DURHAM CONGREGATIONS IN ACTION

Durham Congregations In Action (DCIA) is an interfaith, interracial 501©(3) organization of 57 congregations in greater Durham, representing a wide spectrum of Christians, Friends, Jews, Muslims and Unitarians (more than 25,000 congregants). DCIA was formed in 1972. It has an excellent record of initiating and supporting many programs which help the homeless, the hungry, the sick and the poor, and of serving as a model of how people of different race, faith and culture can effectively work together in harmony to improve the community.

DCIA's accomplishments include:

I. Initiating several not-for-profit agencies to serve those most in need in Durham:

A. Genesis Home (a transitional shelter for homeless families).

B. Interfaith Hospitality Network (an emergency shelter network for families).

C. Meals on Wheels.

D. Interfaith AIDS Ministry.

II. Providing continuing funding and/or volunteers for the foregoing and also these agencies:

A. Community Kitchen.

B. CROPWALK.

C. Durham Community Shelter for H.O P E. (a primary emergency shelter).

D. Emergency Energy Fund (principally used to pay for heating for poor people).

E. Host Homes (to house families of patients at Duke University Medical Center).

F. Housing for New Hope (longer term shelter).

G. One World Market (sells handicrafts made by poor people in Durham and in third world countries, providing employment and a fair profit to craftspeople).

III. Coordinating Prayer Vigils after each homicide in Durham, which are designed to:

A. Publicly recognize the inherent value of the victim.

B. Bring comfort to the bereaved family and friends.

C. Create a positive force for healing in the neighborhood where the violence occurred.

D. Give the opportunity to those in pain in the neighborhood to share their feelings and publicly voice them at the Prayer Vigil.

IV. Furthering improved race relations:

A. Organizing successful full-day and half-day conferences on race relations for several hundred diverse adults and teens in 1998 and 1999.

B. Coordinating/facilitating ongoing diverse race relations discussion groups in 1998-2000.

C. Forming Partnership Congregations, which match predominantly Black and predominantly White congregations which then participate in various activities on an ongoing basis. These 14 partnerships involving 31 congregations include associations:

1. Within the same faith (Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ).

2. Between different sects (AME Zion-Methodist, Baptist-Episcopal, Baptist-Presbyterian, Episcopal-Lutheran, Presbyterian-United Holiness).

3. Between different faiths (Jewish-Muslim, Lutheran-Unitarian Universalist).

D. Organizing several events involving prayer services and discussions to address arson and other attacks on lack churches.

E. Organizing Black-Jewish Passover Seders, in which participants gather together for prayer, song and a festive meal which combine the common quests for freedom and social justice of Jewish and Black history and tradition.

F. Coordinating meetings, at the request of the International Visitors Council, between Durham faith community leaders and leaders from Africa and the Middle East.

V. Collaborating with Durham's Department of Social Services and North Carolina Council of Churches to coordinate congregations forming a core team to be matched with a family transitioning off welfare by providing needed services such as transportation, child care, tutoring, and guidance on employment and money management. There are currently 20 congregations involved in various stages of the program.

VI. Collaborating with many other community agencies to achieve justice and fairness:

A. Founding member of the Substandard Housing Committee, which energizes local government and neighborhoods to convince landlords to repair untenable premises.

B. Spokesman and advocate for agencies at County hearings on funding.

C. Member of governing bodies of Durham Workforce Partnership, Durham Coalition for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, and NC Council of Churches Committee on Religion and the Public Schools.