| | | | | | | | NCC Urges Members of Congress to Pass Stop-gap Legislation to Extend Appropriations’ Deadlines
Congressional leaders are scrambling to meet the extended deadlines of January 19 for the passage of four appropriations bills and February 2 for the remaining 8 bills. House and Senate negotiators agreed on a top-line budget, but working out the details of each of the individual appropriations bills (there are 12 in total) will take time. This week, Senate leaders acknowledged the need for another short-term “stop-gap” bill to keep the government open and to fund several critical federally funded programs. Despite the looming deadlines, House Speaker Mike Johnson has yet to agree to a continuing resolution, a legislative vehicle that would provide a short-term extension.
NCC participated in an off the record call with congressional leaders on the appropriations process and continues to urge members of Congress to pass stop-gap legislation that will fund the government until Congress passes all 12 appropriations bills. The passage of these bills requires bipartisan agreement in both chambers, but the House especially. Join NCC this week for Advocacy Tuesdays, and call your Member of Congress (find your representative here) and tell them to work together to avoid a government shutdown and to protect programs that the American people rely on, particularly those that provide basic needs for people in marginalized communities. | | | Join Faiths United to Save Democracy for Virtual Voter Registration Event | | Join Faiths United to Save Democracy's virtual Call to Action Voter Registration Launch on January 15, 2024, 4:00 – 5:15 pm/EST. Prepare to hear insightful leaders address why voting in the 2024 elections is critical. Please share the above flyer across your social media accounts to raise awareness about the launch and invite your network of clergy and voter rights advocates to attend this MLK event. Access more information about this event here. | | Join the Movement: Support A Case for Love in Theaters January 23 | | “There is surely a future hope for you and your hope will not be cutoff.” Proverbs 23:18, NRSVue From the beginning to the end of the year, thou art God! In Jesus’ name, I pray God's will for us today! Today, may we look back at another year gone by and praise the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness in our lives. I thank Him for all He has given us this year — provisions, protection, healing, and success. I pray for new breakthroughs from the Lord for the coming year. May new ideas, new things, and new relationships be revealed to us in the days to come. May God continue to mold and prepare us for the great things He has in store. I pray for an excitement to rise within us, as God unfolds things we have not yet seen. May an abundance that we cannot contain come to us, our work, our ministries, the NCC family, and our individual families. I ask that God make every good seed that we sow in good ground throughout the year grow and bear fruit. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Happy New Year! I’ve entered 2024 praising the Lord for the impactful ministry that we witnessed last year. I look forward to continuing to make an impact in the public square while amplifying our collective and collaborative goals. I am writing today to encourage and rally your support for the upcoming movie premiere of A Case for Love on January 23, 2024, in theaters across the United States. The film is a documentary that embodies a message promoting unity and love amidst our current times of national chaos. Check your local movie listings for times. Based on the consistent theology and preaching of Episcopal Church trailblazer and NCC member Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, the film highlights the transformative power of love. The producers behind this project have expressed hope that with substantial attendance at this special one-day event, A Case for Love will be picked up for wider distribution in theaters. A Case for Love follows a dedicated team as they travel across the United States, seeking individuals who live selflessly and share their stories. The interviews featured in the movie include ordinary people and well-known figures, including U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, NBC Today show personality Al Roker, Rev. Becca Stevens, founder of Thistle Farms and social entrepreneur, and many others. I highly encourage everyone who can to attend the movie premiere on January 23, and appeal to others to do the same! Wouldn’t be a powerful statement if congregations, ministry auxiliaries, and other groups showed up en masse to support this documentary? We can do this together! Let’s show our support for this important film. Your presence would undergird NCC’s commitment to spreading messages of love, selflessness, and unity to a broader audience. Let us come together and embrace the opportunity to support a movie that delves into the essence of what it means to advocate for and practice unselfish love. By attending and/or at least purchasing a ticket, we can contribute to the success of A Case for Love and increase its potential for wider release. Thank you for your considerate and consistent support. President/General Secretary | | Churches for Middle East Peace to Host Ceasefire Prayer Service | | | Sunday, January 14, 2024
10:30 am Jerusalem time
3:30 am ET / 12:30 am PT
Watch Live at youtube.com/@churchesformepLive from Jerusalem, join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and Bethlehem Bible College for this streaming of a live prayer gathering in Jerusalem on Sunday morning. Members of the CMEP team, including Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon and And Still We Rise Coordinator Tamar Haddad, will gather in Jerusalem with local Christian leaders like Rev. Jack Sara in lament and prayer for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of the hostages, and an immediate end to the violence. Rise early with CMEP in lament and join in prayer. | |
|
|
