The Commission on Social Justice 

and Human Concerns Statement 

'Voter Registration Campaign 

For Jobs and Justice'

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

(January 13, 2011 – Atlanta, GA)  The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, organized in 1870 by 41 formerly enslaved persons, is an interracial and international denomination of more than 1.2 million members. From 1870 to this day, the clarion call and mission of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church has been three-fold: it has served as a beacon of hope for salvation, education and liberation.  To be sure, the CME church continues to serve as a determined voice, crying out that equality and justice belongs to all persons, regardless of race, social status, or life experiences.  We are still compelled to preach and live out a message of social change, equality, and unconditional love. Therefore, we must never forsake our God-given right to practice social activism.

On this coming Sunday and Monday, January 16 and 17, we call for all CME Churches to offer special prayers for those persons who were critically wounded, and for the families of those whose loved ones lost their lives in the recent tragic Tucson,  Arizona shooting—a senseless act of violence.  We further urge our churches to, simultaneously, call to memory the Principles of Non-violence as espoused by Martin Luther King, Jr. as we celebrate his life and legacy both Sunday and Monday.

We are proud that our nation elected its first African American president in November 2008, but it is clear that the political and social climate of the nation seems to be swiftly deteriorating into an unspoken critical and volatile racial quagmire.  As we enter the second decade of the 21st Century, we are called as Americans, beyond race and party, to find ways to overcome the crucial issues of daily life— deteriorating education, unaffordable housing, rising unemployment, marginal healthcare, unequal social justice, and a worsening income equality index.

As a people of hope and trust in the God of all creation, the CME Church maintains its focus on living the commission of compassion, while also continuing to preach a message of freedom, justice, equality, and hope for all persons from all walks of life. In that regard, we wish to bring to your attention the following achievements  and projects of several organizational entities that are committed to assuring political engagement, economic empowerment, educational parity, fair employment practices, and social justice for all peoples in this country and across the globe:

1.    We applaud the NAACP for the following:
The collaborative leadership it provided in obtaining the release of Gloria and Jamie Scott from prison in Mississippi, and its work to diligently encourage governors and presidents to use their clemency powers to achieve justice.
Its ongoing focus on the implementation of Voter Registration and Voter Education campaigns.
Its demonstrated efforts  to continue the fight for social justice for all Americans.
2.   We uplift the National Urban League’s “State of Black America 2010 Report”, which confronts nation-wide unemployment and suggests the steps that must be taken -—including supporting small businesses and the emerging green economy, reforming education and expanding broadband access—to move this country and our urban communities forward toward full economic and social equity.

3.   We salute the leaders of the nine major denominations, which represent more than 30 million African Americans, for coming together as the Conference of National Black Churches to address the major issues of economic empowerment, education, health and social justice/public policy.

4.   We congratulate Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver, a United Methodist preacher, upon being elected the chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus. Furthermore we urge the CBC to continue its efforts to fight for equal justice under the law for matters related to healthcare, affordable housing and full employment.

5.  We thank the entire CME Church for its support of our Disaster Relief Fund, which enabled Bishop Kenneth W. Carter and the Sixth Episcopal District to provide for our rebuilding efforts in Haiti.

We are hereby recommending that all CME Churches commit to achieving the following:
Organize a continuing Voter Registration Drive in their communities.
Develop a letter-writing campaign to encourage elected city, county, state, and national congressional officials to support full-employment and job-training.
Partner with local public schools to help improve parental involvement, academic achievement, social behavior, and personal development.

The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, under the leadership of Senior Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr. and its College of Bishops, is a 140-year old historically African American Christian denomination with more than 1.2 million members across the United States, and has missions and sister churches in Haiti, Jamaica, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan/Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.  For additional information about the CME Church, visit www.c-m-e.org .

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Senior Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr., CEO
Bishop Paul A. G. Stewart, Sr.
Bishop Lawrence L. Reddick, III
Bishop Henry M. Williamson, Sr.,
Bishop Thomas L. Brown, Sr.
Bishop Kenneth W. Carter
Bishop James B. Walker
Bishop W.E. Lockett
Bishop Sylvester Williams
Bishop Teresa Snorton
Bishop Godwin T. Umoette
Bishop William H. Graves, Retired
Bishop Othal H. Lakey, Retired
Bishop Edward Lynn Brown, Retired
Bishop Ronald M. Cunningham, Retired
Bishop Dotcy I. Isom, Jr., Retired
Bishop Marshall Gilmore, Retired
Bishop Nathaniel Linsey, Retired