When corporate and civic institutions succumb to greed and societal discrimination, they rob society of its capacity to protect the poor and disadvantaged. They commit the sin of taking from the poor to enrich the rich. This conference will examine some of the strategies institutions use to do this and how they misinterpret the Biblical narrative to justify their practices.
This is less a conference and more of an experience in dealing with institutional sin. We will hear the history of civic and corporate indulgence in taking from the poor over all of history and how the challenges that Jesus made expose this institutional sin.
Using a real life case study and a series of current events in North Carolina that has reinforced segregation, poverty, and financial greed, attendees will participate in examining the root causes and practices of governance authorities, civic institutions, and even the church and examine ways to use the Power of the Gospel to challenge these institutions.
The annual Jack Crum Conference will be held Saturday, September 14, at Epworth UMC in Durham, from 9 am until 1 pm. There is no cost for registration or food. Light breakfast and lunch provided. Please RSVP (Register) on by September 7th.
Childcare is available at no cost by emailing Amanda Wilson at awilson@epworth-umc.org by Thursday, 9/12/2019.
The event Facilitator and Speaker is Brian Heymans, Chair of the Board of Church and Society in the North Carolina Conference of the UMC.
Originally from South Africa and a lifelong Methodist, he was for over 18 years a member of two congregations served by Dr. Peter Storey in Johannesburg South Africa and worked with him on the Methodist Church of Southern Africa’s official newspaper, Dimension. He has served on several Connectional boards and committees in the South African church and in Texas. Brian has authored and run numerous training programs in advocacy methods and has published other work in organizational change, leadership development and church missional strategies. He created two JFON Immigration law clinics in Texas and is doing the same here in NC.