October is National Energy Awareness Month and the NC Council of Churches wants to empower congregations to do all they can to reduce their carbon footprint and move to clean […]
It happens to be Mental Illness Awareness Week, which comes days after I was able to take part in a workshop related to the topic sponsored by The Duke Endowment. “Caring for […]
In September, the Council had the opportunity to partner with Americans United for Separation of Church and State on a series of trainings across North Carolina called “Keeping Sacred Spaces […]
Two weeks ago I was selected as the keynote speaker at the Environmental Defense Fund NC’s Advisory Board dinner to present the collaborative activities and accomplishments of our growing partnership. […]
Donald Trump may strike a populist, anti-big business note a la Bernie Sanders from time to time. But he also has a tendency to gloat over his own cutthroat business […]
As the election approaches, many people of faith are turning to clergy for advice and assistance in the voting process. This year the Council is partnering with the nonpartisan voting […]
Remarks delivered on September 21 by Executive Director Jennifer Copeland at a press conference marking the International Day of Peace. Words make a world. The words we use become embedded […]
We are “sore afraid.” But not like the shepherds in the hills around Bethlehem on the night angels proclaimed the birth of Jesus. The angels assuaged their fears with Good News […]
Who can blame North Carolina’s restaurant and hotel operators for wishing the whole House Bill 2 controversy would just vanish into thin air, as if it had never existed? They’d […]
When ultra-visible organizations with major economic leverage press for political change, sometimes the right thing to do is to tell them to take the proverbial long walk off a short […]
The impacts of climate variability and change affect everyone, but they disproportionately affect vulnerable populations with the least resources to prepare and recover from the damage. Understanding where these concerns […]
September 17 marks Citizenship and Constitution Day, a combined event that commemorates the anniversary of the United States Constitution and recognizes all U.S. citizens. Ceremonies and celebrations will take place […]
By Kaitlyn Brodar, PHW Intern As the health lead for Concord UMC in Graham, NC, Donna Poe spends most of her time in the garden. Even as we were talking, […]
A couple of weeks ago, I turned and walked away from our youngest son, got into my car and headed for home without him. I was leaving him to live […]
The folks in North Carolina who want to make it harder rather than easier for people to vote – a category that features top officials of the state Republican Party […]
“Partners in Health and Wholeness, an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health and social justice.” These are the words that […]
Early in my tenure as the Executive Director of the NC Council of Churches, I needed a pithy answer to the question: “What do you do?” I honed the response: […]
By Kaitlyn Brodar, PHW Intern I recently had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Norma Boone, the health lead at Corinth AME Zion Church in Siler City, NC. The church […]
On September 1 people around the world are coming together to pray for God’s creation, and to observe the Season of Creation between that day and October 4 – the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. NC Interfaith […]
Immigration is one of the most important issues in the 2016 presidential race, as it has been in previous election cycles. Debates about our response to immigrants and refugees coming […]
We are thrilled to share that Penny J. Hopper has been awarded “Woman of the Year” by the League of Women Voters of Carteret County, NC. Penny joined NC Interfaith […]
By Kaitlyn Brodar, PHW Intern St. Philip’s Episcopal Church is a gold-level PHW congregation in Durham, North Carolina. While the health ministry team and pastors have promoted health in a […]
A Sustainable Race: Opening New Streams of Justice in our Environmental and Food Systems will be held September 16-17 2016 at the Franklinton Center at Bricks in Whitakers, NC. Hanging […]
Extreme rainfall events like this week’s storms in Louisiana are expected to grow increasingly common in the coming years. Louisiana is always at risk of floods, naturally, but climate change […]
Many in our state are celebrating 10 years of no executions and putting out a call for no more killings in our name. Patrick O’Neil a leading abolitionist in our […]
Upon learning that my Greenville office for Partners in Health and Wholeness would be located at the food bank, I knew it would be a harmonious fit. I walk into […]
The Republican Party developed a national strategy to seize and hold legislative power, and in North Carolina executed it with relentless precision. Six years into that process, however, the adverse […]
By Kaitlyn Brodar, PHW Intern The Soul Harvest Apostolic Church is a gold-level PHW congregation that has been certified since 2012 and is firmly committed to healthy eating. They have […]
This sermon was preached on August 6, 2016 at the Church Women United Leadership Conference. Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let […]
These remarks were delivered at the Reason for Reform press conference on August 3, 2016 at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church. In addition to my job as leader of the NC […]
Even for ardent voting rights advocates, there’s little comfort to be gained from a federal appeals court’s finding that the N.C. General Assembly engaged in a multifaceted scheme to discriminate […]
Did you know that August is National Breastfeeding Month and that this week is World Breastfeeding Week? Breastfeeding has some important health implications for both mom and baby. It also […]
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a public hearing in Chicago to gather feedback on EPA’s proposed details for the Clean Energy Incentive Program (CEIP). Part of the Clean […]
As I work with the North Carolina Council of Churches through Partners in Health and Wholeness, I am embedded in the communities and stories of Eastern NC. This may be […]
If you’ve ever wondered how it feels to live the adage, “two steps forward, one step back,” welcome to North Carolina. We’re having a 2-step forward celebration after three long […]
There was a time, back in the range of 2008, when Pat McCrory looked as though he probably would do a pretty good job if elected as North Carolina’s governor. […]
Energy usage is soaring in NC as we all try to stay cool during the long days of heat and humidity this summer. It’s a great time to highlight an opportunity […]
July 16, 2016 is the 2-month mark since Regional Coordinator for Western North Carolina became my full time position with the NCCC’s Partners in Health and Wholeness Initiative. This is significant […]
By Ryan J. Smith, Blessed Tomorrow The African Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest independent Protestant denomination founded by Black people in the world and Blessed Tomorrow’s partner organization, has passed […]
Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! — Genesis 4:10 For days now, I’ve heard the same cry God is hearing. The blood of Philando Castile, Alton […]
If you were unable to attend the Wild Goose Festival in Hot Springs last week, you missed an amazing four days of fellowship, talks, music, and telling stories. Watch the 3 […]
New York City’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Mary Bassett, recently published a blog on the Huffington Post about Gun Violence as a public health issue. It is essential that we pay […]
By Fady Hanna, Duke Divinity School Intern This week our nation has again experienced the inevitable results of living with the factions and fears that plague us. Three shootings in […]
By Fady Hanna, Duke Divinity School Intern One dark night in September of 1814, a captured amateur poet gazed into the glowing evening sky as he beheld the bombardment of […]
The N.C. General Assembly’s 2016 regular session, which drew to a sudden close on July 1, will be remembered as much for what didn’t happen as for what did – […]
All children deserve to have a strong start in life and the chance to become a happy, healthy, productive adults. Infant mortality rates, or the number of infants who die […]
What does it mean to eat faithfully? This is a deeply personal, yet essentially communal question that we often don’t take the time to consider. Delving into this question, however, […]
The Wild Goose Festival is a 4-day spirit, justice, music and arts festival where all kinds of people come together, not only to hear great music and incredible speakers, but […]
The Council gained two new staff members in May. Meet Nicole Johnson and Jessica Stokes below.
This speech was delivered by Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland at a press conference against House Bill 100 on June 28, 2016. The Old Testament is filled with instructions on how […]
Sorry for the sugar-coating, but the state Senate’s attempt to enshrine its preferred tax policies in North Carolina’s constitution is arrogant, presumptuous, wrongheaded and profoundly undemocratic. Who will be penalized […]
“Don’t charge interest when you lend money to any of my people who are in need.” –Exodus 22:25 – Contemporary English Version Payday lending is a debt trap for the […]
This past week has been filled with what feels like a continuous barrage of tragic news: the shootings in Orlando and subsequent lack of gun control measures by Congress, World […]
There wasn’t a lot to like about what occurred the other day in a state Senate committee. First, legislative rules – notoriously rubberized – were stretched to the point where […]
Like most days, I start the day by scanning email on my phone before I even get out of bed. Today, I was delighted to find that my friend, Hope Horton had shared […]
Today, June 20, is World Refugee Day, a day when people all over the world celebrate the courage, strength and resiliency of our neighbors who were forced to flee their home […]
By Fady Hanna, Duke Divinity School Intern The tragic mass murder in Orlando this past weekend is yet another reminder of the challenges that we as Americans must rise to […]
Let’s face it. We, that would be all of us who proudly claim the title of American, must do more to forestall the situations and grievances and opportunities that can […]
Why are health care premiums steadily going up? Gallup polls at the end of 2015 found that 74% of Americans say the amount they pay in premiums had gone up […]
After Sunday morning, no one can dispute we are under attack. The real attack, however, is not the one involving assault rifles like the ArmaLite Rifle – 15 (Yes, I […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director of the NC Council of Churches The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to vote tomorrow afternoon on a proposed constitutional amendment which would solidify […]
In the coming days, there will be many questions about the who and why of the devastating tragedy in Orlando. What is not in question is how. Another hate-filled rampage […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director of the NC Council of Churches The New York Times Sunday Magazine for May 15, 2016 – the annual health issue – focused entirely […]
Remarks from a June 2 press conference recognizing Wear Orange Against Gun Violence Day. Last fall, we at the NC Council of Churches, invited all the organizations we know who […]
As the General Assembly’s biennial short session continues, Medicaid expansion continues to be a hot issue for North Carolina. On May 25, concerned citizens gathered outside the General Assembly for Medicaid […]
Let’s assume the worst, which for the moment would mean that the N.C. Senate’s version of a new state budget sails through to enactment without change or compromise. The sun, […]
NC advocates in orange at the General Assembly last year. Photo provided by Beth Messersmith, NC Campaign Director, MomsRising. Less than a month ago, our middle son sat with his classmates under […]
Well, did anyone really expect North Carolina’s General Assembly, in finalizing a new state budget, suddenly to see the light and swerve toward more effective, fairer government? The same General […]
At the beginning of 2016, ICE (Immigration and Custom Enforcement) stepped up deportations of undocumented Central Americans in North Carolina. Last week it was announced that another wave of deportations […]
The update is compiled on a volunteer basis by George Reed, the Council’s retired executive director. Weekly Update May 25, 2016 (Legislators’ identifications are listed only the first time they […]
Certification in the Council’s Partners in Health and Wholeness program is up and running. Faith communities must certify by May 31 to be eligible for mini-grant opportunities in June. In 2016, mini-grant […]
Without the support of individuals, the work of the Council could not continue as it exists today. Your donation helps us be an ally to the “othered” whether that’s immigrants, […]
The update is compiled on a volunteer basis by George Reed, the Council’s retired executive director. Weekly Update May 17, 2016 The deadline for introduction of most new bills into […]
Every congregation I have worked with has collected and donated food as a part of their mission and outreach. Feeding the hungry is an essential part of both the history […]
According to the news reports, it all started over a place on a pew. One parishioner sat in someone else’s spot and then objected to moving. Another flashed his legally […]
On May 11, NCIPL hosted the Second Annual Faith Voices for Clean Energy Advocacy Day. Members of faith communities from across the state met with representatives of the NC General […]
Take heart, fair-minded North Carolinians. The state’s not-always-pristine but still vaguely operative image as a place where “the weak grow strong and the strong grow great” is in the process […]
Baccalaureate sermon delivered by Jennifer Copeland on May 5 at Louisburg College. Isaiah 2:2-4; Revelation 21:1-7; Luke 4:16-21 You are the most watched generation in history. Of course, it’s easy […]
The Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman delivered the sermon during worship at the Council’s 2016 Critical Issues Seminar on Race, Power, and Privilege. Video of his extraordinary message is below: […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director of the Council North Carolina has a second primary coming up next month, and in contrast to second primaries of old, this one is […]
Today, the weekly update from Raleigh Report resumes as a supplement to Steve Ford’s commentary. The update is compiled on a volunteer basis by George Reed, the Council’s retired executive […]
Tuesday, May 17 Noon At the beginning of 2016, ICE (Immigration and Custom Enforcement) stepped up deportations of undocumented Central Americans in North Carolina. Now is the time for faith […]
On April 24, the Council joined with EqualityNC and the Equality Federation to present a discussion of Christian ethics and House Bill 2. The video from this remarkable event is […]
A federal judge’s ruling that upholds changes in North Carolina election laws, despite their effect of making it harder for some citizens to vote, seems to rest on his conclusion […]
Worker Memorial Day is April 28, a day when we remember workers who have lost their lives providing goods (buildings, roads, food, clothing, etc) and services (caring for our children, […]
Remarks from an April 19 press conference in opposition to HB2. There are lots of ways to read the Bible. Some of us read it like a self-help manual; not […]
On this Earth Day 2016, let us celebrate that the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has left out the mid-Atlantic region from its final draft proposal for new […]
Here’s a funny thing about House Bill 2, the “bathroom bill” (now law) that’s causing North Carolina so much grief: The Charlotte ordinance that the General Assembly was in such […]
In the era of participation trophies, one more award might seem just that. This is not your ordinary award, however, nor is the recipient your ordinary participant. The Distinguished Service Award […]
North Carolina’s House Bill 2 – rammed through the General Assembly and signed into law in less than half a day – manages to rope together a herd of provisions […]
This week, NC Interfaith Power & Light joined 120 religious traditions and organizations across the nation representing tens of millions of Americans – including the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Jewish […]
The Council is joining EqualityNC and the Equality Federation to bring noted Christian ethicist David Gushee to Durham on April 24 to speak about Christian ethics and the recently passed House […]
Remarks by Jennifer E. Copeland to Richard Cordray, Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, delivered in Washington, DC, as part of a national coalition to address predatory lending. Representatives […]
Registration for 2016 Critical Issues Seminar workshops is now available online. If you have not yet registered, please use the form below to do so and include your selection for […]
Remarks delivered on March 30 by Volunteer Program Associate Sandy Irving at the Raleigh public hearing on Medicaid reform. As Medicaid reform is being planned, please consider including Medicaid expansion […]
I do not believe that I am the only one who feels a little hopeless right now. Members of the news media bombard us with news of the attack on Brussels, […]
NCIPL is hosting Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, world-renowned climate scientist and educator with a deep faith in God, the first week of April 2016. Go here for a complete list of the wonderful events planned with […]
Yes, it was a pretty neat trick — one bill that manages to expose many vulnerable North Carolinians to unfair, hurtful treatment, that threatens to put a dent in the […]
Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power, and Privilege” Easter — John 20:1-18 Early on the first day of the week, […]
