wfn.org | Partnerships Key to NCCCUSA Poverty Mobilization

[Carol Fouke <carolf@ncccusa.org>]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2227;
news@ncccusa.org; www.ncccusa.org
NCC6/1/01 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NCC, Habitat for Humanity's New Partnership Aims to End Poverty Housing
Growing Network of Partnerships Key to NCC's 10-Year Poverty Mobilization

June 1, 2001, NEW YORK CITY - Habitat for Humanity President Millard 
Fuller, addressing the National Council of Churches' Executive Board at its 
May 30-31 meeting here, hailed the two organizations' brand-new partnership 
as an important step toward ending poverty housing in the United States and 
around the world.

The partnership is one in an emerging network of collaborative work to end 
poverty in the United States.  Through its Poverty Mobilization, launched 
in November 2000, the NCC is focused on making a measurable difference 
against poverty over the coming decade in such areas as housing, child 
poverty, health care, public education, environment and public policy, 
including welfare and budget priorities.

The NCC's second major focus is its exploration of a broader Christian 
unity in the United States.  Toward that end, plans are being laid for an 
exploratory conversation among representatives of major Christian 
traditions - tentatively, at a 48-hour "retreat" in September.

In relation to that exploration, the Board welcomed Father John ("Jack") 
Hotchkin, Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious 
Affairs of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB), who affirmed 
the NCCB's "interest in meeting together to think together and share what 
we might be called on as church communities to do in the future."

In addition to the NCC's own member communions, the U.S. Catholic Bishops' 
Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs has confirmed its 
participation, as has the Salvation Army.  Dr. Edgar reported interest from 
several other denominations, including several Evangelical and Pentecostal 
bodies.

And, on May 30, the NCC, NCCB and Diocese of the Armenian Church of America 
co-hosted an ecumenical prayer service celebrating the 1700th anniversary 
of Armenia's conversion to Christianity, welcoming as honored guest His 
Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. 
 The service, and tandem lecture and reception, were held at the Roman 
Catholic Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

The NCC and Habitat for Humanity in March signed a "Memorandum of 
Understanding" that lays the groundwork for a growing list of joint 
endeavors.  As a first step, the NCC's General Secretary, Dr. Bob Edgar, 
will join Mr. Fuller and Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter in Korea in August to 
help build 100 houses.

The NCC's Justice for Women Working Group is exploring the possibility of 
co-sponsoring a "women's build" with Habitat for Humanity, and the NCC's 
Church World Service and Witness Ministry is exploring international 
collaborations. Dr. Edgar will participate in Habitat for Humanity's 25th 
anniversary celebrations in September in Indianapolis, and is considering 
taking the NCC Executive Board's spring 2002 meeting to Americus, Ga., 
where Habitat for Humanity has its headquarters.

"For 25 years, I've desired a relationship with the National Council," Mr. 
Fuller told the Board.  "I'm just thrilled to be here. We need each other."

He continued, "We're seeing the manifestations of a new movement, like that 
to end slavery.  I want to see the church of Jesus Christ in the forefront 
saying that poverty housing, substandard housing, homelessness are a 
disgrace before God," and that it is "an abomination, a shame and a 
disgrace to have people living in miserable, substandard, subhuman 
conditions."

Among a growing list of other partnerships, the NCC's Poverty Mobilization 
also includes:

* a closer working relationship with the Children's Defense Fund, with 
which the NCC has related in a variety of ways throughout CDF's 27-year 
history.

The NCC is among supporters of the CDF-initiated Act to Leave No Child 
Behind, unveiled May 23.  This new, comprehensive bill seeks to deliver 
children from poverty, violence, abuse, neglect and poor education.

Dr. Edgar and United Methodist Bishop Melvin G. Talbert of Nashville, 
Tenn., an NCC Executive Board member and former president, serve on the 
steering committee of the CDF's Mobilization to Leave No Child Behind.

The NCC's Deputy General Secretary for Research and Planning, the Rev. Dr. 
Eileen W. Lindner, last July (2000) became shared staff with the CDF, where 
she is Acting Director of Religious Affairs.  "This enables the two 
organizations to work more effectively in areas of mutual concern," Dr. 
Lindner said.  "For example, CDF wants to get its Campaign to Leave No 
Child Behind out to the churches and help churches find their role within 
that campaign."

The Rev. Rebecca Davis, NCC Ministries in Christian Education contract 
staff for Justice for Children and Their Families, also serves as the CDF's 
Director of Religious Networks and thus a further bridge between the two 
organizations.

* Many other groups, including the National Religious Partnership for the 
Environment, Call to Renewal, Good Schools Pennsylvania, Micah 6, state and 
local ecumenical councils across the United States and the NCC's own 36 
Protestant and Orthodox member communions.

In addition to Mr. Fuller from Habitat for Humanity, the Executive Board 
heard several other presentations related to work against poverty, 
including one by Hannah Rosenthal, Executive Vice President of the Jewish 
Council for Public Affairs.

She addressed the Executive Board May 30 on her vision for ending poverty 
in the United States, including welfare reform that measures success not by 
how many people are dropped from welfare rolls but by how many people are 
lifted out of poverty.

Ms. Rosenthal urged local churches to go door to door to assess needs and 
deliver services.  She noted that community members might not know where 
the nearest parenting center is "but they know where their churches are."

Following Ms. Rosenthal's presentation, NCC President Elect Elenie K. 
Huszagh of Nehalem, Ore., presiding, spontaneously asked the Board to 
"affirm our cooperation with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs as we 
work together on poverty in America."  The Board approved, unanimously.

The Executive Board also heard from Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the 
Religion Action Center of Reform Judaism.  He affirmed the importance of 
the religious community's work to affect public policy.  "The budget is the 
great moral document of America," he said.  "It conveys our values, defines 
who we are and affects real people in every congregation."

Every NCC Executive Board meeting includes review of the Council's 
financial and administrative life.  Steady progress was reported on work to 
strengthen the NCC's finances over the past 18 months.

The Executive Board approved a balanced NCC FY2001-2002 budget that, given 
today's economy, is 2 percent lower than the current budget, putting next 
year's projected revenues at $6,850,970 and holding projected expenses at 
$6,840,037

"We've been able to work through an enormous array of difficult financial 
and administrative issues," said Dr. Edgar, who took office in January 
2000.   "We haven't gotten there yet, but we've come a long way."

In other business, the NCC Executive Board honored two departing staff 
members-Dr. Barbara Ellen Black, the NCC's Interim General Manager, and the 
Rev. Dr. William Rusch, NCC Director of Faith and Order.

-end-