NCC Newsletter – May 10, 2024

NCC Newsletter May 10, 2024 NCC Celebrates Mother's Day 2024   Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Releases Statement on Conversion of Monastery of Chora to Mosque Former Historic Monastery of Chora in Istanbul, Turkey. Photo: Public Domain The National Council of Churches laments with all Orthodox Christians worldwide, but especially the Greek Orthodox community, over the conversion of the beautiful and historic Monastery of Chora in Istanbul into a mosque. This follows the conversion of the Great Church of Constantinople, the Hagia Sophia, into a mosque in 2020. For a summary of this unfortunate act on the part of the Turkish government, please click the link below to view the press release from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Read the Press Release NCC Joins Faith Organizations in Letter to President Biden About Humanitarian Crisis in Cuba The National Council of Churches joined 20 faith-based organizations in signing a letter to President Joe Biden urging a change in U.S. foreign policy that includes removing Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, moving towards the end of the economic embargo and improving the humanitarian assistance process. Read the letter to President Biden here. Deadline Approaching: NCC Freedom Summer Fellowship   Apply Now for NCC Freedom Summer There's Still Time: Register for 2024 Spring Governing Board Meeting   More Information Governing Board Agenda Register for Special Film Screening with Bishop Michael Curry   Register for a Movie & Conversation with Bishop Curry The Rev. Dr. Julius Scruggs, Pastor Emeritus of Huntsville First Missionary Baptist Church, Passes Away at 82 The Rev. Dr. Julius Scruggs. Photo: Robin Conn/The Huntsville Times The Rev. Dr. Julius Scruggs, Immediate Past President of the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc., beloved Pastor Emeritus, and former Senior Pastor of First Missionary Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama, passed away on Wednesday, May 8, at the age of 82. "Pastor Emeritus Scruggs was a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and he has made known the love of God to us. As we process the shock of his unexpected transition, our hearts are united in grief and loss, even as we draw strength from the faith we share — a faith we shared with him. Let us remember Lady Josephine Scruggs in prayer, along with Jennifer and Reverend Marty, the grandchildren, and the entire Scruggs family. Indeed, God remains faithful," First Missionary Baptist Church wrote in a statement issued on social media. Rev. Dr. Scruggs' service spanned multiple organizations. He was a Board Member of the NAACP, a former Board Member of Selma University, and he also sat on the Board of Trustees at American Baptist College, and many other organizations. He served numerous congregations throughout his more than 50 years of ministry and led various domestic and foreign service initiatives, including those focused on housing, health, and education. Learn more about the faithful leadership and ministry of the Rev. Dr. Julius Scruggs here. Registration Still Open for EAD Spring Summit Register for EAD Spring Summit North Carolina Council of Churches to Host Online Discussion on Christian Nationalism Register for Confronting Christian Nationalism Online Event

 

CMEP Calls for Protection of Student Protestors

As the deadly violence in Gaza stretches into the seventh month, student protests are sweeping college campuses across the country, calling on college administrations and universities to divest from companies that profit from Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Many of the groups are also using their encampments to highlight that: many Palestinians in Gaza have been killed or injured, including students and academics; most Palestinians in Gaza are displaced and living in tents; all of Gaza’s universities have been destroyed; and Palestinian academics in Israel are being targeted for harassment.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) admires the students’ commitment to highlighting the realities unfolding in Gaza.

Read more of CMEP's press release here.

Attend SAMHSA's Faith Weekend of Action for Mental Health Awareness Month Webinar

Friday, May 17 at 1:00 p.m. EDT Join the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for a webinar discussing mental health resources for community and faith-based organizations on May 17 at 1 p.m. EDT.  Attendees will receive the SAMHSA Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit and additional resources from national faith-based organizations for free. Use these resources during the Faith Weekend of Action on May 17 - 19 and throughout the year with your community. Speakers include: Lisa Carr, Public Health Analyst, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Rev. Sarah Lund, Minister for Disabilities and Mental Health Justice, United Church of Christ, National Ministries Laura Howe, Founder, Hope Made Strong Register for the upcoming mental health webinar here.

Save the Date for Poor People's Campaign Upcoming Moral March

Register for Poor People's Campaign's Moral March

HIU Master of Arts International Peacebuilding Program

Hartford International University for Religion and Peace's (HIU) Master of Arts in Peacebuilding Program (MAP) is a one-year, residential, 36-credit, master’s degree program where students develop interreligious literacy and acquire constructive conflict intervention skills through a combination of service-learning, traditional courses, experiential courses, and project-based learning. Students live in interreligious housing on the HIU campus. HIU is now accepting applications for the 2024-25 MAP cohort. Full scholarships are available for accepted students in this highly competitive program. Candidates must already have a BA and excellent English. Strong candidates will display a commitment to peacebuilding and interreligious understanding. The deadline to apply is on a rolling basis for domestic students. For more information or questions about the admissions process, contact info@aarstrategies.com. Follow the National Council of Churches on Our Social Media Platforms to Receive Daily Bible Readings and Updates on the Work of NCC. If you find our newsletter informative, please forward it to friends and colleagues!    To subscribe to our weekly newsletter, sign up here. Your gifts help us build a more just and equitable community that chooses grace over greed, love over hate, and faith over fear. NCC Needs Your Support! Click Here to Donate 110 Maryland Ave NE, Suite 108, Washington, DC 20002, United States