The Evangelical Covenant Church is a non-governmental organization of the United Nations, with the pastors of Bethesda Covenant Church serving as its representatives. A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a not-for-profit, voluntary citizens’ group, which is organized on a local, national or international level to address issues in support of the public good. Task-oriented and made up of people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of services and humanitarian functions, bring citizens’ concerns to Governments, monitor policy and programme implementation, and encourage participation of civil society stakeholders at the community level. They provide analysis and expertise, serve as early warning mechanisms and help monitor and implement international agreements. Some are organized around specific issues, such as human rights, the environment or health. Their relationship with offices and agencies of the United Nations (UN) system differs depending on their goals, their venue and their mandate.
Click here to read more about NGOs and the United Nations
Each week there are weekly briefings for NGOs. Click on the documents below to read Bethesda pastors' reports on these briefings. Each report contains a summary of the briefing, a section that connects the information to the Evangelical Covenant Church, and a related prayer for spiritual formation.
5.12.05 - The UN Focuses on the Family
5.19.05 - Apocalypse Soon: Eliminating Nuclear Weapons
United Nations Sunday ~ October 23, 2005
10.27.05 - Triple Threat in Zimbabwe
The Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
One of the most important tasks of both the UN and many NGOs is accomplishing the eight Millennium Development Goals that all 191 nations of the UN (including the United states) have pledged to meet by 2015. The goals are to:
1) Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2) Achieve universal primary education
3) Promote gender equality and empower women
4) Reduce child mortality
5) Improve maternal health
6) Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
7) Ensure environmental sustainability
8) Develop a global partnership for development
As Christians, our faith compels us to improve the living conditions of our neighbors, bring healing to our fellow human beings, and seek peace and reconciliation among all people; many of these goals are in line with what other Christian and Covenant organizations do (e.g., Covenant World Relief and the Paul Carlson Fellowship). For further information about the goals, the progress made thus far, and other related topics,
click here.
