What's New, and What's Brief
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (09/01/2010) -- Young Christians from around the world are invited to apply to the World Council of Churches (WCC) stewards programme for one of two hands-on learning experiences at major ecumenical meetings in 2011, the WCC Central Committee meeting, 8-24 February, and the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation, 12-26 May. Applicants must be between the age of 18-30 years.
During the meetings stewards will work in the areas of worship, conference room, documentation, press office, sound, and other administrative and support tasks.
The WCC Central Committee meets every 18 months in Geneva, Switzerland to monitor and set directions to the Council's work. The meeting brings together about 150 church representatives, advisers and observers from WCC member churches and associated organizations worldwide. Twenty stewards will help to make this event happen.
The International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC) will gather some 1000 participants from all over the world in Kingston, Jamaica. Participants of many different backgrounds will witness to the peace of God as both gift and responsibility of the entire human family. The IEPC stewards programme will have 45 participants, with one third of them coming from Jamaica and the Caribbean.
Before the meetings, stewards follow an ecumenical learning programme which exposes them to the key issues of the ecumenical movement worldwide. The last phase of the stewards programme, following the meeting, focuses on designing ecumenical projects which stewards will implement back home.
Being a steward means hard work, but it is also a unique ecumenical experience of togetherness with young people from different churches, countries and cultures.
Applicants are invited to send in the application form by 30 September 2010 for the Central Committee, and by 30 November 2010 for the IEPC.
Follow the link beloe for more information on the WCC stewards program.
OLD LYME (08/25/2010) -- In an op-ed essay in the August 24 Hartford Courant entitled "Mosque Foes Forget Christ's Teachings," the Rev. David W. Good laments the anti-Muslim demonstrations enacted or planned in Bridgeport, New York City, and in Florida. "I am appalled and disgusted by these actions," he wrote, "and I am deeply ashamed that any of this should be done in the name of Christ. Furthermore, I think Jesus himself would be outraged by what has been said and done in his name."
The senior pastor of the First Congregational Church UCC of Old Lyme particularly condemned the lessons being presented to children. "At the anti-Muslim demonstration outside the mosque in Bridgeport, there was a 13-year-old child who held a sign that said, 'Islam is a Lie.' I grieve for the hate and bigotry she has been taught. I lament for what is being nurtured in this young impressionable child, and I am deeply sorry for the stultifying effect this must have on her soul."
Rev. Good's concern for his Muslim neighbors has been echoed by UCC pastors around the state, including Interim Conference Minister the Rev. Charles L. Wildman.
Follow the link below for Rev. Good's essay at courant.com.
HARTFORD (07/21/2010) -- The Revs. Doreen and Michael McFarlane, Global Ministries missionaries to China, will be visiting the Connecticut Conference from October 11 to October 31, 2010. In addition to participating in the Fall Session of the Conference Annual Meeting, they will be available to visit churches for educational and preaching. This is a great opportunity for your church to learn more about our work in the wider community.
Doreen and Michael McFarlane have served with Global Ministries for four years, both as teachers: Doreen is a professor of Biblical Studies, and Michael is a professor of Church Music.
This last year they worked in Shanghai, also in teaching and in music. Doreen taught American Religion and Culture at Shanghai University; and Michael led a choir, taught music related topics, and was concert coordinator for the latest branch of the Shanghai YMCA.
This has been a joint appointment by the Common Global Ministries Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ.
If you are interested in having the McFarlane?s visit please contact Cecile Gilson at cecileg@ctucc.org or 860.761.7109.
CLEVELAND (06/14/2010) -- Faith Practices, an innovative, exciting, and original whole church resource, will be available for congregations to use beginning July 15, 2010. Samples are available now, and order may be placed for the web-based materials.
Simply, faith practices are the ways by which we incarnate and incorporate worship, learning and serving into our lives to become disciples of Jesus Christ. The Faith Practices resource is:
- based in UCC history and identity,
- useable with new church participants as well as long time members,
- multi-age and intergenerational; reaching young children to adults,
- intended for use in all settings of the church,
- workshop rotation ready,
- filled with multiple learning and teaching styles, and
- on-line: you print only what you need.
A Frequently Asked Questions document is online here:
http://www.ctucc.org/news/pdfs/faithpractices_faq.pdf
A flyer on the resource is online here:
http://www.ctucc.org/news/pdfs/faithpractices_handout.pdf
For more information on Faith Practices in Connecticut, call or write Karen Ziel, Minister of Christian Education, Connecticut Conference UCC, at karenz@ctucc.org or 860.761.7104.
Follow the link below to find samples at the Faith Practices website.
