- Thanksgiving’s Call to Gratitude and Grace
This Thanksgiving greeting to members and friends of the American Waldensian Society was written by the Society´s Executive Director, Carol M. Bechtel. As I was walking down a small street in Torre Pellice, Italy, last summer, I was tempted by the beautiful fruit that was displayed outside a small shop. The local plums were particularly … Continue reading Thanksgiving’s Call to Gratitude and Grace - The Road to Unity
Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic Christians in Europe recently took another big step to building closer relationships with each other. This report is adapted from a report by Luca Maria Negro for “Evangelical Worship” on Radio RAI 1. Twelve days ago, in the very special setting of the Abbey of the Tre Fontane in Rome, Orthodox … Continue reading The Road to Unity - Latin America’s Largest Protestant Theological Library Celebrates a New Beginning
An important agreement was signed on October 29, 2025, to restore, modernize, and make available to students and scholars the library of the now-closed Evangelical Institute for Advanced Theological Studies (ISEDET). The agreement, the substance of which is a 50-year free loan, was signed between the four Protestant denominations that together own the Library and … Continue reading Latin America’s Largest Protestant Theological Library Celebrates a New Beginning - Parque 17 de Febrero Celebrates Its 90th Birthday the Way It Began, Focusing on Faith, Community, and Leadership Development
Parque 17 de Febrero recently celebrated its 90 years of existence with a day-long birthday party. The party brought together different generations of campers, leaders, and others who have had a part in its history. In true camp style, the day was a mix of celebration, games, memories, and dreams for the future. This report, … Continue reading Parque 17 de Febrero Celebrates Its 90th Birthday the Way It Began, Focusing on Faith, Community, and Leadership Development - Stacks of Halos, Airport Security, and Hallowed Ground: My Recent Sojourn to Italy
Like almost everyone whose parents, grandparents, or great grandparents came from a different country, Waldensians who now live outside the “Valleys” in the foothills of the Alps west of Turin dream about someday visiting their spiritual – and often ancestral – homeland in the north of Italy. The following report about a recent visit to … Continue reading Stacks of Halos, Airport Security, and Hallowed Ground: My Recent Sojourn to Italy - Giorgio Tourn
Giorgio Tourn Giorgio Tourn died at his home in Rorà during the night of October 5th – 6th. Although for decades he had an outsized role in Italian Waldensian life, more than anything else Giorgio Tourn was a pastor. He was 95 years old at his passing. The following tribute was written by Alberto Corsani. It’s difficult, … Continue reading Giorgio Tourn - Bicentenary of the English Committee in Aid of Waldensian Missions
2025 marks the two hundredth anniversary of the creation of the first society outside of Italy intended to offer help and foster friendship with the Waldensians. The following article was written by Erica Scroppo Newbury, the executive secretary of the English Committee in Aid of Waldensian Missions. By 1825, a combination of religious awakening in … Continue reading Bicentenary of the English Committee in Aid of Waldensian Missions - A Retirement Marked by Gratitude – The Enduring Impact of Rev. Dr. Carol M. Bechtel
The following article was written for The Commons, a publication of Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan to celebrate Carol´s 31 years of teaching as Western Theological Seminary on her retirement as a seminary professor. Waldensians and their friends worldwide are grateful that Carol will continue to serve as the executive director of the American … Continue reading A Retirement Marked by Gratitude – The Enduring Impact of Rev. Dr. Carol M. Bechtel - The World Is Watching
The Rev. Dr. Kevin Frederick, the president of the American Waldensian Society, recently preached this sermon in two predominantly African American congregations in western North Carolina. Kevin based his sermon on Jonah 1:1-12 and Matthew 8:23-27. What are the things you fear? Perhaps it is growing old and the fear of a stroke, or blindness, … Continue reading The World Is Watching - Worship at Waldensian Presbyterian Church at a Crisis Point in American Life
The assassination of a 31-year-old political activist twelve days ago and the intense anger and emotion that many have expressed in its wake have left many Americans profoundly unsettled. Those who were in the worship service the Sunday after the shooting at the Waldensian Presbyterian Church in Valdese, North Carolina, had the opportunity to grieve … Continue reading Worship at Waldensian Presbyterian Church at a Crisis Point in American Life