wfn.org | New web site offers database of religion news

[DISCNEWS.parti@ecunet.org]

September 23, 1996
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
September 23, 1996
Cliff_Willis.parti@ecunet.org
     
96b-81

     NEW YORK (NCC) -- Official news and information from
global church bodies, ecumenical agencies and other faith
organizations are available at Worldwide Faith News
(http://www.wfn.org), a World Wide Web site accessible
without charge to all Internet users.

     Users can search the full text of all documents in the
archive, subscribe to a mailing list for all documents as
posted and/or browse the most recent documents.

     The National Council of Churches of Christ in the
U.S.A. developed WFN on behalf of faith groups around the
world. The Trinity Grants Program of Trinity (Episcopal)
Church, New York City, provided funds, first for the
feasibility study and subsequently for start-up expenses.
Much in-kind support has been provided by the NCC and other
Worldwide Faith News participants.

     Valuable for anyone interested in the ongoing life and
work of national and global religious organizations,
Worldwide Faith News especially is intended to be a resource
for journalists, academics and church leaders, both lay and
ordained.

     Among organizations currently contributing news
releases and other information to Worldwide Faith News are
the NCC, World Council of Churches, Latin American Council
of Churches, South African Council of Churches, Worldwide
Anglican Communion, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, United Church of
Christ, United Methodist Church, Episcopal Church, Mennonite
Church, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), American
Friends Service Committee, and United Church of Canada. 

     Participation of Roman Catholic, Jewish, Islamic,
additional Protestant and other faith traditions is being
invited. Multilingual service is included in the design;
present languages are English, German, French and Spanish.

     Worldwide Faith News went on-line Dec. 24, 1995, for a
period of testing. Since then, faith groups have posted some
2,000 news releases to the database, which they keep current
with their latest releases. Worldwide Faith News was
announced officially "open for business" Aug. 30 to the
Religion Newswriters Association, and Sept. 16 to
denominational and ecumenical communicators in New York for
the twice yearly NCC Communications Week.

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DISCNEWS - inbox for Disciples News Service, Office of Communication,
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), PO Box 1986 Indianapolis, IN 46206,
tele. (317) 635-3100, (DISCNEWS) Wilma Shuffitt, News and Information
Assistant; (CLIFF WILLIS) Cliff Willis, Director of News and Information;
(CURT MILLER) Executive Director