As the only statewide ecumenical agency in South
Carolina, SC Christian Action Council respresents a
partnership of 16 denominations and 21 regional
judicatories, including 4,500 congregations.
The Council serves as a catalyst for:
- Social justice through public policy
advocacy;
- Christian Unity and inter-religious dialogue
through relationships, collaborations and events;
- Racial and cultural healing by building bridges
of trust and understanding.
Help the Council Earn $5,000 Challenge |
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SC Christian Action Council is pleased to announce
that several generous Council supporters have
offered to match--dollar for dollar--all new and
increased gifts to SC Christian Action Council
through December 31, 2005!
Your tax-deductible donations mean even more this
year. The Council will receive up to $5,000 in
matching money for every new or increased gift!
Here's more good news:
The Katrina Emergency Relief Act of 2005, signed
into law Sept. 23, provides the opportunity for a
taxpayer to claim, as an income tax deduction,
qualified charitable contributions of cash made from
Aug. 28, 2005, to Dec. 31, 2005, up to 100 percent
of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income.
This law even applies to gifts made to most non-
Katrina-related charitable organizations, such as SC
Christian Action Council. For more about this new
law, please contact your legal or tax advisor.
Although the Council did not receive additional
funding for ministry to evacuees, the Council helped
to coordinate pastoral care for thousands of people
who fled the Gulf Coast in the wake of the hurricanes.
According to Senate Finance Committee chair Charles
E. Grassley (R-IA), the bill was intended to increase
donations, particularly for organizations not involved
in disaster relief. "My hope in passing this
provision," said Grassley, "is that Americans'
generosity for those harmed by Hurricane Katrina
won't mean a trade-off for other important charitable
work in this country."
To make a gift of stock or securities, or to discuss
deferred giving options, please contact Julia
Sibley-Jones at 803.931.0105 or
[email protected].
Thank you for supporting the work and ministry of
South Carolina Christian Action Council. You help
to proclaim Christian Unity in South Carolina.
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A Case for Clemency--Shawn Humphries and the 1000th Execution in America |
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We regret that the timing of our newsletter
releases and the necessity of quick event planning
did not allow us to advertise these events sooner.
Read Brenda Kneece's Case for Clemency in the
State newspaper.
Please visit www.SCEJA.org
to learn about the case of Shawn Humphries,
scheduled for execution in South Carolina on
December 2, 2005. Please use the
information at www.SCEJA.org to CONTACT
GOVERNOR SANFORD IMMEDIATELY. Please ask
others to take this action, and if you have a web
page or a blog, please link to www.SCEJA.org.
As the United States approaches its 1000th
execution since the resumption of executions in
1977, more and more people understand that the
death penalty makes mistakes, disproportionately
affects the poor and people of color, doesn't deter
crime, and is expensive, arbitrary, and immoral.
For more information and ways to get involved,
please visit 1000
Executions.
ALSO: In conjunction with the anticipated execution
of Humphries and the 1000th execution in the US
since 1977, the Center for Capital Litigation is
sponsoring the "Voices of Experience" Tour, featuring:
Death Row Survivor Shujaa Graham; Murder
Victim Family Member SueZann Bosler; Death
Penalty Juror Kathleen Hawk Norman; Death
Penalty Attorney Teresa Norris.
For information on each speaker and schedule of the
tour, please visit Voices of
Experience. Events will be held in Columbia,
Charleston and Greenville.
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Community News and Events |
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The following two events are part of the annual
international day of action on HIV and AIDS which
takes place every year on December 1st. The aim
of World AIDS Day is to bring to people's attention
the challenges and consequences of HIV/AIDS in
order to create change.
December 1: 6:00 World AIDS Day, Coker
College, Hartsville. Hosted by Care Innovations,
featuring author Brenda Stone Browder. For more
information, call 843.857.0111.
December 8: 7:00 Service for the Healing
of HIV/AIDS in our Community and the World,
Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul,
Charleston. Featuring the Rev. Joseph Darby, the
Rt. Rev. William Skilton and Dr. Trevor Weston with a
reception following. Please contact
[email protected] for more information.
December 1: 6:30 Prayer Vigil, St.
Thomas Moore
Chapel, USC.If his death sentence is not
commuted to life without parole, there will be a vigil
for Shawn Humphries. Immediately following will be
a candlelight vigil at the Governor's mansion.
December 2: 4:30 Silent Vigil, Broad River
Correctional Facility, Columbia. The execution is
scheduled for 6:00. Please join us at the prison
for this witness.
December 19 - January 2: Host Soldiers
During the Holidays. Soldiers in training at Fort
Jackson may go home during this Block Leave,
though many remain in Columbia. Churches
interested in hosting a soldier for a day, please
contact Chaplain Roger Heath, (803) 429-5088 or
[email protected].
Have other South Carolina community news? Let us
know at [email protected].
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TEAM ornaments available |
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Here's a way you can support The Ecumenical AIDS
Ministry (TEAM) of SC Christian Action Council and
brighten your Christmas tree at the same time.
Purchase TEAM ornaments for friends and family.
Only 24 ornaments left! $14.95 each, with
discounts for 5 or more.
You can pick up ornaments at our offices, or we can
post them to you for a small shipping cost. Call
Doris for more information: 803.786.7115. Thank
you for supporting this vital ministry.
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Across My Desk... |
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Some days I just want to crawl under my desk.
The knee and foot space under the desk look . . .
Quiet. Undemanding. Sort-of dark and comforting.
Protected. Safe.
On top of the desk are mounds of journals and
newsletters, correspondences and notes, a computer
waiting to flash hundreds of emails and a ringing
telephone, and, always, the inexhaustible "to do"
list. The top of the desk looks anything but safe or
comforting.
Yet, the top of the desk represents the work that
remains. Where light strives to overcome darkness.
Where sacrifice is expected. Where I'm reminded that
servanthood is a Christian's comfortable place--not
personal comfort, but sacrificial servanthood.
Instead of crawling under the desk or retreating to
personal comfort zones, many people of faith find
courage to confront that which demeans,
dehumanizes, and destroys ourselves, neighbors and
fellow world citizens. They have learned that all
people are literally in the same boat and that which
harms one harms all. However, there are not nearly
enough social justice Advocates in the face of the
injustice that surrounds us.
In SC this Friday, December 2nd, an execution is
scheduled. Read the information in the responding
and hyperlinked articles. Please pray for Dickie
Smith's family and the pain and grief they have
known since his death. Pray for the family of Shawn
Humphries and the pain and grief they have known
and will know in his death. Pray personally for Holy
Spirit's guidance. Then make a personal request to
Gov. Sanford that he grant clemency for Shawn
Humphries. Act quickly for time is
short.
No time to spend under the desk now...too much
work yet remains.
...and that’s the view across my desk.
Brenda Kneece
Executive Minister
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