National Council of Churches Annual General Assembly, November 14-17, 2000
STATUS: APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY NOV. 16 BY THE NCC GENERAL ASSEMBLY
WHEREAS offering authentic hope to people in poverty and acting in concert for the common good are values expressed in scripture, which have historically been a core focus of Christian ministry; and
WHEREAS in every age the church has sought to address the needs of people in poverty in obedience to the Christ who redeems us all; and
WHEREAS today as in every generation the church is called to prayer, study and discernment of its mission in response to people in poverty; therefore
BE IT RESOLVED that the General Assembly of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA receives with thanks the Attached Resolution of the Executive Board and a Protocol on Mobilization to Overcome Poverty.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Assembly commends the many regional and local ecumenical agencies and the Economic Justice/Hunger Concerns Program Ministry who offered this new vision in light of decades of faithful work on agendas related to poverty to make a difference for people in poverty. We welcome the responsive leadership of the General Secretary on this initiative and call upon the General Secretary to establish appropriate mechanisms to implement the actions as adopted by the Executive Board to launch this Mobilization to Overcome Poverty. Such implementation plans and strategies shall seek to engage member communions at local and national levels and ecumenical partners at regional and local levels and shall be reported to future General Assemblies.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVEDthat the General Assembly joins in covenant to pray for all of those in our churches who participate in this Mobilization to Overcome Poverty, while we uphold those who live in poverty; to keep in our prayers all those persons and groups working to alleviate poverty and we covenant to seek resources (financial and human) to launch a Mobilization to Overcome Poverty, acting in faithfulness to a just and loving God.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Assembly joins in covenant to rededicate ourselves to address in word and deed the scourge of poverty, which today enslaves and breaks the spirit of tens of millions of Americans. As we seek to reconsider our work and witness, specifically in relation to people in poverty in the United States, we do so within the context of global society.
FINALLY, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVEDBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we, the General Assembly of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA call upon people of faith and of good will to join in a renewed effort to overcome poverty and its corrosive impact upon individuals and our society. Reliant upon God's grace we look toward a measurable reduction of poverty in America and a greater potential for all persons to live the lives for which they were created.