FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY July 6, 2020 As clergy and community leaders, we urge our city officials to reconsider hosting the Republican National Convention. Recent times have found municipalities across our country wrangling with life’s most unimaginable phobias. Fears such as ethnic tension, economic uncertainty coupled with the first pandemic in a century have exponentially amplified the level of anxiety in our society. These occurrences affect Jacksonville. There is grave concern that hosting the RNC signifies that our city is placing profits over people. Over a month ago, Governor Ron DeSantis ordered quarantines for the residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut upon entering Florida. New York and the surrounding states represented the epicenter of the Coronavirus two months ago. Six weeks later, these tri-states have returned the favor. Upon entering their states, Floridians must be quarantined upon entry due to our ascending numbers of those testing positive for COVID-19. Our concern is not hyperbole or embellishment, as evidenced in a recent letter written by 200 physicians decrying the medical irresponsibility of putting citizens at risk with such a lethal virus circulating in our city. It is disingenuous to estimate that any convention would bring $100 million to Jacksonville when the city is burgeoning more diseased each day. With the alarming, escalating numbers of COVID cases, more businesses are sure to close, be it temporarily or permanently. At this critical juncture of where we are as a city and a nation, dialogue, healing, and decency are essential to reconciliation. Incendiary rhetoric and bellicose speech are toxins that continue to rip away at the fabric of our democracy. To have the President of the United States accept his party’s nomination on August 27, “Ax Handle Saturday”, which is one of the bloodiest days in our city’s history is unthinkable! This will set our city back decades. As leaders of African American congregations along with the entire African American community, we urge our city officials to reconsider our city as the host city of the RNC for the safety of our city. Pastor Arthur Jones, Sr. and Ardel Jones All People International Church Pastor Jeffrey Rumlin Day Spring Church Pastor Christopher McKee, Jr. The Church of Oakland Pastor John Allen Newman The Sanctuary of Mt. Calvary Church Pastor Eugene Diamond Abyssinia Missionary Baptist Church Pastor John E. Guns St. Paul Church of Jacksonville Pastor Helen D. Jackson Prince Chapel A.M.E. Church Pastors Leonard and Carolyn Love One Church of Jacksonville FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY Page 2 July 6, 2020 Pastor Leofric Thomas Open Arms Community Church Pastor Mark Griffin Wayman Temple A.M.E. Church Pastor Landon Williams, Sr. and Brian Campbell Greater Macedonia Baptist Church Pastor Tan Moss Greater Grant A.M.E. Church Pastor Terry L. Hill, Jr. The Citadel Church Pastor Gary L. Williams, Sr. Hopewell Church Pastor Rudolph McKissick, Jr. The Bethel Church Pastor Karl Hodges Central Baptist Church Pastor Kendall Anderson Christian Fellowship Baptist Church Pastor Edward Weston Exodus International Church Pastor Jerry Thompson First Chronicles Baptist Church Pastor Elijah Simmons Norwood Community Church Pastor Randy Sewell Solid Rock Baptist Church Pastor Kelvin Lewis Purpose Church Pastor Timothy Simmons St. Andrews Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Barry Townsend Elevation Church Pastor Burdette E. Williams Greater New Jerusalem Baptist Church Pastor Mariko Billups Breakthrough Church Pastor Earnest Berrian Light of the World Christian Church Pastor Kennetta Carter Roberts Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church Pastor Vaseal Montgomery Allen Chapel Houston A.M.E. Church Pastor Leslie Washington Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church Pastor Marva Mitchell New Bethel Callahan A.M.E. Church Pastor Oliver Simmons St. Andrew A.M.E. Church Pastor Pauline Tucker New Allen Community A.M.E. Church Pastor Sha’Reff Rashad New Mt. Moriah A.M.E. Church FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY Page 3 July 6, 2020 Pastor D’Mrtri Burke, Associate Pastor New Mt. Moriah A.M.E. Church Pastor Cynthia Bailey Greater Allen A.M.E. Church Pastor Louis Kirkland Mother Midway A.M.E. Church Pastor Mandella Smith New Zion A.M.E. Church Pastor Reginald R. Chever Deliverance Church of Our Lord Presiding Elder Eugene Moseley South District, A.M.E. Church Pastor Diana Neal Mosley United Tabernacle of Faith Baptist Church Pastors Robert and Michele Watson Refresh Ministries International Pastor Henry Phillips, Sr. Life Without Limits Pastor Nathaniel Senior New Hope in Christ Church Pastor Mildred Watts Living Word Ministries of Jacksonville Pastor Constance Brannon By Faith Ministries Pastor Jonathan Graham The Covenant Church Pastor Annie Fields Abundant Peace Ministries Pastor Roderick S. Love, Sr. New Dimensional Ministries Pastors Andrew and Karen Baker Kingdom Builders of Faith Pastor Fredrick D. Newbill First Timothy Baptist Church Pastor Alton Coles Hurst Chapel A.M.E. Church Pastor Ronald V. Walters King Solomon United Baptist Church Pastor Deon Johnson Antioch Church Pastor Mattie Riley Hayes New Hope A.M.E. Church Pastor Lewis Williams Household of Faith Pastors Frederic and Gloria Pickney Joshua Christian Faith Center Pastor Enola Goodman New Breed Creation Church Pastor Ray Cherry United House in Prayer Ministries Pastor Dajuan Bell Redeem Outreach Church FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY Page 4 July 6, 2020 Pastor Thomas Jordon One Body Many Members Ministries Pastor Rose P. Baker Love for Christ Outreach Presiding Elder Tony D. Hansberry Suwannee-North District, A.M.E. Church Pastor Yvette Williams Word of Faith Worship Center Pastor Ambrose Merkison New Colossians Missionary Baptist Church Pastor A. C. Richardson New Life Evangelistic Center, Inc. Pastor Todney Bynes Word of Life Empowerment Center Pastor Carol Baker Kingdom Dominion Assembly Pastor Diane Clark Kingdom Life Ministries Pastor J. Solomon Solomon’s Porches Miracles Pastor Earl Huntley Free Spirit Church Pastor Roosevelt Gamble, III Bethesda Temple Worship Center Pastor Alva D. Harris Deliverance Temple Global Ministries Pastor William Wiggins Emmanuel Baptist Church Pastor Victor Cole Historic Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Pastor Gregory Jones Mt. Pisgah Starke A.M.E. Church Presiding Elder Elizabeth Yates Alachua-Central District, A.M.E. Church Pastor Bishop Edward Robinson, Sr. Southside Church of God in Christ Jurisdictional Prelate of the Florida Central Second Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ