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WCC Vaccine Champions encourage churches’ leadership in promoting public health

The World Council of Churches Vaccine Champions shared their reflections on the status of vaccines in their home contexts, as well as the important role churches are playing in moving toward vaccine equity.

30 August 2021

Media advisory

COVID-19 vaccination in Porto Alegre, Brazil, June 2021.

Dialogue on COVID-19 and Consequences for Global Multilateral Cooperation

On Monday, 30 August, from 17:00 to 18:30 CEST, all media are invited to learn more about urgent efforts by leading NGOs and other organizations to sustain a global, multinational dialogue and cooperation in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

18 August 2021

Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata reflects on COVID-19 impact in Zimbabwe—and what gives him hope

Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata is general secretary of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches. Below, he reflects on the negative impacts of a third wave of a COVID-19 in the nation, and what people most need.

04 August 2021

Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton reflects on how churches can head off vaccine hesitancy

Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton is ecumenical officer for the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and presiding bishop of the Fifth Episcopal District. Below, she shares her reflections on the vital role of churches in reducing vaccine hesitancy and increasing vaccine equity.

08 July 2021

WCC materials educate—and advocate—for vaccine awareness and equality

As part of World Immunization Week, the World Council of Churches (WCC) is offering a range of resources designed to share accurate information about vaccines and help churches to advocate for vaccine equality across the world.

28 April 2021

Health-Promoting Churches Volume II:

A handbook to accompany churches in establishing and running sustainable health promotion ministries

Based on the premise that the local congregation is the primary agent for healing, and each individual member has a unique gift to contribute to this healing ministry, this book provides guidelines, resources and tools to equip and support local Christian congregations in starting a sustainable health ministry.

It provides a theological and public health basis of the Health Promoting Churches (HPC) model and a guide on organizing the HPC programme sustainably.

28 April 2021

WCC answers your questions about vaccines

On World Immunization Week, the World Council of Churches is joining UNICEF and other organizations across the world in encouraging vaccinations for global health. Below, Dr Mwai Makoka, WCC programme executive for Health and Healing, answers often-asked questions about vaccines. He provides some history of vaccines, reflections on the role of faith-based groups, and why children and others are so vulnerable if they don’t receive vaccines.

26 April 2021

Defending the ‘blue soul of life’

Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, from Spain, is the United Nations (UN) special rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation. In this interview with WCC News, he talks about the significance of these human rights, his plans and priorities for his mandate, and to that end, the role of faith, spirituality and ethics.

08 April 2021

Vaccination hesitance poses yet another challenge

As vaccination programmes are being rolled out in more and more countries, there is hope for an end of a pandemic which has brought fear and anxiety around the globe since early 2020. A return to an everyday life, where people can socialize with family and friends, go to work as they used to and worship God together in church on Sundays, is eagerly awaited.

18 March 2021

Voices of Lament, Hope, and Courage

A Week of Prayer in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic

To commemorate a year since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the spread of COVID-19 a pandemic, the World Council of Churches provides this resource for a week of prayer.

This book was designed as a resource for use in prayer groups, congregational services, personal prayer, and in the pastoral accompaniment of those directly affected in different ways by the pandemic. The prayers, messages, reflections, statistics and WCC resources have roots in faith challenged by mourning, fear and uncertainty in different contexts worldwide.

18 March 2021

Blog post

Water on Wall Streets: understanding the evils of water futures markets

I teach water law, especially the water laws of the western United States. Every year we discuss the question of water marketing, which is a well-established practice now in the somewhat arid western portion of the United States. Naturally, students and others ask about the recent development of a futures market for water in California. Here is my answer: the creation of a futures market for water is the ultimate act of commodifying water in California. It is dangerous, inequitable, and quite contrary to the rule in water law that prohibits financial speculation in water.

08 March 2021

Susan Lea Smith

Blog post

World Cancer Day

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Col. 1:17)

Many verses in scripture accurately portray some of the emotions around cancer: pain and suffering, mortality and loss, comfort and redemption, faith and eternity.

04 February 2021

Mwai Makoka

Benaco Rwandese refugee camp in Ngara district, Tanzania

African faith leaders urged to redouble efforts against gender-based violence

As the COVID-19 pandemic has brought on what many are calling a “shadow pandemic” of gender-based violence, African faith leaders are amplifying their call for increased action for prevention and support for those affected.

01 December 2020

Blog post

Adebayo Anthony Kehinde at the CCIA meeting in Brisbane, Australia

Perspective to END Special Anti-Robbery Squad protests in Nigeria

Nigerians, like the rest of the world, have had to battle the threat of COVID-19 since the beginning of the year 2020.

23 November 2020

Adebayo Anthony Kehinde

Ecumenical Global Health COVID-19 Response Framework

An A4 pamphlet, the framework identifies core challenges and response strategies for a global ecumenical response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also recommends specific actions. This tool provides practical, simple guidelines for action through which faith communities can have an impact for their members and beyond in these challenging times.

12 November 2020

Training Manuals and Resource Documents for Addressing HIV in Africa

Positive Masculinities and Femininities

Handbook for Adolescents and Young People in Faith Communities in Nigeria

Continuing its mission of providing practical pastoral resources to counter HIV and AIDS, WCC’s Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Advocacy and Initiatives (WCC EHAIA) has published a half dozen manuals for addressing key concerns of those most affected by the disease. Context-driven and language-specific, the six pieces yet tackle topics pertinent to the whole of Africa and beyond and can be employed to structure workshops and to inform resource persons themselves.

19 October 2020

Health-Promoting Churches Vol 1

Reflections on Health and Healing for Churches on Commemorative World Health Days

Mwai Makoka

This booklet includes 15 reflections on international commemorative health days from Dr Mwai Makoka WCC Programme Executive for Health and Healing, who emphasises that he is not a theologian, but “ a lay Christian who is a medical professional and keen to promote health and healing from a Christian perspective.

15 October 2020