Diabetes Month, the American Diabetes Association is sponsoring “Super Diabetes Sunday” on November 13th. Super Diabetes Sundays will include materials and giveaways to help your congregation join the fight against diabetes.

Proper 21, Year A
Proper 21, Year A
Aug 22, 2011
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Proper 21, Year A

This is the purpose of education wherever it takes place, moving beyond rote repetition to provide each learner the possibility of a future better than what might otherwise be expected. Psalm 78 invites humility, gratitude, and “the exercise of power in the form of love, not of force.

Conversations with Cy and Carolyn King
Conversations with Cy and Carolyn King
Jul 11, 2011
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Conversations with Cy and Carolyn King

Cy and Carolyn King, longtime activists with the NC Council of Churches, have given interviews on… Continue Reading

Raleigh Report – June 21, 2011
Raleigh Report – June 21, 2011
Jun 23, 2011
Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration

Raleigh Report – June 21, 2011

The 2011 session of the General Assembly adjourned around midday on Saturday, June 18. Legislative leaders and the media are trumpeting the efficiency of the session and the fact that this is the earliest adjournment since 1973. But that is misleading since they aren’t really finished with their work. The adjournment resolution calls them back into a special session on July 13. At that time, they will take up the thorny issue of redistricting as well as controversial bills from the just-ended session which remain in conference committees and any bills vetoed by the Governor.

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

Moving Backwards and Playing Games
Moving Backwards and Playing Games
May 24, 2011
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Moving Backwards and Playing Games

At a recent House judiciary committee focused on legislation to do away with the 2009 Racial… Continue Reading

Raleigh Report – May 20, 2011
Raleigh Report – May 20, 2011
May 24, 2011
Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration

Raleigh Report – May 20, 2011

The focus of this issue is a handful of the most important items currently under consideration at the General Assembly. These are issues that are under challenge by the current majorities in both houses.

Legislative Black Caucus Sponsors Clergy Day at the General Assembly
Legislative Black Caucus Sponsors Clergy Day at the General Assembly
May 13, 2011
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Legislative Black Caucus Sponsors Clergy Day at the General Assembly

The office of Rep. Garland Pierce, who is also a Baptist pastor, sent me the following… Continue Reading

Emergency Call to Action from Rev. William Barber
Emergency Call to Action from Rev. William Barber
May 12, 2011
Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Emergency Call to Action from Rev. William Barber

Rev. William Barber, president of the NC NAACP, organizer of the HKonJ movement (of which the NC… Continue Reading

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

Fifth Sunday in Lent, Year A
Fifth Sunday in Lent, Year A
Mar 10, 2011
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Fifth Sunday in Lent, Year A

If there were such a thing as a six o’clock news cast in the first century, Jesus the felon would appear walking down the street escorted by the police of his day—handcuffed—if you will. The announcer would tell us that the vandal who destroyed Temple property and repeatedly broke Jewish laws; the welfare king who relied on the generosity of unsuspecting middle class women to promote his suspicious doctrine; the man known to frequent the establishments of tax collectors and prostitutes—and claimed to be God, had finally been apprehended and was awaiting sentencing. Yes, in the minds of this first century felon’s accusers, he was little more than a common criminal.

Journey to Lent, Journey to Learn
Journey to Lent, Journey to Learn
Mar 4, 2011
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Journey to Lent, Journey to Learn

A Reflection on Public Education in God’s World Today

Rev. Joe Brown, chair of the Council’s Public Education Committee and a Presiding Elder in the AME Zion Church, is encourging congregations across North Carolina to use a Lenten Study Guide which has been created by members of the National Council of Churches Committee on Public Education and Literacy.

A Great Day at HKonJ
A Great Day at HKonJ
Feb 14, 2011
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

A Great Day at HKonJ

There was a great turnout for Saturday’s HKonJ5. Thanks to all of you who attended and marched.

Watch video of HKonJ here.

School Diversity Sign-On Statement
School Diversity Sign-On Statement
Feb 8, 2011
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

School Diversity Sign-On Statement

Please join us and people of faith across North Carolina in committing to diversity in North Carolina schools by signing this statement.

An Overview of Our Work (3 min video)
An Overview of Our Work (3 min video)
Jan 31, 2011
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

An Overview of Our Work (3 min video)

The celebration of the Council’s 75th anniversary in 2010 was a timely reminder of the rich history behind this organization and an affirmation of the bright future ahead of it. Program associate Chris Liu-Beers has collected some of both in this slideshow that explains beautifully how the NC Council of Churches got its start as well as where it’s going.

HK on J March
HK on J March
Jan 20, 2011
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

HK on J March

The Historic Thousands on Jones St. (HK on J) rally and march will take place on February 12 in Raleigh. A coalition of nearly a hundred social justice and community development organizations, including the North Carolina Council of Churches, have banded together to promote this event for the last several years.

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.

Reflections on Our 75th Anniversary
Reflections on Our 75th Anniversary
Oct 29, 2010
George Reed, Former Executive Director

Reflections on Our 75th Anniversary

I was struck, as I listened to remembrances from the past, that we really are seeing progress on issues of social justice. But it happens over a period of years or even decades. The issues we heard about at the Anniversary are difficult ones. They have produced years of frustration and sometimes what looked like complete failure. And yet . . .

Religious leaders talk possible legal action against the Wake school board
Religious leaders talk possible legal action against the Wake school board
Aug 24, 2010
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Religious leaders talk possible legal action against the Wake school board

News 14 Carolina

Outside a closed door meeting with fellow clergy and attorneys at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, N.C. NAACP President Rev. Dr. William Barber, a representative from the North Carolina Council of Churches and fellow Wake school board protest arrestees talked future tactics on how they plan to take on the changing policies of the board.

Pro-diversity prayer meeting slated at Pullen Baptist Monday night
Pro-diversity prayer meeting slated at Pullen Baptist Monday night
Aug 24, 2010
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Pro-diversity prayer meeting slated at Pullen Baptist Monday night

Independent Weekly

Leaders in the pro-diversity movement who are battling the Wake school board majority to stop resegregation of the county’s school system, have called a prayer meeting for Monday, August 30 at 7 p.m. in Pullen Memorial Baptist Church.

Health Disparities:  A Moral Issue
Health Disparities: A Moral Issue
Aug 2, 2010
Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Health Disparities: A Moral Issue

Disparities in health often mean earlier death and increased morbidity for one group of people versus… Continue Reading

Faith Voices Strong at Wake County March
Faith Voices Strong at Wake County March
Jul 26, 2010
George Reed, Former Executive Director

Faith Voices Strong at Wake County March

Last week’s march and rally to halt re-segregation in Wake County was a powerful experience. Thanks… Continue Reading

Council to Work on Countering School Resegregation
Council to Work on Countering School Resegregation
Jul 9, 2010
Chris Liu-Beers, Former Program Associate

Council to Work on Countering School Resegregation

In light of concerns about public school resegregation in counties across the state, the North Carolina Council of Churches has begun work to counter this backward step toward increased racial and economic separation.  Issues of resegregation have surfaced in the state’s largest school districts, Wake and Charlotte-Mecklenburg counties, as well Wayne and New Hanover counties and elsewhere.


  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

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

Latest Tweets

Faith communities in NC are supporting a peaceful transition now that former president Donald Trump has left office. Read the @PNS_NC Public News Service (PNS) quoting our Executive Director, @jec16 : publicnewsservice.or… @PNS_News

About 12 hours ago

Calling on the new U.S. Congress to demonstrate immediate leadership in the national care movement by creating a permanent federal #paidleave program. #CareEconomy #CareisEssential Read: bit.ly/2LB3ZEZ

About 13 hours ago

Black voters showed up for democracy despite endless attempts to divide, undermine, and invalidate their votes. Today, we celebrate Black #VoterPower, but we must continue fighting against racist structures to eliminate barriers to voting in the future. pic.twitter.com/dj7o…

Yesterday

We need to start a new chapter. That means new leaders who hold militants accountable for attacking democracy. It means new actions to stop the spread of lies. And it means new rules to empower voters instead of those who undermine the will of the people. #InaugurationDay pic.twitter.com/Qk94…

About 2 days ago

We recall Dr. King’s urgency for change as we soon inaugurate a new President + the first woman of color VP. Despite violent and racist attacks on our democracy, the will of the people prevails and we continue our work to better our democracy. #InaugurationDay pic.twitter.com/cr10…

About 2 days ago

Follow @ncchurches

Latest Tweets

There's still time to register - make sure to join us! #MindfulTogether @ncchurches @ncdhhs twitter.com/healthan…

About 11 hours ago

We will heal together. #StrongerTogether #InaugurationDay twitter.com/ncchurch…

About a day ago

RT @CDCgov If you’ve had #COVID19, you should still get vaccinated. Experts aren’t sure how long someone is protected from getting sick again after recovering, and reinfection is possible. More: bit.ly/3g5amLz. #SleeveUp pic.twitter.com/Yrne…

About 2 days ago

“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.” Thank you Dr. King for your wisdom and leadership. We hope to continue honoring your vision for justice and peace every day. pic.twitter.com/hpVi…

About 4 days ago

Awesome things to come this year - subscribe and stay in touch! #MindfulTogether twitter.com/ncchurch…

About 6 days ago

Follow @healthandfaith

Latest Tweets

RT @DalaiLama I offer my profound congratulations to Joe Biden on becoming President of the United States of America. I am so pleased that he is giving high priority to the urgent issue of climate change. I pray for his success in meeting the challenges that lie ahead. bit.ly/3p5tAEy

About 14 hours ago

RT @RevYearwood This was 2014 when I was a part of the Reject and Protect Interfaith Prayer Gathering. This was one of the many protests against the Keystone XL Pipeline. Almost 7 years We did it! Our work is NEVER in vain. ✊🏿✊🏿 pic.twitter.com/z7wg…

About 14 hours ago

RT @billmckibben Head of the European Investment Bank: "Gas is over." I'd say the message is starting to sink in. euractiv.com/section…

About 14 hours ago

RT @ClimatePower "We need to build our economy back, better than ever." —Transportation Secretary Nominee @PeteButtigieg on the DOT's central role in implementing President Biden's infrastructure vision, creating millions of good-paying, union jobs, and tackling the climate crisis pic.twitter.com/v4gp…

About 14 hours ago

RT @EJinAction We have a new day filled with amazing possibilities for us to move mountains together but it’s gonna take incredible work and authentic collaboration to get it done. #BidenHarris pic.twitter.com/fpEw…

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