Not for the first time, let’s recall the quasi-consolation offered by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. as the U.S. Supreme Court declared – in a case involving North Carolina – […]
by Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director The separation of Church and state outlined in our U.S. Constitution might be the most misunderstood part of our nation’s laws. The newly […]
North Carolina’s newly passed state budget includes nearly $26 million in funding for religious organizations, ranging from direct grants to individual churches to funds for anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers. Among […]
GREENSBORO, NC — The North Carolina Council of Churches is excited to announce the upcoming event, “Trusting Women and Empowering Equity,” scheduled for October 26, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., […]
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – Some groups aren’t happy about the new North Carolina State Budget, believing it’s lacking in important areas. Groups such as the Community Education Group and the […]
Well, that was quick. We’d barely had time to reckon with all the bullying packed into the new state budget approved on Sept. 22 when the N.C. General Assembly’s Republican […]
The Republicans who rule North Carolina’s General Assembly from their high supermajority perch want to make voting more difficult because they think that on balance, this gives them a leg […]
The Fourth Circuit will be the latest court to examine the interplay between federal job discrimination law and religious freedom protections when it hears arguments Wednesday in a Catholic high […]
The N.C. General Assembly — under the thumb of a conservative and anti-small-d-democratic majority – is making its intentions clear. It wants to keep as many voters as possible from […]
Recordings and resources from the 2023 Legislative Seminar are now available. View the resources below:
The Council is excited to introduce you to one of our newest staff members, Donna Parks Hill. Donna joined us earlier this month as Project Coordinator for Overdose Response and […]
On May 16, the North Carolina legislature overturned Governor Roy Cooper’s veto of SB 20, another in a long line of abortion bans blanketing the country. The threats that this […]
As painful as it is to admit, and just as obvious, the right of Americans to vote in the elections by which their political leaders are chosen has emerged only […]
The 2023 Legislative Seminar proved to be a platform for education, discussion, and inspiration, made possible by all of you who participated. Participants and organizers left feeling energized and motivated. […]
A Catholic school teacher fired due to his same-gender marriage will have his discrimination lawsuit heard by a U.S. Court of Appeals soon. In 2014, Lonnie Billard announced on Facebook […]
FARMWORKER ADVOCACY NETWORK DESCRIPTION The Farmworker Advocacy Network (FAN) is a statewide network of organizations that works to improve the living and working conditions of agricultural workers in North Carolina. […]
After the sun set on May 16, 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly completed their override of the Governor’s veto of a bill that will now dramatically restrict reproductive rights […]
Led by the Rev. William J. Barber II, a dozen Christian clergy stood in the hallway of the North Carolina General Assembly Friday (May 12) to denounce a bill approved […]
“What happens to solar panels during a hurricane?” This was one of the first questions asked during a renewable energy symposium in Carteret Community College’s Joslyn Hall the week of […]
The idea that North Carolinians would be allowed to carry a concealed, loaded weapon without having a permit appears to be holstered for this legislative session. In a surprise move Wednesday, the […]
Written by Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director, and Rachel Baker, Communications Director The North Carolina Council of Churches announces that Governor Roy Cooper will receive this year’s Faith Active in Public […]
In the conservative catalogue of insults, calling a judge an “activist” is about as cutting as it gets. If this were an old-time playground war of words, it would rank […]
House lawmakers in the Judiciary 2 committee debated House Bill 189, otherwise known as the NC Constitutional Carry Act on Tuesday morning. The proposed bill looks to allow anyone 18 […]
House Bill 189, the bid to remove restrictions and allow most North Carolinians to carry a concealed loaded weapon, passed through a key committee despite vigorous debate on Tuesday morning and […]
The forces in North Carolina’s General Assembly aligned with what typically are seen as progressive causes – including strong public schools, fair and adequate taxation, wide access to decent health […]
The Council is excited to introduce you to one of our newest staff members, Carrilea Hall. Carrilea joined us as West Regional Associate Director for Partners in Health and Wholeness. […]
Council Description: With more than eight decades of progressive activism, the North Carolina Council of Churches remains the leading faith-based ecumenical voice for justice advocacy in North Carolina. We are […]
After tragedies like the Hedingham mass shooting in Raleigh, people often turn to their faith for answers and healing. Members of the North Carolina Council of Churches have over 6,200 […]
About 300 leaders in the faith community on Friday called on Gov. Roy Cooper (D) to commute the death sentences of all prisoners awaiting execution in North Carolina. In a […]
Nearly 300 faith leaders from around the state delivered a letter to Governor Roy Cooper asking him to commute the death sentences of all 137 people on North Carolina’s death […]
Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland delivered the following remarks at a press conference on April 14, 2023, calling on Governor Roy Cooper to commute all death sentences in North Carolina. Click […]
An opportunity to learn more about solar and wind power will take place in Carteret County during the week of Earth Day. The Renewable Energy Symposium is set for 1 […]
Three major religious holidays are overlapping today as Christians celebrate Easter Sunday, Jews mark Passover and Muslims are in the middle of Ramadan month. Today on In Focus with Loretta […]
During a time of major celebration for several world religions, nearly 300 faith leaders from around North Carolina are calling on Gov. Roy Cooper to end the death penalty. On […]
Excerpted from 2023 Lenten Guide: A Season of Renewal, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Matthew 28:1-10 After the Sabbath, as the first […]
Excerpted from 2023 Lenten Guide: A Season of Renewal, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 22 My God, my God, why have […]
Excerpted from 2023 Lenten Guide: A Season of Renewal, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Now before the festival of […]
RALEIGH, NC – The North Carolina Council of Churches (Council) has filed a comment with the North Carolina Utility Commission (Commission) about Duke Energy’s proposed rate increase, urging that greater […]
Excerpted from 2023 Lenten Guide: A Season of Renewal, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Matthew 21:1-11 When they had come near Jerusalem […]
The North Carolina Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Criminal Justice System will host a symposium next month focusing on the harms posed by confederate monuments. The all-day event […]
Addiction Professionals of North Carolina announces our collaborative partnership with Mount Vernon Christian Church (MVCC) in Clayton, NC to provide mental health awareness and education. MVCC received a grant from the North Carolina Council […]
High on the granite façade of the North Carolina Supreme Court’s headquarters across from the Capitol in downtown Raleigh is engraved what can be seen as an inspiring and enduring […]
Excerpted from 2023 Lenten Guide: A Season of Renewal, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 130 Out of the depths I cry […]
Excerpted from 2023 Lenten Guide: A Season of Renewal, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Ephesians 5:8-14 For once you were darkness, but […]
Excerpted from 2023 Lenten Guide: A Season of Renewal, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 95 O come, let us sing to […]
Excerpted from 2023 Lenten Guide: A Season of Renewal, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Genesis 12:1-4a Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from […]
We weren’t expecting it to be pretty – “it” being the launch of the N.C. General Assembly’s new session, with freshly emboldened conservatives eager to flex their muscles. The reality, […]
Excerpted from 2023 Lenten Guide: A Season of Renewal, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7 The Lord God took the man and […]
Excerpted from 2023 Lenten Guide: A Season of Renewal, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Matthew 6:1-6 Beware of practicing your righteousness before […]
Years ago I preached for a friend in a “high church,” Lutheran Church in Washington, D.C.’s Capital District. As an aside, my students and I also were treated to a […]
GOP lawmakers have passed similar legislation expanding gun access in past legislative sessions. This time, they might have the votes to override the governor’s veto. Hours after three students at […]
North Carolina saw record highs in opioid overdose hospitalizations and deaths in 2022. Some policies enacted in the middle of the last decade had helped to reverse trends from the […]
The N.C. General Assembly gathered on Jan. 11 amid trappings of ceremony and good cheer to kick off its 2023 session. Then reality reared its head: At least in the […]
North Carolina Council of ChurchesPartners in Health and Wholeness ProgramImmediate Position Opening: Western Regional Associate DirectorJanuary 2023 40 hr/wk; 3 weeks paid vacation; paid sick leave, HSA contributionLocation: Western North […]
RALEIGH, NC – On January 2, 2023, the North Carolina Council of Churches announced the next Program Director for their Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW) initiative. Nicole Johnson, former […]
A group of Protestant churches in North Carolina has filed an amicus brief supporting a gay plaintiff’s Title VII claim against the Catholic school that fired him in 2014, according to Law360. Lonnie […]
Excerpted from Keep Awake, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Isaiah 60:1-6 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has […]
Excerpted from Keep Awake, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 148 Praise the Lord!Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!Praise him, all […]
Excerpted from Keep Awake, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 96 O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.Sing […]
Excerpted from Keep Awake, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Matthew 1:18-25 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. […]
A coalition of advocates, including parents who have lost children to overdose deaths, is calling on legislators to expand North Carolina’s Good Samaritan Law. One key change they want is […]
Law360 — A coalition of Christian organizations in North Carolina urged the Fourth Circuit to uphold a gay teacher’s Title VII victory against the Catholic high school that fired him […]
Excerpted from Keep Awake, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Isaiah 35:1-10 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall […]
Excerpted from Keep Awake, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 71: 1-17 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to […]
Excerpted from Keep Awake, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Isaiah 2:1-5 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and […]
Maybe the change was an inevitable byproduct of our charged and contentious era. Maybe it was naïve to ever think that things were dramatically different in the past. Whichever the […]
The N.C. Supreme Court – or at least a slim majority of its members – invoked its solemn duty to uphold constitutional rights when it agreed in a Nov. 4 […]
The central calling of an Advent ethic is waiting. But this waiting is not a passive or idle activity. The root word for wait is the same root word for […]
Progressive faith leaders across the state say they’re encouraging congregations to educate themselves on candidates and issues. They are sharing an online Faithful Voter Reflection Guide, which offers a moral perspective […]
Speaking to local faith leaders on Nov. 3, Reverend Jessica Stokes from the N.C. Council of Churches encouraged their organizations to “think outside our walls” and take pragmatic steps to […]
The following remarks were delivered by Eco-Justice Connection Director, Susannah Tuttle, during a gun violence prevention press conference on October 14, 2022, in response to the recent Raleigh mass shooting. […]
Community partners are calling on gun owners to secure their firearms in response to Thursday’s mass shooting. Watch the press conference:
Advocates are contending North Carolina state agencies are not doing enough to slow down the devastating impacts of climate change. Last year Gov. Roy Cooper signed an energy bill into law, which […]
On the first ever Protestant Libertarian Podcast roundtable, my three guests are Reverend Doctor Jennifer Copeland, who is the director of the North Carolina Council of Churches, Doctor Christina Cowger, […]
The headline above a column published over the weekend in the Washington Post declared “I don’t want your god in charge of my health care.” Writer Kate Cohen, in the September 26 column, […]
RALEIGH, NC – On September 13, 2022, the Governing Board of the North Carolina Council of Churches approved an updated resolution on Reproductive Health. The resolution references a 1970 Council […]
RALEIGH, NC – On September 13, 2022, the Governing Board of the North Carolina Council of Churches approved an updated resolution on Reproductive Health. The resolution references a 1970 Council resolution […]
GREENSBORO, NC — More than two years after the the nation’s shutdown due to COVID-19 and five years since the previous Faith and Health Summit, Partners in Health and Wholeness […]
Approved unanimously on September 13, 2022 by the Governing Board of the North Carolina Council of Churches Whereas, in 1970, before the Supreme Court ruled in 1973 that the U.S. Constitution protects a pregnant […]
As the proud parent of an Eagle Scout (Occoneechee Council), the announcement that Boy Scout organizers have invited former president George W. Bush to address the Scouts in the Raleigh area next week […]
A faith-driven community event in Greensboro this Thursday offers a full day of free workshops on healthy eating, mental health, HIV prevention and more. Its organizers say they hope to […]
Advocates for voting rights took aim at partisanship in the North Carolina judicial system and criticized Chief Justice Paul Newby for actions they said has made the courts less fair. […]
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – A group by the name Fair Courts NC wants to stop judges from affiliating with a political party. They are driving around the east to speak in favor […]
The following remarks were delivered by the Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland at the #MapOurFuture: People Over Politics virtual town hall on Thursday, September 1, 2022. The event focused on Moore […]
The Council is excited to introduce you to one of our newest staff members, Stephenie Sanders. Stephenie joined us earlier this month in the position of Program and Engagement Administrator […]
The Council is excited to introduce you to one of our newest staff members, Arlecia Simmons. Arlecia joined us earlier this month in the position of East Regional Associate Director […]
Are actions by the General Assembly threatening the impartiality of North Carolina’s judicial system? A coalition of left-leaning nonprofits under the umbrella of a group called Fair Courts NC thinks […]
The N.C. Council of Churches includes 18 denominations with churches large and small, urban and rural, black, brown, and white all across the state. One of the things we all […]
Prior to the 2020 elections, a representative from the Carter Center’s Conflict Resolution team reached out to the North Carolina Council of Churches. For the first time in its 40-year […]
Like it or not – and there are plenty of reasons to worry amid the familiar end-of-summer bursts of excitement – another school year will soon get under way. The […]
Approved unanimously on June 7, 2022 by the Governing Board of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Updated September 12, 2023. Considerable empirical evidence demonstrates that the cash bail system is inequitable and ineffective. The […]
A tribute written by Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director, North Carolina Council of Churches, and Isaac Villegas, Governing Board President, North Carolina Council of Churches. By now most of us have […]
The North Carolina Utilities Commission is hosting a series of hearings this summer to take public input on the draft carbon plan that Duke Energy filed May 16. Hearing opportunities […]
What it is, why it happened, and what it means for clean energy. The Supreme Court finished its session by ruling against the EPA in a case against West Virginia, […]
The U.S. Supreme Court, as if rushing to settle old grievances, in recent weeks has thrashed about in a virtual frenzy of “originalism” – never mind the consequences for America’s […]
North Carolina faith leaders started hearing from their parishioners several years ago that the opioid crisis was hitting home. They didn’t always know how to help. For many families and […]
North Carolina Council of ChurchesPartners in Health and Wholeness ProgramImmediate Position Opening: Regional Associate DirectorJuly 2022 40 hr/wk; 3 weeks paid vacation; paid sick leave, HSA contributionHybrid Position, Travel required […]
North Carolina Council of ChurchesPartners in Health and Wholeness ProgramImmediate Position Opening: Program and Engagement AdministratorJuly 2022 40 hr/wk; 3 weeks paid vacation; paid sick leave, HSA contribution,Hybrid Position: 2-3 […]
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade Friday morning, people and groups across North Carolina spoke out in reaction to the end of federal protection of […]
