The Unheard Voice: Women’s Conference in Lebanon
This article was originally posted on the website of the Reformed Church in Hungary, a partner of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ. It was written by Global Mission Intern Emma Perry, who is appointed by Global Ministries to serve with the Reformed Church in Hungary. Emma attended the conference in Lebanon that included several Disciples and UCC partners. The full article, with pictures, is available here.
On April 3-5th, women from Syria, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Northern Ireland came together to share their stories of faith and perseverance in conflict. The conference, entitled “The Unheard Voice: Women’s Persevering Witness in War,” served as a space for testimony, reflection, and solidarity, offering a powerful witness to the strength and hope found in the face of hardship. Though each woman came from a different background and context, their voices echoed a shared resilience grounded in their faith and communities.
This international event was part of a broader ecumenical effort between the Reformed Church in Hungary (RCH), the Reformed Church in Transcarpathia (RCT), the World Communion of Reformed Churches-Europe (WCRC-Europe), and the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon (NESSL) to raise awareness of the lived experiences of women in war-affected regions and to foster deeper global connections through storytelling and prayer.
The plan for the conference was born from a previous trip Rev. Najla Kassab, President of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), took to Transcarpathia, where she met with female pastors of the Reformed Church in Transcarpathia. Initially, Rev. Kassab was scheduled to attend a Transcarpathian Reformed women’s event in November 2024 to encourage the spiritually weary women of Transcarpathia who were war-weary. However, this event was postponed due to the situation in the Middle East. The situation and well-being of the Reformed community in Transcarpathia is also a priority for WCRC-Europe, President Martina Wasserloos-Strunk. Wasserloos-Strunk has visited Transcarpathia on several occasions, most recently from March 26 to 28, prior to the women’s conference in Lebanon, on a solidarity visit. During annual meetings of the European Regional Council, several reports from the Reformed Church in Transcarpathia were also heard under a special agenda item.