This Easter on ABC: 'Hope is Back!'

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

>This Easter on ABC:
>'Hope is Back!'

New York, April 12, 2011 -- A dynamic, joyful celebration of Easter, presen ted 
by the National Council of Churches and produced by New York's Marble C 
ollegiate Church, will broadcast this month on ABC. 

HOPE IS BACK! is a celebration of Easter filled with touching music, life-c 
hanging stories of faith and a powerful sermon from the pastor of Marble Co 
llegiate, the Rev. Dr. Michael Brown.  

Shot on locations around New York City and at the historic Marble Collegiat e 
Church, HOPE IS BACK! features a solo from Tony-award winner Ben Vereen s 
inging the spirit-filled "Oh, Happy Day." 

HOPE IS BACK! is an uplifting and positive celebration of the resurrection  of 
Jesus Christ using contemporary metaphors grounded in solid theology.    
As Brown says, "Our Faith contends that God's power is greater than any cha 
llenges the world throws our way - that life is stronger than death and tha t 
hope is restored for us all." 

Wesley M. "Pat" Pattillo, NCC Associate General Secretary, Justice, Advocac y 
and Communication, represents the NCC on the Interfaith Broadcasting Comm 
ission, which plans many high-quality network programs similar to this one  
each year. Shirley Whipple Struchen is the NCC's Coordinator of Electronic  
Media Programming. 

View the trailer at http://www.ncccusa.org/news/110412hopeisback.html.

Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of Christ  in 
the USA has been the leading force for shared ecumenical witness among C 
hristians in the United States. The NCC's 37 member communions -- from a wi de 
spectrum of Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical, historic Africa n 
American and Living Peace churches -- include 45 million persons in more  than 
100,000 local congregations in communities across the nation.

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office), 646-853-4212 (ce 
ll), pjenks@ncccusa.org