- 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 - Servizio Cristiano is Moving Forward – Report from Riesi
The following report was written by Till Hüttenberger, the pastor of the Evangelical Peace Church in Mönchengladbach, Germany, who is pictured below. This report appeared first in the Rundbrief of the Waldenser Freundeskreis. The Friends of Servizio Cristiano in Reisi on the island of Sicily just held their annual meeting. It was a positive and … Continue reading Servizio Cristiano is Moving Forward – Report from Riesi - Waldensian Synod Calls for Recognizing the State of Palestine and Ending the Tragedy in Gaza
Two resolutions adopted by the recent Waldensian Methodist synod ask for an end to the ongoing tragedy in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as well as an end to what the resolutions described as the illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories. The resolutions supported those in Israel who are committed to building peace … Continue reading Waldensian Synod Calls for Recognizing the State of Palestine and Ending the Tragedy in Gaza - Greetings from AWS Executive Director to the 2025 Waldensian Synod
Each year at the annual meeting of the Waldensian synod, international guests are invited to give a word of greetings. It is understood that these greetings are a mix of the official and the personal. Part of the greeting is intended to speak for the body the person represents, and part of the greeting represents … Continue reading Greetings from AWS Executive Director to the 2025 Waldensian Synod - A Waldensian Vision in the Smiling Heart of Africa
AWS President Kevin Frederick Reflects on his Recent Visit in Malawi From the 12th Century forward, the pre-Reformation Waldensians gravitated to Scripture passages that emphasized the responsive works of the faithful, rather than their doctrinal beliefs. They were far more interested in books of the New Testament like James, than in doctrinal books, like Romans. In that … Continue reading A Waldensian Vision in the Smiling Heart of Africa - Newsflash: New Shipwreck off Lampedusa
The following newsflash from Lampedusa comes from NEV, the press agency of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy. “Some have lost a sister, some a young child, some a husband. They are not tragedies, but deaths foretold.” With these words, Marta Bernardini, coordinator of Mediterranean Hope, the migrant and refugee program of the Federation … Continue reading Newsflash: New Shipwreck off Lampedusa - Festa Valdese, Fiesta de la Fraternidad Valdense, Waldensian Festival
It’s the second week in August, which means it will soon be La Festa Valdese in Italy, la Fiesta de la Fraternidad Valdense in the Rio de la Plata, and the Waldensian Festival in Valdese, North Carolina, USA, not to mention the many others in Switzerland, Germany, England, and Scotland who will also be celebrating the “ties … Continue reading Festa Valdese, Fiesta de la Fraternidad Valdense, Waldensian Festival