Follow NCC on Social Media! | | | | | | | RETI Application Deadline Extended to May 31 | | | About RETI… RETI (Regional Ecumenical Theological Institute) is a dynamic, cross-border leadership initiative designed for students and emerging leaders under age 45, offering a transformative immersion in ecumenism, theology, and public witness across the United States and Canada. | | | | | | 'Blessed Are the Peacemakers’:
NCC Governing Board Meets
with Purpose in Chicago | | Story and Photos by Amanda Dowd, NCC Communications Officer
Gathering May 11–14 at the Lutheran Center in Chicago, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) Spring Governing Board convened under a timely theme: “Peacemaking as Ecumenical Witness in a Divided Age.” Grounded in Scripture, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God,” (Matthew 5:9, NRSVue), the meeting called leaders to embody understanding, justice, and unity as a shared expression of faith.
Participants were invited to reflect on the NCC’s calling to “live as a community of communions” committed to advancing God’s peace and healing in the world. In a time marked by division and fracture, the gathering emphasized that peacemaking is not passive, but rather, a courageous and disciplined act, one that requires humility and a willingness to build bridges across difference.
NCC governing board chair, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over the spring meeting.
“Amid the trials facing our nation and our world, we are called to speak with a unified and prophetic voice against the injustices that arise from the brokenness of creation. Such a voice must emerge from genuine common discernment—one that honors the richness and diversity of our communion,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said in his opening remarks.
“To be prophetic in times of challenge is indeed to ‘speak truth to power.’ Yet for that truth to be heard, we must remain close enough to those we seek to address; otherwise, we risk preaching only ‘to the choir.’”
This vision found meaningful expression in the opening worship service, led by the Reverend Dr. Otis Moss III, senior pastor of Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ. His message on peacemaking grounded the governing board’s work in spiritual purpose.
Throughout the meeting, board members engaged in thoughtful dialogue around key priorities, including financial stewardship, program development, and strengthening relationships across the ecumenical movement. New board members were welcomed, reflecting the NCC’s continued commitment to broad and diverse leadership.
The theme of peacemaking also carried into the meeting’s programmatic highlights. The North American –Turtle Island Regional Ecumenical Theological Institute (NATI-RETI) presentation underscored the importance of forming leaders equipped to navigate difference and foster reconciliation in a global context. Similarly, conversations around the MOSAIC initiative lifted storytelling as a vital tool for connection, creating space for voices, experiences, and perspectives that strengthen understanding across communities.
On the second day, reflection continued to shape the governing board’s work. A presentation by Dr. Beth Felker Jones, theology professor at Chicagoland’s Northern Seminary, offered theological insights to start the day. Her presentation was followed by discussions on education, publishing, investments, international concerns, and staff reports.
The gathering continued with a midday worship led by Bishop Yehiel Curry, presiding bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), offering a powerful moment of unity and reflection on the meeting’s theme. In this spirit, the Spring Governing Board Meeting served as a time of governance and a living expression of the NCC’s call to witness by pursuing justice, building community, and participating in God’s ongoing work of healing in the world. | | Black Clergy Strategize After
Voting Rights Act Gutted | | By Adelle M. Banks and Jack Jenkins
Religion News Service
(RNS) — On the first Sunday (May 3) after the Supreme Court decided to hollow out the Voting Rights Act, the Rev. Richelle Lewis-Castine offered some clear advice to her congregation in Patterson, Louisiana.
“I encouraged them to early vote,” said the pastor of an African Methodist Episcopal Church. “I encouraged them to make sure that they get the information, that they’re reading carefully, and to encourage other people — especially those groups in their families who would not normally vote — to vote because it is so very important at this hour.”
Lewis-Castine is among a group of Black clergy taking proactive measures in the wake of the ruling, which is already reshaping election processes across the country — including prompting Louisiana legislators to meet on Friday (May 8) to debate redrawing their congressional maps after the court’s declaration. The 6-3 ruling stated, in the words of Justice Samuel Alito, “That map is an unconstitutional gerrymander,” referring to Louisiana’s second majority-Black district.
The New National Christian Leadership Movement, a faith-based social justice group, announced it would gather pastors and community leaders to protest at the Louisiana State Capitol, where the first redistricting hearing was held in Baton Rouge.
| | EPN to Host 'Memorial Day and the Church' Webinar, May 19 | | Join the Episcopal Parish Network (EPN) for a conversation with the Rt. Rev. Ann Ritonia, the Episcopal Church Bishop Suffragan for Armed Forces and Federal Ministries, and the Rev. Canon Maurice Dyer II, Canon to the Bishop Suffragan for Armed Forces and Federal Ministries, as they explore the spiritual, liturgical, and pastoral dimensions of Memorial Day.
Together, participants will reflect on the distinction between Memorial Day and Veterans Day, the role of Episcopal chaplains and veterans’ ministries, and how churches can engage these observances with both reverence and humility. We’ll also consider how Christian communities can resist triumphalism while still cultivating gratitude, remembrance, compassion, and faithful public witness.
| | OCF Community Grants Program 2026 Applications Open May 26 | | | Oregon Community Foundation has announced that applications for the 2026 Fall Cycle of its Community Grants program will open May 26 and close June 23, 2026.
Community Grants provides funding for organizations addressing the most pressing needs in communities throughout Oregon. For the 2026 Fall Community Grants Cycle, we are funding new or expanding programs and projects, capacity building, and small capital (under $500k).
OCF Community Grants Informational Session
Monday, May 18, 2026
10 - 11 a.m. PDT
Register Here | | | | WCC Prayer Focus Calendar | | The WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle takes us through every region of the world over the course of a year. Praying for each place on earth and its people at least once a year, we affirm our solidarity with Christians all over the world, brothers and sisters living in diverse situations, experiencing diverse problems, and sharing diverse gifts. Pray with us!
The suggested prayer texts are based on Pilgrim Prayer: An Ecumenical Prayer Cycle. The book and the website offer valuable aids for intercessory prayers, prayer on behalf of and in solidarity with others. | May 17 - 23 Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal May 24 - 30 Indian Ocean Islands: Comoros, Madagascar,
Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles May 31 - June 06 Angola, Mozambique June 07 - 13 Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini June 14 - 20 Botswana, Zimbabwe June 21 - 27 Malawi, Zambia June 28 - July 04 Kenya, Tanzania
| | WCC Presidents Publish Pentecost Message | | The World Council of Churches presidents have published a Pentecost message entitled “The Holy Spirit Invites Reimagined Communities of Unity.” The message reminds us that we are called to life together.
Read more. | | Methodist Church of New Zealand President's Reflections | | Dr Te Aroha Rountree, president of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, reflects on an ongoing journey of faith, climate justice, and community identity.
Read more. | | WCC to Participate in 79th World Health Assembly | | The World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission of the Churches on Health and Healing will send a delegation to participate in the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva from May 17-23.
Read more.
| | WCC Faith and Order Consultation to Convene in Romania | | The World Council of Churches (WCC) Faith and Order Commission, in partnership with the Faculty of Orthodox Theology “Saint Andrei Șaguna” at Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania, will convene an international academic theological consultation May 13–14, under the theme, “Ecclesiology, Moral Discernment, and the Church’s Mission in a Changing World.”
Read more.
| | WCC Contributes to Fellows Program Interreligious Learning and Coexistence in Ethiopia | | April 16-23, KAICIID fellows gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an intergenerational program combining learning, immersion, and direct engagement with local religious communities.
Read more. | | WCC Webinar to Highlight Biodiversity Justice | | Speakers for the WCC webinar From Faith to Action: Interreligious Call for Biodiversity Justice (May 22). Top row, left to right: Dr. Lovisa Mienna Sjöberg, VID Specialized University; Mr. Kevin Maina, Church of Kenya; Dr. Alexandra Masako Goossens-Ishii, Soka Gakkai International; Prof. Dr. Mathew Koshy Punnackadu, WCC commissioner for Climate Justice and Sustainable Development. Bottom row, left to right: Dr. Seyed Masoud Noori, Imam Mahdi Association of Marjaeya; Rev. Dr. Jessica Hetherington, United Church of Canada; Dr. Gopal Patel, FutureFaith. | On May 22, the World Council of Churches (WCC) is bringing together online voices from five of the world’s major faith traditions to ask a question that is becoming harder to avoid: Can Orthodox, Sámi, Buddhist, Islamic, and Hindu conviction become a living force for biodiversity justice? The occasion is the International Day for Biological Diversity.
The webinar – “From Faith to Action: Interreligious Call for Biodiversity Justice” – will run from 15:00 to 16:00 CEST. Dr. Louk Andrianos, WCC consultant for Care for Creation, Sustainability, and Climate Justice, will coordinate the session. | | | WCC Co-sponsors 12th Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations in International Affairs | | The 12th Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations in International Affairs kicked off on May 5 with nearly 500 registered participants, passionate remarks, honest criticism, and ultimately a sense of hope in a multilateral system that stands on a precipice in multiple ways.
The 2026 edition of the symposium was co-sponsored by the World Council of Churches, ACT Alliance, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church, International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation, Islamic Relief USA, Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue-Jewish Theological Seminary, Soka Gakkai International, The Lutheran World Federation, and United Religions Initiative; in cooperation with the United Nations Interagency Task Force on Religion and Sustainable Development and its Multi-Faith Advisory Council.
The WCC is a worldwide fellowship of churches seeking unity in common witness and Christian service. For more information, go to https://www.oikoumene.org and, ICYMI, watch the video above. | | WCC and MECC Co-sponsor ‘Role of the Church in
Times of War’ Webinar | | The May 8 webinar, “Role of the Church in Times of War: A Diaconal Response in the Middle East,” bought together an array of on-the-ground voices from people who have answered an urgent call for Christian witness through diakonia in the Middle East.
ICYMI: Watch the video above. | | Canadian Youth Mission to Armenia (CYMA) 2026 | | | | | | | Chiang Mai, Thailand: Asia Sunday will be observed by the member churches and councils of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) on May 17, 2026, with a focus on the theme “Hope for Redemption of Groaning Creation Amidst Bondage to Decay”.
Asia Sunday is observed annually by CCA member churches and councils on the Sunday before Pentecost. In 2026, it falls on May 17.
Read more here. | | | Rhode Island Council of Churches
Observer Training and Legislative Action May 17 (Sunday) from 3:00 – 5:00 pm Registration St Luke's Episcopal Church (East Greenwich)
Join the growing movement of community members and people of faith - working together to support our immigrant communities. This training is for anyone who is concerned about the inhuman and illegal treatment of our immigrant communities — and is asking: "What can I do?"
For more information, contact the RISCC Immigration Commission. 2026 Legislative Priorities All updates to Legislative Bills can be followed here. | | | Immigration Commission Training Schedule
Join the growing movement of community members and people of faith — working together to support our immigrant communities. This training is for anyone who is concerned about the inhuman & illegal treatment of our immigrant communities — and is asking: "What can I do?" The training is a concrete way to answer that question by receiving education & legal training - and taking specific action through legislative lobbying.
For more information, contact the RISCC Immigration Commission.
Current training schedule: | | | Mental Health Awareness Seminar, Thursdays, May 7–28 Mental Health Awareness Lunch & Learn Series, presented by The One Lamb Initiative for Mental Wellness, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. Each of these four online Lunch & Learn sessions will cover a different mental wellness topic and be presented by a clinical professional. Thursdays, May 7 – May 28, 12 – 1 p.m. on Zoom. More information and registration HERE. _______________________________
Retreat in Everyday Life, Tuesday, May 26, 12 – 1 p.m. Join Ignatius House for a free, virtual information session to learn more about Ignatius House’s nine-month “Retreat in Everyday Life,” a way to journey through St. Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises while staying rooted in your daily routines. Transform your prayer life and discover how God is moving in your everyday life. To register, visit Ignatius House's website. _______________________________
The God of Us All: Praying with Black Spirituality June 14–21, Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center. This seven-night individually directed Ignatian retreat invites participants into a deeper encounter with God through the rich gifts of Black Spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. To learn more, visit Ignatius House's website. | | | May 14: A Day of Remembrance in Buffalo | | On May 14, 2022, a gunman opened fire at a Tops Market in Buffalo, NY, killing 10 people and wounding three others. The massacre was deemed a racially motivated hate crime, as the majority of its patrons are African American. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Members across the Diocese were invited to join the community of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in a sacred time of remembrance and witness.
On May 14, participants gathered at the Tops Market to honor the lives lost in the racial massacre in 2022 and to stand together in prayer, reflection, and solidarity. | | Faith Based Affordable Housing Summit | | The NY Council is pleased to announce the second annual “Rebuilding the Sacred Hearts of Our Communities” Faith-Based Affordable Housing Summit, taking place on Wednesday, June 17, at The Riverside Church, 475 Riverside Dr., New York, NY 10027. This full-day gathering will bring together faith leaders, housing advocates, developers, and community partners from across the state to explore practical pathways from vision to development. Registration details, including Early Bird tickets, will be available soon. Ticket purchase will include meals, materials, and access to all sessions. To ensure accessibility, a limited number of pay-what-you-can scholarships will be offered.
Sponsorship opportunities are also available for organizations looking to support this vital work. For questions, please contact: Rashida Tyler at 845-282-6022.
Learn more here. | | Interfaith Council of
Metropolitan Washington, DC | Interfaith Council Honors Bishop Budde, Du Plain, Fraser, Price, and Ambassador A-Baki at Arlington Gala | | The Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington (IFC) held its Honoring Visionary Leaders Gala last Friday, April 30 at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, honoring leaders across faith, diplomacy, and civic life whose work continues to shape communities in the United States and beyond. Among those in attendance were Ambassador of Costa Rica, H.E. Catalina Crespo-Sancho, alongside numerous clergy, business executives, and community leaders from across the DMV region.
Read more. | | IFC Gala with Call for Pluralism and Interfaith Solidarity | | At a time of growing political polarization, religious tension, global conflict, and debate surrounding artificial intelligence, Dr. Sousan Abadian, Executive Director of the InterFaith Council of Metropolitan Washington, opened the organization’s 2026 Honoring Visionary Leaders Gala with a call for pluralism, civic responsibility, and interfaith solidarity.
“Tonight, simply by being here, you are telling a different story,” Abadian told guests gathered in Arlington, Virginia. “This room is not an abstraction. It is not an idea. It is a living, breathing testament to something deep in the human spirit.”
Read more. | | | | | Join the NC Council of Churches and Make NC Work for a special seminar for clergy, with guest speakers from Minnesota.
During this webinar, you’ll learn how entire congregations can put values into action through a public discipleship program. You’ll hear stories from churches across the country, spanning Black churches, rural and suburban congregations, and a wide range of denominations, all coming together to live faith out loud.
Register here. | | | | Tuesday, May 26, 4 - 5 p.m.
Online Join NCCC's Eco-Justice Connection initiative for our monthly Advocacy Forum, held every fourth Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. Each session features a special guest speaker addressing key eco-justice and advocacy issues impacting North Carolina.
In late April, in the coastal city of Santa Marta, Colombia, something remarkable happened. Representatives from 57 countries gathered for a first-ever conference inspired by the Fossil Fuel Treaty. Join NCCC's Monthly Eco-Justice Forum to hear one of the leading U.S. participants at the conference, Analyah Schlaeger dos Santos. She will walk us through the experience and share the next steps toward a global transition away from fossil fuels and toward a cultural shift toward right relations.
Register here. | | | As part of its Faith and Democracy work, NCCC offers resources to help congregations and people of faith thoughtfully engage the rise of Christian nationalism and its impact on public life. We believe it is essential for people of faith to be able to recognize when religious language is being used to exclude, divide, or distort the call to love neighbor and seek justice for all. Explore these resources for reflection, learning, and conversation within your communities: Confronting Christian Nationalism resources and presentations Recorded webinars and resources Educational materials on faith, democracy, and public witness
You can find these materials and more by using this link. | | | Preparing for July 4th Worship: A Workshop to Resist Christian Nationalism | | Join the Clergy Emergency League and the Wisconsin Council of Churches for a 90‑minute workshop to help clergy and congregational leaders prepare faithful, grounded worship and preaching for the July 4th weekend.
On Tuesday, June 9, at 6:00 pm (Central), to get practical resources, hymnody, liturgical elements, and preaching guides designed to resist Christian nationalism and center the gospel during the July 4th weekend.
Learn more and register here. | | | | | | | Purchase the NCC 75th Anniversary
Commemorative BIble and Save 20% Discount Code: NCC2026 | | | | | More from Friendship Press… |
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