Mercy & Compassion Campaign: Holiday Card Letters

Friday, December 13, 5-7 p.m.
School for Conversion
923 Onslow Street, Durham

Join Jose Chicas for this holiday card writing event. This will be Jose’s third year living in sanctuary unable to go home for the holidays to celebrate with his family. Come out and show your support by writing thank you cards to Congressman Price for meeting with Sandra, Jose's wife, and Jose, by phone. Bring any snacks/dishes you would like to share! Click here to RSVP through Facebook. For more information, contact Rachel Baker at rachel@ncchurches.org. 

SAVE THE DATE- Upcoming Events!

The Hard Truth: Moving the Community Towards Change

Friday, January 31, 6:30-8 p.m. & Saturday, Febuary 1, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Broughton High School
723 Saint Marys Street, Raleigh

Since racism taps into our deepest fears and longings, understanding how it works is the key to breaking down barriers that interfere with best intentions. Though the focus of these workshops is awakening white community members, all are welcome and voices and perspectives of people of color are encouraged and honored. 

The planners of this event aim to explore the impact white skin can have on perception, problem solving, and engaging in racial justice work. In her book "Waking Up White", Debby Irving tells the story of how she went from well-meaning to well-doing. She unpacked her own long held beliefs about color blindness, being a good person and wanting to help people of color. Each of these well-intentioned mindsets perpetuated her ill-conceived ideas. The aim of the event is to increase community consciousness while simultaneously shifting the conversation of race from blame, shame and denial to humility. Friday's workshop will be free to attend and general admission on Saturday will be $25 to cover a light breakfast and lunch. Registration will be open in the next week. For questions, contact our office at info@ncchurches.org or call 919-828-6501. 

Uniting Communities for Public Education Excellence

Saturday, February 15, 2020, 3-5:30 p.m.
Burlington Masjid
1908 South Mebane Street, Burlington

Saturday, February 29, 2020, 9-11:30 a.m.
Milford Hills United Methodist Church
1630 Statesville Boulevard, Salisbury

Saturday, March 7, 2020 , 9-11:30 a.m.
West Nash United Methodist Church
2200 Nash Street NW, Wilson

Are you supportive of public education and want to engage with others in effective advocacy? The North Carolina Council of Churches Public Education Committees invites you to a program for dialogue and coalition building with Dr. David Campt, Principal Consultant at the Dialogue Company. These 2.5 hour training sessions will be based on a combination of education and interpersonal dialogue around classism and racism, scarcity of resources, and the struggle for racial equity in the face of the school privatization movement. The public education trainings will be on the following dates at the following locations:

-Alamance, February 15
-Salisbury, February 29
-Wilson, March 7

Please sign up by clicking on the name of the city you are interested in attending. For questions, contact Allison Mahaley, Chair NC Council of Churches Public Education Committee, at allison.mahaley@gmail.com or (336) 212-0138.

Vigil to End Gun Violence

Friday, December 13, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Front Steps of Duke Memorial UMC
504 West Chapel Hill Street, Durham

On the 7th anniversary of the Sandy Hook massacre (December 14th) and in the wake of a local gang shooting in downtown Durham, all are invited to a vigil of prayer, reflection, and call to action. Join us and several organizations as we commemorate the Sandy Hook tragedy and to honor ALL victims of gun violence.

By this December, over 700,000 Americans will be killed or injured by guns since the Sandy Hook shooting tragedy. We urge you to join the gun violence prevention community in our collective effort to continue to shine a light on the devastating epidemic of gun violence in our nation. Click here for details of the event. For more information, contact info@ncchurches.org or call (919) 828-6501.

Clergy Breakfast in Response to the Opioid Crisis

Are you interested in learning more about the state of our state regarding the opioid crisis? Is your faith community interested in engaging in this work? If so, please join us at one of our clergy breakfasts to bring about a more compassionate response to this growing epidemic. 

At these breakfasts, you will learn about the impact of overdoses in the state of North Carolina, what harm reduction means, and what congregations can do to get involved. Our next breakfasts will be on the following dates at the following locations:

- Morganton, January 9
- Lincolnton, April 21

Please sign up by clicking on the name of the city you are interested in attending. For more information, contact Elizabeth Brewington, Opioid Response Program Coordinator, at elizabeth@ncchurches.org.

Embracing the Body: Renewing the Mind: Engaging the Spirit

Friday, March 13, 2020 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
First United Methodist Church of Hickory
311 3rd Avenue Northeast, Hickory

We invite you to celebrate with us next year at the fourth Partners in Health and Wholeness Faith and Health Summit and first Western North Carolina Faith and Health Summit. At this event, participants will find:

- Congregations filled with people who believe that places of faith can support healthier communities. 
- Communities that are being transformed by the work of faithful congregations. 
- God’s care made visible in the places we live, eat and play. 
- That each of us is made imago dei: mind, body and spirit. 

There will be opening worship, opportunities to connect with local resource organizations, and workshop sessions ranging from rural mental health to harm reduction in faith communities. Come share laughter, celebration and connection. We are excited to have clergy and health leads from congregations leading some workshops at this year’s Summit and a Community Garden Tour of First UMC Hickory’s Paradise Garden. Click here to register. For more information, contact Nicole Johnson at nicole@ncchurches.org or Karen Richardson Dunn at karen@ncchurches.org. 

2020 NC Farmworker Institute

Thursday, March 26, 2020, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
United Church of Chapel Hill
1321 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Chapel Hill

We invite you to participate in this annual gathering of agencies, organizations, and activists dedicated to improving the lives of farmworkers and their families. Summit participants share skills, knowledge, and resources through presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities. Farmworker advocates from across the state will have the chance to learn from and update one another on the latest issues affecting North Carolina farmworkers. 

Early bird registration is $50 before March 12 and includes a light breakfast, lunch and materials. On March 12, the price will increase to $60. There is space for 150 guests and we will be able to provide 50 fee waivers as needed. If you need to request a fee waiver because you are a farmworker, student, low-income, or presenter, please contact Rachel Baker at rachel@ncchurches.org to receive a code and if you have other questions. Click here to register.

Resources from the Council

Check out many of the resources we provide for faith communities on topics such as immigration, healthcare, no torture, healthy living, climate justice, educational materials, and more. These are downloadable resources that can be used as bible studies, study guides, and educational materials to distribute. For more information or questions about our resources, contact info@ncchurches.org. 

Reality Check: Pipeline to Prison with Korey Wise

Friday, December 13, 6-8:30 p.m.
Mountain Area Health Education Center
121 Hendersonville Road, Asheville

Join My Sistah Taught Me That for an event where Korey Wise, an American activist, will share his experience of false convictions, unjust incarceration, and later vindication. Wise has travelled around the United States advocating for criminal justice. He spent approximately 14+ years incarcerated for crimes he did not commit, maintaining his innocence from 1989 until he was exonerated in 2002. Join Korey Wise as he facilitates a conversation around the juvenile system. Registration is $55. Click here to register. For more information, please call (828) 335-1218. 

Annual Homeless Memorial Vigil

Saturday, December 21, 6 p.m.
Durham Central Park
501 Foster Street, Durham

Join Durham Congregations in Action (DCIA) for the Annual Homeless Memorial Vigil. Faith communities and the public are invited to share in a time of spiritual song, prayer, or reflection on the longest night of the year, the winter solstice, as we remember by name our neighbors who have lived in homelessness and died during 2019. Click here to view the event. For more information, contact dcia@dcia.org.  

Faith-Based Partner for Suicide Prevention

The Suicide Prevention Program at the Greenville Healthcare Center is seeking
assistance from the faith based community in raising awareness of Veteran suicide. They will help train pastoral staff, volunteers and family members in recognizing the warning signs and symptoms of suicide. Would you consider being a Faith Based Partner for Suicide Prevention in your county and/or do either of the following?

1. Promote and organize a Suicide Prevention training for pastoral staff in your area.
2. Provide a list of mental health resources for church members
3. Consider starting an outreach to Veterans in your congregation.
4. Post the Veterans Crisis Line link on your web page.

AND/OR

5. Participate in the workgroup Faith Based Partners for Suicide Prevention to coordinate ongoing mental health and Suicide Prevention efforts.

If you are interested in becoming a partner, please contact Tiffany Chavis, Suicide Prevention
Coordinator at tiffany.chavis@va.gov; 919-323-2379 or Chaplain Wallace R. Allen at wallace.allen@va.gov; 252-830-2149, ext. 43227 

Faithful Census 2020 Exclusive Video

Check out Faith in Public Life's exclusive video educating viewers about the upcoming 2020 Census and the importance of being counted! In past censuses, millions of children, people of color, low-income people and immigrants have gone uncounted -- perpetuating systemic racism, undermining political representation, and underfunding resources we all use, everything from hospitals to roads to schools for the next 10 years. Click here to watch this video that explains the importance of the upcoming Census.

Top 10 Climate Actions for a President's First 10 Days in Office

Our country currently faces an indisputable climate emergency. The solution to the crisis is also inarguable: We must transform our extractive economy to a regenerative and inclusive one. The actions called for in this Climate President Action Plan can be implemented by the President acting alone without any Congressional action. These ten actions form the necessary foundation for the country's true transformation to a safer, healthier, and more equitable world for everyone. Click here to get view the digital toolkit to spread the word. 

Job Opening: Executive Director

Lead NC is currently looking for a full-time Executive Director. The Executive Director will be responsible for building a pipeline of progressive leadership reflective of the changing demographics of North Carolina. This position is open until filled. Click here to apply!