| | | | ARE YOU FOLLOWING NCC ON SOCIAL MEDIA? Check out our social media accounts for NCC updates! | | NCC 75th Anniversary/CUG Recap | | His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros addressed the gathering during the 75th anniversary dinner on Monday evening. | Originally published in The Armenian Mirror-Spectator
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Mid-October held a historic week for the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) as the 37 member communions gathered in the greater Boston area for the 75th anniversary celebration and annual Christian Unity Gathering (CUG) centered on the theme “Christ is Risen: A Transforming Witness from Generation to Generation” (Psalm 145:4–5).
October 13–16, NCC representatives and guests participated in numerous plenary sessions and worship services in various Boston area Houses of Worship, including: The Huffington Ecumenical Center of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, the African Meeting House and Museum of African American History, and the Holy Trinity Armenian Church in Cambridge.
Events included informative CUG sessions, 75th anniversary celebration and dinner at the Boston Newton Marriott Hotel, the installation of the new NCC Governing Board Chair, Archbishop Elpidophoros, a visit to the Boston Common to visit the Embrace statue, and the Museum of African American History.
Plenary sessions included His Eminence Archbishop Vicken Aykazian sharing his experience during the NCC past presidents and board chairs panel, and being honored during the anniversary celebratory public worship service and awards presentation.
In a historic moment, in recognition of Holy Trinity Church’s 100th anniversary and the significance to the Armenian Church of the importance of passing faith from generation to generation, the final day of the CUG was hosted by the Holy Trinity Armenian Church in Cambridge.
Guests enjoyed fellowship before being invited into the sanctuary for an interactive Armenian Orthodox Morning Service. Fr. Vasken Kouzouian, Holy Trinity Church pastor, welcomed those gathered, offering greetings from Diocesan Primate, Bishop Mesrob Parsamyan, and sharing the 100-year history of Holy Trinity Armenian Church.
Read the full story here. | | Participants gathered at the Embrace statue | | | Overview The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) is seeking a talented professional to drive the external and internal engagement of our ecumenical, justice, and advocacy agenda. This position offers an exciting opportunity to lead and implement strategic communications initiatives, from conception to execution, aimed at promoting our vision, mission, and values. The Communications Officer will be responsible for managing the organization’s overall communications and marketing strategy, including written and verbal communications, media relations, and relationship building with key contacts in Washington, D.C. Responsibilities Develop and implement a comprehensive external/internal communications and marketing strategy that aligns with our objectives and appeals to both current and potential supporters. Create compelling written and visual content for various communication channels, such as statements, newsletters, website, blogs, and news releases. Manage media relations by cultivating relationships with journalists, composing news releases, responding to media inquiries, and arranging interviews. Actively seek and establish relationships with key contacts and influencers in the Washington D.C. area and nationally to further the organization’s advocacy efforts and communications goals. Collaborate with the internal team to develop effective messaging strategies for campaigns, initiatives, and events. Provide support and guidance to team members on communications-related tasks, ensuring consistency in brand messaging and organizational voice. Monitor and analyze communication efforts through metrics and performance indicators, making data-driven decisions to enhance outreach and engagement efforts. Stay informed about current advocacy trends, Christian issues, and policy developments, both nationally and globally, to facilitate effective communication on relevant topics. Occasionally represent the organization at conferences, events, and in meetings with external stakeholders.
Requirements At least 4–7 years’ experience in communications with the ability to develop and execute strategic communications plans. Strong written communication skills with the ability to craft compelling narratives (persuasive copy, news releases, newsletter content, proofread/edit materials for publication with a variety of communications channels, including e-mail, website, media, blogs, video, and print). Proven experience in media relations and brand development. Knowledgeable about Capitol Hill and Washington, D.C., with existing contacts in government, faith-based organizations, or media outlets. Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to work independently and collaboratively to build consensus among team members and external partners. Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and as part of a team. Highly organized and detail-oriented, able to manage multiple priorities and deliver projects within established deadlines. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and content management systems. Design capability and/or experience with Adobe Creative Suite is a plus. Demonstrated experience in strategic planning and execution (e.g., crisis response, advocacy, and online campaigns). Agility, patience, flexibility, and a sense of humor are helpful. Background/experience in religious/ecumenical organizations preferred. Knowledge of advertising/marketing principles is a plus. Experience in podcasting/production is a plus. Joining our team as a Communication Officer offers a unique opportunity for a motivated and passionate individual to drive impactful external and internal communications strategies that advance our organization’s goals. If you are dedicated to utilizing your skills and experience to make a difference toward positive social change, we would love to hear from you!
Job Classification Full-time, exempt. Work is generally conducted Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. This is a hybrid position with at least one to two days in the office. Occasional travel; evening and weekend availability may be required. Eligible for paid time off and retirement benefits. Salary Range: $75,000 – $85,000, DOE
About NCC Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA has been a leading force for ecumenical cooperation among Christians in the United States. The 37 NCC member communions represent a diverse spectrum of Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical, historic African American, and Living Peace churches, comprising more than 30,000 congregations and their 35 million members.
Location
Washington, D.C.
How to Apply
Submit a cover letter and resume. Please include several writing samples or a portfolio demonstrating your proficiency in written communications, project management/implementation, campaigns, and media knowledge to jobs@nationalcouncilofchurches.us. Writing samples should be your own and not generated by artificial intelligence.
*This information is also attached to this email as a PDF for download. | | | Hurricane Melissa Response Resources (NCC Website) NCC emergency response page of resources related to Hurricane Melissa disaster relief.
Government Shutdown Resources Click this link to open the full document in your browser! Below are only the topic headlines; the full document offers many links which may be helpful! This work by CuraLinc Healthcare is gratefully appreciated!
Emotional and practical assistance can help you navigate this uncertain time and protect your overall wellbeing. These resources are updated as new information becomes available and are as accurate as possible. However, due to the ever-changing nature of the situation, please note that some third-party providers may discontinue their services. Food Health and wellbeing Financial assistance Children Pets Phone and internet Auto Career Other resources
Search the Shutdown Assistance Map for additional resources and assistance.
State-specific Resources Outside the DC area, states with the highest total number of federal employees impacted by the government shutdown are California, Texas, and Florida. Skinner Leadership Institute List of Vital Resources for Those Impacted By the Government Shutdown Visit SkinnerLeaders.org for free food, financial, and other vital resources for furloughed federal employees. Visit Findhelp.org for additional information and resources.
| | | | WCC to Host Webinar: “Towards Inclusive and Decolonial Churches: Advancing Disability Rights and Justice” November 12 | | The November 12 webinar, hosted by the WCC Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, offers a unique opportunity to explore how churches can advance de-colonial approaches to disability theology whilst fostering collaboration for justice and inclusion.
Despite significant global progress in disability rights, persons with disabilities—especially women and girls—continue to experience systemic marginalization. The webinar will provide a platform for dialogue on the role of churches in advancing inclusive and de-colonial approaches to disability rights and theology.
The webinar also aims to inspire collaboration among churches, organizations of persons with disabilities, theological institutions, and development partners.
Speakers Conrad Harris, Jamaica Society for the Blind A Anggiasari Puji Ar, technical expert, disability inclusion, gender, and communication Anjeline Okola, programme coordinator, Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network Rev. Mary Chipoka, Reformed Church in Zimbabwe
| | | NCCC Offers Free Digital
2025 Advent Resource | | This Advent, the North Carolina Council of Churches invites you to reflect on the hope and light Jesus Christ brings into our world. The 2025 theme, Lighting the Way Forward, calls readers to look beyond the busyness of the season and see how Christ continues to guide them through life’s challenges and uncertainties.
May these reflections draw you closer to the One who has come — and will come again — illuminating our path with faith, hope, and love. The North Carolina Council of Churches staff offers this free digital resource as you move into the Advent season. | | | The King Center to Host Virtual Nonviolence365® Virtual Public Training | | Join The King Center for a free virtual workshop, “Be Love: Truth, Power and the People.” Flyer and registration will be at the bottom of the email. Please share with others!
This session integrates The King Center's Nonviolence365 framework, bridging the Six Principles and Six Steps of Nonviolence with practical strategies for 💡civic engagement, 💡moral leadership, and 💡collective accountability.
Click here to register for this event. | | ELCIC to Host Virtual Conversation with Bishop Larry Kochendorfer | | Join Conversations Across the Church with Bishop Larry Kochendorfer* on November 30, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. CST for what is hoped to establish a regular churchwide online gathering.
Be a part of the conversation! Please ensure that you complete the following question on the registration form: If you could ask Bishop Larry one thing as he begins his new ministry as National Bishop, what would it be? You might hear your question asked during the gathering!
Participants are encouraged to have a candle ready to light before the start of the event. We'll take time at the beginning to light the candle together.
Click this link to register.
*This event will be recorded. Not able to attend? Sign up so you can receive a link to the recording.
Did you have a chance to watch Bishop Larry's first video as National Bishop? Have you shared this with your congregation? You can access the video here. | | Three Organizations to Host
Virtual World AIDS Day 2025 | | Monday, December 1, 2025, at 7 PM EST, LIVE FREE USA, The Prophetic Convening, and The Black Church Freedom Fund will host a powerful virtual gathering to remember, renew, and respond in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
This year’s World AIDS Day virtual event will bring together prophetic voices, community advocates, and healthcare leaders for a sacred time of awareness, education, and action. Together, we will honor lives lost, uplift the resilience of those living with HIV/AIDS, and reawaken the Church’s call to healing and justice.
Featuring: Pastor Michael McBride • Rev. Cece Jones-Davis • Rev. Traci Blackmon • LaTosha Brown • Dr. Alfan Dyson • Marvelyn Brown • Rev. Kimberly Williams • Rev. Nancy Kingwood • Dr. Daniel D. Driffin …and many more!
Together, we’ll reflect, learn, and mobilize for a future where every person is met with dignity, equitable care, and compassion—free from stigma, silence, and shame.
✨ Register for a transformative evening of testimony, truth-telling, and faith in action.
Presented in partnership with: ViiV Healthcare • Choose Healthy Life • Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium • GBAPP, Inc. • Faith Out-Loud!
📅 Save the Date: December 1, 2025 🕖 7 PM EST
🔗 Register now: bit.ly/worldaidsday2025 | | Episcopal Parish Network to Host 2026 Conference in Charlotte, NC | | Join Dr. Brian Steensland, the Rev. Canon Scott Gunn, and Dr.
Allison Norton for a compelling conversation on how imagination,
daily practice, and family life shape the habits through which faith is learned, lived, and shared.
Drawing from research, ministry experience, and the fabric of everyday relationships, they’ll explore how storytelling, spiritual discipline, trust, and creativity cultivate resilient, living faith. Rather than treating formation as a program to run, this session reframes it as a lifelong, communal journey. Whether you serve as clergy or lay leader, you’ll leave inspired to create spaces where faith isn’t merely taught—but embodied, nurtured, and joyfully practiced.
Come rekindle your imagination for how faith is formed —
across generations, through community, and for the flourishing of
the Church and the world.
Click here to register. | | NAE to Host 2026 Christian Student Leadership Conference, January 26–30 | | The National Association of Evangelicals will host its 70th annual Christian Student Leadership Conference January 26–30, in Washington, DC. The event will be "a gathering of Christian university students, faculty, and staff called by God to champion renewal and transformation in our nation and world."
During the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this weeklong experience will highlight true liberty in Christ, introduce participants to influential members of Congress, policy experts, and national faith leaders, and prepare you to serve the common good.
Click here for more information and registration. | | STATE/REGIONAL COUNCIL NEWS | | Wisconsin UCC Congregation Hosts the Green Bay Really, Really Free Market on November 22 | The Really Really Free Market is a grassroots, community-driven event where everything is free. The event will feature a wide variety of free items — clothing for all ages, books, toys, household goods, small furniture, art supplies, school supplies, baby gear, non-perishable food, holiday decorations, pet supplies, tools, and more.
Participants are welcome to bring items to share, but are not required to do so. Everyone is invited to visit Union UCC in Green Bay, 716 S Madison St., Green Bay, WI 54301, on November 22 and take items they need!
Register here to participate. | | | Join the Wisconsin Council of Churches on Tuesday, December 9, for their Annual Meeting 2025: "Hope, Fears, and Realities: Religious Leadership and AI." They will gather in Appleton at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 724 E South River Street.
More information available here. | | OCC to Host Retirement Celebration for Executive Director, Rev. Jack Sullivan, Jr. | | | | | | One Home, One Future Offers Free 'Skit Kit' to Discuss Climate | | Are you looking for ways to talk about climate that are positive and engaging? Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and the Skit Kit will help you create an entertaining performance that models productive climate conversation and action on solutions at the dinner table. Join One Home One Future today to access the Skit Kit and other FREE resources! | | Peace Fellowship Church Calls Prayer Guard to Surround DC with Prayer | | | | | News from Friendship Press | FP to Release New Book by NCC Past Governing Board Chair | | Roots of Resilience: Black History Through the Eyes of Faith $19.99 Ships January 6, 2026
Roots of Resilience: Black History Through the Eyes of Faith is a transformative guide designed to empower churches and communities to teach Black History with confidence and conviction. At a time when public education faces challenges in preserving these vital narratives, this resource places the stories of Black Americans within the context of faith, resilience, and justice.
Grounded in biblical principles, Roots of Resilience connects historical struggles and triumphs to the ongoing call for equity and love in action. Readers, congregations, and small groups alike will discover how understanding the past can illuminate the path toward a better future. | | | | Applications Open for 2026–2027 Ecumenical Institute at Bossey | | The chapel of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC
The Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, part of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and attached to the University of Geneva, is accepting applications for its 2026–2027 academic programs in ecumenical studies. These internationally recognized programs offer unique opportunities for theological formation, intercultural exchange, and ecumenical engagement.
Four distinct study options are available: Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Ecumenical Studies Complementary Certificate in Ecumenical Studies (CC) Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Ecumenical Studies Intensive English Summer Course (EC)
Application deadline: November 30 | | |
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