BOLD Justice

Broward Organized Leaders Doing Justice

Year End Report

Over the past year, several congregations in Broward County Florida came together to explore the possibility of forming a Direct-Action organization in Broward County. As a result of those conversations the Broward Interfaith Sponsoring Committee (BISC) was formed and the initial start up money was raised. In January 2007 BISC hired their first staff person to begin the organizing process. On March 22nd thirty clergy from around the county meet for an initial orientation. One month later the organization held its first orientation for lay leadership. The Lay Leader Orientation was held on April 23rd at St. Maurice Catholic Church. The orientation, conducted in English, Spanish and Creole, was attended by 447 people representing more than 25 congregations. This is a new record for the DART network.

After the initial orientation, BISC congregations entered into a house meeting process to identify the first community problems the organization would address. Over the summer months, 94 house meetings were held with 908 people in attendance. The results of these house meetings were taken to BISC's covenant assembly.

BISC held its Covenant Assembly on Monday, September 24th, 2007 at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Miramar. 25 congregations covenanted to form the organization. They elected officers and adopted by-laws for the organization. In addition they chose a formal name for the organization: BOLD Justice: (Broward Organized Leaders Doing Justice). Finally Housing and Health Care were voted in as the first priorities for action by the organization. BOLD Justice will hold its first Nehemiah Action on February 21st, 2008

Over the past year BOLD Justice received financial grants from the following places: Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), Evangelic Lutheran Church of America, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Presbyterian Church USA, Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and the Archdiocese of Miami. Additionally for 2007 BISC member congregations have already paid $15,000 in dues. The goal for the year is $25,000.

Current Membership

All Saints Episcopal Church, Ft. Lauderdale
All Saints Lutheran Church, Tamarac
Christ Lutheran Church, Ft. Lauderdale
Divine Mercy Catholic Church, Ft. Lauderdale
Hollywood Hills United Methodist Church, Hollywood
Little Flower Catholic Church, Hollywood
Miramar United Methodist Church, Miramar
Mount Calvary Baptist Church, Pompano Beach
Mount Hermon AME Church, Ft. Lauderdale
Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church, North Lauderdale
Parkway United Methodist Church, Pompano Beach
Plantation United Methodist Church, Plantation
St. Andrew Catholic Church, Coral Springs
St. Anthony Catholic Church, Ft. Lauderdale
St. Jerome Catholic Church, Ft. Lauderdale
St. John United Methodist Church, Ft. Lauderdale
St. Joseph Haitian Mission Catholic Church, Pompano Beach
St. Katherine Drexel Catholic Church, Weston
St. Maurice Catholic Church, Dania Beach
St. Paul Lutheran Church, Weston
St. Stephen Catholic Church, Miramar
San Isidro Catholic Church, Pompano Beach
Temple Dor Dorim, Weston
Trinity Lutheran Church, Pembroke Pines
Village United Methodist Church, North Lauderdale

Benefits to Membership

• Enables clergy, members, and neighbors of congregations to effectively act on their convictions to improve the systems impacting the quality of peoples lives.
• Involvement in winning long-term changes on specific community problems.
• Development of leadership skills.
• Strengthens relationships among congregants and with members of other congregations in the county.
• Enables members to publicly engage decision makers in the community.
• Develops relationships across racial and economic boundaries, by working side-by-side with diverse multi-cultural and interfaith communities throughout the county.

Contact Info

Andy Lee, Lead Organizer
Jennifer Oster, Associate Organizer
400 N 35th Ave
Hollywood, FL 33021
(954) 987-6595
boldjustice1@gmail.com