PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION

A Quarterly Newsletter Voice ISSUE No 9 - FALL 2014 The Ferguson Issue Progressive National TO ALL PNBC CONSTITUENTS: as part of my pledge to lift our voice on Baptist Convention Elects behalf of the voiceless, this bulletin is sent to inform you of how we are involved in speaking to the situation in Ferguson, MO as a result of the police Rev. Dr. James C. Perkins murder of Michael Brown on Saturday, as 20th President August 9, 2014. Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Rev. Dr. James C. Perkins, Attached you will see a letter signed jointly by Senior Pastor of Greater Christ Baptist Church African-American denominational leaders. The in Detroit, Michigan, was elected as the 20th conference call that pulled us together and the President of the Progressive National Baptist letter were initiated and crafted by the African- Convention (PNBC) by delegates attending the American Clergy Network led by PNBC icon Dr. 53rd Annual Convention. States Perkins, “I am Otis Moss, Jr. and former president, Dr. T. honored to be elected as president of this DeWitt Smith, Jr. This letter was delivered to historic organization. I look forward to serving Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D) representing our pastors and churches and to making our the 5th District of Missouri which includes voice heard on the critical issues of our time.” Ferguson, MO. This letter is intended to Dr. Perkins’s goals for the PNBC include demonstrate to him and the people of Ferguson returning the denomination to its roots as “a and the entire district that they have the premiere prophetic Christian body that collective support of the African-American proclaims the gospel’s social justice message.” faith community. In 1961, PNBC started as a movement which reflected the religious, social, and political You will note that we are asked to contribute to climate of the time. Its mission was to transform the funeral expenses for Mr. Brown. If you want the traditional African American Baptist to make a contribution towards this effort, please forward your gift to PNBC Convention as well as society. The formation of Headquarters right away with MICHAEL BROWN written on the left hand the convention was wrapped up in the Civil corner of your check. Rights movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s struggle for freedom for African Americans. I have been in communication with PNBC pastors in the area and urged them It was PNBC that provided a denominational to support Reverend Sharpton's rally for unity on Sunday, August 17th. home for Dr. King and many of the Baptist leaders in the Civil Rights Also, I have been in touch with the Progressive State Convention of New Movement. In concert with the York through President Marcus Ware to urge them to participate in the march denomination’s historical on Staten Island, NY at 12 noon to commemorate the life of Eric Gardner and ideologies, Perkins has to protest police brutality. Mr. Gardner as you know was also a victim of created a mission police murder. statement that is relevant for a 21st-century African American The larger social justice issues in both these unfortunate incidents are police community and will drive his brutality and disrespect for the lives of Black people. We will continue to strategic goals. address these issues as an ongoing part of our social justice message.

YOUR SERVANT, DR. JAMES C. PERKINS, PRESIDENT PNBC

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Joint Statement of Heads of speak in the spirit of redeeming policeman's name, we recommend Historic African American love, nonviolence, and the following actions as a Joint reconciliation. Statement of heads of historic Church Denominations, African American Church Independent Churches, the In light of the injustice perpetrated Denominations and Independent National African American by the Police Department of Churches, the National African Clergy Network, Ferguson, Missouri, the cover up, American Clergy Network and and late release of the "shooting" Faith Partnerships Inc., concerned and Faith Partnerships, Inc. clergypersons of color, minorities everywhere Regarding The in America, and clergy Brutal Killing of of goodwill. Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri We express our moral outrage at the lack of justice, and issue an In light of the long and immediate call for true bloody trail of justice in the untimely lynchings, deaths, and death of Michael Brown. killings of African Mr. Brown was a American youth from promising African Emmett Till, to Trayvon American male in Martin, to Michael Ferguson, Missouri, Brown, and scores of who will be buried at others throughout our the time he was nation, we call for scheduled to enter action, justice, and the college. transformation of our society. While Michael We share an Brown is physically appreciation for the dead, justice must not work done by be buried with his Congressman Emanuel young body. Cleaver, a member of the Congressional Black The following is a Caucus, clergy, legal statement regarding the experts, and all people of untimely and unjust goodwill, who are killing of Michael Brown working to resolve the in Ferguson, Missouri, inequities of this who is spiritually "our senseless murder. We lift child;" and a child of the our voices as well against African American and the senseless murders of concerned American so many young black community. We stand in youth and men, from solidarity with the Emmett Till to Trayvon suffering community of Martin, now Michael Ferguson, Missouri, and

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now Michael Brown and nameless All active denominations and non- African Methodist Episcopal Zion unarmed others who have been cut denominations in the Faith (A.M.E. ZION) down in their prime for being “young, Community must "push" for robust Bishop George E. Battle, Jr., Senior Bishop gifted, and black”. voter education, voter registration, Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E.) and voter participation beginning in We are family-oriented in our values 2014. This ensures that elected officials Bishop Lawrence L. Reddick, III, Senior Bishop in the African American community who choose to do wrong can be and believe that every child is our replaced by those who will represent (C.O.G.I.C.) child. We embody the famous African the preservation of life in ethnic proverb, “it takes a village to raise a communities where a Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. child.” As such, Michael Brown has disproportionate amount of killings, Presiding Bishop been and is our child, now in death as unsubstantiated sentencing and jail Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, he was in life in Ferguson, Missouri. time are unwarranted means for International We, therefore, pledge to help the perpetuating racism and bias against Brown family - Michael's biological ethnic minorities. Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr. family of origin - with burial costs. Presiding Bishop and Founder We also support the establishment of As a move toward community an Educational Memorial Fund in reconciliation, we urge that all charges Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III Michael's name...so that he, and be dropped against those who Presiding Bishop-Elect young men like him, will not be protested and were arrested for National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. forgotten. exercising their First Amendment Dr. Julius R. Scruggs, President Rights to lawful assembly. We will remember prayerfully all the young men who have lost their lives In order that all of these actions are Progressive National Baptist Convention, in senseless killings by insensitive and promptly accomplished, we pray to Inc. (P.N.B.C.) unenlightened police, who fail to God that "justice roll down like water Dr. James C. Perkins, President properly protect and serve, and who and righteousness as an ever-flowing Independent Church Leaders are untrained in community relations, stream" - Amos 5:24. lacking in cultural competency, or Dr. Cynthia D. Hale, Pastor have chosen to pull a trigger This document is signed by.... Ray of Hope Christian Church, Decatur, prematurely, rather than exercise good GA judgment. Conveners, Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Dr. Frederick Haynes, Pastor Friendship- Co-Chair, National African American West Baptist Church, Dallas, TX We request a meeting with United Clergy Network States Attorney General in Dr. Otis Moss, III, Pastor support of his efforts to bring an end Dr. T. DeWitt Smith, Jr., Co-Chair, Trinity , , to this brutal pattern of injustice. National African American Clergy IL Network We call on all churches in the faith Dr. Raphael G. Warnock, Pastor Ebenezer Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., Chairman, Faith community, especially those Baptist Church, , GA Partnerships, Inc. representing the African American Diaspora, to hold Memorial Services African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) this Sunday or next Sunday in honor of the memory of Michael Brown, in Bishop Jeffrey Nathaniel Leath accordance with church calendars. We President, Council of Bishops call for an end to the cutting down of Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, Presiding Bishop precious God-created lives like his Office of Ecumenical and Urban Affairs and so many others. Bishop Cornal Garnett Henning, Sr. (Retired, A.M.E.)

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