| | | | | The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) remembers those who have faced great tragedy due to senseless gun violence. In 2023, the NCC Governing Board passed a Resolution, imploring its member communions, partners, and those of goodwill to take action and put an end to gun violence and mass shootings that continue to plague our communities across the nation. NCC remains committed to the fight against gun violence and will continue seeking peace and pursue it while empowering others to do the same. | | | National Buddhist-Christian Dialogue Meets, Hosts Conversation between Elders and Youth | | The University of the West hosted the National Buddhist-Christian Dialogue in Los Angeles, CA, on May 29. | The National Buddhist-Christian Dialogue, co-sponsored by the National Council of Churches, Hsi Lai Temple, University of the West, Claremont School of Theology, and The Guibord Center, met on May 29 in Los Angeles, CA. This session of the dialogue, which generally meets twice per year, was hosted by the University of the West. The dialogue, which began meeting in 2018, is one of five national dialogues co-convened by the NCC and its interfaith partners, including the National Hindu-Christian Dialogue, the National Jewish-Christian Dialogue, the National Muslim-Christian Dialogue, and the National Sikh-Christian Dialogue.
One main topic of the session was “Learning from each other: A conversation between elders and youth, on how we practice our respective faiths.” Moderated by University of the West professor Dr. Jane Iwamura, the discussion included “elders” Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Kuan (Claremont School of Theology), Ven. Walpola Piyananda (Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara), and Dr. Lewis Lancaster (University of California Berkeley), as well as youth representatives Mr. Vincent Liu and Ms. Cassandra Garcia (Hsi Lai youth group), and Mr. Ryland Fernandez and Mr. William Morris (United Methodist Church).
The discussion also included a presentation by Dr. Tammy Ho (University of California-Riverside) on The Transformative Hope Project, for which she serves as director, and a presentation by Ven. Xiandong Shih (a current doctoral candidate), who shared the preliminary findings from her dissertation on "Youth Engaging Buddhism." Among the points of discussion were anti-Asian hate and violence, faith and forgiveness, and making way for younger generations to start leading in various communities.
Another central topic of the session was “Peacemaking rooted in our faiths: A roundtable discussion during a time of global conflict and domestic turmoil.” Moderated by University of the West professor Dr. Victor Gabriel, the discussion opened with presentations by Dr. Lo Sprague (The Guibord Center), Rev. Dr. Paul Tche (Christian Church/Disciples of Christ), and Ven. Dr. Kongala Pannaloka (a recent doctorate recipient). The participants shared their concerns and hopes, as well as sources of strength and calls to action as our communities of faith confront the crises in our world today. Prominent themes in the general discussion that followed were the call to empathy and the need to stand together to help the vulnerable in our midst.
The next session of the dialogue will likely meet in late fall. | | Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Kuan, Claremont School of Theology, sharing remarks at the National Buddhist-Christian Dialogue in Los Angeles, CA, May 29. | National Hindu-Christian Dialogue Meets, Creates Vision Statement | | The National Hindu-Christian Dialogue was hosted by the Vedanta Society in Los Angeles, CA on May 30. | The National Hindu-Christian Dialogue, co-sponsored by the National Council of Churches, the Vedanta Society of Southern California, and The Guibord Center, met on May 30 in Los Angeles, CA. This session of the dialogue, which generally meets twice per year, was hosted by the Vedanta Society, under the leadership of Swami Sarvadevananda. The dialogue, which began meeting in 2018, is one of five national dialogues co-convened by the NCC and its interfaith partners, including the National Buddhist-Christian Dialogue, the National Jewish-Christian Dialogue, the National Muslim-Christian Dialogue, and the National Sikh-Christian Dialogue.
One main topic of the session was “Creating a mission statement for the dialogue table.” Moderated by Dr. Don Thorsen (Azusa Pacific University and the Wesleyan Theological Society), it provided an opportunity to articulate a self-definition of the dialogue and think in aspirational terms about the table’s direction. Discussion on the latter evolved into a draft vision statement for the dialogue that affirmed: engagement in dialogue to foster mutual understanding, promote respect for religious diversity, create well-informed and spiritually robust friendships, and collaborate on shared principles; the importance of recognizing common values (such as compassion, love of the sacred, and ethical living), as well as learning from acknowledged differences in belief, experience, and practice; the role of interreligious dialogue as crucial for dispelling stereotypes, prejudices, and misunderstandings; and the imperative to lift the well-being of others’ communities, contribute to harmonious coexistence, and build bridges of empathy to better serve the human family.
Dialogue members intend to review and finalize the draft vision statement at the next meeting.
Another important topic addressed during the session was “Peacemaking rooted in our faiths: A roundtable discussion during a time of global conflict and domestic turmoil.” Moderated by Swami Mahayogananda (Vedanta Society), the discussion opened with presentations by Dr. Lo Sprague (The Guibord Center), Rev. Dr. Todd Yonkman (United Church of Christ), and Swami Ishwarananda (Chinmaya Mission), all of whom shared their concerns and hopes, as well as sources of strength and calls to action, as communities of faith confront multiple crises in our world. Prominent themes of the general discussion that followed were the suffering of others and the need to serve them, the wrongful justification of religiously motivated violence, and the response to despair among those in our local settings.
The next session of the dialogue will likely meet in late fall. | | The National Hindu-Christian Dialogue meeting in May included discussion topics related to creating a mission statement for the dialogue table and hopes and concerns in response to global conflict. | | NCC Applauds USCIRF's Recommendation to Designate Azerbaijan As Country of Particular Concern | The National Council of Churches welcomes USCIRF's recent recommendation to designate Azerbaijan as a Country of Particular Concern following an upsurge of religious rights violations, particularly the total ethnic cleansing of all indigenous Christian Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh (also known as Artsakh) in 2023 following a deliberate starvation siege that the inaugural prosecutor of the ICC described as genocide. Noting that Azerbaijan has recently escalated its attacks against Armenian churches, including by demolishing the Church of St. John the Baptist in Nagorno-Karabakh, NCC urges the U.S. Department of State to heed USCIRF’s recommendation of designating Azerbaijan, which in 1997-2006 flattened the entire Christian heritage of another region — Nakhichevan — as a country of particular concern. A repetition in Nagorno-Karabakh of the complete destruction in Nakhichevan is unacceptable and must be prevented at all costs. The US government’s silence aids and abets these crimes.
Further, the recent visit to Nagorno-Karabakh by US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mark Libby, without any mention of the recent ethnic cleansing of indigenous Armenians from the area, can only be interpreted as tacit approval of the despotic regime's initiatives. The NCC calls on the US State Department to align its values with the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and stand up for the persecuted indigenous people that were forcibly deported from their homeland. | | NCC Attends Hampton University for Ecumenical Gathering of Prolific Leaders | | NCC staff attended the 110th Hampton University Ministers' Conference held on Hampton University's campus June 2-6. The ecumenical gathering included lectures, seminars, workshops, and more. NCC staff participated as exhibitors, sharing information about NCC's mission and history, registering attendees for the upcoming NCC Freedom Summer initiative, and discussing NCC's Voting Matters 2024 Election Empowerment Guide. The Ministers' Conference included an impressive list of dynamic presenters from across the country: Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, Senior Pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church; Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ; Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, Senior Pastor of Alfred Street Baptist Church; Rev. Marissa Farrow, associate at The Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York; Rev. Dr. Raquel Lettsome, Professor at Eden Theological Seminary; Rev. Dr. Cynthia James, Associate Pastor of The Potter's House of Dallas; and Rev. Dr. Shareka Newton, Executive Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church. Other notable speakers included Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock (GA) and Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03). | | Safety and Security for Houses of Worship | | Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, NCC President and General Secretary, was recently interviewed by CNN regarding security in houses of worship for a feature article posted on their website. In the article, Bishop McKenzie stresses the importance of updated security procedures for churches that may already have security measures. Churches can be targets for violence, vandalism, and in extreme cases, hate crimes. NCC makes every effort to equip the 100,000 congregations within our 37-member communions with information and resources to be prepared year-round for unforeseen safety and security threats. Grants for Church Security The NCC understands that funding security is not often at the forefront of a church budget. Churches may struggle with the costs associated with increasing security measures. In response, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have created a grant program for non-profits and houses of worship called the “Nonprofit Security Grant Program.” This grant can be applied for through the State Administrative Agency (SAA) as a sub-application that then gets submitted to FEMA. The grant can help fund security cameras, alarms, technologies relating to cybersecurity, trainings, and defensive materials such as fences, barriers, and bollards. The grant cannot be used to hire security personnel or purchase weaponry. Churches can find a step-by-step guide to applying for these government-issued grants by visiting FEMA Nonprofit Security Grant.
The U.S. Department of Justice also has a grant for 501(c)(3) organizations that may be the victims of hate crimes. The FY24 Community-based Approaches to Prevent and Address Hate Crime grant, through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, seeks to support communities as they address hate crimes and take preventative measures in stopping these violent acts before they happen. If your church has been a victim of a hate crime or could be a target for future hate crimes, you may be a candidate for this grant.
Free Resources The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has a Protective Security Advisor (PSA) program that will conduct a threat assessment for your church for free. First, find the regional CISA office in your area. To inquire about a PSA threat assessment, email your regional office or send an email to central@cisa.dhs.gov. CISA also has an online Security Self-Assessment for houses of worship to complete on their own, a Free Cybersecurity Services and Tools, and a toolkit titled, “Mitigating Attacks on Houses of Worship.”
In addition to the resources listed above, NCC member communion the United Church of Christ also includes valuable information in an article published on its website, “Local Church Security: Resources and Best Practices.” The article details how churches should handle visitors who may be dangerous while maintaining a welcoming environment for all people. “You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the hunter and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and defense. You will not fear the terror of the night or the arrow that flies by day or the pestilence that stalks in darkness or the destruction that wastes at noonday.” | | Register for NCC's Impact Week | | | | | Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church & National Shrine to Host Juneteenth Ecumenical Prayer Service | | | | | Join NCC June 29 for Moral March in Washington, D.C. | | | | Register for NCC's Freedom Summer Multi-City Tour and Virtual Academy | | | | | Participate in the National Council of Churches' NCC Freedom Summer, a faith-based civic engagement campaign from June 19 — August 17, 2024. This summer, NCC and anchor partners Faith for Black Lives, Faiths United to Save Democracy, Southern Poverty Law Center, Repairers of the Breach, and others, will journey on the NCC Freedom Ride to mobilize voters in five priority states (Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Michigan) through voter registration, voter education, and voter mobilization. NCC will also host NCC Freedom Academy, a multi-week, virtual "Sunday School" from July 7 to August 11, unpacking Luke 4 and the intersection of faith and social justice.
Register today for these events and invite your community of faith! | | | |
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