Video from 2011 Legislative Seminar
Video from 2011 Legislative Seminar
Watch highlights from our 2011 Legislative Seminar, including: Distinguished Service Award, Faith Active in Public Life Awards and Closing Session.
By chris
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By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
New Bills Edition: Attack on Workers Comp by New Bill H 709/S 544 misnamed Protect and Put NC Back to Work.
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
Budget Edition: Last week the chairs of the House Appropriations Subcommittees started revealing their plans for the 2011-13 budget. Not surprisingly, their plans differ in significant ways from the budget proposed by Governor Perdue. The most important difference is that the House leaders will not approve the continuation of any of the emergency tax increases enacted in 2009.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

In the wake of devastating storms that have affected North Carolina and this region, let us keep in our prayers those who have died and the hearts that mourn them, those who have been injured and the hands that care for them, those who have lost homes and belongings and the spirit that will rebuild […]
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

Friends of the NC Council of Churches in Western North Carolina will be fasting on Good Friday in solidarity with the poor, and in recognition that budgets are moral documents. They call upon Congressman Shuler to work with his colleagues find a way to balance the federal budget that does not place the burden for doing so on the shoulders of those vulnerable Americans who are least able to bear that burden.
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

For churches and other nonprofits in Raleigh that wish to grow a community garden but currently lack the land space to do so, your dream may soon become a reality thanks to proposed changes in land use restrictions. In July, Raleigh City Council members will review a policy which would allow nonprofits and community groups […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Much of the structural work of Christian unity goes on in national dialogues between or among leaders in two or more denominations. These dialogues have produced several important agreements of full communion whereby separate denominations agree to denominational reconciliation, shared worship, and shared clergy. One recent example of full communion, though, has the fingerprints of […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Sunday April 3 was a beautiful day, a perfect day for a Solarbration. The sun was shining. The trees were budding, and there was music in the air. Rev. Joe Hoffman, a member of the Council’s Governing Board, and Pastor at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville has often said that Richard (me) […]
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
The drumbeat of bad bills continues. Suffice it to say that it’s a tough year for those of us who have advocated for public policy decisions promoting social justice, protecting vulnerable people, and caring for God’s creation. We can’t respond to every bad idea or bad bill. On many of these issues, we feel like we are butting our heads against a wall. Our tendency may be to throw up our hands in despair.
By chris
by chris

With a $3 billion state budget deficit and high unemployment, you would think that lawmakers would have better things to do than invent meaningless new amendments to the state Constitution. Freshman Representative Kelly Hastings (R-Gaston) has introduced legislation for a constitutional amendment to make English the official language of North Carolina.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
Bishop Michael Curry of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina recently interviewed George Reed about the current legislative session and about the Council’s upcoming Legislative Seminar. Their conversation is an excellent reminder of why people of faith need to become involved in social justice issues.
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

More than two dozen public health organizations, including the Council’s very own Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW) Initiative, gathered together for Chronic Disease Legislative Awareness Day on Wednesday, March 23 at the NC General Assembly. We were on hand to share information and materials with state legislators about the cost of chronic disease and […]
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

A recent study conducted by researchers at Northwestern University found a link between religious activity and obesity in men and women who, at the start of the study, were between the ages of 20 and 32 and of normal weight. After eighteen years of follow-up, however, those participants who had attended a religious function at […]
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

Please join us for the 3rd Annual Jack Crum Conference on Prophetic Ministry: Saturday, April 9, 2011 Avent Ferry United Methodist Church 2700 Avent Ferry Road Raleigh, NC 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. The Jack Crum Conference on Prophetic Ministry is an annual ecumenical gathering for North Carolina faith leaders to learn, dialogue and respond […]
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

Three bands, three faiths, three nationalities. This fall there will be a free concert on the campus of NC State University. The Abraham Jam will tentatively feature The Sound of Reason, a Muslim duo from Canada; Aliza Hava, a Jewish singer/songwriter based in New York; and David LaMotte, a North Carolina singer/songwriter who is a […]
By chris
by chris

Last Saturday I got to meet Cecilia. She used to work in North Carolina’s tobacco fields, but that left her with health problems. A mother of five children, now she’s struggling to make ends meet. So when she heard about the Building Hope Project, which partners volunteer groups with community members to build chicken coops, […]
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
New bills on the budget, care of creation, criminal justice, election and campaign law, gambling, guns, health and health care, immigration, mental health, developmental disabilities, substance abuse services, public eduction, and taxes.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
The News & Observer
On Wednesday, we celebrate the one-year anniversary of passing the Affordable Health Care Act. While this legislation is not perfect, it is a crucial step toward improving our current health care system. The N.C. Council of Churches and most mainline denominations have long advocated universal health coverage, where each person receives health, wholeness and human dignity.By chris
by chris
Usted está invitado: Líderes de fe que sean inmigrantes y/o que trabajen con congregaciones de inmigrantes. Se invita a participar al clero, laicos, líderes de la comunidad y aliados de los inmigrantes.
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation – in partnership with the North Carolina Council of Churches, Center for Environmental Farming Systems, North Carolina PTA, and North Carolina Recreation and Park Association – is looking for “Community Sparkplugs” to help build a healthier North Carolina. So, what exactly is a Community Sparkplug?
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
ENCToday.com
Lenoir County is the first county in the state to receive grant awards through the “Spark Plug” program, an initiative of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation to promote healthy activity and nutrition.Ten organizations and government entities in Pink Hill, Grifton and Kinston each received a $3,000 award for projects that inspired physical activity or greater nutrition in the community.
“If every county has spark plugs in it like Lenoir County does, this is going to be a huge success,” Danielle Breslin, vice president of operations for the BCBSNC Foundation, said of the program.
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
Governor Bev Perdue on Saturday vetoed H 2, the misnamed “Protect Health Care Freedom” bill. (It should be called the “Freedom to be Uninsured and Unable to Get Health Care” bill.) The bill was an attack on federal health care reform and purported to remove North Carolinians from the mandated purchase of health insurance, which is the basis of federal reform which will move millions of uninsured Americans into the ranks of the insured.
By chris
by chris

On a blustery March day that saw snow flurries up in the mountains, more than a hundred people gathered at Black Mountain’s First Baptist Church to talk about food, faith and farms. The full-length videos below offer fresh insight into the deep connections between the food we eat and the faith to which we are […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Last week, we received a registration for our Legislative Seminar from Frances Creech. “Mother Creech,” as we refer to her here in the office, is the mother of Jimmy Creech, former program associate for the Council and a recipient of the Council’s Distinguished Service Award. She has long been a faithful financial supporter of the […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
The Durham News
Experts in theology, religion and human rights will gather in Durham March 25-26 to discuss the use of torture in the U.S. and abroad and to prepare participants for anti-torture advocacy within their own communities.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
The News & Observer
Few issues so starkly divide red and blue America than proposals to require voters to produce photographic identification when they go the polls – a debate that is set to begin this week in the North Carolina legislature.By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
Salisbury Post
Prospect Presbyterian Church, 9425 W. NC Hwy 152 in Mooresville, has achieved the North Carolina Council of Churches’ first Gold Certification for the congregation’s commitment to better health.The Rev. Joanne Hull serves as Prospect’s pastor with Sybil Perrell, RN, as the parish nurse for this rural church in the edge of Western Rowan County.
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Thursday, April 7th, 7 – 9 PM
Evergreen United Methodist Church
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
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By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
It has been quite a journey, but thanks to the vision and leadership of Rev. Joe Hoffman, a member of the Council’s Governing Board, First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville is the first success story of hopefully many more, as North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light (NC IPL) works to facilitate solar electric […]
By chris
by chris

If there were such a thing as a six o’clock news cast in the first century, Jesus the felon would appear walking down the street escorted by the police of his day—handcuffed—if you will. The announcer would tell us that the vandal who destroyed Temple property and repeatedly broke Jewish laws; the welfare king who relied on the generosity of unsuspecting middle class women to promote his suspicious doctrine; the man known to frequent the establishments of tax collectors and prostitutes—and claimed to be God, had finally been apprehended and was awaiting sentencing. Yes, in the minds of this first century felon’s accusers, he was little more than a common criminal.
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
In response to Rep. King’s hearings on the radicalization of Islam in the United States, an organization called Muslim Advocates, based in Washington, DC, created a web site, whatunitesus.us, built around a simple pledge: Whether for political gain or public notoriety, anti-Muslim rhetoric and bigotry has become acceptable in political and civic discourse. That’s not […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
Winston-Salem Journal
Some community gardens give each person a small plot of land that is theirs to cultivate for a fee.
But at the Community Garden of Promise, they weed together, plant together, mulch together and harvest together.
“This garden means fellowship to me, and the camaraderie we have with each other,” said Caroline Martin of Kernersville. “I love working in the dirt; it gets me closer to God. It’s one of the places I can meditate and relax. And I enjoy the fact that we help other people.”
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

The North Carolina Council of Churches is thrilled to co-sponsor the Wild Goose Festival this June, at Shakori Hills Farm, just outside of Pittsboro, NC. The festival celebrates uncommon ground in justice, spirituality, and the arts. It will offer a remarkable lineup of musicians, artists, speakers, performers and events over the course of four […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
The Governing Board of the North Carolina Council of Churches has voted unanimously to join the Citizens for Responsible Health Care Coalition — a diverse group of non-profits who will advocate for consumers in the formation of the Health Benefits Exchange (also sometimes called the Competitive Health Insurance Marketplace). HBEs are a critical part of the federal health care […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
First Oregon, and now Washington state is on its way to a coal-free energy future. On Saturday, March 5, 2011, an agreement was reached and legislation was passed to phase out coal in Washington by 2025. This is huge and an example to emulate. Granted northwest states have a different power mix which includes lots […]
By chris
by chris

Join Witness for Peace Southeast, the North Carolina Council of Churches, and a host of other organizations for the 25th annual Pilgrimage for Justice and Peace. The Pilgrimage takes place across North Carolina during Holy Week (April 18-22). Here’s the announcement from Witness for Peace: This is the 25th year of the Pilgrimage! Please join […]
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration

How should we understand the often painful dissonance between our convictions as Christians and the wild range of values we see in our culture in America today? That question was probed by 35 church leaders from a wide variety of Christian traditions in a Conference on the Common Good on February 21. The initial approach […]
By chris
by chris

Conference Goals: Offer a unique statewide, ecumenical gathering for faith leaders who work primarily with immigrant congregations; Help equip these faith leaders to deal with the daily challenges faced by their congregations, especially related to their immigration status; Provide a space for networking and sharing of best practices; Train immigrant rights allies, especially in faith communities, to organize and mobilize around immigration issues.
By chris
by chris

A Reflection on Public Education in God’s World Today
Rev. Joe Brown, chair of the Council’s Public Education Committee and a Presiding Elder in the AME Zion Church, is encourging congregations across North Carolina to use a Lenten Study Guide which has been created by members of the National Council of Churches Committee on Public Education and Literacy.
By chris
by chris
By chris
by chris

The blind beggar healed on the Sabbath was a threat to them! His healing, his liberation was an assault on their traditions, their values, their power, their very lives. They felt attacked. And when we are threatened, we are reactive! We do not want to let go, holding tenaciously to what we know to be true. One slip, one exception, and everything we know would crumble. Must one person’s liberation be another person’s threat?
By chris
by chris

A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to preview a new bilingual book called Listen to the Children: Conversations with Immigrant Families by Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier. It’s a valuable resource for any faith community that works with immigrants. With a practical focus and many examples from daily life, Listen to the Children offers guidance in the midst of troubled times. Here’s an interview I conducted with the author.
By North Carolina Council of Churches
by North Carolina Council of Churches
Adopted by the Governing Board, NC Council of Churches, March 1, 2011 Duke Energy and Progress Energy intend to introduce legislation that would allow them to raise utility rates on customers for construction of new power plants without going through the public rate review process through the NC Utilities Commission currently required by law. The […]
By chris
by chris

On Friday and Saturday last week, about 180 people gathered at the 2011 Come to the Table conference in Winston-Salem. Bringing together pastors, lay leaders, experts in the fields of hunger and sustainable agriculture, entrepreneurs, farmworker advocates, and many others. Conference workshops were held on Friday, with site visits and practical tours on Saturday.
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
Health Benefit Exchange Bills Introduced; Other New Bills; Updates on already introduced bills.
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Prospect Presbyterian Church in Mooresville has received the North Carolina Council of Churches’ first Partners in Health and Wholeness (PHW) Gold Certificate for their commitment to better health. Rev. Joanne Hull serves as Prospect’s pastor. Congregations from different denominations and geographic areas across the state are “exercising” their faith by acknowledging that our bodies are […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
Sojourners, a leading publication on the intersection of faith, politics and culture, ran a Feb. 16 blog about the upcoming conference opposing torture and being co-sponsored by the Council in Durham. The two-day event runs March 25 and 26, 2011, and is hosted by the Duke Divinity School. “Toward a Moral Consensus on Torture” is also sponsored by the […]
By chris
by chris
By chris
by chris

We are disturbed by increasing reports of NC landowners who are signing over some of their property rights to energy companies looking for new sources of natural gas. In addition to the environmental damage caused by accessing this natural gas, we are concerned that in many cases landowners are not fully aware of their rights and how these contracts will impact the use of their land in the future.
The following information comes from our friends at Rural Advancement Foundation International. Visit this page for more complete information.
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by chris
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

At their December meeting, members of the Council’s Governing Board elected new officers to lead the organization. Stan Kimer has been elected president. He replaces Jean Rodenbough, a Presbyterian minister from Greensboro. Kimer is a lay leader with St. John’s Metropolitan Community Church in Raleigh and represents the North and South Carolina Network […]
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

As a representative of faith-based health in North Carolina, I had the distinct pleasure of attending the 26th Annual Emerging Issues Forum in downtown Raleigh on February 7th and 8th, which focused specifically on new and promising innovations in health care. Governor Beverly Perdue; Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN; and Bradley Wilson, […]
By chris
Durham Herald-Sun
As the legislature returns to Raleigh, all eyes will be on the budget with its projected shortfall of over $3 billion. But observers expect a slew of bills on other issues as well, including one that always attracts controversy: immigration. No doubt it will be tempting for some lawmakers to try to implement Arizona’s “papers, please” immigration law here in North Carolina. But as we have already learned from Arizona, this approach is shortsighted and misguided.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
In an effort to honor creation and be more mindful of our resources, the NCCC will be reducing the number of Church Council Bulletins printed. If you are receiving a printed copy of CCB and would like to continue doing so, please contact our office by e-mail at nccofc@nccouncilofchurches.org or by phone at 919-828-6501 no later […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
For the North Carolina Council of Churches, 2010 was a year of change and of celebration. In February, the Council staff moved into offices in West Raleigh Presbyterian Church. The warm greeting from the West Raleigh family helped everyone settle in and quickly feel a part of the life of the church. In May, […]
By chris
Durham Herald-Sun
On Sunday morning, the importance of caring for God’s creation will be preached from the pulpits of hundreds of churches. The common topic thread is part of Interfaith Power & Light’s National Global Warming Preach-In this weekend.At Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Durham, the Rev. Ginger Brasher-Cunningham will urge her congregation to be mindful about how they walk on the earth and to respect creation and that God has given them this beauty.
Last year, 50 congregations in North Carolina were among the 400 preach-in participants. North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light, which is based in Raleigh, is a program of the N.C. Council of Churches.
By chris
by chris

On Wednesday, February 2, Cardinal Roger Mahoney visited UNC-Chapel Hill to highlight the Catholic Church’s position on immigration issues. Cardinal Mahoney, who represents the archdiocese of Los Angeles, delivered a message entitled “For Goodness Sake: Why America Needs Immigration Reform.” In an auditorium filled with about 200 students, professors and fellow Catholics, Cardinal Mahoney urged the audience to consider the contradictory messages contained in our broken immigration system. It is as though the U.S. has two giant billboards at our southern border with Mexico. One sign says “No Trespassing,” while the other says “Help Wanted.”
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By George Reed, Former Executive Director
by George Reed, Former Executive Director
Bills needing immediate attention; Updates on other bills; Information on contacting legislators.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
This weekend, February 11-13 is the second annual National Preach-In on Global Warming. Sponsored locally by NC Interfaith Power & Light (a program of the North Carolina Council of Churches), we are inviting faith communities throughout our state to spend some time exploring their religious response to climate change and what that means in real […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
Protecting the Common Good Let justice roll down like waters… Amos 5:24 Additional information is now available about the Council’s Legislative Seminar taking place on April 5. You can still attend! If you have missed the registration deadline, we invite you to attend this event with the understanding that we cannot guarantee a lunch. We […]
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Partners in Health and Wholeness is offering a yearly certification process to congregations across the state. As of January 1, 2011, congregations can now achieve all three levels of certification – Bronze, Silver and Gold – and receive recognition from the Council and their respective judicatories upon completion of the program.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

The North Carolina Council of Churches is a member of the Together NC Coalition. In light of the current state budget crisis, the coalition is offering concerned citizens one way to show what they value in the state. Here’s some information on what they’ve got planned: Together NC: Stand Up for NC A mobilization event […]
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Inclusive Health – a nonprofit organization created by the state to provide affordable health insurance to people with pre-existing medical conditions – offered a free webinar to clergy and other faith leaders on Tuesday, January 18. If you were unable to participate in this webinar and would like to learn more about Inclusive Health and […]
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Partners in Health and Wholeness held an informational session/training at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Goldsboro on Saturday, January 29. The event was a follow-up to the PHW Clergy Breakfast which was held back in August of 2010 at St. James A.M.E. Zion Church in Goldsboro, where clergy learned about the spiritual relevance of leading […]
By chris
by chris

The celebration of the Council’s 75th anniversary in 2010 was a timely reminder of the rich history behind this organization and an affirmation of the bright future ahead of it. Program associate Chris Liu-Beers has collected some of both in this slideshow that explains beautifully how the NC Council of Churches got its start as well as where it’s going.
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
The 2011 General Assembly convened Wednesday for its long session. The politics of this session will be unlike any we have ever known because Republicans are now in the majority in both the House and Senate, and the Governor – with a veto – is a Democrat. We’ve not been here before.
Also in this Raleigh Report: Photo ID to Vote, Health Care Reform, State Budget and more.By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
Torture conference logoOn March 25 and 26, 2011, the Duke University Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina will be hosting a conference on torture. This two-day event aims to equip participants to understand the arguments against torture and to prepare them for anti-torture advocacy within their own communities, trusting that the greatest protection against the U.S. government’s use of torture is a shared understanding that torture is always wrong.
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
By chris
by chris

Today I’m happy to announce the launch of a new project by the Council’s Farmworker Ministry Committee. The Building Hope Project connects volunteer groups with farmworker families to build small chicken coops and greenhouses. These low-cost structures help families save money and supplement their nutrition. A recent study in North Carolina found that nearly half of farmworker families don’t have enough food year-round. The good news is that with a modest commitment of volunteer time and money, your congregation can make all the difference. Jesus said to his followers, “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.”
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace

The Historic Thousands on Jones St. (HK on J) rally and march will take place on February 12 in Raleigh. A coalition of nearly a hundred social justice and community development organizations, including the North Carolina Council of Churches, have banded together to promote this event for the last several years.
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration

On February 21, 2011, a conference on “Christian Conviction and Cultural Accommodation” will be held at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Greensboro. The conference will begin with Dr. Robert T. Osborn, former professor at Duke University, speaking on The Barmen Declaration, a theological protest against German National Socialism. Then there will be conversation on Christian witness, in the public arena, without accommodating to the prevailing culture.
By chris
Letters to the Editor, Raleigh News & Observer
I have the pleasure of serving on the board of the N.C. Council of Churches. I agreed to serve on the board because the council reflects many of my life’s values. The council’s website states: “The Council enables denominations, congregations and people of faith to individually and collectively impact our state on issues such as economic justice and development, human well-being, equality, compassion and peace, following the example and mission of Jesus Christ.”By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
I hope you had a chance to see NC People this past weekend. I was honored to be invited to be one of Bill Friday’s “people.” It actually started as part of the Council’s 75th anniversary last year, though it didn’t make it to the airwaves (an outdated term, if ever there were one) until now. Bill Friday celebrated his 90th birthday last summer. Even if you are new to the state, the hoopla surrounding his birthday would have made you aware that he is one of the state’s giants. I don’t know that there’s anybody alive today who is more respected or beloved or who has had more impact on the state for a longer period of time.
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
NC Council of Churches Executive Director George Reed appeared as Bill Friday’s guest on UNC-TV’s NC People on Friday, January 7. The program also aired Sunday, January 9. George spoke with Mr. Friday about the Council’s past as well as its future, discussing the Council’s work for social justice and the role faith communities and people of faith can play.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

The North Carolina Council of Churches welcomes the Fourth Jurisdiction of the Unity Fellowship Church Movement as its newest member. The group becomes the 18th denomination which has chosen to work with the Council on issues of social justice and Christian unity. More than 1.5 million people of faith in the state are represented through […]
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By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
NC Council of Churches Executive Director George Reed has been chosen to receive the 2011 Luke Mowbray Ecumenical Award by the American Baptist Churches USA. The honor is given to an individual for his or her outstanding contribution to the cause of advancing ecumenism either through sustained performance or special achievement. George is the 19th […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
Stan Kimer, newly elected Council president, was interviewed on WUNC’s The State of Things on January 6. In his conversation with host Frank Stasio, Stan spoke about the Council and its work, including priorities for the upcoming legislative session. Listen to the interview by clicking here.
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
by David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina – the same group that brought to us the Maintain, Don’t Gain Holiday Challenge – has developed health-related bulletin inserts for the faith community. These inserts provide short, easy-to-read messages on a variety of health topics such as asthma, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease and stroke.
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By chris
by chris
By chris
by chris
Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

On November 29, 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama and the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships met with people of faith from across the country to discuss the elimination of childhood obesity. The White House is challenging churches and other places of worship to get involved by promoting physical activity and healthy eating […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Friends, We look ahead to 2011 knowing we face many challenges and that our commitment to the work we believe in must be fortified and renewed. The environment in which we will be doing our work for justice and peace in the coming New Year has changed. Legislatively, it will be a difficult two years. […]
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By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
This Prayer for Unity and monthly prayer calendar include by name the judicatories and congregations that are members of the North Carolina Council of Churches and the names of their current leaders. Your pryers for reconciliation are invited for all Christian bodies in and beyond the state.
By Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness
by Willona Stallings, Former Program Coordinator – Partners in Health & Wholeness

Are you a pastor or parishioner who is concerned about the health of God’s people? Are you troubled when you read the names of congregants who are home-bound or have been hospitalized due to an illness in the weekly church bulletin? Do you believe that our bodies are God’s temple and that we can improve our health and, in the case of secondhand smoke, the health of others by being physically active, eating healthily and not using tobacco products?
By chris
by chris
By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration

Star-Child Star-Child, earth-Child, go-between of God, love Child, Christ Child, heaven’s lightning rod, Street child, beat child, no place left to go, hurt child, used child, no one wants to know, Grown child, old child, memory full of years, sad child, lost child, story told in tears, Spared child, spoiled child, having, wanting more, wise […]
By Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
by Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director
By David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
NC Policy Watch
In recent days, the Internet has been abuzz with revelations brought to us by “Wikileaks” of comments that were never intended to be public. Meanwhile, George W. Bush is touring to promote his new book, enthusiastically admitting that he violated international and US law. As the US government calls for accountability for Mr. Assange of Wikileaks, it must consider the applicability of its own words to other situations.By Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration
by Rose Gurkin, Former Program Associate for Administration

We have been overwhelmed at the response to our brief statement regarding the protest planned for tomorrow’s service for Elizabeth Edwards. Already, as of midday on Friday, we’ve heard from more than 450 people who are standing with us against hate. Most are from North Carolina, but some are from former North Carolinians now living as […]
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