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Iskandar Majlaton is local programme coordinator for the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI). Operating in extraordinary circumstances that include the start of the war between Israel and Palestine that began in October 2023, the continued occupation of Palestinian land, and the increasing insecurity and violence that threatens the region. 

A variety of new staff have joined the United Church of Christ National Ministries in recent months, bringing with them talents and passion for the work of the church. Further, as the National Ministries continue to live into a model…

The post New staff bring experience and passion to roles across the National Ministries appeared first on United Church of Christ.

An assisted death is a choice for the few at the expense of the many

Be a part of a movement persuading MPs to vote ‘no’ at third reading.

“Reformed churches have a particular way of engaging with creeds and confessions. According to the foundational understanding of the Reformed church—always reforming according to God’s word—creeds and confessions should be received in the present tense. Commemorating the central symbols of the Christian faith means reengaging with what was at stake at the time of their […]

The post Engaging the Nicene Creed in Contemporary Contexts appeared first on WCRC.

[Episcopal News Service] St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle, Washington, recently opened its doors to a shelter for homeless women. It is one of the latest of a growing number of Episcopal congregations partnering with local organizations and developers to address a nationwide shortage of affordable housing. The congregation at St. Mark’s in the Diocese of Olympia helped fund a $100,000 renovation of two classrooms in a cathedral-owned building that once housed a school. The project was led by the nonprofit Operation Nightwatch, which began operating the shelter in the renovated space in February. The shelter, Donna Jean’s Place, is specifically for individual women, not those with children, and it has the capacity to accommodate up to 20 people at a time who need emergency housing. Another nonprofit had operated a shelter called Noelle House in the cathedral’s parish hall for more than two decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced that shelter’s closure in 2020. The nonprofit has since reopened its shelter at another location in Seattle. The Very Rev. Steven Thomason, dean of the cathedral, began talking with leaders at Operation Nightwatch about a year ago about filling gaps in support for people experiencing homelessness. For years, much of the emphasis locally and nationally has been on getting unhoused people into transitional housing and eventually permanent homes. Such efforts, while important, don’t always address the emergency needs of people who suddenly find themselves homeless, and “there was an increasing crisis in the number of emergency shelter beds in the city,” Thomason told Episcopal News Service. The cathedral agreed to provide about 2,000 square feet in the former school building for use by Operation Nightwatch as a new shelter. Over six months, the nonprofit’s renovation crews added showers, toilets, lockers, a laundry facility and exam rooms for medical and mental health appointments, as well as 20 beds in a communal sleeping area. Donna Jean’s Place, named for the widow of the late founder of Operation Nightwatch, previously opened in April 2024 as a 10-bed facility at a Catholic church in Seattle, but the nonprofit was able to double its shelter’s capacity and add amenities with the move to St. Mark’s. Operation Nightwatch does not limit how long shelter guests may stay, though the average stays are expected to be several weeks to several months. Operation Nightwatch also runs a separate shelter for men, as well as a street ministry providing services and support to people living on the streets. The Rev. Frank DiGirolamo, a Roman Catholic deacon who serves as executive director, told ENS that ecumenical partnerships have helped the 58-year-old nonprofit expand its outreach to people most in need. He hopes Donna Jean’s Place inspires more congregations to get involved. “We’re providing a type of witness to what maybe could happen more often,” DiGirolamo said, “as church communities realize, ‘Hey, we have a basement. We have some funding. We could maybe be welcoming the stranger off the street.’” Homelessness is a pressing issue in many cities and states as they struggle to ensure residents have safe and affordable places to live. The problem partially stems from a sharp reduction in new housing construction in the United States after the Great Recession of 2008, which left a nationwide shortage of nearly 4 million units for sale or rent as of 2019, according to a report by mortgage financing agency Fannie Mae. Pandemic shortages in construction supplies only worsened the problem. Other factors include a national shortage in construction workers, and a July 2022 article by the Economic Policy Institute placed some of the blame on “land availability and exclusionary zoning laws, which restrict the kinds of homes that can be put in certain neighborhoods — maintaining segregation.” Housing shortages affect every state, though studies suggest the greatest impact has been felt in Western states, from Colorado to California, especially for the poorest Americans. The United States’ existing housing supply is estimated to be 7.1 million units short of what is needed to house all low-income renters affordably, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Many Episcopal congregations are embracing local projects that have the potential to begin making small but meaningful differences in their communities. In Louisville, Kentucky, Christ Church Cathedral opened a temporary winter shelter this year for women and children experiencing homelessness. A church in the Diocese of New Jersey is seeking city authorization to build a 17-bed homeless shelter next to an existing outreach facility on church property. And an Episcopal church in Portland, Oregon, is turning a parking lot into a “tiny home village” with short-term housing for people with emergency shelter needs. Other dioceses and congregations are investing in affordable housing projects. In the Diocese of Los Angeles, a 66-unit affordable housing complex for seniors opened last week at a church in Buena Park, California, part of a diocesan initiative. In the Diocese of San Diego, an Episcopal church is providing space on its property for the development of a 78-unit affordable housing building. In King County, Washington, which includes Seattle, more than 16,000 people were experiencing homelessness during an official 2024 count. Addressing their needs is “an incredible challenge,” the city says in an online summary of its system of services. One important component is emergency housing, which now includes the 20-bed shelter at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral. “We’re really just trying to meet the urgent needs of shelter beds in the city,” Thomason said. He added that the cathedral already has plans to expand its support for housing solutions beyond providing emergency shelter. In about three years, it hopes to break ground on its own affordable housing development, which would convert the former school building into about 120 apartments. – David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

[Church of England] The bishop of Kirkstall, the Rt. Rev. Arun Arora, and the bishop of Croydon, the Rt. Rev. Rosemarie Mallett, have been appointed by the archbishop of York and the bishop of London as joint lead bishops for the Church of England on racial justice. Their role will involve acting as advocates on racial justice throughout the Church of England, including promoting implementation of the recommendations of “From Lament to Action,” the landmark report from the Church of England’s Anti-Racism Taskforce. Arora and Mallett also will serve as joint deputy chairs of the newly created Racial Justice Board, a committee of the Archbishops’ Council that will oversee its work on racial justice. They also will attend the Racial Justice Panel, an external independent scrutiny body that will provide assurance that the work on racial justice is being carried out effectively, in accordance with agreed plans and best practice. Their appointment comes after the General Synod voted to back the findings of the final report of the Archbishops’ Commission on Racial Justice, ensuring crucial resources remain available for racial justice, including a racial justice board, panel, and lead bishop. Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said, “I warmly welcome and celebrate the appointment of Bishop Rosemarie and Bishop Arun as joint Lead Bishops for Racial Justice in the Church of England. “Their leadership comes at a significant moment, as we mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the 60th anniversary of the UN’s International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. “This is a time to reflect on the progress made, to acknowledge the work still to be done and the challenges ahead, and to renew our commitment to eliminate racism. “By standing together, we can continue to build a church – and a society – where everyone is treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.” London Bishop Sarah Mullally said, “We are all made in the image of God. It is not just our duty to respond to every person with care and compassion, which it is, but our faith demands that we are seek justice and equity for all. “Bishop Rosemarie and Bishop Arun have set an excellent example in their pastoral roles as bishops and in their work at a national level. I am delighted that they have been appointed to this role and offer my full support.” Mallett said, “I am delighted to be appointed to assist leading the Church of England in its work to deepen our understanding and practice of racial justice, in parishes, dioceses and in our church structures. “Racial justice is at the heart of the gospel, as we seek to serve God, as people of all places and races – all unified by being created in God’s image and saved by the love of his Son Jesus Christ. “There is a lot of good work being undertaken, and our joint leadership roles will enable the church to keep focused on working for a more racially just and equitable church and society. I look forward to working in this collaborative role with Bishop Arun, as we seek to model partnership working.” Arora said, “I am looking forward to working with Bishop Rosemarie in taking forward the continuing work of the church in this Gospel work. As part of my Christian journey, I have been inspired and shaped over decades by the dedication of followers of Jesus in their work for racial justice. “Whether Martin Luther King or Desmond Tutu, Rosa Parks or Jemima Prasadam, Charlie Freer Andrews or Trevor Huddleston, each has pointed to Christ’s example in their discipleship. As co-lead bishop I look forward to continuing the journey that the Church of England has begun and following Christ’s mission to celebrate a God of justice.” Mallett is the lead bishop on social and racial justice in Diocese of Southwark and led work on developing the diocese’s anti-racism charter. She is chair of the Oversight Group for the Church Commissioners’ work on African chattel enslavement and reparatory justice and is also the lead bishop representing the church on the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland trustee board. She served as an Equalities Commissioner for five years in Lambeth and currently acts as adviser to a Croydon community action project, which is focused on reducing violence affecting young people. She also serves as chair of the Southwark diocesan board of education. Arora was co-chair of the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Taskforce, which produced the report “From Lament to Action.” The report, published in 2021, called for change in the Church of England after “decades of inaction” on racial justice, setting out 47 specific actions for different arms of the Church of England to implement across five priority areas. He is the author of the book “Stick with Love, Rejoicing in Every Tongue, Every Tribe and Every Nation.” He has served in a variety of parish contexts and has also served as director of communications for the Church of England and the archbishop of York.

On March 21, the Trump administration issued, with immediate effect, a near-total termination of the Unaccompanied Children Program, which provides legal representation to thousands of unaccompanied immigrant children across the country, including infants. The termination forces unaccompanied children – among the most vulnerable individuals in our immigration system – to navigate and somehow represent themselves in immigration court proceedings. Some ... Read More

[Anglican Communion News Service] A diverse group of nearly 50 church leaders, representatives of various faith traditions, ecumenical organizations, indigenous communities and climate experts gathered in Brazil’s capital, Brasília, March 18-20 to coordinate efforts for meaningful engagement in the lead-up to COP30, the 2025 United Nations Climate Conference, which will take place in Brazil in November. Their central concern: ensuring that local voices are heard. The meeting brought together advocates from across Latin America and the Caribbean, including Anglican partners such as the Anglican Communion Office, alongside other ecumenical bodies working on climate justice. At the opening prayer service at the Anglican Cathedral of Brasília, faith leaders reflected on the urgency of addressing the climate crisis and the role of faith in driving action. The Most Rev. Marinez Bassotto, primate of the Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil, underscored the importance of hope as an active force for change. “This hope is alive, keeps us moving, and compels us to act today. Waiting for tomorrow drives us to fight now. For those who believe, hope is a verb — it becomes action,” she said. “It should awaken in us an awareness of the deep interconnectedness of all creation, a reciprocal interdependence. This, in turn, must inspire us to an attitude of solidarity and care – a stance that reveals us as children of God.” Participants represented faith communities from across Latin America and the Caribbean, including Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Panama, Bolivia, Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. Among them were Anglican, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Mennonite, Anabaptist and Reformed churches, as well as national and regional faith-based organizations and Indigenous networks. In addition to exchanging concerns and best practices through panel discussions, the group worked on a “Call to Action” to be presented to the COP30 presidency. With the upcoming global climate summit set to take place in the Amazon region, the impact of the climate emergency on Indigenous peoples was a focal point of discussions in Brasília. “We especially recognize the role of Indigenous peoples, who have lived in the Amazon for millennia, caring for the ecosystem and passing down knowledge through generations to preserve their home,” said Jocabed Solano of Panama, director of Memoria Indígena. “The church, in its commitment to environmental and social justice, must firmly support these communities in their struggle to defend their territories and acknowledge their invaluable contribution to the planet,” added Solano, who also serves on the World Council of Churches Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainability. Roman Catholic Bishop Jerry Ruiz, from Honduras, reflected on the significance of working ecumenically towards COP30. “Regardless of our religious beliefs, I believe that what unites us is the same spirit. We are united by the cry of the earth, the cry of the poor, the need for justice, the criminalized, displaced and murdered communities,” he said. “And this must help us overcome our differences, because it is the Kingdom of God that unites us in the same goal and the same objective.” The event was hosted by the World Council of Churches, ACT Alliance, Christian Aid, Anglican Alliance, Lutheran World Federation, Caritas Internationalis, National Conference of Bishops of Brazil and the Conference of Bishops of Latin America.

St. Mark United Methodist in Chicago and Holman United Methodist in Los Angeles serve their growing communities by empowering young people and providing effective outreach ministries.