News
World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Isabel Apawo Phiri spoke at the United Church of Canada 43rd General Council (GC43), held 21-27 July in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada under the theme “Risking Faith, Daring Hope.”
Phiri spoke on “Signs of the Times in the Ecumenical Movement”, and “God is Love”.
She relayed the importance of the current work of the WCC Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel, and commended the United Church of Canada’s response to the call to support the cause for a free Palestine. “Together we strive for an end to the occupation of Palestinian land and work towards a better future for all,” she said.
Phiri also urged the United Church of Canada to continue its leadership roles in the ecumenical movement, particularly on difficult issues. “Your examples might be just what the ecumenical movement needs to see often in order to learn from you,” she said.
The United Church of Canada is one of the oldest united churches in the WCC fellowship and is a founding member of the WCC. “The United Church of Canada has also helped define a new paradigm of mission as partnership, working hand-in-hand with sister churches and ecumenical partners,” said Phiri.
Read the full speech “Signs of the Times in the Ecumenical Movement”
