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Click here to forward this newsletter to other interested friends!
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.
| Invest in the Common Table--donate today! |
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The financial support of individuals just like
you sustains the Council's common table of
ministry and makes possible the important work of
Christian Unity, Social Justice and Racial
Reconciliation. These individuals along with
you are the Council.
It is our prayer that YOU will make a
contribution to the Council in the immediate future.
This mid-year offering will relieve the financial stress
on your Council's budget and permit us together to
continue and expand the ministries that you
associate with your ecumenical partnership.
As you have noted in recent e-newsletters our
recent work areas include Christian Unity, Education
Funding Equity, Predatory Lending, Death Penalty
and Immigration.
We have hosted a workshop on Advocacy and
training on Congregational Preparation for Pandemic.
We have mourned the death of a beloved Bishop,
celebrated the service of Board members and
volunteers, attended annual business sessions of
member judicatories, and continued to nurture the
relationships which maintain the common table of
Christ that is the South Carolina Christian Action
Council.
One of our most exciting new events is a brown-bag
lunch issue series sponsored by your Advocacy Work
Group. Join us at Shandon Presbyterian Church in
Columbia on the third Tuesdays of September,
October and November from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Issues
will include restorative justice and immigration.
We also need your financial support. Won’t you
consider a special contribution? It is an investment
in the common table, the reunion ground, the
ministry of Christian Unity.
Please send your check today payable to SC
Christian Action Council, PO Box 3248, Columbia, SC
29230-3248.
Yours in Christ,
Fred Sheheen, Chair, Financial Development
Committee
John Harmon, Board Treasurer
Debbie Dantzler, Board President
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| Two special opportunities: September Brown Bag Series and "But What About Us" Exhibit |
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September 19: The Advocacy Work Group of
SC Christian Action Council is pleased to kick off its
Autumn Brown-Bag Lunch Series.
The Council is continually reviewing the issues facing
South Carolina to discern how we, as the state-wide,
collective Christian voice can weigh in on matters of
faith, prophetic witness and social justice.
Please join us at Shandon Presbyterian Church, 607
Woodrow Street, Columbia. We will begin promptly
at noon and adjourn at 1:00 p.m.
September 19: Restorative Justice,
facilitated by Virginia Barr, SC Department of Juvenile
Justice. Put on your thinking cap, bring a lunch and
a friend, and join us for stimulating conversation.
August 20-27: Also, don't miss seeing the
But What About Us?
Student photographs from the Corridor of Shame
exhibit at Trenholm Road United Methodist
Church.
Trenholm Road UMC has graciously offered to
open their facility for any group that is
interested in
hosting a meeting the week August 20-27 in
the location of the exhibit.
If your group is interested in hosting a meeting during
this week, there is no charge for using the facility
and they will set it up with chairs/tables either
classroom or auditorium style.
This is such a wonderful opportunity to have more
people see this exhibit. We hope to encourage as
many groups as possible to meet in this space during
the week of Aug 20-27.
For more information, contact Geah Pressgrove,
803.771.6106.
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| Community News and Events |
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August Town Hall meetings with Representative Joe
Wilson on Immigration Reform.
August 9: West Columbia. 6:00 pm
Brookland Baptist Church Community Center.
August 11: Hardeeville. 6:00 pm
Palmetto Electric Cooperative New River Location.
August 14: Barnwell. 5:00 pm
Barnwell County Courthouse. For more information,
contact Kim Olive, 202.225.2452. Read Rep. Wilson's
opinion in the State newspaper, then join
him at one of the meetings to voice your opinion.
August 15: SC Presbyteries Disaster
Response Planning Event. Saxe Gotha
Presbyterian Church, Lexington. 10:30 am - 12:30 pm.
August 22- October 15: 7th Episcopal
District,
AME annual conferences. Click here for a full schedule of upcoming
annual conferences.
September 15: Faith-Based Healthcare to
Reduce Health Disparities Conference, Madren
Conference Center, Clemson. The purpose of this
conference is to enhance understanding of
relationships among health services research, faith-
based organizations, spirituality, and health
outcomes. For more information call 864-656-0779.
September 16: Special Convention to
Elect New Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of South
Carolina. St. Philip's Church, Charleston,
beginning with eucharist at 9:30 am. Click here to
view the announcement
of nominees and their biographies.
September 16: Greenwood Wellness
Celebration. 10:00 am - 2:30 pm Greenwood
Mall. This event seeks to promote all aspects of
wellness including Healthcare, Economic,
Family/Spiritual and ommunity. For more information
contact Toni Draper, 864.223.8431.
October 20-22: 2006 National
Observance of Children's Sabbath. For
information and to order manual email:
ssnyder@children'sdefense.org or visit
www.childrensdefense.org.
October 20-22: 2006 National Weekend
of Faith and Action on the Death Penalty. NWFA
is an opportunity for faith communities, interfaith
groups, human rights activists, and others to
examine the death penalty from a faith-based or
values-based perspective. Register on-line or request more
information from khoule@aiusa.org.
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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| Comings and Goings |
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Here's a sampling of April activities for the staff of
SC Christian Action Council.
August 10: Strategic Planning Meeting, Greenville.
(Brenda)
August 15: Interfaith Restorative Justice Network.
(Brenda)
August 17: Advocacy Work Group.
(Brenda, Julia)
August 17: Development Committee. (Brenda, Julia)
August 29-30: State Minority Issues Conference.
(Brenda)
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Across My Desk... |
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Picture it: Ballons, gifts, flowers, candles and cake.
You guessed it: a birthday party.
Today in a very real sense I'm announcing the birth
of a new Council.
The South Carolina Christian Action Council is
YOU: its supporters, its member bodies, its
volunteers. By adding another partner to your
common table, your Council is reborn. Put away are
the old alliances and working paradigms for such an
addition brings a new day with additional resources
and insights and the potential for even greater
alliances.
In May, your Board unanimously welcomed into the
Council the United Church of Christ. Initially, the
UCC will be represented by two congregations acting
in chorus to share the rights and responsibilities of
membership. The two congregations are the Garden
of Grace UCC, Columbia and the Circular Church,
Charleston (dually aligned PC-USA and UCC). They
will provide the volunteers for Board membership and
workgroups as well as the Fair Share of Support
expected from member bodies. Click here to find out
more about the United Church
of Christ family.
Your Council will continue to hold to its mission
working for the common good. We
will continue to listen to one another. We will
continue to seek to understand each other. We will
continue to be enriched by the strengths of each
other. We will continue to pray and cry for each
other. We will continue to accept and affirm
differences. We will continue to celebrate reunion
ground even as we forge it. When your Council's
table grows, so do its resources of Spirit, insight, and
action.
Other news to note: also in May, Council partner, the
Baptist Education and Missionary Convention of SC
launched is website. We
celebrate the results of the investment of time and
resources made by Baptist E & M Convention and
wish them God's blessing on this and other endeavors.
Aren't birthdays fun?
...and that's the view across my desk.
Brenda Lynn Kneece
Executive Minister
(Respond to Brenda here:
bkneece@sccouncil.net.)
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