Many of our member congregations have joined together on this statement proclaiming that love of neighbor will guide our decisions about how and when our faith communities will come together face to face again. Though signatures are no longer being collected, you are welcome and encouraged to use this language in your communications and to share it with your own house of faith:
The Charlotte region has thousands of diverse faith communities impacted by the persistent and serious threats associated with COVID-19. Each faith community has found creative ways to express our core beliefs and spiritual practices under the social distancing guidelines. We yearn for connection and the chance to worship together. We understand and respect Governor Cooper’s recent announcement transitioning North Carolina towards the easing of restrictions. COVID-19 remains a considerable threat. Lest we forget, faith communities who sang together, shared meals, and stood shoulder to shoulder were initially hit hardest by the virus. Regathering prematurely risks the spike of infection.
We will approach the complicated process of regathering in our temples, mosques, sanctuaries and meeting halls with abundant caution and intention. Respectfully, these decisions may not align with the guidelines offered by government officials. We share the belief that all people are created in the image of God. It is the health, safety, and well-being of our communities and neighbors that motivate us towards making decisions that will care for and protect one another.
With Hope,
Claude Alexander – The Park Church Rev. Megan Argabrite – Amity Presbyterian Church Nathan Arledge – Myers Park United Methodist Church Rev. Floretta Barbee-Watkins – The Avenue, PCUSA Rev. Sherri Barnes St. Andrews – United Methodist Church Rev. Pamela Blackstock – Central United Methodist Church Rev. Deb Blackwood, PhD – Episcopal Diosese of North Carolina Rev. Dr. W. Benjamin Boswell – Myers Park Baptist Church Linwood Brooks – Woodlawn Community Fellowship Matt Brown – South Mecklenburg Presbyterian Church Rev. Gregory B.F. Brown – The Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter Rev. Dr. Gregory Busby – McClintock Presbyterian Church Rev. Lee Canipe – Providence Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Jerry L. Cannon – CN Jenkins Memorial Presbyterian Church Rev. Veronica E. Cannon – The Presbytery of Charlotte Reverend Michelle Chappell – Dilworth United Methodist Church Imam Atif Chaudry – The Islamic Society of Greater Charlotte Rev. John Cleghorn Caldwell – Presbyterian Church Joseph J. Clifford – Myers Park Presbyterian Church Rev. Andrea Conder – St. Francis United Methodist Church Jonathan Coppedge-Henley Cokesbury – United Methodist Church Revs. Russ and Amy Jack Dean – Park Road Baptist Church Cheri Dennis – Holy Covenant United Church of Christ Rev. Matt Drumheller – First Presbyterian Church, Albemarle The Rev. Chip Edens – Christ Church, Charlotte Rev. Dr. Jan Edmiston – The Presbytery of Charlotte Rev. Dr. Dennis W. Foust, PhD – St. John’s Baptist Church Donnie Garris – Antioch Baptist Church Rev. Darryl R. Gaston – Smallwood Presbyterian Church Rev. Patrick S. Hamrick – First United Methodist Church Rev. Dr. Susan A. Heafner- Heun – The Vine, United Methodist Church Sally Herlong – Mecklenberg Ministries Rev. Herbert Hill – Covenant Presbyterian Church, Kannapolis The Rev. Sarah D. Hollar – St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Reverend James Howell – Myers Park Methodist Church Rev. Gene Humphreys – Church of the Holy Comforter Rev. Larry D. James – Southend Presbyterian Church Rev. Greg Jarrell – QC Family Tree Rev. Jennifer Helms Jarrell – QC Family Tree Rev. M. Blake Kendrick – Providence Baptist Church Dorothy J. Killian, M.Div, J.D. – Memorial Presbyterian Church Rabbi Dusty Klass – Temple Beth El Rabbi Asher Knight – Temple Beth El Rev. Jay Leach – Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte Jae Lee Calvary – United Methodist Church Rev. Steve Lindsley – Trinity Presbyterian Church Marina Luckhoo – Faith Community Nurse Rev. Fred Lyon – The Presbytery of Charlotte Luke H. Maybry – Matthews Presbyterian Church Rev. Sonya Mcauley-Allen – Bellfonte Presbyterian Church Rev. Jolin McElroy – First Christian Church Rev. Ray S. McKinnon – South Tryon Community United Methodist Church Rev. Lisa McLennan – Selwyn Avenue Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. F. Timothy Moore – Sardis Baptist Church Rev. Kate Murphy – The Grove (PCUSA) The Rev. Reginald A. Payne-Wiens – Chapel of Christ the King Pendleton Barnes Peery – First Presbyterian Church The Rev. Jacob Pierce – St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Rev. Alexander Porter – Bethpage United Presbyterian Church Rev. Lori Archer Raible – Selwyn Avenue Presbyterian Church Rev. David Roberts – Watershed Amanda K. Robertson – The Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter Rev. Valerie Rosenquist, Ph.D. – First United Methodist Church Rev. Robin O. Sands – St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Rabbi Judy Schindler – Stan Greenspon Center for Peace and Social Justice at Queens Univ. Katie Sloan – Philadelphia Presbyterian Church Rev Lorezno Small, Sr. – First United Presbyterian Church Rev. Marion Sprott-Goldson – St. Martin’s Episcopal Church Rev. Shavon Starling-Louis – Meadowlake Presbyterian Church, Huntersville Amanda Stephenson – St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
Rev. Amelia Stinson-Wesley – First United Methodist Church Cantor Mary R. Thomas – Temple Beth El Rev. Danny Trapp – Philadelphia Presbyterian Church Rev. Susan Suarez Webster – Central United Methodist Church Rev. Dr. Peter M. Wherry – Mayfield Memorial Missionary Baptist Church Rev. Nina Wynn – United Methodist Church The Rev. Rebecca Yarbrough – The Chapel of Christ the King (Episcopal)
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