| | | | This Lenten Season, Let's Commit to Do, Love, Walk | Each week during the Lenten season, the National Council of Churches will highlight focal areas for prayer, contemplation, and service based on Micah 6:8 (NRSVue):
He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? Focal topics include poverty, reparations, democracy, community advocacy, and more. Follow the topics on all of our social media accounts and share your story using the hashtags #DoLoveWalk and #Micah6v8. | | Committee on Uniform Series Convenes in Louisville, Ky. | | Members of the Committee on the Uniform Lessons (CUS) convened for the 151st annual meeting in Louisville, Kentucky this week. Rev. Dr. Garland Pierce, Executive Director of Christian Education for the African Methodist Episcopal Church, presided over the meeting as CUS Chair. The Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC), housed in the PC(USA) denominational headquarters, hosted the meeting. The primary task of the annual meeting is collaboration on a yearly lesson outline which forms the foundation for multiple lines of curriculum going out from more than twenty-one partnering denominations and publishers. Regional ecumenical leaders joined CUS for a closing worship service, including Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II, Stated Clerk of the PC(USA) and an NCC Governing Board member.
Faculty from local seminaries were invited to offer their expertise on biblical studies and social context. Dr. Justin Reed on Genesis; Dr. Lewis Brogdon on Ex-Num-Deut.; Dr. Sue Garrett on Luke; and Dr. Anna Bowden on Romans. Scriptures from these books will be selected for use in quarterly lessons for 2027-2028. CUS is committed to covering lessons on every book of the Bible in a six-year cycle of lessons. | | Bishop McKenzie preached a stirring Spirit-filled message from
John 4:4-26, which is the Sunday, March 19 lesson for all who use
Uniform Lessons-based curricula. | | Tammy Wiens, who directs the work of the CUS, presented
Bishop McKenzie with a thank-you gift from CUS for her participation
in their annual meeting. | | | President Biden Issues Executive Order
to Reduce Gun Violence | This week, President Biden reaffirmed his commitment to reducing America’s growing gun violence epidemic by issuing an Executive Order that, among other things, requires people who sell firearms to run background checks on the sale of firearms. The order also provides resources for law enforcement and community partners to educate communities about red flag laws, which temporarily restrict a person’s ability to purchase a firearm while “trusted community members” petition a court to determine whether the person poses a threat and decrease the number of firearms stolen during the shipping process. President Biden also issued a directive to the members of his cabinet to develop a proposal to support communities that experience mass shootings. NCC commends President Biden’s continued efforts to reduce gun violence. | NCC Staff Meets with Senior Congressional Staff to
Discuss Farm Bill Reauthorization | NCC staff members met with Senior House Democratic Leadership and Agriculture Committee staff to discuss the next farm bill reauthorization. Convened by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn, the meeting brought together various faith and hunger stakeholder groups. The current farm bill reauthorization, set to expire in September 2023, funded several agricultural and food programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—a program NCC has long advocated for expanding. During the meeting, leadership and agriculture committee staff gave updates on efforts to reauthorize the 5-year legislative package, including the newly released budget views and estimates letter detailing U.S. agricultural financial challenges, and heard from stakeholder groups. | | Make Plans Now to Join the NCC's Spring
Governing Board Events and 75th Anniversary
Celebration Launch in May | | | Prepare now for your participation in the NCC's Spring Governing Board events, beginning on Monday, May 15, 2023, with a special, sponsored luncheon for the Governing Board and the new Health and Wellness Task Force, and ending at noon on Tuesday, May 16. All events will be held at the National City Christian Church, Thomas Circle. Hotel reservations can be made at: The Madison Hotel 1177 15th Street NW Washington, DC 20005 Book your reservations by April 24, 2023, using the following link. https://book.passkey.com/e/50515911 Monday, May 15, 2023 10:30a–11:30a Health and Wellness Task Force Meeting 11:30a–12:45a Sponsored Luncheon for Governing Board & Health and Wellness Taskforce 1:00a–5:00p Governing Board Business Session 5:30p–6:45p Dinner 7:00p–Anniversary Launch Worship Service Tuesday, May 16, 2023 8:00a–12:00p Governing Board Business Session 1:00p–3:00p Policy Roundtable | | WCC Supports Korean Churches in
Korea Peace Appeal Campaign | | September 5, 2022, Karlsruhe, Germany: The Rev. EunKyung Kim blessed the elements of Holy Communion during a Monday prayer for peace and reunification between South and North Korea at St. Stephan Church in Karlsruhe, as part of the World Council of Churches’ 11th Assembly. The assembly took place from August 31 to September 8, under the theme, “Christ’s Love Moves the World to Reconciliation and Unity.” Photo: Mike DuBose/WCC | This year marks the 70th anniversary of establishing a ceasefire in the Korean War, the World Council of Churches (WCC) calls on churches worldwide to join advocacy for the Korea Peace Appeal campaign, promoting the transition from an armistice agreement to a peace treaty for Korean Peninsula. “The World Council of Churches calls on its global fellowship for solidarity and advocacy supporting the churches in Korea in their peace-building efforts and promoting the Korea Peace Appeal campaign,” says WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay. “We are committed to continuing our peace-building efforts and advocacy for justice worldwide, and transition from the armistice agreement to a peace treaty is a crucial step towards achieving lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.” The WCC has long supported the efforts of the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) to advocate for a peace treaty to replace the Armistice Agreement. The unresolved state of war since 1953 has posed security risks, led to increased militarization, and incurred major political and economic costs for the people on the Korean Peninsula. Korea Peace Appeal is an international campaign that seeks to amplify voices calling for an end to the Korean War and a transition from armistice to peace on the Korean Peninsula, collecting signatures to support this cause at en.endthekoreanwar.net. The WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany mandated its member churches and partners to accompany the Korean churches in their advocacy through the Korea Peace Appeal campaign, adopting the “Minute on ending the war and building peace on the Korean Peninsula.” NCCK is among more than 370 South Korean civil society organizations and religious groups behind the campaign, and more than 70 international partner organizations, including the WCC, are supporting the Korea Peace Appeal. During the year, WCC will publish a series of interviews with church leaders and experts involved in the peace-building process on the Korean peninsula, as well as promote the resources included in its 2020 publication “The Light of Peace: Churches in Solidarity with the Korean Peninsula.” On July 27, 2023, WCC will participate in the Korean Peace Appeal Conference, marking the 70th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement. WCC also invites its member churches to join Sunday of Prayer for the Peaceful Reunification of the Korean Peninsula, to be held on July 30.
Related Information: WCC Publication “Light of Peace” | | NCC Joins 61 Faith-based Organizations to Urge
Investing in People, Not War | | Last week, the National Council of Churches joined 61 other faith-based organizations in sending a message to Congress: We cannot continue down this morally bankrupt path: we must cut the Pentagon budget, and invest in human wellbeing instead! The message was posted to social media sites using the hashtag #PeopleOverPentagon. Read the letter here. | | IIC Asks Faith-based Organizations to Send Letters to
Biden Administration About Ending Title 42 | On March 7, 2023, the New York Times reported that the Biden Administration is planning to “turn to increasingly restrictive measures as his administration prepares for the end of Title 42” and is now considering bringing back detaining entire families in ICE detention centers as they seek asylum at the U.S./Mexico border.
Detaining children and their parents is a cruel and unnecessary approach, especially after escaping precarious conditions often void of dignity. The Interfaith Immigration Coalition invites faith-based organizations to sign a faith letter, urging the administration to not detain families as they seek safety and security in the U.S. Faith-based organizations are asked to support this letter by signing on here by Wednesday, March 22. | | Responding to Earthquake in Syria and Turkey | | The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) continues to mourn the loss of thousands of lives in Turkey and Syria following a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit the region in the early hours of Monday, February 6. To date, more than 41,000 people have died. NCC is urging congregations in the US to join the global community in praying for and supporting those impacted. You can view many opportunities to give on NCC's website. | | | | | | Ecumenical Advocacy Days Registration Open | |
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