Ecumenical & Interfaith Archives

People of color speak out against ‘food apartheid’ and bias against indigenous groups

Posted April 27th, 2023

While serving as pastor of Pleasant Hope Baptist Church in Baltimore, the Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III became concerned about the nutrition and health of some of his members. “I pastored there for 14 years and during my time, I saw many members of my church being hospitalized repeatedly for diet-related issues,” said Brown, a speaker at an Ecumenical Advocacy Days plenary on Wednesday.

PC(USA) mission co-workers lead Ecumenical Advocacy Days workshops

Posted April 27th, 2023

Presbyterian Mission Agency Mission co-workers the Rev. Sarah Henken and the Rev. Jed Koball led country-specific workshops Wednesday at the Ecumenical Advocacy Days virtual conference. Nearly 50 participants logged into the virtual format to hear first-person accounts, discussions, and practical solutions centering on building peace in Colombia and opposing state-sponsored violence in Peru.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days panel mulls the impact militarization is having on food security

Posted April 26th, 2023

A trio of panelists moderated by the Rev. Carl Horton, coordinator of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, took to the airwaves Wednesday morning during Ecumenical Advocacy Days to discuss “Pursuing Peace: The Impact of Militarization on Global Food Security.”

Ecumenical Advocacy Days plenary looks at making the Bible’s prophetic vision meaningful in today’s world

Posted April 26th, 2023

It fell to a pair of longtime advocates for peace, economic security and Creation care to lay a foundation for turning swords into plowshares during Tuesday’s opening plenary of the Ecumenical Advocacy Days gathering.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days preacher urges participants to take Jesus’ advice to ‘go and see’

Posted April 25th, 2023

Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie opened Ecumenical Advocacy Days on Tuesday with a rousing sermon in which the biblical story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 became a rallying cry to be courageous, persistent and compassionate in a world where it often seems there aren’t enough resources to go around.

Louisville’s Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church hosts a vigil following Monday’s mass shooting

Posted April 10th, 2023

During an interfaith service held at Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church Monday following the morning’s mass shooting at Old National Bank, Rabbi Ben Freed of Keneseth Israel Congregation in Louisville pointed out it isn’t God who’s beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks in the Book of Isaiah.

Conference of European Churches gathers to ‘give witness to radical hope’

Posted March 8th, 2023

Thirty-two ecumenical officers and representatives of the member churches of the Conference of European Churches from across Europe met last month in Brussels, Belgium, where they explored the role of the churches and public theology — and how CEC’s programs can strengthen that role in the future. The CEC is a partner organization of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

United Church of Christ Board nominates the Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson for General Minister and President

Posted March 6th, 2023

The United Church of Christ is poised to make a historic choice. After a year-long process, the UCC Board voted Saturday to nominate Associate General Minister, the Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, for General Minister and President.

Listening in while a PC(USA) pastor and a rabbi hold a respectful conversation on antisemitism, Islamophobia and the church

Posted February 22nd, 2023

The Rev. Denise Anderson, director of Compassion, Peace & Justice in the Presbyterian Mission Agency, had an hour-long conversation with an old friend last week and invited the rest of us to listen in.

First female pastor in Palestine ordained

Posted January 23rd, 2023

On Sunday, Sally Azar was ordained as a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, making her the first female pastor in Palestine. In 2006, the Evangelical Church laid the foundation by deciding that women could also be ordained.