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Earlier this year, the United Church of Christ partnered with the Values in Action foundation to encourage everyone in the U.S. to join the United States of Kindness (USK) movement, and commit to completing 250 acts of kindness, celebrating the 250th birthday of the…

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It might have appeared that Spiderman was in town, but Clevelanders were witness to some thrill-seeking individuals who were hanging off the side of a city skyscraper for a good cause. Three brave United Church of Christ staff members suited…

The post UCC Staffers rappel off National Ministries headquarters for adoption fundraiser appeared first on United Church of Christ.

In the aftermath of a disaster, rebuilding is more than just that of brick and mortar. It involves the rebuilding of spirits and souls. Within the United Church of Christ that work is carried out by the Emotional and Spiritual…

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Pablo Picasso, the father of modern art, viewed artists as “political beings, alert to the heart rending, stirring or pleasant events of the world.”  Art was for him “an instrument for the offensive and defensive war against the enemy.” The…

The post Outdoor art gallery deepens rural connections, sets creative, activist spirits free appeared first on United Church of Christ.

Across Africa, churches are stepping up aid for children affected by civil wars and conflicts, as crises rise on the continent.

Kathy Kuczka, producer and director of the documentary “Taizé: A Pilgrimage of Trust,” reflects on what sparked her creative idea, and how the authenticity of nine young people gives the film a sense of hope. 

In June, the Anglican Church of Canada, Presbyterian Church in Canada and United Church of Canada together donated $1.5 million to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation in support of a new permanent home in Winnipeg.

The post Anglican Church of Canada joins $1.5 million gift to new NCTR building appeared first on Anglican Church of Canada.

The board of the United Methodist Church’s finance agency heard a midyear review on the denomination’s finances.

[Episcopal News Service] Many congregations have outreach programs that connect with their communities. And The Episcopal Church encourages environmental ministries to fulfill the Christian call to care for God’s creation. Combining the two, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, launched an initiative two years ago called Sprout Reach, to grow community engagement by emphasizing conservation and other forms of creation care. Now St. Peter’s is expanding those efforts with the launch of a new project centered on birdwatching called Sproutsiders that is backed by a $49,000 grant from The Episcopal Church’s United Thank Offering. To qualify for the UTO grant, St. Peter’s has partnered with a local conservation group, Green Valleys Watershed Association, to develop an educational curriculum around nature journaling that will be offered at community events and summer programs for children. In addition, bird feeders and bird houses in the church’s garden will be equipped with smart cameras so the public can view photos online of the wildlife that inhabits the suburban Philadelphia environment. Their mission is “making nature accessible to people, especially people who might not have access to it,” Ashley Solo, a ministry leader from St. Peters’, told Episcopal News Service. The practice of nature journaling also encourages participants to appreciate that they always have access to at least a little bit of nature, even if it is just in their backyard or on the sidewalk in front of their home. Solo explained that this kind of journaling is essentially observing and recording data, starting with the most basic details, such as time, temperature and location. Then, participants record what they see: A robin perched on a fence. A squirrel dancing around a tree branch. Even bugs on the ground, and kids love bugs, Solo said. The original Sprout Reach ministry leveraged about $14,000 in funding from the Diocese of Pennsylvania and the local Episcopal Church Women to experiment with nature journaling for an initial pilot period. The response from community participants was encouraging. “I just saw how people took to it,” Solo said. Building on that pilot phase, Sproutsiders will formalize this approach to nature education in the new curriculum, which also will incorporate STEM programing, or science, technology, engineering and mathematics. By partnering with Green Valleys Watershed Association, the curriculum will be available for use in the association’s programming, and the community St. serves will be connected to Green Valleys’ 224-acre nature preserve, Welkinweir. “You can’t always bring kids to the forest, but you can bring the forest to the kids,” Solo said, referring to the nature cameras at Welkinweir. St. Peter’s also maintains a cloister garden on its property and would like to designate space as a “bug garden,” so neighbors won’t have to travel far to see creepy-crawlies up close. Once the nature journaling curriculum is finished, Solo expects Sproutsiders to be incorporated into two local youth camp programs in 2027, and organizers also plan to showcase the materials at major conservation-themed events in Phoenixville, including Floctoberfest in October. Sproutsiders is one of 25 projects in the United States and worldwide that were awarded nearly $1 million in the latest round of UTO grants, announced in June. – David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at [email protected].

[Anglican Communion News Service] Archbishop Eraste Bigirimana was installed as the sixth primate of the Anglican Church of Burundi on Aug. 23 at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Bujumbura. Bigirimana was elected on May 21. He succeeds Archbishop Sixbert Macumi, who had led the province since 2021. “My hope is that [my installation] will mark a new season of unity, spiritual renewal and faithful service to the people of God,” Bigirimana said ahead of his installation. “I ask for your continued prayers as we work together to advance Christ’s mission in Burundi and beyond.” Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally preached at the installation service. Also present were Bishop Jo Bailey Wells, deputy secretary general of the Anglican Communion, Maggie Swinson, chair of the Anglican Consultative Council, and bishops and representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Uganda. Read the full article here.