In this issue:

·  Across My Desk...

·  Anticipating Crisis: A Christian Response to a Pandemic

·  Meet John Harmon--Treasurer

·  Community News and Events

·  Comings and Goings

Anticipating Crisis: A Christian Response to a Pandemic

SC Christian Action Council's 2006 Annual Meeting on May 18th will be a time of worship, fellowship and learning together for the entire Christian community in South Carolina. Our theme this year is preparing for pandemic.

Do you know what it means to your congregation, your community, your family that the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control has already hosted at least one state-wide meeting to share information about the possibility of the Asian Bird Flu arriving in the United States?

As with DHEC, the Council’s event will inform—not incite—clergy, congregational leaders, and community members to the challenges that face us.

We are delighted to be hosted by St. Luke Lutheran Church in Florence, South Carolina. The address is 1201 Cherokee Road, and directions are posted on the Council's website.

We will begin with an ecumenical worship service held in the beautiful new sanctuary at St. Luke. Following worship we will hear from a panel of medical professionals, disaster preparedness personnel, and congregational leaders. They will discuss the dimensions of potential pandemic (worldwide) illnesses: when we could expect them and how we should prepare before such an event reaches our communities.

Please contact the Council offices to register. The entire day including lunch is $35, with discounts for students.

Would you help us publicize this event? Click here for a flyer. The flyer has a registration form on it. Print, fill out and mail back to the Council with your check for the registration fee made payable to SCCAC.

We look forward to seeing you in Florence!

Meet John Harmon--Treasurer

Since 1999, John P. Harmon has served as Director of Seminary Advancement at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, a post which includes responsibility for the Annual Fund Appeal and Alumni/ae Relations.

Before coming to the Seminary, John served as Assistant to the Treasurer of the South Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

And this position was a grand leap from his previous employment with SC Electric and Gas Company, where he held various positions including Commercial Sales Engineer, Assistant to the Vice president of Marketing and Area Development, Manager of Marketing and Assistant to the Vice President Northern Division Operations.

John holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree as well as the Master of Business Administration degree from the University of South Carolina.

In 2001, John was appointed the Synod's Judicatory Representative on the Board of SC Christian Action Council. He has represented that body well and currently serves as the Council's Treasurer.

We asked John why he volunteers with the Council: "Over the years," he said, "I have gained a broader understanding of the mission of the Council and continue to be proud of the work it does on behalf of the ecumenical partnership represented. I was honored to be elected by fellow board members to serve as Treasurer and look forward to serving in any way I can."

In addition to his many volunteer services for the Synodical and regional bodies of the ELCA--including membership on every conceivable committee--John has held leadership positions in many civic organizations. He has served as President of both the Lexington Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Lexington.

John and Jeanette Kyzer Harmon have been married for more than 40 years and they are the proud parents of Kelly Harmon Roberts, Tara Harmon Severance, John Clay Harmon.

Thanks, John, for your service to SC Christian Action Council!

Community News and Events

April 10: March: Immigrants United for a Better America. March in support of a comprehensive immigration reform and to oppose the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005" (H.R. 4437). For more information: Columbia march--Irma Santana at 803-429-8742; Greenville march--Wilfredo Leon, Latino Newspaper 864-787-5622; Hilton Head march-- Luis Bell, Latin American Council 843-682-4599. Sponsored by the Coalition for New South Carolinians with the support of Acercamiento Hispano, Hispanic Leadership Council and Agil Staff, Inc.

April 18-20: "After Innocence" showing at the Nickelodeon Theater, Columbia with special viewing at 6:00 followed by discussion on April 20. After Innocence tells the dramatic and compelling story of the exonerated - innocent men wrongfully imprisoned for decades and then released after DNA evidence proved their innocence. The film focuses on the gripping story of seven men and their emotional journey back into society and efforts to rebuild their lives. Included are a police officer, an army sergeant and a young father sent to prison and even death row for decades for crimes they did not commit. For more information about the discussion event, contact Julia Sibley- Jones at jsibley@sccouncil.net. More information about the film and the Nickelodeon Theater may be found here.

April 23: 2006 Earth Day Sunday. Thanking and praising God for the beauty of God's creation is an essential part of our ongoing faith journey and worship experience and each year we dedicate one Sunday for creation stewardship and the Earth Day celebration. The emphasis for 2006 is on our connection to all of God's creation and our call for justice and right relationships. Click here for more information and a copy of the resource Through the Eye of a Hurricane: Rebuilding Just Communities.

April 30-May 7: Soil and Water Stewardship Week. Richland Conservation District wants to help your faith community celebrate creation and educate about conservation. Resources are available for Sunday bulletins, church newsletters, and for educating your congregation on how to conserve resources and care for creation. You may contact the staff of the Richland Conservation District at 803.576.2080, or email soilandwater@richlandonline.com.

May 18: Anticipating Crisis: A Christian Response to a Pandemic. SCCAC's 2006 Annual Meeting. 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Join us for ecumenical worship, lunch and speakers at St. Luke Lutheran Church, Florence, SC. See article above and click here for a flyer and registration form.

May 21-25: "Rejoice in Hope": 26th Convocation of Jail and Prison Ministry. Springmaid Beach Resort, Myrtle Beach. For more information please contact Paula Loehr at 843.347.5168.

October 20-22: 2006 National Weekend of Faith and Action on the Death Penalty. NWFA is an opportunity for faith communities, interfaith groups, human rights activists, and others to examine the death penalty from a faith-based or values-based perspective. Register on-line or request more information from khoule@aiusa.org.

Have other South Carolina community news? Let us know at sccac@bellsouth.net.

We include information on community events as space and time allow; and, only in accordance with the mission and policies of SC Christian Action Council. We do not accept unsolicited articles.

Comings and Goings

Here's a sampling of April activities for the staff of SC Christian Action Council.

April 4: Coker College, Hartsville, (Brenda)

April 5: Columbia College Chapel, Columbia. (Brenda)

April 6: Executive Committee, Columbia. (Brenda)

April 11: SC Death Penalty Organizing Group, Columbia. (Julia)

April 21-25: Dealing with Change, Black Mountain, NC. (Brenda)

April 27: Advocacy Work Group meeting, Council offices (Julia); Advanced Special Ministries of UMC, Columbia (Doris, Brenda).

April 28-29: 2006 General Assembly, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of SC, Spartanburg. (Brenda)

Across My Desk...

Last year while visiting one of our county seats in an advocacy effort, I observed in one block along the downtown square and directly across from the Court House at least four Payday Lending offices. On one short block in one small downtown: four offices.

According to Dr. John Rouff, Research Director of South Carolina Fair Share: as of July 2005, there were 1,068 Payday Lending Offices in our state. In comparison, only 180 McDonald's restaurants operate in SC.

Research indicates that military and minority neighborhoods are targeted. Loans are limited to $300 and costing $15 per $100 lent, typically for two weeks. That's an annual percentage rate of 390%.

Payday lenders are in close proximity because when a person can not pay off her loan at Company A, she can go a few steps down the street and borrow from Company B to pay off the first lender.

While legal, with each loan the borrower's indebtedness grows. She can't pay the $300 owed to Company A, so she borrows from Company B to pay off A and owes even more that she can not repay to B.

Last year, the nearly 1,100 "deferred presentment" licensees or offices produced charges of $153,091,185.00.

If you don't have $300 to meet this week's crisis, are you likely to have $345 in two weeks?

Payday Lending as currently regulated is a vicious cycle of indebtedness that drags many honest, working citizens into mountains of debt and despair.

For more detailed information and possible solutions see the op-ed written by Dr. Rouff and Susan B. Berkowitz, Esq., Executive Director, S.C. Appleseed Legal Justice Center.

With reasonable limits on the number of outstanding payday loans, our General Assembly could protect consumers without putting this industry out of business. Staff of South Carolina Fair Share and SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center are working with our Legislators to write a bill that would set reasonable limits on Payday Lending. We hope that bill will be ready in early April.

Contact your legislators and express your views on this predatory lending practice.

(Not sure who your Representative or Senator is? Go to Project Vote Smart and type in your zip code.)

...and that’s the view across my desk.

Brenda Lynn Kneece Executive Minister