Featured

Faith Leaders Call on Legislators to Commit to Jobs, Justice and Human Rights

Published

8 years ago

August 26, 2016

Three Oakland pastors are taking the lead to bring together interfaith religious leaders to participate in coordinated faith community actions next month at statehouses across the country to revive the country’s moral commitment to jobs, justice, immigrant rights and an end to mass incarceration.

California’s action in Sacramento, which will be part of the nationwide protests on Monday, Sept. 12, will be coordinated by: Rev. Ken Chambers of Westside Missionary Baptist Church, Servant B. K. Woodson of the Bay Area Christian Connection and Unitarian Rev. Kurt Kuhwald.

Teaming up to organize the protests in California and other states is the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and an organization called The Revival, which calls for “a moral revolution” in the country’s values, is headed by Rev. Dr. William Barber of Moral Mondays in North Carolina and Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr. of Riverside Church in New York City.

SEIU is a leading force in the Fight for $15 campaign, which seeks to raise the wages of low-income workers across the country.

Rev. Chambers, who along with the other two ministers recently returned from a national Fight for $15 rally in Richmond, VA, says the central issue of the Sept. 12 action will put state legislators and candidates on notice that they are expected to address the intertwined crises that are suffocating people in this country.

“This is about reforming America, the incarceration system, the housing crisis, the fight for 15 dollars an hour and labor rights, lack of jobs and skilled training, immigrant rights and excessive college tuition,” said Chambers.

“These things are necessary for America to thrive. We’re going to continue to deteriorate if we do move to higher moral ground.”

Speaking during a national conference call Wednesday, Rev. Barber said that already 116 faith leaders – including Muslims and Jews – are participating in the national call to action.

“We’re taking on the Christian Right,” Rev. Barber said.

“Somebody has to take on the way morality has been limited by the right, with the backing of big business, rather than to focus on the fundamental issues of jobs, justice and civil rights.”

Rev. Barber spoke at the recent Democratic National Convention, talking about the need to address the country’s “heart problem.”

The Revival has been circulating a moral declaration that says, “Our moral traditions have a firm foundation upon which to stand against the divide-and-conquer strategies of extremists. We believe in a moral agenda that stands against systemic racism, classism, poverty, xenophobia, and any attempt to promote hate towards any members of the human family.”

Also working on the action locally are the Interfaith Council of Alameda County and the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Oakland.

Organizers are holding a meeting on Wednesday Aug. 31 at 9 a.m. to organize the Sacramento protest. The meeting will be held at Westside Missionary Baptist Church at 732 Willow St. in West Oakland.

For more information, call (510) 239-6969.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Related Topics:Fight for 15 immigrant rights jobs Justice Ken Chambers Mass Incarceration Moral Mondays police accountability protest SEIU The Revival

Up Next

49ers Bring Science and High Tech Opportunities to Bay Area Youth

Don't Miss

Oakland Chinatown Development Approved Despite Community Displacement Concerns

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Community

Rest in Peace: A.M.E. Pastor and L.A Civil Rights Icon Cecil “Chip” Murray Passes

The Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, former pastor of First African Methodist Episcopal Church (FAME) in Los Angeles, died of natural causes April 6 at his Windsor Hills Home. He was 94. “Today, we lost a giant. Reverend Dr. Cecil Murray dedicated his life to service, community, and putting God first in all things. I had the absolute honor of working with him, worshiping with him, and seeking his counsel,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of the dynamic religious leader whose ministry inspired and attracted millionaires as well as former gang bangers and people dealing with substance use disorder (SUD).

Published

13 mins ago

April 18, 2024

Oakland Post

The Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, former pastor of First African Methodist Episcopal Church (FAME) in Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture.

The Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, former pastor of First African Methodist Episcopal Church (FAME) in Los Angeles, died of natural causes April 6 at his Windsor Hills Home. He was 94.

“Today, we lost a giant. Reverend Dr. Cecil Murray dedicated his life to service, community, and putting God first in all things. I had the absolute honor of working with him, worshiping with him, and seeking his counsel,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of the dynamic religious leader whose ministry inspired and attracted millionaires as well as former gang bangers and people dealing with substance use disorder (SUD).

Murray oversaw the growth of FAME’s congregation from 250 members to 18,000.

“My heart is with the First AME congregation and community today as we reflect on a legacy that changed this city forever,” Bass continued.

Murray served as Senior Minister at FAME, the oldest Black congregation in the city, for 27 years. During that time, various dignitaries visited and he built strong relationships with political and civic leaders in the city and across the state, as well as a number of Hollywood figures. Several national political leaders also visited with Murray and his congregation at FAME, including Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Murray, a Florida native and U.S. Air Force vet, attended Florida A&M University, where he majored in history, worked on the school newspaper and pledged Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He later attended Claremont School of Theology in Los Angeles County, where he earned his doctorate in Divinity.

Murray is survived by his son Drew. His wife Bernadine, who was a committed member of the A.M.E. church and the daughter of his childhood pastor, died in 2013.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

1 day ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Juanita Matthews

Sister Juanita Matthews

55 Years with Oakland Public School District

The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God

Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.

Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

Vivian Coit, 98

Vivian Coit, a proud Dallas, Texas native made her way to the great state of California in 1943. She was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother.

Published

1 day ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Vivian Coit

Celebrating A Life Well Lived

Sept. 15, 1925 ~ March 30, 2024

Vivian Coit, a proud Dallas, Texas native made her way to the great state of California in 1943. She was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother.

In her 98 years, she had various jobs – San Francisco Naval Shipyard, elevator operator, housekeeping, a salesclerk, and supervisor for the United States Postal Service. After 27 years of service with the United States Postal Service, she retired with numerous commendations. She was a lifetime member of the National Council of Negro Women. and a devoted member of the Washington/Lincoln Alumni Association of Dallas, Texas.

On April 20 at 10:00 a.m., a life well-lived will be celebrated at Beebe Memorial Cathedral CME Church, 3900 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA under the leadership of Rev. Antoine Shyne.