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[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...

On Saturday, Sept. 12, a group of almost 30 participants gathered on Stó:lō territory in Langley and Fort Langley, B.C., for a day of On-the-Land Learning. Hosted by Adrian Jacobs, the Christian Reformed Church’s senior leader for justice and reconciliation, alongside local Stó:lō speakers, the event invited participants into a day of place-based education, listening to stories of the land directly from local Indigenous knowledge holders and exploring historical care for the Fraser River ecosystem. The day began at Swallowfield Farm with a teaching circle before sharing a traditional lunch and then visiting the banks of the Fraser River for storytelling focused on relational repair, environmental stewardship, and local history. An Embodied Experience of Land and Stewardship For participants, stepping...

[Episcopal News Service] The Diocese of Northwest Texas’ Standing Committee has announced a slate of four nominees for election to succeed retiring Bishop Scott Mayer. The diocese named the following candidates on Oct. 6: The Rev. Amy Peden Haynie, St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, Midland, Texas. The Rev. Elizabeth Anne “Betsy” Randall, Diocese of Oklahoma. The Rev. Christopher Blake Thomas, St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church, Dallas, Texas. The Rev. Andrew R. Wright, Diocese of Newark, New Jersey. Additional information on the nominees is posted here. Mayer announced his intention to retire in October 2025. He plans to step down in June 2027, when his successor will be consecrated as the sixth bishop of the Lubbock-based diocese. The diocese has opened a 10-day period for submission of additional nominees by petition. After that, meet-and-greet events with the candidates will be held in November. The bishop election is scheduled for January 2027.

Panel discussions combined with a dialogue of gratitude framed a celebration of 80 years of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. Faculty, current students, alumni, friends, and World Council of Churches (WCC) leaders gathered to appreciate the current milestone, reminisce about the past, and reflect on how Bossey can potentially approach its future.

United Methodist bishop funds annual conference checkups for more than 600 people in a region faced with extreme poverty and limited healthcare.

Each regional United Methodist conference should contribute according to its capacity. Equal constitutional authority doesn’t require equal financial obligation, writes an assistant chancellor.

Francis Fourie is a library assistant at the New York University Abu Dhabi. She shares what Thursdays in Black means to her, particularly after the passing of her sister, Rev. Prof. Dr Mary-Anne Plaatjies-van Huffel. 

During an address commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay reflected on “From Vision to Viability: Restating Bossey’s Mission for a Changing World.”

Global religious leaders shared greetings during the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey on 7 October.