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Summit on Black Women | | Photos by Amanda Dowd On Thursday, March 12, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC), alongside the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) and the Black Women’s Roundtable, convened for the 15th Annual BWR Women of Power National Summit. Under the theme “United We Win: Freedom, Justice, Democracy, Safety and Opportunity for All,” members engaged in a Public Policy Education Day on Capitol Hill. Participants traveled from across the country to take part in the policy education day rooted in prayer, learning, and action. The day’s theme highlighted a collective responsibility and commitment to protecting justice and democracy amid ongoing social, political, and spiritual struggles. The day opened with a "Gathering for Prayer for Our Nation and World" with welcoming remarks from Melanie L. Campbell, president and CEO of the NCBCP, and a "Prayer for Peace and Safety" led by Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, NCC president and general secretary, Followed by a “Prayer for our Rights, Freedoms & Democracy,” led by Rev. Moya Harris from Sojourners, and Rev. Leslye Dwight of Community of Hope AME Church. Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland, NCC senior associate general secretary and advocacy director, closed with a Prayer for Opportunity for All. Following the opening program, conveners led participants to the steps of the Supreme Court, singing “We Shall Not Be Moved” along the way. The large gathering made a powerful statement as participants united for a “Prayer for Justice” led by Bishop McKenzie. The day continued with the Black Women’s Roundtable Hill Day Press Conference and Call to Action. Opening remarks were delivered by U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks (MD), who underscored the importance of supporting civic engagement among Black women and emphasized the urgency of continued action under the current administration.
Reflecting on the loss of opportunity felt across the nation, particularly the more than 330,000 Black women who lost jobs between February and July of 2025, Senator Alsobrooks stated, “They haven’t seen what resilience looks like yet, because they don’t know what they have planted in all of us is a desire to continue to carry forward what our foreparents put in all of us. We know exactly what we’re made of.” Additional speakers joined the press conference to discuss the release of the 2026 Black Women’s Roundtable Agenda Priorities, featuring A Call to Peace and Security for Our Nation, with a focus on the War Powers Resolution and protections for immigrants and all citizens. Speakers continued with A Call to Action to Protect Our Rights, Freedom, and Democracy, focusing on a wide range of issues, including voting rights, women’s rights, economic and environmental justice, and workers’ rights. The press conference continued with A Call to Action for an Opportunity Agenda, emphasizing full employment, livable wages, equal pay, DEIA, education, trades, and technology. Closing the press conference with A Call to Care for All People in Our Nation, speakers addressed key issues such as affordable healthcare, childcare and eldercare, safeguarding the social safety net, and ensuring paid family and medical leave. Participants spent the afternoon on Capitol Hill, meeting with their representatives to advance the agenda. The summit ended with a charge to continue the work, reinforcing that progress is possible when faith, advocacy, and action work together. | | NCC Hosts Circle of Protection Webinar on Budget Cuts to Programs for the Most Vulnerable | | On March 11, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) hosted a webinar on behalf of the Circle of Protection, examining the impact of H.R. 1’s upcoming Medicaid and SNAP cuts on communities and exploring ways to lessen their effects. Titled, “Preparing for the Coming Medicaid and SNAP Cuts from the One Big Not So Beautiful Bill (H.R.1),” the conversation highlighted the real-life impact on people and the need to act. The panel was comprised of faith leaders and policy experts, including Rev. Adam Russell Taylor, Sojourners president; U.S. Representative Glenn Ivey (MD-04); Liza Lieberman, vice president of public affairs at MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger; Paulo Pontemayor, senior director of government relations at the Catholic Health Association; and Rev. Richard Williams, lead pastor at the Metropolitan United Methodist Church and executive director at the Beacon Center in Montgomery, Ala.
Rev. Taylor opened the webinar by emphasizing that the recent legislation is not just bad policy, but also morally wrong. He described the scale of the cuts, including $260 billion from SNAP and $800 billion from Medicaid. He explained that the bill also delivers tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and boosts military spending. These priorities, he said, “invert biblical values” and demand a faith-based call to action. Congressman Glenn Ivey discussed how Medicaid cuts will harm hospitals in working-class and rural communities and drive up costs nationwide. He connected economic stress to issues including housing, healthcare, and food insecurity. He concluded by urging faith communities to once again be the moral backbone of change.
Liza Lieberman explained the structural threats within SNAP. She detailed how states will soon incur up to 75 percent of the program’s administrative costs. This change could force reductions and increase eligibility barriers, potentially leaving millions without food assistance.
Paulo Pontemayor discussed how new national Medicaid work requirements could take health coverage from 11.8 million people as early as 2027. He also called for advocacy to ease implementation, expand exemptions, and protect healthcare for low-income families.
Rev. Richard Williams closed the session by offering a local perspective based on his ministry’s food pantry. With lines wrapped around the building, they now serve more than 100 families every day, a significant increase reminiscent of the dire situation many faced during the pandemic. “Faith groups can fill gaps,” he said, “but we were never designed to replace the scale of public systems.” Rev. Williams reminded participants that when safety nets fail, “it’s not statistics that fall through, it’s our neighbors.”
After a short Q&A session with the audience, the event closed with a prayer for courage, endurance, and solidarity in the fight to protect programs that reflect our faith-driven commitments to compassion, justice, and human dignity
To watch a recording of the webinar, click below. | | | NCC Reflects on the Passing of a
Civil Rights Icon | | Clockwise: Dr. Bernard Lafayette with Rev. Adowa Rey (second, right), Rep. John Lewis, and Mrs. Katie Lafayette (second, left); Dr. and Mrs. Lafayette with his co-author, Kathryn Lee Johnson; Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland Tune with the Lafayettes; Ambassador Andrew Young on a panel with Dr. Lafayette in 2018 (Photo by Maury Phillips/Getty Images) | NCC remembers the pioneering work and remarkable legacy of Rev. Dr. Bernard Lafayette, a key civil rights leader and ordained Baptist minister who passed away on March 5. He was a co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and a strategist and participant in the Nashville sit-ins in the 1960s.
As a 19-year-old seminary student at American Baptist College in Nashville, he and his roommate John Lewis collaborated with Diane Nash, James Bevel, and others to organize sit-ins to protest Nashville’s segregated downtown commercial district.
He left college to fully devote himself to the movement and was arrested no less than 10 times in four states. He later led voter registration efforts in Selma that helped lay the groundwork for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Additionally, he held leadership roles within the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), including coordinating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign.
After Dr. King’s assassination, Dr. Lafayette returned to his alma mater to complete his undergraduate studies. From there, he earned master’s and doctoral degrees from Harvard University. He went on to lead nonviolence education and training efforts worldwide and served as the founding director of the Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies at the University of Rhode Island. His wife, Kate, was often by his side as a strong partner in his work.
Dr. Lafayette returned to Nashville and his alma mater a second time in the 1990s to serve as president (1993 to 1999).
NCC advocacy consultant Rev. Adwoa Rey recalled her encounters with Dr. Lafayette. “I had the privilege of being trained and certified in Kingian Nonviolence by Dr. Lafayette, and later hosted a training for young faith leaders that he led. I also crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma several times with Dr. Lafayette during commemorative marches and studied under his leadership. His mentorship helped shape my leadership and justice framework and deepened my commitment to advancing nonviolence, civic engagement, and justice in my work today.”
Dr. LaFayette’s legacy spans generations—from the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement to classrooms, churches, and communities worldwide. His courage, humility, and steadfast dedication to nonviolence helped shape the moral direction of a nation still striving toward equality.
Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland-Tune, NCC associate general secretary, fondly recalled her participation in nonviolence resistance training led by Dr. Lafayette, Charles Alphin, and Lafayette Associates at Haley Farm in Clinton, Tenn., in October 2025, and received certification in nonviolent resistance.
Services for Dr. Lafayette will be held Sunday, March 22, at 2 p.m. at the Tuskegee University Chapel. | | Health Notes: Health & Wellness Taskforce |
| Measles: 1277 Confirmed Cases Reported to the CDC in 2026 in 31 States! This is the number as of March 5, and it is likely an understated number. Measles is not a benign illness even for otherwise healthy people. In 2025, there were 2283 confirmed cases, so the problem is worsening.
The consequences? Misery for those sick (I know, having had measles as a kid), lost time at school or at work for care-givers, ear infections in 1 in 10 children, measles pneumonia (1 in 20 kids with measles) leaving some victims with permanent lung damage, hospitalization for 1 in 5 unvaccinated people, brain swelling, pregnancy complications and death (3 in 2025). (Ref: CDC website)
Who is at greatest risk? Children younger than 5 years of age Adults older than 20 years of age Pregnant women People with weakened immune systems (e.g. from cancer therapy)
Measles falsehoods! No evidence that measles vaccines cause autism Measles infection doesn’t strengthen immunity it weakens overall immunity There are no effective treatments for measles, but vaccination is highly protective ·Vitamin A does not protect against measles.
As trusted messengers, what can Christians and Christian Leaders do to effectively speak truth about measles and measles vaccination? Follow this link for guidance. | | | Archbishop Elpidophoros Issues Statement on 61st Anniversary of Selma to Montgomery Marches | | Archbishop Iakovos in 1965. Photo courtesy Orthodox Observer | On March 7, 2026, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America issued a statement on the 61st anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery voting rights march, which became known as “Bloody Sunday.”
On March 15, 1965, Archbishop Iakovos would travel to Selma, Alabama and march with Dr. Martin Luther King, and was the only head of a major religious body to participate in the march for equal voting rights.
“Archbishop Iakovos understood that moral courage often comes with a cost. Sometimes, when we stand for what is right, we may be criticized, rejected, or placed in danger. Yet the Gospel leaves us no room for comfortable silence. The march from Selma was an act of faith,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said. | | | CJM to Host Virtual Summit March 21 | | Creation Justice Ministries is hosting a Virtual Nazarene Creation Care Summit on March 21 to celebrate spring and reflect on the power of women’s leadership. In the March reflection, Derrick Weston, CJM director of theological education and formation, offers this thought: "We can’t do creation justice without justice for women ... there are many times when it has been the church’s rhetoric that has stood in the way of progress for women despite the fact that we have a rich history of female pastors, priests, and prophets." Read the full reflection here. Advocacy 101 Training Video Earlier this week, Policy and Advocacy Manager Madison Mayhew led CJM’s Advocacy 101 Training—an introduction for new advocates and a refresher for those reengaging.
During the training, Mayhew covered faith-based advocacy today, federal engagement tips, and building relationships with Members of Congress.
The recording is now available here.
| | Worldwide Churches Issue Statement on Middle East Conflict and Humanitarian and Social Impact | | Photo: Paul Jeffrey/Life on Earth | The World Council of Churches, Middle East Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, World Communion of Reformed Churches, World Methodist Council, Mennonite World Conference, Christian Conference of Asia, and ACT Alliance joined in expressing their deep concern regarding the humanitarian and social impacts of the widening conflict in the Middle East, and the threat it poses to the peace and security of the region and the world.
“Having endured many years of complex political, economic, and social challenges, the people of Iran—numbering more than 92 million—now face the immediate threats of the current conflict, and a very uncertain future,” reads the statement. “The humanitarian risks and suffering will inevitably escalate the longer this conflict continues.”
The statement also expresses grave concern over reports indicating serious violations of international humanitarian law during the ongoing military operations.
“We insist that as a matter of moral and legal obligation all conflict participants must protect civilians from harm, and refrain from targeting civilian areas and infrastructure,” reads the statement. “Moreover, we fear that the conflict may result in a new period of prolonged violence and instability in the wider region.” | | Young Ecumenical Leaders
Share Prayers for Peace | | Young people across the global ecumenical movement are sharing prayers of solidarity in response to escalating violence and suffering in the Middle East and other regions affected by conflict. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC | Prepared by the Communications Working Group and Theology & Spiritual Life Working group of the Young People in the Ecumenical Movement, the collective prayers are offered “in humility and love,” holding in prayer not only the Middle East but also communities around the world experiencing war, violence, and uncertainty.
“As we are in the Lenten season, we are lamenting the situation unfolding in the Middle East. In solidarity and prayer with our brothers and sisters there, especially in Iran, we cry out with agony and shout “Hosanna,” praying that God will save us and protect those who are suffering because of the war,” said Young People in the Ecumenical Movement moderator Karen Erina Puimera, from the Protestant Church in Western Indonesia.
Puimera said young people believe that the God of love and justice guides us through the Holy Spirit, helping us discern actions that do not represent God’s love in this world. “Through the unity of prayer and solidarity, God reminds us not to stand on the side of unrighteousness and injustice. Instead, we are called to strive for justice, freedom from exploitation, and peace as gifts from God that we are all responsible to protect and nurture,” she said.
The prayers were shared through the Ecumenical Youth Network, where young people from different regions are exchanging prayers, reflections, and messages of hope. The initiative reflects a growing wave of spiritual solidarity among young Christians calling their communities to join them in prayer for peace, justice, and reconciliation.
The youth wanted to say, “We are here, and we care,” describing the effort as a way for young people to express compassion and stand with those experiencing suffering and fear.
| | PCC Voices Support for Protecting “Sacred and Eco-communal Space” | | Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC
The Pacific Conference of Churches issued a statement of support for Vanuatu’s proposed UN General Assembly Resolution to implement the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on climate change, human rights, and states’ responsibilities.
“For decades, Pacific peoples and churches have made a moral appeal to the world: protect life, uphold dignity, and act justly toward those least responsible and most harmed,” notes the statement. “This is why the follow-up resolution matters: it is not symbolic.”
The statement describes the resolution as a practical pathway to move the multilateral system from rhetoric to measurable implementation—from legal clarity to real-world action.
“The PCC respectfully urges all UN Member States to engage constructively in the informal consultations and to support adoption of a strong and ambitious resolution—including by voting in favour should a vote be called and considering co-sponsorship,” concludes the statement.
| | CMEP, Partners Mobilize for Joint Advocacy Summit May 5–7 | | With a regional war now in place, civilians across several countries have been killed or displaced. While the world is focused on Iran, Palestinians in Gaza continue to be killed by Israeli military operations. In the West Bank, Israeli settlers are targeting Palestinian communities with impunity. That is why Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is mobilizing 500 U.S. Christians to Washington, DC, for a faith-rooted Joint Advocacy Summit on May 5–7, 2026.
This two-day Advocacy Summit will equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and courage to speak directly to their Members of Congress about U.S. policy toward Israel and Palestine, and the region as a whole.
Get more information here. | | One Home, One Future Offers Free
Earth Day 2026 Tabling Kits | | In honor of Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, OHOF celebrates the wonders of creation and renews our call as caretakers of this planet.
Note: All One Home One Future participants are entitled to a free 2026 Earth Day Tabling Kit.
Join One Home One Future today to reserve your Earth Day Kit! onehomeonefuture.org/join | | Blessed Tomorrow Seeks Hosts for National Faith and Climate Forum | | Join Blessed Tomorrow on Saturday, April 25, as a host location for the National Faith + Climate Forum, a powerful national gathering uniting people of faith to lead on climate solutions grounded in justice, hope, and spiritual courage. Host a gathering at your congregation, campus, or community space and: ✅ Experience the live-streamed national event together
✅ Participate in powerful conversations
✅ Inspire climate action rooted in faith in your community | | STATE/REGIONAL COUNCIL NEWS | | North Carolina Council Offers
Free Lenten Guide | | This Lenten season, join the North Carolina Council of Churches in a journey of reflection, learning, and faithful action. Each week focuses on a theme—from mental health and farmworker justice to creation care, economic justice, immigration, and democracy—offering scripture, insights, and simple actions you can take to care for your community and the world.
These daily prompts invite participants to live their faith boldly, showing God’s love through prayer, solidarity, and action for justice. Print this guide and follow along each day, letting faith and compassion shape your Lenten journey.
| | Learning to Forgive:
Uniting Faith and Science | | Sunday, March 22, 3 - 5 p.m.
West Raleigh Presbyterian Church
27 Horne St, Raleigh Join a pioneer in forgiveness research, psychologist Everett Worthington, to learn how and why people should forgive. While Scripture clearly directs us to forgive quickly and without reservation, it offers limited guidance on the process itself. Over the centuries, practical theology (i.e., the way the church puts Christian intentions into action) has developed effective ways of forgiving, but those ways don't always work.
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