Member Church News: Marking, Offering, Protesting

Marking a year since the first confirmed COVID-19 death in Switzerland, a minute’s silence is being held across the country today, supported by the Protestant Church in Switzerland and the Catholic Church. The Reformed Church in America has offered a litany marking the event. And the World Council of Churches is calling on its members to observe a week of prayer 22-27 March.

University Corridors: Twenty-four Italian universities will give the opportunity to 43 refugees to continue their academic career in Italy. The Diaconia Valdese is once again partner of the project.

For International Women’s Day on 8 March, the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) is inviting people to thank and affirm the women who have encouraged, mentored, and empowered them. UCA President Deidre Palmer has offered a message and a prayer to use in worship as well.

The Presbyterian Church in Myanmar has released a statement urging “the authorities not to cause any harm or to oppress anyone in the civil disobedience movement who are pursuing nonviolent means of protest” against the military coup.

The World Council of Churches and the Christian Conference of Asia general secretaries have condemned the deteriorating law and order situation and violence in Myanmar, especially the killings of people by Myanmar security forces during protests against the military coup.

Evangelische Mission Weltweit (EMW, the Association of Protestant Churches and Missions in Germany) has just launched its new website, which includes a new podcast, “Time for Mission.”

_{Image: Marcelo Schneider/WCC; Mike DuBose/UM New}