| | | NCC Participates in Symposiums at Joint National Baptist Convention Session | | Pictured from left to right: Renaldo Pearson, Faith for Black Lives; Rev. Dr. Willie Francois, Senior Pastor-elect of Fountain Baptist Church, Summit, NJ and co-chair of social action for the Progressive National Baptist Convention; Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland-Tune, NCC Senior Associate General Secretary and Advocacy Director; Rev. Dr. Dwight Radcliff Jr., Academic Dean for the Center for Black Church Studies and Assistant Professor of Mission, Theology and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary; Dr. Darryl Gray, Director General Social Justice, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. | | Rev. Stephen A. Green (second from right) with fellow panelists Dr. James Dixon II, Percy Glover, Tony Lowden, Kenneth Holley, Deirdra Reed, and Dr. Frederick Haynes III | Gathered under the theme "We Are Better Together" (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12), the four National Baptist Conventions convened in Memphis in a historic joint Winter Board Meeting. The four conventions — National Baptist Convention USA, Inc., National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc., Progressive National Baptist Convention, and National Missionary Baptist Convention of America — met to address issues of mutual concern. The four-day meeting agenda included several symposiums addressing topics of concern in the African American community, including: The Black Church & Mental Health Bridging the Gap between the Black Church and Black "Nones" The Role of the Black Church in the Reparations Movement The Black Church in the Struggle for Voting Rights and the Ongoing Challenge of Voter Suppression The Black Church’s Resistance to White Christian Nationalism and Dismantling Its Myths
NCC was represented on two of the symposium panels. Dr. Leslie Copeland-Tune served as a panelist on "Unholy Wedlock: The Black Church’s Resistance to White Christian Nationalism and Dismantling Its Myths,” and Rev. Stephen A. Green served as a panelist on "The Great Political Rollback: The Crucial Role of the Black Church in the Struggle for Voting Rights and the Ongoing Challenge of Voter Suppression" symposium. The historic session ended with the presidents of the four conventions committing to work cooperatively and strategically to enlarge their collective footprint when addressing issues in the Black community. | | | | ACT NOW! Tell Your Representative: Pass the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024! The child tax credit is one of the most effective ways to reduce child poverty in the United States. At a time when rising costs are leaving families struggling to make ends meet, expanding the child tax credit will make a big difference to the lives of those who need it most. During the height of the pandemic, the child tax credit significantly reduced poverty and hunger. Unfortunately, the expansion of benefits under the child tax credit ended in 2021. Since then, child poverty and hunger have increased drastically. Congress can vote as early as next week to change this by passing the bipartisan Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024. If passed, this legislation could lift as many as 400,000 children above the poverty line. It would provide relief for more than 80 percent of the roughly 19 million children under age 17 in families with low incomes who don’t now get the full credit — about 16 million children in the first year alone. This expansion includes nearly three million children under age 3. Please call your Member of Congress today and urge them to support the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024. We need your help to make a difference in the lives of so many children and their families. *Dial (202) 224-3121 to reach your U.S. Representative.
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When you call, here’s what you might say:
“Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME] from [YOUR TOWN]. I want to let [SENATOR'S NAME] know that our country needs to reduce child poverty—which has doubled since 2022. That's why I support the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024. As a Christian, I believe it is immoral for children to go without meals, medical care, housing, and other vital needs, especially when we have the power to take immediate action. This expansion of the child tax credit is long overdue. It will put money in families' pockets and allow them to provide essential needs for their children. The funding in the tax agreement is more important now than ever. For people in my community, in our state, and across the country, wages can't cover the high cost of monthly bills, like groceries medical co-pays, and childcare. Far too many people are being pushed into poverty. Now is not the time for politics as usual. Enough is enough. Congress must work together to pass the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 without delay. "
Find Your Representative Here | | | | | | | | | Download "A Month of Unselfish Love" Journal | | Grace-Based Films, the production company behind the newly released film, "A Case for Love," has created, "A Month of Unselfish Love" journal. This journal was created as part of the 30-day "Month of Unselfish Love" initiative launched on January 23. This initiative invites people from across the country to engage in acts of selflessness and document their journey in the journal. More information can be found here. | | | Steps Toward Change: Join the Pilgrimage for Ceasefire in Gaza | | Join Faith for Black Lives, National Council of Churches USA, Rabbis for Ceasefire, Hindus for Human Rights, The Pennsylvania Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philadelphia), Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, Black Church Center for Justice and Equality, Kairos Center, Freedom Church of the Poor, and Until Freedom on a Pilgrimage for Peace to demand a Ceasefire in Gaza. From February 14 to February 21, faith leaders, activists, and artists will journey on a pilgrimage from Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA to the White House to urge President Biden to call for an end to the war in Palestine. Moved by our conscience, we stand united to address the ongoing tragedy in Gaza, where the death toll has reached over 24,000, the deadliest conflict in the 21st century. As we continue to mourn the loss of innocent Israeli lives on October 7, we firmly believe that responding to violence with more violence is not the solution. We urge President Biden and Congress to halt weapons funding to Israel and, instead, channel efforts toward increasing humanitarian aid to Palestine. It is our collective responsibility to advocate for a peaceful resolution and uphold the principles of justice and compassion.
We will either sow seeds of nonviolence today or reap nonexistence tomorrow. Register online at https://actionnetwork.org/events/pilgrimage-for-peace/.
Pilgrimage for Peace Route February 14, 2024 - Philadelphia, PA to Chester, PA February 15, 2024 - Chester, PA to Wilmington, DE February 16, 2024 - Wilmington, DE to Newark, DE February 17, 2024 - Newark, DE to Perryville, MD February 18, 2024 - Havre de Grace, MD to Joppa, MD February 19, 2024 - Joppa, MD to Baltimore, MD February 20, 2024 - Baltimore, MD to Laurel, MD February 21, 2024 - Laurel, MD to Washington, DC | | CMEP Leaders Visit Palestinian Territories, Jordan, and Lebanon | | CMEP’s Executive Leaders Delegation Stands in Solidarity with Bethlehem Christian and Church Leaders hosted by Lutheran Bishop Azar in Beit Jala in January 2024 | Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) executive leaders returned to the United States this week after completing extensive visits with Patriarchs and Heads of Churches, pastors and local Christians, political leaders and heads of state, peace activists, and human rights leaders in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories, Jordan, and Lebanon. CMEP leaders advocated for an end to all violence and called for a comprehensive ceasefire, highlighting the massive number of deaths and demanding an end to the bombing and ground invasion and its effects on civilians in Gaza. CMEP also advocated for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas and other militant groups and the release of Palestinian prisoners. In addition, CMEP demanded immediate and adequate humanitarian access be granted to Gaza so that basic needs like water, food, electricity, and health care be provided and not utilized as leverage for political aims.
Read the full statement here. | | | | Register for the Mass Poor People's and Low-Wage Workers' State House Assembly in Annapolis | | | | | SAVE THE DATE! SATURDAY, MARCH 2, in ANNAPOLIS March at 11 a.m. Assembly at 12 p.m.
Sign up to be part of a powerful presence with the Maryland Poor People's Campaign as Mass Poor People's & Low-Wage Workers' State House Assemblies are held in 38 state capitals in a Day of Nationally-Coordinated, Simultaneous DIRECT ACTION ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY!
Join thousands of people across the nation to bring the demands of 140 million poor and low-wealth people directly to lawmakers! Everybody in, nobody out!
We call on all who believe in and demand: living wages, healthcare, voting rights & stopping voter suppression, equal rights for all, worker/labor rights, environmental justice, access to housing, fully-funded public education; abolishing poverty…
… and all who believe IN THE UNITY OF LOVE, not the division of hate! | | | | Webinar Offers Reflections on the
Council of Nicaea | | Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC | A webinar on February 8, “From Nicaea, Walking Together to Unity: The Beginning of a New Beginning,” will offer deep reflections on the Council of Nicaea and its enduring legacy for Christians today. The general secretary of the World Council of Churches, Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, will join His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in offering opening greetings to the event, alongside Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, and Bishop Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher, general secretary of the World Evangelical Alliance. The webinar comes as the Christian world is preparing to celebrate in 2025 the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which brought together for the first time bishops representing the whole of Christendom. The event is being supported by the Pasqua Together 2025 (Easter Together 2025) initiative, which is calling for all churches to celebrate Easter on the same date, as currently Eastern and Western Christianity have different ways of calculating when Easter should fall. As well as marking the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, 2025 is one of the years when all churches celebrate Easter on the same date. Other speakers at the webinar will reflect on the Council of Nicaea as a new Pentecost, understanding the Nicene Creed, Nicaea and the challenges of the churches’ global mission today, and many other topics. Interpretation is being offered into Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Italian. More information can be found here. | | Breaking Barriers: Latinos and Education, Economic Mobility, and the Catholic Church | |
Many Latinos in the United States are left behind in education, economic life, and political life. Educational attainment among Latinos lags behind national averages for high school completion, college education, and other important educational benchmarks. For many, the decision to complete high school and continue to postsecondary education can be socially discouraged, financially difficult, or legally impossible. Many economic measures–unemployment, poverty, income, housing–also reflect these disparities. National policies and politics, major institutions, and anti-immigrant attitudes often undermine progress and hold back the leadership and participation of Latinos in American society.
With an expansive network of high schools, colleges, and universities, along with extensive ministry programs for youth and young adults, the Catholic Church in the United States is uniquely positioned to address these challenges and respond holistically to Latinos’ social, economic, and pastoral needs. Nearly half of all U.S. Catholics are Latino, including more than 60% of Catholics under the age of 18. Yet far too few Latino Catholic children attend Catholic elementary schools, high schools, or universities.
Three remarkable leaders will explore questions such as: How can U.S. policies address these disparities and the ways they hold back Latinos and diminish all of society? What needs to change? How can the Catholic community, with its institutional, pastoral, and social resources, respond to these realities? How can young Latinos who have broken barriers in their own lives, education, and work help those who come behind them?
This gathering will have three parts: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. | Welcoming Happy Hour
Meet and network with other young Latinos over food and drink
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. | Salt and Light Gathering
A dialogue and conversation on “Breaking Barriers: Latinos and Education, Economic Mobility, and the Catholic Church” with three leaders
8:00 - 9:00 p.m. | Reception
Continue the conversation over food and drink
More information on this event can be found here. | |
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