wfn.org | NCC Executive Board "Weighs In" On Confederate Flag,

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

Hotel Campaigns

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Email: news@ncccusa.org  Web: www.ncccusa.org

Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2227

18NCC3/3/2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES EXECUTIVE BOARD "WEIGHS IN"
ON CONFEDERATE FLAG, HOTEL CAMPAIGNS

 March 3, 2000, NEW YORK CITY - The National Council of 
Churches Executive Board today "weighed in" on the side of 
the NAACP and others seeking to pressure South Carolina to 
stop flying the Confederate battle flag over its capitol.  
It also resolved not to meet in any Adam's Mark Hotel 
pending positive resolution of a civil rights lawsuit 
against the chain.

While the 54-member Board stopped short of outright 
endorsement of the NAACP's call for economic sanctions 
against South Carolina's tourism industry until the flag 
comes down, the resolution supports the National Urban 
League, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and 
four NCC member communions in their decisions to relocate or 
cancel events scheduled for South Carolina, and commits the 
Executive Board to review and "take appropriate action" in 
respect to NCC meeting sites.  

 The Committee on the Uniform Lesson Series of the NCC's 
Ministries in Christian Education set its March 19-23, 2000, 
meeting for Charleston, S.C., three years ago - well before 
the NAACP's January 1, 2000, call.  About 40 people are to 
attend.

Breaking the contract with the Radisson Hotel would 
cost the NCC $100,000, not including new site costs - a 
particular blow given the Council's financial stringencies 
and lack of reserves, said MCE's Executive Director, the 
Rev. Patrice Rosner.  "We asked the Radisson to relocate us 
to another state, but they couldn't." 

Still wanting to support the economic sanctions, MCE is 
working closely with local churches and the NAACP to move at 
least some parts of the meeting, including a reception and a 
meal function, out of the hotel.  In addition, the Committee 
will sponsor a "service of reconciliation" in a local church 
and make a public statement in support of the 
NAACP-led campaign.

At least four NCC member communions - the African 
Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal 
Zion Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and 
the Progressive National Baptist Convention - have relocated 
or canceled events scheduled for South Carolina.  The 
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church is struggling now to 
withdraw an annual conference, reported Bishop Paul A. 
Stewart Sr. of Birmingham, Ala., the CME's ecumenical 
officer.

 In a second resolution, the NCC Executive Board voted 
to join The Episcopal Church, an NCC-member communion, in 
declining to meet in any Adam's Mark Hotel, pending positive 
resolution of the issues that are the subject of a civil 
rights lawsuit alleging a broad pattern of racial 
discrimination by the hotel chain's parent company. 

The lawsuit was filed in December 1999 by the U.S. 
Justice Department, Florida Attorney General and NAACP.  It 
cites patterns in which African Americans were charged 
higher room rates, given inferior accommodations and subject 
to quotas in restaurants.

 In other business, the Executive Board:

* Marked the 85th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.  
Between 1915 and 1923, during the days of the Ottoman 
Turkish Empire, 1.5 million Armenians were killed.

* Elected the Rev. Wendy L. Pomeroy as Director, 
Immigration and Refugee Program, NCC/CWSW, beginning March 
15.  The program works to ease suffering in refugee camps 
around the world and links church sponsors with refugees 
admitted to the U.S. for resettlement.  (Year 2000 budget: 
$17 million.  Anticipated U.S. resettlement "caseload": 
11,000 refugees.)  Most recently Conflict Transformation 
Program Director for the World Conference on Religion and 
Peace, New York, she has professional experience as a non-
profit executive director, international non-governmental 
organization program director, organizational consultant and 
international bank account officer.  

* Honored the Rev. Dr. Rodney Page, Executive Director 
of the NCC's Church World Service and Witness ministry, who 
will retire on May 15.  Dr. Page also will be honored at the 
CWSW Unit Committee in Portland, Ore., in mid-March.

* Confirmed the following as its meeting dates for 
2000: May 22-23, Washington, D.C.; October 2-3, New York 
City; November 14, Atlanta, Ga.  The NCC General Assembly 
will hold its annual meeting November 15-17 in Atlanta.  The 
Executive Board set its year 2001 meetings for February 26-
27, New York City; May 7-8, Washington, D.C., October 1-2, 
New York City, and November 13, Oakland, Calif., with the 
General Assembly to meet November 14-16 in Oakland.

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