A full-page ad in Sunday’s Raleigh News & Observer will include the signatures of more than 300 clergy who have added their name to a statement speaking to our shared faithful call to love and care for one another. They represent a variety of faith traditions, denominations, and locations from across the state.
The ad reads:
All of our holy texts call us to love one another, to care for each other, and to work for justice. Now more than ever, we pledge to lead by example and work together for the beloved community God invites us to share.
The ad deadline was early this week, and signatures have continued to come in that, unfortunately, will not appear on Sunday. They include:
The Rev. Mindy Douglas, First Presbyterian Church, Durham
The Rev. Deacon Carol Eaton, St. Francis by the Sea Episcopal Church, Pine Knolls
The Rev. Deacon Greg Erickson, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Boone
The Rev. Ben Johnston-Krase, Farm Church, Durham
The Rev. Elizabeth Lilly, Episcopal Church of St. Peter by the Lake, Denver
The Rev. Amanda Davee Lomax, Hospital Chaplain and Presbyterian Campus Minister, Greensboro/Winston-Salem
The Rev. Ian White Maher, Unitarian Universalists, Transylvania County
The Rev. Elizabeth Marie Melchionna, Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill
The Rev. David Montgomery, Mount Bethel-Mitchell Chapel AME, Lenoir
Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, UMC, North Carolina Conference
We will continue to collect clergy signatures through December 30 and will post a final list of signers on January 1, so please feel free to add you name.
We are tremendously grateful to all of you for your shared message of love, hope, and compassion.
Shaw University Divinity School held a special chapel service yesterday with the NC Council of Churches theme of Love One Another. We celebrate the work of preparing leaders to engage in the ministry of love and justice.
Working with families, community organizations, churches, allied health professionals and city laders to eradicate homelessness and suicide in trans youth and bring about reconciliation and full communion to all God’s people in our communities.
Rev. Kiersten Leigh United Methodist Church (Ret)