Follow NCC on Social Media! | | | | | First NCC MOSAIC Documentary
Debuts at Morehouse College | | The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and the Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership at Morehouse College co-hosted the premiere of Faith on the Frontline, on February 26, 2026, on the campus of Morehouse College in Atlanta.
Faith on the Frontline chronicles the influence of Black faith leadership in shaping national movements for justice and features former Atlanta Mayor and United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young, who served as NCC president from 2000 to 2001, reflecting on the church’s central role in accelerating the Civil Rights Movement.
The documentary debuted at the college’s Bank of America Auditorium in the Shirley E. Massey Leadership Building, and is the first of NCC’s MOSAIC Storytelling Initiative, a five-year project funded by the Lilly Endowment aimed at building a national repository of up to 500 stories of faith, justice, and unity across the United States.
The free public event began with a reception at 5:30 p.m. EST, followed by the documentary screening and a living history conversation featuring Ambassador Andrew Young and Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie. The evening closed with comments from the Sema Films team, owner/producer Wes Browning, writer Rev. Brittani L. Palmer, and voice over narrator, Tacuma Baye.
The premiere intentionally closed Black History Month at the alma mater of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., grounding the event in a legacy of faith driven leadership and social transformation. It also marked MOSAIC’s first public screening and community engagement offering. The livestream event garnered over 300 registrants and just under 100 audiences attended in-person.
Present at the event was MOSAIC Program Director, Rev. Dr. Sushama Austin-Connor, Director of Storytelling/Documentaries, Malesha “Mali” Taylor, Production Coordinator Matthew Markay, alongside NCC Associate General Secretary and Advocacy Director, Rev. Leslie Copeland. NCC Governing Board vice chair Rev. Dr. Terri L. Hord Owens and board member Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith were also present.
NCC is thankful for the warm welcome and generous support expressed by Dr. Sinead Younge and Dr. Jann Adams of the Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership. | | Click to watch the full livestream premiere. | | | NCC and CCC Launch Historic Partnership: Regional Ecumenical Theological Institute | | This week, NCC and the Canadian Council of Churches unveiled a new partnership with the launch of the website for the North America-Turtle Island Regional Ecumenical Theological Institute (NATI-RETI). Modeled on the World Council of Churches Global Ecumenical Theological Institute, NATI-RETI will be held August 3–16 in Detroit, Mich., and Toronto, Ontario. The institute will explore six thematic pillars, including solidarity with indigenous peoples, racism and anti-racism, secularism and laicity, wealth disparity and poverty, climate justice, and interfaith dialogue. NATI-RETI is open to seminary students in the US and Canada. Some member communions have agreed to provide funding to cover the costs for student participation. Details about the program and application process are available on the website. | | Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2026 Registration Open | | Join Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) in Washington, D.C., April 20–22, 2026, as we draw on our shared faith traditions to inspire one another and call on Congress to commit to Protecting People, Peace, and Planet! Through worship, workshops, solidarity, and Congressional visits, we will bring together a diverse group of Christians to remind Congress of our shared responsibility to care for all that belongs to God. Register today! EAD is a movement of the ecumenical Christian community, and its recognized partners and allies, grounded in biblical witness and our shared traditions of justice, peace, and the integrity of creation. Our goal—through worship, theological reflection, and opportunities for learning and witness—is to strengthen our Christian voice and to mobilize for advocacy on a wide variety of U.S. domestic and international policy issues.
The registration fee is $125 and includes some meals and snacks. Partial and full scholarships are available to students and attendees with limited income. Please complete this form on the EAD website.
Attendees are encouraged to seek accommodations at the hotel, home, or facility of their choice. EAD's headquarters is Capitol Hill United Methodist Church, 421 Seward Square SE, Washington, DC, located closest to the Eastern Market and Capitol South METRO stations.
EAD will begin with an early evening worship service on Monday, April 20, and will conclude with Lobby Day on Earth Day, April 22. Refer to the EAD website for more updates as the schedule comes together! | | “Anastasios: Missionary, Theologian, Archbishop” International Conference Convened in Boston | | Scholars and church leaders from around the world gathered March 2–4 in Boston for an international conference examining the life and legacy of Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, one of the most prominent Orthodox Christian leaders of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
The “Anastasios: Missionary, Theologian, Archbishop” conference was hosted by the Huffington Ecumenical Institute at Hellenic College Holy Cross, in collaboration with the Missions Institute of Orthodox Christianity.
In a keynote address, Archbishop Joani of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania reflected on “The Legacy of Archbishop Anastasios of Albania.” Archbishop Joani spoke of how, among his many other acts of love and compassion, Anastasios raised churches from the ruins. The conference took place at the Maliotis Cultural Center and marked the first anniversary of Archbishop Anastasios’s passing.
In a welcome address, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and NCC governing board chair spoke of Archbishop Anastasios’s extraordinary depth and remarkable reach. “Whether it was his commitment to the people of Africa, the people of Greece, the people of Albania, his love and compassion were ever-evident,” said Archbishop Elpidophoros. “Travel the world of Orthodoxy and mention his name … and you will see and hear the truth of what I say.”
The three-day program explored Anastasios’s wide-ranging impact as a missionary in Africa, a theologian and educator, and the architect of the revival of the Orthodox Church in Albania following decades of communist repression.
Fr John Chryssavgis, one of the conference organizers, said those gathered were honoring someone who understood very well what peace on earth means. “I do not believe that I am exaggerating when I claim that very few religious figures in the modern era rise so far above the crowd that they literally become legends of integrity and landmarks of faith,” he said.
Speakers included prominent Orthodox hierarchs, theologians, and scholars from Europe, Africa, and North America.
| | WCC Leadership Meets Pope Leo XIV | | A delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC), including WCC moderator of the central committee Bishop Prof. Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm; H.E. Archbishop Dr. Vicken Aykazian, vice moderator of the WCC central committee; Rev. Merlyn Hyde Riley, vice moderator of the WCC central committee; and WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay, met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican on February 28. Bedford-Strohm said the meeting clearly strengthened his hope for increasing unity amongst the churches.
“We wholeheartedly agreed upon the necessity to put Christ in the center to move us to visible unity,” he said. “We also agreed that a strong prophetic voice against the unscrupulous instrumentalisation of Christian faith for political purposes is needed.”
Bedford-Strohm added: “Whether it is about aggressive invasion, chasing migrants, or putting down whole groups of people, the churches must lift up the voice of the preacher of the sermon on the mount who encouraged us to practice, love, even of the enemy and advocacy for the most vulnerable in society. It was encouraging that we are united in giving this witness of love and empathy to the world in a time where division and violence seem to triumph.”
Pillay expressed gratitude for “a heart-to-heart talk with Pope Leo on very important global issues. Our conversation evolved around the need for visible Christian unity, especially in this time of numerous global challenges.”
The WCC delegation outlined the WCC’s work in the area of Christian unity and discussed the importance of working with fellow Christians to give visible expression to the prayer of Jesus that all may be one.
Read Full Story Here | | Iran’s Reprisals Shutter Israel's Houses of Worship During
Ramadan and Purim | | Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem (Photo by Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images) | By Michele Chabin (RNS) March 1, 2026
JERUSALEM (RNS) — Early Saturday morning (Feb. 28), as Israeli and American fighter jets began striking targets in Iran, every Israeli cellphone issued an air-raid siren alarm, the signal to go immediately to the nearest bomb shelter. Soon afterward, the country’s Home Front Command announced that no public gatherings would be permitted due to fears that Iran would soon retaliate.
The safety ban on public gatherings has shuttered not only the country’s schools, nonessential workplaces, and airports, but also its churches, mosques, and synagogues. For Muslims celebrating Ramadan and Jews preparing for their holiday of Purim, which begins on Monday at sundown, there is a palpable sense of loss in the closures of their houses of worship. Christians, meanwhile, are looking ahead to Holy Week, which begins at the end of March, with uncertainty. The disappointment was compounded when Home Front Command took the highly unusual step of placing the Old City of Jerusalem, home to the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and dozens of other sites held sacred in the three Abrahamic faiths, off-limits to everyone but residents, clergy, and essential workers. | | COP Hosts Webinar on Upcoming Medicaid and SNAP Cuts | | The Circle of Protection invites you to join its “Preparing for the Coming Medicaid and SNAP Cuts from the One Big Not So Beautiful Bill (H.R.1) webinar on March 11 at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Participants will hear from faith leaders and policy experts, including Rep. Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Rev. Richard Williams (lead pastor at the Metropolitan United Methodist Church and executive director at the Beacon Center), Sammi Goldsmith (deputy director of public policy at MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger), Paulo Pontemayor (senior director of government relations at the Catholic Health Association), and Reverend Adam Russell Taylor (Sojourners president). They will discuss how the cuts to Medicaid and SNAP will impact your community and opportunities to mitigate the damage. The Circle of Protection is a broad coalition of Christian denominations and ministries that span the theological and political spectrum. We are united in our shared faith in Jesus Christ and His call to love and serve “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40). Followers of Christ have a moral duty to stand up for the most poor and vulnerable in our society. To that end, COP is bringing together speakers who can describe how last year’s budget reconciliation bill will impact the health and nutrition of low- and middle-income communities. To register for the webinar, click here. | | | Church Publishing Inc. Launches New Bible Program with NRSVue | | NEW YORK, NY — Morehouse Publishing, an imprint of Church Publishing Incorporated, announced the publication of a personal edition of the pathbreaking Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition with Apocrypha, Personal Edition.
According to Rev. Kevin W. Martin in First Things, “The NRSVue improves upon the excellence of the NRSV in several subtle ways. Every serious Bible reader should check it out.”
Airié Stuart, SVP and Publisher of Church Publishing Incorporated, says, “This beautiful and carefully curated edition of the Holy Bible is ideal for gifts or personal use. We are grateful to the National Council of Churches and the Society for Biblical Literature for the creation of the NRSVue, which is an excellent translation.”
Morehouse Publishing, an imprint of Church Publishing Incorporated, provides inspiring, informative, and thought-provoking books for the general reader.
Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition with Apocrypha, Personal Edition
9781640659650 Leather, $49.95 | | San Antonio Pastor Leads
90-mile Peace Walk | | Rev. Dianne Garcia, a leader in the National Coalition to End Family and Child Detention and pastor of San Antonio’s Roca de Refugio church, joined with a group of faith leaders and community members, including the Kairos Center, to orchestrate a 90-mile peace walk. The walk began on Wednesday, February 25, at the Dilley (Texas) Detention Center and culminated on Saturday, February 28, in San Antonio, in front of the federal immigration building. Rev. Garcia was joined by faith leaders and partners from the Free Families Coalition, including several from the Kairos team. “We march for a better tomorrow. Where families stay together. Where fear and violence end. Where love and communities lead the way. Immigrants are our neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and family,” shared Rev. Garcia. The walk was a call for the release of children and parents held in ICE custody at the facility in Dilley outside of San Antonio. Faith leaders and advocates began marching shortly after 8:00 a.m. and proceeded from the Dilley detention facility over four days. According to some sources, since the Dilley facility opened, more than 1750 children have been held there, including newborns, toddlers, and teenagers, with an estimated 6000 children detained in such facilities nationwide. In January, hundreds of children in Dilley led a protest from inside the detention center, chanting, “freedom” and “libertad.” With reports of measles outbreaks, unsanitary food, a shortage of water, and worse, Dilley is but one example of the network of such facilities that the government will be expanding in the coming months, with $45 billion allocated to expand detention capacity, alongside a broader carceral complex that has damaged lives and communities for generations. | | New Orleans Ministry Makes Plastic Sleeping Mats for Unhoused | | A completed sleeping mat made from plastic grocery bags by a volunteer at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the church’s “Woven Together” ministry. Photo: Courtesy of Jeanne Robertson | [Episcopal News Service] Since 2022, volunteers at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in New Orleans have been turning plastic grocery bags into sleeping mats to help unhoused people avoid extreme heat and cold. “Anything to keep them from directly lying on concrete helps protect them,” Jeanne Robertson, a parishioner at St. Paul’s who founded and leads the church’s “Woven Together” ministry, told Episcopal News Service.
The slight cushion from the mats, which are waterproof, durable, lightweight and easy to wash, provides an insulated barrier between the user and the ground. This is especially needed when New Orleans experiences extreme heat and humidity, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees or falling below freezing.
Homelessness in New Orleans has been increasing at the same time government resources and services continue shrinking due to funding cuts. In 2025, homelessness increased by 7 percent from the previous year, and 1,563 people are known to be unhoused.
Robertson founded “Woven Together” after reading about a similar Episcopal ministry. “When I read more about how easy it is to make a mat, I thought my church could totally do this,” Robertson said. “Outside of church, people can make ‘plarn’ [plastic yarn] and mats at home while watching TV. You don’t need a loom to make them.”
Each completed sleeping mat is finished with a tag that says, “You and I were created in the image of God. This mat was made for you, because you matter. If you matter to us ordinary broken people, imagine how much more you matter to your Creator. Please pray for us as we pray for you. Blessings, Mat makers.”
“That’s our message to the unhoused people who receive these mats, because we know they matter,” Robertson said. “They matter to us, and they matter to God.”
| | Click to watch the video on how to make mats from plastic bags. | | 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, taking place at Shiloh Baptist Church, 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.
This event is a unified Christian witness. Nearly two dozen Christian communions and organizations are already co-sponsoring this joint summit, with more joining each week, united in the spirit of Christ for the sake of peace in the Middle East.
Get more information here. | | Indigenous Episcopalians Participate in suicide prevention Training | | Pictured are Indigenous Episcopal leaders who helped develop the Soul Shop Movement’s suicide prevention training curriculum for Indigenous communities. Soul Shop piloted the new curriculum on February 28 at The Episcopal Church’s 2026 Winter Talk, an annual forum where Indigenous Episcopalians highlight their Native traditions and contributions to the church. Photo: Courtesy of Shaneequa Brokenleg | [Episcopal News Service] Suicide prevention training was a focal point for the Indigenous Episcopalians attending the Winter Talk Conference in Albuquerque in late February, as the church works to help reduce one of the leading causes of death in Indigenous communities.
“Suicide is so common in Indian country that we don’t have the same stigma that’s attached to it as other places. So, as a priest doing funerals, families will allow me to say, ‘This person died by suicide.’ Elsewhere, usually, families don’t want you to mention it,” the Rev. Shaneequa Brokenleg, The Episcopal Church’s staff officer for racial reconciliation and interim missioner for Indigenous Ministries, who is Lakota, told Episcopal News Service.
In the United States, Indigenous people die by suicide at higher rates than any other racial or ethnic group, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among Indigenous youth ages 8 to 24.
Systemic injustices, attempts by the U.S. government and big businesses to seize sacred Indigenous lands for natural resource extraction, the intergenerational trauma caused by the legacy of Indigenous boarding schools and colonialism, and the high rate of missing and murdered Indigenous people, especially women and girls, are major drivers in the Indigenous communities’ high suicide rates.
Read the full story here. | | Peace Laureate Advocates for Peace in Democratic Republic of Congo | | Dr. Denis Mukwege, a renowned gynecologist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, visited Germany recently and discussed the tremendous suffering currently happening in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and highlighted that sexual violence is used as a weapon of war, now and for more than 30 years. He alluded to the reasons for the ongoing conflict, emphasizing that these are not based on ethnic or religious differences, but clearly on economic interests due to the richness of minerals, namely coltan, wolfram, cobalt, as well as gold, that are extracted, often uncontrolled and under precarious conditions. As these minerals are essential for the global digital transformation, this conflict also implicates the global community. He highlighted how the situation has deteriorated since January 2025, when the rebel group M23, backed by Rwanda, took over the cities of Goma and Bukavu and parts of the provinces North and South Kivu, creating access to important mining areas. The UN Security Council unanimously condemned this in UN Declaration 2773 in February 2025, but this declaration has not been followed. In fact, many peace accords have been formulated in the past but not upheld.
Mukwege demanded that the international community facilitate a peace process that includes all stakeholders, including affected communities, businesses, governments, and neighboring countries implicated in the war, based on the Addis peace accord of 2013. Meeting with Bishop Kohlgraf in Mainz, he also alluded to the important role of the church both in the Democratic Republic of Congo and on a global level. Churches must use their prophetic voices to advocate for peace.
Read the full story here. | | | The Armenian Diocese of Canada. relaunch of the Canadian Youth Mission to Armenia (CYMA), a Canadian volunteer-led humanitarian and youth exchange program with a long and meaningful history within the Armenian Diocese of Canada and the broader Armenian community.
The upcoming mission is planned for June 25 – July 17, and will offer young participants a unique opportunity to serve, learn, and strengthen their connection with Armenia and our shared heritage.
We are grateful to share that the Djihanian Foundation has expressed its willingness to support the program and may contribute up to $1,000 per participant, subject to final confirmation and participation levels. In addition, the Armenian Diocese of Canada, together with our parishes, will contribute an additional $500 per participant to further support our youth in taking part in this meaningful program.
These contributions will allow for offers of partial support, helping to significantly reduce the financial burden on families and making participation more accessible to interested youth. | | 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 | | | Join the WSCF-US for the 2026 National Student Conference, "Study War No More," for a time of community building, interactive learning, theological deepening, worship, and much more. Learn more about this year's conference theme, schedule, speakers, and workshops here. When: April 9-12, 2026 Where: Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA (Metro Atlanta) Who: Students (undergrad & graduate), non-student young adults (18-35 yrs), campus ministers, chaplains, higher education & denominational staff, WSCF friends and alumni
Registration cost (includes meals): Students & non-student young adults: $100 Campus ministers, chaplains, higher education or denominational staff, WSCF friends & alumni: $250 + housing
Note on housing: Housing will be provided at no additional cost for students and non-student young adults traveling from outside of the Atlanta area. WSCF-US is exploring housing options for campus ministers, chaplains, higher ed and denominational staff, WSCF friends and alumni, and will provide more information as it is available. Registration Deadline: Tuesday, March 10, 2026 If you have questions about the conference or registration, please contact wscftrustees@gmail.com.
Click here to register. | | 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
Blessed Tomorrow makes hosting easy with a turnkey planning guide, customizable outreach materials, faith-rooted climate resources, and direct support every step of the way.
Host locations can receive up to $500, and host locations with 15+ attendees will receive preferential consideration for grants of up to $1,000 to support climate or creation care work in their communities. | | 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.
Download the 2026 Lenten Guide. | | Biennial Come to the Table Conference | | The Come to the Table Program of Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) works to challenge the root causes of unjust food systems and support economically, racially, and ecologically just farm communities. Since 2007, this biennial Come to the Table Conference has brought together people of faith, farmers, and community leaders to strengthen collaboration around food access and justice. The NCCC staff will present a workshop on Friday, March 13, at 11:30 a.m. ET, featuring Sandra Pardo, Coalition Coordinator for NC Farmworker Advocacy Network, and Rev. Susannah Tuttle, Director of the Eco-Justice Connection at the Council. The workshop, Faith in Action: Strengthening Solidarity Through the NC Farmworker Advocacy Network, will highlight the work of the North Carolina Farmworker Advocacy Network and offer practical ways congregations can stand in meaningful solidarity. Sandra and Susannah will share strategies for raising awareness, supporting worker-led campaigns, and advancing policies that uphold dignity and equity in the fields. Join them to connect your faith to concrete action for farmworker justice. | | 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 both 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. When traditional approaches fall short, evidence-based psychological methods can help. By incorporating principles from the psychology of forgiveness, you can use the REACH model—a 5-step process developed by Dr. Worthington. Forgiveness matters. It matters spiritually and impacts relationships and mental and physical health. Join the event to learn the how and why of forgiveness.
| | | | | Upcoming Friendship Press Release! | | | | | Newest Friendship Press Release! | | | | More from Friendship Press… |
|
|
|
