The Racial Justice Working Group, a historic ministry of the National Council of Churches, has been newly formed and will provide discernment and leadership for the Council's 37 member communions on the issues of race and justice.

The Working Group met Washington March 24-25, 2011, to establish its directions and goals for the future. See the agenda below. For additional information, contact the Rev. Michael Livingston.

The Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, NCC general secretary, has invited member communions to name members to the Racial Justice Working Group. The members are appointed by their communions for a two year term, beginning March 24 when they are commissioned by the NCC's Justice and Advocacy Commission.

The members of the Racial Justice Working Group are:

Jana Carter is currently a student at Bethany Theological Seminary in the M. Div. degree program. Prior to entering seminary, Jana served as the Director of Search for Common Ground's Racial Healing program. More ... The Reverend Jeffrey Haggray serves as Senior Pastor of The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, DC.  A native of Savannah, Georgia, Haggray has been pastor of The Black Church at Yale, New Haven. More ... Erin M. Hawkins is General Secretary of the General Commission on Religion and Race, The United Methodist Church. She is lead official of the denominational agency that has as its ministry to promote racial inclusiveness. More ... Rev. April G. Johnson serves is the Minister of Reconciliation for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. She brings to this work a deep passion for racial understanding, justice and compassion.  More ...

Father Frank Krebs, M.Div., has been serving as Pastor of Sts. Clare & Francis Community in St. Louis, MO since 2006.  Sts. Clare & Francis is a member community of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion (ECC, see www.ecumenical-catholic-communion.org).  More ...

 Brad A. Martell is the peace and justice ministries specialist at Community of Christ International Headquarters, Independence, Mo.   He has been an ordained minister since 2001. More ... Dr. John Mendez, has left a trail of experience as a social activist and community organizer who has spent much of his life on the forefront fighting for justice and being the voice for the voiceless. As a preacher, professor, philosopher, and psychotherapist, Dr. Mendez’s contributions are far reaching. More ...
Rev. Dr. Sky Paradise is an ordained Swedenborgian Pastor from New Church of the Southwest Desert. Dr. Paradise holds a Ph.D. degree from St. Louis University and an M.T.S from Pacific School of Religion at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif. More ...
Judith B. Roberts is the Director for Racial Justice Ministries for the Congregational and Synodical Mission unit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. More ... Rev. Shanda R. Short is an Itinerant Deacon in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and serves as Executive Minister at St. Matthew AME Church, Orange, N.J. and the Supply Pastor for St. Thomas AME Church in Newark, N.J.  More ...  Sandy Sorensen currently serves as Director of the United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries, Washington, DC office.  Sandy has served in a variety of capacities in her nearly 20 years of experience in the national setting of the UCC. More ...
 Rev. Dr. Wayne A. Williams is  Dean (Shreveport Branch) of the Interdenominational Theological Center Extension Program (eighteen month program) of the I.T.C. of Atlanta, Georgia. More...



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