'Circles of Names' will support women's ministries
Mindful of the historic contributions of women leaders in its member communions and concerned about recent cutbacks in gender justice and women's ministries, the National Council of Churches is taking steps to nurture the work. During the National Council of Churches/Church World Service General Assembly Women’s Luncheon in Minneapolis earlier this month, the Rev. Ann Tiemeyer, NCC Women’s Ministries Program Director, announced the launch of the “Circles of Names” Campaign to enable donors to support ongoing and future work by honoring women who have made a difference in the church and in individual lives. “In light of recent cuts to denominational budgets and staff in the areas of women’s ministries and gender justice work,” Tiemeyer said, “now more than ever we need to make visible the broad support for this work in our communions.”  The “Circles of Names” campaign asks participants to submit the name of a woman who is or has been influential in their faith life, and to contribute $100 in that woman’s honor. The names will be displayed on the Circles of Names Web site, www.circlesofnames.org. Pledges can be made online as well.  The website offers essays on the importance of gender justice work at this time, as well as answers to frequently asked questions. More.

General Assembly adjourns with an eye to the future
The General Assembly of the National Council of Churches and Church World Service, celebrating the biblical call to rejoice, pray and give thanks, also called upon churches and governments to take additional steps toward worldwide justice and peace. The General Assembly adjourned Thursday night following the installation of National Council of Churches President Peg Chemberlin and President Elect Kathryn Lohre. More.

General Assembly opens citing unity as its strength
The annual General Assembly of the National Council of Churches USA  and Church World Service commenced November 10 amid sober assessments of national and world conditions and calls for renewal of the the churches' historic commitment to unity. As of noon Tuesday, 28 of the General Assembly's 35 member communions had registered delegations, said NCC President Elect Peg Chemberlin as she called the roll. More.

Biblical practices defy world's wisdom, Aymer declares
Choosing 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances”) as the theme for the 2009 General Assembly of the National Council of Churches and Church World Service is “utterly absurd, patently illogical and Pollyannish,” Presbyterian theologian Margaret Aymer told the Assembly’s opening plenary in Minneapolis November 10.  More

New Fire dreams dreams and makes concrete plans
With a prayer of thanksgiving and guidance, asking for, “the work of the Spirit in expanding our communications ... the gift of prudence as we lay organizational foundations … the gift of discernment as we pilot our New Fire seed grant project … , the participants of New Fire 2009 left its meeting space having dreamt dreams, and then implemented action plans for a vision of a revitalized young adult ecumenical movement. More.

Chemberlin prepares for installation as NCC president
The Rev. Peg Chemberlin, executive director of the Minnesota Council of Churches, will be installed as NCC President at 7:30 p.m. November 12, in a public service at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral here. Chemberlin will be the 25th president of the National Council of Churches since 1950. She is the second Moravian, the fourth woman, the first Minnesotan and the first head of a state council of churches to hold the office. More.

Kathryn Lohre of the ELCA elected NCC President Elect
Kathryn M. Lohre, assistant director of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University and an ELCA representative to the WCC Central Committee, has been elected the President Elect of the by the NCC. Lohre will assume the office January 1, 2010 and will also be installed Thursday evening, November 12, in St. Mark's Cathedral in Minneapolis. The Rev. Peg Chemberlin, current NCC President Elect, will be installed as NCC President. More.

In second day, New Fire stokes flames of church unity
In the second day of the ecumenical young adult gathering New Fire 2009, nearly 40 young adult participants from across the country attended Sunday worship at the Church of All Nationsin Minneapolis. After church the New Fire delegates met with ecumenists over 35  ̶  "seasoned ecumenists" in the lexicon of young adults  ̶ to talk about building momentum to keep the New Fire movement going forward. More

14,000 ask President and Congress for climate justice
With the UN climate change negotiations only five weeks away, more than 14,000 signatures were delivered to the President and Congress calling for an effective and moral response to the climate crisis. "As people of faith, we are called to be good stewards of Creation and seek justice for all of God’s people," said NCC General Secretary Michael Kinnamon. "We must address this issue with compassion, resolution and grace." More.

NCC offers guidelines for avoiding H1N1 influenza virus
The NCC has issued flu prevention guidelines for congregations that includes both standard hygiene activities and unusual worship practices. Members of congregations are urged to use hand sanitizers, clean door knobs and hand rails, and fill candy dishes with individually wrapped candies. But during the flu season, they are also encouraged to stop shaking hands and hugging one another during the traditional "passing of the peace." More.

NATO leaders get church support on nuke disarmament
Four global, regional and national ecumenical organizations have told NATO leaders that the time to continue the trend toward nuclear disarmament is now. "The present opportunity must be transformed into conclusive actions," said ecumenical leaders including NCC General Secretary Michael Kinnamon. "The new striving to abolish nuclear weapons" is a sign able to "raise hope in the world." More.

Ecumenical leaders urge action against Honduras junta
An international ecumenical delegation has met with the Organization of American States and  the U.S. State Department to urge action against human rights abuses in Honduras. "My concern is that the U.S. churches have not paid enough attention to the situation in Honduras, when, in fact, the coup against a democratically elected government is a threat to the stability of Latin America as a whole," said NCC General Secretary Michael Kinnamon. More.

NCC prepares study guide for new Mitch Albom book
The National Council of Churches has partnered with Mitch Albom to produce a discussion guide for his latest bestseller.  Have a Little Faith, Albom’s first nonfiction venture since the phenomenal success of Tuesday’s with Morrie more than a decade ago, was released last month. The book is an interfaith story, intertwined with elements familiar in Albom’s books—love and friendship life and death. More.

Faith groups advocate green jobs for persons in poverty
Citing a shared tradition of justice and compassion, the faith community,  is organizing across the country to call on government officials to create new, sustainable and green job opportunities for persons living in poverty. Thirty-four national faith organizations representing the Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Hindu communities will hold public events across the country to encourage government officials to act. More.

NCC Governing Board renews its opposition to nukes
The National Council of Churches, which has been relatively silent about nuclear disarmament since the end of the Cold War, has firmly renewed its opposition to proliferation with a ringing resolution. The NCC Governing Board, meeting here September 21 and 22, unanimously adopted a statement developed by its Justice and Advocacy Commission called, "Nuclear Disarmament: The Time is Now." 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.

CC issues brochure on dangers of Christian Zionism
"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.