Advocacy Committee for Racial Ethnic Concerns (ACREC)
Called to be “... doers of the word and not merely hearers ...” (James 1:22a)
ACREC maintains a strong prophetic witness to the church as an advocate for people of color, monitoring existing and emerging issues in the church and society as they impact our constituent communities. Issues include, but are not limited to, civil rights, racial justice, economic justice, public education, law enforcement, health care, employment, housing, immigration rights and environmental justice.
Mission Statement
Responsibilities
Membership
Partners
History
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Mission Statement
The mission of the Advocacy Committee for Racial Ethnic Concerns (ACREC) is to advocate for full access for all racial-ethnic/immigrant groups to all programs, ministries, middle governing bodies and congregations in the Presbyterian Church by monitoring implementation of policy and corresponding actions, decisions and issues of racial-ethnic concern. ACREC shall have direct access to the General Assembly and General Assembly Mission Council to provide advice and counsel assuring compliance with the Book of Order, section G-4.0403 and section 5.6 of the Articles of Agreement to ensure advocacy and monitoring functions in the areas of racial-ethnic ministries.
Responsibilities
The functions of the committee are twofold, advocacy and monitoring.
Through advocacy, the committee continually evaluates shifting social trends in church and society and provides advice and counsel to the General Assembly and General Assembly Mission Council in response to their request or on its own initiative. The chairperson is a corresponding member of the General Assembly and the General Assembly Mission Council.
The committee also monitors the implementation of programs and policies on racial justice and racial ethnic issues. These responsibilities are fulfilled in consultation with other agencies, including Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns (ACWC), the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) and the National Caucuses and Councils representing people of color and new immigrants.
In order to effectively advocate and monitor, ACREC also:
- Reports directly to General Assembly Mission Council and the General Assembly, where it participates with voice, but not vote.
- Meets three times annually.
- Provides an orientation session for commissioners to General Assembly.
- Participates in the preparation of policy statements, resolutions, recommendations, and reports to the General Assembly and advice and counsel memoranda on issues of interest and concern to people of color.
- May respond to particular issues at the request of the General Assembly, the General Assembly Mission Council, or on it’s own initiative.
- Works with the stated clerk, the moderator of the General Assembly and the executive director of the General Assembly Mission Council to provide information and assistance as they fulfill their responsibilities to communicate and interpret General Assembly policies on issues that impact people of color.
- Assists the Committee on Social Witness Policy to maintain an up-to-date and accurate compilation of General Assembly policy on racial justice concerns and provide information to the church as requested.
- Works with the Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns to help the church maintain a strong prophetic witness for social justice, especially in issues pertinent to women.
Membership
ACREC consists of twelve elected members:
- Two from each of the following constituencies (of which one shall be from the recognized caucus of that constituency):
- African Americans
- Asian Americans
- Latino/a Americans
- Native Americans
- Middle Eastern Americans
- One member at-large
- One General Assembly Mission Council member
Partners
- Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy
- Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns
- General Assembly Nominating Committee
- Mission Responsibility Through Investment
Caucuses
- National Asian Presbyterian Council
- National Black Presbyterian Caucus
- National Hispanic/Latino Presbyterian Caucus
- National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Caucus
- Native American Consulting Committee