(RNS) — It’s an election year. Perhaps you’ve heard?You couldn’t escape the news if you tried. But perhaps you — or we — or I — might try to take in a bit less of so much news. I’m trying. Not in an attempt to put my head in the sand or be a less responsible citizen. Quite the opposite, in fact. I am what in today’s parlance is called a “knowledge worker.” I’m also a recovering news junkie, one whose addiction goes way back before the 24-hour news cycle and endless social media feeds. Indeed, I come from a newspaper family. I don’t mean I’m descended from media magnates like William Randolph Hearst, Michael Bloomberg or Rupert Murdoch. No, I mean my grandfather, father and uncles all delivered newspapers for some portion of their working lives. I’m a third-generation daily reader of local, print, home-delivered newspapers. And most days, I watch the evening news, local and national, almost religiously. Until recently. These days, I skim the paper, if that. I catch the nightly news if I’m not writing, reading, Zooming or — now that spring is here — sitting on the front porch. These changes in my habits owe in part to the fact that, like many people today, I get more and more of my news from social media. By the time the latest breaking story hits the local presses and gets dropped off in my newspaper box in the morning, it’s old news. (Some days, the newspaper doesn’t even come. I don’t think the folks who deliver newspapers get paid enough to keep a reliable vehicle. I do try to tip well, but the newspaper business is dying in more ways than one.) I also care less these days about the latest news. I don’t mean I care less about the suffering, dying, missing, beaten, assaulted, arrested, tried, convicted, newly appointed, recently retired, campaigning, elected, impeached, awarded, overdosed, underpaid, celebrated, decried, defamed, scammed, vindicated, ordinary and extraordinary souls who fill the headlines. Rather, I care about them so much that I want to know fewer of the sordid sorts of details that sell so well. I want to know less about the things that divide us and more about the things that unite us. Less about the scandalous and personal and more about the transcendent and universal. I want to know more about the church moving into my neighborhood, converting a closed bank building into a sanctuary and a ministry center that, I’m told, meets the needs of neighbors and strangers alike. I want to watch the slow resurrection of blooms on the orchid on my windowsill that I thought had died long ago. I want to hear the cicadas that are getting ready, right now, right under the very ground on which my neighbors and I are walking about, to emerge, after 17 years of preparation, in a massive, hurtling cacophony of sound. And when their short lives on earth have been spent, I want to collect their empty exoskeletons from the foliage and offer them as a feast to the fowl who feed my family. I want to observe the life span of dogwood trees, half a dozen of which grow in my yard. Three are young, and three are very, very old. I hope they all live for a long time. I want to know more about my niece, the one living the #vanlife, who called me from a ski slope in the western mountains to catch up. Her call came just as the nightly news was coming on with a story I thought I wanted to watch, but I couldn’t turn that television off quickly enough to take her call. Now I don’t even remember what that news story was. But I recall every vulnerable and funny word my loved one shared with me. I want to know more about my other niece’s serious boyfriend, too, and how he came to love Wendell Berry. Because anyone who loves him (and her) is someone I care about. I want to know more about Taylor Swift. Well, not her exactly. But I want to know more about what it is that her words and music and person mean to so many people and why. I love that she is beloved by so many. I love the way something or someone can come along once in an age and tap into something so very much of that age and yet possibly so much more than that age. Isn’t that what we should all want to be? I want to know a little less news because all this information we are inundated with has created — paradoxically — what James Bridle calls “a new dark age.” Bridle describes this current condition as “an apparent inability to see clearly what is in front of us, and to act meaningfully, with agency and justice in the world.” Perhaps by knowing, not less, but more — more deeply — we can regain our agency and better fulfill the demands of justice. Agency and justice begin and end, after all, on the ground, bodily, in community and real relationships, in flesh and blood. In the midst of the darkness that besets us in the digital world, Bridle urges us to “seek new ways of seeing by another light.” In contrast to the darkness brought by the information (and misinformation) overload of the digital age, Bridle points to the wisdom of the unknown medieval Christian mystic who wrote “The Cloud of Unknowing.” “Go after experience rather than knowledge,” the mystic writes. Echoing 1 Corinthians 8:1, he continues: “Knowledge tends to breed conceit, but love builds. Knowledge is full of labor, but love, full of rest.” It is not, of course, an either/or proposition. Escaping the “new dark age” doesn’t entail returning to the old one. But in a time of information excess and the compassion fatigue it inevitably generates, the need of the moment for many of us is more love and more rest. Sometimes unknowing can be better than certain kinds of knowing. 

NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — Amid a growing push among child welfare organizations to reunite families rather than keep children in institutional homes, Kenyan authorities are set to adopt a new national program that will phase out traditional orphanages over the next decade.Church leaders in the country, whose denominations run hundreds of orphanages, have expressed support for the plan, saying children’s homes have exposed children to abuse. Other faith leaders back private institutional operators in opposing the change. Roman Catholic Bishop Willybard Kitogho Lagho of Malindi said the Catholic Church supports the government plan because many of the institutions are no longer safe for children.  “There have been a lot of abuses in these homes,” said the bishop. “Children have been sexually, physical and emotionally abused. There have also been cases of child trafficking.” Some orphanages, he alleged, were founded by “unscrupulous people who want to gain from donor funding.” The treatment of orphans in Africa has come under fire in recent years as recent studies have shown that as many as half of children in six low-income countries on the continent have been abused. While some better-funded homes provide education that children could not get in their home villages, many children in residential care show signs of developmental delays and neglect.  Experts also say that donations from developed countries have also skewed the priorities of some children’s welfare agencies. Anglican Bishop Alphonse Baya Mwaro of Mombasa likened some Kenyan children’s homes to businesses. “They do not genuinely support children who are orphaned or who find themselves without family support,” he said.  Faith organizations with long histories in Africa now question whether even the best care is more beneficial than finding relatives who will take in children who have lost parents or have become homeless or destitute. Several have closed their residential homes and instead support family reunification.  (Photo by Seth Doyle/Unsplash/Creative Commons) In Africa, uncles, aunts and other relatives have traditionally stepped up to care for young family members, said Lagho. “This is the most natural environment for children to grow up,” he said. The system has in some cases promoted the separation of children. “When you look at the children in the institutions, most of them have families,” said Selastine Nthiani, a manager at the Child Welfare Society of Kenya. They are often sent away from home “for education or because their families are poor. Very few of them are total orphans or children without any parents,” she said. Nthiani said the government’s changing approach to children’s care was part of an international trend. “The world is moving away from institutional care of children to family- and community-based care,” she said. Janet Mwema, a senior officer at Kenya’s National Council for Children’s Services, said the government will not shutter institutions, but transition responsibility for destitute children to family and local communities over time. According to Mwema, some residential homes will continue to operate as educational centers. “A child might be residing in ​a home because of education. We want to strengthen the families and community such that the child can get the education while living with the biological parents or community,” said Mwema. In Kenya, 3.6 million children are orphans, some 47% of whom lost parents to HIV and AIDS. An estimated 45,000 children live in more than 845 private institutions in Kenya, according to the State Department for Social Protection. Another 1,000 to 1,200 live in 28 government-run institutions. Mwaro said there are challenges the new program has yet to resolve, such as how to monitor domestic violence and mistreatment of the children by family members. Some children, said Mwaro, are safer at an orphanage. Bishop Johnes Ole Meliyio of the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church said that while “the centers cannot be the permanent homes for the children,” closing church homes, which play an important role by supporting needy children without government support, was ill-advised. “Taking the children back to the community is a good idea, but shutting the homes is another issue,” he said. Some church leaders and government officials have alleged child trafficking in the centers, but there are no reliable statistics. 

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — The University of Michigan is informing students of the rules for upcoming graduation ceremonies: Banners and flags are not allowed. Protests are OK but in designated areas away from the cap-and-gown festivities.The University of Southern California canceled a planned speech by the school’s Muslim valedictorian — and then “released” all its outside commencement speakers. At Columbia University, where more than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators were arrested last week, the protests have included a large tent encampment on the Ivy League school’s main lawn, the very place graduating students and families are set to gather next month. This is commencement season 2024, punctuated by the tension and volatility that has roiled college campuses since Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. Militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. In response, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry. Since the war began, colleges and universities have struggled to balance campus safety with free speech rights amid intense student debate and protests. Many schools that tolerated protests and other disruptions for months are now doling out more heavy-handed discipline. A series of recent campus crackdowns on student protesters have included suspensions and, in some cases, expulsions. Columbia University President Minouche Shafik said the Middle East conflict is terrible and she understands many are experiencing deep moral distress. “But we cannot have one group dictate terms and attempt to disrupt important milestones like graduation to advance their point of view,” she wrote in a note addressed to the school community Monday. The new measures have done little to stop protests. In recent days, pro-Palestinian demonstrators set up encampments on campuses around the country, including at Columbia, the University of Michigan, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University, where several dozen protesters were arrested after officials said they defied warnings to leave. While the majority of protests across college campuses have been peaceful, some have turned aggressive. Some Jewish students say much of the criticism of Israel has veered into antisemitism and made them feel unsafe. Protesters are asking universities to take a number of actions, such as calling for a cease-fire in the war, or divesting from defense companies that do business with Israel. “The weapons being made in this country are being sent to Israel and being used in the war on Gaza,” said Craig Birckhead-Morton, a Yale senior who was arrested Monday after refusing to leave a protest encampment. “We have to highlight the difficulties the Palestinian people are going through.” At MIT, protesters also have asked the university to stop what they say is funding from the Ministry of Defense in Israel to university projects with military objectives. “We believe that we have a platform that students in other universities don’t have because of our unique ties to the Israeli military,” said Shara Bhuiyan, a 21-year-old senior studying electrical engineering and computer science. The intense emotions on both sides have created a climate that has unsettled both Jewish and Muslim students. More than half of such students, and a fifth of all college students, reported feeling unsafe on campus because of their stances on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to a report published in March by the University of Chicago Project on Security and Threats. Among the commencement speakers likely to encounter protesters is President Joe Biden, who is speaking at ceremonies next month for Morehouse College and the U.S. Military Academy. Earlier this month, the Anti-Defamation League sent an open letter to college and university presidents urging them to “take clear decisive action” to ensure graduation ceremonies run smoothly and safely. “We remain deeply concerned regarding the possibility of substantial disruptions during commencement ceremonies,” Shira Goodman, the ADL’s senior director of advocacy, said in an emailed statement. The protest movement ramped up nationally after Shafik, the Columbia president, summoned New York City police on Thursday to clear a pro-Palestinian tent camp from the university’s campus after student protesters ignored demands to leave. She described the move as an “extraordinary step” to keep the campus safe. All 100 or so students arrested were charged with trespassing and then several were suspended — but as of Tuesday, the large protest encampment remained on the main lawn where grandstands for Columbia’s May 15 commencement have already been installed. The arrests came a day after Shafik pledged during a congressional hearing on antisemitism to balance students’ safety with their right to free speech. Following similar testimony last year, the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania — answering accusations that universities were failing to protect Jewish students — resigned. Several other college campuses around the country kicked off the new year with revised protest rules. In January, American University banned indoor protests. Harvard started the spring semester with guidance effectively limiting protests to outdoor areas. The University of Michigan drafted a proposed “Disruptive Activity Policy” earlier this month. Violations of the policy, which has not yet been implemented, could result in suspension or expulsion of students and termination of university staff. The proposal came in response to a raucous March 24 protest that halted the school’s annual honors convocation, a 100-year-old tradition preceding the May 4 graduation. Protesters interrupted a speech by university President Santa J. Ono with shouts of, “You’re funding genocide!” and unfurled banners that said: “Free Palestine,” forcing an abrupt end to the ceremony. The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan said in a letter to Ono that the policy “is vague and overbroad, and risks chilling a substantial amount of free speech and expression.” But in a letter to the campus, Ono remarked that “while protest is valued and protected, disruptions are not.” “One group’s right to protest does not supersede the right of others to participate in a joyous event,” he wrote. At Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, more than two dozen anti-Israel demonstrators stormed the university president’s office in late March, refusing to leave for hours. Three of the students were expelled, including freshman Jack Petocz. “It’s a very scary moment,” said Petocz, 19, who is appealing the decision. “It’s about the crackdown on free speech on campuses but it’s also about campuses becoming police states.” Last Monday, the University of Southern California cited “substantial risks relating to security and disruption at the commencement” when it announced it would break from tradition and not allow valedictorian Asna Tabassum, a first-generation South Asian American Muslim, to deliver a speech at the May 10 commencement. The decision sparked outrage and several days of protests on campus, prompting another unexpected shake-up days later: the cancellation of a keynote speaker for the first time since 1942. The events at USC have raised concern that other schools will bow to pressure and erode free speech, said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, a civil rights attorney and national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “I am worried that schools might decline to select a qualified visibly Muslim student who advocates for Palestine, to avoid what happened at USC,” he said. “Schools are going to do more harm than good if they try to censor and silence commencement speakers, and especially students who have received the honor of speaking at their graduation ceremonies.” ___ Gecker reported from San Francisco. ___ The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

(AP) – Thousands of United Methodists are gathering in Charlotte, North Carolina, for their big denominational meeting, known as General Conference.It’s a much-anticipated gathering. Typically it is held every four years, but church leaders delayed the 2020 gathering until now due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the 11-day gathering runs from April 23 to May 3. Among those assembling are hundreds of voting delegates — the United Methodists from across the globe who were elected to represent their regional church body — though as many as one-quarter of international delegates are not confirmed as able to attend. The delegates, half clergy and half lay Methodists, are the decision makers at General Conference. WHAT HAPPENS AT GENERAL CONFERENCE? General Conference — the only entity that can speak for the entire denomination — is a business meeting where delegates set policy, pass budgets and address other church-wide matters. It’s the only body that can amend the United Methodist Book of Discipline, which includes church law. It also includes Social Principles, which are non-binding declarations on social and ethical issues. There’s worship and fellowship, too. IS THERE SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT THIS YEAR’S MEETING? Yes. This will be the first General Conference since more than 7,600 mostly conservative congregations left the United Methodist Church between 2019 and 2023 because the denomination essentially stopped enforcing its bans on same-sex marriage and having “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” serving as clergy and bishops. WILL THE GENERAL CONFERENCE LIFT THOSE LGBTQ-RELATED BANS THIS YEAR? It’s possible. The delegates in Charlotte are expected to vote on whether to eliminate them. Similar efforts have failed in years past, but with the election of more progressive delegates and the departure of many conservatives, supporters of removing the bans are optimistic. WHAT OTHER KEY ISSUES ARE UP FOR CONSIDERATION? — Disaffiliations: The rules that allowed U.S. congregations to leave between 2019 and 2023. It allowed them to leave with their properties, held in trust for the denomination, under friendlier-than-normal legal terms. Some want similar conditions for international churches and for U.S. churches that missed the 2023 deadline. —Regionalization: A proposal to restructure the denomination into regional conferences around the world, rather than having distinct names for U.S. and other jurisdictions. It would define the role of regions more precisely and put American congregations into their own regional body. Under this proposal, all regions would be able to adapt church policies to their local contexts, including those on marriage and ordination. —Budgets: Because of all the disaffiliations, the conference will vote on a much-reduced budget proposal for the coming years. HOW IS THE CONFERENCE STARTING OFF? New York Area Bishop Thomas Bickerton, president of the denomination’s Council of Bishops, addressed the recent schism head-on in feisty remarks during Tuesday’s opening worship, which included music and Communion. Bickerton spoke of his recent visit to a Texas conference that had lost more than half its congregations and said those remaining were committed to rebuilding the church. He said those at the General Conference should be doing the same – not continuing the controversy. “Are you committed to the revitalization of the United Methodist Church?” Bickerton said to applause. “Are you here to work for a culture marked by compassion, courage, and companionship? … If you can’t agree to that, what are you doing here anyway? Maybe, just maybe, you’re in the wrong place.” He alluded to criticism of the denomination during the disaffiliation debates and said it was holding on to its core beliefs. “Don’t you tell us that we don’t believe in Scripture,” he said. “Don’t you tell us that we don’t believe in the doctrine of the church. And Lord have mercy, don’t tell us that we don’t believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. … We have got to rebuild the church and we’ve got to do it together.” WHERE ARE THE DELEGATES COMING FROM? Though thousands of Methodists with be attending the conference, there are only 862 official voting delegates, from the following regions of the church: • 55.9% from the U.S. • 32% from Africa • 6% from the Philippines • 4.6% from Europe • 1.5% from concordant (affiliated) churches WILL THEY ALL BE THERE? No. As of last week, only about three-quarters of international delegates were confirmed as able to attend, the Commission on the General Conference reported Thursday. The other quarter includes 27 delegates unable to get visas or passports, others who couldn’t attend for various reasons, and 62 delegates still unconfirmed. African groups have strongly criticized denominational officials, faulting them for delays in providing necessary paperwork and information and raising questions about whether African conferences will accept voting results from the conference. However, denominational officials defended their work Tuesday, telling the General Conference that visa requirements are stricter than in the past, that some regional conferences hadn’t followed correct procedures in sending reserve delegates — and that some would-be delegates received invitations sent by “an unauthorized person or people.” Delegates now must wear picture badges amid heightened scrutiny that their credentials are authentic. The conference overwhelmingly approved a resolution “to make every effort to listen to and carefully consider voices from regions that are underrepresented.” HOW ARE CONGREGATIONS PREPARING? That varies widely, but those long active in the movement to repeal LGBTQ bans are focused strongly on the conference. First United Methodist Church in Pittsburgh, for example, held a commissioning service on April 14 for three members attending the conference in varying capacities. “It will be deeply meaningful for me personally to vote for those changes,” said member Tracy Merrick, who will be a delegate. WHAT ARE UNITED METHODISTS, ANYWAY? They’re part of a larger worldwide family of Methodists and other groups in the tradition of 18th century British Protestant revivalist John Wesley, who emphasized evangelism, holy living and social service. They hold many beliefs in common with other Christians, with some distinct doctrines. United Methodists traditionally ranged from liberal to conservative. They were until recently the third largest and most widespread U.S. denomination. Methodist missionaries planted churches worldwide, which grew dramatically, especially in Africa. Some became independent, but churches on four continents remain part of the United Methodist Church. HOW MANY UNITED METHODISTS ARE THERE? 5.4 million in the United States as of 2022, but that will decline significantly due to 2023 disaffiliations. 4.6 million in Africa, Asia and Europe. That’s lower than earlier estimates but reflects more recent denominational reports. ___ SOURCES: General Council on Finance and Administration and other United Methodist entities. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

.code-block { display:none !important; } A groundbreaking global Initiative led by Christine Caine and Daniela Freidzon-McCabeTULSA, Okla. — Empowered21 (E21) launched its Global Women’s Alliance at a two-day gathering in Orange County, California, which was attended by 120 key leaders coming from 24 nations and 26 different states. The Empowered21 Women’s Alliance was established to create ecosystems for Spirit–empowered women to connect, commune, and collaborate. This initiative will focus on cultivating authentic relational connections, establishing pathways for women’s leadership development, and creating opportunities for genuine collaboration around the globe. The Alliance is chaired by Christine Caine, founder of the A21 Campaign, Propel Women, and Zoe Churches in Europe, with Daniela Freidzon-McCabe, Executive Pastor of King of King’s Church in Buenos Aires, Argentina, serving as Vice-Chair. The Global Chair of Empowered21, Dr. Billy Wilson, participated in the event and shared, “The launch meeting for the Empowered21 Women’s Alliance was amazing! Godly women, full of the Holy Spirit, connected with one another and collaborated for Christ’s Kingdom, all to make a positive difference for the future of Spirit-empowered Christianity. Special thanks to Christine Caine for her great leadership. Christian history was made by convening these high-level women leaders from every continent. Exciting days are ahead for this effort.” The two-day meeting featured key voices from around the world, deep times of worship, prayer, ministry, panel conversations, table discussions, and opportunities for women to share what is happening in their respective nations. “I’m so excited about the future,” noted Caine. “The potential of uniting and mobilizing Spirit-empowered women from every continent on Earth for the purpose of reaching our world with the Gospel is stunning. This is a historic moment.” Co-Chair Freidzon-McCabe affirmed, “It has been a true joy and a great inspiration to have spent two days at the launch of the Women’s Alliance network of Empowered21. Women from 24 nations gathered to have powerful and insightful conversations, be united, and be encouraged to see a generation of women arise around the world for the purpose of God’s Kingdom.” The Alliance plans to roll out a comprehensive strategy to establish regional cabinets to continue to connect and empower global leaders worldwide, as well as continue to meet digitally and in person throughout the year. Participating Leader Quotes “Empowered 21 Women’s Alliance has surpassed every expectation I had. Women leaders from 24 nations prayed, learned together, received the power of the Holy Spirit, and committed to a Spirit-empowered mission for our day and the rising generation. We’re building new relationships and dreaming about how we collaborate together. We’re pressing on to see the Kingdom come. I can’t wait to see what God does with this movement of women consecrated, united, and empowered.” — Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing, Author, Speaker, Theologian, and Honorary Lecturer Divinity the University of Aberdeen. United Kingdom  “I was in Orange County, California with women leaders from over 20 nations, what an amazing launch of the E21 Women’s Alliance! Empowering women and reviving Jesus’ mandate to release and make disciples from all nations! It was absolutely inspiring to connect, commune, and collaborate with these beautiful daughters of God who’re walking out their purpose on earth as it is in heaven. God be praised for this precious time together!” — Pastor Daphne Yang, Co-founder of Cornerstone Community Church, Singapore  “The moments of prayer and worship with women leaders from so many nations will stay with me for a long time.  God has ministered to my heart in so many ways.  I have been encouraged and filled to rise up and step out in greater confidence and expectation for what the Lord has called me to, particularly to be a spiritual mother in my nation.” — Trudi Sayers, Pastor of Red Church in Melbourne and National Director of 24-7 Prayer, Australia  “God has gifted women with a special ability to reach deep and connect with Him so intimately, and this was evident at this gathering. We had such beautiful Holy Spirit moments like I’ve never experienced at other gatherings, and the Lord poured into us. The women in that room have so much to offer to the body of Christ, and the church will be better because of what happened at Empowered 21 Women’s Alliance.” — Vernita Rwotlonyo, Watoto Church Uganda Alliance Launch Attendees The following leaders were present for the launch of the E21 Women’s Alliance. Katia Adams Rachel Aguirre Elizabeth Anduvate Nina Baratiak Sophia Barrett Karyn Barriger Jamie Bates Lisa Bevere Sephora Boukorras Sarah Breuel Dr. Cheryl Bridges Johns Jennifer Brown Joanne Brozozog Jessica Cabrera Zai Chandler Noemi Chavez Faith Cho Anne Christiansen Lindy Cofer Ellie Cotter Nicole Crank Ashlyn Crank Pfulger Judith Crist Josefin Cummings Priscila Cunha Rosaria Damore Whitney Davis Sonia de Luna Destiny Deas Elaine Edelman Yvonne Fermin Lisa Fields Debra Fileta Elaine Fisher Miriam Fleming Lillie Flock Eden Fontaine Shimoda Melanie Foust Rachelle Francey Betty Freidzon Daniela Freidzon-McCabe Angela Gaeta Christina Gard Shelley Giglio Courtney Good Kyndal Green Nicole Hammond Lisa Harper Carrie Headington Carla Hornung Rachel Hughes Amy Hughes Lisa Hughes Dawn Jackson Becky Johnson Jenn Johnson Jessica Koulianos Rebekah Layton Tara Beth Leach Ashlyn Lee Allison Lih Emily Manginelli Anne Martin Nicole Martin Michelle Mayorquin Oneka McClellan Lydia McLaughlin Sara Mecum Damsy Mich Muscan Lorisa Miller Anna Morgan Julie Mullins Alli Munsey Dianna Nepstad Lina Nielsen Shannon Nieman Madeline Nix Bianca Olthof Amy Orr-Ewing Wendy Perez Dr. Anita Phillips Kara Powell Monica Prescott Elizabeth Prestwood Joy Qualls JoAnne Ramos Andrea Ramos Stephanie Reader Beth Redman Dr. Kathaleen Reid-Martinez Kristin Reinhardt Angie Richey Meghan Robinson Vernita Rwotlonyo Meredith Ryburn Khuloud Samawi Trudi Sayers Alex Seeley Natasha Shapoval Leslie Siebeling Christa Smith Stephanie Sposeto Kelly Spyker Jennifer Toledo Miranda Torrence Liz Turner Rebeca Valbuena Muñoz Debbie Vanderkolk Jemima Varughese Lana Vasquez Holly Wagner Sarah Wehrli Tracy Wilde Sharon Witton Hosanna Wong Daphne Yang Ruth Yang Sarah Yardley About Empowered21Empowered21 (E21) is the world’s largest Spirit-empowered relational network. E21 is comprised of a global council, international and regional leadership teams, and various work groups. E21 organizes regional and global events to inspire the Spirit-empowered community. E21 mobilizes efforts to recognize and implement effective models to answer the cry for spiritual fathers and mothers, connecting generations for intergenerational blessing and impartation and focusing on crucial issues facing the movement. For more information about Empowered21 and Amsterdam 2023, visit empowered21.com and amsterdam2023.com, where the entire EveryONE conference is still available for online viewing. The closing global worship rally is archived at facebook.com/empowered21/videos Media ContactAshley Wilson, Empowered21[email protected] ### Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Religion News Service or Religion News Foundation.