Inside the National Council of Churches

Centennial Gathering slated for New Orleans Nov. 9-11
When the National Council of Churches and Church World Service gather in New Orleans' Marriott New Orleans Convention Center for their General Assembly this November 9-11, the meeting will mark a historic milestone for the ecumenical movement. One hundred years ago, representatives of Christian churches around the world gathered in Edinburgh, Scotland, for an unprecedented World Missionary Conference. The conference, which brought together missionary, faith and order, social activism and education streams of the churches, is considered the birth of the modern ecumenical movement. The anniversary is being celebrated worldwide, most recently back in June when more than 300 delegates and 100 other participants gathered in Edinburgh to celebrate this marker on the road to church unity and to imagine the future. The theme of the most recent gathering was, "Witnessing to Christ Today." This November 9-11 in New Orleans, the discussions of what it means to be ecumenical in the 21st century will continue at a centennial gathering that is part of the General Assembly of the National Council of Churches and Church World Service. The theme of the Centennial Gathering is "Witnesses of These Things, Ecumenical Involvement in a New Era." More.

NCC repeats condemnation of church plans to burn Qur'an
The National Council of Churches reiterated its statement of August 11 condemning plans by a Florida church to burn the Qur'an on September 11.
On the eve of Ramadan, the NCC and its Interfaith Relations Commission called upon Christians and persons of other faiths to express respect for Muslims and Islam. The August 11 statement expressed dismay over recent out outbreaks of Islamophobia and anti Muslim sentiments. More.

Khandi Alexander narrates NCC Katrina update on NBC
“Coming Home,” narrated by actress Khandi Alexander of HBO’s Treme, delves into the relationships that have formed between these volunteers and the grateful residents they’ve helped. The documentary -- alternately heart-wrenching and deeply inspiring -- is presented by the National Council of Churches and produced by the Presbyterian Church (USA) on many NBC stations beginning August 29. More.

Five long years after Katrina, families are still coming home
For many Americans, August 29 marks an anniversary that has scarred both bodies and souls. That was the day, five years ago, when Hurricane Katrina made a direct assault on New Orleans, Mississippi and the American gulf coast. The worst natural disaster in U.S. history left thousands of families homeless and displaced. Five years later, many of those families are still struggling to return home. See their stories on NBC. More.

The power of language used to describe God is explored
A diverse group of Christians gathered August 9-11 to explore the power of language Christians use to talk about God and one another. The goal, said the NCC's Ann Tiemeyer, was to explore how language can be used to extend the hospitality of the church's mission. Participants represented a broad spectrum of ages, races, cultural backgrounds, gender, sexual orientations, abilities, denominations/communions, and professional fields. More.

Kinnamon supports building of a mosque at Ground Zero
For thousands of families, New York's Ground Zero is holy ground. Thousands lost someone they love in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. The emotional investment in Ground Zero cannot be overestimated. That is precisely why Ground Zero must be open to the religious expression of all people whose lives were scarred by the tragedy: Christians, Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists, Hindus, and more. And Muslims. Read More.

August issue of Eculink is now online at http://eculink.org

ECULINK, which for decades has kept tens of thousands of ecumenists informed about the mission and ministry of the National Council of Churches and other regional and local ecumenical organizations, is now available as an online publication. Stay up-to-date about the church unity movement and ministries that are important to you by following Eculink at its new address: http://eculink.org. More.

US Student Christian Movement to be reborn October 8-11
The U.S. Student Christian Movement (SCM), which has lain dormant for more than 40 years, will be reborn October 8-11 at a historic gathering at Morehouse College. The organization, called the University Christian Movement, was known for its witness for civil rights and peace in the first half of the 20th century. The now resurgent group voted itself out of existence four decades ago. More.

2010 Yearbook and archival CD available at a savings of $20
The NCC's 2010 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches is on sale at a discounted price of $50 per copy. Also available is a historic CD archive of data appearing in editions of the Yearbook between 1916 and 2000. The Yearbook and the CD can be purchased together for $65, a savings of $20. See www.yearbookofchurches.org. (An earlier website, electronicchurch.org, is defunct.) More.

NCC EcoJustice offers new resource on the Gulf oil spill
The slow-motion tragedy of the gulf oil spill lays bare our collective failure as caretakers of God’s good creation. While unknown thousands of barrels of oil leak into the rich and diverse ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico, how are we as Christians called to respond? While it is easy to express anger and cast blame at the companies who owned, operated and profited from the deep sea exploration, we must also reflect on our own complicity. More.

NCC: Court has not negated need for gun violence laws
The National Council of Churches finds the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision on gun ownership to be "disappointing," but stresses that the ruling does not negate the possibility of enacting laws to reduce gun violence. The court ruled that citizens have a right to keep handguns in their homes for self-protection but did not declare whether state and city laws against gun possession are constitutional under the Second Amendment. More.

Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer film and book coming 2011
A little known 2000-year-old Christian prayer, still used by monks and nuns in far away caves and monasteries, is the subject of a documentary feature film and book slated for early 2011. Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer focuses on the prayer, Kyrie Eleison ("Lord Have mercy") that is thought to have been first practiced by the Apostles. The search for the prayer is a project of Father John McGuckin and Dr. Norris J. Chumley. More.

Governing Board letter urges new federal policy for schools
The NCC has urged President Obama and members of Congress not to lose sight of the fact that public schools are the basic institution for educating the nation's children, and the government must support public schools as guarantors of each child's right to an education. In a pastoral letter, the NCC Governing Board urged the nation's leaders to help craft a system of education that looks upon children as unique and valuable individuals. More.

Women's Ministries fistula stories curriculum expanded
Challenging persons of faith to "explore faith in action, educate your community about maternal health, and walk in solidarity with your global sisters, NCC Women's Ministries has announced an expansion of its curriculum on fistula. Around the globe, a woman dies in childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications every 90 seconds. One of those injuries is Obstetric Fistula. More.