Follow NCC on Social Media! | | To subscribe to our weekly newsletter | | | | | One Song, One Community: Capturing the Spirit of NATI-RETI | | Story and Video by Amanda Dowd, NCC Communications Officer
During the 2026 Christian Unity Gathering (CUG) in Philadelphia, the National Council of Churches (NCC) hosted a panel titled Two Countries, Six Pillars, Two Weeks, Twenty Students, and One Song: The NATI-RETI Experience. The panel offered a glimpse of the inaugural North America-Turtle Island Region Ecumenical Theological Institute (NATI-RETI) and its impact on participants. The following day, that “one song” became the centerpiece of a music video that was later performed live for CUG attendees at the historic Arch Street Meeting House.
As a relatively new staff member, having spent just five months in my role, when I arrived at NATI-RETI in August as NCC's Communications Officer, I knew I would be tasked with documenting a unique two-week journey across two countries, filled with meaningful conversations, site visits, and learning experiences. What I didn't expect was that I'd leave with footage for a music video born of the experience.
There was something special about bringing together 20 students, faculty, and staff, and spending two weeks learning, traveling, and sharing life together. Relationships formed quickly. Beyond the powerful curriculum and moving site visits, participants showed a remarkable willingness to be open and vulnerable with one another. Watching that sense of trust and community grow over the course of the institute was a gift.
One of the most memorable moments came during a student-led worship service held in the Quaker tradition. After the service, participant Kelly Crouch shared an original song inspired by passages from Confessions by St. Augustine. The melody was gentle, the lyrics heartfelt, and before long everyone was singing along. Even after the day ended, the tune lingered. People found themselves humming it throughout the day, and the song quickly became woven into the life of the group.
As the days went on, the song continuously reappeared. It seemed to capture something that many of us were feeling but struggling to put into words: connection, gratitude, and a sense of belonging. By the second-to-last day of the institute, it felt only natural to record one final performance.
As I filmed that final rendition, tears fell unexpectedly. Not from sadness, but from deep gratitude and hope. Gratitude for all that I experienced, for the stories and relationships I witnessed, and for the friendships that formed over those two weeks. In many ways, the song came to represent the heart of the NATI-RETI experience.
My hope is that this music video offers viewers a brief glimpse into what made those two weeks so meaningful. More than a performance, it reflects the community we built, the relationships we formed, and the spirit that continues to connect us long after the institute ended.
*The song featured in this video is an original copyrighted work by Kelly Crouch and may not be reproduced, distributed, or used without permission from the copyright holder. | | | NCC Exploring Congregational Interest in Intergenerational Ministry | | By Rev. Dr. Tammy Weins
NCC Director, Christian Education and Faith Formation
Denominational leaders can help shape future intergenerational ministry resources. At the October meeting of the National Council of Churches Governing Board, 21 members representing 15 denominations completed a pilot survey on intergenerational ministry. The responses revealed strong agreement about the value of intentionally bringing generations together for shared learning, worship, service, and relationship-building. While many congregations offer intergenerational experiences, these are often occasional rather than regular opportunities for shared faith formation. Respondents identified scheduling, limited staff, and a lack of volunteers as significant challenges, while expressing interest in practical resources such as seasonal activities, adaptable leader toolkits, and service-learning ideas. The pilot also helped us refine the survey for broader distribution. NCC needs your help to ensure that congregations from as many Christian traditions as possible have a voice in shaping future resources. If you were unable to attend the Governing Board meeting or have not yet identified someone to help distribute the survey, please contact Rev. Dr. Tammy Wiens (tammy.wiens@nationalcouncilofchurches.us) by October 30. NCC is seeking denominational and publishing partners that are willing to share the survey with their congregations in November and December. The Committee on the Uniform Series (CUS) will provide the survey link, a ready-to-use invitation, and all necessary instructions. The goal is to hear from congregations of every size and setting—including those that have not yet developed intergenerational ministries—so that future resources reflect the actual needs and experiences of the churches NCC serves. | | NCC Supports Memorial Service for Slain NCC Commissioner | | Right: Ambassador Andrew Young with NCC's Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland; Left: Rev. Robert Warren Spike
On Sunday, October 18, 2026, Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland, senior associate general secretary and advocacy director of the National Council of Churches (NCC), joined Judson Memorial Church in New York to remember and celebrate the life of Rev. Dr. Robert Warren Spike, the first executive director of NCC’s Commission on Religion and Race. Rev. Spike was widely lauded as a civil rights hero, compassionate pastor, and effective organizer. Ambassador Rev. Dr. Andrew Young was the guest speaker at the Judson Memorial service, where Spike served as pastor from 1949-1956. He remembered Spike fondly as someone who knew how to get things done and as “one of Jesus’ boys.” Ambassador Young worked with Rev. Spike at NCC during the Civil Rights Movement and regards Spike as someone who helped him achieve many of his life accomplishments. He also shared the profound influence Spike had on the NCC through his work leading the Commission on Religion and Race, including bringing people like J. Irwin Miller into the ecumenical and civil rights movements. Miller was an industrialist and became the first lay leader to serve as NCC president. He also chaired the Commission on Religion and Race. Reflecting on Spike’s legacy, Ambassador Young noted, “Because of the influence of Bob Spike in all of our lives, we’re getting to look more and more like the Kingdom of God.” Spike also profoundly influenced NCC’s participation in the March on Washington and helped organize a massive lobbying effort to support the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. His tragic and untimely murder in Ohio in 1966 cut short the life of this beloved father, pastor, advocate, and organizer. His legacy of caring for others and working for justice lives on through NCC, Judson Memorial, his family, and those whose lives he touched. Here is a link to NCC’s statement remembering the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Spike, 60 years later. | | Download the NCC Voter Empowerment Guide | | | | | | | Male clergy from New York and Connecticut (US) led a public discussion on an alleged gang rape at Cornell University—and on why men cannot remain silent.
“Our silence is violence,” said Rev. Jack Perkins Davidson, Spring Glen Church (United Church of Christ), in Hamden, Connecticut.
“When people gather, sexual violence happens,” said Rev. Kent Siladi, who works in the Yale Chaplain’s Office and is also from the United Church of Christ.
"It is awkward for people who may not have ever addressed this topic with their community before,” said Siladi. “But once you do that and once you break the silence, we find that people who have been victims and survivors of assault will come forward.”
The clergy gathered noted that this is not just a story of violence against women at Cornell or Yale but is a problem in all institutions seeking to protect their power.
"Rape and sexual violence are issues impacting communities with silence amplifying the abuse of survivors, and the perpetuation of these acts of violence,” said Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, general minister and president of the United Church of Christ. “The church has a role to play, as do men, in ensuring that there are effective avenues for prosecution, for raising awareness, and for preventing these crimes.”
| | | MECC Condemns Attack on Saint George Greek Orthodox Church | | The Middle East Council of Churches expresses its strongest condemnation and categorical denunciation of the armed attack that targeted Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in the Governorate of Karak, in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, resulting in a number of deaths and injuries. This criminal act constitutes a grave violation of the sanctity of places of worship, the sacredness of human life, and human dignity. As it follows this painful incident, the Middle East Council of Churches, with profound sorrow and grief, extends its deepest condolences to the families and relatives of the victims, to His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrios Kyrios Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine and Jordan, and to His Eminence Archbishop Christophoros, Archbishop of Jordan. The Council raises its prayers to the Lord for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives and for the speedy recovery of the injured. It asks God to grant patience and consolation to their families and to surround the brotherly Jordanian people with His peace and mercy. The Council affirms that targeting churches and places of worship, and attacking worshippers and peaceful civilians, constitute a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy places and of the human and moral values shared by the entire human family. Such acts are unacceptable and condemnable by every religious, humanitarian, and national standard. Places of worship exist to be houses of prayer, peace, and hope—not arenas of violence, killing, and fear. Read the Letter in Full Here | | Interfaith Alliance 'The Vote Is Sacred' Tour 2026 | | The Vote Is Sacred is a nonpartisan, multi-faith bus tour launched on October 6 in Omaha, Nebraska, and is currently rolling through 15 states, right up to Election Day, November 3.
Stops feature voter registration, local trainings, partner activations, and multi-faith vigils.
Learn more here…
| | CJM Midterm Election Resources | | Every seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, roughly one-third of the U.S. Senate, key gubernatorial offices, state legislatures, and local ballot initiatives on the ballot. These decisions directly shape the health and well-being of neighbors, communities, and God’s creation. With so much at stake, we are called as people of faith to ensure that every voice is heard and every vote counts in determining our shared future.
These midterms present a critical opportunity to elect leaders in Congress who will hold the administration accountable, defend our democratic institutions, and lead with values rooted in justice, compassion, and faithful stewardship of creation. A healthy, inclusive democracy is essential to fulfilling our sacred calling to protect, restore, and rightly share God’s creation.
Creation Justice Ministries has compiled a series of resources from partners and friends in this work — double check your voter registration, make a plan, and know your voting rights. Join CJM in voting for Creation this midterm election. Explore Now… | | | | | | Learning Series: Hindu Philosophy, Interreligious Dialogue October 26 4:00 CET | 8:00 AM EST
An online learning series on interreligious dialogue will continue with a new webinar focusing on Hindu philosophy, practice, pluralism, and interreligious dialogue.
The speaker will be Prof. Emeritus Jaya Krishnakumar, from the Institute of Economics and Econometrics, Geneva School of Economics and Management, University of Geneva.
The online intergenerational learning series, an initiative of the World Council of Churches Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation Reference Group in collaboration with the Young People in the Ecumenical Movement program, aims to foster meaningful dialogue, mutual understanding, and shared reflection across religious and cultural traditions
Register for the webinar here… | Considerations for Trauma-Informed Preaching | | Thursday, November 5, 2026 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Explore how trauma, grief, and lived experiences shape how people hear and experience sermons. Join Partners in Health and Wholeness for a webinar that examines how theology and language can affect listeners, offers practical ways to incorporate trauma-informed approaches into sermon preparation, and gives guidance for thoughtfully navigating grief and loss during the holiday season.
Featuring Melanie Melton, a licensed marriage and family therapist, ordained minister, and founder of Now, Healing Begins. With expertise in mental health, spiritual wellness, and trauma-informed care, Melanie equips clergy and faith communities with tools to foster healing, wholeness, and well-being. On World Food Day, “We Pray for the Bread We Need Today”
As WCC co-hosted a webinar on World Food Day, observed October 16, those gathered shared new initiatives, as well as the challenges related to hunger in today’s world. Co-organizers included the UN special rapporteur on the rights to water and sanitation and World Vision International.
Read more… Learning to See the World Together An October 22 webinar reflecting on the North America–Turtle Island Regional Ecumenical Theological Institute (NATI-RETI) 2026.
Learn more… WCC “Follow the Money” Event Examines
Banks’ Role in Ecological Destruction
An October 14 webinar, “Follow the Money: Multilateral Development Banks, Fossil Fuels and Climate Justice,” hosted by the World Council of Churches, examined where money is going, what kinds of energy systems and development pathways it is helping to finance, and who bears the costs and risks.
Watch the webinar here… WCC Webinar: Theology of Companionship Method: Companionship as a Pilgrimage Practice
November 10, 2026 — The second session of the webinar series explores companionship not only as a theological idea, but as a practical method for shaping Pilgrimage encounters.
Learn more… WCC Webinar: Theology of Companionship - Ethics: Companionship, Power, and Asymmetry
January 13, 2027 — The third session of the webinar series focuses on the ethical dimensions of companionship, especially where relationships are shaped by unequal power, privilege, resources, race, gender, geography, or institutional status.
Learn more… WCC Webinar: Theology of Companionship - Context: Companionship in Lived Practices
March 3, 2027 — The fourth session of the webinar series turns to the lived practices of companionship in concrete ecclesial, social, and cultural contexts.
Learn more… | | | WCC Publications New Release Invites Churches to Become Intercultural Through Companionship
The WCC has published Becoming an Intercultural Church: Companionship in a Wounded World, by Hyuk Cho. The book is written for churches, particularly in North America and Europe, that find themselves between inherited certainties that no longer hold and futures not yet visible.
Read more… Biodiversity COP17: WCC Claims Space
for Grassroots Voices
Three UN conventions were born at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, and in 2026 all three hold their Conference of the Parties (COP). After the desertification COP17 in Ulaanbaatar in August, the biodiversity COP17 opened in Yerevan, Armenia, on October 19. From Mongolia to Armenia, WCC brings the same case: the crises of land, biodiversity, and climate are bound together, and none can be solved without the communities who live with them.
Read more… Youth Reflect on “Being Church in the World Today”
Young people presenting at the conference of WCC commissions and reference groups held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, voiced their reflections on what it means to be church in the world today.
Read more… New Book Takes Theology from Malawi to a
Global Readership
Kenneth R. Ross's new book, Spirit of Mission: Essays on Ecumenism and Evangelism, is now available in an international edition co-published by Mzuni Press, Regnum Books, and the WCC.
Read more… WCC Congratulates Ecumenical Patriarch on 35th Anniversary of Enthronement
WCC sent a congratulatory message to His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I upon the 35th anniversary of his enthronement.
Read more… Pacific Churches Reject US Call to End
UN Decolonization Mandate
The Pacific Conference of Churches, in a message on October 19, rejected a US call to end the mandate of the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization.
Read more… WCC Contributes Insights, Statements
at UN 63rd Human Rights Council
As the UN Human Rights Council closed, the WCC looked back on outcomes related to its contributions and statements.
Read more… Conference Explores Theological Legacy of
Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon
WCC participated in an international conference dedicated to the theological legacy of Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon, one of the most influential Orthodox theologians of the modern ecumenical movement.
Read more… WCC Congratulates New General Secretary of
United Church of Canada
World Council of Churches (WCC) General Secretary Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay extended congratulations to Rev. Éric Hébert-Daly, recently appointed general secretary of The United Church of Canada (UCC).
Read more… | | WCC Ecumenical Prayer Calendar | | The 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 the publication "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 | | October 25 – 31.........................................The Caribbean November 1 – 7........................................Canada, United States of America November 8 – 14 ....................................Oceania: American Samoa, Cook
Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia (Maohi
Nui), Kanaky, Kiribati, Marshall Islands,
Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua
New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands,
Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu November 15 – 21 ...................................Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia November 22 – 28.................................East Timor (Timor Leste), Indonesia,
Philippines November 29 – December 5 .........Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore December 6 – 12......................................Myanmar, Thailand December 13 – 19....................................Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam December 20 – 26..................................Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and
the Mainland of China December 27 – January 2..................Japan, North Korea, South Korea | | | | | | | Loving our neighbors means showing up for one another. As our Somali neighbors face harmful rhetoric and intimidation, the Minnesota Council of Churches invites you to join We Vote Together, an opportunity to put solidarity into action.
Each Friday leading up to the election (October 23 and 30), from 12:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m., volunteers will gather outside participating mosques during Friday prayers to offer a visible presence of support for our Muslim neighbors. Register here to participate. Please register in advance to help organizers coordinate volunteers at participating mosques. Volunteers are asked to bring a vest, whistle, and sign, as noted on the flyer above (Download Here). | | | Celebration and Inspiration! Annual Awards Gala | | | | | | | Join A Peals for Peace: Monday, October 19
NCCC invites you and your community to take part in A Peals for Peace, an act of public witness rooted in faith and grounded in the shared belief that every person has inherent worth.
Every Monday at 6:00 p.m. through November 2. Monday, October 19, will be the sixth weekly bell ringing, which continues every Monday until the Monday before Election Day. Join the Sound. Register your congregation, organization, or household to participate. If you have already signed up, take photos and videos of your bell ringing and send them to Rachel Baker, communications director, at rachel@ncchurches.org so we can highlight our impact!
| | | This Advent, join NCCC in choosing love over fear. The annual Advent booklet and our theme this year, Leading with Love, invites us beyond seasonal traditions into courageous discipleship, with reflections from Council staff confronting fear with courage and embodying God’s love through justice, radical hospitality, and care for our neighbors. As we await Christ’s coming, may hope embolden us, peace ground us, joy sustain us, and love lead us. Sign up to receive a free hard copy of the booklet and journey with us through this sacred season of preparation, reflection, and renewed hope.
Sign Up | | | | | Grounded Under Pressure helps Christian leaders recognize what happens within themselves when anxiety and tension increase and practice ways of remaining calm, clear, and connected in the midst of it.
Rooted in Christian formation, this interactive workshop combines practical tools for self-awareness and self-regulation with spiritual practices that help leaders respond with greater wisdom, courage, and faithfulness. The goal is not to eliminate anxiety or avoid difficult situations, but to strengthen our capacity to remain grounded enough to act intentionally when the pressure is high.
Participants will practice: Recognizing their own patterns of reactivity Regulating themselves when anxiety and tension rise Staying both defined and connected under pressure Responding with clarity, courage, and faithfulness
Learn more… | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Purchase the NCC 75th Anniversary
Commemorative BIble and Save 20% Discount Code: NCC2026 | | | More from Friendship Press… |
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