Report from the Committee on the Church and Metropolitan Community
To the April 21, 2007 Annual Meeting of the Metro Association

The Committee on the Church and the Metropolitan Community met with Michael Caine sometime ago to clarify our Committee's mission … it was a positive meeting. “The Committee shall be responsible for identifying social and community issues for consideration by the Association, providing educational opportunities for clergy and laity on those issues, making the Association membership aware of opportunities for involvement with them, and presenting visible witness to them. ….”

The Committee was defunct for a few years; however, with the assault on Abner Louima by the NY Police, the Metro Association resurrected the Committee, and the Association sent a communication to officials to express our outrage over such an attack.

The Martin Luther King Celebrations continue as a major involvement of the Committee as we seek to keep Dr. King's Dream alive. During the last few years the Celebration was held on Sunday afternoon and made for a long Sunday. This year we reverted back to a Monday Celebration.

Our theme this year was “Beyond Vietnam & Iraq : Martin Luther King on War & Peace” with Rev. Dr. Bernard Wilson, Northfield Congregational Church, Connecticut, and we explored the theme in worship, song, and in a variety of workshops. While attendance was good, we are exploring ways to encourage other churches to join us for this Association-wide Celebration.

Over the years, Rev. Geoffrey Black, New York Conference Minister, has worked with and supported the Committee and attended every Martin Luther King Celebration. We're truly grateful.

With the Sean Bell killing and the wounding of his two friends by Queens police, the Committee felt that as people of faith we needed to respond from a justice standpoint. A petition was prepared and addressed to the Mayor, Queens Borough President, Queens District Attorney, Police Commissioner and City Council … the petition called for a “ thorough investigation of the shooting and a review of policy procedures in such matters.”

Many signatures were collected and Michael Caine scheduled an appointment on December 21, 2006, with the Honorable Helen Marshall, Queens Borough President, and during the almost two-hour meeting, the petitions were presented to her.

Those in attendance were several members of the Borough President's staff, including her Liaison to the Police Department. Representation from Metro: Reverends: Michael Caine; Ruby Wilson, President, Metro Board of Directors; Henry Simmons, St. Albans Congregational Church; Mark Marsh, Victoria Congregational Church; Thomas Martinez, All Souls Bethlehem Church and Committee member; Noel Vaneck, Church in the Gardens. Additionally, Mary Dewar, Garden City Church; Hughe Williams, friend of St. Albans Congregational; Dorothy Gist, Liaison to Committee & St. Albans Congregational Church. Also in attendance: Rev. N. J. L.'Heureux, Jr., Executive Director, Queens Federation of Churches, and Channel 11.

The Borough President expressed appreciation for our involvement as a faith community, and she asked that we allow the Queens District Attorney to complete his investigation. She planned to share a copy of the petition with Sean Bell's family; other petitions were mailed to those named above.

A follow-up communication to the Queens Borough President is currently being prepared to request her support that the police trials not be moved out of Queens .

As the Committee continues to work on issues affecting our cities, which in turn affect our churches, we're bringing to this Association meeting the Committee's Resolution “In Support of Sanctuary Churches.” It is an attempt for churches to provide a witness for immigrants. (See Proposed Resolution)

The Committee is hopeful that at future Association meetings, agenda space will be available for workshops/presentations around social and community issues.

Thank you for your support.

Committee on the Church and the Metropolitan Community:

Luis Barrios
Elsa Callender
Arelis Figueroa
Martha Gotwals
Elice Higginbotham
Tom Martinez
Lana Noone
Freeman Palmer
R. Allan Ross
Dorothy Gist, Liaison from Metro Board

Anna Taylor Sweringen

For I was hungry … a stranger … sick … in prison …..
In so far as you did it for the least of them, you did it for me.