Global Ministries

Claire Weihe served as a short-term volunteer during the COVID-19 pandemic. She shares how she was able to serve in a virtual capacity and build meaningful relationships.

Hello everyone! My name is Claire Weihe. I am a 21 year old university student in the U.S, studying public health at Kent State University with a hope to go into ministry with a focus on women’s health next fall. I have grown up in the United Church of Christ and I had the privilege of attending The General Synod this past year as a delegate. That is where I found out about the awesome work being done by Global Ministries and the great community partnerships that have developed! In February of 2020 I was confirmed to serve as a short term service volunteer with Global Ministries in Budapest, Hungary.. I was supposed to serve this summer from June through August. My role would be to serve with Kalunba ministries in their work with refugees offering English lessons, women’s health education, and public health education, as well as some ecumenical work with the Reformed Church of Hungary.

The Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) is a long-time partner of the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), through Global Ministries. Founded in 1918, the AMAA is present in 24 countries around the world today. The AMAA runs many children’s programs, provides relief and humanitarian aid, education, as well as church ministries.

Tragedies at sea, corridors to expand, laws to correct

Editorial by Paolo Naso, published in Avvenire (p.16, 3rd October 2020)  On 3rd October 2013, a few miles from the coast of the Island of Lampedusa, a boat loaded with migrants from the Horn of Africa caught fire.  One of the most tragic incidents in the history of Mediterranean migration, heightened by the images of coffins lined up in the airport hangar… Read more...

The UN reported that all the property belonging to the Bedouin community of Khirbet Humsa in the Jordan Valley was razed to the ground by Israeli bulldozers on Wednesday, the 4th of November. The demolition left 73 people, including 41 children, as well as their livestock, homeless and exposed to the autumnal rainfall. This incident constitutes the largest forcible displacement in Israel for four years and has been condemned by a number of countries.

Dear Lord, we pray for the Bedouin community as they face persecution in Israel. We pray for an end to the cruel plunder of the homes of the poorest in the land by the Israeli authorities. Lord, in your mercy... hear our prayers.

NCC, Member Communions Together Call for Peace Between Azerbaijan and Armenia,
Support US diplomacy to End Violent Conflict

The National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) reiterates its lament and deep concern about the continuing conflict and rapidly deteriorating situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, known by its Armenian residents as Artsakh. In the last three weeks, since the NCC issued an earlier statement and prayer, the people of the region have continued to be victims of Azerbaijani aggression, and a violation of the cease fire agreement brokered by Russia and supported by the United States and others. The NCC supports the new cease-fire agreement brokered by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo between the parties – Armenia and Azerbaijan – as a first step towards ending the conflict. We pray that it will bring peace to Artsakh, and urge that this new cease fire agreement be observed immediately, even while a more robust resolution of the conflict is being pursued.

In pandemic, of all times:
Number of Palestinians Israel has left homeless hits four-year record
November 4, 2020

In the midst of an unprecedented health and economic crisis, more Palestinians in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) lost their homes in the first 10 months of 2020 alone than in any full year since 2016 – the highest year on record since B’Tselem started collecting this data. As a result of Israel’s policy, 798 Palestinians have already lost their homes in 2020, including 404 minors who lived in 218 homes – compared to 677 Palestinians in all of 2019, 397 in 2018 and 521 in 2017.   
 
Israeli authorities also demolished 301 Palestinian non-residential structures and infrastructure facilities in the first ten months of 2020. This includes humanitarian infrastructure such as water cisterns and pipes and electricity grids, which are crucial to sanitation and health at this time.

Hallel Rabin, a 19-year-old Israeli woman from Kibbutz Harduf in northern Israel, was given a 25 day prison sentence on Wednesday, the 28th of October. She was imprisoned for the third time for refusing to be conscripted in the Israeli military. She stated,  ‘I will not take part in a system which is based on inequality and fear.’

Thank you, Lord, for the courage and integrity of this young Israeli woman, who is ready to pay the price of imprisonment to follow her conscience. Lord, in your mercy..

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) condemned this abominable crime that took place in France in the last few days, and revealed in its press release that “violence is a crime against God and humanity, so how would it be if it hid behind righteous choice, in contrary of the message of all religions that is based on love, peace, solidarity and admitting the right of diversity and interaction; while considering diversity a rich cultural heritage."

October 29, 2020 - These are days of widespread concern for the wider Middle East region. In particular, what befell Armenians a century ago has shown itself once again in our lifetime.

In 1915 the Armenians of Turkey were subjected to a plan of extermination known the world over as the Armenian Genocide. To this day the Turkish Republic has steadfastly refused to acknowledge the acts of its Ottoman forefathers. It is a crime against humanity that has remained unpunished for over a century, and this impunity has allowed the crime to be repeated.

Early in 1988 a referendum was held in Karabagh (which is known by its historic name, “Artsakh”, by the Armenian people), an autonomous region under Azerbaijan SSR’s authority since the 1920s, to come under the authority of the Armenian SSR.

World Council of Churches interim General Secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca expressed solidarity with the churches and people of France, and condolences to the families of the victims, in the wake of extremist attacks in Nice on 29 October.

Three people were reported killed in a knife attack at Notre Dame de Nice.