Diverse religious leaders unite to end violence

Reject violence against Sikh community/Uniting behind Dr. King’s vision of peace

 

CHICAGO, IL -  In the spirit of unity, a group of diverse religious leaders is holding a breakfast meeting at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, August 28, 2012, at the New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, 4301 W. Washington, to support and call for the reinstatement of the assault weapon ban.

They are also calling for support of HB 5831, which calls for the registration of all guns in light of the violence in the city and just recently against the Sikh Society and its community.

An 11 a.m. press conference will follow the breakfast meeting.

Last week, 50 religious leaders, who are part of the growing Chicago Clergy Coalition met at Rev. Hatch’s church as an act of love, respect, solidarity and prayer for Dr. Balwant Singh Hansra of the Sikh Society and the Sikh community.

Recently, the Sikh Community of Oak Creek, Wisconsin experienced shock and tragedy when a lone gunman fatally shot six worshippers and critically wounded three others. Dr. Hansra expressed appreciation for the show of support from the Chicago community.

“The encouraging words of Dr. Hansra were inspiring,” said Larry Greenfield, executive minister of the American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago.  “We are all the more committed to the cause of bringing peace to our city starting with the adoption of commonsense handgun legislation in Illinois.”

At the upcoming 11 a.m., August 28^th meeting, religious leaders will also design plans to involve youth and young adults in the movement to promote peace and end Chicago’s senseless violence.

Father Jose Landaverde of Our Lady of Guadalupe Anglican Catholic Church, said,  ” I support this effort 100 percent. I will make sure that this petition is translated in Spanish so that it can be widely distributed in the Hispanic Community. “

Pastor Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church, said, “Just recently here in Chicago we experienced the tragic death of 7-year-old Heaven Sutton. Then there was the Colorado Massacre followed by the domestic terrorist act at the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin. 

“This string of deplorable violent acts has prompted members of diverse faith communities to unite and use our collective voices to protect humanity from the dreadful destruction that assault weapons cause,” Acree stated.

Father Michael L. Pfleger of Saint Sabina Catholic Church said, “A great cross section of people of faith has come together to join in a crisis that we and our members are all faced to deal with, ‘GUN VIOLENCE’! We have chosen to join together and use our moral authority to call for the reinstatement on the Assault Weapon Ban and HB 5831 to call for registration of all guns.  “We will empower our members to put on a full court press for their passage,” Pfleger said.

On the weekend of September 7th-9th, the group estimates that hundreds of faith institutions will participate in the launching of the petition drive. Jacqueline Clark of CROSSwalk commented, “We have the opportunity to come together as people of faith to address this violence, all of us, from all walks of life.”

Referring to the escalation of violence, Clark added: “It is a clear incidence of evil, and if we come together, we have the opportunity to do something about it. This petition is the first step.”

And, Pastor Cy Fields of New Landmark MB Church added, “The faith community of Chicago and surrounding areas is the sleeping giant in this struggle that can lead our city to a more peaceful existence for all and be a model for urban change across America.”

For more information, visit www.chicagoclergycoalition.org.

The Growing Coalition Includes:

Jacqueline Clark                                    CROSSWalk

Rabbi Michael Balinsky                        Chicago Board of Rabbis

Alice Harper Jones                                    Kenwood UCC

Rev. Yoruba Siddiq                                    Kenwood United Church of Christ

Dr. Balwant Singh Hansra                        Sikh Religious Society of Chicago

The Rev. Shawn M. Schreiner            Grace Episcopal of Oak Park

The Rev. Fran Holliday (associate)            All Saints’ Episcopal

Larry Greenfield (Exec Minister)            American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago

Susan Johnson                                                Hyde Park Unoin Church

The Rev. Jackie Lynn                                    St. James Episcopal Cathedral

Rev. Chris Griffin                                    First Baptist Congregational Church

Steve Stanley                                                Organization of the North East

Rev. Jaques A. Conway                        Neighborhood United Methodist

Rodney Lara                                                Judson Baptist Church

Rev. Dwayne L. Grant                        Xperience Church

Dr. Noah Nicholson                                    Family Worship Center

Pastor Ira Acree                                    Greater St. John Bible Church

Pastor Jorge Fuentes                                    Prayer Network USA

Father Jose Landaverde                         Our Lady of Guadalupe Anglican Catholic Church

Rev. Andre Smith                                   

Rev. Randall Harris                                    Faith Community Church

Elder Murry J. Mills                                    Life Center Ministries

Rev. Woodard Williams                        #2 Mt. Sinai MB Church

Bishop James Stevenson                        New Hope Baptist Church

Pastor Jedidiah Brown                        Chosen Generation

Rev. Dr. Stanley Davis                        Council of Religious Global

Rev. Michael Heyer                                    St. Sabina Catholic Church

Rev. Billy Geanes                                    Renewance Baptist Church

Bishop Victor Agee                                    Praise Temple of Restoration

Brother Andre Hinton                                    Circle Urban Ministries

Rev. Donald Smith                                    First Baptist Congregational Church

Min. Yancey Bady                                    Greater St. John Bible Church

Craig Dooley                                                Top Box Foods

Takesha Marcella Williams                        Are You Ready to Work

Rev. Carol Reese                                    Episcopal Diocese of Chicago

Barbara Abrajano                                    Interfaith Connect

Rev. John Vest                                    Fourth Presbyterian Church

Dr. Bernice Williams                                    First Pentecostal Church

Rabbi Amram Abraham                        Instituting A New World Vision

Pastor Londale McNeal                        Greater Works Ministries

Pastor Paco Amandow                        Lglesia Nueva Vida en LaVillita

Mark J. Wallace                                    Logos Baptist Church

Chris Ophus                                                New Life Community Church Little Village

Joshua Sherif                                                New Life Community Church Albany Park

Loretta E. Horton                                    Bethel Lutheran Church

Bobby Moss                                                New Life Community Church Lincoln Park

Dwayne Eslick                                    New Life Community Church Rogers Park

Rev. Gerald LaMar Wilson                        Greater St. John Bible Church

Meredith E. Hoxie Schol                        ITLC

Pastor James Springfield                        Greater Hope Baptist Ministries

Pastor Martin Stoudemire                        Powerhouse Ministries

Pastor LaJuan Whitfield                         New Life Holiness Church

Rev. James Hicks                                    Original Greater Garfield

Evangelist Tasha Shields                        New Hope Baptist Church

Father Michael Pfleger                        St. Sabina Catholic Church

Pastor Pedro Windsor                                    La Capilla del Barrio Church

Pastor Phil Blackwell                                    First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple

Pastor Kevin Bruursema                        New Life Community Church – Lakeview

Pastor Walter “Slim” Coleman            Lincoln United Methodist Church

Pastor Marshall Hatch                         New Mt. Pilgrim MB Church

Pastor Cy Fields                                     New Landmark MB Church

Pastor David Pope                                    Brotherly Love Baptist Church

Pastor Marcenia Richards                        Life Center Church

Pastor Leslie Sanders                                    Hope Presbyterian Church

Pastor Walter Turner                                    New Spiritual Light MB Church

Pastor John Collins                                     Great True Vine MB Church

Pastor Robbie Wilkerson                        New Birth Christian Center

Pastor Matthew Miller                         Rising Sun MB Church

Pastor Cleophus Lee                                    Original Providence Baptist Church

Pastor Roosevelt Watkins                        Bethlehem Star MB CHurch

Pastor R.M. Lara                                    Judson Baptist Church

Rev. Kenny Baker                                    Judson Baptist Church

Rev. Harry Roundtree                                    Judson Baptist Church

Pastor Steve Epting                                    Hope Community Church

Pastor Darian Williams                         Renewed Hope Church

Minister Freddie Savage                        Sweet Holy Spirit Church

Pastor Ivan Smith                                    1st Bethel MB Church

Rev. Danny James                                     First Baptist Congregational Church

Pastor George Daniels                         First Baptist Congregational Church

Rev. Chris Griffin                                    First Baptist Congregational Church

Rev. George Wilson                                     Circle Urban Ministries

Pastor John White                                     Leap of Faith Church

Pastor Leon Miller                                    Mt. Ebenezer Baptist Church

Rev. Robert Housley                                     SAFER Foundation

Pastor Tommy Woolridge                         Helping Hand MB Church

Pastor Ronald Wilks                                    Soul Saving MB Church

Pastor Cornelius Parks                        Harvest Worship Center

Pastor Bernard Jakes                                     West Point Baptist Church

Pastor Reginald Bachus                        Friendship Baptist Church

Pastor Willie Southworth                        True Story MB Church

Pastor James Brown                                    New Freedom Christian Center

Pastor Dwayne Grant                                    New Faith Community Methodist Church

Pastor Jonathan Rodgers                        New Jehovah MB Church

Rev. Darius Randle                                    Resurrection House Baptist Church