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(CLICK POST TITLE TO WATCH THE INVOCATION)
Pastor Joel Hunter delivered the invocation at the Grand Opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on Thursday, June 18. He co-led the opening prayer alongside Joshua DuBois, reflecting on the historical significance of the library's opening and offering a message of hope and civic reconciliation.
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Dr. Joel C. Hunter was honored to offer the Invocation for the State of the County annual address delivered by the Mayor of Orange County…
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The Hill - May 29, 2026
In early 2024, Hunter and the Ginsburg Family Foundation invited 150 civic and community leaders to devise a way forward. Their Central Florida Pledge aimed to help build “America’s most welcoming community” and keep “Central Florida a safe community for all who live here and for future generations.” It read as follows:
“I will lead by example—treating all people with dignity and respect, especially those with whom I disagree.
“I will refrain from inflammatory words and actions, and actively support those being attacked.
“I will report threatening incidents of hate and violence to 800-423-TIPS (8477).
“I will educate myself about all forms of discrimination, including antisemitism, homophobia, Islamophobia, racism, and help others in my circle of influence to do the same.”
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This year’s Easter Sunrise Service at Bayside Stadium at SeaWorld Orlando was a great celebration of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ! Worship with Jeremy Rosado and a powerful message from Dr. Joel C. Hunter made this Easter Sunrise Service truly special. There’s nothing like watching thousands come together in one place to celebrate the Resurrection!
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Orlando businessman and philanthropist Alan Ginsburg and Joel Hunter, chairman of The Central Florida Pledge, pose for a portrait together at The Alfond Inn in Winter Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Both longtime community leaders are finalists for the Orlando Sentinel Central Floridian of the Year for their creation and stewardship of The Central Florida Pledge campaign. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)
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Orlando Voyager - September 30, 2025 (Click the title for full article including photos)
Today we’d like to introduce you to Joel C. Hunter.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was involved in the Civil Rights movement as a college student in the 1960’s. From that experience, I went into church ministry, always having a heart for those who were being left out (like Jesus did). Since I had more of an interest in living out my faith outside the traditional church than inside, paradoxically, my congregations grew…
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Orlando Magazine’s 2025 Best of ORL is a greater success than ever before! Our readers voted (overwhelmingly) in 116 categories—13 of them new—and the results are in. Read about 35 of your first-place winners in our editor’s-choice spotlights, then continue on for lists of all the winners, by category.
Rev. David Uth—First Orlando
Archbishop Allen T.D. Wiggins—The Hope Church
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According to its website, Central Florida Pledge asks residents to “commit to treating all people with empathy and understanding.”
It goes on to say by taking the Pledge, you become part of a “first-of-its-kind team of ‘community first responders.’” The Pledge defines this as “people who stand ready to act when hate or discrimination threatens our neighbors.”Dr. Joel Hunter, chairman of Central Florida Pledge, was there Sunday morning. “It’s a gut punch because you just hate to see anybody interrupted in their worship,” Hunter said. “It’s against the law, but it’s also just rude and persecutory.”…
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Alan Ginsburg and Pastor Joel Hunter are the driving forces behind the Central Florida Pledge, a community network initiative that empowers the public to stifle hate and discrimination before it begins.
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Notable signatories include Russell Moore, former head of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission; Revs. Galen Carey and Walter Kim of the National Association of Evangelicals; Justin Giboney of the And Campaign; progressive Christian author Shane Claiborne of the advocacy group Red Letter Christians, Christian rapper Lecrae and megachurch Pastor Joel C. Hunter.
Dr. Joel C. Hunter is the Pastor of Community Benefit at Action Church, a multi-site congregation based in Winter Park and his one-minute daily devotionals can be heard worldwide on Z88 radio. He is the Chairman of the Central Florida Pledge campaign; a call to action for residents of Central Florida who are tired of hateful discourse and want to create a safe and inclusive community for all. The pledge asks residents to commit to treating all people with kindness and respect, especially those with whom they disagree. To learn more: https://www.centralfloridapledge.com/
He is a nationally and internationally known advocate for the poor, the marginalized, and those dealing with disabilities. He served a three-year term as the Chairman of Central Florida’s Commission on Homelessness. And, after 32 years as the senior pastor of Longwood, Florida’s Northland Church’s congregation of 20,000, he spent five years leading a non-profit in networking with churches and local charities to locate available resources and benefit the struggling in our community. Orlando Magazine highlighted his efforts naming him as the #1 most powerful voice for philanthropy and community engagement. And listed him among “Orlando’s 50 Most Powerful” six years in a row.
Approaching today’s challenges in a biblical and balanced manner, Dr. Hunter is neither partisan nor politically oriented, but often relates to public officials in a pastoral role; he served as a spiritual advisor to President Obama during his eight years in office.
Dr. Hunter has served in leadership roles of the World Evangelical Alliance, serving more than 600 million evangelicals, and the National Association of Evangelicals, serving more than 40 denominations and thousands of churches.
Married in 1972 to his wife, Becky, he is the father of three sons, grandfather of seven, and great-grandfather of two.
UPCOMING - AND YOU ARE INVITED!
Sunday, July 5 at 10 AM - Dr. Hunter will be preaching at Grace Convenant Presbyterian Church (1655 Peel Avenue, Orlando, FL 32806)
