Wednesday, April 18, 2001

RSVP NEEDED 910/962-3171 By April 23

UNC Wilmington is pleased to have award-winning author and documentary film producer Paul Wilkes on the faculty of our Creative Writing Department. Paul is one of the nation’s foremost journalists writing today about the role of religious belief in individual lives as well as the place and impact of religion in public life. Although he lives and works in Wilmington, many of the media as well as leaders in our area’s faith community may not have had the opportunity to meet him and learn about his work.

To change that, we invite you to join Paul Wilkes and area pastors at a luncheon at noon, Tuesday, April 24, in Wagoner Hall’s Madeline Suite on the campus of UNCW. At that time, Paul will give a brief presentation about his groundbreaking two-year, nationwide study focusing on a very diversified group of churches that are models for excellence. While Wilmington area churches were not considered so that the Parish/Congregational Study could be unbiased in its choices of excellent churches, three parishes in North Carolina were among the 308 excellent Catholic Parishes selected and eight Protestant churches in North Carolina were among the 300 singled out.

Funded by the Lilly Endowment, this study forms the basis for two of Paul’s newest books, “Excellent Catholic Parishes: The Guide to Best Places and Practices” (Paulist Press, 272 pp, $22.95 – hardcover) and “Excellent Protestant Congregations: The Guide to Best Places and Practices” (Westminster John Knox, 176 pp, $18.95). Also being organized by Paul is a Pastoral Summit, May 30-June 1 in New Orleans, co-sponsored by UNCW and Notre Dame Universty Institute for Church Life. This first-ever national gathering of Protestants and Catholics focused exclusively on the local church will feature some of the country’s most dynamic and innovative pastors and lay leaders, many featured in Paul’s books.

We hope you can attend and cover this luncheon.

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