Christian Church(Disciples of Christ)
Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
96b-80
September 23, 1996
Contact: news@cm.disciples.org
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (NCC) -- The task of rebuilding houses of worship burned for reasons
of hate was given a significant boost Sept. 7 in Memphis when the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
and Congress of National Black Churches met to form a partnership to assist the devastated
churches.
Their joint National Rebuilding Task Force Initiative is making available a package of
resources for the burned churches, participants announced. The package includes grants,
in-kind contributions, professional and volunteer services from a number of sources, along
with $10 million in private sector loan guarantees, administered by HUD, to help in the
rebuilding. This loan program is part of the Church Arson Prevention Act, passed and
signed
into law this summer.
Among the 250 participants at the one-day National Rebuilding Initiative Conference,
held at LeMoyne-Owen College and Metropolitan Baptist Church, were pastors of burned
churches from Tennessee and adjoining states. Presenters included Andrew Cuomo, assistant
secretary of HUD; the Rev. Albert Pennybacker and the Rev. Mac Charles Jones of the NCC;
(Ms.) Sullivan Robinson, CNBC; Memphis Mayor W.W. Herrenton, and Flo McAfee, White
House Office of Public Liaison.
The "burning of a church affects us all," said Cuomo to the group. "And
these burnings
are all the more reprehensible when you consider so many people came to this country
seeking
religious freedom. The burning of a church is an attack on a basic freedom."
Cuomo stressed that the arsons are a symptom of a greater illness in our society. "It
is the
illness of bigotry, hatred or frustration that prompted the arson, so we have to get at
this illness
and remove it," he said to loud applause.
"Our purpose here today is to see how three organizations can form a beautiful
partnership
(and) put together financial packages to rebuild our burned churches," he continued.
"And the
National Council of Churches has been at this matter for some time and their work has been
exemplary."
Jones, while praising the new partnership with HUD and the CNBC, admonished the
churches to "do for self." Everybody must put something on the table, Jones
declared. "If there
is to be a real partnership, we all must contribute," Jones noted. "In this
partnership you must
be the driver--you've got to call the shots. Black churches have a tradition of
independence in
our community -- let's keep it that way."
During his brief remarks, Pennybacker of the NCC emphasized that the council was not
"in the business of building churches, but in creating a reconciled life
together." Foremost
among the objectives at the NCC was to "allow the churches to move into the future
with
strength and integrity," the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) minister
explained. And he
hammered away at what he deemed the root causes of the fires. "Racism is a monster
and it
feeds and satisfies only itself--and we must call racism into question."
Robinson of the Congress of National Black Churches noted that she was proud to be in
cooperation with the rebuilding effort. "We at the CNBC understand the pain,"
she began,
"and the fires have brought us together like never before. We are resolved not to go
into the
21st century with the same degree of hatred that has fomented these fires."
A pilot meeting of the National Rebuilding Task Force Initiative was held two weeks ago
in Columbia, S.C., with attendees including South Carolina pastors from burned churches.
The
next in the series of regional conferences is set for Oct. 12 in New Orleans.
Following are some other developments in the NCC's ongoing campaign to rebuild black
churches:
* The NCC has taken out an ad in 10 black newspapers to continue the rebuilding of black
churches and the fight against racism. Over the last two weeks there have been black
churches
burned in Sacramento, Calif.; Arkansas and Mississippi.
* Among a number of organizations and institutions sponsoring fund-raising drives to
rebuild burned churches is the New York University School of Social Work. Calling their
initiative "From the Ashes," teachers and students will host several activities
to raise funds for
the Burned Churches Fund. "We just want to do our part to help those who have had
their
houses of worship destroyed," said Christine Rollet, campaign spokesperson.
* A Church Rebuilding Conference will be held Sept. 26-29 in Birmingham, Ala.,
sponsored jointly by the NCC, Washington Quaker Workcamps and Habitat for Humanity.
The conference will provide participants with an overall understanding of the relationship
between the churches and volunteers committed to assist in the rebuilding of the burned
churches. A number of other entities that will be collaborating in this effort will
attend, along
with pastors from burned churches.
* And Oct. 24-26, in Columbia, S.C., the NCC, in collaboration with regional
organizations in the Southeastern U.S., will convene an anti-racism conference. The focus
of
the conference will be fighting racism in the wake of the church burnings and development
of
strategies for justice and reconciliation. It will involve speakers and participants from
local,
regional and national groups.
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