North Carolina Council of Churches Announces the Rev. Dr. Regina Henderson Moore as New Executive Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 15, 2026 NORTH CAROLINA – The North Carolina Council of Churches today announced the Rev. Dr. Regina Henderson Moore as its new Executive Director, succeeding the Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, who is retiring after 11 years of leadership with the Council. Moore will begin serving as Executive Director on October 1, 2026, […]
As Election Season Intensifies, North Carolina Council of Churches Offer a Different Approach to Faith and Politics: Lead with Love
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, September 9, 2026 As Election Season Intensifies, North Carolina Council of Churches Offer a Different Approach to Faith and Politics: Lead with LoveNorth Carolina Council of Churches launches nonpartisan resources designed to help people of faith connect their beliefs, public life and the common good RALEIGH, N.C. – As Christian nationalism […]
Bells Across North Carolina to Ring Weekly for Peace Ahead of Election Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, September 1, 2026 Bells Across North Carolina to Ring Weekly for Peace Ahead of Election DayFaith communities, families, and neighbors join weekly bell ringing through the Monday before Election Day. NORTH CAROLINA – Bells will ring across North Carolina every Monday evening this fall as faith communities, families, organizations, and neighbors […]
Bad ‘faith’ on Sunday voting
In advance, there’s no definitive way to gauge the impact of pending cutbacks to opportunities for Sunday voting in North Carolina’s upcoming midterm elections. But the intent behind those cuts is crystal-clear: They are meant to suppress the number of votes cast by African-Americans – votes that tend to favor Democratic candidates. The Republican legislators […]
Many Members, One Body: Discovering Abundant Life Through Partnership
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” – Romans 12:4–5 There was something profoundly holy about that packed double-wide trailer. On one of […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Election chaos, on demand
When the time comes that the distinguished public servants who control North Carolina’s General Assembly aren’t rummaging in their bag of tricks for even more ways to tilt election laws in their favor, then we can expect the sun to rise in the west and pigs to take wing. So it’s no surprise that the […]
Welcome Fellow Melissa Florer-Bixler
We are excited to welcome a new fellow to the North Carolina Council of Churches this summer! Get to know them and learn more about her background, interests, and role with the Council below. My name is Melissa Florer-Bixler, and I am a ThD student in homiletics at Duke Divinity School, where I study Southern […]
2026 Intern Spotlight: Meet the Council’s Rising Leaders!
The North Carolina Council of Churches is excited to introduce the newest interns joining our team this summer! We invite you to get to know them below and hear, in their own words, about the passions, studies, and hopes that led them to this opportunity. An Introduction to the North Carolina Council of Churches intern, […]
Faith Over Fear: NC Church Leaders Rally Against ICE Detention Expansion
The following remarks were delivered by the Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland at a press conference and rally on May 26 at 2 p.m. to oppose potential ICE detention expansion. I greet you on behalf of the North Carolina Council of Churches, representing 19 denominations in this state with congregations in big places like the triangle […]
Struggling schools, a tilted bench
North Carolina’s Supreme Court has seven members. All are known as justices, an honor that seems to crystallize their responsibility in our system of government. But as to how elusive they may find actual justice to be, consider the April 2 refusal by a 4-3 majority to uphold an obligation vitally important to generations of […]
Letter to the Council Faithful on My Retirement
Dear Friends, Earlier this year I spoke to the staff of the North Carolina Council of Churches, and subsequently to the Personnel Committee of the Governing Board, about my plans to retire from the Council. I’d been thinking about the best time to retire, but always there was one more thing I wanted to be […]
Prophetic Politics
The following sermon was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at Central United Methodist Church in Asheville, NC. The valley of the dry bones, a place of unending disappointment, continuous defeat, and unmitigated sorrow. Feels like my life right now. I won’t bore you with my personal details. They’re […]
Voters face ‘Midterm Madness’
Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day: Ah, the familiar milestones of February. Now comes a less-familiar one, sort of sneaking up – the start of early voting for North Carolina’s March 3 primary elections. Feb. 12 is when voters will begin choosing political parties’ candidates to appear on general election ballots in November. It’s not […]
Building on a legacy of nonviolent faith-based activism in NC
Susannah Tuttle is a realist: whatever North Carolina faith activist groups have been doing hasn’t been working. Tuttle, North Carolina Council of Churches eco-justice connection director, never thought it would get this bad. Christian nationalists in the top circles of power. A conservative overhaul of the federal government guided by Project 2025. Minnesota ICE protests turning […]
2025 Advent: Epiphany of the Lord
Excerpted from 2025 Advent Guide: Lighting the Way Forward, 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 risen upon you.For darkness shall cover the earth and thick darkness the peoples,but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear […]
2025 Advent: First Sunday After Christmas
Excerpted from 2025 Advent Guide: Lighting the Way Forward, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Matthew 2:13-23 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and […]
2025 Advent: Christmas Day
Excerpted from 2025 Advent Guide: Lighting the Way Forward, 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 to the Lord; bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among […]
2025 Advent: Fourth Sunday
Excerpted from 2025 Advent Guide: Lighting the Way Forward, 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. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant […]
2025 Advent: Third Sunday
Excerpted from 2025 Advent Guide: Lighting the Way Forward, 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 rejoice and blossom;like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and shouting.The glory of Lebanon shall be given to […]
2025 Advent: Second Sunday
Excerpted from 2025 Advent Guide: Lighting the Way Forward, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year A from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 72: 1-7 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son.May he judge your people with righteousness and your poor with justice.May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and […]
2025 Advent: First Sunday
Excerpted from 2025 Advent Guide: Lighting the Way Forward, 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 Jerusalem. In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s houseshall be established as the highest of the mountains and shall be raised […]
2025 Advent: Lighting the Way Forward
As we journey through the Advent season, we are invited to reflect on the profound hope that the birth of Jesus Christ brought into a world often shrouded in darkness. Our news headlines are filled with constant reminders of the need for God’s redemption in the world. In a time of waiting, expectation, and longing […]
NC progressive faith leaders denounce Border Patrol actions in Triangle, Charlotte
A coalition of North Carolina faith leaders representing more than a dozen denominations denounced U.S. Border Patrol operations across the Triangle and in Charlotte during a virtual conference Thursday. “We believe the presence of federal immigration law enforcement in our state prompts us to speak out this morning, declaring the values of the Christian tradition […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Where Black and White Leaders Sat as Equals
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: My Introduction to Ecumenical Justice Work
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
Shutdown threatens SNAP benefits for 140,000 in Mecklenburg County
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Nearly 140,000 people in Mecklenburg County could lose access to food assistance next month if the federal government shutdown continues, according to local nonprofit Nourish Up. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as Food and Nutrition Services in North Carolina, provides a monthly lifeline for families struggling […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Remembering My Ties to the NC Council of Churches Since 1966
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
Gerrymandering, voter suppression at center stage
The latest hot topic in the world of North Carolina politics is sadly, even maddeningly, familiar. Republican leaders of the General Assembly plan once again to redraw the state’s U.S. House district map as they seek to increase their party’s already lopsided edge in the state’s congressional delegation. Even one additional seat – bringing the […]
Anchored in Hope
On Sunday, October 12, 2025, Rev. Susannah Tuttle delivered the following word at Duke University Chapel, with Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland also preaching. To view the recording of the service, click here. In a world that feels more divided than ever — politically, economically, even spiritually — the North Carolina Council of Churches is doing […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: The Founding of the North Carolina Council of Churches
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Welcoming the Stranger
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: A Guiding Light
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
Abundant Life at Camp Chestnut Ridge
From the Staff of Partners in Health and Wholeness As children now confront more stressors and navigate a host of mental health challenges, their summer caregivers must be prepared to not only address their needs but also care for themselves. This summer, the experience of 2,000 campers at Chestnut Ridge Camp and Retreat Center in […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The Joy of Diversity in the Face of Injustice
Yesterday morning, I watched my daughter climb onto the bus for her very first time as she headed off to kindergarten. She attends a dual-immersion public school—where half the students are native Spanish speakers and half are native English speakers. Most of her instruction this year will be in Spanish. I couldn’t be more excited […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Lessons in Justice and Hospitality
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: A Sermon to Remember: When Bishop Tutu Came to Duke
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
Advocates Call for NCGA to Support Gov. Stein Veto of Senate Bill 266
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, July 28, 2025 Advocates Call for NCGA to Support Gov. Stein Veto of Senate Bill 266 The “Ratepayer Risks Act” could add $23 billion in fossil fuel costs RALEIGH, N.C. – Ratepayers, social justice advocates, environmental groups, and others called on the N.C. General Assembly on Monday (July 28) to support Gov. […]
Decade of Dangerous Vouchers
July 23, 2015, was a dark day for an enterprise central to North Carolina’s civic well-being: the education of the state’s schoolchildren. Sadly, the path down which the state Supreme Court blundered 10 years ago has grown only more treacherous and contrary to the overall public interest. The occasion was a 4-3 ruling by the […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Planting and Watering for Justice
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Pride and Justice
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: The Legacy of Collins Kilburn
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
NC Council of Churches opposes NCGA S266 “The Power Bill Reduction Act”
To: House Rules Members and Leadership, The NC Council of Churches and our specific energy program, NC Interfaith Power & Light are opposed to Senate Bill 266 because of the moral impacts on decision making concerning the bill shifting costs from industrial customers to other customers. Residential customers, especially low-income North Carolinians, cannot take these […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
NC pastors become information network as concern grows about ICE arrests
Local groups serving Latino and immigrant communities are being forced to rethink how they share information as Immigration and Customs Enforcement ramps up its presence in Charlotte. Seminars about legal rights and immigration policy can sometimes be too risky, advocates say, drawing unwanted attention to undocumented attendees. So, organizations such as Camino are turning to […]
Nursing student fears fiancé’s ICE detention amid NC courthouse arrest
GREENSBORO, N.C. — A coalition of North Carolina clergy and immigrant advocates gathered outside the Guilford County Courthouse Tuesday morning to denounce recent immigration enforcement actions and announce a new courthouse monitoring initiative. The press conference, organized by Siembra NC—a grassroots organization that describes itself as opposing what it sees as abuse by ICE and President Donald […]
Risky turn for N.C. elections
Our democracy, with free and fair elections at the cornerstone, can be warped in favor of those who manipulate the election process to their advantage – who gets to vote, when and where, and which votes are included when they’re finally counted. Call that a cornerstone of autocracy. For the past 15 years in North […]
Charlotte Immigration Press Conference
I greet you on behalf of the North Carolina Council of Churches, representing 19 denominations in this state with congregations in big cities like Charlotte and crossroads most of us have never heard of. At the Council, we don’t pretend to be objective; we don’t pretend to represent a variety of opinions. We refract the […]
‘Chilling’: Faith leaders want ICE agents to stay away from places of worship
A group of faith leaders in Charlotte say they have a message for ICE — they want agents to stay away from their places of worship. Channel 9’s Hunter Sáenz started looking into rumors about an arrest outside of an east Charlotte church, but we learned that nobody was arrested. Church leaders said ICE did […]
Leader of church group voices concerns about ICE activity near places of worship
The N.C. Council of Churches is voicing concerns after the organization said armed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were reportedly at a Charlotte church on May 20. Representatives from the Carolina Migrant Network and the Latin American Coalition joined members of the council during a press conference Wednesday. According to the council’s executive director, […]
Caring for Mind, Body, and Spirit: The Church’s Commitment to Mental Health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a time to shine a light on mental wellbeing and to affirm that caring for our mental health is not only essential, but sacred. At the North Carolina Council of Churches, we believe the Church has a vital role to play in the mental health and wellbeing of […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
2025 Faith and Mental Health Summits Recap
In 2025, we had the privilege of hosting three impactful Faith and Health Summits across North Carolina—Asheville, Sanford, and Greenville. These events brought together 250+ faith leaders, mental health professionals, community organizers, and individuals passionate about bridging the gap between spiritual well-being and mental health. Each summit was unique in its setting, yet united in […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Amid measles outbreak, NC medical community urges vaccination
As a child, Dr. Christoph Diasio’s colleague got the measles. It was before 1963, so the vaccine wasn’t available. As he told Diasio decades later, he spent 10 days in his bedroom so he wouldn’t spread the disease to the rest of his family. Even dim light was so painful to be around, he recalled, […]
Facing the Storm, Finding the Stillness
By Rev. Erin Burleson On September 27, 2024, I took my children outside into the hurricane winds and rain. It wasn’t reckless—it was a teaching moment. I wanted them to know what it means to face a storm without fear, to see that while nature is powerful and unpredictable, it is also something to respect, […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Lawmakers, faith leaders stress gun safety as permitless concealed carry bills advance
Gun control advocates and faith leaders held a press conference at the state Legislative Building Wednesday urging lawmakers to oppose bills that would allow carrying concealed firearms without a permit. It’s one of the biggest issues this session. Legislators are considering bills that would allow “constitutional carry,” or the idea that individuals should be able […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: The Foundation Laid by John Hammond (Jack) Crum
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
NC House Republicans want to restart executions with electric chair, firing squad
A bill moving in the state House this week would reintroduce the electric chair and firing squads as part of the death penalty. North Carolina hasn’t had any executions since 2006 due to legal challenges, and lethal injection has been the only legal method here since 1998. The House bill seeks to restart executions for […]
Workers Memorial Day, 2025
For several years now, the North Carolina Council of Churches has gathered with our colleagues and friends to stand with the families and friends of those who died on the job. It’s one of the most important events we attend, standing with those separated forever from their loved ones and sometimes shouting at the injustice […]
Firing squads in North Carolina? Lawmakers seek to restart executions
A bill advancing through the North Carolina General Assembly seeks to restart capital punishment in the state, where legal challenges to the state’s lethal injection method have paused the death penalty for 19 years. A House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to House Bill 270, which would allow criminals sentenced to death in North […]
Living History: Faith & Democracy
On Good Friday, the North Carolina Council of Churches supported 100+ congregations as they came together ‘against tyranny’ in a powerful, symbolic act: ringing bells for democracy. Inspired by the events of 250 years ago — when Boston’s Old North Church signaled the start of Paul Revere’s ride — and churches throughout the area rang […]
‘Little steps’ help preserve democracy
Inspired by events 250 years ago, when Boston’s Old North Church signaled the start of Paul Revere’s ride, churches bells across the nation were rung in support of democracy on Friday, Oct. 18. The bells of several Presbyterian churches and those of other denominations across North Carolina were rung as part of an event called […]
100+ churches ring bells on Good Friday in honor of Paul Revere and ‘against tyranny’
RNS) — As churches across the country observe Good Friday, more than 100 congregations will also ring their bells to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Boston Old North Church’s Lantern service, which marks the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. The “Let Freedom Ring!” project, initiated by the Center for Media and Democracy, invites […]
2025 Lenten Guide: Easter Sunday
Excerpted from 2025 Lenten Guide: The Year of the Lord, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Luke 24:1-12 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, […]
2025 Lenten Guide: Good Friday
Excerpted from 2025 Lenten Guide: The Year of the Lord, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. John 18:1-19:42 After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: A Journey of Faith and Justice
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
High Court Race, High Stakes
Has the N.C. Supreme Court – deeply polarized in recent years under conservative Republican control – finally signaled that the prospect of throwing out thousands of votes in an election to fill one of its own seats might be more than it wants to swallow? Even if the beneficiary would be another Republican who wants […]
2025 Lenten Guide: Palm Sunday
Excerpted from 2025 Lenten Guide: The Year of the Lord, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Luke 19:28-40 After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent […]
Clergy Hold Vigil Backing Legal Fight Against ICE Raids in Houses of Worship
“It’s alright to pray for lawyers. It’s alright to clap for lawyers — even in church.” Rev. Jim Wallis offered that quip as he stood in the pulpit of National City Christian Church in Washington, D.C., on Thursday (April 3) during a vigil on the eve of a legal hearing. The next morning, a judge […]
On the evening before a hearing on a religious freedom lawsuit, people of many faiths gather for a vigil in the nation’s capital
On the eve of Friday’s hearing of a religious freedom lawsuit filed by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and more than two dozen faith partners in response to the recission of the Department of Homeland Security’s “sensitive locations” policy, people of many faiths gathered at National City Christian Church in Washington, D.C., for a heartfelt prayer vigil. Watch the 75-minute […]
2025 Lenten Guide: Fifth Sunday
Excerpted from 2025 Lenten Guide: The Year of the Lord, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Isaiah 43:16-21 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior;they lie down; they cannot rise; they are extinguished, quenched like a […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Journey through Time
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Journey through Time
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
Reverend calls for action at Jazz and Race Symposium in Greenville
Fighting the evil of racial injustice requires the energy and improvisational skill of a jazz musician, a minister and leader of faith-based groups in North Carolina told guests at an Episcopal symposium to face and heal racial divides. The Rev. Dr. Hanna Broome, president of the North Carolina Council of Churches, delivered the keynote address […]
2025 Lenten Guide: Fourth Sunday
Excerpted from 2025 Lenten Guide: The Year of the Lord, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Luke 15:1-3, 11-32b Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with […]
2025 Lenten Guide: Third Sunday
Excerpted from 2025 Lenten Guide: The Year of the Lord, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Isaiah 55:1-9 Hear, everyone who thirsts; come to the waters;and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.Why do you spend your money for that which […]
North Carolina Council of Churches Urges Sheriffs to Protect Immigrant Communities
RALEIGH, NC – The North Carolina Council of Churches has sent a formal letter, signed by the leadership of the denominational members of the Council, to the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association. The letter acknowledges the vital role that sheriffs play in fostering trust and ensuring public safety and appeals to law enforcement leaders to prioritize […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Reflecting on My Years with the North Carolina Council of Churches
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
2025 Lenten Guide: Second Sunday
Excerpted from 2025 Lenten Guide: The Year of the Lord, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh—my adversaries and foes— they shall stumble and […]
Trump’s Immigration Orders Fuel Isolation Among Immigrant Parishioners
As a Baptist youth minister, L.S. is used to kids opening up about their hopes and dreams—and their fears. A Latina girl recently told the youth group she was scared federal immigration officials would detain her father, which sparked a bigger conversation about the cruelties of deportations. Attendance is down among Latino worshippers at L.S.’s […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: God Gave the Growth: Reflecting on the Early Days of Partners in Health and Wholeness
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
2025 Lenten Guide: First Sunday
Excerpted from 2025 Lenten Guide: The Year of the Lord, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Luke 4:1-13 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tested by the devil. He ate nothing […]
2025 Lenten Guide: Ash Wednesday
Excerpted from 2025 Lenten Guide: The Year of the Lord, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Isaiah 58: 1-12 Shout out; do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet!Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins.Yet day after day they seek me and delight […]
2025 Lenten Guide: The Year of the Lord
Throughout his life, Jesus moved in the midst of sorrow and suffering, not necessarily because he was a woe-seeker, but because there was woe all around him. No doubt, this intentionality flows from the words he read aloud from Isaiah during his first recorded public appearance, words written in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus told […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Gatherings for education, inspiration
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on […]
What the Media Missed: Trump’s war on religion and tech bros battling
Presidents Day sure hits differently this year. The long weekend is supposed to celebrate the presidency and, in a bigger sense, our country’s long tradition of peacefully transferring power between political parties. Instead, President Donald Trump kicked off the festivities by comparing himself to French dictator Napoleon and implying his illegal attempt to fire thousands of government employees […]
Hundreds in Buncombe protest GOP attempt to nullify votes, overturn state Supreme Court election
An estimated 500 people came out in freezing temperatures Monday afternoon in Asheville’s Pack Square to protest a losing Republican candidate’s attempts to disqualify more than 65,000 votes statewide — including more than 2,000 in Buncombe County — in an effort to overturn November’s election of Democrat Allison Riggs to the state Supreme Court. Two […]
NC churches sue over new immigration enforcement policy
DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — A group of North Carolina churches is among more than two dozen religious organizations suing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over a new policy that allows the arrest of undocumented migrants in churches and schools. The North Carolina Council of Churches represents more than 6,000 congregations across the state. Reverand […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Active Hope
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on […]
NC faith groups are suing the Trump administration to stop immigrant arrests at churches
Three North Carolina faith groups representing 20 denominations and thousands of congregations have sued the Trump administration, saying its decision to send immigration agents into churches and synagogues violates their Constitutional right to religious freedom. The N.C. Council of Churches, based in Raleigh and representing more than 6,000 churches and synagogues across the state; the […]
Faith groups file suit challenging Trump policy to allow ICE raids in places of worship
More than two dozen religious groups, including the North Carolina Council of Churches, filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Department of Homeland Security challenging the Trump administration’s reversal of a policy that barred Immigration and Customs Enforcement from conducting raids at houses of worship. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C., is seeking injunctions […]
Christian, Jewish groups sue Trump admin. over move to allow immigration raids in churches
Several religious organizations, including Christian and Jewish denominations and conferences, have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s decision to allow immigration enforcement agents to enter houses of worship. In a joint complaint filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the more than two dozen religious bodies argued that allowing raids by […]
Dozens of Faith Groups Sue Trump Administration Over Immigration Arrests
More than two dozen Christian and Jewish groups are suing the Department of Homeland Security over President Donald Trump’s decision to allow law enforcement raids and arrests in churches and other sensitive locations. “Plaintiffs’ religious scripture, teaching, and traditions offer clear, repeated, and irrefutable unanimity on their obligation to embrace, serve, and defend the refugees, […]
27 religious organizations unite to sue Trump administration
More than two dozen faith groups from a range of religious traditions sued the Trump administration on Tuesday to fight back against a policy that may make immigration raids in churches more common. The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, claims that ICE raids in houses of […]
More Than Two Dozen Christian and Jewish Denominations and Associations Sue to Protect Religious Freedoms
The North Carolina Council of Churches is proud to stand as a plaintiff to affirm the sacred obligation to welcome and care for our immigrant neighbors. Read more in the press release from the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP) below: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 11, 2025CONTACT:Jim Simpson, Georgetown Center on Faith & Justice: cfjmedia@georgetown.edu […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Time Well Spent
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on our community […]
Welcome Meredith Rawls
The Council is excited to introduce you to one of our newest staff members, Meredith Rawls. Meredith joined us in January as the Program Engagement Coordinator for our Partners in Health and Wholeness initiative. Read more about Meredith: It is with great joy that I join the staff of the North Carolina Council of Churches […]
90 Years Rooted in Faith: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
As we celebrate 90 years of faithful work for justice and equity this year, we’re sharing stories of 90 Years Rooted in Faith that reflect the heart of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Each month, you’ll hear from staff and long-time friends of the Council as they highlight the transformative impacts we’ve had on […]
Afterschool programs, supplies, and more: Faith groups partner with public schools to serve students
Across North Carolina, community partnerships with faith groups can play an important role in helping our public schools and students succeed. From school supply drives and afterschool programs to tutoring and affordable building space, churches and houses of worship can offer extra support and resources to their local families and school districts. As EdNC has previously […]
2024 Advent Guide: Epiphany of the Lord
Excerpted from 2024 Advent Guide: Hope is Near, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son.May he judge your people with righteousness and your poor with justice.May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, […]
2024 Advent Guide: Second Sunday After Christmas
Excerpted from 2024 Advent Guide: Hope is Near, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Jeremiah 31:7-14 For thus says the Lord:Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;proclaim, give praise, and say, “Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel.”See, I am going to bring them […]
North Carolina religious leaders support Governor Cooper’s death row commutations
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – The North Carolina Council of Churches and our 19 member denominations stand with Governor Roy Cooper who has commuted 15 death sentences to prison terms. The Governor’s decision to prevent executions recognizes a growing consensus among North Carolina’s people of faith that the death penalty is immoral, racist, and contrary to […]
2024 Advent Guide: First Sunday After Christmas
Excerpted from 2024 Advent Guide: Hope is Near, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year C 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 his angels; praise him, all his host! Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters […]
North Carolina Council of Churches applauds President Biden’s death penalty commutations, calls for action in North Carolina
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – The North Carolina Council of Churches and our 19 denomination members commend President Biden for his move to commute the sentences of many of those on the federal death row to prison terms. We continue to believe North Carolina Governor Cooper is a leader with both the authority and the moral […]
2024 Advent Guide: Christmas Day
Excerpted from 2024 Advent Guide: Hope is Near, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not […]
2024 Advent Guide: Fourth Sunday
Excerpted from 2024 Advent Guide: Hope is Near, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Luke 1:39-45, (46-55) In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the […]
Two Years of Faithful Activism
It has been two years since I began working with the North Carolina Council of Churches, and I can genuinely say that all of the passion and support I have received has strengthened my commitment to the social justice movement. As my time working at the Council comes to a close this year, I would […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Defiant Joy
Home is a complicated thing— or word, or concept, really. Not because I didn’t grow up in a wonderful home. But because, well, in our home, we answer questions like: who gets to call it their home? Who’s home is it? Is it once their home, always their home? Can someone have more than one […]
2024 Advent Guide: Third Sunday
Excerpted from 2024 Advent Guide: Hope is Near, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Isaiah 12:2-6 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid,for the Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And […]
Job Opening: PHW Regional Associate Director
North Carolina Council of ChurchesImmediate Position Opening: Regional Associate DirectorMust live in the Northeast Region of N.C.November 2024 40 hr/wk; 3 weeks paid vacation; paid sick leave, HSA contributionHybrid Position, Travel required within North Carolina3-month probationary period Retirement benefits available when the probationary period concludesSalary commensurate with experienceMust have proof of COVID-19 vaccination and up to […]
2024 Advent Guide: Second Sunday
Excerpted from 2024 Advent Guide: Hope is Near, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Philippians 1:3-11 I thank my God for every remembrance of you, always in every one of my prayers for all of you, praying with joy for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. I […]
The U.S. Fair Share to Protect the Planet
I deeply believe that caring for the environment is not just a moral duty but a spiritual one. God entrusted us with the stewardship of creation, and it is imperative that we understand that the climate crisis is not a distant threat; it is a present reality that not only disproportionately affects the poor and […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
2024 Advent Guide: First Sunday
Excerpted from 2024 Advent Guide: Hope is Near, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year C from the North Carolina Council of Churches. 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 & Luke 21:25-36 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly […]
2024 Advent Guide: Hope Is Near
It’s not by accident we call the 1st Sunday of Advent, Hope—Hope, not to be confused with optimism. Hopeful living is a very different sort of existence than the culture of optimism promoted around us. Hope rejects the fatalism of the current situation by recognizing that we don’t have the right to make that assessment. […]
When Renewal Calls: Embracing Rest in Ministry
by the Rev. Edward N. Preistaf, Pastor of Long Memorial United Methodist Church in Roxboro “I don’t think I have it in me. I hope no one calls me today.” That’s how I was feeling a year ago after one of the busiest seasons in my 22 years of ministry – exhausted. All of the […]
State ecumenical groups ramp up efforts to combat Christian nationalism
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (RNS) — After watching a documentary on the threat of Christian nationalism on a Tuesday evening last week, members of Word Tabernacle Church, a predominantly Black congregation about 55 miles east of Raleigh, had lots of questions. Mostly, they wanted to know how to confront the movement’s adherents who have so distorted […]
Vote with the interest of your neighbor in mind
by the Rev. Dr. Jenifer Copeland, Executive Director Deep into this presidential election season we are once again saying what we have said for at least the last two—This is the most important election in our lives. Most candidates paint a picture of how awful the world will become if their opponent wins. Some also […]
May We All Be Promoters of Peace
by the Rev. Dr. Christy Lohr Sapp, Pastor of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Hickory and member of the North Carolina Council of Churches Governing Board. As shoes for your feet, put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. — Ephesians 6:15 As a country this fall, we are moving […]
The politics of religion and voting your faith
There is a joyful sound on Sunday mornings at St. Joseph AME Church in Durham, North Carolina. On the Sunday morning after Helene struck and devastated the western part of the state, there were prayers for those suffering. There was also politics. Governor Wes Moore of Maryland – the only Black governor in the nation […]
A Living Testimony of Death to Life
by Hope Elisa Ann Bryant, Founder of Rebuilding Lives Ministry, written during National Recovery Month. It is always important to honor the mothers, fathers, siblings, caretakers, and youth among us who have first-hand experience with substance use disorder. Many of us are walking different paths, some struggling with an addiction, some dealing illegal substances on […]
Wisdom is a Woman
The following sermon was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland on Sunday, September 15, 2024, at New Creation United Methodist Church in Durham. Proverbs 1:20-33; Wisdom of Solomon 7:26-8:1 When I read these pieces of scripture that talk about wisdom, I notice a few things that are always consistent. First of all, wisdom is […]
Tuition giveaway’s real costs
Amid the turbulence of a high-stakes election season stands a sadly familiar outpost of stability – the N.C. General Assembly’s relentless support of private schools at the expense of the public schools that inevitably serve most of the state’s children. That support advances under the banner of parental choice. Republican legislators who wield their super-majority […]
When They Go Low…
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9 (NRSV). Election season can be disorienting. It is easy to lose track of what is helpful and what is destructive, what is necessary […]
A glimpse into the abyss
By: Jennifer Roberts, Co-Chair of N.C. Network for Fair, Safe, and Secure Elections With the November 2024 elections drawing closer, many people have been discussing the specter of political violence. I recently joined a group of 25 faith and community leaders from across the United States on a trip to Northern Ireland focused on that […]
A Sound Mind
By: Reggie Wilson Jr. MS, MSW, LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, The Armstrong Center for Hope “. . . for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NRSV) The Bible tells us that God gave us all a […]
Putting on the Full Apron of God: The Sacramental Moments of the United Methodist Church General Conference
By: The Rev. Beth Crissman, Uwharrie District Superintendent and Director of Peace Building Ministries of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church “sac-ra-men-tal: (adj) exhibiting visible signs of God’s invisible grace, sanctifying daily life” As a clergyperson, there is something sacramental about putting on my stole before preaching, presiding at the Lord’s […]
Masks, money mean a mess
There’s the civics-class version of how laws are enacted in North Carolina – rooted in the state constitution and rules of the General Assembly, and embodying ideals of orderly, even-handed decision-making. Then there’s the version encompassing the kind of shenanigans all too typical of the legislative process in real life. Especially so, during the late […]
North Carolina Council of Churches Releases Faithful Voter Reflection Guide: Empowering Faith Communities to Vote Their Values
RALEIGH, NC – The North Carolina Council of Churches proudly announces the release of the Faithful Voter Reflection Guide. This vital resource is designed to help people of faith integrate their spiritual beliefs with their civic responsibilities as they prepare for the upcoming election season. The Faithful Voter Reflection Guide encourages readers to reflect on […]
Finding Hope in a Time of Planetary Crisis and Political Decline
On a beautiful Saturday morning during Earth Month, dozens of advocates convened at Binkley Memorial Baptist Church for a Forum on Religion, Ethics, and Ecology. Eco-Justice Connection staff, Susannah Tuttle and Ren Martin, facilitated a discussion on some of the most pressing issues of our time: environmental justice and democracy. Among the panelists of the […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Faith leader urges Tillis to strengthen family immigration
As a faith leader in North Carolina, I was dismayed to see Congress pass a recent funding bill that will harm some members of our communities by expanding immigration detention and other enforcement efforts. This comes on the heels of North Carolina’s Senator Tillis being a key negotiator for a recent Senate deal that would have provided a life-changing […]
Welcome John Dempsey Parker!
We would like to welcome John Dempsey Parker as our new Director of Partnerships and Development. John has over 25 years of experience in North Carolina in asset-based community economic development, culturally appropriate and trauma-informed community organizing, community development finance, affordable housing, nonprofit management, small business and entrepreneurship systems development. Since 2016, John has worked […]
Extra money, N.C.’s critical needs
First, the good news. As North Carolina’s lawmakers crank up their every-other-year “short” session (well, sometimes it’s not so short), they’ll have the luxury of working with a healthy boost in anticipated revenue. Healthy to the tune of a projected $1.4 billion – money to be factored into the state budget, now pegged at $30 […]
Plastic Jesus: Embodied Faith in a Synthetic World
The following sermon was delivered by Susannah Tuttle, Eco-Justice Connection Director, on Earth Day Sunday at Binkley Baptist Church. Click here to listen. Everywhere we look in our culture, you will find plastic. It surrounds our food, it makes up our technology and it is a standard element in our household items. Unfortunately, it is […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
2024 Lenten Guide: Easter Sunday
Excerpted from 2024 Lenten Guide: Terror and Amazement, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Isaiah 25:6-9 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.And he will destroy on […]
2024 Lenten Guide: Good Friday
Excerpted from 2024 Lenten Guide: Terror and Amazement, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Hebrews 10:16-25 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord:I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,” and he adds, “I […]
2024 Lenten Guide: Maundy Thursday
Excerpted from 2024 Lenten Guide: Terror and Amazement, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 I love the Lord because he has heard my voice and my supplications.Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. What shall I return to the Lord for […]
2024 Lenten Guide: Palm Sunday
Excerpted from 2024 Lenten Guide: Terror and Amazement, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Mark 1:1-11 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way,the voice of one […]
Will election ‘machinery’ grind its gears?
As a classic example of trying to fix something that’s not broken, look no farther than the N.C. General Assembly’s overhaul last year of the State Board of Elections and its 100 county offshoots. The changes, as stipulated in Senate Bill 749, would tangle the boards’ lines of authority six ways from Sunday and risk […]
2024 Lenten Guide: Fifth Sunday
Excerpted from 2024 Lenten Guide: Terror and Amazement, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. John 12:20-33 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip […]
Healthier Aging through Intergenerational Inclusion
A recent New York Times piece titled “Old and Young, Talking Again” explores the link between cross-generational connections and improved perceptions and outcomes of aging. Opportunities for younger folks and older folks to connect in what gerontologist Dr. Karl Pillemer refers to as “equal status contact” through consistent, intergenerational programming has been shown to offer […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Antidote to Death
The following sermon was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at Duke University Chapel. View the recording. Put a serpent on a pole, stare at it, and be healed. Believe in the Son of Man, about to be executed by the authorities, and have eternal life. Interesting prescriptions for […]
Gender Justice: Renewing the Heart of Our Humanity
On the week of International Women’s Day NC Interfaith Power & Light Director, Rev. Susannah Tuttle shares how women around the world are coming together with compassion and forgiveness, with curiosity and convictions, with expansive vision and a deeply personal call to action in response to the urgency of these times, by highlighting the Feminist […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
2024 Lenten Guide: Fourth Sunday
Excerpted from 2024 Lenten Guide: Terror and Amazement, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from troubleand gathered in from the lands, from the east and from […]
2024 Lenten Guide: Third Sunday
Excerpted from 2024 Lenten Guide: Terror and Amazement, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 19 The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not […]
2024 Lenten Guide: Second Sunday
Excerpted from 2024 Lenten Guide: Terror and Amazement, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Mark 9:2-9 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling […]
Prayer for the Primary
Voting may be the most important place for us to live into God’s call for a flourishing world. Feeding the hungry is crucial, but how much more so is passing legislation that will address the root causes of hunger? Giving water to the thirsty is crucial, but how much more so is passing legislation that […]
2024 Lenten Guide: First Sunday
Excerpted from 2024 Lenten Guide: Terror and Amazement, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Psalm 25:1-10 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.Do not let those who wait […]
2024 Lenten Guide: Ash Wednesday
Excerpted from 2024 Lenten Guide: Terror and Amazement, a Lenten Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain!Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near—a day of darkness and gloom, a day […]
2024 Lenten Guide: Terror and Amazement
Most of us are responsible, productive people. We head off at the start of the day to do what is expected of us. At the start of a new school year, fiscal year, or calendar year, we lay out a course and proceed accordingly, doing what is expected of us. So, it is with Mary […]
Schools face ‘sound basic’ showdown
In a political climate less driven by conservative ideology, even within our judicial system’s upper reaches, it might be reckless to forecast how the latest, epic clash over proper funding for North Carolina’s public schools – how much and who decides –will unfold in the state Supreme Court. But that climate characterizes the time we […]
Gov. Cooper, NC faith leaders rally for abortion access on Roe v. Wade anniversary
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, faith leaders and activists on Monday rallied for abortion access and reproductive freedom across the state. Jan. 22 marks the 51st anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which until it was overturned in 2022 granted American women the constitutional right to an abortion. In May 2023, the state […]
Abortion rights advocates call for greater access to mark Roe v. Wade anniversary
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Monday marked 51 years since the passage of Roe v. Wade, the landmark US Supreme Court decision which protected abortion rights. It was marked by a series of events across the state, as abortion rights advocates took aim at the June 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling, which overturned Roe v. […]
‘This is the thing of nightmares’: Raleigh faith leaders rally for access to abortion on anniversary of Roe v. Wade
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — On Monday, the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, dozens of faith leaders are in Raleigh demanding access to safe and legal abortions and squashing what they call misconceptions about faith and reproductive rights. “It’s a misconception that the majority of Christian people are against abortion when exactly the opposite is […]
Freedom or Control?
The following remarks were delivered by Executive Director, Jennifer Copeland during a Faith Leaders Rally for Abortion Access on January 22, 2024. Click here to view the recording of the full rally. When I was a newly ordained, still naive and idealistic, young pastor from South Carolina, I went to a meeting for a group called Clergy for […]
2023 Advent Guide: Epiphany of the Lord
Excerpted from 2023 Advent Guide: A Season of Renewal, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year B 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 risen upon you.For darkness shall cover the earth and thick darkness the peoples,but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over […]
2023 Advent Guide: First Sunday After Christmas
Excerpted from 2023 Advent Guide: A Season of Renewal, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year B 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 his angels; praise him, all his host! Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!Praise him, you highest heavens and you […]
2023 Advent Guide: Christmas Day
Excerpted from 2023 Advent Guide: A Season of Renewal, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Isaiah 9:2-7 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined.You have multiplied exultation; you have increased its joy;they rejoice before you as […]
2023 Advent Guide: Fourth Sunday of Advent
Excerpted from 2023 Advent Guide: A Season of Renewal, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Luke 1:26-38 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of […]
Law expands concealed carry rights in churches
At the beginning of December, a new law expanded allowing people to carry concealed guns in North Carolina. State law now allows people to conceal carry in churches that share property with schools, with some exceptions. This law has divided reactions across the state, like most gun laws. Some saying it’s a win for the […]
Navigating Grief During the Holidays
Near the altar where I stood 10 years earlier to co-officiate their wedding ceremony, I rested at a podium as my eyes shifted between my brother-in-law seated on the front row of the church and my 36-year-old sister, who was now resting in a beautiful pink and white casket. On April 20, 2023, my 3-year-old […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
2023 Advent Guide: Third Sunday of Advent
Excerpted from 2023 Advent Guide: A Season of Renewal, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Luke 1:46b-55 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will […]
Health Plans: Tackling Diabetes Disparities for All Americans
During Diabetes Awareness month (November) – and every month – someone is having a limb amputated due to diabetes every three-to-four minutes here in the United States. These patients often come from traditionally underserved populations, including Black and Latinx communities, that disproportionately experience the clinical and economic burdens of diabetes. Getting ahead of rising patient risks can […]
2023 Advent Guide: Second Sunday of Advent
Excerpted from 2023 Advent Guide: A Season of Renewal, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Isaiah 40:1-11 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to herthat she has served her term, that her penalty is paid,that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her […]
Citizen science projects tend to attract white, affluent, well-educated volunteers − here’s how we recruited a more diverse group to identify lead pipes in homes
Recruiting participants for a citizen science project produced a more diverse group when people were signed up through partner organizations, such as schools and faith-based organizations, than when they joined on their own. We used this approach to recruit volunteers for Crowd the Tap, a citizen science initiative that crowdsources the locations of lead plumbing in homes. We […]
They ‘stand’ against a gerrymander
North Carolina’s new voting district maps were hatched in a way that brings to mind Macbeth’s calculation as he ponders murder: “If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well / It were done quickly: …” In other words, it’s a nasty piece of business but if it’ll solve the problem then just get […]
2023 Advent Guide: First Sunday of Advent
Excerpted from 2023 Advent Guide: A Season of Renewal, an Advent Guide for Lectionary Year B from the North Carolina Council of Churches. Corinthians 1:3-9 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been […]
‘Grins and Glocks’: Wake Forest orthodontist offers free gun with Invisalign treatment
As part of a promotion, Gladwell Orthodontics and Youngsville Gun Club & Range are giving certain customers their pick between a Silver membership at the Youngsville Gun Club & Range or a free Glock 19, which retails for more than $500. WRAL talked with attorneys and federal agencies about the legality of such a deal, […]
2023 Advent Guide: A Journey Towards Justice for Women and the LGBTQ+ Community
Advent offers the double purpose of waiting for two things while preparing for both—waiting for Christmas and waiting for the in-breaking of God’s kin-dom. The preparation for Christmas is obvious: we have a tree to decorate, cookies to bake, presents to wrap. Preparing for the in-breaking of God’s kin-dom takes a little more creativity. For […]
Welcome Sandra Pardo
The Council is excited to introduce you to one of our newest staff members, Sandra Pardo. Sandra joined us in October as the Farmworker Advocacy Network Coalition Coordinator. Read more about Sandra: Hi! I’m Sandra Pardo, and I’m beyond ecstatic to be joining the North Carolina Council of Churches and the North Carolina Farmworker Advocacy […]
Navigating Grief and Hope
You cannot write the word on social media without triggering an inquiry about your safety or being digitally reprimanded for violating the platform’s community policy. But the digital space isn’t the only place where the word “suicide” can’t be used; just ask a church-going family who experienced the loss of a loved one due to […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Faith, Hope, and Healing: #Every1KnowsSome1
Have you seen the trending #Every1KnowsSome1 for domestic violence awareness? It may surprise you to think you know someone. Or maybe you think you are the only one? In truth, it is an understatement. Statistically speaking, we all know a lot of “someones,” but we tend to get a bit squirmy and start looking for […]
Gerrymander games get going
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 – that extreme partisan gerrymandering is something it lacks the authority to fix. “Excessive partisanship in districting leads to results that reasonably seem unjust,” Roberts acknowledged […]
Look out North Carolina, our tax dollars are being spent on a biased religious agenda | Opinion
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 released North Carolina budget demonstrates why we should understand it better. In short, the religious person has the right to observe and practice one’s faith […]
Separation of church and state? Religious groups get $26 million in NC taxpayer money
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 the top recipients are groups that have come under scrutiny in the past for improperly using federal funds and allegedly providing pregnant women with misleading […]
A Clergy’s Call to Confronting Opioid Overdose
My neighborhood is interesting, and you never know what to expect when you walk out the door. I thought nothing could surprise me until one Saturday this summer, around 7:30 a.m. I noticed a young man passed out in a car with the door open and one leg on the ground. When I approached the […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Faithful Event: Reproductive Rights through a Spiritual Lens
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., at the Congregational United Church of Christ, located at 400 W. Radiance Dr., Greensboro. This event will delve into crucial topics surrounding reproductive justice and […]
North Carolina groups unhappy with 2023 Appropriations Act lack of solutions to overdose epidemic
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 North Carolina Council of Churches say the budget isn’t using opioid settlement funds for proven medications for addiction. They claim the budget invests in abstinence […]
We March to End Fossil Fuels
The energy in the air on Sunday, September 17th, was palpable. That weekend, I joined the March to End Fossil Fuels. North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light was one of the sponsors that empowered over 55 Duke University students to attend this historic event. After driving up with the students, we were met with over […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Secrecy-obsessed legislators turn to new maps
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 majority pivoted to what could be its favorite sport – redrawing election districts. What makes that arcane process so much fun? It’s when the politicians […]
Election board shuffling spells trouble
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 up when the ballots are counted. As to the self-evident notion that they’re subverting a pillar of our democratic system, they apparently couldn’t care less. […]
Gay Teacher’s Case Latest to Probe Religion-Sex Bias Boundaries
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 school’s appeal of its loss in a gay teacher’s bias lawsuit. Charlotte Catholic High School fired Lonnie Billard after his announcement on Facebook, soon after […]
September is Healthy Aging Month at PHW and Beyond!
Healthy Aging Month is in full swing at PHW, with faith communities across the state building elements of our Healthy Aging Inclusion Plan into the new church year! I am encouraged by the commitment so many congregations are making to prioritize the welcome and wellness of the older adults in their community across a mix […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
New Hurdles Loom for Tar Heel Voters
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 participating in next year’s high-stakes elections. Might some voters aligned with that Republican majority wind up as collateral damage, inconvenienced or frustrated to the point […]
North Carolinians Deserve Updated Building Codes
On Friday, July 7th, Governor Cooper vetoed HB 488. As people of faith, we applaud his leadership and understanding of how this piece of legislation will negatively impact the people and environment of North Carolina. The impacts of HB 488 will hinder the progress of crucial updates to the state’s building energy conservation codes, which […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Resources from the 2023 Legislative Seminar
Recordings and resources from the 2023 Legislative Seminar are now available. View the resources below:
Welcome Donna Parks Hill
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 HIV Education for Partners in Health and Wholeness. Read more about Donna: Hi! I am Donna Hill with Partners in Health and Wholeness, a North […]
Not All Christians Oppose Abortion | Opinion
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 bill pose to the health and safety of pregnant people and the threat to democratic processes posed by the underhanded actions of the bill’s sponsors have […]
Crossroads for voting access, fairness
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 after decades of conflict and struggle — from the time of the nation’s founding when voting generally was a privilege reserved to white male landowners […]
Celebrating the Success of the Council’s Legislative Seminar!
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. Among the many remarkable moments, the presentation of the Faith Active in Public Life Award to Governor Roy Cooper stood out as a shining example […]
Fired Gay Church Worker’s Lawsuit to Be Heard by U.S. Court of Appeals’ Fourth Circuit
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 that he would wed his partner, Rich Donham. His announcement occurred just two weeks after a federal court legalized marriage equality in North Carolina. Shortly […]
Farmworker Advocacy Network Coordinator (Bilingual – Spanish/English)
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. Since 2003, FAN has brought workers’ voices to the legislative process and pushed for policy change at the state, local and federal level. FAN members […]
After the Act, SB20
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 in our state. Before all that happened, the Council and our allies co-authored a letter to every member of the General Assembly asking them to […]
North Carolina clergy demonstrate against legislature’s new abortion limits
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 earlier this month that bans abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy, and to say, in effect, ‘not in my name.” The press conference comes one […]
Officials, advocates answer questions on solar, wind power
“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 Earth Day. Dar Hubsch, residential project developer for Wilmington-based Cape Fear Solar Systems, responded. “Being a company based here on the coast, we are well […]
North Carolina’s no-permit concealed carry bill dropped before vote in NC House
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 NC House pulled House Bill 189 – the so-called “NC Constitutional Carry Act” – before its scheduled floor vote, one of more than 50 bills […]
A Faith-Focused Suicide Prevention Training for All
There are topics that can be difficult to talk about, including death and grief. Of these topics, one particular situation that is more common than we think is suicide. And even with the best intentions, we can say unhelpful words to those that are hurting around us. When there is a death by suicide in […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
May is Mental Health Month!
Happy Mental Health Month! This is a terrific time to promote helpful mental health practices with your faith community. We can also increase awareness for those living with mental health concerns and eliminate stigma. Faith communities can promote mental health as an opportunity, not a hardship. Consider these starting points to help your faith community approach […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Governor Roy Cooper to Receive North Carolina Council of Churches’ Faith Active in Public Life Award at Upcoming 2023 Legislative Seminar
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 Life Award. This award recognizes individuals whose faith inspires them to uphold the principles of justice that are fundamental to the faith traditions represented by […]
High court careens back to the future
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 up there with that classic zinger: “And your mama wears combat boots!” How strange, then, that the conservative majority on North Carolina’s Supreme Court now […]
Concealed carry permit bill advances in NC House committee
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 or older, barring certain disqualifying offenses or events, to be allowed to carry concealed without a permit in North Carolina. “This bill is the opposite […]
Bill to legalize no-permit concealed carry in North Carolina advances through state House committee
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 now moves within one step of a vote on the House floor. The so-called “NC Constitutional Carry Act” received a favorable report – with an […]
After switch, they’re set to party hearty
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 care, racial justice, elections open to meaningful participation by all qualified voters – began the month of April with their hopes hanging by a thread. […]
Welcome Carrilea Hall
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. Read more about Carrilea: I’m Carrilea Hall, and I am excited to join the North Carolina Council of Churches and the Partners in Health and […]
Project Coordinator: Overdose Response and HIV Education
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 particularly concerned about issues related to health care, immigration, farm workers, care of creation, voting rights, food security, and peace. The Council embraces ethnic, racial, […]
N.C. Council of Churches advocates for gun violence prevention
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 congregations across 18 denominations. The organization’s executive director says the council has been and will continue to be engaged in gun violence prevention. What You […]
Faith community leaders call on Gov. Cooper to commute NC death sentences of all prisoners awaiting execution
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 letter, the group cited concerns about racial bias and the potential for someone to be sentenced to death who is later found to have been innocent. […]
NC faith leaders ask Governor Cooper to commute sentences of death row inmates
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 row. North Carolina currently has 137 people on death row. The last execution was in 2006. Faith leaders gathered Friday at West Raleigh Presbyterian Church […]
A New Vision of Justice
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 here to view the press conference. My name is Jennifer Copeland. I’m the Executive Director of the N.C. Council of Churches. I am joined today […]
Renewable Energy Symposium slated for Earth Day week
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 to 6 p.m. April 20 in Joslyn Hall at Carteret Community College. Attendance is free. College Corporate and Community Education Vice President Perry Harker kicks […]
Energy Bills are Increasing while Duke’s Climate Progress is Stagnant
At the Lumberton rate hike hearing, I had the honor of attending and giving testimony alongside the community members of Robeson County. I heard the pain in people’s voices as they spoke out about their bills rising essentially three times the price they had paid in the past. Many had lost faith in the North […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Three faiths marking holidays in N.C.
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 Boniti, we take a look at these religions and why these holidays are so important in an effort to get to know a little more […]
Faith leaders call on NC governor for end of ‘racist and error-prone’ death penalty
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 Thursday, the North Carolina Council of Churches and the North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty released a letter asking for Cooper to […]
2023 Lenten Guide: Easter Sunday
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 day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an […]
2023 Lenten Guide: Good Friday
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 you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?O my God, I cry by day, but you do […]
2023 Lenten Guide: Maundy Thursday
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 the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were […]
The NC Council of Churches files a comment with the NC Utility Commission in support of low-income households
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 attention be paid to the financial constraints of low-income households. (Docket E-2 Sub 1300) The NCCC first requested dividing the single Residential Rate Class into […]
2023 Lenten Guide: Palm Sunday
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 and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you […]
Upcoming symposium to focus on the continual harm inflicted by Confederate monuments
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 will be held at Shaw University on April 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Click here to register. “Confederate monuments are not simply relics to […]
Addiction Professionals of North Carolina Supports Faith-Based BIPOC Mental Health Grant
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 of Churches Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW) to support mental health awareness and education within Black & Brown, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) faith […]
N.C.’s court of supreme do-overs
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 promise: “Law and Justice.” These days one has to wonder whether a footnote should be added, along the lines of “That Was Then, This Is […]
2023 Lenten Guide: Fifth Sunday in Lent
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 to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice!Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?But there […]
2023 Lenten Guide: Fourth Sunday in Lent
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 now in the Lord you are light. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right […]
Ministry Along I-95 Requires New Tools for Clergy
Within a few weeks of starting in my position at the Council, I met Cape Fear Valley Health Community Paramedic Chris Dudley at a health resource event in Fayetteville. Unlike the other vendors offering gifts of hand sanitizer, mints, and pens, Dudley and a coworker greeted guests with a table that contained pink, white, and […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Nourishing Lives During National Nutrition Month
Guest Author Kim Eshleman, Faith Communities LiaisonFaithful Families Thriving Communities/Steps to Health (NC State University’s SNAP-Ed program) Nutrition is a word with many connotations and one that may evoke complex emotions – both positive and negative. The word may summon memories of clinical or agency interactions, school lunches, ponderings over labels in the grocery aisle, […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
PHW Spotlight: Meet Apostle Michelle Sledge of Kingdom Entity Apostolic Ministries
Apostle Dr. Michelle Sledge is the pastor of Kingdom Entity Apostolic Ministries and the faith lead for the PHW mini-grant funded initiative that provides wellness programming to the food pantry of the church’s Resource Center located at 1062 East Avenue, Hassell, N.C. The church started in Greenville, but relocated to Hassell after purchasing a church […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Introducing Healthy Aging and Mental Health Inclusion Plans
Rev. Jessica Stokes, PHW Associate Director, Mental Health Advocacy Krista Westervelt, PHW Associate Director, Healthy Aging Partners in Health and Wholeness is excited to announce our new inclusion plans for Mental Health and Healthy Aging. We hope your faith community and health ministries find them empowering and inspiring. Inclusion Plan FAQs: Inclusion Plans are intentional, […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
COP 27: Together for Implementation on Loss and Damage
As you have hopefully heard in the news, the 27th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27) is currently taking place in Egypt. The theme for COP 27 is #TogetherForImplementation. Of the many years of global meetings that have taken place since the 2015 Paris Agreement, this “implementation […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
The Importance of Community and Climate Week NYC
Once a year, environmental leaders from around the United States and around the world come together to meet in New York City. On my first big solo trip as an organizer, I too was blessed with the opportunity to attend, representing the North Carolina Council of Churches. My main aspiration was to connect with other […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
2022 Willona Stallings Award for Excellence in Community Innovation to Annie McIver, Health Lead for Cameron Grove African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
This past Thursday at the Faith Health Summit, the Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW) program of the North Carolina Council of Churches presented the 2022 Willona Stallings Award for Excellence in Community Innovation to Annie McIver, Health Lead for Cameron Grove African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Willona Stallings was the first director of Partners […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
International Overdose Awareness Day
August 31st is International Overdose Awareness day. It is a day to remember those we have lost to overdose and to raise awareness on evidence-based practices to prevent overdoses like overdose prevention centers and overdose reversal medication such as Naloxone and Narcan. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), an average of nine North Carolinians died each day from a drug overdose in 2020. Each one […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Faith and Health Summit 2022 Mindful Safety: Covid Protocols
We are counting down the weeks until September 15, 2022. As of today, we are 4 weeks and 2 days from the Faith and Health Summit. Join us at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greensboro on September 15 anytime throughout the day or all day from 8:30 am to 3 pm. As you may have […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The North Carolina Carbon Plan
In the past few months, for better or for worse, the climate crisis has come to the forefront of the conversation. The Senate recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which could potentially have major impacts on national policy and funding around climate resiliency. Additionally, the West Virginia v EPA United State Supreme Court decision was […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Health Ministry as Peace Work – A Reflection on Peace Month
This August marks one year since I first reached out to the Partners in Health & Wholeness (PHW) team as a potential host site for my Senior Practicum in Peace & Conflict Studies at UNC Greensboro. The ministry and values of PHW put them at the top of my peace internship wish list. It might seem odd […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Faith and Health Summit 2022
MINDFUL TOGETHER Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God The countdown has begun. Did you know that the Partners in Health and Wholeness Faith and Health Summit is back this year? We are counting down the weeks until September 15, 2022. Join us at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greensboro September 15 anytime throughout […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Meeting the Moment for LGBTQ+ Older Adults
There are currently 3 million LGBTQ+ adults aged 65 or older in the United States and that number is expected to double by 2030 (source). While the age-related needs of LGBTQ+ older adults mirror those of non-LGBTQ+ older adults in many ways, networks of support are especially crucial to the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Aging and Imago Dei
Is there an expiration date on our inherent worth and dignity? An aging out of being made in God’s image? The past two pandemic years have been a litmus test of how our society and our communities live out our collective answers to these questions, especially as broad swaths of our population have been considered […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Healthcare is a Justice Issue
May 2022 may be the first time in my 57 years that I’ve deeply appreciated the arrival of spring. Yes, spring officially began in March but it was still a little cold and dark. April brought warm days and the beauty of the early flowers, along with our annual blanket of pollen. This May as […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
In the Trauma of War, We Pray for Ukraine
O God, who loves each of us, wherever we are in the worldWho calls each of us by nameWho knows our hearts and knits us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13).God, who has a love for all that is global and personal,We lift up every person, town, and community facing the war in Ukraine. We […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Bolstering Local Economies & Food Access: Faith Communities & Farmers of Color
By Justine Post, Come to the Table Program Director, Rural Advancement Foundation, partner of the NC Council of Churches BIPOC (Black & Brown, Indigenous, People of Color) farmers in the U.S. have long been held back by systemic racism. They have, and still do, face discrimination in accessing credit, loans, resources, and markets. In 2017, […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
People of Faith Petition to Biden
Climate can’t wait. Every day of inaction costs us dearly. Many of our communities have experienced the severe impacts of climate change: wildfires, superstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and increasingly intense weather phenomena that cause damage, injury, and loss of life. We are running out of time to avoid even more serious consequences. Add your name […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Show Your Heart Some Love this February
One morning last summer, while taking myself on a hike on one of my favorite local trails, I struck up a brief conversation with a man in his 70s who I had crossed paths with a number of times on my route. He mentioned that he and his wife were moving away and he would […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
North Carolina’s $750 Million Dollar Opioid Settlement: How will it help?
If you are interested in learning more about the Opioid Settlement join us on February 10th from 11am-12:30pm for the Faith Health Connection: Opioid Settlement. We will be joined by Steve Mange, Senior Policy & Strategy Counsel at North Carolina Department of Justice and Amy Bason, North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. Click here to […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
“Breathe Again: Health Air is Health Care” Trainings
Did you know that more than 40% of the U.S. is breathing dirty air and that in 46 states, communities of color are exposed to higher levels of dangerous air pollution than white communities? We have the power to take action! Register now and join us for a two day training event, in conjunction with […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Together: Wholly Sacred and Beautifully Ordinary
We breathe the same air, and we drink the same water. Nicole Johnson My grandfather was an old school farmer. Any suggestions to include newer techniques or farm machinery on the farm was met with either silence or a look that communicated “no” without him saying a word. He spent most of his life on […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Launching a year of climate justice and resilience.
Register Here We need a climate revival! After another year of record-breaking climate disasters, environmental injustices are degrading our communities, God’s Creation, and democracy. This year, we’re changing the script. Let’s move from degradation to resilience, from brokenness to restoration, from death to revival! Join us virtually on January 20, 2022 to launch a year […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
World AIDS day
Today, December 1, is World AIDS day. It is an opportunity for people worldwide to come together in solidarity with people living with HIV and to recognize those who have died due to AIDS related illnesses. As people of faith, we believe that we are all made in God’s image and we stand with our […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
NCIPL Director’s Testimony on EPA Methane Rules
2021 EPA Oil and Natural Gas Listening Sessions EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0295 Hello, my name is Susannah Tuttle. I am Director of the NC Interfaith Power & Light and serve as the Director of the Eco-Justice Connection at the NC Council of Churches. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my strong support for EPA’s proposed methane […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
2020-2021 Overdose Deaths Heartbreaking Record
On November 17, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control released annual data on the number of unintentional overdose deaths in the United States. For the first time, this number topped 100,000 people. A number this large makes it easy to be desensitized to what it all means. To offer perspective as a North Carolinian, that […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
“Net-Zero” is a Dangerous Distraction
NC Interfaith Power & Light and NC Council of Churches are signatories. Read Letter Here More Than 350 Groups Condemn Corporate Net-Zero Pledges as a Dangerous, Unjust Distraction WASHINGTON 10/27/21 — 354 groups released a statement today calling “net-zero” emission pledges by corporations and governments a dangerous distraction from real climate action. This comes as the […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Human Prayer Chain for Climate Justice
This week in North Carolina and around the world, faith communities are rising to the call from GreenFaith to pray for national and world leaders to take bold action to reverse climate change at the U.N. COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland in November. On Monday, October 18 over 190 people of faith formed a […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Biogas & Communities Webinar Series
In Fall 2021, North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light (NCIPL), a program of the NC Council of Churches launched a webinar series to begin to educate faith communities about the problem of hog waste biogas and to amplify local community voices on the issue. The series kicked off on October 12th at 6 p.m. with […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
President Biden choose a side: People Vs. Fossil Fuels
WATCH 2min Video Last week NC Interfaith Power & Light Director, Susannah Tuttle participated in the multi-faith delegation as part of the People Vs. Fossil Fuels civil disobedience actions at the White House demanding that President Biden choose a side: People vs. Fossil Fuels. #StopLine3 #BuildBackFossilFree #JusticeFirst #Power2ThePeople #LoveWins
By Eco-Justice Connection
North Carolina Council of Churches Opposes the Passing of HB 951, “Energy Solutions for North Carolina”
RALEIGH, NC — The North Council of Churches is committed to prioritizing policies that center justice and equity, and when a bill lacks these moral imperatives, we stand in opposition to the legislation becoming law. HB 951 “Energy Solutions for North Carolina” does not center justice and equity. The data supports our conclusion that this law […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Report Back from “People vs. Fossil Fuels” in DC
Starting on October 11, thousands of people from across the nation, including NCIPL Director – Susannah Tuttle, will be in Washington, DC, for People vs. Fossil Fuels — a week-long action to demand that President Biden end the fossil fuel era, including tar sands pipeline projects like Line 3. Join us on Tuesday, October 12, to […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
September – National Recovery Month
This month we recognize National Recovery Month and celebrate everyone who is in recovery however they define that to be. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines recovery as “a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential.” Just as […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Tell Congress: Climate Can’t Wait
Right now, Congress is negotiating a once-in-a-generation infrastructure and budget reconciliation package that will determine whether our country transitions to a clean energy economy in time to avoid catastrophic climate change. Currently, about $1 trillion of the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill addresses climate change. It is imperative that those provisions to advance clean energy, clean transportation, […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Eco-Justice Youth Leadership Fellow
NICOLAS EASDALE I have a passion for drawing and painting, because I want to be an illustrator and a storyboard writer for Marvel Comics. Marvel Comics is notorious for many things, but ever since its creation in 1939 as Timely Comics, Marvel Comics have always used Superhero stories as platforms to speak about political […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Eco-Justice Youth Leadership Fellow
HANNAH KLEIN I am currently in my last year of undergraduate school at Appalachian State University. My two greatest passions have always been the environment and spirituality, thus I decided to pursue a double degree of Sustainable Development (concentration in Community, Regional, Global Development) and Religious Studies with an emphasis on ancient Hebrew texts. […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Faith & Climate Resilience Summit & National Day of Action
Faith Communities & Climate Resilience Thursday, August 26, 5:30 p.m. Online Our faith communities are on the frontlines of climate impacts and climate resilience. As climate disasters — wildfires, hurricanes, heat waves, and more — accelerate around the world, it is critical that we are preparing and asking our leaders to do the same. Join us to […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
NCIPL Eco-Justice Education & Advocacy Fellow
SUSAN BROOKS After graduating from North Carolina State University and Harvard Law School, I became a public defender in Florida and have continued in the field of public defense at a state agency. My work with poor people, especially those of color, has shown me how societal and policy decisions can and often do […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
PHW Honors Collaborative Church with Award
The past year and a half has been trying for all of us, some more than others. But a blessing that came out of this time of deep reflection was the idea for the Willona Stallings Award for Excellence in Community Innovation. During the pandemic, we were all working around the clock just to stay […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
#ActNow for Creation Justice!
Faith community members took to the streets of North Carolina in Raleigh and Greensboro in order to walk as an interfaith representation of people who support legislation on Congressional bold, climate justice & jobs. We delivered the Faith Leaders National Letter to Congress endorsed along with 3600 other organizations around the country. This NC Climate […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Endorse NCIPL Resolution to Duke Energy
This fall, NCIPL leaders drafted a Resolution to Duke Energy asking that they set a carbon dioxide emissions reduction goal for the year 2030. Setting this reduction goal in this time frame is essential to alleviating and preventing the worst impacts of global climate change, and is the recommendation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). As people of faith […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Spotlight: Olive Branch Ministry
HICKORY, NC — Founded by the Rev. Michelle Mathis and her wife Karen Lowe, Olive Branch Ministry is a faith-based harm reduction agency covering nine counties in the foothills and piedmont of North Carolina. The ministry which includes a syringe exchange program, post overdose response team, homeless outreach and a holistic harm reduction center continues […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Do This in Remembrance of Me
As Americans, our collective remembrance and solidarity have often centered around one key question: Where were you when — ? For my (white) parents’ generation, the question was: Where were you when you heard that JFK had been assassinated? (My parents were shopping for a TV at Sears, as my father held my older sister […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, & Sacred Work (Part III)
To read Part I of this series, click here. To read Part II of this series, click here. In this series about mental health and race, we have looked at a few of the systemic issues and health inequities that people of color face. It is important to consider these barriers as we work to […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Endorse NCIPL Resolution to Duke Energy
This fall, NCIPL leaders drafted a Resolution to Duke Energy asking that they set a carbon dioxide emissions reduction goal for the year 2030. Setting this reduction goal in this time frame is essential to alleviating and preventing the worst impacts of global climate change, and is the recommendation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). As people of […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Blessed are those who continue to mourn
Several months ago, as summer was just beginning, I wrote on behalf of the Partners in Health and Wholeness team to mark the tragic milestone of 1,000 lives lost to Covid-19 in North Carolina. Today, that number stands at over 5,500. As we enter into the season of Advent, waiting for the earth’s turning toward […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement
NC Interfaith Power & Light (NCIPL) is actively working to become an anti-racist program of the NC Council of Churches. We believe that relationships must be centered in justice and equity within the human family, as well as with all of the natural world. We must strive together toward this sacred goal. We bear this […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, & Sacred Work (Part II)
To read Part 1 of the “Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, & Sacred Work” series, click here. In all the stress and unknown of this world, resilience is a beacon of hope in mental health conversations. It is a key component in addressing trauma, racial trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences, family systems, and more. Resilience […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
October is National Substance Use Prevention Month
Do you remember the public service announcement video titled “This Is Your Brain on Drugs?” This ad series, like others in the 1980s, begins with a man holding an egg (your brain) and dramatically cracking the egg-brain into a sizzling hot frying pan as an ominous-sounding voice-over explains “this is your brain on drugs”. These ads […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The Spirituality of Loneliness in Life’s Second Chapter
“Quite simply, human relationship is as essential to our well-being as food and water.” –former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Within the global pandemic of Covid-19 lies another deadly yet often unrecognized epidemic: loneliness. According to the American Society on Aging’s most recent journal, loneliness can be particularly hard-hitting among those in the second chapter of […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Mental Health and Race: Barriers, Ideas, and Sacred Work (Part I)
“Racism is a mental health issue because racism causes trauma”- Mental Health America. This is a strong statement that requires deep consideration. Racism, mental health concerns, and trauma are infused. As people of faith, it is our responsibility to better understand structural and systemic racism, and how it impacts our individual and communal mental health. […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Re-imagining Health Ministries During COVID: How to keep Health Ministries Engaged
At our houses of worship, things have looked different for a while. Many faith communities and their health ministries have mobilized in unprecedented ways to keep their communities healthy and safe. In that spirit, we would like to offer ideas of how to stay connected while we continue loving our neighbors by keeping our distance. We […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
High Country UCC
High Country United Church of Christ (UCC), located in the beautiful western region of North Carolina, has been a member of the PHW Collaborative for about two years now. The Rev. Tamara Franks, pastor at High Country UCC, shared with us some of the reflections on the challenges and opportunities that have arisen for their […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Getting Real About Poverty and the Environment
By Kathy Whitaker Knight So first, let’s get literal with this … environment is synonymous with surroundings, location, atmosphere, situation. Poverty is synonymous with shortage, deficiency, scarcity, and lack. What needs to be understood is that poverty creates its own priorities. Those who would damage the environment are clear about those concepts. That’s why they […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
COVID-19 Spotlights
Partners in Health and Wholeness is proud to partner with faith communities that are committed to promoting faith, health, and justice. The congregations in our Collaborative network are what make our work and program possible. This page is dedicated to showcasing the health ministries of our PHW Collaborative member faith communities. During this unprecedented time, […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Caring for Elderly Loved Ones During COVID-19
As the daughter of parents who are deep into their eighties, these past four months have been particularly worrisome since Covid-19 reshaped all our lives into unknown territory. And, as of yesterday, my folks’ retirement facility has reported its first case of Covid, as cases in residential-care communities in North Carolina continue to climb. Further, at […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
World Hepatitis Day: Finding the Missing Millions
July 28th is World Hepatitis Day, and this year’s theme is designed to raise awareness and encourage action in finding the estimated 290 million people who are unaware they have viral hepatitis. Worldwide, 325 million people are living with viral hepatitis. What is viral hepatitis? In simple terms, it is an inflammation of the liver […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Spotlight: Free COVID-19 Testing
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health, and justice. We partner with faith communities to provide the necessary tools for healthy, whole, and abundant living. Through these spotlights, we will be sharing an overview of the programs and initiatives […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Democracy, Values & the 2020 Election: A Reflection Guide for Faith Communities
Download The Guide & Share This Link To Triple The Vote! —> bit.ly/NCvaluesvoter The 2020 elections could not be more significant. The outcome will set the course on climate change for years to come. On top of that, we are in the midst of a global pandemic, a major recession, record joblessness, and our nation […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
A Win for the People and Planet: Atlantic Coast Pipeline Cancelled!
We prayed and we organized. We amplified the voices of directly impacted communities and we met with elected officials and high-level decision-makers. We held press conferences and wrote letters. We widely distributed our Governing Board’s published statement condemning the construction of pipelines such as the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. And It Worked! The announcement of […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Joint Letter from N.C. Faith Leaders to N.C. Elected Leaders
The leaders of the denominational members of the North Carolina Council of Churches have sent a joint letter to senior elected leaders, Governor Cooper, Representative Moore, and Senator Berger, outlining a few of their primary concerns on behalf of the people of N.C. Items mentioned by the faith leaders include: Medicaid expansion, public school funding, […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
St. Stephen Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ
St. Stephen Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ is located in Trenton, NC in the heart of Eastern North Carolina. They have been a member of the PHW Collaborative for almost 7 years. Led by Bishop Rodney Parker, St. Stephen has been embodying the mission of our Collaborative program through a Healthy Eating educational program, […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
St. Paul Presbyterian Church
St. Paul Presbyterian Church is located in Louisburg, NC in Central North Carolina. They have made healthy eating central to their ministry through the initiative “A Blessing Soup Kitchen,” serving nutritious meals to community members twice a week, providing nonprofit day care, and hosting the Franklin County Reentry Program, to assist recently incarcerated individuals who are re-entering […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Oasis of Hope Ministries
Oasis of Hope Ministries is located in Henderson, NC in Central North Carolina. Oasis of Hope Ministries has been centering faith, health, and well-being in their ministry for almost 4 years now. Some of the programs they offer include nutrition seminars, free exercise classes, a community health fair, and an annual mile challenge, just to name […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Haywood Street UMC
Haywood Street UMC has been a member of the PHW Collaborative since 2018. They have always been an anchor of support in their community through ministering with the unsheltered population of Asheville, serving fresh meals to all, and hosting a respite center for illness recovery. Pastor Brian Combs shared with us how they have refocused due to COVID-19: […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Articles on Racial Justice and Climate Change
****** We believe we cannot address climate change without also addressing racial injustice. To learn more about their intersection and why addressing both is needed read: I’m a Black Climate Expert. Racism Derails Our Efforts to Save the Planet | Ayana Elizabeth Johnson | The Washington Post Racism, Police Violence, and the Climate Are […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Sacred Spaces
What does “sacred space” mean to you? This is the question I asked during my first virtual Sunday school class weeks ago. I teach a broad age range (3-9) so I never know what kind of answers I will get from my group. The kids responded with answers such as; somewhere special, cozy, calm, someplace full […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Response to Systemic Racism
Featured image from Jamar Lanham at a protest in Raleigh, NC during the weekend of May 30-31, 2020. #Lanhamphotography Posted on June 3, 2020 NCIPL envisions a stable climate where humans live in right and just relationships, interconnected with a healthy, thriving, natural world. NCIPL accomplishes its mission by encouraging a culture shift towards environmental […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
As of this morning, Thursday, June 4, the Raleigh News & Observer reported that Covid-19 has claimed the lives of 999 North Carolinians. We, the staff of Partners in Health and Wholeness, join with all those across our state in grieving not only this staggering, collective loss — but the loss of each, unique, individual […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Cherishing the Elderly Among Us
May is Mother’s Day. It is high school and college graduations, Memorial Day weekend barbecues and beach trips , and the anticipation of summer’s more languid pace. May is also Older Americans Month, a designation established in 1963 after a meeting between then President John F. Kennedy and the National Council of Senior Citizens, to […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Statement on Staying Home
Approved by the Executive Committee of the Governing Board of the North Carolina Council on April 23, 2020. The North Carolina Council of Churches supports the Governor of N.C. and our municipal leaders across the state who are using stay at home orders to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 and protect all of us. One […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
NCIPL Earth Day Events 2020
Earth Day Events Although many of our faith traditions throughout history have held sacred the fact that life is a gift and that our planet which nurtures and sustains life is also a gift, tomorrow is April 22, 2020, which is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! The very first Earth Day sparked the passage of many […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Holy Breaths: Our Health Tips in Response to COVID-19
This “new normal” of social distancing has been weighing on our minds, hearts, and souls. We are living through a challenging time constantly consumed by distressing news updates. Many face this crisis with so few choices, forced to live in fear of “what if.” Our hearts yearn for the moment when we can finally embrace […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Virus Threat’s Harsh Light
The rapidly unfolding global coronavirus crisis can’t help but get us thinking in a familiar vein: woulda, coulda and shoulda. In the United States, if federal authorities hadn’t been hamstrung under a president who apparently thinks he knows more than professional disease-fighters and whose first impulse was to worry about his own political skin rather […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Courage & Compassion in the Time of Coronavirus
The work of faith-based climate action is important to us because we know that we cannot Iove our neighbors without addressing climate change and environmental injustice. The same can be said for COVID-19. We know we cannot love, and stand with, the vulnerable in our society without taking the coronavirus seriously. That means following the […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Cherish Your Heart
When I was a kid my friends and I would sometimes, in the middle of a conversation, go very still and say, with great solemnity: “I’m serious as a heart attack about that.” Whatever “that” was, the statement was highly ironic, given that we were all of nine years old and had no concept of […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
NCIPL Radio Ad Press Release
February 27, 2020 Contact: Susannah Tuttle, Director – NC Interfaith Power & Light susannah@ncipl.org 919-612-5526 NC INTERFAITH POWER & LIGHT LAUNCHES AD CAMPAIGN CALLING ON ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SUPPORT A 100% CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY RALEIGH, NC – Today, North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light (NCIPL) a program of the NC Council of Churches, comprised of 25 distinct judicatories from […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Reflections on the 2019 Eastern Faith and Health Summit
The Partners in Health and Wholeness Eastern NC Summit, titled “Mindful Together: Our Health Connects Us to Each Other and God” was more than an event. It was a gathering of community-dwellers and time-investors, diligent practicers of faith, compassionate listeners, and convicted leaders. It was beyond a summit, symposium, or anything that I could have […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Thank You NC 100 Mile Challenge Churches: You Inspire Us!
5 years old to 90 years old 36 congregations (known) 50,000 miles and counting parks/neighborhoods/rivers/labyrinths prayer, work, meditation mind/body/spirit Baptist/ Nondenominational/Episcopa-lian, Methodist/Islamic mental health workshops/blood pressure kits/treadmills/fitness workshops/gardens Two years ago, we shared the NC 100-mile challenge as an opportunity for congregations to access funds that would support the faith and health ministries of their […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Op-Ed: When it comes to climate change, farmworkers reap what we sow
Op-Ed written by Michelle Peedin, NCIPL Youth Leaders Coordinator, published in the Winston-Salem Journal. Click here to access the article on their site. With the crispness of the fall season normally comes the bounty of the harvests, as grocery stores and farmers markets throughout the state overflow with all the varied agriculture that North Carolina […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Spotlight: St. Stephen Church of Christ
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health, and justice. We partner with faith communities to provide the necessary tools for healthy, whole, and abundant living. Through these spotlights, we will be sharing an overview of the programs and initiatives […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Spotlight: Woodleaf United Methodist Church
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health, and justice. We partner with faith communities to provide the necessary tools for healthy, whole, and abundant living. Through these spotlights, we will be sharing an overview of the programs and initiatives […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
2020 Open Enrollment: What You Need to Know
The period to enroll or renew health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) began on November 1st. Enrolling in a health insurance plan during this period will provide you with health coverage for the entire upcoming year beginning on January 1, 2020. The enrollment period ends on December 15. If you do not […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
November is National Caregivers Month
According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, in 2015, approximately 43.5 million caregivers provided unpaid care to an adult or child in the last twelve months. That’s a remarkable number. Perhaps even more remarkable is the fact that the average family caregiver is a working mother of school-age children. Six out of 10 […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Reflecting on the Climate Strike
On Friday, September 20, 2019 NC Interfaith Power and Light participated in the biggest climate strike in North Carolina history. Raleigh’s event was only one strike in the hundreds that happened all over the world for the Global Climate Strike. It was the largest worldwide climate mobilization ever and the largest youth-led mobilization on any […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
New Hope AME Zion Church
“New Hope AME Zion Church Health and Wellness Ministry held a Back to School Celebration at Skateland USA in Clemons NC. This was a great way to bring our children and youth together before school started for the Fall with one last group physical activity before students got set into the routine of their studies. […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Join NCIPL in Striking for the Climate
On September 20, three days before the UN Climate Summit in NYC, NC Interfaith Power and Light is joining young climate leaders and adult allies striking all across the US and world to demand transformative action addressing the climate crisis. Below is a compilation of resources for students, parents, and faith communities. “FOR THE LOVE […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Press Release: Porch Party for the Planet
MEDIA ADVISORY Contact: Matt Duffy | (415) 370-3997 | duffy@campsightstrategies.com ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS THROW DAY PARTY to help Dorian victims, urge Tillis and Burr to #ActOnClimate WHAT: PORCH PARTY for OUR PLANET WHEN: Friday, September 6, 1 to 5 p.m. WHERE: The Outpost, 306 E. Hargett Street, Raleigh, then Sen. Tillis’ Raleigh office, 310 New Bern […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Spotlight: Seaside United Methodist Church
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health, and justice. We partner with faith communities to provide the necessary tools for healthy, whole, and abundant living. Through these spotlights, we will be sharing an overview of the programs and initiatives […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
SPOTLIGHT: University City United Methodist Church
University City United Methodist Church in Charlotte has been busy over the past few months. Inspired by a study of the text Welcome to Dinner, Church by Verlon Fosner, members of the congregation began dreaming up ideas for a church garden in January of this year. They formed a sub-committee, and after meetings with interested members made it clear […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Postcard Campaign: Calling on Senator Tillis to take climate action and protect kid’s health
On September 6th, NCIPL will deliver postcards to Senator Thom Tillis’ Raleigh office asking that he take action on climate change to protect the health of communities in North Carolina. We want Senator Tillis to understand that acting on climate is essential to caring for our children and this state. Will you compose a short […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Meet NCIPL Intern Daniel Perrin, Youth Leader
Daniel Perrin has been interning with North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light this summer. He describes below what led him to this work and how he got connected to NCIPL. I’m Daniel Perrin, and I am now, at last, a summer intern with North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light. From the time that I first […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Benefit Concert: One Cello, One Planet – Raleigh
Join us for One Cello, One Planet, a concert that raises awareness for creation care action. Proceeds go to support the work of the Creation Care Alliance, North Carolina Power and Light, and Interfaith Creation Care of the Triangle. Thursday, August 08, 2019 @ 7:00 PM, Community UCC, 814 Dixie Trl, Raleigh, NC 27607 Judith […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
First Baptist Church of East Winston-Salem
February is designated as American Heart Month. During this time, everyone is encouraged to wear red to bring awareness to heart disease and stroke. First Baptist Church of East Winston-Salem took this challenge and ran with it! The bulletins included information about American Heart Month, encouraging folks to wear red in solidarity and even brought […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Emmanuel AME Church
Emmanuel AME Church in Durham, NC is connecting mind, body, and spirit through the work of their health commission. Chairperson and health-lead Shirley L. Smith describes in more detail how they have incorporated practices of health wholeness into their ministry through a health fair they hosted in April: “Our commission on health is working diligently […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Speaking of Travel + Climate Listening Project Podcast
Listen on Spotify Here! Joining hosts Dayna Reggero and Marilyn Ball this month on “Speaking of Travel + Climate Listening Project Podcast” is Nakisa “Sista Sol” Glover of Sol Nation and Susannah Tuttle of NC Interfaith Power & Light! We’re all on our way to Minnesota to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the US Climate […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Experience NC in the NC 100-mile Challenge
What is the NC 100-mile challenge? It’s an initiative launched by North Carolina State Parks to encourage everyone to get outside and explore our trails and waterways. North Carolinians can walk, hike, run, bike, paddle, roll, ride or skate anywhere in the North Carolina outdoors to complete their 100 miles. To find out more visit […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Raleigh Report – February 12, 2019
The 2019 Long Session of the General Assembly is now in full swing. As a result of last November’s elections, Republicans maintained majorities in both Senate and House but lost their super-majorities in both chambers. This means that the Democratic minorities have the numbers to sustain vetoes Governor Roy Cooper might stamp on bills sent […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
NCIPL hosts webinar on NC’s Clean Energy Plan
On January 16th, 2019 NC Interfaith Power & Light partnered with NC Governor Cooper’s office to offer a free webinar on Executive Order No. 80, North Carolina’s Commitment to Address Climate Change and Transition to a Clean Energy Economy. Jeremy Tarr, Policy Advisor for the Environment, Energy, and Transportation, and Sushma Masemore, Deputy Assistant Secretary […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Supporting NCIPL in this Season of Giving ~*~
Faithful Friends, BLESSINGS UPON ALL OF YOU who not only understand that climate change is very real… but are also contributing your time, talent, and treasures to help make a difference! The events of 2018 have made it very clear that our work, to develop hope-filled responses to our changing climate, is becoming increasingly effective. Faith-based messages […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
A Solution for Depleted Soils & Souls
Last Saturday, NCIPL Director Susannah Tuttle and I had the opportunity to attend a conference entitled “Waste Not: Living the Low Carbon Life” in Raleigh. Leaders in the industries of food waste, composting, and soil regeneration gathered with church and community members to discuss the power of composting and reducing food waste. Friends, it was incredible […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Going Green During The Holidays
The food that we consume as a part of the holiday season impacts the health of our climate and our communities. For this reason, we at NCIPL would like to share the following resource from the national office of Interfaith Power & Light (IPL). Many blessings as you gather with your families and friends in […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Going Green this Thanksgiving
The food that we consume as a part of the Thanksgiving holiday impacts the health of our climate and our communities. For this reason, we at NCIPL would like to share the following resource from the national office of Interfaith Power & Light (IPL). Many blessings as you gather with your families and friends next […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
NEWS RELEASE: Eagle Solar & Light Becomes First Solar Energy Lessor in North Carolina
We hope this inspires communities of faith to take advantage of this opportunity to access solar panels without having to put any money down! RALEIGH, NC (October 16, 2018) — On Monday, the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) approved Eagle Solar & Light to become the first licensed solar electric generator lessor in North Carolina. The […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Spotlight: Shalom Community Christian Church
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health, and justice. We partner with faith communities to provide the necessary tools for healthy, whole, and abundant living. Through these spotlights, we will be sharing an overview of the programs and initiatives […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Vetting the Vote: Medicaid Expansion
With every seat in the NC General Assembly being contested this year, the Nov 6, 2018 midterm will have effects lasting decades. Of the many issues at stake, recent polls indicate growing public support of Medicaid expansion. In NC, the long debated matter of Medicaid expansion sits among the top issues. As insurance premiums rise, […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Less is Not More with New Health Insurance Changes
The Trump Administration recently issued new rules regarding the length of short-term health insurance plans, temporary options available to individuals until they are able to enroll in the Affordable Care Act. Under the ACA, such plans were supposed to last three months. Now, they can last 364 days with a renewal option on the last […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Spotlight: St. Matthews Metropolitan AME Zion Church
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health, and justice. We partner with faith communities to provide the necessary tools for healthy, whole, and abundant living. Through these spotlights, we will be sharing an overview of the programs and initiatives […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Improving the State of North Carolina
“Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees”~Isaiah 10:1 The North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) just finished its 2018 short session without passing legislation that would help the uninsured in dramatic ways. In 2013, the NCGA refused to accept the Medicaid expansion part of the Affordable Care Act to help uninsured […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Spotlight: Real Life Ministries
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health, and justice. We partner with faith communities to provide the necessary tools for healthy, whole, and abundant living. Through these spotlights, we will be sharing an overview of the programs and initiatives […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
1 Church/10 People/100 Miles/$1000
Have you noticed what happens when you step outside? Your breathing regulates, your mind clears, sometimes a solution to a thorny problem strikes in a eureka moment. The health benefits of being outdoors are documented and scientifically proven. Those benefits include lowering blood pressure, better mental clarity, improving overall health, and preventing the development of […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Council Welcomes Elizabeth Brewington to Partners in Health and Wholeness
The NC Council of Churches was recently awarded an eighteen-month grant to promote compassionate solutions, based on health and human dignity, to the opioid crisis in North Carolina. This work will be conducted through the Partners in Health and Wholeness initiative of the Council, an established program partnering directly with congregations to improve the health […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Spotlight: Bryson City UMC
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health, and justice. We partner with faith communities to provide the necessary tools for healthy, whole, and abundant living. Through these spotlights, we will be sharing an overview of the programs and initiatives […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
May is Mental Health Month
May is Mental Health Month. This offers intentional opportunity to think proactively about mental health, its impact on our lives and communities, and create ways to destigmatize related issues. I find that Mental Health Month comes at a naturally good time in our seasonal calendar- with the start of spring, there is newness in our […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Spotlight: Faith and Victory Christian Church
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health, and justice. We partner with faith communities to provide the necessary tools for healthy, whole, and abundant living. Through these spotlights, we will be sharing an overview of the programs and initiatives […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The Perfect Gift for Mother’s Day
As Mother’s Day approaches, we honor, remember, and celebrate all of the strong women in our lives. Women have proven throughout history that they are the backbone of society. Eleanor Roosevelt served as head of the U.N. Human Rights Commission and played a key role in drafting the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights. Michelle Obama […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Partners in Health and Wholeness Mini-Grant Cycle Now Open
The Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW) Summer Mini-Grant Cycle is now open. Mini-grants are a great way to support programs in your health ministry that engage church congregants and fulfill a health need in the church and surrounding community. Mini-grants are open to any worshipping community that has applied for or renewed membership to […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
DEQ announces the creation of a Secretary’s Environmental Justice & Equity Board
This week North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality introduced members of the Secretary’s Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board during a ceremony in the agency’s Green Square Lobby. The scope of the Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board is to assist the Department in achieving and maintaining the fair and equal treatment and meaningful involvement […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Sustainability Goals Delay Duke University Plans for Power Plant
Duke University officials have announced the indefinite delay of plans to build a freestanding Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant and will instead focus its attention on expanding opportunities to use biogas and other environmentally friendly fuels for its growing energy needs. “Duke has an aggressive goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2024 while ensuring […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Children and a Healthy Start to Life: Understanding Stress and Trauma’s Impact
As I work with various communities, a returning issue I hear about is the first 2000 days of a person’s life. I first learned about this number, 2000, at the Smart Start of New Hanover County’s 2000 Days Community Summit. It was here that parents, teachers, clergy, social workers, police officers, and physicians gathered to […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Hospitable Planet Featured by United Methodist News Service
The United Methodist News Service posted to its website a comprehensive and complimentary article about Hospitable Planet: Faith, Action, and Climate Change. This resulted from the United Methodist Women selecting Hospitable Planet for its 2018 reading program. You can find the United Methodist News Service article here. We are thrilled for the author Stephen Jurovics, […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Spotlight: Brown’s Chapel UMC
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health, and justice. We partner with faith communities to provide the necessary tools for healthy, whole, and abundant living. Through these spotlights, we will be sharing an overview of the programs and initiatives […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
PHW Expands and Welcomes New Staff
The staff of the NC Council of Churches is delighted to welcome Josie Walker and Karen Richardson-Dunn to the Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW) team. Josie Walker is the PHW regional coordinator serving the northeastern counties. Josie is a native of Eastern North Carolina who returned to her roots after obtaining a degree in […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Spotlight: St. John AME
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health, and justice. We partner with faith communities to provide the necessary tools for healthy, whole, and abundant living. Through these spotlights, we will be sharing an overview of the programs and initiatives […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Apply Today for a PHW Mini-Grant
There are less than two weeks remaining to apply for a Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW) Mini-Grant. Congregations that are members of the PHW Collaborative are able to request up to $1,000 for a mini-grant. Eligible congregations must have been accepted into the PHW Collaborative or renewed their membership in the past 12 months. They […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The Severity of the Flu
This flu season is notably harsh and even deadly in some circumstances. According to North Carolina Health Officials, as of January 25, there have been 21 flu deaths in our state and 67 total for the nation. Even though we benefit from more advancements in medicine and technology than any other era, the flu still […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
NC Council of Churches Pipeline Position
Below is the letter Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director of the NC Council of Churches has delivered to Governor Roy Cooper, DEQ Secretary Michael Regan, and NC policy staff. Following is contact information for you to take action. You are invited to share this and please amplify NCCC’s Governing Board Policy Statement opposing fracked gas pipelines. […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Spotlight: Bethel Christian Assembly
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW), an initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is designed to bridge issues of faith, health, and justice. We partner with faith communities to provide the necessary tools for healthy, whole, abundant living. Through these spotlights, we will be sharing an overview of the programs and initiatives of […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
New Tax Law Will Harm Environment
The final version of the tax bill, passed in late December, will now open the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil drilling while maintaining a 14% cut in the corporate tax rate. This will allow oil and gas companies to gain an additional $1 billion in profits. In addition, oil and gas companies […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Thank you for all your gifts!
Faithful Friends, BLESSINGS UPON ALL OF YOU who not only understand that climate change is very real… but are also contributing your time, talent, and treasures to help to make a difference! The events of 2017 have made it very clear that our work with faith communities to develop positive, hope-filled responses to our changing […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
An Important Reminder – Less than 5 Days Remain to Get Insurance through the Affordable Care Act
If you do not have insurance through an employer or other group plan, the Affordable Care Act continues to provide an option. Though battered, up to and including, appeals to the US Supreme Court, the law remains in place and benefits millions of people across the country. As the window to enroll for 2018 coverage […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
NCIPL Testifies at EPA Hearing on Clean Power Plan
Last week North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light spoke at the EPA public hearing in Charleston, West Virginia, on the proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan. EPA has proposed that the Clean Power Plan is not consistent with the Clean Air Act. The EPA held the public hearing on this critical issue in the heart of coal country. Faith […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Winding Down National Diabetes Month with Partners in Health and Wholeness
It isn’t too late to practice prevention. In North Carolina alone, an estimated 750,000 people have been diagnosed with diabetes. An additional 280,000 may have diabetes but are undiagnosed. Already one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States; the truly alarming fact is that diabetes is the fastest growing disease […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
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As people of faith we have an increasingly important role to play in bringing together diverse voices to speak on behalf of those whose voices are not heard - the most vulnerable in our society, including children and future generations.
Join us by making a tax-deductible donation to NCIPL - every gift made will be matched up to $13,500. Please give today!
By Eco-Justice Connection
Reject the Tax Plan: Don’t Sacrifice Creation for Big Business
In order to deliver huge tax breaks to corporations and wealthy individuals, this package would slash tax credits for renewable energy, pull the plug on electric cars, and open the pristine Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.
By Eco-Justice Connection
Navigating the Health Insurance Marketplace
Open enrollment to sign up for or renew health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) began November 1 and ends December 15, 2017. The ACA Marketplace allows individuals to find some of the best and most affordable healthcare plans available, but it can be a bit overwhelming to navigate. Before you enroll, consider researching […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
PHW Faith and Health Summit: Thank You
It has been a little over a week since our third PHW Faith and Health Summit, themed “Making Connections: We’re Worth It.” The day began with worship and a keynote address by The Reverend Richard Joyner. We were inspired and challenged to see the world through relationships, and to embrace the possibilities and calling of […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The environmental crisis is not environmental. It is spiritual.
Behind all environmental problems that society faces, whatever time period one analyzes, wherever one can go and whatever one can do, there is going to be greed, envy, ambition, selfishness, apathy and those are moral and spiritual issues. Nonetheless, it is usually scientists who are expected to find a solution, but men flaws are not […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Don’t let Trump Repeal and Replace our Clean Power Plan
After failing to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act, the Trump administration now has its sights set on our Clean Power Plan. For this one, they won’t have to go through Congress. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has announced his intention to “withdraw the so-called Clean Power Plan” — and replace it with a far […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Don’t let Trump Repeal and Replace our Clean Power Plan
After failing to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act, the Trump administration now has its sights set on our Clean Power Plan. And for this one, they won’t have to go through Congress. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has announced his intention to “withdraw the so-called Clean Power Plan” — and replace it with a […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Faith and Health Summit Spotlight: Mental Health Workshops
Partners in Health and Wholeness invites you to join us in Greensboro on Friday, October 20, for our Faith and Health Summit. There will be excellent workshops on many relevant topics to encourage your church’s health initiatives. The workshop topics include aging, chronic disease, food security, permaculture, mental health, preaching, and much more. We have […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Join Us for the PHW Faith and Health Summit
On Thursday, October 19th Partners in Health and Wholeness will host our 2017 Faith and Health Summit. Thursday’s events include a community gardens and permaculture tour throughout the city of Greensboro. Unfortunately this tour is full, but don’t let that discourage you from driving to Greensboro on Thursday. At 6 p.m. that evening all conference […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Suicide Awareness Prevention: Shalom Instead of Silence
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Our work at Partners in Health and Wholeness, and with the NC Council of Churches, begins with the hope to see all North Carolinians thrive in daily living. We understand thriving to mean that our neighbors and friends all live whole, full lives and have the support to live […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The Affordable Care Act Today
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) continues to be one of the most divisive laws passed in the United States in recent history. After several failed attempts by Congress this year to repeal it, there is yet another attempt brewing this week led by Senator Mitch McConnell. Meanwhile, the mandates of the ACA, while far from […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Praying in Opposition to Fracked Gas Pipelines
The Atlantic Coast Pipeline met more opposition last week. This time in the form of a prayer gathering by faith leaders outside the Department of Environmental Quality office. DEQ and the Cooper administration are currently considering a 401 water quality permit application that the pipeline must have before moving ahead with construction later this fall. […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Partners in Health and Wholeness Announces Photography Contest
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and we want to hear what you have to say. The theme of this year’s PHW Faith and Health Summit is, “Making Connections: We’re Worth it!” in order to honor the image of God in each of us, to celebrate the good work that is being […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Thankful and Ever Vigilant When it Comes to Health Care
We find ourselves in a better place than we might have been when it comes to health care policy. Remaining ever vigilant and recognizing that there is still much work to be done, today should be marked by gratitude that efforts to take health care from millions have, in this moment, failed. While Sen. John […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
What the Senate’s Motion to Proceed Vote Means for Health Care
The U.S. Senate’s vote this afternoon moves the debate forward to potentially repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. What that will look like is anybody’s guess. Senators Burr and Tillis both voted to proceed, but it is unclear what they will be proceeding to. Every proposal to come forward this summer would leave tens […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Toxic Atlantic Coast Pipeline Advances
One of the final remaining hurdles for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, was cleared Friday after FERC released a positive Environmental Impact Statement. The pipeline, if approved, would originate in the heavily fracked Marcellus Shale in West Virginia. The proposed route runs south through eight N.C. counties – Northampton, Halifax, […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
July 25 Update — Senate Health Care Vote Appears Likely Today
It appears that the U.S. Senate will vote today on some sort of health care action. What they’ll be voting on, however, is unclear even to some of them. This appears to be a race so that the Senate can say that they got something done. Please call Senator Tillis and Senator Burr today. Ask […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Wood Pellet Plant Would Be Environmental Injustice
More than 10,000 individuals and 50 organizations have signed a petition asking Governor Cooper to revoke the world’s largest wood pellet manufacturer’s flawed air quality permit in Richmond County. At a Raleigh press conference on July 18, speakers represented prominent NC organizations such as Dogwood Alliance, Concerned Citizens of Richmond County, and Clean Air Carolina. […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Governor Cooper Opposes Offshore Oil Drilling
Governor Roy Cooper has announced his strong opposition to offshore drilling and seismic blasting along North Carolina’s coast. “Our coast is part of our identity,” he said, speaking to the press at Fort Macon State Park near Atlantic Beach. Penny Hooper, NCIPL Leadership Council Chair, was in the room for the Governor’s press conference. She was […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Senate May Still Vote on Health Care; Please Keep Calling
No one seems completely clear on whether the Senate will vote next week on health care or what they will vote on if they do. That might be deliberate in part — an effort to reduce the pressure on their members who will be home this weekend. Or it could be because the Senate leadership […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Big Biomass is a Moral Injustice – Stop Enviva
Over 10,000 individuals and 50 organizations, representing millions of people, supporting communities, public health, climate and forests asked Governor Cooper to revoke the world’s largest wood pellet manufacturer’s flawed air quality permit in Richmond County on Tuesday. The Raleigh press conference included 5 speakers from prominent NC organizations such as Dogwood Alliance, Concerned Citizens of […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Church of the Nativity, Raleigh Awarded $10,000 Grant
The Episcopal Church recently announced the awarding of 16 grants totaling $123,910 in the second round of grantmaking managed by the Advisory Council for the Stewardship of Creation and approved by the Executive Council. Among the recipients is Nativity, Raleigh, awarded $10,000 toward its work, Becoming the Good Soil, of reducing the serious effects of […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Revised Health Care Bill, Same Devastating Effects
Yesterday, the Senate unveiled a revised version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act. According to a report from our friends at the North Carolina Justice Center the changes, and their effects, include: Allowing consumers to use health savings accounts to pay insurance premiums, which would disproportionately benefit higher-income earners, doing little to make insurance affordable […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Rising Up with Richmond County
“Biomass” may sound like a clean idea, but it actually means cutting down and turning trees into fuel pellets to be burned for energy — creating more carbon pollution than coal, accelerating global warming, and driving climate chaos. North Carolina’s former governor opened the floodgates to the wood pellet export industry. It tears down the […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Doomed Veto Spotlights Budget Flaws
Presented with a new state budget that, whatever its occasional virtues, is mainly about easing tax burdens on the well-off while grinding opponents of legislative Republicans into the dirt, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper had little choice but to wield his veto stamp. Those Republicans who crafted the budget tried to taunt Cooper into signing it, […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
More wind energy, not less please!
It is becoming a national trend for politicians to “divide and conquer” by attacking the wind industry while supporting other forms of clean energy. This is fracturing the renewable energy community as folks are being forced to take positions that do not support one another. As Director of NCIPL I pray that we do not take sides and […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
With Prescription Medication, Verify Before You Buy
Would you be Surprised to know 97 percent of online pharmacies are illegitimate? The North Carolina Council of Churches has joined with Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and the Secretary of State’s Advisory Council to Combat Counterfeit Medication to launch an important new consumer safety campaign, Verify Before You Buy. The campaign works to protect […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Health Care CBO Score Proves Potential Harm
Late yesterday afternoon the Congressional Budget Office released their score of the Senate’s proposed health care plan and the numbers are extremely troubling. As our friends at the North Carolina Justice Center report the so-called “Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017” would: Take health coverage away from 22 million Americans, especially low-income older adults. Slash […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Rising Up With Richmond County
“Biomass” may sound like a clean idea, but it actually means cutting down and turning trees into fuel pellets to be burned for energy — creating more carbon pollution than coal, accelerating global warming and driving climate chaos. North Carolina’s former governor opened the floodgates to the wood pellet export industry, which is tearing down […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Senate Health Care Plan Released: Would Make the Most Vulnerable More So
Members of the United States Senate have released their proposed health care plan, all 142 pages of the “Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017” developed in secrecy, with a score from the Congressional Budget Office expected early next week. Meanwhile, we know it will reduce Medicaid significantly more than the House bill while cutting taxes […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
New Budget with Old Agenda Falls Short
By now the strategy is familiar – the strategy used by the N.C. General Assembly’s Republican chiefs to try to make a fundamentally flawed state budget appear, well, not that bad. Or at least tolerable. Or better than it could have been and perhaps even worth supporting. Here’s how it works: The Senate proposes a […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Senate Health Care Plan — Let’s Keep Calling
As the Senate continues its secret deliberations on a health care plan that will effect all Americans, the potential impact on one of the most vulnerable groups in our society – children – continues to unfold. Indications are that, in their closed-door meetings, the Senators have taken a similar approach to the House of Representatives. […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Thursday, June 15 — NC Health Care Call-in Day
The Council’s commitment to health care as a basic justice issue dates back decades. Significant progress toward health care for all was made with the Affordable Care Act, progress toward a beloved community where everyone has enough. Unfortunately, work continues in the U.S. Senate to repeal the ACA with an alternative plan being developed almost entirely […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Now what? Staying Engaged and Grow the Interfaith Climate Movement
We were already living in a time of profound consequence. President Trump’s decision to pull the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement means that while the needs of our endangered climate are increasing, the response to global warming is diminishing at the national level. Our actions now, as climate conscious people of faith, matter more than ever. There […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Now what? Stay engaged and grow the movement
Trump announced he is pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement. We are living in a time of profound consequence, with the needs of our endangered climate increasing and the response to global warming diminishing at the national level. Our actions now, as climate conscious people of faith, matter more than ever. There […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Gun Bill Advances in GA; National Gun Violence Awareness Day is June 2
Consider the shame of the North Carolina General Assembly working to rush through a bill that weakens gun laws as National Gun Violence Awareness Day approaches. It is right up there with a billboard vilifying Muslims displayed during Ramadan. Both are disturbing enough on their own, but the timing somehow makes them feel even worse. […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Faith in Solar
Every faith tradition has a mandate within sacred texts to care for creation. Clean, renewable, solar energy is a critical component of creation care in the 21st Century. On April 26 NC WARN’s Faith in Solar effort, endorsed by the North Carolina NAACP, the Ministers’ Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity, and 150 individual faith leaders, […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Heal the Sick
For more than two decades, the NC Council of Churches has called for access to health care for all. The score from the Congressional Budget Office makes it undeniably clear that the American Health Care Act takes us farther from that goal. It would put the lives of many at risk and negatively impact the […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
2018 Budget Proposal is the Antithesis of our Call
Plenty of analysis is already happening around the 2018 budget proposal out of the White House. The Washington Post provides two helpful graphics here and here. More is being written than most of us can fully absorb, but Politico offers a key observation: On close reading, the budget is less a credible attempt to eliminate, […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Budget’s Big Picture: A Crumbling Core
So, the question as always comes down to one of vision. The elected chieftains who decide how much money North Carolina’s state government will spend, what it will be spent on and how it will be raised must decide not only which programs and services will thrive and which will dwindle. They must decide to […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Apply for PHW Collaborative by May 31 to be Eligible for June Mini-Grant
The next Partners in Health and Wholeness Mini-grant Cycle will begin June 5. Interested congregations must apply to join the PHW Collaborative (previously PHW Certification) by May 31 to be eligible. Priority is given to projects that address one of PHW’s four cornerstones: healthy eating, physical activity, tobacco prevention and cessation, and mental health. In […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Raleigh Report — May 10, 2017
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director [For more information on bills, including committee referrals and re-referrals, texts of bills, procedural histories, and recorded votes, go to the General Assembly website www.ncleg.net.] Newly Introduced Bills EDUCATION Three companion bills would impact food served in schools. H 891, Free Breakfast and Lunch in K-12 Public Schools, would […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The People’s Climate March
Multi-faith pilgrims on a moral high road unifed to honor God’s creation at the Peoples Climate March on the National Mall, April 29. The event drew 200,000 people from every state with broad support from over 400 sister marches in the U.S. and around the world. Interfaith Power & Light was represented by over 40 […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
House Passage of AHCA — We are Better Than This
The passage of the American Health Care Act by the House of Representatives reflects a political choice on a life-or-death matter. If House members truly believed that this was the best possible plan, they could have held hearings and waited for a new score from the Congressional Budget Office. Supporters would not have been blaming […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Raleigh Report — April 26, 2017
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director [The deadlines for the introduction of most new bills have now passed, and we are in Crossover Week. By the end of the week, most non-money bills (i.e., not taxes, fees, or appropriations) must have passed one house in order to remain alive for this session. There are exceptions, […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Efforts to Cut Health Care Continue in Congress
The public is opposed to efforts to replace the Affordable Care Act, but some members of the U.S. House of Representatives seem determined to forge ahead anyway. The latest version of a replacement plan for the ACA could be voted on as early as this Wednesday. As with the American Health Care Act, this would […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Earth Day, Science March, Creation Care
This year on Earth Day, thousands will gather in Washington, D.C., and in cities across the country to march for science and protect the deeply held value for truth and facts. They are marching to defend the vital role science plays in our communities and our world. They are marching because science is not partisan; […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Raleigh Report — April 21, 2017
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director [For the latest committee referrals and re-referrals, go to the General Assembly website www.ncleg.net. There you can also find the texts of bills, procedural histories, and recorded votes.] Newly Introduced Bills BUDGET AND TAXES H 727, Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights, would add a lengthy and detailed amendment to the […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Congress is on Recess but You Can Still Take Action
Congressional leaders are still in their home states for their spring recess, but your voices are still important. Please attend town halls held by our elected leaders, and please request town halls from those who don’t have them planned. In addition, some health advocacy organizations at the national level are urging grassroots advocates to make […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Raleigh Report — April 17, 2017
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director Newly Introduced Bills BUDGET AND TAXES H 540, Teachers & State Employees Pay Raise, would give annual raises of $2,400 to teachers and other state employees making less than $100,000/year. The bill would appropriate more than $700 million for the first year of these raises. Introduced by Reps. Malone […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
New Push for Broader Medicaid, Better Health
North Carolina’s failure under Republican leadership to improve low-income residents’ access to health care via the Medicaid program has been like a persistent, throbbing pain in the state’s civic and economic life. The pain can be literal, when people must do without the kinds of care and treatment that everyone recognizes as meeting basic standards […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Two Successful Days of Advocating with Compassion
During this era of dissatisfaction with our federal government, it is important now more than ever for people of faith to engage with our own state government. With so many incredibly urgent issues being discussed in State Legislature, we at NC Interfaith Power & Light wanted to create a space for our network of devoted […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Raleigh Report — April 10, 2017
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director Bills are being introduced at a rapid pace as the Senate’s deadline for new bills has passed and the House’s deadline on non-money approaches. This Raleigh Report and another one later in the week will try to catch up with the flood of bills. Newly Introduced Bills CHILDREN AND […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Work for Just and Equitable Health Care is Not Finished
Every state legislator should be required to listen to the stories shared at a press conference organized this week by North Carolina advocates for health care. Anyone opposed to Medicaid expansion might learn something. Dr. Erica Pettigrew, medical director of the Orange County Health Department, shared four different cases from a single day’s work where […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Faith Voices for Clean Energy Advocacy Day
Thursday, April 6, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. NC General Assembly 16 West Jones Street, Raleigh Join NC Interfaith Power & Light’s lay and faith leader network for our Advocating with Compassion Day at the North Carolina General Assembly. Meet with your elected officials to hear their visions for NC’s future and to express your support for new […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Speak Out Against Anti-Climate Executive Order
This week, Donald Trump issued an executive order to turn back the clock on the climate progress we have made over the past decade. In addition to directing the EPA to dismantle the Clean Power Plan, this sweeping executive order also attempts to undo methane standards for oil and gas operations, stop federal agencies from considering […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Speak out against anti-climate executive order
This week, Donald Trump issued an executive order to turn back the clock on the climate progress we have made over the past decade. Tell him you oppose his actions!
By Eco-Justice Connection
UPDATE: Trumpcare Just Got Worse — Call Before Today’s Vote
Thank you for every call, email, and letter to Congressional leaders that led to today’s decision to pull the American Health Care Act without a vote. Those committed to a compassionate and just vision for our society have had many moments of despair in recent months. Today was a reminder that persistence matters. There is […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
If a Budget is a Moral Document, Then What Does this One Preach?
The budget blueprint for 2018 released by President Trump on Thursday cuts a wide swath through programs that serve women, people of color, those of low income (for poor women of color, that would mean the same old same old), the arts, the environment, education, job creation, and science. Couple it with the proposed health […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Raleigh Report — March 13, 2017
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director Newly Introduced Bills CRIMINAL AND JUVENILE JUSTICE H 233, Ban the Box, would govern how state and local governments could use criminal histories in making hiring decision. (“Ban the box” refers to the question on an application form about whether the applicant has ever been convicted of a crime, […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Who Would Choose to be Poor or Sick?
Around the release of the alt-health plan currently making its way through Congress, several elected leaders have gone where elected leaders sometimes go – blaming the poor for being poor. Perhaps it’s to assuage their consciences or justify their current proposal which would make it more expensive for those with the fewest resources and limit […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Taking Away Health Care
Despite evidence that the Affordable Care Act is more popular and more needed than ever, some Republicans in Congress have proceeded with partisan plans to repeal Obamacare while dismantling Medicaid as we know it. Among other things, our friends at Save My Care explain that the plan put forward on Monday would: End ACA tax […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
2017 Legislative Seminar: Advocate in NC as well as DC
The political situation at the national level has occupied the time and attention of many faithful progressives. Each day has brought with it more reasons to be concerned for our most vulnerable sisters and brothers as well as for our democratic system of government. Right now, there isn’t much reason to believe things will improve. […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Introducing the Partners in Health and Wholeness Collaborative
We are pleased to introduce the PHW Collaborative. Mostly, it is a change in the name, so if your congregation has been a part of the Partners in Health and Wholeness Certification Program, you actually already know a lot about the PHW Collaborative. At the heart of it, the program is the same. But words are […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
PHW Launches Collaborative; Certify for 2017
We are pleased to introduce the PHW Collaborative. Mostly, it is a change in the name, so if your congregation has been a part of the Partners in Health and Wholeness Certification Program, you actually already know about the PHW Collaborative. At the heart of it, the program is the same. But words are important. The […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Raleigh Report — February 28, 2017
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director Newly Introduced Bills ENVIRONMENTAL CARE H 171, Change Exclusion for Solar Energy Systems. Current law provides an 80% exclusion from property taxation for the value of a solar electric system, defined as “all equipment used directly and exclusively for the conversion of solar energy to electricity.” H 171 would […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Community United Church of Christ – A Cool Congregation 2016 Winner!
Community United Church of Christ in Raleigh is one of three Cool Congregation 2016 winners! The Cool Congregations program, through national Interfaith Power & Light, is designed to support faith communities as they “walk the talk” by reducing their own carbon footprint, thus helping to cool the planet. Community United Church of Christ (CUCC) took […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Sol Train Connects Climate and Faith with Solar Power
Many people want to take meaningful action on climate change, but don’t know where to start. Taking a big step, like switching to solar, doesn’t have to be hard. Any change is easier when you have a guide to point you the right way and when your community is on the same journey. NC Congregations […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
PHW is Expanding
Partners in Health and Wholeness is hiring for two new regional coordinators, one to serve in the Charlotte area and the other in the Wilmington area. Both positions are open until filled, but first consideration will be given to applications received by March 9. PHW is an initiative of the Council working with faith communities […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Welcome Andrew and Michelle!
The Council has added two new staffers in recent months. Andrew Hudgins is our Program Associate for Operations, and Michelle Peedin is our Program Associate for North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light and for Partners in Health and Wholeness. They introduce themselves in the video below:
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Stephen Jurovics New Book: Hospitable Planet
It is with much celebration and support that the NC Council of Churches would like to share the success of Stephen Jurovics on his book “Hospitable Planet: Faith, Action, and Climate Change”. Steve is a member of NC Interfaith Power & Light’s Leadership Council and he affirms that his book aligns well with NCIPL’s mission […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Ethical Debates on Industrial Agriculture
An ethical debate is a bit of a juxtaposition. As we know ethics are a set of moral principles. It is how we understand right from wrong. So how can what is right and what is wrong be up for debate? In Carl Sigel’s post on the “Caring for Creation” section of the Church of […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Pipelines of Solidarity
Last week President Trump signed executive actions to advance the construction of the Keystone, Dakota Access, and Atlantic Coast Pipelines. In the face of clear scientific consensus that our dependence on fossil fuels is jeopardizing our climate and threatening vulnerable communities around the world, it is unconscionable to build more oil pipelines for the benefit […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Getting Back to Our Normal: Some Suggestions for the Long Haul
Our friend Rob Schofield over at Policy Watch wrote a column on Tuesday that was as vitally important in its truth-telling as it was hard to read for the future it forecasts. One of the crucial facts he offered — those of us opposed to the policies, personalities, and vicious rhetoric of the current administration […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The ACA Remains in Place; 2017 Open Enrollment ends January 31
The Affordable Care Act is still in place for 2017, and as our friends at the NC Justice Center remind us, nothing has changed for this year. Plans, prices, deadlines, and requirements to have coverage are the same. The deadline for open enrollment is January 31. To get free, expert help enrolling, visit Keep NC […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Let’s Keep Marching
At another time in my life, I would not have spent most of Saturday occupying my tiny square of personal space in the heart of Washington DC, literally shoulder to shoulder with a half million others. But there I was, pink hat and all. I chose to be there because my grandmother cleaned other people’s […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Medicaid Push: Cooper’s Strong Start
For many of us, these are troubling times as Donald Trump ascends to the nation’s highest office. We can hope for the best but it’s hard not to anticipate the worst: valuable alliances trashed, environmental protections ravaged, civil rights eroded, neighbors pitted against neighbors as Trump’s own crude selfishness like a virus afflicts our civic […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Healthy Churches 2020 National Conference
Pizazz. Laughter. Friends. Singing. These words describe the Healthy Churches 2020 National Conference. But, did you know that a faith and health national conference even exists? Healthy Churches 2020 held its third annual national conference in Charlotte, NC. A Balm in Gilead, a non-profit based out of Virginia organizes this conference. They develop educational and […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Pope Francis Advocates for Breastfeeding in Worship
In the past Partners in Health and Wholeness had a program dedicated to helping worshipping communities promote breastfeeding and support breastfeeding mothers. This week, the most prominent religious leader in the world, the Pope, took it a step further. In a homily during a baptism service in the Sistine Chapel, Pope Francis encouraged mothers to feed their babies […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Speak Out on Cabinet Nominees
Groups at the state and national level continue to mobilize around concerns about President-Elect Donald Trump’s stated policy objectives and choices for cabinet posts. The NC NAACP, Interfaith Power & Light, MomsRising, Faith in Public Life, and the National Council of Churches are just some of the organizations calling on people of conscience to speak […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Update: Save Our Health Care Rallies Statewide on January 15
On Friday, the House of Representatives voted to continue the process that could ultimately repeal the Affordable Care Act. Activists across the nation were already planning Day of Action events for Sunday focused on saving our health care, and several will take place in North Carolina. This is an opportunity to make your voice heard. […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
PHW Mini-Grants Now Open
We are excited to announce that we are now accepting mini-grant applications. Congregations who were certified in 2016 (and have not already received a grant from the last cycle) are eligible to apply. We look forward to reading all the wonderful, meaningful, and creative health-related projects your congregations have planned. For great stories on what past grantees have […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Partners in Health and Wholeness Grant Cycle Opens January 6
PHW-certified congregations across North Carolina are eligible to apply for a mini-grant to assist in furthering their commitment to health and wholeness. Mini-grant application periods are open twice a year; the current cycle is from January 6 through February 6. To be eligible for this grant cycle, congregations must have been certified in the past […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Two PHW Regional Coordinators Recognized
Two of the Partners in Health and Wholeness program’s regional coordinators have been honored recently. Joy Williams has been named a 2017 Rural Health Fellow by the National Rural Health Association. She is one of 16 fellows who will participate in a yearlong, intensive program to develop leaders who can articulate a clear and compelling […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Job Opening: Program Associate for PHW and NCIPL
The Council is hiring a full-time program associate to support Partners in Health and Wholeness and North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light. The full job description is posted below and at this link. Interviews are anticipated in January, and the position is open until filled. Hours: 32-40 hours per week Salary and benefits: Hiring range […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The Rural Oasis: Conetoe Family Life Center
The amount of grassroots, efficient, and sustainable Kingdom work happening in North Carolina is astounding. People across our state are working together in various communities to promote health and wholeness. People care about health. People recognize that our lives and families depend on us caring about health. Communal work is happening all around us, to […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The Council Welcomes Your End-of-Year Gift
Looking ahead to 2017, there is much more work for the Council to do than we ever imagined. Please join us. Your financial support helps us continue what began in 1935 out of the recognition that racial segregation was antithetical to Christ’s teachings. Since that time, the Council’s work has expanded to include issues ranging […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Support North Carolina’s Faithful Voice for Justice, Unity, and Peace
We are living in unsettling times. Progress we once thought inviolable now feels threatened. One constant is the NC Council of Churches and our commitment to a more just, united, and peaceful society. Our faith calls us to love one another, protect the vulnerable, and work together toward a beloved community. We continue to be […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Join in the Support of Belhaven’s Pungo Hospital
Community leaders continue to work endlessly to save the Pungo Hospital in Belhaven. Please join clergy and those concerned for justice this Wednesday, December 21, 10 a.m., at the Wake County Civil Court, Suite 1035, 316 Fayetteville Street in Raleigh (detailed directions below). The hoped-for outcome of this court hearing is to attain a temporary […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
First 100 Days – Showing How Much We Care
Now, more than ever, we need you to put your faith into action. On January 20th, we inaugurate a new president and begin four years of a new administration. The incoming administration has nominated climate deniers and fossil fuel advocates to the cabinet and to the EPA. They have indicated their intention to abandon critical […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Community Contributes to Our Wholeness
Partners in Health and Wholeness ambitiously endeavors to work for and toward issues of mind, body, and spirit with faith communities. The words ‘health’ and ‘wholeness’ are truly huge words, landscaping innumerable concerns, issues, and conversations. Daunting, yes. Needed? Definitely. As daunting as the work around health seems in this state, I was reminded of […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Power to the Peaceful
Dear NCIPL Leaders, Supporters, & Friends, I wanted to personally reach out to each and every one of you today, to let you know that I am grateful for our faithful network and all that we do to make North Carolina a safe, healthy, and wonderous place for all. My colleague Joelle Novey has offered […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
NC Family Featured in Video on Need for Medicaid Expansion
By Nina Voli, Duke Divinity School Intern Although the Affordable Care Act expanded health care coverage to millions of Americans, the Supreme Court ruled that state enrollment in Medicaid expansion was optional. As a result of this decision, 19 states, including North Carolina, declined the funds allocated for expansion, and roughly three million adults nationwide were left in a […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
At Campaign Trail’s End, Voters Rule
As the 2016 campaign season grinds along the final stretch toward Election Day on Nov. 8 – and with thousands of North Carolinians already having cast their ballots – we may see a familiar paradox of politics once again displayed: Things had to get worse before they could get better. And brother, did they get […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
PHW Certification Deadline Extended to November 15
The Partners in Health and Wholeness program originally had an October 31 deadline for our 2016 certification applications. However, due to the severity of Hurricane Matthew, we are extending our health certification deadline to Tuesday, November 15. We hope that this extension offers churches more time and flexibility to participate in our program despite the […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
2016 PHW Certifications Close on October 31 — Apply to be Considered for January Mini-Grants
Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW) offers an annual certification program to congregations across the state. Churches participating in PHW actively demonstrate their commitment to improving their health as well as the health of their community. By increasing physical activity, making healthier food and drink choices, eliminating the use of tobacco products and paying attention […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Climate Conference Attendees Range from Duke Energy to NAACP
The young man who sat next to me during a workshop on equity at the Carolinas Climate Resiliency Conference which took place in Charlotte earlier this month was a meteorologist who had been working at Duke Energy for just a couple of years. Jumping at the too-rare opportunity to have a frank conversation with someone […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Inclusive Climate Adaptation and Resilience Building
The impacts of climate variability and change affect everyone, but they disproportionately affect socially vulnerable populations, as they are the ones with the least resources to prepare and recover from impacts. Understanding where these concerns sit within a broad spectrum of stressors and challenges is important in order to identify opportunities to effectively communicate challenges […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Concord UMC: Planting Seeds and Watching Hearts Grow
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, she was hard at work picking caterpillars off the collard greens. “You know, it’s amazing what you can get accomplished while you’re kneeling over a […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Health, Wholeness, and Climate Change?
“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 you find on our website that explain why we do what we do. The NC Council of Churches and its program areas like Partners in […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Take Part in Food Waste Weekend
Here in the US, more than 30% of all food is wasted. In a world with so many hungry people, that’s a terrible shame. Sadly, it gets worse. Wasted food rots and creates greenhouse gas emissions. A lot of them. If you compare the emissions from food waste globally to the world’s nations, it comes […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
PHW Success Story- Corinth AME Zion, Siler City
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 has been actively involved with Partners in Health and Wholeness since 2012, and is currently a silver-certified congregation. According to Norma, “Through this program, we […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Pray for God’s Creation
Beginning 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 Power & Light is joining with the Global Catholic Climate Movement, the World Council of Churches, GreenFaith, and others to encourage people of faith […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
“Woman of the Year”
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 Power & Light in 2008 as a Steering Committee Member. A year later, she became the Secretary and in 2014 was elected to Vice-Chair. Her […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
PHW Success Story- St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Durham
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 wide variety of ways over the past few years, they are particularly proud of a new project: bathroom door signs. “I think this is a […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
PHW Success Story- Soul Harvest Apostolic Church, Spring Lake
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 a vibrant community garden that provides a steady source of healthy, fresh vegetables for their soup kitchen, which feeds many individuals in their community. Their […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
August is National Breastfeeding Month
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 has social, emotional and justice implications as well. For example, because only 13% of employers offer paid leave in the U.S., many women stop breastfeeding […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Summer is a great time to be emPOWERed!
Energy usage is soaring in NC as we all try and stay cool during the long days of heat & humidity this summer. It’s a great time to highlight an opportunity for your congregation to work with NC Interfaith Power & Light’s emPOWERerd program. NCIPL is currently working to strengthen the community of faith-based organizations […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Untapped Resources: A Treasure for One Congregation and Their Community
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 for me because in these two months the exciting ministries of so many congregations in Western North Carolina have entered my world. One of those is […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Gun Violence and Public Health
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 attention to this important aspect of the conversation about common sense gun control legislation. As Dr. Bassett states: “The mission of public health is to […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Health Insurance for All Means Healthier Children
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 before reaching their first birthday, are often a strong indicator of how healthy and well-off a country or a region is. North Carolina’s infant mortality […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Eating Faithfully
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, can have some profound and worthwhile outcomes. In this article from the Duke Clergy Health Initiative, Reverend Grace Hackney addresses this question. It is a […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
New Staff Members Join the Council
The Council gained two new staff members in May. Meet Nicole Johnson and Jessica Stokes below.
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
LIGHT UP – Reflections on the Summer Solstice
We don’t need a calendar to tell us that summer has arrived in North Carolina. The rocketing heat and steamy humidity are all the notice we require. The sun’s ascending song has charmed the trees into full display, beckoned the squash to blossom and the kale to bolt. At the Farmer’s Market, strawberries have yielded […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Five Questions Answered on Medicaid Expansion
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 over the past year. While this is up a bit from 2014 (67%), according to Gallup, this is pretty much in line with what they’ve seen […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
A Reminder of Evelyn
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 on cancer. Its last article, “Standard of Care,” was about a Catholic nursing home in New York which provides care for those who are dying […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
NCIPL Welcomes EDF Climate Corp Fellow
Hello! My name is Jennifer Cole and I am excited to be part of the Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps program this summer, matched to work with North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light. I have just graduated with my Master of Environmental Management degree from Duke, and I have a Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a minor in energy and water sustainability. I will be starting my PhD in environmental psychology at the University of Colorado at Boulder in the fall.
By Eco-Justice Connection
The Effort to Expand Medicaid in North Carolina Continues
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 Expansion Advocacy Day to demand that North Carolina expand Medicaid and join the majority of other states that have closed the health care coverage gap for their […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
PHW Reminder: Certify in May to Qualify for Mini-Grants in June
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 applications will only be considered from June 1 to June 30. The next opportunity to apply will be in January, 2017. Program Coordinator Chris Pernell provides […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Community UCC Solar Project
Community UCC is a relatively small (about 120 active members) congregation located in Raleigh, NC, that has long had an active interest in environmental stewardship. We created our Justice in a Changing Climate initiative (JCC) in 2007, recognizing that climate change will affect those with the fewest resources more adversely and sooner than the rest of us.
By Eco-Justice Connection
Creating Healthier Food Pantries: Workshop and Lunch
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 and calling of the church, so we host canned food drives, stock food pantry shelves, and fill backpacks. This is important and meaningful work. But […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
NCIPL Advocacy Day at the NC General Assembly
On May 11th NCIPL hosted the 2nd Annual Faith Voices for Clean Energy Advocacy Day. Members of faith communities from across the state met with representatives of the NC General Assembly to hear their vision for North Carolina’s energy future and to express our support for new and existing clean energy policies. Throughout the legislative session […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
On this Earth Day 2016
On this Earth Day 2016, let us celebrate the fact that the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has left out the mid-Atlantic region from its final draft proposal for new offshore oil leasing.
This was due in no small part to the grassroots activism by coastal communities from Delaware to Florida where town and county councils passed 110 Resolutions against offshore oil drilling!
By Eco-Justice Connection
121 Religious Communities Urge Congress to Support the Green Climate Fund
This week, NC Interfaith Power & Light joined 120 religious traditions and organizations across the nation representing tens of millions of Americans, asked Congress to appropriate $750 million for GCF for Fiscal Year 2017 based on the Administration’s request.
By Eco-Justice Connection
2016 Critical Issues Seminar — Register for Workshops
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 one workshop each from Session 1 and Session 2. Or you can complete and mail this form to NCCC 27 HORNE St., Raleigh, NC, 27607. […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Reform Medicaid by Expanding It
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 in the reform package. Providing health insurance for everyone and closing the gap for one-half million North Carolinians, currently without health insurance, is a moral […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
NCIPL is hosting Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, world-renowned climate scientist
NCIPL is hosting Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, world-renowned climate scientist and educator with a deep faith in God, the first week of April 2016.
We are honored to share information about the wonderful events planned with Dr. Hayhoe in Charlotte, Asheville, Greensboro, Durham, and Raleigh!
By Eco-Justice Connection
State Medicaid Reform Could Be an Opportunity for Expansion
Several public hearings have been planned around the state over the next few months to receive public input on the new plan for Medicaid reform. The plan would move Medicaid, the state program that serves about 1.9 million North Carolina residents, from a fee-for-service format toward a managed-care format. Under this change, Medicaid recipients can enroll in […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Obama Withdraws Plan for Atlantic Coast Offshore Drilling
No drilling off North Carolina’s coast… It’s time to celebrate! NCIPL recently presented a statement opposing offshore oil drilling unanimously approved by the NC Council of Churches Governing Board. As a faith based organization we are called by God to preserve and respect the earth. As Governing Board members of the NC Council of Churches, […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
The Path Toward Energy Justice: Creating a Climate for Change
Infographic by Tracy Loeffelholz Dunn / The Nation. Shutterstock images from Lorelyn Medina, Agusto Cabral The Clean Power Plan, and transitioning to a clean energy economy more broadly, are creating immense opportunities for community engagement in helping shape our states’ energy futures. Environmental justice champion, Rev. Leo Woodberry is focusing on bringing people together to […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Medicaid Expansion Benefits Everyone in NC
There is little dispute that Medicaid expansion stands to benefit more than 400,000 uninsured North Carolinians who currently fall in the coverage gap. What is more often disputed is the potential cost to the state. Under the established matching plan that would take effect from 2020 onward, federal funding would pay 90% of the cost of […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Farmworkers and the ACA
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 – including marriage, moving, or a change in immigration status – may be eligible for a special enrollment period. While these life events may seem obvious […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Clean Energy Can Help Tackle Rural Poverty
By MICHAEL REGAN | Published: FEBRUARY 22, 2016 Growing up in eastern North Carolina was a great experience. Wayne County was my home, and I spent many weekends fishing for bass and hunting quail with my father on the family farm in nearby Bladen County. The time outdoors was great for character building, and visiting with relatives, friends, and […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
“None of These Diseases” – Faith, Justice, and God’s Desire for Healthy Community
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 was bitter…And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” He cried out to the Lord; and the Lord showed him a piece […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The ACA and the Latino Community: Challenges and Successes
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 for families, seniors, businesses, and taxpayers alike. This includes previously uninsured Americans, and Americans who had insurance that didn’t provide them adequate coverage and security. […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
New Staff Members Join the Council
The Council gained two new staff members in January. Meet Liz Millar and Chris Pernell below.
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
New Medicaid Expansion Effort Launches — Presentations and Petition Available
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 Rights, 1966 Sign the Petition Now The celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Day this past Monday provides an opportunity to reflect on Dr. King’s […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Health Care for Legal Immigrants: Resources and Events
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 health care for everyone is important. Our concern is especially great for those most vulnerable in our society: the poor, children, people of color, and […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Wake Divinity School Grooms Young Leaders With Soil
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 and Wholeness sent several of our leaders during the past few years, including Regional Coordinator Shannon Axtell Martin, and faith leader, Linda Tyndall, to the summer […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
The State of Our Union & Climate Justice
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 to curb global warming pollution. He rebuffed those who deny climate change and called for a spirit of collaboration, stating “a sustainable, peaceful planet for […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Strive to Revive Maintenance Grants
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 who have previously received an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) through the Strive To Revive Program. The deadline to apply is February 29. While the STR Maintenance […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Partnerships that Work: Linda Tyndall
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 short time. A leader with the Come to the Table program said the same thing to me over the phone once. He mentioned that he […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Pre-Diabetic?
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 to take this. “Well, you should watch what you eat, watch your protein/carbohydrate ratio, decrease stress levels, exercise regularly, and decrease how much sugar you […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Kneading Bread Over the Holidays
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 about the holidays. My dad would hum and gallivant in the kitchen between mixing bread dough, basting loaves that were heading into the oven, and […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Announcing Strive to Revive Maintenance Grants
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 support to assist with the maintenance cost of the Automatic External Defibrillator your congregation received through Strive To Revive. It is our hope that this program […]
By Partners in Health & Wholeness
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville
UUFH Celebrates Its Commitment to Renewable Energy The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville (UUFH) is celebrating the installation of a 40-panel solar array on its sanctuary roof. This installation is evidence of the congregation’s commitment to renewable energy and is the culmination of a two year program to become more environmentally friendly according to the […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
United Church of Chapel Hill Solar Project
Our Solar Journey at United Church of Chapel Hill On November 6, 2015, the latest photovoltaic array on a North Carolina house of worship went online. The 84.76 kW, 326 panel system will generate 60% of our annual electricity needs at United Church of Chapel Hill (UCCH) and reduce our overall carbon footprint by a […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Pope Francis’ visit to the U.S.
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 their cause will reverberate long after he’s gone. The Pope’s visit to America took place just months after issuing his encyclical on the environment, encourages […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Muslim American Society of Charlotte Announces First Major Solar Installation at a Mosque in NC
This week the Muslim American Society (MAS) of Charlotte is launching a program to install solar panels on the homes of 40 congregants and their mosque in east Charlotte. The program is unique both for the amount of solar that is slated for installation, as well as the financing model, and will make the mosque […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Congregations need NC’s solar tax credits extended
Every faith tradition mandates care of creation and the moral call to address the issues and impacts of our changing climate. If we fail to address the most significant environmental threat to life and human civilization of our time/history, this would be a breach of our religious responsibilities. Solar energy is one of the important […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
NCIPL supports the Clean Power Plan
New federal safeguards to reduce carbon emissions from existing power plants are necessary not just because they help the environment, but because they are the right and moral thing to do, North Carolina faith leaders say. NC Interfaith Power & Light supports the Clean Power Plan released Monday, Aug. 3, by the U.S. Environmental Protection […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
EPA Takes Moral Action to Cut Carbon Pollution from Power Plants
The EPA is acting on our moral obligation to address unlimited carbon pollution coming from the nation’s power plants, the single largest source of global warming pollution in the country.
By Eco-Justice Connection
Duke Divinity Student Reflects On The Encyclical
“Pope Francis almost makes me want to convert to Catholicism.” This is the sentiment generally expressed by many of my colleagues at Duke Divinity School. Many of us who are not Catholic find so refreshing a Pope that is faithfully in touch with so many social justice concerns in such a visible way. From the outset […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Vatican Call to Action
The Vatican has officially released the Papal encyclical on the environment: “Praised Be: On the Care of Our Common Home” (Laudato Si’).
By Eco-Justice Connection
Solar Benefits – LTE in News & Observer – June 6, 2015
Gary Smith is a member of Community United Church of Christ, Raleigh and serves as Chair of NCIPL’s Energy Working Group. Read the LTE on News&Observer Online here.
By Eco-Justice Connection
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Hayesville, NC wins national award for work at nexus of climate and poverty
Energy saving volunteers in North Carolina work at nexus of climate and poverty Community Inspiration Winner of IPL’s Cool Congregations Challenge Good Shepherd Episcopal Church Hayesville, North Carolina CO2 Reduction: 33 metric tons/year Prevents: 35,000 lbs. of coal from being burned Families helped: 40 and counting Percent CO2 Reduction: 10-20% per household A group of […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
The Pope and Ecology: Shouts from the Highest Steeple
This post is from our friend Dave Grace, a dual degree masters candidate with Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Divinity School and creator of the Youth Faith Conservation Network, which will be leading a biodiesel bus tour of Raleigh faith communities April 25th. This blog was originally posted at the Nicolas School’s website. The excitement is building: […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
NC Faith Leaders Support Clean Energy
Faith Leaders printed in the News & Observer Rev. Dr. Leonard H. Bolick Rev. Jonathan Brake Rev. Jill Staton Bullard Rev. Robin P. Coira The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry Rev. Richard Edens Rev. Keith Grogg Rev. Steve Hickle The Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple Rev. Joe Hoffman Rabbi Andrew Koren Friar Michael Lasky Rev. Dr. David Jordan […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Passover & Climate Change: Continuity with the Future
By Joelle Novey, director of the Greater Washington Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA) “In every generation one must look upon herself as if she personally came out of Egypt.” On Pesach, we are told to feel as if we personally went free from Mitzrayim, and the rituals of the seder help us cultivate that “memory” in many ways: we eat not […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
We Are “Springing into Action”!
Though the week’s main events have passed, it’s not too late to be involved. Click here to join NCIPL’s virtual advocacy campaign and send a message to your representatives asking them to support clean energy for North Carolina! Thank you to everyone who helped make our Spring Into Action kickoff week a success! You participated from all over the […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
NCIPL’s Advocating with Compassion Webinar with Environmental Defense Fund’s Greg Andeck
We have created a pre-advocacy day webinar covering logistics for Faith Voices for Clean Energy Advocacy Day, how to talk to elected officials, and a briefing on clean energy policies. You can view the recorded webinar here. Thank you to those who took part in our Advocating with Compassion webinar yesterday, and a special big thanks […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
McCrory must lead effort away from coal
Op Ed in Citizen-Times by Jane Laping, interim coordinator of the Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina, NCIPL’s western regional partner. As a Christian, I believe that creation is a gift intended to sustain life. The earth has an intricately balanced system that relies on clean air, clean water and fertile land to nourish […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Spring Into Action with IPL Founder & President, Rev. Sally Bingham
NCIPL’s Inaugural Spring Into Action Celebration with Rev. Sally Bingham Tuesday, March 24, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences 11 W. Jones Street, Raleigh NCIPL’s inaugural Spring Into Action Celebration features a reception and remarks from Interfaith Power & Light’s founder and president Rev. Sally Bingham. Rev. Bingham has brought […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Birds Can Make You Want to Take Action on Climate Change
By NCIPL Intern Rubaina Anjum When it comes to talking about climate change, NCIPL focuses on the positive and hopeful messages. We love to let everyone know of the excellent work that faith communities and others in the area are doing to combat climate change. And research shows that talking positively about climate change is more […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Thoughts on Obama’s Veto of Keystone XL
By NCIPL Intern Reuben Gelblum Well, if you haven’t heard, Obama vetoed the Keystone XL bill Tuesday that he received from Congress, one of only three times he has used his presidential veto (for comparison, Reagan used his a record 78 times). Let us go ahead and say that we are elated about this decision. Keystone […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Faith Voices for Clean Energy Advocacy Day March 25th
You are invited to join NCIPL and Interfaith Power & Light founder and President Rev. Sally Bingham on March 25th at the NC General Assembly in Raleigh for the Faith Voices for Clean Energy Advocacy Day. We will meet with members of the General Assembly to hear their vision for North Carolina and to express our support for new and existing clean […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Triangle Interfaith Alliance Public Statement
The history of humanity is stained by cycles of violence against other groups who differed from the prevailing cultural presence due to religion, complexion, sexual orientation, nationality, or political beliefs. As a “nation of nations” our experience in the United States teaches us that wars among nations are frequently fueled by propaganda portraying the “enemy” […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Preaching what we practice: Creation Care and Interfaith Climate Action in Charlotte, NC
Environmentalists and evangelists have more in common than one would think. Caring for our children and neighbors; expressing gratitude and appreciation for the blessings we have been given; ensuring that we are good stewards of the world–these are values that are held by people of faith and also environmental activists! How is it then that […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
WITN UPDATE: Gov. McCrory applauds Carolinas offshore drilling plan
From WITN Updated: Wed 11:42 PM, Jan 28, 2015 Watch the WITN 6 o’clock news Wednesday, January 28, 2015 recording: Penny Hooper, co-chair of NCIPL Executive Committee, and her husband, Mark Hooper, were interviewed concerning offshore drilling. “Environmentalists say they have proposed a Clean Energy Plan to Governor Pat McCrory based around wind and solar […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
NCIPL Invites Faith Communities to join in the National PreachIn on Global Warming!
This may be the biggest PreachIn yet and you don’t want to miss it! Over 3,000 faith communities all over the US may preach or hold educational events on Valentine’s Day weekend. What a wonderful Valentine for the planet! The message will be climate justice and loving God’s Creation and will reach over one million […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
LTE in News & Observer. Stephen Jurovics: Future concern
Letters to the Editor: January 7, 2015 The Jan. 1 Point of View “ Why N.C. should fight EPA” revealed utter indifference for the future of North Carolina. While the article purports to tell “the backstory” of these rules, the words “climate change” do not appear. Yet, the administration proposes the rules in order to […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
JDNews.com article: Program looks at potential coastal impacts of fracking
By Jannette Pippin – Jannette.Pippin@JDNews.com Published: Saturday, January 17, 2015 at 3:29 PM MOREHEAD CITY | Lee County is considered the epicenter of any future fracking operations in North Carolina, but Eastern North Carolina isn’t immune to possibly damaging impacts, according to leaders fighting to keep such activity out of the state. “That’s just where […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
National Preach-In on the Environment
Get your Faith Community to Join in the “Preach In”! Environmental Stewardship Greensboro is helping to recruit as many Faith Communities as possible in the Triad to participate in the “National Preach In on the Environment. This national and statewide program is sponsored by the North Carolina Council of Churches and North Carolina Interfaith Power and […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Climate change and the new NC DENR chief
More than 97 percent of the world’s climate scientists believe we humans are changing our climate for the worse. (That scientific consensus is as strong as the one that finds smoking causes cancer.) By burning fossil fuel in power plants, trucks and cars, by releasing methane gas during gas and oil drilling, by cutting down […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
PreachIn Map Test
North Carolina leads the nation in the number of congregations involved in the PreachIn which happens every spring. Click here to participate! [wpgeo_mashup post_type=”faith-community” engagement=”preachin”]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Clean Energy Works for US: Creation Care in North Carolina (Video)
NCIPL is proud to be featured alongside North Carolina clergy and congregations in this short video. It highlights churches who have installed solar on their houses of worship and thoughts from clergy and congregation members on why they feel called to take part in care for creation. You can also hear Director Susannah Tuttle speak about […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Reflections from the People’s Climate March
Many IPL folks, from NC and all over the country, took to the streets of New York City this past weekend for the People’s Climate March. It was an exhilarating time and we left feeling more inspired and connected. Estimates are that over 400,000 people were at the march, making it what we had all […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Energy Savings Analysis
An easy Energy Savings Analysis can save your faith community thousands of dollars while enhancing your care of creation.
By Eco-Justice Connection
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of W-S
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Winston-Salem has a long and exciting set of goals, accomplishments, and challenges relating to its Green Sanctuary Program accreditation. We have a broad range of practices to build awareness of the significance and complexity of environmental issues facing our society. We often have sermons by our minister and visiting experts […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Fall Into Action with NCIPL
You are invited to join NCIPL over the coming months as we “Fall Into Action!” The NC General Assembly has adjourned but that means our work is just beginning! We have designed exciting activities just for you as we prepare for the NCGA’s return in mid-January 2015. NCIPL held their first webinar “Advocating With Compassion: […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
The People’s Climate March
The People’s Climate March is shaping up to be the largest movements of movements yet, bringing together people with the urgency and power needed to address the climate crisis. Are you going to NY for the People’s Climate March? Let us know! Do you know anyone else that is going? Ask them to let us know! Hook […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Hurricane Resilience: America Acts on Climate Part 2
The 2014 Hurricane Season launched with North Carolina’s coast as a direct target. We made it through ‘Arthur’ but have a whole alphabet of potential storms which to prepare for this summer. “Hurricane Resilience: America Acts on Climate” is a series of three educational events will take place at the Historic Train Depot in Morehead City, NC. The first meeting […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Lake Chatuge GreenFaith Team (a NCIPL Regional Partner) to Launch Energy Saving Campaign
The Lake Chatuge GreenFaith Team, (LCGFT), a group of environmentally concerned churches from Northern Georgia and Western North Carolina, will be publishing environmental “tips” in local papers and radio outlets as well as church bulletins aimed at showing how simple energy saving practices can save money and make a big difference in reducing environmental damage […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
#PutSolarOnIt – National Day of Action
On June 21, 2014, the longest day of the year, Interfaith Power & Light is joining a coalition of groups in coming together for a National Day of Action to show support for switching to clean energy, fighting climate change, and the power of bringing solar power to communities all across the country.
Contact info@ncipl.org for more information on how you and your congregation can be involved in the solar revolution!
By Eco-Justice Connection
#PutSolarOnIt – National Day of Action
On June 21, 2014, the longest day of the year, communities of faith from around the country will come together in a coalition of groups for a National Day of Action.
By Eco-Justice Connection
EPA Takes Moral Action to Cut Carbon Pollution from Power Plants
On June 2nd, 2014 the EPA acted on our moral obligation to address unlimited carbon pollution coming from the nation’s power plants, the single largest source of global warming pollution in the country.
The new standards will help usher in clean energy solutions like improved efficiency and solar power: things that NC Interfaith Power & Light congregations have been using in their facilities for years to reduce emissions and save money.
Emerging wind and solar companies have been in a David and Goliath struggle against the well-funded coal and gas industries.
By Eco-Justice Connection
We Drew a Line in the Sand
On Saturday, May 17, at noon, about 30 people gathered at the Atlantic Beach/Fort Macon Swimming Beach for the nation-wide “Hands Across the Sand Demonstration” to promote clean energy and protest offshore oil drilling. The following organizations were represented: NC Interfaith Power and Light, Croatan Group of the NC Sierra Club, the Surfriders Association and […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
People got “Fired Up” Watching “Shored Up”
Penny Hooper, NCIPL Executive Committee. On Friday night, May 9, the movie “Shored Up” was shown at the Unitarian Coastal Fellowship in Morehead City to 40 people. Afterwards, we discussed what we could do as coastal residents in the face of all the issues covered in the movie: increased severe storms, sea level rise and demands […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Tired of “preaching to the choir” or to “deaf ears”?
We believe you have something important to say. Many of the issues being decided on the political level nowadays are being considered primarily from their value to business and either ignoring science or following science but still ignoring ramifications to quality of life. Where is the faith voice? Where are the voices expressing other values […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Energy Saving Volunteers Receive Earth Day Grant
by Donna McAuliffe The 2014 BodySense Earth Day Grant was awarded to a local group committed to reducing energy consumption. An offshoot of Lake Chatuge Greenfaith Team, a NCIPL Regional Partner, the volunteers visits the homes of people who face high energy bills and need information and assistance reducing their usage, saving them money and […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
To All Who Love God’s Creation & Choose Hope for the Future
Easter Season for Christians is the time between Easter Sunday and Pentecost during which we find renewal in the promise of resurrection and reconciliation. It is also springtime for people living in the northern hemisphere — the time of fertility, new live and glorious abundance. What better time to explore the many voices in a […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Support Solar in NC!
Tell the NC Utilities Commission (NCUC) you support net metering and solar power! Like rollover minutes on a cell phone bill, net metering gives renewable energy customers full credit on their utility bills for the excess clean power they deliver to the grid. This simple credit system is one of the most important state policies for empowering Americans to generate their own power from the sun.
By Eco-Justice Connection
We Can No Longer Sweep the Coal Ash Under the Rug
We need to let our legislators know that this is important to us.
By Eco-Justice Connection
SENATORS SPEAKING ALL NIGHT TO URGE ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
From the office of U.S. Senator Brian Schatz: Washington, DC – Immediately following votes on the evening of Monday, March 10 until approximately 9 am ET Tuesday, March 11, Senators from the Senate Climate Action Task Force will be holding the Senate floor to urge action on climate change. A significant number of Senators are expected to participate throughout […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Climate Activists Must Heed the Lessons of North Carolina
Joe Wainio begins his wonderful article on TruthOut, “Climate change activists should look to North Carolina for lessons on how to build a broad and diverse movement powerful enough to challenge the corrupt status quo on several fronts. Single-issue organizing won’t do.” To make a difference in our current political climate takes massive numbers of […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Our NC “What do You Love Campaign” dovetails with the February Friends Committee for National Legislation’s call to conscience
“The seemingly simple action of communicating with your elected representative is powerful, vastly underrated, and accessible to all.” In October our executive director, Susannah Tuttle, was featured in the Indy Weekly, speaking about her efforts to forge ties between environmentally conscious faith leaders and conservative legislators. Since then, Susannah has been encouraging people of […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
New Publication: Climate Change Evidence and Causes
Climate Change Evidence & Causes Overview is a jointly produced publication of The US National Academy of Sciences and The Royal Society. Written by a UK-US team of leading climate scientists and reviewed by climate scientists and others, the publication is intended as a brief, readable reference document for decision makers, policy makers, educators, and […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Lenten Reflection on Poverty and the Environment
We expect clean air and water to be plentiful. They are, after all, fundamental parts of God’s great creation. But the threats we pose to our planet and its resources are scientifically undeniable. We humans have proven to be careless in our treatment of the environment, frighteningly efficient in its destruction. And, as in so many cases, the burden for our actions falls disproportionately on the poor. The coal ash spill in the Dan River has drawn international attention in recent weeks. Coal has for years been burned at a Duke Energy power plant in Eden, and the residual ash had been dumped into a holding pond nearby. [...]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Watch this 3 minute animated graphic of increasing CO2 in the atmosphere!
Here is a 3 minute video of atmospheric carbon dioxide from 1979 until January, 2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA7tfz3k_9A National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) Global Monitoring Division is a wonderful resource. There are other wonderful videos and graphics available on NOAA ESRL’s website. Their mission is “providing the best possible information on […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
2014 National Preach-In on Climate Change
Download your free kit for the 2014 National Preach-In on Climate Change over Valentine’s weekend. From the comfort of your own congregation, you can join in spirit with thousands of religious leaders from across the country in preaching and teaching about climate change and love of Creation. Each Preach-In Kit includes activity ideas, printable postcards to senators, bulletin inserts, a […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Peppers Picked in Prayer
Climate Change Is Real… In Many Ways… In Different Places… At The Same Time… As We All Exist. Today I picked these peppers due to early freezing temperatures in North Carolina. Although each pepper could’ve lived longer on the vine if the weather wasn’t so dangerous… I was mindful with each pluck that all food […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
THE SOLAR EVENT OF THE SEASON!
Hundreds of people came together at the Cleaner is Cheaper: Solar Panel event in Charlotte on Saturday, Nov 16th joined by many solar power companies from North Carolina as well as issue experts about solar energy. After the networking and panel discussion, we shared a free lunch, discussion groups and the opportunity to go on […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Do Your Legislators Represent You or Not?
The 2013 legislative session exhibited an anti-regulatory agenda, endangering North Carolina’s natural beauty and our quality of life, including our health. Numerous bills were introduced that weakened pollution control, sought to rush through fracking, underfunded many of the state’s important environmental programs, and removed experienced members from critical oversight commissions and boards. Non-partisan science, which […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
In the face of economic crisis, how to make the world a better place
Start with what you love. Susannah Tuttle said that to me on Saturday, and it was perfect for the moment. I loved the bluegrass festival in Raleigh and the way it lifted our spirits. I broke away from the festival in the afternoon and strode up to the state government mall for the iMatter rally. I loved that too. The iMatter Youth NC March for Our Planet was led by Hallie Turner, 11, who dates her activism on climate change to a dinnertime conversation with her parents—and a subsequent visit to the library where she read Al Gore's book An Inconvenient Truth—at age 9. [...]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Common Sense for Our Time: Doing What is Ours to Do
Every day there are reminders on how we should appreciate our global home and then consider the many and easy ways we can protect it. Make no mistake, the jury is back: climate change is happening. The carbon emissions in our atmosphere can be traced directly to the burning of fossil fuels and this historically […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Special Places and Sacred Pursuits
Sportsmen, sportswomen, and wildlife conservationists are not couch potatoes. We get outside. The ones that are as old as I am have seen many, many years of change. When you spend your time outdoors it’s easy to see the impacts of climate change on the natural world. As a dedicated trout angler I have observed […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
My History, My Journey, My Inspiration, My Children
There is a future I want for my children – and for all children – and for the children of all children. It is a future of abundance, diversity, beauty, health, equity and peace. The potential for that future is still real, but it is threatened. Global climate change is one of the greatest threats […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
A Special Energy Audit
United Church of Christ of Chapel Hill (UCC-CH) is my home church. My parents are committed members and, as a returning college grad, I feel excited about being part of this faith community. Going through an energy audit with my church pastor to learn about the church’s efforts for energy savings and lowering our congregation’s […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Congregations and Coal: Faith & the Riverbend Coal Plant
Facing the coal plant, smoke stacks and power lines looming over the sign of this church, I thought of the position of communities of faith as they face the energy realities of the future.
By Eco-Justice Connection
The Heart of Our Work
EmPOWERed
Clean energy is the future. Click here for ways your congregation can participate.Sacred Foodscapes for All Creation
Make the food-faith-climate connection. Read more.Worship
Worship is at the heart of what you do. Click here for resources, models and collaborative campaigns.By Eco-Justice Connection
NCIPL Steering Committee Member Penny Hooper Speaks Out at Moral Monday
People may think that Moral Mondays are over now that the state legislature is no longer in session. That is not so. Starting in April, numbers of attendees have ranged from hundreds to thousands. This Monday may be the largest one yet. Rev. Dr. William Barber, II, President of the North Carolina State Conference of […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Recent Poll Shows North Carolinians Want More Clean Energy
Most North Carolinians oppose fracking, favor clean energy and think current regulations are sufficient or should be stronger. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released the North Carolina poll results on July 15, 2013. From the mountains to the beaches, it’s clear that North Carolinians take special pride in their state, and see state environmental safeguards […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Environmental Groups Push for Stronger EPA Regulation of Toxic Poisons from Coal-Fired Power Plants Routinely Dumped Into U.S. Waters
After 3 decades of delay, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to set long-overdue standards to limit the dumping of billions of pounds of toxic pollutants from coal-fired power plants into U.S. waterways and drinking water sources. On Tuesday, July 23, 2013, in a press conference held on the banks of Mountain Island […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
2013 Walk for Our Grandchildren
This summer dedicated activists walked 100 miles from Camp David to Washington, DC. to ask President Obama and other policy makers to take strong action to keep the majority of fossil fuels in the ground. They are demanding climate action now! As they walked, they talked to the people in the communities along their route. […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
In the Shadows of Riverbend
Across the street, a small, unassuming, idyllic Catholic church faces the Duke Power Riverbend Coal Plant at the center of litigation and outrage in response to consistent pollution and lack of effective coal ash pond treatment. For a new intern at NCIPL, the physicalized contrast contained powerful irony that drove home the nature of our […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
The Moral Journey from Independence to Interdependence
Reflections from Earth Sabbath Celebration facilitator, Nancy Hardy. I believe that ever since we humans started getting together and creating what we call “culture”, there have been several major paradigm shifts. We celebrated one recently. The Declaration of Independence, which we celebrated on the 4th, didn’t just happen. Philosophical ideas were circulating and being debated […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
The National “I Will Act on Climate” Bus Tour is Coming Through North Carolina in the Next Few Days!
Climate change affects us all. As the President said in his climate change speech, “The question now is whether we will have the courage to act before it’s too late. And how we answer will have a profound impact on the world that we leave behind not just to you, but to your children and […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
This Fourth of July, declare your energy independence from fossil fuels.
Enter IPL’s 2013 Cool Congregations Challenge. $1000 Grand Prize. $500 for first place and $250 for second place will be awarded for each of the following categories: Cool Congregations Planner Energy Saver Renewable Role Model Sacred Grounds Steward Community Inspiration Dozens of honorable mention certificates will be awarded and all entrants receive a 20% discount […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
UCC First Church to Divest from Fossil Fuels
As a life-long member of the United Church of Christ (UCC), I feel so proud of my denomination’s actions on Monday when the national synod voted to divest from fossil fuels. The United Church of Christ has a tradition of leading in matters of faith and social change. Right here in Warren County, North Carolina, […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
President’s Climate Action Plan Could Increase Air Quality and Business for NC
The president’s newly announced climate action plan calls for more funding for clean energy and limiting carbon emissions for new and existing power plants. This is good news for us here in North Carolina. According to the Center for American Progress, 61% of NC residents breathe dangerous levels of smog. And in 2012, North Carolina […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
We Can No Longer in Good Conscience Remain Silent
The following is NCIPL Steering Committee Secretary Penny Hooper’s Letter to the Editor in response to President Obama’s climate change speech: President Obama’s speech at Georgetown University today was welcome news to those of us concerned about the future of our nation and world. We need to support the President’s efforts to pass standards to […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Filmmaker Visits NCIPL
This month nationally renowned filmmaker, Rocky Kistner visited North Carolina to document features of NCIPL’s emPOWERed program. Film footage included an Energy Savings Analysis (energy audit) at College Park Baptist Church in Greensboro led by John Seymour, and an interview with NCIPL’s Director, Susannah Tuttle discussing the faith-energy-climate connection. Interviews about NC congregations […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Reflection on Moral Monday
Participating in Moral Mondays impressed me with a sense of fraternity and hope in the face of policies and legislation that seem increasingly unjust and discriminatory, besides being detrimental to social mobility and environmental stewardship. June 18th found a moral Monday focused on environmental justice, climate justice, and healthcare. Protestors throughout the event displayed signs […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
OBAMA’S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
The President has shared his plan to respond to our moral obligation to leave a healthy and sustainable future for our children and grandchildren in response to the threat of climate change.
By Eco-Justice Connection
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Hayesville
Written by Brad Rouse. I have been a member of Good Shepherd since 2007, and the Green Team has been one of our ministries since before that time. Having a concern for the environment, I was attracted to become a part of that ministry under the leadership of Amy Nicolson, Meg Whitley and other members. […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Invitation to next week’s Moral Monday on the Environment, Justice, & Health
Dear Faithful Friends, This coming Monday, June 17th – “NC Moral Mondays” will be focused on Environmental, Justice, and Health issues as the central themes in a principled protest calling for an end to the unprecedented legislative attack against the people and environment of our state. Over 200+ ordinary North Carolinians have been arrested so far, […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
The Good News on Hurricanes
Last weekend was the official start of our 2013 Hurricane Season. As we make preparations for the season- both logistical, physical, and spiritual- I think that The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy really captured the positive side of hurricanes, and all natural disasters for that matter, in one of their recent blogs, Building Community Resiliency […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
12,000+ Clean Energy/Clean Transportation Jobs Announced in 1st Quarter & Governor McCrory Declares June “Solar Energy Month”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEPress contact: Bob Keefe, 202-289-2373 or bkeefe@e2.org, or Jeff Benzak, 202-513-6248 or jbenzak@e2.org. North Carolina remains among top states for clean energy job announcements despite attempts to repeal state renewable energy standard WASHINGTON (June 4, 2013) – Companies and communities across the United States announced more than 50 clean energy and clean transportation projects in […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
NCIPL Director and Volunteer on “Midday Interview” NPR Radio Show
NCIPL Director (Susannah Tuttle) and Volunteer (Ed Ablard) discuss the work and mission of NCIPL, as well as the wonderful evening Ed organized at his church, St. Paul’s Episcopal. Thank you SO MUCH to Ed for arranging this interview; it was a pleasure to be with you and all of our coastal allies this week! […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
West Market Street United Methodist Church, Greensboro
West Market Street United Methodist Church’s Care4Creation team launched a “Let There Be Light” campaign during the month of April to educate the congregation about the benefits of LED light bulbs and to invite contributions towards purchasing bulbs for three highly used areas of the church. The emphasis built up to a worship service on […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Get your Congregation “On the Map” re: Caring for Creation
If you haven’t seen it yet, check out NCIPL’s success story map. The stories you read are diverse in faith, demographics, geography, themes, and approaches. Each congregation responds to climate change in different ways- growing food for parishioners, growing food for neighbors, investing in energy efficiency, installing renewables, hosting educational series, and so on. Many […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Earth Sabbath Celebrations – Free Resources
As winter heads our way, consider hosting an Earth Sabbath Celebration. We have recently added several new services to the Celebration Resource Page and encourage you to check them out. These services can be replicated or modified, so they provide a great resource for anyone looking to host a Celebration. Both lay and ordained […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Clergy Letter on Keystone Published in Politico
The following letter was sent to NC House members’ Legislative Directors and Energy and Environmental Legislative Assistants: I wanted to be sure that you saw this letter, published as a full page ad in Politico, and signed by over 150 clergy from diverse faith traditions and regions urging the President to reject the Keystone XL […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Urge Senate to Support Gina McCarthy for EPA
From National IPL’s Blog: Update: Republican members of the Environment and Public Works Senate Committee ended their boycott. Her nomination passed on a party line vote. The Stand with Gina campaign has set up a toll free line with talking points, that will connect you to your senator if you’d like to thank them: call […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
NC Utilities Commission Challenges Duke Energy
May 6, 2013, Charlotte, NC — The North Carolina Utilities Commission issued an order on Friday challenging Duke Energy to back up its Integrated Resource Plan – its long-term business plan – with more facts. The order questioned whether Duke is overestimating the amount of electricity it must generate and whether it is adequately pursuing energy efficiency and renewable energy that would negate the need for Duke to continue raising rates on families and small businesses in North Carolina.
By Eco-Justice Connection
Christ Episcopal Church, Albemarle Offers NCIPL Energy Workshop to Public
Written by Nancy Bryant, Good Earth Committee, 704-474-9134 Christ Episcopal Church, Albemarle Christ Episcopal Church’s Good Earth Committee offered a free two-hour workshop on energy efficiency for Stanly churches on Saturday, April 27, 2013, as part of Christ Church’s Caring for Creation Month emphasis. The purpose of the workshop was two-fold: 1. to offer information […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Volunteer Spotlight: 3 NCIPL Volunteers Receive 2013 Governor’s Award
NCIPL is proud to announce that 3 of our volunteers were awarded the 2013 Governor’s Award: Penny Hooper (Morehead City) Carl Sigel (Raleigh) and Jean Larson (Asheville). Each recipient is more than deserving of the award and we are so happy that they won! About Penny: Penny joined NCIPL in 2008 as a Steering Committee (SC) Member. […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Elon Community Church
Elon Community Church followed the LLC model of financing our solar panels. This is the model developed by the Appalachian Institute for Renewable Energy (AIRE) in Boone and utilized by the Asheville UCC. What follows are learnings and suggestions gleaned from our experience of putting this model into action. Refer to Joe Hoffman’s article to […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
NC Renewable Energy Standards Upheld!
Letter from Director | Press Release Dear NCIPL Community ~*~ I had the great joy of being in the Legislative Building today when the NC General Assembly’s Public Utility and Energy Committee voted down the Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Standard (REPS) repeal bill. During the committee question period it became more obvious than ever the […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Sacred Potluck Challenge 2013
This November, NCIPL will hold its second annual Sacred Potluck Challenge. This is an opportunity for congregations to explore the connections between food choices and greenhouse gases while sharing food and fellowship with one another. In addition to building community and caring for creation in a fun way, this is also an opportunity for congregations […]
By Eco-Justice Connection
Have a Faith Based Community Garden? Make the Climate Connection!
One thing that almost every congregation does is eat together. Coffee hour after worship, Wednesday dinner, pancake breakfasts—where there is a congregation, there is food. Over the past years, many congregations’ food ministries have inspired community gardens, in which people of faith are growing some of the food that they and their neighbors eat. Some […]
By Eco-Justice Connection