The Brooklyn Council of Churches originated as the “Brooklyn City Tract Society, Auxiliary to the American Tract Society.” The Brooklyn City Tract Society was founded as a branch of the American Tract Society in 1829 to “promote the interests of evangelical religion, by the systematic distribution within the bounds of Brooklyn of religious Tracts published by the American Tract Society.

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Today, the Brooklyn Council of Churches uses its influence as a united body with the community to strive for social reform to assist Brooklyn’s ever changing population.  Advocacy has included:

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• Operation Breadbasket
• Bank on Brooklyn (campaign against red-lining by banks)
• The emergency food distribution program
• Campaign against the In-Reming (seizing) of church property by the City of New York
• Support of the Burned Churches Fund of the National Council of Churches
• Repeal of the horrendous NYS fuel oil surcharge (tax) which had added 25% to your church fuel bill for many years
• Support of the clergy parking bill (A-60), successful opposition to the sale of Coney Island Hospital by NYC
• Opposition to apartheid (since it’s inception), handguns, sweatshops, excessive use of force by law enforcement
• Opposition to garbage collection fees for churches, fees for FDNY inspection and Sunday morning FDNY fire inspections of churches
• Opposition to restrictive landmarking legislation of churches
• Removal of an indecent billboard from downtown Brooklyn
• The first voice city-wide against Sunday parking regulations

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In 2012, the council was instrumental in alerting churches regarding their property tax-exemption status.    

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