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[Anglican Communion News Service] The Mothers’ Union concluded a four-day event in Durban, South Africa, to mark its 150th anniversary. The Sept. 30 – Oct. 3 gathering’s theme was “Celebrating Worldwide Fellowship: One Worldwide Family in Christ.” The event united delegates from across the world to honor the legacy of its service to women, family and community life and look forward to the next chapter. “This anniversary is not simply a celebration of longevity; it is a testimony to God’s continuing presence,” Kathleen Snow, president of Mothers’ Union, said in her keynote address on Oct. 3. “We have heard much about listening and walking alongside each other and in our communities, and that is what has made a difference to our communities.” Read the full article here.

[Anglican Communion News Service] In recent weeks, St. Mary-the-Virgin Anglican Church in Warwick, Bermuda, has been marking its 400th anniversary with special services and commemorative events. These celebrations culminated on Oct. 4 with a rededication service, which gathered distinguished guests, clergy and parishioners. The Rev. Carl Williams, Priest-in-Charge of St. Mary-the-Virgin, led the rededication service. West Indies Archbishop Philip Wright, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Belize, preached. In a letter that was read aloud at the service, Joshua Puls, assistant private secretary to King Charles III, relayed the king’s “warmest congratulations” to St. Mary-the-Virgin, which was founded in 1626. As the reigning British monarch, Charles serves as supreme governor of the Church of England. “His Majesty greatly admires this remarkable milestone, marking four centuries of faith, service and community in Bermuda,” the letter says. “The church’s enduring presence is a tribute to the generations of clergy and parishioners whose dedication and commitment have sustained its ministry and strengthened its place at the heart of the community.” Read the full article here.

[Anglican Communion News Service] The Anglican Communion Schools’ Network held its inaugural symposium Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 in London, England. The symposium brought together Anglican school, education and church leaders from across the communion for learning, discussion, worship and fellowship. Together, they explored the theme “Anglican Schools as Places of Mission and Ministry.” Following the meeting, the network has released a communiqué. Click here to read the communiqué.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay officially launched the Bossey Alumni Network on 7 October. The new digital platform will connect and enrich more than 3,000 former Bossey students across the world. 

[Religion News Service] A pair of advocacy groups have released a new political advertisement featuring Washington Bishop Mariann Budde urging people to vote and referencing her headline-grabbing sermon from last year in which she asked President Donald Trump to “have mercy” on immigrant children. The new ad, posted on YouTube on Oct. 5 and slated to run in at least four states ahead of the midterm elections, opens with a clip of Budde standing in the pulpit of the Washington National Cathedral in January 2025, as she delivered the much-discussed sermon to the president the day after his inauguration. It draws from a section of the sermon where Budde addressed Trump directly, asking the president to “have mercy” on those “whose children fear that their parents will be taken away,” alongside footage of masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The ad then switches to Budde, who recently announced her intention to resign as the bishop of Washington, speaking directly to the camera. “We have all borne witness to the events of the last two years,” Budde says. “So today, I am asking you, again, to have mercy. Just as importantly, I am asking for your courage to love your neighbor, to respect the dignity of every human being, and now, to vote.” The new ad appears aimed at capitalizing on dwindling support for Trump’s immigration agenda, especially among white mainliners — many of whom celebrated Budde when she challenged Trump in the cathedral’s pews last year. Budde’s sermon sparked a sharp rebuke from Trump and his allies at the time, with the president referring to her in a social media post as a “so-called bishop.” Budde’s get-out-the-vote ad is part of a “Choose Love, not ICE” campaign launched last year by two liberal-leaning groups — Interfaith Alliance, a religious advocacy organization, and Protect Democracy, a secular group. A spokesperson for the groups told Religion News Service the new spot featuring Budde will run in four media markets: Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Raleigh, North Carolina. The media markets overlap with multiple hotly contested congressional races, including at least two in Iowa that feature clergy as Democratic candidates: the Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott, a Lutheran pastor and state senator vying for the state’s third congressional district, and the Rev. Lindsay James, a Presbyterian pastor and state representative campaigning for the state’s second congressional district. Representatives for the Republican and Democratic national committees did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new ad. Despite making mass deportation a centerpiece of his presidential campaign, a March survey from the Public Religion Research Institute found that support for Trump’s handling of immigration dropped across every major religious group polled. That shift was especially pronounced among white non-evangelical Protestants, the religious subset that includes Budde and the denomination she serves. Their support for Trump’s immigration policies dropped 20 points since March 2025, dipping from 64% to 46%. Statistics pointing to increased opposition to Trump’s mass deportation efforts among white mainliners follow more than a year of faith-based advocacy against his policies, much of which was led by mainline clergy such as Budde. Clergy from virtually all major mainline Protestant traditions — such as The Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church (USA) and the United Church of Christ, among others — have garnered national media attention for taking part in dramatic protests with other religious leaders against the administration’s ongoing deportation efforts. Seven faith leaders were arrested last November at a protest outside an ICE facility in Illinois; nearly 100 were arrested at a single protest outside the Minneapolis airport in January; and seven were arrested in Vermont last month while demonstrating near the offices of an ICE targeting center. Some mainline clergy protesting ICE have been shot with pepper balls and pepper rounds fired by Department of Homeland Security agents, and several mainline denominations — including The Episcopal Church — have joined a growing list of lawsuits challenging various aspects of the president’s immigration agenda. At the same time, some evangelical clergy have spoken about their support of the ICE raids. The “Choose Love, not ICE” campaign has featured images from some of the anti-ICE protests in its three previous ads, including one that celebrated the religious pushback to ICE. The series seeks to highlight the intensity of tactics used by DHS agents, which have long been a source of controversy: The first ad in the series, released last December, edited together clips of DHS agents and police officers violently detaining immigrants and protesters — including clergy — as a lone child sings the Christian hymn “O Holy Night.”

Anglican and Lutheran leaders issue statement affirming the value of unity and cooperation.

The post Giving thanks for 25 years of full communion appeared first on Anglican Church of Canada.

On October 7, we pray that we may practice God’s peace by acting for just peace in Palestine and Israel.

[Episcopal News Service] For many years, the duplex space in the Project Canterbury building at Christ Church Episcopal in downtown Chattanooga, Diocese of East Tennessee, was vacant and unlivable. After meeting with members of the secular nonprofit Partnership for Families, Children and Adults, last year, Christ Church Episcopal’s congregation decided to transform the empty space into free apartments for teenagers who age out of the foster care system and need a place to stay while they adjust to adulthood. For the Rev. Will Levanway, priest-in-charge of Christ Church Episcopal, the monthslong project felt like the “building up of a kingdom of God.” “Here’s a way of really concretely caring for people, making sure they have a place to sleep, food to eat and support,” Levanway told Episcopal News Service. “If we’re going to uplift people in the image of God, it has to include their physical, material life.” Renovations started in January and finished in September. The duplex was split into four fully furnished apartments, each with their own appliances. They share a laundry facility. The tenants aren’t required to pay for rent or utilities. The space now looks “shockingly different” from before, according to Kevin Hyde, CEO of Partnership for Families, Children and Adults. The only salvaged elements were the original brickwork and tiles, which were repaired and restored. “People pay big money to have that type of [exposed brick] aesthetic in their homes these days,” Hyde told ENS. “We wanted to make the apartments livable, clean and modern feeling.” Christ Church Episcopal’s 60+ member congregation also was involved in the development project. Parishioners collected and furnished the apartments with household supplies, like towels, bedsheets, laundry detergent and brooms. “These are everyday important things that we take for granted in our homes. They may not sound like much, but these gestures are very helpful in helping these teens achieve safety and stability, and feel hope for their futures,” Hyde said. “Often when teens age out of foster care and come to [Partnership for Families, Children and Adults], they come to us with not even a suitcase – literally just a garbage bag with all their worldly possession in it and the clothes on their backs.” Children and youth can enter foster care for different reasons, including abuse, neglect or abandonment by their parents or legal guardians. The experience is traumatizing because children and youth are being removed from their homes, and siblings are oftentimes separated from each other, according to the National Institute of Health. Teenagers age out of foster care when they legally reach adulthood at 18, though some states extend support up to age 21. In Tennessee, foster care services and support can be extended until age 23 through the state’s Extension of Foster Care Program. Every year nationwide, more than 15,000 young adults, including more than 850 in Tennessee, age out of the foster care system, according to data compiled in 2024 by the federally mandated Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System. Without support, they risk facing homelessness, substance abuse, incarceration and unplanned pregnancy, according to the 2025 Impact Case with data compiled by the Innovation Labs at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. To help reduce these systemic risks, Partnership for Families, Children and Adults’ Bright Futures program additionally operates a rape crisis center, a domestic violence shelter, life skills and career training and other services run by hired social workers. Locally, young adults who enroll in these programs and services and have stable housing, according to Hyde, experience lower risk rates of substance abuse, incarceration and unplanned pregnancy. “We’re working alongside people who I don’t really know what their religious views are, but I know that they want people housed and fed and cared for, and that’s what really matters,” Levanway said. So far, one person has moved into Christ Church Episcopal’s apartment since the Sept. 29 ribbon-cutting and blessing ceremony, and additional tenants are expected in the coming weeks. Hyde thanked Christ Church Episcopal’s congregation.  “The congregation’s generosity of providing the actual space and more is just an incredible gift and support to us [at Partnership for Families, Children and Adults] in the work that we do,” Hyde said. “More importantly, it’s really going to make a difference for the immediate needs of our clients – kids who didn’t have the advantages many of us had growing up but deserve to have hope for their futures.” –Shireen Korkzan is a reporter and assistant editor for Episcopal News Service. She can be reached at [email protected].

[Episcopal Diocese of Cuba] The bishop and clergy of the Diocese of Cuba sent the following letter to the church on Oct. 4.  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” — Luke 4:18-19 Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ: We address you people of God and people of Cuba with heavy hearts, yet placing our hope in the One who brings justice to the oppressed. As the Body of Christ in this land, we cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering we all endure at this moment in our history. OUR REALITY We are living through painful times: mass migration is tearing families apart and emptying communities; the high cost of basic goods makes daily life impossible; and the growing inequality among Cubans contradicts the dignity God has bestowed upon each of His children. We feel deep distress over the shortages afflicting our people: hunger, a lack of medicines, unbearable blackouts, water shortages, and the near-total deterioration of healthcare and education systems – despite the heroic efforts of doctors and teachers striving to fulfill their vocations amidst such circumstances. These are not abstract realities; they manifest as a lack of bread on the table, the sick left without treatment, new generations without education, and mothers without hope. OUR SOLIDARITY We stand with the Christian denominations and institutions – as well as the thousands of Cubans – that have expressed their support for Anna Bensi and her mother, whether before or after the trial. These include the Baptist Convention of Western Cuba, the Evangelical Pentecostal Church in Cuba (Assemblies of God), the Evangelical League of Cuba, the Methodist Church of Cuba, the Alliance of Unregistered Cuban Churches, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches in Cuba (“Berean Mission”), Open Bible Churches, the Cuban Conference of Religious (CONCUR), and the “Servants of Saint Joseph” religious congregation, among others. OUR VOICE We also express our frustration and pain regarding the use of violence, intimidation, and harassment by police forces against those who choose to raise their voices and demand their rights—especially given that this right to freedom of expression is enshrined in the Constitution of our Republic. We are pained by the suffering these actions are causing thousands of families, particularly young people. To silence the voices of the youth is to silence the present and future of the nation. In the face of this, we say: Enough! We firmly believe that no Cuban should raise a hand against another Cuban, whether for political reasons or any other. We stand with the vulnerable and the dispossessed, and with all those who are suffering direct consequences for the integrity of freely expressing their discontent. OUR CALL We appeal to God’s mercy, asking that our authorities and government bodies heed the cry of the people – a people they are called to serve and protect, rather than continually asking for further sacrifices. Our reflection serves as a call to attention for the authorities; it is intended not to provoke confrontation, but to foster dialogue. OUR COMMITMENT The clergy of the Episcopal Church in Cuba are – and will always be – here to accompany and serve our people with the faithfulness demanded by the Lord’s Cross. We affirm the justice and truth embodied in the message of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and we ardently desire that they embrace Cuba and all of us who live here. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN. + Ángel Roberto The Rt. Rev. Ángel Roberto Rivera Rodríguez IX Bishop of Cuba Rev. Can. Aurelio Bernabé de la Paz Cot Rev. P. Rody Pérez Risco Rev. Can. Gilberto Tadeo Caballero Elizalde Rev. P. Santiago Rodríguez Rodríguez Rev. Can. Halbert Pons Santana Rev. P. Haydee Lugo Marrero Rev. Can. Juan Carlos Diez Moreira Rev. P. Roberto Faya Amaro Ven. P. Alfredo Nuño Sierra Rev. P. Gil Fat Yero Ven. P. Yordanis Acosta Porta Rev. P. Yannel Valdivia Melo Rev. P. Dra. Marianela de la Paz Cot Rev. P. Dra. Carmen Nualla Parets Rev. P. Armando Alfonso Delgado Orozco Rev. P. Yulien Yoslán Esparsa Matos Rev. P. Lis Margarita Hernández Martínez Rev. P. Leynis Morales Delgado Rev. P. Frank Miguel Fernández Triana Rev. P. Carlos Alberto Tamayo López

When Shawn England walked out of prison Dec. 10, 2024, after 35 years of incarceration, he wasn’t leaving alone. He walked out with a church community, a theological education, and a clear sense of God’s direction for his life—much of which was shaped by relationships and ministry he experienced while still inside, including through the CRC. “When I was in prison, the CRC visited me—both through the Calvin Prison Initiative and through my church,” England said. “Nobody else did that.” Now England has made it his mission to do the same for others. The Church Showed Up England was first incarcerated at age 18 on a murder charge, and he received a mandatory life sentence. He wasn’t raised as a...