Successful 2nd Annual Black Church Summit

By: Dr. Sylvia Rhue, Director of Religious Affairs, www.nbjc.org

The National Black Justice Coalition presented a wildly successful 2^nd Annual Black Church Summit at the historic Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia on Saturday March 10, 2007. The keynote speakers Rev. Deborah L. Johnson of Innerlight Ministries (Santa Cruz, CA), and the Rev. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson (University of Pennsylvania) left the audience stunned by their radiant, blazing intellect and palpable spiritual power.

After the keynote speeches, a debate/discussion was held on "Homosexuality, the Church and Black Folk" which became a classic teaching experience on how to answer the tough questions on sexuality and theology. It will be used extensively in the future as we proceed and continue the discussion on sexuality and religion.

The panel on "Homosexuality, the Church and  Black Folk" and featured Bishop Yvette Flunder of the City of Refuge Church (San Francisco) who was absolutely incandescent as she guided the audience into the heartfelt depths of advanced theological and spiritual wisdom.

Bishop Flunder is a prophet, a visionary, who touches people's souls and makes them believe in something greater than themselves.  The Summit also featured Bishop Harry Jackson of the High Impact Leadership Coalition who was gracious even as he presented oppositional positions to lesbian, gay, bisexual states of being.

We thank everyone involved with special thanks and blessing to Rev. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Rev. Deborah Johnson, and Bishop Yvette Flunder. We thank the volunteers who were outstanding!

We thank the dedicated workshop presenters:
Bishop Flunder, Rev. Deborah Johnson, Rev. Ken Samuel, Rev. Jeffrey Jordan, Elder Tonyia Rawls, Rev. Benjamin Reynolds, Rev. Loyce Newton-Edwards, Bishop John Selders, Rev. Steven Baines, Rev. Derick Wilson, Samiya Bashir, Rev. Joseph Tolton, Rev. Horace Griffin, Wilhelmina Perry and Rev. Jeffrey Jordan.

A special thank you to two groups that helped to organize and guide the Summit:

NBJC's Religious Advisory Committee:
Rev. Steve Baines, Mandy Carter, Harry Knox, Rev. Irene Monroe, Rev. Loyce Newton-Edwards, Elder Tonyia Rawls, Rev. Benjamin Reynolds, Bishop John Selders, and Rev. Joseph Tolton, Deacon Meredith Moise.

And the Philadelphia Group:
Rev. Stephanie Carter, Rev. Jeffrey Haskins, Rev. Jeffrey Jordan, Rev. James Mills, Sr., Rev. Kevin Taylor, Rev. Derick Wilson.

A gracious thank you to Stanley Bailey, Delores Lyons, Michael Hinson, Stephen Glassman, Greg Satorie, Pam Spaulding and Phillip Terry, and everyone who took the time to attend, participate and enjoy this historic event.

Finally, we could not have produced/created this Summit without our wonderful co-sponsers:

(Alphabetically)
Equality Florida
Freedom to Marry
GLSEN-- Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network
GMHC-- Gay Men's Health Crisis
The Gill Foundation
NCLR-- National Center for Lesbian Rights
Office Max
People For the American Way
The United Church of Christ
The Unity Fellowship Church Movement

The 2^nd Annual Black Church Summit certainly was the place to be as participants expressed emotions that ranged from "This renewed my faith in God," to "I no longer feel homeless," to "This is a turning point in my life." For many, the Black Church Summit was life-changing.