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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Progressive faith leaders across the state say they’re encouraging congregations to educate themselves on candidates and issues. They are sharing an online Faithful Voter Reflection Guide, which offers a moral perspective […]
Advocates for voting rights took aim at partisanship in the North Carolina judicial system and criticized Chief Justice Paul Newby for actions they said has made the courts less fair. […]
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – A group by the name Fair Courts NC wants to stop judges from affiliating with a political party. They are driving around the east to speak in favor […]
Are actions by the General Assembly threatening the impartiality of North Carolina’s judicial system? A coalition of left-leaning nonprofits under the umbrella of a group called Fair Courts NC thinks […]
The N.C. Council of Churches includes 18 denominations with churches large and small, urban and rural, black, brown, and white all across the state. One of the things we all […]
Prior to the 2020 elections, a representative from the Carter Center’s Conflict Resolution team reached out to the North Carolina Council of Churches. For the first time in its 40-year […]
As redistricting processes wrap up across the country, faith groups in North Carolina are working to raise awareness and educate residents on issues related to election integrity. Jennifer Copeland, executive […]
North Carolina legislators – offering what amounts to a snappy salute in the direction of Mar-a-Lago – are well on their way toward fixing an election law that’s anything but […]
With Republican lawmakers throughout the land making “election integrity” a favorite cause and rallying cry, it likely was just a matter of time before some of their North Carolina counterparts […]
With North Carolinians on track to cast eye-popping numbers of votes in advance of Election Day, Nov. 3, perhaps it’s time to breathe a cautious sigh of relief. A system […]
It’s pretty obvious why the N.C. Council of Churches and its allies on the faith-and-justice spectrum hope to see plenty of like-minded voters turning out for the elections this fall. […]
INTRODUCED BILLS ECONOMIC JUSTICE HB 422/SB 234 – Healthy Families & Workplaces/Paid Sick Days is similar to the paid sick leave provisions of HB 46. (See RR, February 26.) Introduced […]
Approved unanimously on September 11, 2018 by the Governing Board of the North Carolina Council of Churches The Governing Board of the North Carolina Council of Churches opposes six amendments to […]
The North Carolina Council of Churches believes that participating in our democracy is one critical component of our call to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. […]
2018 is shaping up to the be the Year of the Woman. From the halls of government to stages and theaters from coast to coast, from marches and protest to […]
Only rarely does the United States Commission on Civil Rights hold hearings outside of Washington D.C. In February they came to town, convening in Raleigh to hear testimony about obstacles […]
The pattern has become familiar – and a welcome pattern it is, even if brought about by the Republican-controlled General Assembly’s relentless abuses of our democratic system. Call it, “Judges […]
Well, here we go again. If the Republican-led General Assembly in 2017 focused on trying to exert its dominance over a freshly installed Democratic governor, then 2018 could bring the […]
With Republicans on Capitol Hill and in the White House desperate to post a big legislative win, their push for so-called tax reform – the label being used to sugar-coat […]
As I continue to follow court cases addressing Gerrymandering at both the federal level (Gill v. Whitford) and in North Carolina (Common Cause v. Rucho), along with the latest move […]
To the Republicans who run the N.C. General Assembly, the concept of judicial independence – central to our bedrock American principle of checks and balances and to the rule of […]
In surveys conducted during the months leading up to the 2016 election, large numbers of Americans reported little interest in the political process. They said things like, “nothing will change,” […]
Better get used to it. The N.C. General Assembly, after an all-too-brief adjournment during July, is about to reopen for business in its marble and masonry maze on Raleigh’s Jones […]
The Republicans who took control of North Carolina’s General Assembly with the elections of 2010 were, it could be said, licking their chops. They knew that when they came to […]
UPDATE In separate, party-line votes on June 8, the state House and Senate rejected Gov. Cooper’s attempt to convene a special session for the purpose of redrawing legislative voting districts. […]
Following the elections of 2010 – tilted as they were by an intense right-wing pushback against President Barack Obama midway through his first term – Republicans in the N.C. General […]
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 […]
Today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court affirms what many in North Carolina knew – the state’s congressional districts were deliberately drawn in 2011 to mute the voices of minority […]
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 […]
As Shakespeare’s King Lear famously put it, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.” Top Republicans in the N.C. General Assembly now might well […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
Our national politics are in an ugly place, driven by an accelerating cycle of suspicion, accusation, blame, recrimination and retaliation. The circumstances by which Neil Gorsuch takes office as a […]
For those who could not be with us at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Raleigh, video from portions of the day is available on our Facebook page. The morning […]
Thank you to those who have registered for the 2017 Legislative Seminar. We are looking forward to having you join us this Monday, March 27, at St. Mark’s United Methodist […]
They might not care for the image, but Republican members of the N.C. General Assembly act as though they were drunk with power. They have the votes not merely to […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director Newly Introduced Bills BUDGET AND TAXATION HB 329, Home School Education Tax Credit, would give a $1,250-per-student-per-semester income tax credit to the parents of […]
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 […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director Newly Introduced Bills BUDGET AND TAXES S 147, Reenact School Sales Tax Holiday. The school sales tax holiday was a three-day weekend shortly before […]
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 […]
Politics, at least in a democracy, is competitive. The analogy to sports may be simplistic but it’s not too far off the mark. Participants seek to win, and to do […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director I came to North Carolina in 1978 to work with the Baptist State Convention after completing a law degree and becoming a member of […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director As the legislative session continues, there’s been a marked increase in the number of bills being introduced. Here are summaries of several which will […]
Remarks delivered by Executive Director Jennifer Copeland at HKonJ 2017. Picture this on the marquee in front of your favorite house of worship: Pulpit for Sale! For the right price […]
Sometimes God whispers. Whether through hymns or homilies or kids dancing their way down the aisle to children’s chapel. Sometimes God shouts. Through the amplified suffering of others, known or […]
Compared with some of the provocatively, even outrageously unsuited people whom President Trump has chosen for high office, Neil Gorsuch barely moves the needle. But that’s not to say Americans […]
For more than 80 years the NC Council of Churches has stood for essential human rights and common decency grounded in the Gospel imperative to “love God and love neighbor.” […]
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 […]
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 […]
Dear Mr. Trump, You ARE my president. I did not vote for you, but you were elected, and that makes you my president because I am a citizen of these […]
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 & […]
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Durham and the NC Council of Churches invite you to join us for a brief service to pray for justice and reconciliation in our nation […]
As we watched the egregiously unqualified Donald Trump campaign for and win election to the White House, any good news on the government and politics front was likely to be […]
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 […]
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, […]
The ugly truth can’t be evaded or denied: North Carolina’s General Assembly, in the grip of an arrogant Republican majority, has plunged ahead with a shocking, shameful abuse of power […]
Remarks delivered by Jennifer Copeland at a December 15 press conference in Raleigh on the General Assembly’s second special session. For Christians around the world it is the third week […]
The NC NAACP has called for a People’s Assembly at 4:30 p.m., today, Thursday, December 15, in the General Assembly building, 16 West Jones Street. Details can be found here. […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director The General Assembly returns to town this coming Tuesday, December 13, for a special session called by Governor McCrory to consider disaster relief legislation […]
He and his supporters twisted and turned, wriggled and squirmed. But 27 days after the Nov. 8 election, Gov. Pat McCrory finally bowed to the inevitable and conceded that his […]
The response to our sign-on ad was overwhelming and inspired the staff of the Council to create the video below. Clergy who would like to have their names included in […]
No one reading this post is likely to pull a brain muscle describing ways in which the recent elections could have consequences ranging from the unfortunate to the dire. Our […]
Donald Trump’s campaign for the presidency was a waste-pit wallow through a sludge of fear and hate. That millions of Americans voted for him presumably without hating anyone says a […]
Remarks delivered by Jennifer Copeland at a November 15 press conference in Fayetteville opposing the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Roughly half the people in this country, give or take six hundred […]
Those of us aligned with the Council of Churches share a political outlook whose priorities include equal rights, equal opportunity, environmental stewardship, ample investment in public services and fair allocation […]
The NC Council of Churches has never taken peace for granted. Indeed, along with our work in opposition to violence, there has long been the recognition that peace manifests itself […]
We work toward a church that is all-loving. That’s what we’ve always done and that’s what we’re going to keep doing. Stay connected with the Council to learn about opportunities […]
For decades, the NC Council of Churches has encouraged full and unfettered access to the polls for North Carolina’s citizens. As recently as 2013, the Council’s Governing Board approved a […]
There’s more to pay attention to when voting down the ballot than just the Governor’s race, though that is surely among the most important boxes to check when you step […]
Join North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light and the NC Council of Churches for a first in North Carolina screening of “Before the Flood,” a film by Academy-Award winners Leonardo […]
Early voting in North Carolina is on pace with some of the best years on record. In the spirit of keeping the momentum building, the NC Council of Churches is supporting […]
In the midst of election season, I have been reminded once again of the importance of having an ID in order to vote. When I went to my polling place […]
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 […]
So far, our family of five has stood in line, collectively, for five hours and 15 minutes in order to vote. That’s actually the total for four of us — […]
Early voting has started across North Carolina. Going to the polls now reduces the chance of delays and complications on an election day likely to see heavy turn out. A couple of points […]
Those impacted by Hurricane Matthew in the eastern part of the state still want to vote, but the storm’s devastation has raised challenges. For those looking for information about whether […]
Remarks delivered by Executive Director Jennifer Copeland at a press conference with the NC NAACP in Raleigh on October 13. Vote your values is a rallying cry issued early and […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director of the NC Council of Churches There has been a lot of confusion about voting this year. Voter suppression laws, designed to make it […]
In September, the Council had the opportunity to partner with Americans United for Separation of Church and State on a series of trainings across North Carolina called “Keeping Sacred Spaces […]
As the election approaches, many people of faith are turning to clergy for advice and assistance in the voting process. This year the Council is partnering with the nonpartisan voting […]
When ultra-visible organizations with major economic leverage press for political change, sometimes the right thing to do is to tell them to take the proverbial long walk off a short […]
The folks in North Carolina who want to make it harder rather than easier for people to vote – a category that features top officials of the state Republican Party […]
Early in my tenure as the Executive Director of the NC Council of Churches, I needed a pithy answer to the question: “What do you do?” I honed the response: […]
The Republican Party developed a national strategy to seize and hold legislative power, and in North Carolina executed it with relentless precision. Six years into that process, however, the adverse […]
Even for ardent voting rights advocates, there’s little comfort to be gained from a federal appeals court’s finding that the N.C. General Assembly engaged in a multifaceted scheme to discriminate […]
If you’ve ever wondered how it feels to live the adage, “two steps forward, one step back,” welcome to North Carolina. We’re having a 2-step forward celebration after three long […]
The update is compiled on a volunteer basis by George Reed, the Council’s retired executive director. Weekly Update May 25, 2016 (Legislators’ identifications are listed only the first time they […]
Take heart, fair-minded North Carolinians. The state’s not-always-pristine but still vaguely operative image as a place where “the weak grow strong and the strong grow great” is in the process […]
By George Reed, Retired Executive Director of the Council North Carolina has a second primary coming up next month, and in contrast to second primaries of old, this one is […]
A federal judge’s ruling that upholds changes in North Carolina election laws, despite their effect of making it harder for some citizens to vote, seems to rest on his conclusion […]
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 […]
If Donald J. Trump successfully concludes his so-far-dominant push to become this year’s Republican presidential nominee, North Carolinians will have played a role. Some will view that role as a […]
