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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.
| Advocating For Change: Poverty and the Growing Economic Divide |
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South Carolina Christian Action Council teams up with
Catholic Charities, Lutheran Family Services of the
Carolinas, Presbyterian Church (USA), SC Coalition of
Black Church Leaders and SC Conferenc of the United
Methodist Church to present the Council's 3rd Annual
Advocacy Day.
Our theme, Advocating for Change: Poverty and
the
Growing Economic Divide, will guide our
exploration of
1) what it means to be an advocate, 2) how our
faith tradition influences and empowers our advocacy
and 3) why people of faith must be advocates.
The Rev. Mr. Joseph Darby, Pastor of Morris Brown
AME Church in Charleston, will be our keynote
speaker and will Cast the Vision for us! Click here for a recent interview with
Rev. Darby.
Mr. Andrew Genszler, Director for Domestic Policy for
the Evangelical Lutheran Chuch in America, will offer
a workshop on How to be an Effective Advocate.
Mr. Genszler has both theological and political science
degrees and currently works with the Lutheran Office
for Governmental Affairs in Washington, D.C.
Everyone is welcome to participate. We especially
encourage members of the clergy to come, network
with other faith leaders and learn more about your
important leadership role as an advocate.
We will gather at 12:30 at the Stavros Lecture Hall in
the Virginia Casey Education Center on the campus
of the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. Click here for directions
and a campus map.
Please register by calling 803.786.7115 or email Julia
Sibley-Jones at jsibley@sccouncil.net.
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| Thanks for a Great End-of-Year Show of Support! |
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The Board of Directors of SC Christian Action Council
is pleased to report a huge success for our annual
end-of-year fund drive.
Thanks to your generosity, we finished 2005 in the
black. Our matching-gift challenge was instrumental
in this accomplishment. Most gifts were eligible for
matching, thus increasing total giving to 250% of last
year's total. And that's without including the
match!
Two gifts were earmarked to help off-set production
costs, making this one of the most cost-effective
campaigns in Council history.
With your continued support, together we will
continue to offer more opportunities for ecumenical
and inter-religious worship, training and witnessing.
We will continue to offer ways to live and work
together as the body of Christ in South Carolina.
Meant to send in a donation and time slipped away?
Send it now!
We have a little of the matching money still on the
table--please help us make the entire match. It's
never too late (or too early) to help proclaim
Christian Unity in South Carolina.
To make a gift of stock or securities, or to discuss
deferred giving options, please contact Julia Sibley-
Jones at 803.931.0105 or jsibley@sccouncil.net.
God is able to provide you with every blessing in
abundance, so that by always having enough of
everything, you may share abundantly in every good
work. --II Corinthians 9:8
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| Community News and Events |
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February 17: Sister Helen Prejean speaks
in Augusta. 8:30 a.m., Aquinas High School. Call
912.201.4067 for more information.
February 23: Faith-Based Neighborhood
Partnerships Community Conference. Nehemiah
Community Revitalization Corporation (CRC) is co-
sponsoring with SCCAC a Faith-Based Neighborhood
Partnerships Conference to be held at Brookland
Baptist Church in Columbia. Keynoters are Dr. Charles
E. Young, President of Allen University, and Rev. Jim
Dickerson, pastor of New Community Church and
founder and Board Chairman of Manna, Inc. in
Washington, D.C. For more information, check www.nehemiahcr
c.org or contact Natoshia Mayer at (800)438-
7315 or nmayer@nehemiahcrc.org.
February 24 and 25: James R. Adams,
President of The Center for Progressive Christianity.
Click here for more
information.
March 7: 3rd Annual Advocacy Day.
1:00-4:30 p.m., Casey Center, Lutheran Theological
Southern Seminary, Columbia. See above article for
more information or email jsibley@sccouncil.net. Click here for a flyer.
March 8: Children's Advocacy Day.
Sponsored by Voices for SC's Children. Click here for more information.
May 18: Anticipating Crisis: A Christian
Response to a Pandemic. SCCAC's 2006 Annual
Meeting. 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Join us for
ecumenical worship, lunch and speakers at St. Luke
Lutheran Church, Florence, SC. Save the date and
watch for more details!
Have other South Carolina community news? Let us
know at sccac@bellsouth.net.
We include information on community events as
space and time allow; and, only in accordance with
the mission and policies of SC Christian Action
Council. We do not accept unsolicited articles.
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Across My Desk... |
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With the State Legislature in full-swing, now is the
time to watch, pray and make your voice heard.
Watching is important. Our Legislature needs to know
that South Carolina's citizens demand that its
decisions be made in the bright light of day.
Decisions made behind closed doors between power
brokers are suspect in the democratic process.
Watch. Dispell the darkness. Make a difference.
Praying is important. Whether voiced out loud or via
positive vibrations sent toward the Statehouse, our
Legislative servants deserve and need prayer
support. All of them need the prayers of all of us.
Pray. Plead your case. Make a difference.
Making your voice heard is important. Every member
of the Legislature with whom I have spoken,
emphasizes the importance of citizens making known
their positions and desires on the challenges faces
our state. You and your voice count. Yet, many do
not vote . And few have on-going conversations with
their Representative or Senator. Raise your voice.
State your case. Make a difference.
Across the board, the people serving in our state
Legislature--women and men of different races and
diverse parties-- are elected to serve all the citizens
while representing their districts.
Here are some links which will help you watch, pray,
and raise your voice.
Still not sure? Come to the Council's 3rd annual Advocacy Day to
learn how to make your voice heard.
Go. Make a difference...
...and that’s the view across my desk.
Brenda Kneece
Executive Minister
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