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Orlando Sentinel - February 29, 2024
Leaders across Central Florida representing city and county governments, law enforcement agencies, business, religious groups and college campuses gathered Thursday in downtown Orlando to sign the Central Florida Pledge, a document denouncing Islamophobia, antisemitism and other forms of hate.
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November 1, 2023
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — On Wednesday morning, Universal Destination and Experiences and Altamonte Springs-based housing group Wendover broke ground on Catchlight Crossings. Dr. Joel C. Hunter, Action Church’s Pastor of Community Benefit, gave the Invocation before welcoming Jonathan Wolf, CEO and Founder of Wendover Housing Partners to the podium.
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October 19, 2023
WESH 2 News CW
Friends, colleagues and supporters describe Dr. Joel C. Hunter as a humble, kind servant….
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October 7, 2023
Dr. Joel C. Hunter received the first “Dr. Joel C. Hunter Legacy award, honoring his endless efforts for many years to end homelessness and suffering in the Central Florida region. The Dr. Joel C. Hunter Legacy Award will be offered annually to significant leaders who have impacted the efforts to end homelessness.
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December 1, 2022
Pastors and churches participated in kicking off the Central Florida Churches Endowment Scholarship supporting Central Florida HBCU Bethune Cookman University.
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As citizens and leaders in the state of Florida, we are extremely concerned that the ongoing conflicts between religious rights and LGBTQ rights are poisoning our civil discourse, eroding the free exercise of religion and preventing diverse people of good will from living together in peace and mutual respect. It is time to…
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June 23, 2022
Museum of the Bible hosted a celebration of the Black Church in America recognizing outstanding pastors whose impact and ministry have been remarkable. Dr. Hunter was honored to attend and to see many friends! Bishop Sidney P. Malone, Senior Pastor, New Growth In Christ Christian Center in Memphis, Tennessee; Bishop Derrick L. McRae, Senior Pastor, The Experience Christian Center in Orlando, and Archbishop Allen Wiggins, Senior Pastor of The Hope Church of Orlando among them.
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Nationally and locally, white pastors who lead predominately white evangelical churches but want to discuss social justice issues from their pulpits are now left to figure out how to slow the spread of nationalist views without alienating their congregations.
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Dr. Hunter joined Adrian Guess and Devin Dedeaux, Co-Hosts of the Black Agenda Podcast, for a discussion on religion and social justice. https://www.blackagendapod.com/audio-podcast/episode/30713f1c/s3e14-religion-and-social-justice
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A special discussion on the best-selling book "White Too Long" and the influence of white racism in contemporary American Christianity. The panel features the book's author Dr. Robert Jones,; former senior pastor of Northland, A Church Distributed and President of Parable Foundation, Dr. Joel C Hunter; and Rev. Terence Gray, pastor of St. Mark AME Church, Orlando Florida. Watch here.
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.
April 19, 2026 Dr. Hunter will be preaching all four worship services (8:30AM, 10AM, 11:30AM and 5:30PM) at Action Church (1485 Grand Rd., Winter Park, FL 32792) His sermon will be shared by video at Action’s additional sites: Hagerty High School (3225 Lockwood Blvd., Oviedo, FL 32765) at 9:30AM and 11AM; Action Church Sanford (650 E. Airport Blvd., Sanford, Florida 32773) at 8:30AM, 10AM and 11:30AM. *ASL Interpretation Available at the 10AM Service; Choices in Learning (1100 E State Rd 434, Winter Springs, FL 32708) 8:30AM, 10AM and 11:30AM.; Spanish translation is available at all services at all sites.
