Displaying 121 - 140 of 151
Sort by relevance Sort by date
Interview
Rev. Henrik Grape

Can we end our societal addiction to fossil fuels?

Rev. Henrik Grape is senior advisor on Care for Creation, Sustainability, and Climate Justice for the World Council of Churches (WCC). He reflects below on the recently released report from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Grape is a member of the WCC delegation that will attend the UN climate talks (COP26) in Glasgow.

12 August 2021
Publication
EIYD 2021 Toolkit Cover

Ecumenical International Youth Day 2021 Event Toolkit

Young People and Climate Justice

The World Council of Churches provides this toolkit as a resource for the fellowship to plan and organize unique celebrations of Ecumenical International Youth Day 2021. It includes background information and a description of this year’s theme, climate justice, tools and resources and a suggested programme format to use and adapt in local contexts.

The WCC programmes on Youth Engagement in the Ecumenical Movement, Churches Commitment to Children, and Climate and Economic Justice are collaborating for this year’s focus area.

06 August 2021
Interview
Humberto Shikiya

In Argentina, “Serving a Wounded World” is a hopeful call to collaborate

Prof. Dr h.c. Humberto Martin Shikiya, vice president of the Regional Ecumenical Advisory and Service Center (CREAS) In Argentina, reflects on how “Serving a Wounded World in Interreligious Solidarity: A Christian Call to Reflection and Action During COVID-19 and Beyond” is being received as a hopeful call to collaborate ecumenically and interreligiously. The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue jointly published “Serving a Wounded World” to encourage churches and Christian organizations to reflect on the importance of interreligious solidarity in a world wounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

02 August 2021
Blog post
indigenous ceremony in Brazil

Indigenous peoples and the pandemic in the land of inequalities

476 million indigenous people live around the world, of which 11.5% live in our Latin American region. In these years that we are going from the COVID 19 pandemic in our territories (indigenous or tribal at the Latin American level), the presence of many extractive companies, mainly uranium and lithium, has increased, land traffickers and among other monoculture companies with fires for the cultivation of oil palm, logging, putting vulnerable peoples at greater risk than what is already experienced.

04 June 2021
Feature story
Gwitchi community

Arctic communities to WCC pilgrims: “We need your voice”

Lorraine Netro, who was raised in the Gwich’in First Nation of Old Crow, Yukon (Canada), is part of an indigenous community—but she’s also a global citizen.

“Today’s Arctic peoples are important members of global society,” Netro said. “The survival of Arctic cultures and communities remains tied to the wildlife and landscape of the Arctic Refuge.”

11 May 2021
Publication
Health-Promoting Churches Volume II Cover

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
Interview
PhotoByMarceloSchneider_2021_03_04_24.jpg

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
Blog post
protesters hold signs during a march for climate justice in New York, 2019

Not good enough

The synthesis report from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on the National Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement was released at the end of last February. This report sums up the NDCs reported to UNFCCC until 31 December 2020. It represents 40% of the parties and 30% of the global emissions.

18 March 2021
Feature story
PhotobyMarceloSchneider_2021_03_02_21.jpg

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
Publication
Cover of the WCC publication "Voices of Lament, Hope and Courage"

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
patient hand

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
Photo essay
Honduras1

No room at the inn

Thousands of people hit by two hurricanes that lashed Honduras in November have spent Christmas in makeshift street shelters.  Local churches responded with what they have, providing shelterfood and clothing. But their needs are great and the resources few. These photographs are from Sean Hawkey. He has reported on the double disaster for the World Council of Churches introducing us to some of the people living this disaster.

26 December 2020
Blog post
hands on the wall

The rights and dignity of the other

In the words of Prof. Rev. Dr John Langan SJ, a human right "is a right that a human person has simply by virtue of being (human), irrespective of his or her social status, cultural accomplishments, moral merits, religious beliefs, class memberships or cultural relationships.” 

10 December 2020