Church under fire for requesting only white greeters
A pastor of a church in Charlotte, N.C. recently took heat for requesting that only white people serve as greeters on Sunday morning.
Some members of Freedom House Church in north Charlotte expressed outrage after receiving an email from their pastor Makeda Pennycooke asking people of color not to serve as greeters at the 9 a.m. services, according to a report in huffingtonpost.com.
Pennycooke, an African-American, said in the email that “first impressions matter” and that the congregation wanted “the best of the best on the front doors,” according to the report. “So we would like to ask that only white people be on the front doors,” the email reportedly said.
According to a WBTV report, members angered by the email said the pastor of the diverse congregation hoped white greeters would attract more white members.
After the firestorm, the pastor and church leadership apologized for the email.
About the Author
Fran Jeffries is a Newsletter Producer. She joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2005 as an Education Editor. She worked as a Breaking News Editor and Social Media Producer before joining the Newsletter team.
