The deadline for enrolling in the Health Insurance Marketplace came and went at the end of January. Though the ACA open enrollment period has passed, those experiencing certain life events – […]
Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power, and Privilege” Philippians 3:17-20; 4:1 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe […]
The Republicans who control North Carolina’s General Assembly are determined to draw election-district boundaries favoring their party’s candidates and promoting their conservative agenda. But when Republican voters are outnumbered by […]
It took nine years to get payday lenders out of North Carolina. Now we face a dangerous threat that could set the stage to bring payday lending back to our […]
On February 5, the Council hosted an opening reception to see the work of Pulitzer Prize winning photographer José Galvez at City Gallery, 118 South Person Street in Raleigh. Video from opening […]
By Brian Hollingsworth, Partners in Health and Wholeness Intern, Wake Forest University School of Divinity …When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it […]
Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power, and Privilege” Deuteronomy 26:1-11 When you have come into the land that the Lord […]
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act. This law put in place comprehensive health insurance reforms that helped to make health care more affordable and accessible […]
Excerpted from the NC Council of Churches Lenten Guide, “Love One Another: Reflections on Race, Power, and Privilege” Ash Wednesday —Psalm 51: 1-17 Have mercy on me, O God, according […]
With an eye toward the battles over redistricting that have roiled North Carolina politics for the last quarter-century, once again push is coming to shove. This time, the advantage lies […]
Join us for the Council’s 2016 Critical Issues Seminar, focused on Race, Power, and Privilege, on Saturday, April 23 at St. Matthew United Methodist Church, 600 East Florida Street, Greensboro. […]
When we set out to prepare this year’s Lenten guide, the contributors were told they could choose whichever lectionary passage they wanted to write about for their given date as […]
Join the NAACP, NC Council of Churches, and other coalition partners for the Tenth Annual Moral March on Raleigh. Historic Thousands on Jones Street 2016 takes place on Saturday, February 13; […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director [Editor’s note: Because of a late afternoon ruling on February 5 by a panel of federal judges, the timing of North Carolina’s primary elections […]
It was just one little comment, perhaps ventured with the flicker of a wry smile. But we can doubt that Tom Farr saw the humor in being ribbed by a […]
The Council gained two new staff members in January. Meet Liz Millar and Chris Pernell below.
The ongoing legal challenge to North Carolina’s voter ID rule, now playing out before a federal judge in Winston-Salem, could end up reminding us that it’s not the job of […]
Join us for an opening reception to see the work of Pulitzer Prize winning photographer José Galvez on Friday, February 5 from 6 – 9 p.m. at the City Gallery, 118 […]
Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane. –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in a speech to the Medical Committee for Human […]
To see this message in Spanish click here. Para ver este mensaje en español haga un clic aquí). At the North Carolina Council of Churches, we believe that access to […]
Preached at the Christian Unity Service of Holy Cross Catholic Church, Durham Matthew 5:1-16 The sermon you have just heard is only one-seventh of the real thing. You heard 16 verses, […]
I was intrigued by this ten-minute video passed on to me by community organizer and Council super-volunteer John Parker. I first came to learn of watershed discipleship through Fred Bahnson, director of the […]
Were you watching? This week President Obama gave his final State of the Union speech. He touted the success of the Paris conference in bringing 195 countries together to agree […]
I have the pleasure of continuing to work with Fred Bahnson, director of the Food, Faith, and Religious Leadership Initiative at the Wake Forest University Divinity School. Partners in Health […]
This Prayer for Unity and monthly ecumenical prayer calendar include by name the judicatories and congregations that are members of the North Carolina Council of Churches and the names of […]
Few of the decisions made by the men and women of our General Assembly are so prone to self-serving, partisan abuse as the setting of boundaries for voting districts. When […]
Preached at the Epiphany Service of Trinity Lutheran Church, Raleigh. How many wise men are there? Three? Who told you there were three? Three gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh, so […]
By Nicole Johnson, Strive to Revive Assistant The Strive to Revive (STR) Maintenance Grant Program is now open. This program is focused on providing resources, technical support, and financial assistance to congregations […]
Sister Linda Tyndall has been a beautiful champion for health and faith outreach in Lumberton. Without her, I would not have known how to reach so many people in such a […]
A lot of times in the work that we do at the Council we preface our comments, blogs or presentations with the words, “it’s complicated”. The Syrian refugee crisis is […]
For those of us who want to see North Carolina governed with the interests of all its residents in mind – not mainly the interests of the well-off and privileged […]
I just found out that I was pre-diabetic. This has never shown up in my blood draws before and I was stunned. “Really?” I say laughing, not sure how exactly […]
As we close out our 80th year, your donation helps in our shared advocacy for justice, peace, and unity. Our donors help us keep the lights on, provide print and online […]
Excerpted from In Those Days and In These, an Advent Devotional Guide from the NC Council of Churches In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all […]
Flight Into Egypt Mary speaks: fear tracks our passage as we flee from royal decrees, make our way with the boy who began in wonder at birth: the star, the […]
Waking up at 4:30 in the morning, oven alerting the baker to the first batch of fresh bread coming out of the oven — that is what I most remember […]
By Nicole Johnson, Strive to Revive Assistant The Council is excited to announce our upcoming Strive to Revive Maintenance Grant Program. This program is focused on providing resources, financial assistance, and technical […]
Every year, I have the wonderful task of arranging a series of clergy breakfasts across the state with the goal of educating faith leaders about immigrants in their communities and […]
Excerpted from In Those Days and In These, an Advent Devotional Guide from the NC Council of Churches In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a […]
The Council is hiring two full-time Partners in Health and Wholeness Regional Coordinators, one to serve in Western North Carolina and one to serve in Eastern North Carolina. Each will serve […]
Earlier this month, more than 170 friends and allies gathered at Durham’s St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in support of our refugee sisters and brothers. We prayed and sang and then broke […]
The world has witnessed a breakthrough with the release of the proposed final text of the Paris Agreement at COP 21. All participating countries have acknowledged that climate change is […]
A big thank you to the 33 congregational participants in the PHW Certification Survey. Valuable feedback and suggestions were offered to better ensure that we are able to provide congregations with a certification program […]
In the game of bridge, when a trump card is played to win a trick, that’s known as a ruff. In the game of politics, when Donald Trump uses tricks […]
Excerpted from In Those Days and In These, an Advent Devotional Guide from the NC Council of Churches John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by […]
Dozens of people gathered at Durham’s Judea Reform Congregation on the evening of December 10 to mark lives lost or forever changed by gun violence. Speakers shared personal stories and held […]
On November 6, the latest photovoltaic array on a North Carolina house of worship went online. The 84.76 kW, 326-panel system will generate 60% of the annual electricity needs at United […]
As Rob Schofield at NC Policy Watch pointed out earlier this week, the situation around gun violence in this country may feel hopeless, but it’s not. Rob writes: ….there is reason […]
We are working for Medicaid expansion and a state that welcomes immigrants and refugees. More importantly, we’re working for people to be healthier and for a more peaceful planet where […]
December 10, 7 p.m. Judea Reform Congregation 1933 West Cornwallis Road, Durham The NC Council of Churches, partnering with North Carolinians Against Gun Violence and the League of Women Voters, […]
By Brian Hollingsworth, PHW Intern, Wake Forest University School of Divinity A few years ago, my faith needed a breath of new life. Despite having grown up in church, being […]
Excerpted from In Those Days and In These, an Advent Devotional Guide from the NC Council of Churches In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius […]
As I sat down to Thanksgiving dinner with my family last week, I was reminded, as I am every year, of the contributions of immigrants to our communities. I always […]
Take three minutes to watch NCIPL Director Susannah Tuttle explain the climate conversation in Paris.
The following are remarks offered by Executive Director Jennifer Copeland at a press conference announcing a collaborative voter registration drive that will extend into February. Eighty years ago, faith leaders of […]
Excerpted from In Those Days and In These, an Advent Devotional Guide from the NC Council of Churches Jesus said, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director Last week brought the welcome news that Wake County’s commissioners had voted unanimously to raise the county’s lowest-paid workers up to what commissioners calculate […]
For the wonder of each hour of the day and of the night, hill and vale and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light, Christ, our Lord, […]
Pope Francis has offered us a message encouraging us to actions that reflects a commitment to dignity and respect for all workers. As the Advent season approaches, gift giving becomes […]
Faiths United Against Gun Violence and Washington National Cathedral are working together to have congregations and faith communities across the U.S. recognize December 10 through 14 as Gun Violence Prevention […]
Photo by I. Prickett, UNHCR Against the toxic brew of fear and political opportunism that has enveloped America’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis stand principles of compassion and common […]
The garden at Conetoe Family Life Center in Conetoe, NC is more than just about growing food; it’s about changing mindsets, bodies, and redefining food equity power structures. In response […]
At the Council, we are adding to the ways we connect with you. And so today, we offer the short video below on the Christian response to both terrorism and refugees. As […]
Grieving is a healthy response to life’s brokenness. When we grieve we allow our emotions to catch up with our minds. It allows us to think more clearly, make better […]
The Council is hiring a full-time position for our Partners in Health and Wholeness program. Responsibilities for the Project Manager role include:| Administrative oversight for the Certification Programs and Mini-Grant Program. Specifically: disseminate […]
How desperate would your life need to be for you to leave everyone and everything you knew in pursuit of a better one? To venture into a new place where […]
As the Council’s 2015 fall appeal gets underway, we recognize the importance of individual giving to our work for compassion, justice, and peace. Our donors help us keep the lights on, provide […]
I love the dark mornings, the tints of grey in the sky foreshadowing the brightness to come. I especially love it when I wake at the fourth or fifth hour […]
Jesus does not care about your latte. Your frappuccino, cappuccino, or mocha, either. At least, he doesn’t care about the cup it is served in and whether it’s branded to […]
Two of North Carolina’s Ten Thousand Villages stores are offering shoppers the chance to give twice this holiday season. The stores in Greensboro and Cary are holding Shop for a […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director Here we go again. The intersection between faith and politics has been a complicated one all the way back to the passage of the […]
The notably dapper Thom Goolsby, member of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, made a mark of sorts with his put-down of the NAACP-led Moral Monday protest movement […]
Health Care for All NC and the NC Council of Churches have received a grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust. The $25,000 grant from the Trust will allow […]
The open enrollment period for the Healthcare Marketplace will open on November 1, and the Council’s Affordable Care Act resource page has been updated to provide helpful information. It is important to […]
Wednesday-Friday, November 4-6 Hilton Charlotte University Place 8629 Jim Keynes Drive, Charlotte Experience a world-class faculty convened to provide tools for sustainable health interventions. If you are a pastor or […]
The following was originally presented as part of an NAACP panel discussion on October 8. The givens in the title are: We are pursuing justice. We want to pursue justice […]
By Hana Suckstorff, Duke Divinity School Intern Our brothers and sisters in South Carolina are dealing with the aftermath of what meteorologists are calling a 1,000-year rainfall event. As of […]
The Breastfeeding Collaborative (BFC) mini-grant, certification, and training program will not continue at this time. The Partners in Health and Wholeness program is still fully committed to promoting and supporting breastfeeding […]
This week is Race to Quit, a campaign to inspire, encourage, and bring awareness to the importance of being tobacco free. As I was considering what to write, I thought […]
The senators and representatives who make up North Carolina’s General Assembly let their 2015 session run on far longer than it should have. Let’s be glad that the curtain has […]
In the final hours of the 2015 legislative session, the NC House of Representatives passed House Bill 318, a measure that would prohibit communities from being so-called “sanctuaries” for people living […]
For those of us who believe in a merciful God, days like this are particularly hard. The unimaginable violence in Oregon follows similar tragedies in South Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, […]
For faith-based environmental activists, Pope Francis’s visit to the United States had a major effect even before he set foot on American soil. Now they hope his trip’s influence on […]
Smoking is the most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death. One out of every five North Carolinians is a smoker and may be unaware of the support that exists […]
Pope Francis has been an outspoken leader about the need to welcome immigrants and refugees in our communities. This past Thursday, he continued his positive track record of expressing compassion […]
These closing weeks, or days, of the General Assembly’s session are sometimes known as the silly season, when weirdness is the watchword at the maze-like Legislative Building on Raleigh’s Jones […]
The following, based on Psalm 148, was offered by Rev. Jennifer Copeland at Raleigh’s Church of the Nativity on September 23 as part of an ecumenical prayer service on the […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director, NC Council of Churches Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, one of the Council’s eight member congregations, has become the first […]
This fall, the Council is continuing its successful annual Clergy Breakfast series on immigration with events as far east as Wrightsville Beach and as far west as Weaverville. As we continue […]
The proverbial elephant labored and, against all hopeful expectations, brought forth a mouse. The “elephants” who run the Republican-controlled General Assembly labored and now have brought forth, if not a […]
Last week, the European refugee crisis reached a tragic peak. More than 11 million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes due to violence and persecution. Many of these people […]
When North Carolina legislators by the narrowest of margins 10 years ago approved a state lottery, capping a long debate over the wisdom of state-sponsored gaming, they set aside warnings […]
Monday, September 7 is Labor Day when we should honor the workers in our community with dignity and respect. The Social Creed for the 21st century, a document endorsed by […]
I was talking with colleagues, friends, and co-laborers who strive for better health on a population level and discovered that many of us had the same problem within our faith […]
The Rev. Michael Lapsley, survivor of a bombing by South African apartheid agents, will visit North Carolina this September to speak with university students, congregations, and members of the general […]
The past few weeks and months have been filled with a lot of hatred. Innocent people have been killed while trying to go about their daily lives, whether that be […]
NC Interfaith Power & Light Director Susannah Tuttle delivered this statement at a press conference held at United Church of Chapel Hill on August 25. Every faith tradition mandates care […]
Even while North Carolina was still in the grips of the Great Recession, with thousands of residents suffering the slings and arrows of joblessness because they were caught in the […]
The offices for the NC Council of Churches sit half a block from Hillsborough Street—the street that automatically conjures up images of NC State, as well it should since the […]
