wfn.org | NCCCUSA NEWS BRIEFS RELATED TO BURNED CHURCHES

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Contact: Carol J. Fouke, NCC, 212-870-2252
Internet: carol_fouke.parti@ecunet.org

NCC8/8/96                     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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NCC NEWS BRIEFS:

  PROGRAM ON BURNING OF BLACK CHURCHES TO AIR AUG.
12
  MUSIC EVENT AT HISTORIC VILLAGE TO BENEFIT BURNED
CHURCHES
  CHILDREN JOIN IN PRAYERS FOR BURNED CHURCHES
  SAN FRANCISCO ART, CHURCH COMMUNITIES HELP BURNED
CHURCHES
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PROGRAM ON BURNING OF BLACK CHURCHES TO AIR AUG. 12

 NEW YORK ---- "The Churches Are Burning," a
program about the current epidemic of hate-motivated
attacks predominantly on African American churches,
will air on the Faith & Values Cable Channel on
Monday, Aug. 12, at 6:30 p.m. (Eastern time) and
repeat at the same time on Monday, Sept. 23.

The 24-minute video visits St. John Baptist
Church in Dixiana, S.C., which was burned twice, and
examines the racism behind the fires.  The program
shows the key role of the National Council of
Churches in bringing visibility to the burnings and
in working to rebuild the churches and address
racism.

News of the burning of the churches has brought
forth a remarkable outpouring of concern by the
American public, including contributions to the
Burned Churches Fund, established by the National
Council of Churches and supported by a broad
ecumenical and interfaith community.

"The Churches Are Burning" also is available on
video.  For free rental, phone 219-264-3102; to
purchase (for $19.95, postage and handling
included), phone 800-251-4091.  The program was
produced by the National Council of Churches.

*  *  *

MUSIC EVENT AT HISTORIC VILLAGE TO BENEFIT BURNED
CHURCHES

 NEW YORK ---- A day of music at the village of
Waterloo, a national historic site in Stanhope,
N.J., on Sunday, Aug. 11, will benefit the Burned
Churches Fund, established by the National Council
of Churches.

 Sponsored by the village and the Waterloo
United Methodist Church, the benefit will feature
new folk/acoustic music from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
There will be a free afternoon church sing-along at
3 p.m. at the Waterloo United Methodist Church,
Waterloo Village Road, led by composer/organist Mark
Miller of the Chatham United Methodist Church.

 "It is a sad day when sacred symbols are
destroyed," said the Rev. Rebeca M. Radillo, pastor
of the Waterloo United Methodist Church.  "These
acts of irreverence and hatred demand that
communities such as ours respond in a caring and
concrete way."

 In addition to the Day of Music, an ecumenical
service will take place in the village at 3 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 18.  The Jersey City Christ the King
Roman Catholic Church choir will offer special
music, and money raised for the burned churches will
be presented.

 Waterloo is an historic community, located in
Allamuchy Mountain State Park.  It is the site of an
arts festival.  On September 20-22 the Geraldine
Dodge Poetry Festival takes place.

 The Waterloo event is one of a number of
benefits and special programs being held across the
country.  Contributions may be mailed to the Burned
Churches Fund-NCC, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY
10115.  For credit card contributions, telephone 1-
800-762-0968.

*  *  *

CHILDREN JOIN IN PRAYERS FOR BURNED CHURCHES

 NEW YORK ---- Children from a church in Salt
Lake City are sending their hopes and prayers for
the Burned churches.  Barbara deNevers, a teacher at
the Wasatch Presbyterian Church, Salt Lake City,
wrote the National Council of Churches, "Our church
was burned 22 years ago, July 2.  I was eight years
old at the time and it was a frightening and
devastating experience."

 Ms. DeNevers shared with Wasatch's youth "my
experiences as a child in a congregation dealing
with this tragedy.  Our kids were impressed with the
gravity of this situation and are keeping the
children across the country in our prayers," she
said.  She sent along letters from children ages 3
to 10 and asked the NCC to forward them to
"congregations in need of this kind of support."
One child wrote, "One day you will get your church
back.  Our church burned and the love of Jesus got
us through."

*  *  *  *

SAN FRANCISCO ART, CHURCH COMMUNITIES HELP BURNED
CHURCHES

NEW YORK, Aug. 6 ---- Contributions totaling
nearly $20,000 were presented to the National
Council of Churches today for the Burned Churches
Fund by Pamela McDonald, the director of audience
development of the Fine Arts Museums of San
Francisco.

Receipts were from a special event "Rebuilding
the Churches" at the De Young Memorial Museum
sponsored jointly by the Board of Trustees of the
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the San
Francisco Foundation FAITH Initiative, and the San
Francisco Interfaith Council on July 15.

Ms. McDonald presented the checks to the Rev.
Dr. Robert Polk, associate general secretary and
head of the National Ministries Unit of the Council,
and the Rev. Clifford Droke, the Council's chief
financial officer, in New York on August 6.

The July event featured speeches by San
Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr., who had
declared the day "Rebuild African American Churches
Day" and two ministers who had helped organize the
event, the Rev. Laird Stuart of Calvary Presbyterian
Church, and the Rev. Edgar Boyd, pastor of Bethel
African Methodist Episcopal Church.  They gave
messages from the burned churches.

Henry S. Parker, III, director of San
Francisco's Fine Arts Museums, addressed the group
of more than 900 who came to hear the story of the
burned churches, view current exhibits, and listen
to music.  Two members of the San Francisco Opera,
Claudia Waite and Hope Briggs, one black and one
white, sang a duet of "America, the Beautiful".

In addition to a $20 charge for tickets, money
was raised by advertising the fund through the Fine
Arts Museums' telephone system.  Many persons
contributed additionally.  The venue, food, and
entertainment were contributed.  Participants in the
evening's success ranged from the music group Beach
Blanket Babylon to the Graduate Theological Union,
Berkeley.

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