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Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com                       www.TheCatoctinBanner.com                         The Catoctin Banner Newspaper                                    November 2018             Page 23
            Emmitsburg Council of Churches Holds First Community Unity Day


               The Emmitsburg Council of          how his own                 Photo Courtesy of Debbie Wivell and Friends  community   doorsteps. He recounted the stirring
            Churches (ECC) enjoyed excellent      denomination                                               connections,    history of Emmitsburg citizens
            participation and inspiring speakers   struggles with                                            to make         standing up against slavery and
            at its first Community Unity Day,     welcoming                                                  the town a      bigotry.
            September 23, 2018. Addressing a      gay couples.                                               welcoming          The Rev. Bill Goal, Bishop,
            large number of citizens, speakers at   He then                                                  place for all   Delaware Maryland Synod of the
            the event emphasized the importance   offered the                                                persons.        ELCA, told how he has encountered
            of love and tolerance in direct       opening                                                      The           racism in his own life as a parent
            opposition to the hatred and fear     prayer for                                                 Rev. Jon        of adopted biracial and African-
            scattered by the carriers of racism   the unity                                                  Greenstone,     American children. He provided
            and bigotry.                          celebration.                                               President,      ways to address “funny” racial
               The Home Comfort Band                Mayor                                                    Emmitsburg      remarks that are bigoted and hateful.
            provided bluegrass renditions of      Don Briggs                                                 Council of         Roger Wilson, Director, Frederick
            much-beloved hymns and songs.         spoke                                                      Churches,       County Government Affairs and
            Their Psalms celebrating a loving     about how                                                  and Pastor      Policy, spoke about how Frederick
            and merciful God were appreciated.    important                                                  of Elias        County had become a place persons
               Mark Long, Emmitsburg              connection                                                 Lutheran        want to live, work, and raise their
            citizen and organizer, began the      is within                                                  Church in       families. He spoke about how this
            speaking portion of the celebration   Emmitsburg.                                                America         county, through its openness and
            by welcoming everyone. Mark           He shared                                                  (ELCA)          diversity, welcomes all persons.
            stepped forward to help organize      about efforts                                              spoke              The Rev. Stacey Coles Wilson,
            the Community Unity Day in direct     to upgrade                                                 about the       Baltimore-Washington Conference
            response to hateful literature left on   infrastructure                                          importance      of the UMC, spoke passionately of
            the doorsteps of many Emmitsburg      and the                                                    of countering   the history of racism and bigotry in
            citizens. He recognized the speakers   community                                                 the literature   the United States and the currents
            and government officials attending,   swimming                                                   left by white   of change toward a diversity of
            including Emmitsburg Mayor Don        pool, both                                                 supremacists    humankind, united by love and
                                                                    Rev. Stacey Coles Wilson, Baltimore-Washington
            Briggs; Thurmont Mayor John           of which        Conference of the UMC, speaks of positive currents of   on   tolerance.
            Kinnaird; town commissioners;         build up and    change towards love and tolerance at the Community   Emmitsburg   Fr. Marty McGeough, St Joseph’s
            county commissioners; and             encourage              Unity Day on September 23, 2018.    residents’      Parish, Roman Catholic Church,
            candidates for local office.                                                                                     closed with prayer and loud Amens.
               Pastor Richard Baker of Trinity                                                                               The ECC will continue its efforts to
            United Methodist Church (UMC)                            Adve r tise  Your Busine ss or Eve nt With Us!          demonstrate love and tolerance in
            welcomed everyone. He spoke about      Want to advertise your business or event? E-mail: [email protected] or call 301-447-4527.  Emmitsburg and beyond.
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