FAITH LEADER STATEMENT ON FAMILY SEPARATION 

Recently, the Administration announced that it will begin separating families and criminally prosecuting all people who enter the U.S. without previous authorization. As religious leaders representing diverse faith perspectives, united in our concern for the well being of vulnerable migrants who cross our borders fleeing from danger and threats to their lives, we are deeply disappointed and pained to hear this news. 

We affirm the family as a foundational societal structure to support human community and understand the household as an estate blessed by God. The security of the family provides critical mental, physical and emotional support to the development and well being of children. Our congregations and agencies serve many migrant families that have recently arrived in the United States. Leaving their communities is often the only option they have to provide safety for their children and protect them from harm. Tearing children away from parents who have made a dangerous journey to provide a safe and sufficient life for them is unnecessarily cruel and detrimental to the well-being of parents and children.  

As we continue to serve and love our neighbor, we pray for the children and families that will suffer due to this policy and urge the Administration to stop their policy of separating families.  

His Eminence Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Diocesan Legate and Director of the Ecumenical Office, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America

Mr. Azhar Azeez, President, Islamic Society of North America

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, PA, Chair, Bishops’ Committee for Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs

Senior Bishop George E. Battle, Jr., Presiding Prelate, Piedmont Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Bishop H. Kenneth Carter, Jr., President, Council of Bishops, The United Methodist Church

The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop, Episcopal Church (United States)

The Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, General Minister & President, United Church of Christ

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Rev. David Guthrie, President, Provincial Elders’ Conference, Moravian Church Southern Province

Mr. Glen Guyton, Executive Director, Mennonite Church USA

The Rev. Teresa Hord Owens, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President, Union for Reform Judaism

Mr. Anwar Khan, President, Islamic Relief USA

The Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller, President, Provincial Elders’ Conference, Moravian Church Northern Province

The Rev. Dr.  J. Herbert Nelson II, Stated Clerk, Presbyterian Church (USA)

Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

The Rev. Don Poest, Interim General Secretary, The Rev. Eddy Alemán, Candidate for General Secretary, Reformed Church in America

Senior Bishop Lawrence Reddick III, Presiding Bishop, The Eighth Episcopal District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

The Rev. Phil Tom, Executive Director, International Council of Community Churches

INTERNATIONAL  COUNCIL OF COMMUNITY CHURCHES
NAMES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Frankfort, IL, March 12, 2018 –    The International Council of Community Churches, the nation’s ground-breaking inter-racial fellowship of community-based churches and ministry centers, has called Rev. Phil Tom as its next Executive Director.

The International Council of Community Churches (ICCC) was formed in 1950. The Biennial Council of the Peoples Church of Christ and Community Centers led by  Dr. Joseph M Evans (until then all African-American) and the National Council of Community Churches led by the Rev. Roy A Burkhardt (until then all Caucasian) merged to form the largest inter-racial church communion. Member churches are a fellowship of ecumenically-minded, freedom-loving congregations cooperating to work for Christian unity, justice and reconciliation.  The Executive Director leads these efforts through the national office.

A native New Yorker,  Rev Tom received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Coe College but gradually became  more and more interested in ministry.  He received his M.A. in Community Development from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and his Master of Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary.  Throughout his ministry and working life he has sought partnerships between churches, government and social organizations to develop communities and address such issues as affordable housing, job training, after-school programs for youth, worker justice and community organizing for a cause.

In addition to successfully pastoring churches, Rev Tom worked for the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership. Through his office he worked with faith-based and neighborhood organizations, the City of Indianapolis, lenders, funders, and United Way to successfully create and implement a city-wide affordable housing development strategy.

From 1993 – 1996 and 2000 – 2010, Rev Tom worked with the Presbyterian Church USA and helped to equip church congregations of diverse locations (rural to urban) to strengthen their congregational life and community outreach.  In 2010, during the Obama Administration, Phil became Director of the US Department of Labor’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.  He worked over the next five years with Secretaries of Labor Hilda Solis – then Thomas Perez – to build partnership with faith-based and community-based organizations related to worker justice and workforce development issues and programs.

More recently, Rev. Tom served as Interim pastor of the Eastchester Presbyterian Church in Bronx, NY, completing that assignment in January 2018.  Rev. Tom has several publications to his credit including Handbook for Urban Church Ministries And All Who Reach Out With Their Neighbors, co-edited with Sally Johnson , and Congregational-Based Community Organizing:  Building Vital Congregations, Building Just Communities, Presbyterian Church (USA), 2009

Rev Tom and family currently reside in Mt. Vernon, NY.