wfn.org | NCCCUSA Q&A ABOUT THE BURNED CHURCHES FUND

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org]

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

Questions and Answers About
THE BURNED CHURCHES FUND

QUESTION: What is the Burned Churches Fund?

ANSWER: The National Council of Churches (NCC)
established the Burned Churches Fund in May 1996,
stating clearly from the very beginning the Fund's
two purposes: 1) to support restoration of houses of
worship that have been burned or desecrated for
reasons of hate, and 2) to challenge the racism that
fuels the acts of hatred and continues to live on in
our nation as an offense to God.  As Susan
Berresford, President of the Ford Foundation, a
major supporter, says, "That there are more
resources to address both things is terrific and is
a wonderful expression of America's will and spirit
to stand up against this racism."

Q: Who are partners in the Fund?

ANSWER: Several other leading organizations have
joined the NCC and its 33 Protestant and Orthodox
member denominations in support of the Fund,
including the American Jewish Committee, Congress of
National Black Churches, Islamic Circle of North
America, National Conference of Catholic Bishops,
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (Union of
American Hebrew Congregations) and Standing
Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of America.

Q: What is the Fund's goal?  And how will those
resources be allocated?

ANSWER: The NCC's estimate at present is that $12
million in cash and in-kind gifts will be needed for
the Council's program to restore burned churches and
address racism.  Of all resources provided, 85
percent has been allocated to reconstruction and
restoration of the churches and 15 percent for
programs to address racism and for administration.
The budget incorporates the NCC's assessment of
needs and its commitment to respect donor
designation.  Some donors have designated their
entire gift for rebuilding, others for addressing
racism, still others a percentage for each.  Some
have asked the NCC to use their gift as needed.

Q: How much has been raised to date for the Fund?

ANSWER: As of Aug. 15, 1996, $5.6 million in cash
had been received from or pledged by foundations,
NCC-member denominations, partner religious
communities, independent churches and individuals
responding through public and church appeals.  An
additional $3.4 million in-kind contributions
include $1 million in wood products from the
International Paper Company, $2 million in
preconstruction loans along with technical
assistance in construction oversight and financial
planning from the Enterprise Foundation, GE Capital
modular units for use as temporary offices or
worship spaces, robes, Bibles, pews and other church
supplies.

Q: What support has the Fund attracted from
foundations?

ANSWER: More than 15 foundations had pledged more
than $3 million to the Burned Churches Fund as of
Aug. 15.  Those foundations included the Andreas,
Phillip & Henrietta Adler, Annenberg, Chase
Manhattan, Cummins Engine, Edouard, General Mills,
Helping Hands, Irwin-Sweeney-Miller, John D. &
Catherine T. MacArthur, Prospect Hill, Ford, W.K.
Kellogg, Charles S. Mott, Righteous Persons and
Rockefeller Foundations and the Pew Charitable
Trusts.

Q: Who decides how resources from the Fund are
allocated?

ANSWER: A blue-ribbon Grants Committee meets
regularly to determine the allocations for the
restoration of burned and desecrated churches and
other places of worship.  The Burned Churches Fund
Grants Committee is co-chaired by United Methodist
Bishop Melvin Talbert, the NCC's president, and the
Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, the NCC's general
secretary, and includes prominent civil rights
leaders Ambassador Andrew Young and Vernon E.
Jordan, Esq.

Other members are: Bishop John Hurst Adams,
Columbia, S.C., Senior Bishop, African Methodist
Episcopal Church, and Presiding Bishop, Seventh
Episcopal District (S.C.), who is Congress of
National Black Churches Founder/Chairman Emeritus;
Ms. Denise Davidoff, Moderator, Unitarian
Universalist Association, Westport, Conn.; Bishop
Joseph A. Francis, S.V.D., Roman Catholic Auxiliary
Bishop of Newark, N.J.; the Rev. Dr. Will Herzfeld,
Associate Executive Director of Global Community and
Overseas Operations, Division for Global Mission,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Chicago, the
NCC's Vice President for Church World Service and
Witness; the Rev. Bernice Powell Jackson, Head of
the Commission for Racial Justice, United Church of
Christ, Cleveland, Ohio; the Rev. Dr. Clifton
Kirkpatrick, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Stated
Clerk, Louisville, Ky.; the Rev. Dr. Timothy
Mitchell, Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church,
Flushing, N.Y., and Chief of Staff, National Baptist
Convention, U.S.A., Inc.; Dr. Diane M. Porter,
Senior Executive for Program, The Episcopal Church,
New York; Rabbi James Rudin, National Interreligious
Affairs Director, American Jewish Committee, New
York; the Rev. Dr. Bennett W. Smith Sr., Buffalo,
N.Y., President, Progressive National Baptist
Convention, Inc.; the Rev. C.T. Vivian, Board
Chairman, Center for Democratic Renewal, Atlanta,
Ga.; and Bishop R.H.L. Winbush, Chair, Congress of
National Black Churches, a Church of God in Christ
General Board Member, Bishop of his denomination's
First Jurisdiction of Louisiana, and Pastor,
Gethsemane Church of God in Christ; Lafayette, La.
The Rev. Dr. Oscar McCloud, Fifth Avenue
Presbyterian Church, New York, serves as a special
consultant to the Grants Committee.

The portion of the Fund allocated for programs to
address racism and for administration is given
oversight by the Burned Churches Program Committee.
Dr. Diane Porter of The Episcopal Church is Chair;
she also is a member of the Grants Committee.

Q: What grants have been made from the Burned Churches
Fund so far?

ANSWER: As of Aug. 15, 1996, the Burned Churches
Fund Grants Committee had allocated $1.4 million for
the rebuilding and restoration of 14 churches.
Another round of allocations is expected at the
committee's next meeting, scheduled for Sept. 4.
Meetings are by conference call.

Q: How does the Grants Committee determine a church's eligibility?

ANSWER: Preparatory work is the responsibility of
the NCC, under the leadership of the General
Secretary.  Staff conduct a detailed assessment
including a description of the damage to building
and contents and the approximate replacement cost.
Before recommending a grant from the Burned Churches
Fund, they consider other cash and in-kind resources
available to the church for restoration, including
insurance, congregational resources and other offers
of help from the community and beyond.

The assessment process also explores community race
relations before and after the attack and how the
attack has affected the church's programs.  NCC-led
teams consult with congregational leaders to help
with rebuilding plans, incorporating the need for
fire prevention and protection.  The Grants
Committee reviews all the documentation and
recommendations in light of its criteria/guidelines
for grants, votes formally on each grant and advises
the General Secretary on follow-up and monitoring.

Q: Aren't most of the burned Black churches fully
covered by fire insurance?

ANSWER: Many of the burned churches have no
insurance and others are underinsured.  USA Today,
on June 28, 1996, published its survey of 67 Black
churches burned since January 1995.  That newspaper
found 13 churches with no insurance and 31 only
partially covered.  Only 12 of the churches were
fully covered.  An insurance report on the balance
of the churches was not available.

Associated Press business writer Patricia Lamiell
reported in July, "Some Black ministers say insurers
have interrogated them as arson suspects and
routinely procrastinated on paying claims.  In a
number of cases, insurers have refused to renew
policies."  Of 10 burned Black churches contacted by
the AP, five had had their insurance dropped, Ms.
Lamiell wrote.  The NCC and its partners are
pursuing insurance-related questions for a fuller
report.

Q: Are only Black churches eligible for financial aid
and other assistance for their rebuilding and
refurbishing?

ANSWER: Any house of worship, including
white churches, synagogues and mosques, that have
been torched or desecrated out of racial hatred also
will be assessed as potential candidates for
assistance from the Burned Churches Fund.  The
National Council of Churches and Center for
Democratic Renewal are working closely together on
the assessments process.  To put forward a house of
worship for consideration for help, contact the
Burned Churches Office, Room 825, 475 Riverside
Drive, New York, NY 10115; telephone 212-870-2299.

Q: What happens next, once a grant is approved?

ANSWER: The NCC requires that the congregation
establish a separate bank account for all rebuilding
receipts and expenditures and maintain auditable
records in connection with the restoration.  The
Council forwards and in-kind assistance in stages as
needed, working closely with the congregation on
pre-construction planning, insurance needs and
construction standards.  Habitat for Humanity is
giving its particular expertise on deployment and
utilization of volunteer work teams.

Q: Who are the NCC's partners in the rebuilding
process?

ANSWER: A National Rebuilding Initiative Task Force
has pulled together many partners with whom the
NCC's Burned Churches Program is working.  At the
invitation of the Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), the NCC is co-chairing the Task
Force along with HUD itself, represented by Under-
Secretary Andrew Cuomo, and the Congress of National
Black Churches.  The Rev. Dr. Albert M. Pennybacker,
NCC Associate General Secretary for Public Policy
and Director, Washington Office, has been appointed
by the NCC's General Secretary to represent the
National Council of Churches.

Other NCC partners on the National Rebuilding
Initiative Task Force include the Enterprise
Foundation, Operation PUSH, AFL-CIO, National Trust
for Historic Preservation, Habitat for Humanity,
NAACP, Southern Christian Leadership Conference and
the American Jewish Committee.  The Task Force also
includes many prominent banking institutions:
Nations Bank, Bank One, JP Morgan, First Union,
Banker's Trust, America's Community Bankers,
Independence Federal Savings and the National
Association of Urban Bankers.  Other participants
include the American Institute of Architects,
Insurance Information Institute, Christian Reformed
World Relief Committee, Promise Keepers and
Mennonite Disaster Service.

Q: Why should a donor or volunteer work through the
Burned Churches Fund and the National Council of
Churches?

ANSWER: The NCC management of
resources and volunteers helps ensure a professional
needs assessment and a fair distribution that
neither overwhelms nor neglects any congregation.
In addition, contributions made to the Burned
Churches Fund help the Council attract matching
funds.  Checks may be written to the Burned Churches
Fund-NCC and sent to: Burned Churches Fund, 475
Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115-0050.  For
credit card gifts, phone 1-800-762-0968.

August 15, 1996
News Media Contact: 212-870-2252
Public Information Contact: 212-870-2299
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