Background

On April 4, 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr., speaking at Riverside Church in New York shared these words: For those who ask the question, “Aren’t you a civil rights leader?” and thereby mean to exclude me from the movement for peace, I have this further answer. In 1957 when a group of us formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, we chose as our motto: “To save the soul of America.” We were convinced that we could not limit our vision to certain rights for black people, but instead affirmed the conviction that America would never be free or saved from itself until the descendants of its slaves (and all people) were loosed completely from the shackles they still wear.

National Faith Leaders Collaborative

Background – “Saving the Soul of America”

On April 4, 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr., exactly 1 year before his assassination, speaking at Riverside Church in New York, shared these words: “For those who ask the question, ‘Aren’t you a civil rights leader?’ and thereby mean to exclude me from the movement for peace, I have this further answer. In 1957 when a group of us formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, we chose as our motto: ‘To save the soul of America.’ We were convinced that we could not limit our vision to certain rights for black people, but instead affirmed the conviction that America would never be free or saved from itself until the descendants of its slaves (and all people) were loosed completely from the shackles they still wear.”

Supporting/Participating Organizations

Chicago, Leaders Network – Connecticut Faith Leaders Collaborative (CFLC) Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ – F.R.E.E.D.O.M., Inc – Indiaspora – Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc (PAW) – Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith (PCAF) – Members, National Baptist Convention U.S.A., Inc. – Members, Progressive Baptist Convention – Members, Southern Baptist Convention – North Park Theological Seminary – RAC of Reform Judaism – Southern Christian Leadership Conference

Elected, Appointed Leader, Congregation & Community Actions

Mission Statement: To facilitate the process of national healing and  reconciliation through collaboration with faith, community, education,  business, elected and appointed leaders. 

Requested Actions of Elected & Appointed Officials

1. Draft and formally adopt a code of conduct/pledge to hold any person(s)  and/or organization(s) perpetrating violence accountable for their actions.

2. Publicly agree to deprioritize political party partisanship; act in a manner  consistent with their responsibility for depolarizing our political process; more  effectively uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution, thereby improving the  quality of life within their authority. 

3. Propose and publicly advance a Healing and Reconciliation Day/Week for your governing council and jurisdiction.
4. Co-Host, with NFLC Faith Leaders, a Joint Town Hall or Joint Public Hearing on Healing and Reconciliation with your constituents along with those of a different cultural or political demographic. 

Requested Congregations and Communities

1. Host Prayer Events that focus on healing and reconciliation in America and throughout the world:
2. Prayers for Spiritual Healing, Economic Healing, Racial Healing, Physical Healing, and Unity within and across Faith Communities ii. This may include organizing prayer event(s) locally at City Hall, County and/or Municipal offices. 

iii. This may include organizing a cross-cultural and/or interfaith prayer  event(s) 

2. Organize Cross-Cultural or Interfaith Collaborative Outreach Activities that lend a helping hand to those in need and suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and persevering through social injustice and other crises.
3. Facilitate Listening Circles/Sessions with one or more faith communities different from yours.