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Statement on behalf of the National Council of Churches by its Joint Action and Advocacy for Justice and Peace Convening Table.

On this International Human Rights Day, we write to both the outgoing and incoming administrations to ask that human rights and peacebuilding be put at the core of US foreign policy. We know this re-direction cannot occur overnight, but in this brief statement we point to the immediate need for new policy directions and a renewed commitment to just peacemaking and nonviolence built in the image of what Martin Luther King, Jr. called, the “World House,” a vision of how we might create new communities to bridge old divisions.

Policies of Human Rights, Realism, and Peacemaking

The member communions of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and its predecessor, the Federal Council of Churches, have long lifted up the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). US and international Christian bodies were instrumental in building support for that document, praying for it to be central in creating an international framework of justice that would greatly reduce the danger of war. We continue to be realists about sin and evil and hence about the need for mutual accountability, shared security, and the rule of law to be strengthened among nations. Without a human rights core, exploitation and sacrifice of others inevitably become acceptable. In the words of Psalm 11:3, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Then, Psalm 12:8 continues, “vileness is exalted among humankind.”

We are increasingly aware that human rights defenders around the world are under attack and must be protected. Proactive diplomacy needs to be increased and that fair trade relationships must include labor, human, and environmental rights—even within our own country. The NCC has repeatedly opposed unilateral US war-making based on falsehoods—as we have seen too often in the Middle East and Central America—and similarly opposed invasions, genocides, and collective punishments by others. Particularly now, the US needs an honest patriotism that admits tragic misdeeds, including the indefinite extra-territorial isolation of alleged terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the continuing break-up of immigrant families at our border, among others. A new path forward is needed.

Christian Theological and Ethical Resources

The church is encouragedrecognizes that the global interconnectedness of life systems is now being recognized across our human structures now binding the world together today, since this awareness is constitutive of our self-understanding. Our interconnectedness mandates the affirmation of the plurality of peoples and cultures specifically because of shared universal values entwining our human interactions. We see readily that the love of neighbor and the welcoming of the stranger are increasingly understood as essential ethical principles in every culture. The future of our life on Earth requires us to act intentionally in ways that affirm the oneness of humanity in dynamic interdependence with the biosphere in which God has made us and Christ has redeemed us and of which we are the caretakers.

It is this conviction of shared, universal values that undergirds our interfaith efforts at peacemaking and our work to protect human rights around the world. Out of these values we offer these basic new directions:

1. Among other actions, a more moral foreign policy of the United States should include:

• a. Full US participation in and support for the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court;

• b. Closing Guantanamo Bay and overseas “black sites,” which criminalize US service personnel who hold others in indefinite and unconstitutional detention;

• c. Limiting the presidential pardon to require a human rights review of any prospective pardons of war criminals;

• d. Ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

• e. Renewed endorsement of and participation in UN scientific studies and regulation of climate change, including covenants such as the Paris Accords, with any decisions to withdraw from these subject to majority support in both houses of Congress.

• f. Greater support for United Nations programs and improvements in UN governance.

With Regard to the Military and Human Security:

2. Since unilateral military action and treaty breaking have already led to much tragic miscalculation and distancing from our allies, the U.S. should renew or renegotiate regional security and arms reduction treaties. It should consider human rights, food security, and environmental sustainability before imposing economic, trade, immigration, or travel sanctions, which should be subject to Congressional review. Specific policy and program improvements seem warranted:

• a. To strengthen the War Powers Act requiring Congressional Declarations of War, sunset clauses on such authorizations, determinations of what constitutes ‘humanitarian intervention,’ disclosure of armed drone and cyber security operations (offensive and defensive), and other Congressional oversight functions;

• b. To assess the effectiveness of anti-terror or counterterrorist policies in light of empirical studies of the roots of terrorism, and in light of the impacts of these policies on the security of Christian and other religious minorities;

• c. To reduce the military budget and network of international bases, particularly where climate change has already deteriorated facilities;

• d. To support international treaties and strengthen agencies for arms control, atomic energy, and disarmament and to expand them to include all countries with nuclear weapons, to restrict further nuclear testing and proliferation, to monitor all nuclear sites and facilities, and to ensure the safe disposal of nuclear waste and deactivated weapons; all toward the vision of a world without nuclear weapons.

In statecraft, diplomacy, and foreign assistance:

3. Increased funding for strong and effective statecraft, including strategic and generous foreign assistance, is essential for a national security that is also collective security and basic human security. No US military aid or subsidy should go to human rights violators and those who deprive ethnically and religiously different groups of full citizenship rights. Trade relationships should follow similar human rights standards, with the inclusion of labor rights and environmental protections. Specific policy and program improvements seem warranted:

• a. To require career Foreign Service diplomats in all major ambassadorial appointments and to protect those representatives from politicized manipulation and retaliation; to reduce unprofessional, corrupt, and incompetent behavior, conflicts of interest, nepotism, and otherwise improve decision-making;

• b. To increase protections for whistle-blowers, particularly in national security agencies, and reduce politicization of appointments to security and surveillance agencies;

• c. To increase funding for the Peace Corps and study abroad by scholars, as well as ease restrictions and obstacles for foreign students and scholars seeking to study in the United States;

• d. To provide assistance, medical care, and relocation if necessary to persons and families involved in assisting US military efforts (such as translators) and restoration assistance in locations where nuclear and other highly toxic chemical use or disposal has contaminated the land.

Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry to join other faith leaders in remembering those who have died in global pandemic 

The National Council of Churches USA (NCC) will hold a public online memorial service on Sunday, May 24, 2020 at 6:00 pm ET to mourn the more than 300,000 people worldwide who have lost their lives to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 90,000 of whom were in the United States. The NCC is comprised of 38 member communions ranging from mainline Protestant to historic African American and Orthodox churches.

This service, A Time to Mourn: An Ecumenical Memorial Service for Lives Lost to COVID19, will be broadcast on YouTube and Facebook Live.

The plans grew out of a profound concern by faith leaders that, due to the lock-down and other restrictions surrounding the coronavirus, people have been unable to properly grieve the passing of loved ones. The nation has not had a public moment of collective grief to acknowledge and mourn the impact of losing so many lives in such a short period of time.

The memorial will include a sermon offered by the presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, the Right Reverend Michael B. Curry, known as the “Love Preacher” after he spoke at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Many other clergy from a broad spectrum of Christian traditions, some of whom have been personally impacted by COVID-19, will offer prayers, readings and songs during the observance, including, among others: 

• Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, NCC Chair and President and General Minister of the United Church of Christ
• Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton, NCC Vice-Chair and Presiding Prelate, Fifth District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
• Rev. Eddy Alemán, General Secretary, Reformed Church in America
• Archbishop Elpidophoros of America – Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
• Rev. Dr. Teresa Hord Owens, President and General Minister, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Archbishop Vicken Aykazian – Diocesan Legate of the Diocese of the Armenian Orthodox Church of America (Eastern)
• Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Chair, Conference of National Black Churches
• Bishop Minerva Carcaño, California-Nevada Conference, United Methodist Church

The National Council of Churches planned the ceremony as a way for the country to join together to grieve the passing of family, friends, and even strangers we hear about in news reports. A list of names of those who have lost their lives to COVID-19 is being collected and will be scrolled during the service. Names may be added by clicking here.

 Noting the pain and suffering felt by so many Americans whose loved ones died alone or were not able to conduct normal funeral services for them, church leaders offered the following statements: 

“Religious rituals provide unique ways for us to express our feelings and close emotional wounds,” said Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, leader of the United Church of Christ and chair of the NCC Governing Board. “There are gaping needs for this right now. Our hope is that by taking part together in this observance, healing will follow in the hearts and minds of those who are grieving.”

“We are all in need of consolation during this very distressing time,” stated Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). “We will gather together to give thanks for the lives that have been lost, to commend the deceased to the love and mercy of God, and to hear the proclamation of God’s victory over death in Jesus Christ.”

“Every life deserves to be remembered and properly acknowledged in the most meaningful way possible,” said Jim Winkler, President and General Secretary of the National Council of Churches. “Religious ritual is an incomparable way to do just that. We’ve planned a program we hope Christians of all traditions will feel comfortable joining in—as well as those of other religions and no religion at all. This is as much about human dignity as it is about faith.” 

“I am honored to be a part of this service. It is a beautiful idea, as so many are grieving without the usual rituals and gatherings,” said Rev. Dr. Teresa Hord Owens, General Minister and President, Christian Church/Disciples of Christ. “Our prayer is that this service will minister to individuals, families, communities and the nation as a whole. Together, as the body of Christ, we will begin to meet some of this deeply felt need.”

Details: 

A Time to Mourn: An Ecumenical Memorial Service for Lives Lost to COVID19 

Sunday, May 24, 6:00 PM ET USA 

Register for the event by visiting http://nationalcouncilofchurches.us

Add names to the list of those who have died from COVID19, by clicking here.

For more information or interviews with participants of the Ecumenical Memorial Service, please contact: Rev. Steven D. Martin, 202-412-4323 or [email protected]

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Since 1950, the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) has served as a leading voice of witness to the living Christ.  NCC unifies a diverse covenant community of 38 member communions and over 40 million individuals –100,000 congregations from Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical, historic African-American, and Living Peace traditions – in a common commitment to advocate and represent God’s love and promise of unity in our public square.  NCC partners with secular and interfaith partners to advance a shared agenda of peace, progress, and positive change.  

Three major ecumenical groups in the United States are coming together to invite their member communions and organizations to join in unity this May for training and support.  As followers of Christ prepare for Pentecost, Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC), Christian Churches Together (CCT), and the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) are offering voices of hope and reconciliation. These organizations have created two webinars and an ecumenical resource sheet for all churches and Christians in the US to engage. 

May 28 Webinar – “Pentecost Voices: Reclaiming Hope in the New Normal”

Click here to register for the webinar “Pentecost Voices: Reclaiming Hope in the New Normal” on May 28 at 1:30 p.m. eastern time. It will feature leading Christian voices in the US sharing about how to reclaim hope in life after the pandemic.

May 14 Webinar – “What Communities Need to Know about COVID-19 and Reopening”:

Our last webinar, held on May 14, was a great success with over 1150 persons attending. Click below to view the webinar in its entirety.

We know there are lots of unanswered questions and still much uncertainty. The material linked here may help answer some of those questions.

Ecumenical Information Resource Sheet

In addition, we are pleased to offer an informational sheet with numerous links for articles, blogs and ways to engage in our “new normal.” The resources were collected from many faith communions and organizations.  Click here to access this resource. 

Church leaders gather to pray, discern, and strategize during this unprecedented time of challenge, change

The Governing Board of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) met Tuesday, April 28, for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to discuss critical issues facing the nation and indeed, the entire world.  In another first, the Council met by videoconference. Matters surrounding the global pandemic dominated the agenda with the Board issuing a statement that envisioned a just and bold new future for the United States. 

“There was a committed effort to pull together. We really do recognize how much we need each other.”  

Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, Chair of the Governing board

“I felt the Board pulled together and accomplished a great deal in a short time,” stated Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, Chair of the Governing Board. “We affirmed a statement on white supremacy, approved a statement to the Church about facing the challenge of a pandemic, deliberated about the future of our meeting protocols, made commitments to continue to have virtual meetings, dealt with reports about our finances, and about a dozen other matters.”

The Board also heard reports of how churches, civil and human rights organizations, and institutions that work on behalf of the incarcerated are all adapting to protect the most vulnerable.

“While many have said the virus knows no boundaries, the fact is that it has had a grossly disproportionate impact on communities of color, with African Americans and Hispanics suffering far more than white communities,” said Jim Winkler, President and General Secretary.  

One highlight of this meeting was an informative presentation by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in which the board, comprised of the heads of the Council’s 38 member communions, received up-to-date information on the COVID-19 pandemic.  The impact of the pandemic on communities of color was especially emphasized.  The board showed particular concern about how plans to reopen businesses would impact churches and the most vulnerable, citing instances where the virus spread rapidly in congregations before social distancing guidelines were put in place. Representatives from the CDC also asked the NCC Governing Board members for their help with disseminating accurate information about the novel coronavirus and ways to stay safe to their congregations and others in their networks.

The Governing Board statement entitled, “Now is a Time to Imagine a Bold New Future,” carried a hopeful message in the midst of the crushing despair that follows this pandemic.  While the meeting was taking place, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States crossed the one-million mark with nearly 58,000 deaths recorded. According to the statement, “Many workers considered essential are treated as expendable,” which is one way the response to the pandemic is making racial and economic disparities already present much more pronounced. “Now is a time to imagine a bold new future, and a way forward that considers the best interests of all of God’s people,” the statement continues.

“The data that COVID-19 is revealing is like a microscope on germs, highlighting the many ways that racism is systemically woven into the fabric of our society”

Rev. Aundreia Alexander, ESQ.

At the same time the Council issued this note of hope, Rev. Aundreia Alexander, Esq., Associate General Secretary of Action and Advocacy for Justice and Peace, reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has exploded inequities already present in our society.  Of particular concern is how the nation’s jails and prisons are being neglected during this crisis and are indeed becoming breeding grounds of fear, sickness, and death.  “The data that COVID-19 is revealing is like a microscope on germs, highlighting the many ways that racism is systemically woven into the fabric of our society,” she said, urging the Council to take bold action as these injustices are addressed.

In addition to issues surrounding the global pandemic, the Governing Board also continued its work in the fight to end racism. During the 2019 Christian Unity Gathering, each of the heads of communion of the predominantly white churches of the NCC was invited to appoint persons to a working group with the task of developing a shared definition of white supremacy.  Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), reported on this group’s work.  The following definition was unanimously approved by the Governing Board: 

Through colonization and slavery, the United States of America helped to create and embrace a system of valuing and devaluing people based on skin color and ethnic identity. The name for this system is white supremacy. This system deliberately subjugated people of color and Indigenous people for the purpose of material, political, and social advantage.  White supremacy creates, sustains and protects a culture that structurally and ideologically privileges whiteness in virtually all facets of society. Racism is the continuing legacy of white supremacy. It is counter to the Gospel, anathema to core tenants of all major religions and people of good will. Racism is a sin that we must confess and seek to dismantle in our own lives and institutions.

This definition will guide the Council’s ecumenical work and witness in the future and will be the basis for NCC’s ongoing anti-racism efforts through its A.C.T. to End Racism initiative.

The Council’s signature event, the Christian Unity Gathering, set to take place in October 2020, was also discussed in the context of spring event cancellations and the likelihood of continued pandemic concerns in the fall. Among the many possibilities, it was decided that the most responsible option is to hold a virtual Christian Unity Gathering at the time originally scheduled.  This exemplifies the Council’s desire to be creative and adaptive during this time, as a virtual event holds the possibility of including increased global participation with more diverse voices. Details about this event will be released in the near future.

At the same time as key programs are having to be re-envisioned, the update of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, which began in 2018, is proceeding on course without delay.  The work of the translation team, convened by the Society of Biblical Literature, has since its beginning been a model of collaboration made possible by videoconferencing technology.  The work has continued unheeded, and the National Council of Churches is proceeding on schedule with this exciting work.

The Governing Board completed its meeting with a note of gratitude during a time which is putting unprecedented pressure on faith communities. “What felt good was the spirit of cooperation and collaboration,” noted Rev. Dr. Dorhauer.  “There was a committed effort to pull together. We really do recognize how much we need each other.”  

The National Council of Churches remains deeply committed to its priorities of ending racism, ending mass incarceration, and interreligious dialogue with a focus on peace.

In a joint letter to US president Donald Trump, the World Council of Churches, ACT Alliance, and National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA have urged the US to lift crippling sanctions against Iran that are greatly impeding response in that nation to COVID-19.

“The novel coronavirus is a common enemy of humanity everywhere,” reads the letter. “An effective response to the pandemic demands an unprecedented degree of global solidarity and cooperation, special care for the most vulnerable, and swift action to mitigate the conditions which create additional vulnerability.”

The religious leaders share a deep concern for the impact on the people of Iran of the sanctions imposed by the United States. “Iran, currently with over 67,000 confirmed cases and more than 4,000 documented deaths due to COVID-19, is by far the most affected country in the Eastern Mediterranean region, and one of the most affected countries in the world,” reads the letter. “But its public health response is severely impeded by the strict sanctions regime imposed on the country unilaterally by the United States since May 2019, resulting in an almost total economic blockade.”

Now is not the moment for pursuing grievances belonging to the politics of the world before COVID-19, urges the letter. “In our new reality, any notion of national security is contingent on an effective response to the virus globally,” the letter reads. “Now is the moment for international solidarity and cooperation in controlling the spread of the virus, protecting the most vulnerable, and defeating this common enemy.”

Read the letter to US President Donald Trump

Freshly off their annual meeting in New Orleans, LA (March 3-6), the members of the Committee on the Uniform Lessons Series (CUS) returned home as strongly persuaded as ever that their development of a guide for the systematic study of Scripture plays a vital role in today’s Christian education and spiritual nurture. Once a year, representatives of the 26 denominational and publishing partners of the CUS meet face-to-face for work, worship, continuing education, and fellowship—but mostly work! The delegates who represent each of the CUS publishing partners come from all over the US and Puerto Rico, and for the past several years, have included partners from the Nigerian Baptist Convention. This year CUS welcomed The Reverend Adelokoji Ijaola and The Reverend Foluke Ola whose presence helps the Committee truly live up to its product name, “The International Bible Lessons for Christian Teaching.”

Throughout the year, various sub-committees use electronic platforms to support collaborative writing and editing of shared documents, but the annual face-to-face allows for engagement on some of the more complex tasks of project development that need real-time conversation and strategizing. In working side-by-side, there is mutual support and innovation for adaptions of the Lesson Outlines and Home Daily Bible Readings in order to address the sweeping changes they are seeing in congregational approaches to faith formation in the 21st century. As loyal contributors to the CUS, those gathered in New Orleans can proudly trace the earliest versions of this work to 1872.

The project of the Uniform Lessons was the first-born study plan of the International Sunday School Association, organized in 1872. Its first appearance and use began with 1873. It was adopted as the one set of lessons for all the members of the Sunday-school (The Story of the Uniform Lessons, David C. Cook: Elgin, IL, 1930).

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It is of utmost significance, exceeding any disagreements we may have. I love the work itself because it challenges me and helps me to grow in grace and faith.”

Rev. Dr. Mozella Mitchell

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The Rev. Dr. Tammy Wiens, Director of Christian Education and Faith Formation for the National Council of Churches (NCC), directs the day-to-day operations of the CUS. “Nowhere in my twenty years of Christian education experience have I been part of a more robust ecumenical project than what I enjoy with this Committee,” Wiens observed, speaking of the wide diversity of the CUS membership. “I have some twenty-year-long friendships with people from denominational backgrounds with whom I might never have crossed paths, except that we met during a CUS annual meeting. There is a visible and organic unity of different Christian denominations coming together in CUS over many decades that is really quite astounding. We are more than just a work-group who develops a curriculum product, we are an embodiment of what it means to be joined together in Christ.”

Though there are some seriously long hours of group writing and editing, the annual meeting has a larger agenda than simply getting a job done or working to beat a deadline. There is also time for community worship and rich fellowship. Among several opportunities for worship, perhaps the most poignant was the Service of Commissioning of our newly elected officers, held in The Church of the Immaculate Conception, a historic Jesuit church near the conference hotel. Taking a walk outdoors and getting away from the hotel for an hour gave participants an opportunity to experience some of the sights, sounds, and smells of New Orleans’ French Quarter. More significant, however, was the wonderful surprise that awaited us in the worship space. The parish priest who greeted the group opened our eyes to the marvelous art and history infused into the sacredness of the church. It was stunning, even without explanation, but the eager host related fascinating details about the layers of meaning at every level of the sanctuary’s construction. Especially notable was the solid marble sculpture of Mary, originally hand-carved for the last queen of France, Marie Amelie. When the French monarchy was abolished, the statue remained homeless until she was purchased by a wealthy Catholic parishioner from New York. When this church in New Orleans took the name “Immaculate Conception,” in the 1850s, the benevolent New Yorker took note and contacted the New Orleans church to give them this statue of Mary (to read more about the church, visit: https://jesuitchurch.net/the-church).

On Thursday evening, following dinner, it is a CUS tradition to give thanks and recognition to outgoing officers and to honor the long-term service of those who will be retiring in the coming year. Special attention and gratitude were offered this year to the outgoing CUS Chair, The Rev. Dr. Mozella Mitchell. Most CUS Chairs, serve a 3-year term, but because of some staff transitions that were in process, the CUS Executive Committee voted to delay the election cycle. Dr. Mitchell graciously extended her service for an additional year. She brought the wisdom of her 30+ years of service to the Committee to her term as Chair, and provided a voice of calm and reassurance that was grounding to our work and to our spirits. Dr. Mitchell is loved and respected by her colleagues for her gracious spirit and persistent faith in all seasons and she models a length of commitment to CUS that speaks to the health and longevity of the project. By her own testimony, Dr. Mitchell gives praise to God for the opportunity to “study and examine the Holy Scriptures with fellow Christian writers, scholars, and editors of various Christian denominations and cultures. The fact that we are preparing lesson outlines for numerous church communions and contributing to the growth and development of thousands of Christian throughout this country and in other parts of the world makes us serious about the work we share as sisters and brothers in Christ,” said Dr. Mitchell. “It is of utmost significance, exceeding any disagreements we may have. I love the work itself because it challenges me and helps me to grow in grace and faith.”

On April 19, 2020 (pending COVID-19 restrictions), Dr. Mitchell will be honored by her member denomination, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, for her 50 years of service as a pastor and a scholar. To further mark the occasion, Dr. Mitchell has written a memoir, “Yea, Lord! Moving with the Spirit,” that was recently published by Xlibris Press. The memoir recounts the challenges she faced as a Black woman and how she thrived in her vocation amid the social movements and changes that marked each decade of her life. She speaks candidly about some of the dangers she faced as a mentor to the Black Student Caucus on her university campus, her decision to attend seminary as a way of gaining theological moorings for the social issues she and her students were confronting, and how she met and studied with Howard Thurman in the course of writing a dissertation about his influence as a theologian, educator, and civil rights leader.

During the CUS election of new officers, The Reverend Garland F. Pierce was unanimously voted in as the next CUS Chair, though his term does not officially begin until after the NCC Governing Board meeting in April at which time the vote will be confirmed. The Rev. Pierce is a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and serves his denomination as the Executive Director of the Department of Christian Education. Prior to his election to the denominational offices, Pierce served the World Council of Churches in Geneva, Switzerland, as the Senior Assistant to the General Secretary. Earlier in his vocational career, he served on the NCC staff as the Associate General Secretary for Education and Leadership Ministries and later Associate General Secretary for Education and Leadership Ministries. The CUS is certain to receive the rich blessing of all he brings to this term of service. Pierce will be commissioned during a worship service at the opening of the 2021 annual meeting, tentatively slated for the first week of March in Memphis, TN (details are forthcoming).

Following the service awards, The Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland-Tune, Chief Operating Officer for the NCC, stood up to bring official greetings from the Washington office. She began, almost reservedly, sharing her thoughts about the critical moment we are facing as a nation but what started as a formal greeting began to gather momentum and soon she was throwing down the gauntlet. She went from institutional emissary to all-out Baptist preacher! Her prophetic message found great resonance among the CUS listeners as she urged, “We have a story to tell.” The stories of the past do matter – the stories of Abraham and Sarah, the stories of Peter and of Mary, the stories of our grandparents and our parents, the stories of slavery and of freedom, the stories of “my church” and of “our Church.” It was a message of faith and of encouragement to join their stories to the stories of Scripture. Beyond merely teaching the Bible, CUS has a story to tell of God’s justice and how that justice must come to bear on the injustices of our time.

The CUS is alive and well a century and a half since its inception and indeed, “we have a story to tell!” The faith stories represented by those who share in developing these lesson outlines are experienced through many differences—theology, race, ethnicity, gender, geography, doctrine, worship styles, and traditions. As anyone who has come to an annual meeting will tell you, the love and respect participants hold for one another breaks down boundaries that model to the rest of the world an authentic unity in Christ. Serving on a committee that is diverse on so many levels can be both invigorating and challenging to the participants. The CUS embraces their diversity and exemplifies the conviction that Christ is “above all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:5). In 2022 the Uniform Lessons Committee will celebrate its sesquicentennial anniversary. They aim to be a vital force in Christian education for another 150 years!