The theme “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” will offer a roadmap for the Black church as it reclaims its position of social justice leadership in the Black community.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. (PNBC), led by its president, Dr. James C. Perkins, will hold its 57th Annual Session August 6-10, 2018 at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, located at 1201 Market Street. Over 5,000 representatives from the denomination are expected to gather for weeklong events of preaching, Christian Education, and social justice strategizing. The Philadelphia location bears special meaning as PNBC held its first Annual Session in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection in 1962.
Founded during the Civil Rights Movement, PNBC was formed in 1961 to give full voice, sterling leadership and active support to the American and world fight for human freedom. PNBC was the spiritual home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and is still fighting against systems that harm poor and vulnerable populations. Poverty, mass incarceration, healthcare, and voting rights are key areas of focus.
A march, rally, and press conference will be held on Monday, August 6 to bring attention to the policies of the current administration that hurt communities of color, the poor, and working-class families. An expected 2,000 PNBC delegates and concerned Philadelphia citizens will march from the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown hotel at noon to the Liberty Bell at 1:00 pm. PNBC leaders will hold a press conference focusing on tactics such as voter suppression, assaults on the poor, cuts to SNAP, immigration and family separation, cash bail policies, and attacks on healthcare.
Additionally, nationwide strategies will be announced to increase voter participation in the upcoming midterm elections. Press conference speakers include Dr. Perkins; Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, PNBC Social Justice Commission, chair and senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia; Dr. Freddy Haynes, senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas; Dr. James S. Hall, senior pastor of Triumph Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Dr. John Mendez, senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Winston Salem, North Carolina.
“During the 50th anniversary year of the assassination of Dr. King, we need to keep his legacy alive by addressing important issues before members of Congress,” Perkins said. “Dr. King impacted social policy, and we must do the same.”
Additionally, the Annual Session will encompass The Angela Project, a three-year movement commemorating the 400th anniversary of Black enslavement in America. PNBC will join members of the National Baptist Convention of America and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for a rich and empowering symposium on Monday, August 6 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon in the plenary ballroom.
The Annual Session will also include preaching from renowned pastors across the country featuring:
Dr. William Shaw, Jr.
Dr. William Shaw, Jr. senior pastor, White Rock Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dr. Kevin W. Cosby
Dr. Kevin W. Cosby, pastor, St. Stephen Baptist Church, and President of Simmons College, Louisville, Kentucky
Dr. Delores Cain
Dr. Delores Cain, senior pastor, Heritage Community Baptist Church, Tampa, Florida
Dr. Ralph D. West
Dr. Ralph D. West, senior pastor, The Church Without Walls, Houston, Texas
Dr. Albert F. Campbell
Dr. Albert F. Campbell, pastor emeritus, Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dr. Charles C. Adams
Dr. Charles C. Adams, presiding pastor, Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, Detroit, Michigan
Dr. Harold A. Carter, Jr.
Dr. Harold A. Carter, Jr., senior pastor, New Shiloh Baptist Church, Baltimore, Maryland
Dr. Tyrell O. Brown
Dr. Tyrell O. Brown, senior pastor, Morning Star Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia
Accompanying the worship and teaching sessions are nearly thirty classes available through the PNBC Congress of Christian Education. The Annual Session also features a Young Adult Expo and Youth and Children’s Extravaganza that focuses on leadership, learning, outreach, witness and worship opportunities.
The guest Psalmist will be Malcolm Williams and Great Faith. A Youth Explosion will be held Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. and worship service on Thursday at 10:00 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel.
The Annual Session creates a roadmap for the yearlong goals that will guide the member churches in living out the mission of equipping pastors and churches to be effective in ministry and lifting their voices on behalf of the voiceless.
About PNBC – PNBC is a vital Baptist denomination with a membership consisting of approximately 1.5 million people in the U.S. and 2.5 million people globally. New generations of Progressive Baptists are continuing the struggle for full voter registration, education and participation in society, economic empowerment and development, and the realization of universal human rights and total human liberation for all people. For more information, visit www.pnbc.org.
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