Change.org - NFL + sexual assault

This summer, allegations of sexual misconduct emerged against the Washington Football Team. An investigation was launched and involved the mistreatment of the team’s cheerleaders. Now the cheerleading team has been put on pause to “rebrand.” Former Washington cheerleader Melanie wants justice for the women involved. She is calling for the team to be reinstated and the investigation be made public. Add your name to this urgent petition. NFL & WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM - DO THE RIGHT THING FOR WOMEN! 4,482 have signed Melanie Coburn’s petition. Let’s get to 5,000!

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NFL: Make Washington’s sexual misconduct investigation PUBLIC! Washington Football Team (WFT): Reinstate the cheerleaders and give them a seat at the table!  The NFL must do the right thing and make the sexual misconduct investigation of the WFT public AND hold Dan Snyder accountable for the history of serial sexual harassment within his organization.  The NFL along with the WFT employees, fans, alumni, and cheerleaders should stand up and disallow him from being a part of this historic franchise any longer. Ticket sales are at an all-time low and the name change controversy continues. It’s time to re-engage the fan base and create a winning game-day experience for everyone. This "rebranding" must include feedback and input from the women who have been on the sidelines supporting this team for more than a half-century. In addition, we should all be fighting for the immediate reinstatement of the WFT Cheerleaders (The First Ladies of Football). After a recent legal settlement (stemming from lewd videos that were made for front office staff), the almost 60 year long cheerleading program was canceled. These women aren’t just on the literal sidelines. They support local charities, and visit veterans and sick children in local hospitals. They create incredible value through youth outreach programs and put their lives at risk on overseas military tours to engage with and honor our servicemen and women. This cannot and must not stand.  #NFLforwomensrights #WFTdotherightthing #evolvedontcancel

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Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Savannah students on the RISE

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Savannah students on the RISE: Clergy-led coalition provides seven church-based learning pods for about 150 students February 27, 2021 Some of the members of the RISE Coal...

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Medical Missions Live - March 2 | MBF

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Medical Missions Live - March 2 | MBF: The Future of Training Medical Professionals 7:00 PM Central  |  Tuesday, March 2 David C.Thompson MD, FACS, FWACS Dear Ministry Partner,  O...

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Showers and blessings

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Showers and blessings: First Presbyterian Church of Plano, Texas, cares for its neighbors with both suds and duds February 26, 2021 First Presbyterian Church of Pl...

WCC NEWS: Armenians fleeing war find open doors as churches offer shelter and hope

Armenians forced to flee Nagorno-Karabakh during last year's fighting in a conflict with Azerbaijan are thankful to churches and all those offering them shelter as many of their homes were destroyed by bombing or are now occupied by others. Marta Vanyan from Shushi, Ariana Chakbazyan from Hadrut and Laura Hovsepyan from Shushi were forced to flee their homes in Artsakh during the six-week war in the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave late last year. Photo: WCC 25 February 2021 Families seeking refuge in Armenia say the brutal six-week war in the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave – known by Armenians as Artsakh – in September 2020 was the fiercest they have known in the series of conflicts since the 1990s. "On November 9 we received an instruction that we had to leave our homes because the enemy was close, and it was not possible to stop them," said Gevorg Gevorgyan, who spoke with his family around him in a Zoom call. He was engaged in his third war since the 1990s, and his son Malxas joined him on the frontline during the latest conflict that was suspended on 9 November. "When we were told we had to leave our village, we saw it wasn't Azeri soldiers there, but it was Jihadist mercenary soldiers who were close to our houses. So, we had to leave. We could not even take clothes with us." The family lived in the Qashatagh region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where they were a self-sufficient farming family with livestock and pomegranate trees. Finding safe refuge Masiatsotn Diocese hosts the family in Armenia's Ararat region, where the primate is Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, a member of the World Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Order who played a crucial role in setting up accommodation for the families. They are not far from the conflict frontlines. "We hope that the Armenian government will find a solution with Russian peacemakers, also with the Azeri government, to bring Armenian refugees back to our homes," said Gevorgyan. "In 22 years, we never even locked our doors where we lived," said his wife, Liana. “But we left everything behind from our life on the land. The children were terrified during the bombing. So, we feel safe in Armenia, but this is not our real home." Margarita Davtyan and her husband Kamo Davtyan lived comfortably in Hadrut city. "On the 27th of September, the war started at 7:15 in the morning when we heard an attack coming from the air. Our children were warned not to touch the bombs on the ground as they were dangerous. The whole village was set alight," said Margarita. Local priest, Father Hovakim Harutyunyan accompanied the family in aninterview.  "The war was much worse than they said. This was not like the wars of the 1990s and that in 2016. People really suffered. They are still suffering from multiple war wounds and post-traumatic stress syndrome," he said. Other families who fled from the war in Nagorno-Karabakh are now hosted and supported by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in Vagharchapat City. Marta Vanyan from Shushi City, Ariana Chakbazyan from Hadrut City, and Laura Hovsepyan, also from Shushi, recounted their experiences. Cultural and religious heritage Hovsepyan noted that the Armenian churches, and the cathedral in Shushi, were hit during the war. "The whole cultural heritage that we have there is testimony to the Armenian lands. All three of us hope we can get back to our cities, our land, and our homes," she said. "We could get on with all nationalities in Shushi. And we were living in peace. I am not a nationalist. And I can easily live with other nationalities; we have nothing against other people.” "Our problem comes from the powerful leaderships of other counties who decide which part of the land must go to whom. These are powerful people in Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey," said Hovsepyan. She recalled that in the 1990s, the Armenians living in Baku or other places in Azerbaijan were forced to change and “Russify” their names, noting that as Armenians, they are proud to have names with the ending of “yan.” However, she said, "We have hopes that we can go back to Shushi city." She spoke of the agony of war from both sides, asking how could people go back to Shushi “and drink a tea in peace knowing that more than 10,000 Azeri soldiers were killed in this war and Azeri mothers are suffering for their losses? I am in full solidarity with these mothers and share their pain.” Armenian church offers help The church-based response to refugees' plight was highlighted by Dr Karen Nazaryan, director of the Armenia Round Table Foundation, working with the ACT Alliance and receiving support from Brot für die Welt Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe in Germany. Nazaryan said, "We are working in a close relationship with the Armenian Apostolic Church, and with active social centres." He noted, "Of course, the first thing those refugees needed was food and winter clothes because many of them they came without any preparation at all and no means to protect themselves from the cold winter weather." The church is also looking after their spiritual, emotional, and psychological needs. "Right now, we have at least 50,000 refugees in Armenia, and that is a huge number for a small country like Armenia, where we have around only 2.8 million people." Unresolved conflict The 2020 conflict was between Azerbaijan – supported by Turkey – and the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh and Armenia over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories. It was the latest escalation of an unresolved conflict over the region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but historically populated by a majority of ethnic Armenians who have long sought self-determination and independence since before the collapse of the Soviet Union.  However, with the break-up of the former Soviet territory, Nagorno-Karabakh was encompassed within Azerbaijan's international-recognized boundaries.  Nevertheless, following a sharp conflict in the early 1990s during which many ethnic Azeris were displaced, the territory has in practice been self-governing since 1994.  Mediation efforts led by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Minsk Group failed to reach a final agreement on the region's status.  The conflict flared again on 27 September 2020 and ended on 10 November when Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia signed an agreement to stop the fighting.  'Painful deal' Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called the deal "incredibly painful both for me and both for our people" following six weeks of intense fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenians. The new ceasefire agreement prompted anger in Armenia as protesters stormed the parliament, beating up the speaker and reportedly looting the prime minister's office. This article is first in a series of features covering the various aspects of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and its impact on the local communities. WCC makes urgent call for “lasting peace founded on justice and human rights” for people of Nagorno-Karabakh (WCC press release 13 November 2020) WCC member churches in Armenia See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

You have moral power!

We can’t wait for the 11 March global day of climate action. With religious people worldwide, you are showing what it means for people to put their beliefs into action.

Join grassroots, multi-faith activists on 3 March for our final Sacred People, Sacred Earth training call. We have calls in English, Spanish, and French at several times during the day to accommodate all time zones

We’ll have breakout sessions for both seasoned activists and newcomers, so no matter your experience level, we have a spot for you! You can also join the Sacred People, Sacred Earth Facebook group to connect with fellow activists and upload photos and videos of your action on 11 March.

We are amazed by the passion and creativity of the actions that are planned for 11 March. Here are a few examples:

• Churches in Santiago and across Chile are ringing their bells at 11 a.m., signifying the urgency of “the 11th hour” on climate change.

• Over 80 local events across Australia will involve churches ringing bells, sounding the azan - the Islamic call to prayer - and sounding gongs and chimes, all calling on the Prime Minister and Parliament to commit to net zero emissions by 2030.

• In the UK, where there is a full COVID lockdown, various religious groups are planning webinars where they will express their call for climate justice.

• In Zimbabwe, grassroots people of faith are organizing to oppose a new mining project that would devastate a national park and the nearby communities, and will call on local officials to oppose the project.

• Diverse religious and spiritual communities in South Africa are organizing a participatory national call to highlight calls for climate justice on the Gates Foundation to end its support for industrial agriculture in Africa.

• In the US, Buddhist and Christian communities in Colorado will ring their bells and sound their gongs at 11am local time, while in Florida, congregations near the state capital are ringing their bells to press the legislature for . In other US locations, religious groups are organizing socially-distanced actions to call for an end to Line 3, a proposed new fossil fuel pipeline.

What will your action be? Join the 3 March call to hear what others are planning and get all the resources you need to jump in with us!

See you there,

The GreenFaith Team

How the church can model lament

The Church Must Model Lament for Our Grieving Nation Adam Russell Taylor This week the United States surpassed a tragic milestone: Half a million people in this country have died from COVID-19 — a number that, while devastating, doesn’t even take into account the full human toll of the virus. While numbers of cases, deaths, and hospitalizations have begun to fall precipitously (for a variety of overlapping reasons) and nearly 50 million Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, this dark winter feels like a prolonged wilderness of grief and loss. Since the pandemic began roughly a year ago, I have shed more tears than I have in my entire lifetime. Tears of grief for the loss of loved ones, including one of my mentors and beloved fraternity brothers Judge Horace Johnson. Tears of anguish over the widespread economic devastation and protracted hardships. Tears of righteous anger over deep denial and failures in leadership. As we mark this milestone of 500,000 COVID-19 deaths, it is important to explore how our nation and the church grieve such immense loss of life. We can’t, nor should we, simply move on. Individual and collective mourning is a critical part of how we process, how we remember, and how we heal. Further, collective grief can move us toward common purpose in this time marked by such profound division. For Christians, as we move through this season of Lent, it’s important not to become numb to the sheer scale of these numbers and lose sight of the reality that each death represents an individual person, loved by God and made in God’s image, who had parents and family and friends and whose loss has ripple effects across many lives. And on this side of eternity, each one of these beloved children of God has left behind a real void. Churches are on the front lines of helping parishioners cope with the magnitude of this personal and collective tragedy, even as what church looks like has evolved in the past year. Now it is church’s role to offer a template for what collective lament and community look like amid a global pandemic. The milestone of 500,000 American lives cut tragically short reminds us of Lent’s importance in a nation and world undergoing so much pain. The journey between now and resurrection Sunday must inevitably go through a wilderness of grief. READ THE FULL ARTICLE Forward Share

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Our Latest Witnesses to the Miracle of Blackness (by Danté Stewart) Black History Month is not just about learning from Black people; it's about creating a world where we feel loved, inspired, and protected. Grace Semler Baldridge Is Bringing Queer Stories to Christian Music (by Mitchell Atencio) Preacher's Kid dares to include songs about topics rejected by the contemporary Christian music industry. Sr. Dianna Ortiz, Torture Survivor and Activist, Dies at 62 (by Gina Ciliberto) Ortiz “turned her experiences of death into something that saved the lives of thousands of people,” said Rose Marie Berger. Dear Black Churches: We Can Overcome Vaccine Skepticism, Inequity (by Matthew Watley) Our churches must lead by providing accurate medical information and greater vaccine access.

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From the Magazine Alternatives to Police Exist. You Just Haven't Heard of Them. (by Stephanie Russell-Kraft) How faith and community leaders are reimagining public safety.

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Join a courageous conversation. Micah Intensives bring together Christian leaders and learners for a month of dynamic online training to discern God's will for us in response to pressing issues of justice. Topics include: Racism, Immigration, Mass Incarceration, Healthcare, Violence Against Women, and Environment. Deadline today! Submit your sermon on immigration. Few Christians have heard a sermon supporting immigrant people. We’re out to change that. Today’s the deadline. Submit your sermon now!

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Change.org - Sexual assault bill

Since the start of the COVID-19, another silent health crisis has been brewing. Sexual violence against women has intensified. Ashley lives in Arizona, where sexual assault survivors don’t have basic civil rights. There’s a bill in the Arizona House of Representatives that would help survivors get common sense support – like access to their own police report and medical record. But the bill is stuck with no hearing date. Sign to help Ashley send a message to Arizona lawmakers: survivors deserve to have their rights ensured.  Pass a Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights in Arizona 1,519 have signed Ashley Farrell’s petition. Let’s get to 2,500!

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In Arizona, sexual assault survivors are not guaranteed to receive their civil rights.  They are left to navigate a system with a patchwork of policies largely on their own.  As reports of sexual violence have only increased in AZ and around the world during COVID, survivors in AZ need civil rights protections now more than ever. Currently, there are two bills that have been introduced to the Arizona House of Representatives, HB2600 and HB2849, to ensure these rights in our state. Even though this bill has bipartisan support in the House and Senate, it must be heard in committee in order to be voted on and passed. Right now, the bill does not have a hearing date and the head of the Judiciary Committee, who can assign it a hearing, is hospitalized. The rules for this deadline must be suspended and this bill must be given a hearing. This is imperative as survivors deserve to have these rights ensured.  Arizona has the opportunity to pass a Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights that will guarantee comprehensive, common sense civil rights for survivors. Rise’s Five Key Civil Rights: 1. The right to not have your rape kit destroyed before either 20 years or the statute of limitations has passed (whichever is longer). 2. The right to be notified of your civil rights related to a sexual assault. 3. The right to not be charged for your own rape kit examination. 4. The right to access your own medical record related to a rape kit examination. 5. The right to a copy of your own police report. Over forty states have backlogs for untested kits. Some states do not cover the full medical expenses of a kit, leaving survivors to pay their own way towards justice. Most states destroy rape kits before the statute of limitations for the crime has passed. The lack of these rights has inspired us to act. This is a crisis for 25 million survivors across America, and it’s time for our legislators to do something about it. Sign this petition, then learn more at our website -- and if you have a few minutes to contribute to the cause, take a look here at the quick, easy, ways you can make an impact now!

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At Change.org, we believe in the voice of everyday people. Is there something that you want to change? Start a petition today