Being Consumed by Our Food
Being Consumed by Our Food
It should be no surprise to anyone that obesity rates in the United States are still rising, as a recent report emphasized by giving America an “F” as in fat. […]
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
By Keith Gustine, Former Duke Divinity School Intern
by Keith Gustine, Former Duke Divinity School Intern
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By chris
by chris
The Raleigh News & Observer recently featured a front-page story about how students are organizing in support of the Dream Act. Here at the Council, we’re excited to see this generation of young people come out of the shadows and stand against unjust immigration policies that separate families and undermine access to education. At the same time, we know these students are taking huge risks in revealing their status.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
NC Council of Churches Executive Director George Reed has received the 2011 Luke Mowbray Ecumenical Award presented by the American Baptist Churches USA. The honor is given to an individual for his or her outstanding contribution to the cause of advancing ecumenism either through sustained performance or special achievement.
By Keith Gustine, Former Duke Divinity School Intern
by Keith Gustine, Former Duke Divinity School Intern
Governor Deal believes ex-convicts on Georgia farms can fill 11,000 jobs opened by the state’s new harsh immigration law. The law authorizes all law enforcement to detain immigrants and that has scared away the undocumented workers who attended the fields beforehand. With unemployment hitting a critical high among citizens on probation, it seems the Governor sees the solution as a simple switch. But how many ex-convicts have gone out to the farms looking for work? If the potential workers who are on probation are not presently looking for those jobs, will this group migrate to the farms, because the Governor says so?
By Lee Foster, Former Duke Divinity School Intern
by Lee Foster, Former Duke Divinity School Intern
Growing up in church, it would be fair for me to say that most sermons I heard were either concerned with A) theology or B) decrying certain practices in our contemporary Western culture. Neither of these is wrong or unimportant, as theology is the bedrock of faith, and there is much to decry in the world. The one thing I rarely heard preached on, however, was issues of social justice. And when preached on, it was through standard channels—witnessing/evangelism, donating food and clothing to our church’s pantry, and giving offerings. These are all well and good, but can we do more than these traditional categories?
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
The Wild Goose has flown, at least for the 2011 season.
The overwhelming consensus among attendees of the inaugural Wild Goose Festival is that it was quite a successful experiment. People traveled from as far away as Scotland and New Zealand to be part of the event, and presenters ranging from Vincent Harding to Jim Wallis, musicians from Michelle Shocked to Beth Nielsen Chapman—each contributed their own sparks to the thousands of spontaneous and rich conversations that arose between the roughly 1500 people who gathered in Silk Hope, North Carolina this weekend.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
If your congregation is looking for a fun, creative way to combat childhood obesity, then the NFL – that’s right, the National Football League – has just the answer for you! The NFL is partnering with schools and community organizations, including churches, across the country to host a FREE skills competition for boys and girls ages 6 to 15 called, “Punt, Pass and Kick” (PPK).
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
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.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
By chris
by chris
Last weekend I had the honor of participating in the annual conference held by the SouthEast Immigrant Rights Network (SEIRN) in Nashville, TN. SEIRN invited me to co-lead a workshop about connecting faith communities with immigration issues, which is a large part of my daily work with the NC Council of Churches. As I said during my session, one of the biggest obstacles to churches becoming more engaged is that conversations about immigration are often understood as conversations that don’t belong in church.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By chris
by chris
As a society, we decided 75 years ago that child labor needed very strict guidelines to make sure that education comes first and to prevent abusive conditions. The only problem? Children in agriculture were exempted from these protections, in part because most farms were small family operations that needed everyone’s help. Today, mass-scale agribusiness has replaced family farms. But the exemption allowing child labor on farms has remained, meaning that there’s a good chance that pint of blueberries you’re enjoying was hand-picked by 12- and 13-year olds – legally. These same children are too young to work in any other industry.
By Keith Gustine, Former Duke Divinity School Intern
by Keith Gustine, Former Duke Divinity School Intern
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By chris
by chris
The questions surrounding immigration policy have sparked an intense debate across the United States, including in North Carolina, where I live and work. Society remains divided on specific policies, but we also remain divided about some of the even bigger questions. For example, what does it mean to be “American”? Are immigrants generally intruders to be feared or new neighbors to be welcomed? And what values should our immigration policies reflect? This debate, in part, is about who “they” are and who “we” are.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
Our friends at the Living Healthy Chronic Disease Self Management Program (CDSMP) would like to invite members of your congregation to take advantage of their FREE online workshop – Better Choices, Better Health™ – which is designed to help individuals self-manage their chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, chronic pain, anxiety, etc.). Specifically, the workshop can help you and the people you care about
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
By chris
by chris
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
Friends of the NC Council of Churches in Western North Carolina will be fasting on Good Friday in solidarity with the poor, and in recognition that budgets are moral documents. They call upon Congressman Shuler to work with his colleagues find a way to balance the federal budget that does not place the burden for doing so on the shoulders of those vulnerable Americans who are least able to bear that burden.
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By chris
by chris
With a $3 billion state budget deficit and high unemployment, you would think that lawmakers would have better things to do than invent meaningless new amendments to the state Constitution. Freshman Representative Kelly Hastings (R-Gaston) has introduced legislation for a constitutional amendment to make English the official language of North Carolina.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By chris
by chris
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation – in partnership with the North Carolina Council of Churches, Center for Environmental Farming Systems, North Carolina PTA, and North Carolina Recreation and Park Association – is looking for “Community Sparkplugs” to help build a healthier North Carolina. So, what exactly is a Community Sparkplug?
By chris
by chris
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
By chris
by chris
A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to preview a new bilingual book called Listen to the Children: Conversations with Immigrant Families by Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier. It’s a valuable resource for any faith community that works with immigrants. With a practical focus and many examples from daily life, Listen to the Children offers guidance in the midst of troubled times. Here’s an interview I conducted with the author.
By chris
by chris
On Friday and Saturday last week, about 180 people gathered at the 2011 Come to the Table conference in Winston-Salem. Bringing together pastors, lay leaders, experts in the fields of hunger and sustainable agriculture, entrepreneurs, farmworker advocates, and many others. Conference workshops were held on Friday, with site visits and practical tours on Saturday.
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By chris
by chris
By chris
by chris
We are disturbed by increasing reports of NC landowners who are signing over some of their property rights to energy companies looking for new sources of natural gas. In addition to the environmental damage caused by accessing this natural gas, we are concerned that in many cases landowners are not fully aware of their rights and how these contracts will impact the use of their land in the future.
The following information comes from our friends at Rural Advancement Foundation International. Visit this page for more complete information.
By chris
by chris
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By chris
by chris
On Wednesday, February 2, Cardinal Roger Mahoney visited UNC-Chapel Hill to highlight the Catholic Church’s position on immigration issues. Cardinal Mahoney, who represents the archdiocese of Los Angeles, delivered a message entitled “For Goodness Sake: Why America Needs Immigration Reform.” In an auditorium filled with about 200 students, professors and fellow Catholics, Cardinal Mahoney urged the audience to consider the contradictory messages contained in our broken immigration system. It is as though the U.S. has two giant billboards at our southern border with Mexico. One sign says “No Trespassing,” while the other says “Help Wanted.”
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
Partners in Health and Wholeness is offering a yearly certification process to congregations across the state. As of January 1, 2011, congregations can now achieve all three levels of certification – Bronze, Silver and Gold – and receive recognition from the Council and their respective judicatories upon completion of the program.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
By chris
by chris
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.
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
Torture conference logoOn March 25 and 26, 2011, the Duke University Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina will be hosting a conference on torture. This two-day event aims to equip participants to understand the arguments against torture and to prepare them for anti-torture advocacy within their own communities, trusting that the greatest protection against the U.S. government’s use of torture is a shared understanding that torture is always wrong.
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
By chris
by chris
Today I’m happy to announce the launch of a new project by the Council’s Farmworker Ministry Committee. The Building Hope Project connects volunteer groups with farmworker families to build small chicken coops and greenhouses. These low-cost structures help families save money and supplement their nutrition. A recent study in North Carolina found that nearly half of farmworker families don’t have enough food year-round. The good news is that with a modest commitment of volunteer time and money, your congregation can make all the difference. Jesus said to his followers, “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.”
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
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.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
I hope you had a chance to see NC People this past weekend. I was honored to be invited to be one of Bill Friday’s “people.” It actually started as part of the Council’s 75th anniversary last year, though it didn’t make it to the airwaves (an outdated term, if ever there were one) until now. Bill Friday celebrated his 90th birthday last summer. Even if you are new to the state, the hoopla surrounding his birthday would have made you aware that he is one of the state’s giants. I don’t know that there’s anybody alive today who is more respected or beloved or who has had more impact on the state for a longer period of time.
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
NC Council of Churches Executive Director George Reed appeared as Bill Friday’s guest on UNC-TV’s NC People on Friday, January 7. The program also aired Sunday, January 9. George spoke with Mr. Friday about the Council’s past as well as its future, discussing the Council’s work for social justice and the role faith communities and people of faith can play.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by chris
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By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
Stan Kimer, newly elected Council president, was interviewed on WUNC’s The State of Things on January 6. In his conversation with host Frank Stasio, Stan spoke about the Council and its work, including priorities for the upcoming legislative session. Listen to the interview by clicking here.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina – the same group that brought to us the Maintain, Don’t Gain Holiday Challenge – has developed health-related bulletin inserts for the faith community. These inserts provide short, easy-to-read messages on a variety of health topics such as asthma, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease and stroke.
By chris
by chris
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
NC Council of Churches
27 Horne St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 828-6501
info@ncchurches.org