STORIES
Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh // photo: Paul Jeffrey/ACT Alliance
Special Offering 2026 : A NEW WAY Hello Disciples! Week of Compassion is in our Special Offering season and we want to say THANK YOU.
Your gifts continue to serve the most vulnerable people across the world. Every day, we witness the growing impacts of climate-driven disasters across the United States and Canada. We see our neighbors navigating escalations in immigration enforcement and increased restrictions to refugee protections. We watch international conflicts disrupt national and community life. The needs are deep, the impacts are lasting, and in many places recovery will take years – often unfolding in ways we cannot yet imagine. And still, you show up. caring for refugees in turbulent timesIn a season when national conversations around refugees often stir fear and division, local churches continue to choose a different way: the way of welcome, companionship, and the steady work of showing up for neighbors. This is the heart of our Christian witness — and the heart of Week of Compassion.
As political violence in Afghanistan escalated in 2021, thousands of people were evacuated from their homes, and many were assisted by churches, families, and organizations to resettle in the United States. Week of Compassion supported this effort through our partners and with Afghan Family Support grants to congregations, helping terrified new neighbors find welcome and hope in a new home. an immersion in international disaster resposnse For more than three decades, Week of Compassion has partnered with Community World Service Asia (CWSA) to accompany vulnerable communities in Pakistan. This summer, that long-standing partnership took on a new dimension through the International Disaster Response Immersion Program, as seminarian Leigh Larson joined CWSA for ten weeks of ministry and learning. Leigh Larson, a student at Phillips Theological Seminary and a candidate for ordination in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), brought her gifts as a chaplain, author, and scholar into a context of profound challenge and resilience.
BEYOND: General Assembly 20257/24/2025 Week of Compassion highlights from Memphis What a joy to gather with Disciples and friends in Memphis July 12-15 for General Assembly 2025! It is always a treasured time, to worship and learn, pray and play, and imagine together what God has in mind for each of us and all of us in this moment and in the days ahead. Here are a few highlights of Week of Compassion connections during this full and meaning-filled Assembly.
World Refugee Day 20256/17/2025 Solidarity With RefugeesOn this World Refugee Day (June 20), the Refugee Resettlement Program in the United States is in a completely preventable crisis. Since the US Refugee Admissions Program was put on hold on January 20, more than 10,000 refugees worldwide have been left stranded, many having sold all their possessions in preparation for their journey to the United States when their flights were abruptly cancelled in January. A further 124,000 refugees were approved to come to the United States but had not yet had their travel booked.
Among those refugees are the Richard family and Ékutschou family, both families who are members of the Disciples of Christ in Congo and were being sponsored by Congolese Christian Church in Indianapolis to come to the US after escaping war in their own country. While we cannot tell the story of every refugee currently facing this crisis, we are grateful to Pastor Jean-Baptiste Ilondo for his willingness to share his own story with us, in conversation with Rev. Sandra Gourdet. Accompanying Refugees5/27/2025 how one congregation serves their neighbors In recent days, our hearts have been heavy as storms and tornadoes have devastated communities in St. Louis, Kentucky, and Virginia. We grieve the loss of life, the destruction of homes and sacred spaces, and the deep disruption to daily life. In moments like these, we’re reminded of how fragile our sense of safety can be—and how vital it is to have a community that shows up with compassion, presence, and care.
The same spirit of accompaniment is at the heart of the refugee ministry at Mt. Pleasant Christian Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. connect with Week of Compassion in Memphis There are so many ways to learn about – and be part of! – the work of Week of Compassion at this summer's General Assembly! |
