Member Church News: Pandemic, Prayer, Preparations

Fred Hanna’s career switch from microbiologist to pastor of Delaware’s (USA) first black Presbyterian church was orchestrated for such a time as this.

The Uniting Church in Australia is encouraging and providing support for a student-led worldwide climate demonstration on 15 May.

Preparations for the 2023 World Day of Prayer materials have begun by the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, using Ephesians 1:15-19 as the Scripture.

The Presidium of the Synod of Reformed Church in Hungary encourages citizens of the EU to support the Székely National Council’s European Citizens’ Initiative Cohesion policy for the equality of the regions and sustainability of the regional cultures.

Lament is woven through the Bible—through Lamentations, Psalms, the prophets, the gospels, and more. In this video, Reformed Church in America professor of theology Carol Bechtel walks you through how to write your own lament, with a biblical framework based on the psalms.

Perichoresis, a refugee relief organization of the Greek Evangelical Church, continues its work, with support from the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Christian Reformed Church in North America missionaries David Kromminga and Mary Buteyn partner with the Berlin City Mission to lead a church plant in Berlin, Germany, which has had to find new ways to minister during the pandemic.

In the United Kingdom over 65 churches and movements have come together online to sing a blessing.

Churches must serve as beacons of hope and compassion amidst COVID-19 crisis, urge Asian church leaders.

Africa is of huge concern around the novel coronavirus pandemic for the World Health Organization, but the continent’s churches have been preparing for the silent and lethal virus for some time.

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca invites all member churches to observe a global prayer day on 14 May. The joint initiative with the members of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, of which the WCC is part, is calling for “prayer and supplication” to God for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.