National Black Presbyterian Caucus to convene in North Carolina
Conference to reassure attendees their labor is not in vain
LOUISVILLE — Hundreds will gather in Charlotte, North Carolina for the National Black Presbyterian Caucus (NBPC) 48th Biennial Conference June 19-21.
The theme for this year’s gathering of clergy, congregants, educators, organizers, youth leaders and justice seekers is “Your Labor in the Lord is Not in Vain” from 1 Corinthians 15:58.
The conference will help to revitalize and recharge attendees and provide helpful tools and resources for the enhancement of congregations, including those in rural areas, while also reserving time for caucus business, such as the election of officers, and the honoring of trailblazing leaders.
“Our mission really is to seek for the attendees’ spiritual empowerment,” said Lynne Foreman,” the event’s co-convener/moderator. This conference will “uplift every attendee with a reminder that the efforts of their labor throughout the year — within the denomination and beyond — are truly not in vain.”
The conference also is intended to “deepen our commitment to justice, vitality — congregational vitality, especially — and prophetic witness within the church and beyond,” said Foreman, a major gifts officer for Stewardship and Funds Development for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

“The vitality piece is enormous because there are so many congregations of color, and especially Black congregations, who are now being faced with many serious challenges (such as) how do we keep our doors open,” Foreman said, “so we really try to pour into every person that attends, especially the pastors of these congregations, tools and resources (on) how to become more vital.”
The caucus wants each congregation, regardless of its size, to be able to “participate in the transformation of our communities, our society, address the contemporary realities of America and then invite people into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” said outgoing NBPC President the Rev. Dr. Charles Heyward Sr., who is serving his last term.
Events coming up on the Thursday of the conference include the Lucy Craft Laney Awards Brunch in the morning and a Juneteenth celebration with evening remarks by Heyward, who’s honorably retired from the St. James Presbyterian Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and currently serving as temporary supply pastor of the Edisto Presbyterian Church on Edisto Island in South Carolina.

Other events over the course of the weekend include the “Women of Impact Gala” honoring three outstanding women: The Rev. Dr. Diane Givens Moffett, who served as president and executive director of the former Presbyterian Mission Agency; the Rev. Dr. Arlene Gordon, honorably retired former president of the NBPC; and the Rev. Cecelia “CeCe” Armstrong, Co-Moderator of the 226th General Assembly of the PC(USA).
“This is the first time we've had this Women of Impact Gala,” Foreman said. “We're really celebrating the outstanding contributions of trailblazing women leaders."
All of the recipients have histories of “strong leadership, faith and dedication," she said. This conference will be “an opportunity for everyone to lift each one of the recipients and be empowered and motivated by their presence."
There will be a youth track as well as worship, workshops and plenaries with speakers such as the Rev. Jermaine Ross-Allam, director of the Center for the Repair of Historic Harms; the Rev. Dr. Alonzo Johnson, who coordinates the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People; his wife, the Rev. Dr. Aisha Brooks-Johnson, executive presbyter for the Presbytery of Atlanta; and the Rev. Dr. Perzavia Praylow, director of Black Church Studies and assistant professor of Practical Theology at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
Saturday’s events include final business and closing worship with the Rev. Dr. Victor Aloyo, Jr., president of Columbia Theological Seminary.
Along the way, attendees will come together to see old friends and celebrate.
“The fellowship piece is a very rich part of our history with this conference, and so (we) celebrate the beauty of belonging, of being together, connecting and strengthening one another, really, worshiping, praying, laughing, learning together, and then we always leave with inspired action to ignite a fire for service (and) activism,” Foreman said.
For more information about the conference, go here.
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