Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 18-25 January 2014 At least once a year, many Christians become aware of the great diversity of ways of adoring God. Hearts are touched, and people realize that their neighbors' ways are not so strange. This celebration is not well known among Evangelical/Pentecostal churches in the USA, nevertheless those churches are invited to consider joining in prayer during this week. The event that touches off this special experience is something called the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Traditionally celebrated between 18-25 January (in the northern hemisphere) or at Pentecost (in the southern hemisphere), the Week of Prayer enters into congregations and parishes all over the world. Pulpits are exchanged, and special ecumenical celebrations and prayer services are arranged. Ecumenical partners in a particular region are asked to prepare a basic text on a biblical theme. Then an international group with WCC-sponsored (Protestant and Orthodox) and Roman Catholic participants edits this text and ensures that it is linked with the search for the unity of the church. The text is jointly published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and WCC, through the WCC's Commission on Faith and Order, which also accompanies the entire production process of the text. The final material is sent to member churches and Roman Catholic dioceses, and they are invited to translate the text and contextualize it for their own use. Theme for 2014: Has Christ been divided? 2014 Bible text: 1 Corinthians 1:1-17 For resources click HERE
Conferences and Events on Justice
The Voice of Justice February 21-22, 2014 Los Angeles, CA The Justice Conference is an annual national primary conference and a network of partner sites - featuring internationally acclaimed speakers, hundreds of humanitarian organizations and pre-conference workshops - that annually educates, inspires and connects a generation of men and women around a shared concern for biblical and social justice, the vulnerable and oppressed. For more info click HERE Ecumenical Advocacy Days Friday, March 21 - Monday, March 24, 2014 Ecumenical Advocacy Days is a movement of the ecumenical Christian community, and its recognized partners and allies, grounded in biblical witness and our shared traditions of justice, peace and the integrity of creation. Our goal, through worship, theological reflection and opportunities for learning and witness, is to strengthen our Christian voice and to mobilize for advocacy on a wide variety of U.S. domestic and international policy issues. Come to the 12th annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days and join hundreds of other Christians in "Resisting Violence, Building Peace." Doubletree Hotel, Crystal City, Virginia Washington, D.C. For more info click HERE The Vineyard Justice Network The Vineyard Justice Network exists to empower Vineyard pastors and leaders to pursue and enact the justice of God's kingdom. VJN focuses on the interconnectivity of freeing slaves, ending poverty, and tending creation. For more info click HERE
Resources
Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World
Mission belongs to the very being of the church. Proclaiming the word of God and witnessing to the world is essential for every Christian. At the same time, it is necessary to do so according to gospel principles, with full respect and love for all human beings. Aware of the tensions between people and communities of different religious convictions and the varied interpretations of Christian witness, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID), the World Council of Churches (WCC) and, at the invitation of the WCC, the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), met during a period of 5 years to reflect and produce this document to serve as a set of recommendations for conduct on Christian witness around the world. The purpose of this document is to encourage churches, church councils and mission agencies to reflect on their current practices and to use the recommendations in this document to prepare, where appropriate, their own guidelines for their witness and mission among those of different religions and among those who do not profess any particular religion. Download document HERE The ECRF is aimed to meet the growing needs of religious leaders in faith-based organizations and institutions. Such organizations include: theological seminaries, religiously based colleges, independent mega-congregations, denominational development offices, traditional congregations and faith-based nonprofits. The ECRF serves individual clergy and leadership who wish to gain an expertise in fundraising principles and practices and to train development personnel who serve faith-based organizations. Date of program: January 27-30, 2013Cost: $900 per participant early bird rate; $1,200 after September 1st
What's Included: Certificate Curriculum
Access to online community
Breakfast and refreshments each day of the course
Registration is now open at Louisville Seminary. If you have questions regarding registration please contact Beth Timmons at 502-992-9353 or btimmons@lpts.edu. For all other questions please contact Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at lfi@iupui.edu or 317-278-8998. - See more at: http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/events/event/executive-certificate-in-religious-fundrasing#sthash.sZl2Gz9f.dpuf | 
