AACC General Secretary Joins Delegation
for Africa Advocacy Week | | | Rev. Dr. Fidon Mwombeki, General Secretary of the All-Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), was a part of a delegation of African peacebuilding experts who visited members of Congress and Biden Administration officials earlier this month for Africa Advocacy Week. The event, which took place Dec. 2–7, was organized by the Salama Hub, a peacebuilding consortium based in the Horn of Africa. The delegation of African peacebuilders met with members of Congress, State Department staff, USAID officials, civil society, and faith-based organizations about non-violent and inclusive approaches to peacebuilding in the region. Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland-Tune, NCC’s Senior Associate General Secretary/Advocacy Director, had a chance to meet with Dr. Mwombeki along with Rev. Dr Angelique Walker-Smith, the North American President of the World Council of Churches, and a member of NCC’s Governing Board. Dr. Walker-Smith also attended the meetings with Dr. Mwombeki and the other members of the delegation for the week of advocacy. Dr. Nathan Hosler, another NCC Governing Board member, represented NCC at a luncheon in honor of the delegation. The meetings and events were intended to urge U.S. policymakers in Congress and at the State Department to invest in peacebuilding and diplomatic efforts led by African governments and civil society organizations. Delegates highlighted the inclusion of women, youth, and persons with different abilities in peace initiatives with an emphasis on climate justice, local ownership, and capacity building. The delegation hopes its efforts will bring more public awareness about the issues facing countries in Africa and the role that various stakeholders can play in peacebuilding and sustainable development. In his conversation with Dr. Copeland-Tune, Dr. Mwombeki pointed out that wars have never brought peace, only more bloodshed, a reality that has been amplified by what is going on in the Congo, Ethiopia, Sudan, and other parts of Africa as well as in the Israel-Hamas war. He was encouraged by the reception he received from U.S. officials and expressed his hope that their words would turn into action. According to Pauline Muchina, Africa Public Education and Advocacy Coordinator for AFSC and one of the event's lead organizers, “The peacebuilding delegation’s advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C. will shed light on the devastating consequences of ongoing conflicts in the Horn of Africa,” she said. “Through their advocacy, the delegation serves as a vital voice, reminding the U.S. of how the forgotten conflicts in Africa continue to take a heavy toll on lives and demand immediate attention.” | | The Color Purple in Theaters December 25 | | A bold new take on the beloved classic, a remake of Alice Walker’s classic The Color Purple, is showing only in theatres December 25. Warner Bros. The Color Purple invites viewers to experience the extraordinary sisterhood of three women who share one unbreakable bond. This bold new take on the beloved classic is directed by Blitz Bazawule (“Black Is King,” “The Burial of Kojo”) and produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones. The Color Purple stars Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Halle Bailey, and Fantasia Barrino as Celie in her major motion picture debut. Recently, several key cast members appeared on The View to discuss their roles in the movie. The screenplay by Marcus Gardley is based on Walker’s novel and the musical stage play. Bishop Vashti McKenzie recently participated in a town hall about the movie, hosted by the National Council of Negro Women. Bishop McKenzie joined more than a dozen nationally and internationally known Black leaders to discuss the significance of the movie. The movie will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theaters in North America on December 25, and internationally beginning January 18, 2024. | | | New Study Finds Christian Nationalists More Complex than Media Portrayals | | Neighborly Faith split survey respondents into six categories: Christian nationalist “Adherents” (11%) and “Sympathizers” (19%); Christian “Spectators” (18%); “Pluralistic Believers” (19%); Zealous separationists (17%); and “Undecideds” (16%). (Graphic courtesy Neighborly Faith) | (RNS) — A new study estimates that about 30% of Americans are open to the ideas associated with Christian nationalism, but the study’s authors say those who adhere to or sympathize with the ideology are a more complex group than media portrayals and even other studies have found. “Christian Nationalism: A New Approach” is the work of Neighborly Faith, an organization founded to help evangelical Christians build stronger relationships with people from other religious groups. In a webinar on Monday (Dec. 18), Neighborly Faith researchers said they took a more detailed look at Christian nationalism than previous efforts, beginning with the criterion typically used to identify Christian nationalist leanings. Where most surveys ask six questions, the Neighborly Faith survey asked 14. The six-question rubric, Neighborly Faith Director Chris Stackaruk said, makes it “very difficult to differentiate what is Christian nationalism versus what is socially or theologically conservative Christianity.” In addition to the original six questions, Neighborly Faith asked respondents whether they believed America has a “special God-ordained purpose,” whether U.S. culture is “fundamentally Christian” and whether “Christian values” should be “solely and explicitly endorsed by the government.” Neighborly Faith split respondents into six categories: Christian nationalist “Adherents” (11%) and “Sympathizers” (19%); Christian “Spectators” (18%) who sympathize with “traditional Christian views” but are less likely to engage politically; “Pluralistic Believers” (19%) who are more religious than the average American but oppose government endorsement of Christianity; “Zealous Separationists” (17%) who “strongly oppose” commingling of church and state; and “Undecideds” (16%). The researchers acknowledged that some of their data closely matches a 2023 PRRI/Brookings survey that estimated that 10% of Americans are Christian nationalist adherents and 19% are sympathizers. But Neighborly Faith’s methodology, its researchers said, allowed for a more nuanced look at Christian nationalism using a definition calling it “a movement advancing a vision of America’s past, present, and future that excludes people of non-Christian religions and non-Western cultures.” Read the full story here. | | Young Organists Inspire Interest in a ‘Complex’ Instrument | | Storeé Denson accompanies the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church choir in Washington, D.C., Dec. 10, 2023. (RNS photo/Adelle M. Banks) | WASHINGTON (RNS) — Storeé Denson settled onto the organ bench at Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, a historic Black church a few miles from the White House, placing his hands on the electronic instrument’s manuals, his feet on its pedals, ears attuned to the choir he accompanies on Sunday mornings. Like any other organist, Denson has been playing and preparing for numerous services in the weeks before Christmas. He warmed up for the season in November when he got the chance to play the august instrument at the Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, Maryland, at a “Pedals, Pipes and Pizza” event sponsored by the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists. “I always wanted to play it,” he said of the organ in the monumental chapel at the academy. “That was one on my checklist.” As he’s done with many other of his accomplishments at the keyboard, Denson, who is 14, checked off that item early. He is one of a small corps of young musicians who took to the organ at a young age, providing promise at a time when the number of instruments and the professionals who play them are in decline. They’ve become modern-day evangelists for the instrument that is more than 2,000 years old.
“I believe if more people start to realize that the organ can be used in contemporary worship, I think we will have an increase of organists,” said Denson, a ninth grader who also sings tenor in the chamber choir and plays piano in the jazz band at his Catholic high school across the Maryland state line.
On the second Sunday in Advent, he accompanied the Nineteenth Street choir as it sang Richard Smallwood’s setting of “Psalm 8” (“Oh, Lord, how excellent is thy name”) as well as “Jesus, the Light of the World.” Denson, whose parents are both ministers, has been studying organ since he was 9, and credits organists at various Baptist churches for introducing him to the instrument and teaching him to play. Read the full story here. | | | New Date, Same Traditions: Ukraine’s Wartime Christmas Celebrations | | | By Iryna VoloshynaAn expert on Ukrainian music and folklore explains how holiday traditions celebrate both centuries of culture and present-day resistance.’ (The Conversation) — This year, despite the raging war, people in Ukraine will continue celebrating Christmas – but not without politics. In 2023, after years of debates, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukranian government both declared Dec. 25 to be the official date for celebrating Christmas.
Traditionally, Orthodox Christians in Ukraine have celebrated on Jan. 7, in keeping with the Julian calendar that most branches of the Orthodox Church use to determine fixed-day religious celebrations. The decision to switch dates for Christmas and other holidays is one more way to assert Ukraine’s cultural and political independence from Russia since Moscow’s troops invaded the country in February 2022.
No matter what the calendar says, though, many Ukrainian traditions will continue as best as they can amid the fighting. As a folklorist and ethnomusicologist, and a native Ukrainian, I am particularly interested in how “koliadky” – Ukrainian carols – reflect the realities of the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine.
Read the full story here. | | Faiths United to Save Democracy Hosts MLK Voter Registration Event | | Faiths United to Save Democracy is hosting a virtual Call to Action Voter Registration Launch on January 15, 2024, 4:00 - 5:15 pm/EST. Please help them get the word out about the launch and the powerful January 15 messengers addressing the 2024 election question, "Why Vote?" Feel free to post the above flyer to your social media accounts and encourage attendance by clergy and voting rights advocates in your network before Christmas. Click here for more information. | | | NCC Position OpeningsMarketing and Communication OfficerThe National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) seeks a talented professional to drive the external and internal engagement of our ecumenical, advocacy, and activist agenda. This position offers an exciting opportunity to lead and implement strategic communications initiatives, from concept to reality, aimed at promoting NCC's vision, mission, and values. The Marketing and Communication Officer will manage the organization's overall communication and marketing strategy, including written and verbal communications, media relations, social media presence, and relationship building with key contacts in Washington D.C. Joining NCC's team as a Marketing and Communication Officer offers a unique opportunity for a motivated and passionate individual to drive impactful external and internal communications strategies that advance our organization’s goals. If you are dedicated to utilizing your skills and experience to make a difference toward positive social change, NCC would love to hear from you. Full-time exempt. Work is generally conducted Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. This is a hybrid position with at least one to two days in the office each week. Occasional evening and weekend availability may be required. Eligible for paid time off and retirement benefits. Salary range: $65,000 – $75,000. The National Council of Churches is seeking a part-time Secretary/Receptionist to join our office team. This position requires working at least two in office, and up to three days a week, providing essential support in various administrative tasks. The ideal candidate will be highly organized, detail-oriented, and possess excellent communication skills.
Executive Asst. to the President/General Secretary The NCC is seeking a highly organized, multifaceted, and motivated individual for the position of Executive Assistant to the President/General Secretary with human resourcing responsibilities. This role will provide essential administrative support and act as a trusted liaison for the President/General Secretary. This position requires the ability to handle sensitive information and maintain confidentiality, as well as exceptional organizational and communication skills. The Executive Assistant will have the flexibility to work remotely with only 1-2 days per week in the office, though living in the Washington, DC metropolitan area is preferred. The ideal candidate will also possess knowledge of the Washington, DC area and be capable of assisting with human resourcing responsibilities, communications, and marketing strategies. The Methodist Building, 110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Washington, D. C. 20002
Application Process: To apply for this position, please submit a resume, cover letter, and a list of three professional references. In your cover letter, please highlight your relevant experience, interest in ecumenical/ advocacy work, and knowledge of the DMV area. How to Apply: Submit a cover letter and resume to jobs@nationalcouncilofchurches.us Faith in Public Life Position Openings Faith in Public Life is hiring for a few positions and is looking for candidates who would be a good fit. Click on the links below for more information: | |
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