Action Alert - Stand with Transgender Individuals and Families on Transgender Day of Visibility

Write Congress Now

Transgender individuals and their families continue to face significant discrimination and violence in many parts of our nation. On this Transgender Day of Visibility, we are reminded of the need for stronger protections and support for the rights and dignity of transgender individuals. Unfortunately, there are currently multiple legislative proposals and executive actions that seek to undermine the rights of transgender people, including access to healthcare, protection from discrimination, and the right to live authentically. These actions threaten the safety, well-being, and basic freedoms of transgender individuals. The proposed legislation targeting transgender rights, including laws that restrict access to gender-affirming care and seek to erase the existence of transgender individuals in public life, will cause immediate harm. Studies show that transgender individuals, particularly transgender women and youth, face disproportionately high rates of mental health struggles, discrimination, and violence. These laws not only contribute to these harmful conditions but also deny transgender individuals the right to make decisions about their own bodies and lives. The impacts are far-reaching, harming families and communities as a whole by fostering division and exclusion.   We are at a crossroads—we cannot allow these harmful policies to continue, and we must choose to stand up for the human dignity of transgender individuals. Now is the time to act urgently to advocate for the rights and dignity of transgender people by opposing these discriminatory bills and instead support policies that protect and empower them. As Presbyterians, we are called to stand with those who are marginalized and oppressed. The Presbyterian Church (USA) affirms the full dignity of all people, regardless of gender identity. Our commitment to justice and human rights is grounded in Scripture and our shared values.   The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has long affirmed the need to advocate for those who are vulnerable. In our 2014 General Assembly report, we declared our support for transgender individuals and their families, emphasizing that all people are made in God's image and should be treated with respect and dignity. We stand firm in our belief that God alone is Lord of our conscience, and it is our duty to ensure that all people, including transgender individuals, have the freedom to live in accordance with their authentic selves, free from discrimination or harm.   Scripture affirms this call for justice and inclusion. Galatians 3:28 reminds us that "there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; for all are one in Christ Jesus." The church’s mission calls us to live this out in tangible ways, ensuring that all people, regardless of gender identity, are valued and supported.   As we seek to be a Matthew 25 Church, we are committed to acting to "dismantle structural racism and oppression." This commitment extends to transgender people, who face unique and profound forms of discrimination. Amplifying the rights of transgender individuals is not just a political issue—it's a matter of faith. On Transgender Day of Visibility, we urge you to contact your elected representatives and demand that they uphold the rights of transgender individuals. Specifically, ask them to: Read the Advocacy Committee for LGBTQIA+ Equity's invitation to 'celebrate the joy and resiance of transgender and genderqueer people' in churches and communities. Oppose any legislation that seeks to restrict the rights and dignity of transgender individuals. Support policies that affirm the ability of transgender people to live authentically, including access to gender-affirming healthcare and protection from discrimination. Stand with transgender families in advocating for justice and inclusion.   Together, we can create a world where transgender people and their families are not only visible but respected, loved, and protected. Let us reflect the love of Christ in our actions today and every day. Please contact your Congressional representatives today and urge them to protect and uplift the rights of transgender individuals.

Write Congress Now

Click the link below to log in and send your message: https://www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/c_knapOr8E0yfxVI-u7bBg

Seven Weeks for Water 2025, week 5: Lenten Sustenance: Jesus at the table

The fifth reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2025 series of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network is written by Phil Hildtich, with inputs from Sarah Larkin and Amanda Munoz from the PAAHC (Prayer & Action Against Hunger Coalition). He focuses on artwork chosen for this year’s Weekend of Prayer and Action against Hunger campaign. Linking climate change and melting glaciers with food production and hunger, he reminds us to be mindful of the food that we take for granted and draws our attention to the “10 Commandments for Food.” He also highlights the Christian witness to address hunger in times of climate change, being inspired by Jesus, who always had a concern for feeding the hungry. This artwork "Jesus at the table" is by Esther Douglas, a young artist from Manchester, currently in her final year of her degree in Fine Art at the Glasgow School of Art." More info: https://www.wvi.org/hunger-crisis/coalition-member-initiatives  31 March 2025 Biblical Text:  Isaiah 58:10-11 "If you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Reflection:  When asked to write a reflection on behalf of the Prayer & Action Against Hunger Coalition, touching on glacier preservation, I recognised the complexity of the global hunger crisis. Hunger is a multifaceted issue that impacts the whole world and has an impact across ecosystems. In 2022, between 691-783 million people were facing hunger. The main driver? Climate change. Climate change is impacting our glaciers; the loss of glaciers means less meltwater to support the food systems, drinking water, and sanitation that supports billions of people.I was very struck by this vivid image. These issues go hand in hand and if we are to pray for the end of hunger, we must pray for the restoration and recreation of nature, in this instance glaciers. While I am writing this reflection, the world leaders of various governments are meeting in Paris under the auspices of the Nutrition for growth Summit, addressing ending hunger and malnutrition.  Our artwork this year for the Weekend of Prayer & Action Against Hunger is a piece called "The Shared Table" by Esther Douglas. The artist wrote these words about her creation: “Jesus repeatedly shared meals with many different groups of people in the Bible, from the last supper with his disciples, to his meal shared with Zacchaeus after beckoning him down from the tree; He loved to share food with people. This image of the shared table hopefully encourages us to meditate on the ’shared table,’ both literal and metaphorical.“ Sarah Larkin from Integral Alliance wrote a reflection about The Shared Table artwork in which we are reminded about the biblical call for hospitality. The empty chair in the artwork prompts us to recall Jesus as the unseen guest at every meal and to ask ourselves how we might act differently if Jesus were physically in the room with us. Sarah Larkin also draws attention to the image's colour contrast—the light and the dark, the good and the bad. What struck me was how these whites and greys, silvers and deep blues are also the colours of glaciers.  We might ask ourselves the questions: how might we think and act differently about our care for creation and its resources, like food and water, if Jesus were physically in the room with us? Would we waste food so mindlessly? Would we over-consume? Would we think twice about where our food comes from, how far it has travelled to get to our plate, or the amount of water used in its production? Where the water the supports our food comes from and how much of it is left? Would we consider how we treat those who produce, deliver, cook, serve, and tidy up after our food? These questions are hard to answer and they make us consider what course of action we can take to address these issues. The 10 commandments for food is an excellent resource, full of practical guidelines as to how we can be more mindful about our food consumption and intentional about our hospitality. The PAACH Action Guide also provides practical actions individuals, communities, and families can consider as they ask the questions outlined above.  Now, let's not make the mistake of becoming fearful or guilting ourselves into action because Jesus is watching us. We need to remember that this is an invitation to a more full way of being—of living simply so that others may simply live, of coming together and finding the abundance of enough—not too much, not too little, but enough.  The Shared Table reflection by Sarah Larkin also challenges us to believe in God’s miraculous provision and multiplication, inspired by the Gospel story of the feeding of the 5,000. Here there was more than enough to go round - there were 12 full baskets left over! If we do have an overflow we can certainly thank God but also seek to bless others by sharing what we can with those who do not have enough. This is a wonderful way to become like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. To conclude with the words of the artist Esther Douglas who asks, “How can we extend the table to others through our physical sharing of food with those who are without? How can we extend the table of prayer, to gather with others together in conversation with the Lord, committing those who are experiencing the effects of the hunger crisis to Him who knows and cares for them? This piece encourages us to think about our own ‘table' and how we can share what we have in practical ways.” Questions for Discussion: How can we extend the table of hospitality in our own communities, particularly to those affected by climate change? In what ways can we take action to preserve the environment and ensure access to clean water for all? Action: Prepare a meal using ingredients that come from within 100Kms of where you live. Consider where your food comes from and the unseen costs it may have such as water usage. Join us for the Weekend of Prayer & Action Against Hunger or host aFaith Community Nutrition Dialogue,amplifying faith voices calling for change. Resources: Prayer & Action Against Hunger Coalition WCC - 10 Commandments of Food Phil Hilditch (with inputs from Sarah Larkin and Amanda Munoz) is a Prayer & Action Against Hunger Coalition member and currently serves World Vision International as a Faith & External Engagement advisor. 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 Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC news: WCC extends condolences, prayers in wake of earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended condolences to those who lost loved ones and invited prayer and support for the people of Myanmar and Thailand in the wake of a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar, with aftershocks in Thailand, on 28 March.   Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 29 March 2025 “Our prayers are with all those who lost loved ones in their families and among friends,” said Pillay. “Our thoughts are also with all those involved in response and recovery work, both immediately and in the long term.” At least 150 people have been killed and reports from officials indicate the death toll is likely to grow. Hundreds more were injured. Aid groups reported that communication blackouts and damaged roads are hindering their ability to reach people as crews are searching through the rubble and assessing damage. The earthquake, which ruptured along the Sagaing Fault, was the largest to hit Myanmar in more than a century. “We are especially pained and concerned for the people of Myanmar who are already vulnerable due to protracted conflict in the nation,” said Pillay. The last time a quake of such magnitude struck on land was the 2023 Turkey earthquake, which killed 50,000 people. “I urge churches and specialized agencies in the ecumenical family to extend every prayer and every possible means of support for humanitarian aid assistance,” said Pillay.  Earthquake in Myanmar and its effects in Thailand – Update from the Christian Conference of Asia 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 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

EarthBeat Weekly: Is 'spring cleaning' a climate problem? 3 tips to simplify your home without hurting the planet

Is 'spring cleaning' a climate problem? 3 tips to simplify your home without hurting the planet Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change March 28, 2025   After the birth of our fourth child last summer, I became particularly overwhelmed with the amount of "stuff" in our home. Clothes, toys, books — all things that were loved and used well — there was simply just too much of it in our three-bedroom, six-person (plus a dog or two) household.  But I'd felt this way before, and I knew what came next: a sort of paralysis to do anything at all with it because I've been around the sustainability space long enough to know that when something leaves my house, that doesn't mean it ceases to exist or to be a burden on our common home, planet Earth. Furthermore, I don't like giving my things to thrift stores that turn around donations for a profit or that support values misaligned with my own. I resolved to put in the effort to figure out the best way to pass along my stuff to people who would actually benefit from it. I discovered the solution is to focus on nearby neighbors in my local community.  I now drop off children's clothes to a community closet that gives them away for free, donate children's books to a food shelf that offers them to clients' families along with their groceries, and regularly post toys, decor and other items to my area's Facebook "free group" for porch pick-up. (I'm also a regular "shopper" of Facebook Marketplace.) A little extra time and research up front has resulted in a low-effort, hyper-localized system for redistributing my belongings that I can now enjoy for consistent, longterm use.  Pope Francis devotes a subsection in his encyclical Laudato Si' to "Pollution, waste and the throwaway culture," saying at one point, "We have not yet managed to adopt a circular model of production capable of preserving resources for present and future generations, while limiting as much as possible the use of non-renewable resources, moderating their consumption, maximizing their efficient use, reusing and recycling them. A serious consideration of this issue would be one way of counteracting the throwaway culture which affects the entire planet" (22). This week at EarthBeat, Céire Kealty shared her own reflection on our "spring cleaning" habit and how she's pursuing personal, community and institutional challenges to throwaway culture as part of her Lenten commitment this year. Read more: The challenge of stuff: How 'spring cleaning' here creates environmental harm there For even more about "the challenge of stuff," revisit these headlines from the EarthBeat archives: Used clothing imports to Africa strain local ecosystems, waste management Our clothing donations may cause more harm than good Swim expedition shows we might better 'clothe the naked' by buying fewer clothes Why Catholics should divest from plastic in their closets     What else is new on EarthBeat:   What St. Francis and Brother Wolf teach us about cooperating with creation by Nancy F. Castaldo The legend of St. Francis of Assisi and Brother Wolf tells a story not of taming a wild creature, but of cooperation and mutual understanding with our siblings in creation. Today, ranchers and farmers use nonlethal methods to coexist with wolves.   SEC clears investor nuns to file Indigenous rights resolution against Citigroup by Fiona Murphy, Religion News Service Sr. Susan Francois has spent the past four years filing shareholder resolutions against Citigroup, urging the company to rethink its financial ties to fossil fuel projects that impact Indigenous communities.    NCR recipes for Lent: Kale with cannellini beans by Teresa Malcolm NCR copy chief Teresa Malcolm shares a favorite meatless meal she said works as a main or side dish.    What's happening in other climate news: Christians worldwide urged to take legal action on climate crisis —Isabella Kaminski for the Guardian She inspired laws to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable. Now she's a target. —Coral Davenport for The New York Times Secret Energy Department "hit list" targets renewable energy industry —Emily Atkin for HEATED Trump wants states to handle disasters. States aren't prepared —Lauren Sommer for NPR Republicans helped some environment programs dodge DOGE —Kelsey Brugger and Andres Picon for E&E News Supreme Court weighs which courts can hear Clean Air Act disputes —Rachel Frazin for The Hill What the technofascists and religious fanatics have in common: End days theology —Amy Westervelt for Drilled   Final Beat: Did you know that a global majority of people want climate action?  A collection of new scientific studies found that number could be as high as 89%. The statistic has inspired a year-long initiative from the Covering Climate Now journalism collaborative titled The 89 Percent Project, which aims to make known the reality that climate action is an overwhelmingly common concern of the world's people, despite many feeling alone in their anxiety and action. NCR senior correspondent Heidi Schlumpf reported for EarthBeat last year that young people experiencing climate anxiety found comfort and encouragement in values-aligned communities. What might it look like for more people to know their fellow citizens agree with them on the climate issue? The 89 Percent Project hopes to find out. Be sure to check the "What's happening in other climate news" section of this newsletter throughout the year for stories from various outlets in partnership with this Covering Climate Now project. Thanks for reading EarthBeat. Stephanie Clary Environment Editor National Catholic Reporter sclary@ncronline.org   Featured Advertisers   Looking to Hire? Offering Retreats? Selling Books? Place an Ad in NCR's Online Classified Section for Only $75 per Month!   Advertisement

WCC NEWS - Prof. Rastko Jovic, co-convener of the Just Community of Women and Men, reflects on the theology behind gender justice

Prof. Rastko Jovic, from Serbia, co-convener of Just Community of Women and Men  reflects in a WCC video interview about the World Council of Churches (WCC) Just Community of Women and Men programme—and how using theology to underscore justice will inspire churches globally. Photo:WCC 27 March 2025 Speaking from an Orthodox point of view, Jovic describes initiatives in Serbia, some organized by the government and some by non-governmental organizations.   “By the next assembly, I believe the WCC is going to work more on the theological foundation especially because when you speak about gender justice it’s sometimes seen as secular—something that’s been imported into the church,” he says.   That’s where theology will make a difference, he concludes.   “I believe the WCC is going to inspire more and more churches to believe these ideas through theology,” he says. #WCC Interview: Prof. Rastko Jovic, Co-convenor of Just Community of Women and Men Learn more about the work of Just Community of Women and Men   Thursdays in Black   Watch more video interviews of Thursdays in Black ambassadors  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 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland