The Vine News

This year has seen banks shutter their doors, large financial institutions on the brink of collapse, and community churches’ resources stretched to the limit. But the Collective Banking Group – a coalition of churches that leverage their collective power for change in banking and the community -- is expanding.

Next month, the organization is celebrating its 14^th anniversary and its success with a gala Dec. 11 to be held at the Camelot by Martin’s.

“None of this would have taken place without people like Dr. Martin Luther King, Marcus Garvey, and others that have been fighting for the African American Community for us to have economic parity and economic rights,” said Jonathan Weaver, founder and now national president of the group.

Since its launch in 1993, the Collective Banking Group has expanded its core vision of economic empowerment to churches across the nation.

Beyond the charter chapter in Prince George’s County, six others have sprouted in Baltimore, MD; South Carolina; Austin, TX; Miami, FL; Cincinnati, OH; and Newark, NJ.

Jonathan Weaver, CBG founder and pastor of Greater Mt. Nebo AME said he organized the group as a “form of personal protest” after nearly being denied a $50,000 church loan in 1992 despite the church’s good credit.

Weaver said he had to write a letter to the bank's president, expressing disappointment and hinting they might take their business elsewhere. Within days, a senior bank official called to approve the church’s loan without restrictions.

Weaver soon discovered that other area pastors had suffered similar struggles. So in January 1993, he met with 21 other pastors to form The Collective Banking Group of Prince George’s County, (MD) and Vicinity.

"Many pastors and churches were unaware of the way banks operated. They believed that the banks set the policies and they had to comply,” Weaver recalled in an interview with the Miami Herald earlier this year. “The purpose of the Collective Banking Group was not to try to shift the current paradigm, but to create a new paradigm. It’s quite a reversal from twenty years ago. Collectively, churches have shown the banking community just how much economic power they wield.”

Modeled after the charter Maryland group, other groups have sprouted in cities across the country. The Central Carolinas Collective Banking Group began in May 2002 with 25 charter churches. Texas Congregations United for Empowerment, Inc., (TCUE) represents primarily African American Christian churches in three Texas counties with congregations of more than 5,000 people.

Bishop Vashti McKenzie Is the founding president of the Baltimore and Vicinity CBG and the Miami-Dade & Vicinity, CBG Chairman and President, Rev. Dr. R. Joaquin Willis, was part of the original National Collective Banking Group.

“[CBG’s], mind and horizon is a whole lot wider and bigger than Jonathon Weaver’s,” Weaver said. “I’m just marveling and at the same time very gratified by seeing what the Lord is doing here and in other cities for pastors grabbing a hold of the vision and just running with it.”

With the expansion, Weaver turned leadership of the Prince George’s chapter over in 2008 to Rev. Kerry Hill, pastor of New Chapel Baptist Church.

“There are so many ministerial groups that come and go; but I think time has really shown the effectiveness of the CBG,” Hill said. “I just thank God for having the ability to serve after Pastor Weaver; and I think he did a great job of opening doors for me now to bring in a couple of new ideas.”

Prince Geoge’s Chapter Executive Director Dr. Diane H. Johnson said, expansion was “inevitable.”

“I think that the work, [of CBG], is a good work. The mission is a good mission,” she said. “I believe that the scenario that was the impetus for the beginning of CBG was a solid purpose, so it makes sense that there would be additional chapters to come on line.”

Now as national president, Weaver regards himself as “a conduit for the various chapters” sharing information between them that may be helpful.

Expansion has not only meant growth of chapters, but also a growth in its core area of banking.

The group maintains its covenant partnerships with local banks, such as Bank of America, Industrial Bank and The Bank of Georgetown. But this year, the Prince George’s chapter has also partnered with the Maryland Department of Community and Housing Development, to disseminate information to help residents facing foreclosure. They also have information to help first time homebuyers, and have established a partnership this year with Marlo Furniture that donates furniture vouchers to individual member churches that the churches can use to assist victims of disaster.

“Now we see ourselves expanding into other areas,” Hill said. “We have come to be a very powerful group and a voice for the people in areas that touch the people who serve in our churches.”

The group also adamantly added its voice to the chorus of concerned citizens who did not want Prince George’s Hospital to close, and they’ve used their collective power – representing nearly a half million Prince Georgians within their congregations – as leverage.

“We’re not just trying to flex our political power, but also letting the political leaders know that there’s a strong voice in the Christian community in Prince George’s county and vicinity,” Hill said. “We just want our voices heard and our platform understood and so we will fight to see that things that we believe in are at least heard and taken seriously by those who are in decision-making power.”

For tickets to the Dec. 11 gala, visit www.collectivebankinggroup.com.

Pastors interested in establishing a CBG chapter in other geographic regions may contact CBG National President, Rev. Jonathon Weaver at 301-249-7545.