Inside the National Council of Churches

Kinnamon to Congress: pass health care reform
In a "straightforward" message to the U.S. Congress, NCC General Secretary Michael Kinnamon said it is time to pass "a desperately-needed reform of this country's health care system." Kinnamon's letter of March 15, which said the leadership of the National Council of Churches is praying for Congress, declared: "As President Obama has said, the time for debating is behind us. What is needed now is the political and moral courage to act on behalf of the most vulnerable members of our society – those who are uninsured. In this holy season of Lent, we pray that Congress will find such courage. May we as a nation demonstrate a commitment to the common good through a health care reform that places the well being of all at the center of our national life." More.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days commences March 19-22
As the number of displaced persons reaches tens of millions around the world, hundreds of persons of faith will be gathering for Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington March 19-22 under the theme, "A Place to Call Home: Immigrants, Refugees and Displaced Peoples." "Jesus had no place to lay his head," declare the EAD planners. "Neither do tens of millions of migrants, refugees and displaced persons. "Read More.

Kinnamon stresses a common commitment to end poverty
NCC General Secretary Michael Kinnamon, in an address to the National Association of Ecumenical and Interfaith Staff (NAEIS), stressed a common commitment to end poverty. "Poverty, seen in ecumenical perspective, is not simply a matter of economic deprivation, but includes a wide range of what we call 'human rights,' " he said. "A person is impoverished if marginalized from the political process or denied access to education or health care." More.

Click above to see women who have already been highlighted this month.

Earthday 2010 resources ready for download or order
The 2010 Earth Day Sunday Resource, Sacred Spaces and an Abundant Life: Worship Spaces as Stewardship is available now to help congregations prepare for and celebrate stewardship of God’s Creation in their house of worship. The 12-page booklet, produced by the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program, has Bible studies, worship outlines and practical suggestions for "greening" your church. More.

Obama Council has more than 60 recommendations
The President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, which includes NCC President Peg Chemberlin and leaders of several NCC member communions, released more than 60 policy recommendations on topics ranging from global and domestic poverty to interfaith relations. Chemberlin appears in a report on PBS' Religion & Ethics program in which Council members said their deliberations on the recommendations were largely harmonious.

Groups ask EPA to halt mountaintop removal coal mining

A coalition of Christian groups from across denominations, including the NCC, sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calling for immediate action to stop further mountaintop removal coal mining. Mountaintop removal coal mining is a process where coal companies blast the tops off mountains to get at thin seams of coal. It was effectively legalized in 2002 when the Bush administration rolled back Clean Water Act protections. More.

NCC plans 'long term engagement' for Haiti renewal
The NCC, responding to the "pressing needs of Haiti and the deep sense of call to respond," is calling representatives of its member communions to a meeting on April 6 to begin planning for "our long term engagement with the renewal and recovery of the people and nation of Haiti." The invitation was sent to the ecumenical officers of the NCC's 36 member communions and to denominational specialists in Haiti ministries. More.

At Lent, ecumenical leaders press immigration reform
Responding to a "divine mandate" and as a "patriotic act," the chief executives of NCC and CWS are pressing "comprehensive immigration reform" in the U.S.. In a letter to the leaders of 36 communions that compose their organizations, the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon and the Rev. John L. McCullough, said the urgent need for immigration reform must be a shared Christian concern in the season of Lent. More.

Yearbook measures impact of new immigrant church
The 78th annual edition of the National Council of Churches' Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches reports the Catholic Church, the Mormons and the Assemblies of God are among the nation's fastest growing churches, while mainline denominations continue to decline. The 2010 Yearbook, a highly regarded chronicler of growth and financial trends of religious institutions, lists the top 25 American churches by size. More.

Kinnamon welcomes Patriarch's church unity message
NCC General Secretary Kinnamon has written to the Ecumenical Patriarch to express "profound appreciation" for Bartholomew's encyclical on the unity of the church. "Surely, your emphasis on unity in truth is precisely what is needed in order for the whole ecumenical movement to recover depth and direction," Kinnamon said. "Please be assured that we at the NCC stand with you in this call for the unity for which our Lord prayed." More.

African American Baptists respond jointly to Haiti need
Presidents of five historically African-American Baptist denominations said they are collaborating to respond to human need in Haiti. Presidents of the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention; National Baptist Convention, USA; National Baptist Convention of America; National Missionary Baptist Convention of America; and Progressive National Baptist Convention formed the African-American Baptist Mission Collaboration. More.

NCC Women's Ministries offer fistula education program
Women’s Ministries at the National Council of Churches has announced a pilot program for young women exploring the connections between faith and action, through the lens of obstetric fistula, a birth injury affecting more than 2 million women worldwide. Sponsored by the UN Foundation, this project seeks to bring faith communities into the campaign to end fistula in this generation. Read more.

Dangers of 'Christian Zionism' cited in NCC brochure
"Christian Zionism" is a dangerous movement that distorts the teachings of the Church, fosters fear and hatred of Muslims and non-Western Christians, and has negative consequences for Middle East Peace. A new brochure, Why We Should Be Concerned About Christian Zionism, by the NCC (in English and Spanish) is now available as an educational tool for groups who want to share these warnings with their members. More.