National Religious & Immigrant Leaders to President: 5 Million Is Not Enough

News & Updates | Posted Thursday, November 20, 2014

Click here to listen to PRESS TELECONFERENCE AUDIO WASHINGTON — As President Barack Obama prepares to make his historic announcement on immigration, national faith and immigrant leaders urge the President not to limit what is in his full legal authority to enact. The President must make his executive order inclusive and provide opportunity and justice for all our undocumented community members. …

President Obama, You Can End the Nightmares of 5.5 Million Children

News & Updates | Posted Wednesday, November 5, 2014

As originally published by The Hill, November 5, 2014, 3 p.m. thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/civil-rights/223059-president-obama-you-can-end-the-nightmares-of-55-million Can I be honest? I am sick and tired of the predictable victory and concession speeches that we hear on election nights. Politicians promise to listen to all their constituents – both those who voted for and against them. They promise to go to Washington and to get …

Church Members Assemble CWS School Kits During a “Participatory Sermon”

News & Updates | Posted Tuesday, September 2, 2014

On a recent summer Sunday at worship at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Tacoma, Wash., we prayed with our hearts, minds and hands. We had our first-ever participatory sermon, during which we assembled kits of school supplies for distribution here in the United States and throughout the world in case of disaster or violence that leaves school children without access to school and …

VBS celebrates a World of Water

News & Updates | Posted Friday, July 26, 2013

Using daily Bible verses, songs, games, lessons and CWS stories – all focused on a water theme – the Newbury United Community Church Vacation Bible School last summer overflowed with enthusiasm and learning. VBS/Christian Education Director Brigitte Fiorille created the curriculum around a theme of water and global awareness.  “We were inspired by a copy of your “Build a Better …

A Mother’s Service

News & Updates | Posted Saturday, May 11, 2013

My mom was a member of the Altar Guild at St. Michael Catholic Church in Gastonia, NC. As a young girl I would join her on Saturday mornings to help clean the sanctuary. My job was to scrape out the residual wax from the bottom of the candle holders and place a new candle into the glass. Surrounded by the …

Heartfelt Help

News & Updates | Posted Thursday, March 21, 2013

Often, the first thing CWS provides in an emergency is a blanket for warmth, comfort, and sometimes, even shelter. But as needs change, other things are required – tents, food, water, and the tools and materials to rebuild. That’s why it’s called Blankets+, and it’s a great way for our congregation to provide essential aid to victims of disasters, seeds …

Become an Immigrant Welcoming Congregation!

News & Updates | Posted Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Congregations across the United States are embarking on the journey of becoming “Immigrant Welcoming Congregations” (IWC).  Participation in this journey equips churches to travel from mercy to justice, from service to incarnational friendship, from activism to organizing, from “ministering to” immigrants to being transformed alongside of immigrant communities. Kristin Kumpf, a United Methodist working with the Midwest Academy, Chicago, Ill., …

What each part of the “plus” means in CWS Blankets+

News & Updates | Posted Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Five children explained what each part of the “plus” means in CWS Blankets+ and then they put the “plus” together on the large blanket during the Children’s Moment of the service… I made black “pluses” to put on the windows in the Sanctuary, one for every $50 collected. Last year Churchill Memorial United Methodist Church donated $1567 to Blankets+, so …

Church World Service, affiliate agencies featured in CBS Television refugee resettlement special

News & Updates | Posted Thursday, September 8, 2011

Update:  Watch Refugee Resettlement: Faith Communities Making a Difference here! NEW YORK – CWS Immigration and Refugee Program Director Erol Kekic is featured in Refugee Resettlement: Faith Communities Making A Difference, the upcoming CBS religion special about refugees who resettle in the United States and the key roles that voluntary agencies like Church World Service and local faith-based agencies play …

Church remains dedicated to service, even in the face of tragedy

News & Updates | Posted Monday, May 16, 2011

Even though Shells Evangelical Lutheran Church, Grantville, Pennsylvania suffered a fire in their sanctuary and social hall by an arsonist, they still collected donations for the CWS Blankets+ program and will be collecting donations for the tools project in June. Shells’ congregation “gets it” and reaches out to those in need no matter what!  Shells Church mission statement is: “We …