| | | | | | | | Room Block Now Available for CUG 2025/NCC 75th Anniversary Celebration | | Reserve your room now at the special rate of $219.00 per night at the Boston Marriott Newton | | | | | | CUG/75th Anniversary sponsorships are available at four levels, with each of the tiered levels offering commensurate perks. Please note that due to scheduling, sponsor exhibitor tables are only available for Monday, October 13.
Silver ($500) — Silver level sponsorship includes mention (with name and/or logo) in all Anniversary/CUG promotional materials.
Gold ($1,000) — Includes sponsorship mention (with name and/or logo) in promotional materials, on the Anniversary/CUG landing page of the NCC website, and on all NCC social media outlets.
Frankincense ($2,000) — Sponsorship includes mention (with name and/or logo) in promotional materials, Anniversary/CUG landing page on NCC website, social media accounts, plus a two-minute video greeting played during the event.
Myrrh ($3,000) — Sponsorship includes mention (with name and/or logo) in promotional materials, CUG landing page on NCC website, social media, and in person or video greeting during the Anniversary/CUG gathering. | | | | ARE YOU FOLLOWING NCC ON SOCIAL MEDIA? Check out our social media accounts for NCC updates! | | | | NCC Staffers Join Clergy and Others to Protest Removal of Washington Area Tent Encampments | | Above: NCC staffers Keith Swartzendruber and Matt Markay; Below: concerned people of faith gathered in protest. Photos: Matt Markay | | On August 11, the president’s administration announced the deployment of the National Guard and the federalization of the Washington, D.C. police force, claiming a public safety emergency after an assault on a former government worker. In the days following the announcement, unhoused people in the city have been forced to move out of the tent encampments they had called home. The move to take over the DC police department draws on the sweeping, but temporary powers (up to 30 days) granted under the Home Rule Act of 1973. The law balances local self-governance with federal oversight in the capital. On August 14, NCC staffers Keith Swartzendruber and Matt Markay bore witness as members of the unhoused community were forced to relocate. Members of the press crowded the area while social workers helped unhoused individuals pack their belongings and move to alternative locations. D.C. clergy and people of faith watched in protest, holding signs that read "Being Poor is Not a Crime," and "Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker — Proverbs 14:31". A recent statement from NCC regarding the Federalization of DC Police and National Guard Deployment noted, "Engaging a federalized police force is especially detrimental in light of the damage done by recent legislation cutting social safety net programs and the elimination of Department of Justice grants for violence interrupters who work in local communities to de-escalate volatile situations. Additionally, using police force to corral people simply because they do not have housing does nothing to provide them with the dignity and support they deserve." To read about this specific encampment closure and view more resources for unhoused persons in D.C., click here. To donate to organizations actively working to end homelessness in Washington, D.C., visit Miriam's Kitchen. | | Matt Markay witnessed the proceedings along with concerned clergy. Photo: Matt Markay | | CCA International Consultation Addresses Role of Faith-Based Orgs in Combating Human Trafficking and Cybercrime | | CCA International Consultation participants | Bangkok, Thailand—Experts working with United Nations agencies and international non-governmental organizations highlighted evolving trends in human trafficking, forced migration in Asia, and legal protection mechanisms to combat cybercrimes on the second day of the International Consultation organized by the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA).
The sessions on “Bordered and Broken: Case Studies on Forced Migration and Human Trafficking” and “Behind the Screens: Case Studies on Trafficking in Persons and Cyber Scams” were led by Among Pundhi Resi and Thawatchai Khanawiwat of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Ms. Resi, who oversees an initiative on protection, counter-trafficking, and border governance across Southeast Asia, shared insights from her extensive experience in dealing with the cases of vulnerable migrants and victims of trafficking, including return and reintegration assistance.
Ms. Resi highlighted regional trends in trafficking, including sexual exploitation, forced labor, forced criminality, forced marriage, and forced surrogacy. She emphasized the need to strengthen bilateral agreements, enhance referral mechanisms, and expand joint law enforcement efforts.
Persistent challenges remain, including political dynamics, corruption, limited law enforcement capacity, and insufficient cross-border cooperation. | | | TENx10 Announces 'Quick Tips' to Help Offer Guidance to Young People | | Quick Tips are practical, bite-sized resources designed to help you walk alongside the young people in your life. Whether you’re guiding conversations, offering support after school, or simply showing up in the everyday moments, you have a front-row seat—and more influence than you realize.
Got three minutes before you have to get out the door? A 15-minute break at work? That’s all you need.
From managing anxiety to staying present during tough transitions, Quick Tips give you real tools for real moments.
Quick Tips and other youth leader resources are available on the TENx10 website. | | New York State Council of Churches Sponsors TRNP's Series on Religious Nationalism | Series details are given below. Space for some events is limited. Please RSVP. Speaker information is forthcoming. Watch for more details on the webpage.
All events are free and will include a meal and fellowship.
Donations to help defray costs and support this work may be made to: The Religious Nationalisms Project.
TRNP’s fiscal sponsor is the New York State Council of Churches.
Click here for more details and RSVP. See lineup below. | | | Church Bells Ringing for Peace in Gaza | | (Source: WCC website) The Trinity Church in Oslo, Norway. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC
The Bishop’s Conference of the Church of Norway called for cathedrals and others across the globe to ring bells for peace in Gaza on August 7, at 3 pm CET.
“Day by day, we hear news reports about a worsening situation that has already become a humanitarian catastrophe. With over 60,000 dead in Gaza, we all feel a calling and a need to do something,” said Church of Norway Presiding Bishop Dr Olav Fykse Tveit.
It was an extraordinary use of the church bells in the Church of Norway, used only on very rare occasions, when the bishops decided to call and invite local churches to use them in this situation in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
In Jerusalem, the leader of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, Bishop Dr Sani Ibrahim Azar, asked all churches in the region to join in this expression of solidarity with those suffering as a result of the conflict.
“I hope that the bells ringing will reach God and ring in the ears of the people, remembering all those who are suffering in Gaza,” he said. | | | Moral Mondays: A Southern Call to Conscience | | On Monday, August 18, Repairers of the Breech and partners are calling communities across the Southern states to join in Moral Monday: A Southern Call to Conscience—a unified day of moral action, public witness, and prophetic truth-telling. You are invited to:
1. Join a Delegation
Be part of the action in a Southern state—whether at your state capitol, congressional office, or a designated gathering point. Stand shoulder-to-shoulder with people of faith, impacted individuals, and justice leaders calling for a moral shift in our public policies.
2. Share the Promo Video Widely
Help spread the word by sharing this promo video across all your platforms—email, social media, newsletters, and gatherings. Together, we can inspire a powerful turnout.
Promo Video Link: August 18 Promo Video
3. Mobilize Your Networks
Encourage your members, colleagues, and community to sign up and bring others with them. This is a moment to show that the moral voice of the South is alive, active, and unwilling to be silent. | | Join the National Action Network
March on Wall Street, August 28 | | | Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land Make Appeal | The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) and the ELCIC National Office and Eastern Synod launched an appeal to raise $50,000. Please consider how you can contribute to this important effort to support the vital work of the ELCJHL that embodies faith, resilience, and hope of a just peace.
In a recent update from ELCJHL Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, he shared that while the church continues to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, he fears, “that peace is increasingly hidden from our eyes.”
“There is an atmosphere of deep fear and uncertainty across our land,” he continued. “No one knows what the next day will bring. The prospect of a regional war weighs heavily on a population already exhausted by suffering.”
Yet, despite everything, the ELCJHL remains steadfast in its mission. Congregations continue to gather in prayer and fellowship. The schools of the ELCJHL have successfully completed their
2024-25 academic year. Diaconal ministry is providing food, rent assistance, medical care, and school tuition support to hundreds of families across the West Bank. Gender justice and environmental ministries are still working towards a more just and sustainable future.
You can help support this vital work through a donation to the ELCJHL Appeal.
The ELCIC is actively advocating for peace in the region. You can find an ongoing list of updates, statements, and resources regarding the current situation in the Holy Land, including information from ELCIC partners, here. | | MCC Sponsors 'Democracy in Crisis' | | | | LWF Announces Funding Opportunity for Youth-Led Climate Justice Projects | | The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is inviting young people ages 18-30 to take the lead in addressing climate change through small-scale, community-driven projects. This funding opportunity is designed to support innovative initiatives that promote climate justice, environmental stewardship, and equity.
Applications close on August 25, 2025. Projects must run between September 2025 and January 2026 and be locally designed and implemented. Please contact Deacon Gretchen Peterson at gpeterson@elcic.ca for the ELCIC endorsement of your application.
LWF: Join the Climate Conversation: COP30 Youth Delegate Nominations
This is a unique chance to engage directly with international climate discussions and bring the voice of youth to the forefront. If you're interested in being nominated, learn more when you click here. Please contact Deacon Gretchen Peterson at gpeterson@elcic.ca if you're interested in being nominated. | | FACE Marketing Internship Opportunity | | | | Creation Care and Resilience: Oreon E. Scott Clergy Conference, September 16–19 | | Register now for the "Resilience and Restoration in the Mountains" Clergy Retreat on September 16–19, 2025, at the beautiful Christmount Christian Conference and Retreat Center. This retreat focuses on clergy and community resilience, and creation care and climate justice.
You'll spend transformative days with distinguished speakers, including Rev. Dr. Heber M. Brown III (keynote speaker and founder of the Black Church Food Security Network), Rev. Carol Devine (Faith and Climate Educator), Rev. Dr. Dara Cobb Lewis (Spiritual Director), and Luke Cannon (Mountain Ecologist), alongside ecumenical colleagues and pastoral innovators.
Whether you're new to creation care or a long-time advocate, you'll gain new language and tools to inspire your congregation to care for God's good earth, interwoven with space for rest, relationship, prayer, and good food.
Registration is open to all ordained Christian clergy with sliding scale options and travel scholarships available. (Email Rev. Carol Devine, carold@ecoamerica.org, if you need travel assistance.) | | | Congressional Black Caucus Annual NREI Summit November 1, 2025 | | Come to New Orleans to commemorate five years of the National Racial Equity Initiative for Social Justice (NREI)! The 2025 NREI Summit will bring together thought leaders, advocates, and changemakers committed to advancing racial equity across the justice and education systems. Together, we will explore transformative solutions that center Black communities and reimagine pathways to opportunity and justice. From dynamic conversations to community-focused engagement, the Summit will offer space to reflect, strategize, and build power. 📌 Mark your calendar and stay tuned for more details on programming and registration. | | | Freedom Church of the Poor Holds Black August Sunday Service / Bible Study Series | | | Black August is a holy season of resistance, reflection, and rededication to a revolutionary love ethic that compels us to struggle with and for each other. It began in the 1970s inside California prisons, after the deaths of Jonathan and George Jackson and other incarcerated Black freedom fighters. It is a time to honor the legacy of those who have struggled for freedom—and to prepare ourselves for the battles ahead.
In the face of growing repression, state violence, and religious nationalism, this season calls us to spiritual clarity, deep connection, political competency, and steadfast commitment to liberation for all who are oppressed. Freedom Church of the Poor believes in a God who breaks chains, who sides with the poor and dispossessed, and who calls believers to build a Beloved Community on earth.
Black August is presented in partnership with the SSING Network, New Disabled South, Highlander Center, and The Black Joy Experience with Black Youth Project 100. Featured Artists & Cultural Organizers Airika Cross (Dream Defenders), ana lara lopez (La Iglesia del Pueblo), Arnaé Batson (The SSING Network), Minister Ciara Taylor (FCOP), Jarvis Benson (Kairos Center), Jendog Lonewolf (People’s Music Network), JeNaé Taylor (Highlander Center), Jonathan Lykes (Black Youth Project 100), Lindsey Wilson (People’s Music Network), Oshara Hayes (We Cry Justice Artist Collective), Patience Rowe (Highlander Center), Rabbi Koach Baruch Frazier, Shun Tucker‑Allen (New Disabled South), and Steff Reed (Dream Defenders). Freedom Church of the Poor Sunday Service Sundays | August 3 – August 31 6:00PM ET / 5:00PM CT / 3:00PM PT
Freedom Church of the Poor Bible Study (Virtual Only) Wednesdays | July 30 – August 27 6:00PM ET / 5:00PM CT / 3:00PM PT | | | Register for Virtual
Christian Climate Training | | September is the Season of Creation, and Blessed Tomorrow is partnering with nine denominations to offer a free live, virtual Christian Climate Training on Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 - 11:30 am PT. It will include breakouts by denomination. The majority of Americans are concerned about climate change. But they think only half of those around them feel the same way. As a person of faith, you can help others see they’re not alone in their concern and invite them to take action. The Christian Climate Training equips you with the knowledge, hands-on experience, and resources to speak and take action on climate change from a Christian faith perspective in your home, neighborhood, church, community, with policymakers, and beyond. After the training, you’re invited to become part of the Blessed Tomorrow Climate Ambassador Community, which provides ongoing support, resources, events, and a vast community of Climate Ambassadors from across the U.S. | | | North Carolina Council of Churches Prepares for 90th Anniversary Celebration | | This November, the North Carolina Council of Churches will celebrate 90 years of prophetic witness, faith-rooted advocacy, and ecumenical partnership. We invite everyone to celebrate with us for a day of worship, community, and joy!
NCCC is inviting congregations and organizations to be a part of this historic milestone by becoming a sponsor for this event. Sponsorship will offer a unique opportunity to support our continued work for justice while also receiving exclusive benefits, including:
VIP access to a private reception with the Right Reverend Michael B. Curry Reserved seating during the worship service, where Bishop Curry will deliver a powerful message, followed by a live podcast recording of Everything Happens with Kate Bowle
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