Member Church News: Puppets, Peace, Creation

On the 19 September, the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa launched its Eco initiative in Swakopmund during its Executive Session. This initiative is aimed to promote environmental sustainability and stewardship within the church and the wider community.

On 30 September, people all across Canada will wear orange shirts to remember and honour Indigenous children who were taken from their communities and families to residential institutions.

In Scotland, the power of puppetry is one of the tools a new video series is using to help children explore and understand Christianity.

The Silliman University Divinity School, in partnership with the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, and the Presbyterian Church (USA), will host a Peace and Human Rights Forum and a free concert “Dugtungan” in celebration of Peace Month on 26 September.

The Union of Protestant Churches (UEK) will award the Karl Barth Prize 2024 to the Hungarian theologian Sándor Fazakas. The professor of social ethics at Debrecen Reformed Theological University in Hungary has rendered outstanding services as a bridge builder in Europe, the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) announced in Hanover on Monday.

WCC appointed as permanent accompanier in Colombian peace talks: The World Council of Churches (WCC), with the Colombian Episcopal Conference, United Nations Mission in Colombia, and Organization of American States, has been appointed as a permanent accompanier for peace talks with the Estado Mayor Central FARC-EP in Colombia.

In Celebration of God’s Creation: On the occasion of the “Season of Creation” celebrations, the Middle East Council of Churches culminates this season in an Ecumenical Prayer Service, with the participation of Paul Haidostian, president of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, president of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and MECC president for the evangelical family.

The Christian Conference of Asia will observe the Asia Sunday–2023 in conjunction with the 15th CCA General Assembly, on 1 October 2023. The theme of Asia Sunday and the General Assembly is the same; namely, “God, Renew Us in Your Spirit and Restore the Creation.”

Ecumenical accompaniers report growing violence against Palestinians: The latest group of ecumenical accompaniers from the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel have reported growing incidents of violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem.