Local Faith Leaders Working To Improve Race Relations In Wake Of Unrest Around Philadelphia, Country
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Eyewitness News is continuing to explore the recent unrest and protests here in our area and around the nation. And today our Natasha Brown speaks with a local church leader who is calling for justice for all.
While the calls for racial equality, justice and police reform grow louder among protesters in the streets, the calls for healing can be heard from the church pulpit.
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"We brought together more than 30 churches from the suburbs and from the city and from the tri-state. We came together under the banner one hope, one gospel and one church," New Covenant Church Pastor Bob Oliver said.
Oliver and dozens of faith leaders from all backgrounds are joining forces, opening up a dialogue on race relations in their communities.
"We talked about reconciliation, we talked about how we could exhibit the light of the church in a dark, dark time," Oliver said.
Daily and near-weekly demonstrations are not lost on church leaders who say they should be providing guidance and a place of refuge for young voices to be heard.
"The generation Z and millennials that have the courage to do what they are doing should be supported by the church," said Oliver. "The younger generation and those who are more seasoned should come together so that the wisdom of the elders can benefit the movement and the momentum."
Faith leaders plan to continue multiracial panels addressing community concerns in the coming weeks, inclusive of the voices ringing loudly throughout the streets of Philadelphia and across the country.
"When I look at the numbers and those young people, it's multiracial, it's multicultural. So the power of this is, it's not just black people saying black lives matter, it's all people recognizing all lives cannot matter until black lives matter," Oliver said.