PRESS RELEASE from Obama for America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec. 4, 2007

Renowned Faith Leaders Come Together to Support Obama

Unprecedented group of nation’s top Black religious leaders unveiled

CHARLESTON, S.C. –U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign today unveiled its African American Religious Leadership Committee at both the national and statewide levels. Together, they represent two groups of key national and South Carolina religious leaders who are supporting Obama’s bid for the Democratic nomination.

These groups are truly without equal and reflect the belief among clergy that Obama has dedicated his public life to living the values of his faith outside of his house of worship.  The national leadership committee is made up of presidents of two of the largest national Baptist conventions; the most senior Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, some of the most well-known African American women religious leaders and living legends of the Civil Rights movement, Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lowery and Dr. C.T. Vivian; and many others.

Bishop Walter Scott Thomas and Lowery joined Vivian in Charleston to unveil the list. South Carolina ministers attending the event included Rev. Ralph Canty of Savannah Grove Baptist in Effingham, Rev. Dr. Charles Heyward of St. James Presbyterian on James Island and Revs. Alanza Washington of Wallingford Presbyterian in Charleston and Julius McDowell of Big Wesley United Methodist in Hollywood.

The South Carolina leadership committee includes nearly 130 senior pastors from some of the largest and most important churches across the state.  Both groups represent Senator Obama’s support among thousands of Black clergy and religious leaders across America, leaders who have come to recognize that Obama represents change they can believe in.

“This is an unprecedented group for an unprecedented candidate,” said National African American Religious Committee Co-Chair Rev. Otis Moss, Jr., a civil rights legend and former president of the Morehouse University Board of Trustees. “As a lifelong advocate for the less fortunate and the forgotten, Senator Obama lives his faith everyday.  He continues to talk about a faith that works to unite and not divide people.”

Obama often speaks about the role his faith plays in his public and family life and how it influences his approach to the great issues that face the country -- healthcare, education and poverty. The National African American Religious Leadership Committee meets on regular conference calls to support Senator Obama.

The South Carolina campaign has held Obama Faith Forums across the state, launched the “40 Days of Faith & Family” effort, and reached out to people of faith to help them organize within their own networks to spread the word about Obama. So far, the Obama campaign has recruited more than 200 Faith Community Contacts – grassroots church leaders who are identifying and educating voters in advance of the primary election – in 27 counties.

“Americans need a leader whose values are rooted in the belief that we must care for the least of these, that we have a responsibility to our fellow man and that if one of us is not succeeding, then all of us are not succeeding,” Canty said. “We believe that Senator Obama is that leader.”

A list of national and South Carolina ministers supporting Obama can be viewed by clicking the following links: South Carolina and national.

 
*Endorsements from religious leaders are extended in their personal capacity, and not on behalf of any house of worship, organization or denomination.

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Contact:          Kevin Griffis   Amaya Smith
 

SOUTH CAROLINA
Rev.    A.C. Robinson      Pleasant Grove Baptist Church
Rev.    A.R. Kollock       Greater Target Church
Rev.    Aaron Bishop       Grace Church
Rev.    Adrian McIlwain   Cornerstone Baptist Church
Rev.    Alanza Washington         Wallingford Presbyterian Church
Rev.    Alfred Jefferson          Garden of Prayer Church
Rev.    Allen Robinson  Mt.   Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church
Rev.    Alvin Murdock      Christ Deliverance Church
Rev.    Andrew Jordan      Biggers A.M.E. Church
Rev.    Angelin Simmons   Johns Island Parish
Rev.    Anna Miller        St. James United Methodist Church
Rev.    Anthony Campbell          Folly Road Church of Christ
Rev.    Anthony McCallum          Bethlehem Baptist Church
Rev.    Audrey Deas        St. Paul's Presbyterian Church
Rev.    Benjamin Graham   Mt. Zion United Methodist Church
Rev.    Bernard Brown      Jerusalem A.M.E. Church
Rev.    Bertha Jean Burroughs     Gospel Tabernacle Church
Rev.    Bill Stringfellow (ret.)       Cornerstone Baptist Church
Rev.    Michael Blue       Door of Hope Church
Rev.    Boykin Jordan      Living Word Baptist Church
Rev.    Brown   St.    Beulah Baptist Church
Rev.    Caesar Richburg    Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church
Rev.    Charles B. Jackson, Jr.  New Laurel Street Baptist
Rev.    Charles Heyward St.   James Presbyterian Church
Rev.    Charles Pee        Friendship Baptist Church
Rev.    Charlie Howard (ret.)     Mt. Pleasant A.M.E. Church
Rev.    Clifford Gaymon Zion   Hill Baptist Church
Rev.    Clifford Levine Bethel   A.M.E. Church
Pastor  Corey J. Williams         Giants 4 Christ Ministries
Rev.    Daniel McCowan    Maxwell Baptist Church
Rev.    Deleon McRae      Mt. Tema Missionary Baptist Church
Pastor  Donald Goodwine   St. Paul's Baptist Church
Rev.    Donna Jacobs       Insight Ministries
Rev.    Doris Haynes       Faithworks International
Rev.    Drusilla Harvin    Trinity A.M.E. Church
Rev.    Ed McClain         Calvary A.M.E. Church
Rev.    Elaine Harvey      Gethsemane Baptist Church
Bishop  Finas Bush         Crown Christian Center
Rev.    Frankie Thomas    Manning Baptist Church
Rev.    Freda Bonner       St.Paul MBC
Rev.    Freddie Thomas    Mt. Bethel Baptist Church
 Rev.    Garfield Capers    God's Heart Ministries
Rev.    George West        Royal Baptist
Rev.    George Windley    Ebenezer Baptist
Assoc. Pastor   Gollie Walker     Ebenzer Baptist
Bishop  Harold Sawyer     Greater Zion Tabernacle
Dr.     Harris Church      Macedonia Missionary Baptist
Rev.    Hayes Gainey       Edisto Fork United Methodist
Rev.    Henry Badie        Pentecostal Temple
Rev.    Henry Cook         Friendship Baptist
Rev.    Henry McGill, Jr.         Mt. Pisgah Baptist
Pastor  Herbert Harvey     Gethsemane Baptist
Rev.    Jack Peterson     New Bethlehem Baptist
Rev.    Jacqueline Aiken          New Life Mansion
Rev.    James Abraham     Bethlehem Baptist
Rev.    James Elbert Williams     Mt. Beulah/New Hope U.M.C.
Rev.    James Holiday      Bushy Pond Baptist
Rev.    James J. Robinson (ret.)         Bethel Grove A.M.E.
Rev.    James Lane         Canaan/Sand Hill
Rev.    Jarvis Brown       Agape Christian Outreach Ministries
Rev.    Jeanette Cooper-Dicks     Cumberland United Methodist
Rev.    Jerry Corbett      Pee Dee Union Baptist
Rev.    Jerry Edwards      Tabernacle Baptist
Rev.    John Berry         New Jerusalem MBC
Rev.    John Davis         Berea Association
Rev.    John Elliott       Shady Grove United Methodist
Pastor  John Smalls        Greater Friendship A.M.E.
Minister Johnny Jenkins    Maxwell-Pamlico Baptist
Rev.    Joseph Mason       Glover's Chapel
Rev.    Joseph Williams, Jr.      Mt. Nebo Baptist
Assoc. Pastor   Josephine Richardson     Payne RMUE
Rev.    Julius Barnes      St. Luke
Rev.    Julius McDowell   Wesley UMC
Rev.    Kay Colleton       Manna Life Center
Rev.    Keith Hunter       Wesley United Methodist
Rev.    Kenneth Doe        St. Joseph's Baptist
Rev.    Larry Fowler       Mt. Sinai Baptist
Rev.    Leo Woodbury      Bethlehem A.M.E.
Rev.    Leon Winn          Rock Hill Missionary Baptist
Rev.    Leonard Huggins   New Covenant United Methodist
Rev.    Leroy Cannon       New Bethel
Rev.    Lewis Duckett      Shiloh Baptist
Rev.    Lonnie Jones       Millway Baptist
Rev.    Lowman L. Jamison         Antioch Baptist (ret.)
Rev.    Marvin Kelty       Centerville Baptist
Rev.    Matthew Furness   Poplar A.M.E. Church
Rev.    Michael Barr       Snow Hill Baptist
Rev.    Michael Peppers    Fairfield Baptist Church
Rev.    Minnie Chapman    Pee Dee Union Baptist
Pastor  Monroe Bush, Jr.          Smyrna Baptist
Rev.    Norman Gamble     New Ebenezer Baptist
Rev.    Norman Jenkins    Grays Hill
Assoc. Pastor   Norman    Kithcart Living Word Baptist
Rev.    Norman Pearson    First Baptist
Rev.    Odonald Dingle     Shiloh Missionary Baptist
Rev.    Otis Scott, Jr.    Camden First U.M.C.
Rev.    Ralph Canty        Savannah Grove Baptist
Rev.    Randolph Scipio    Bula Land
Rev.    Reggie McLeod, Sr.        Kay Branch
Rev.    Rev. Graves        Mill Branch A.M.E.
Rev.    Rickey Syndab      Morris Chapel
Rev.    Robert Capers      Salem & Bethel Presbyterian
Rev.    Robert Deas        Lovely Hill Baptist
Rev.    Robert Dennis     Cedar Grove
Rev.    Robin Dease        Wesley United Methodist
Rev.    Rodney James       Mt. Hermon Baptist
Rev.    Sam Whack, Jr.     Chaney Grove Baptist
Rev.    Samuel Burgess    St. Stephen's Baptist
Rev.    Sandra Harrison    Macedonia Baptist
Rev.    Sandra Muldrow    New Ebenezer Baptist
Rev.    Sean Dogan        Long Branch Baptist
Rev.    Steven Singleton          Mother Emanuel
Pastor  Telley Gadson      St. Mark's United Methodist
Rev.    Thomas Sims        Mt. Zion United Methodist
Minister Verneda Temoney   Savannah Grove Baptist
Rev.    Victor Wilson      United A.M.E.
Rev.    Virgil Johnson     New Revelations
Rev.    Waymen Coleman    Flat Rock A.M.E. Church
Rev.    William Pee        Pleasant Grove Baptist
Rev.    William Swinton   Ebenezer A.M.E.
Rev.    William Thompson          Mt. Claire Baptist
Rev.    Willie Dennis      Union Baptist
Rev.    Willie Fant       Miracle COGIC
Pastor  Winnifa Clark      Shephard's Outreach
Rev.    Winston Olithant