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Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser has been on an ecumenical journey for most of his adult life, which spans 80 years. The former WCC general secretary relates some of this pilgrimage in his newest publication, “The Challenge of Transformation: An Ecumenical Journey.” On 5 February, shortly after Raiser’s birthday, ecumenical experts from different generations, confessions and continents met in Geneva to discuss the newest publication by the man who led the WCC from 1993 to 2003.

Les 80 années de la vie du pasteur Konrad Raiser ont été en grande partie marquées par un cheminement œcuménique. L’ancien secrétaire général du COE rappelle des éléments de ce pèlerinage dans son dernier ouvrage intitulé «Le Défi de la transformation, un cheminement œcuménique». Le 5 février, des spécialistes de l’œcuménisme appartenant à différentes générations, à diverses confessions, et venant de différents continents se sont retrouvés à Genève pour débattre du récent ouvrage de celui qui a dirigé le COE de 1993 à 2003.

On 22 January, the World Council of Churches, together with the ACT Alliance, General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and Responsibility to Protect, and the UN Inter-Agency Task Force with Faith Based Organizations, co-organized the Fourth Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) in International Affairs with the theme “Perspectives on migration: displacement and marginalization, inclusion and justice”.

It’s 70 years since the World Council of Churches was founded in Amsterdam on 23 August. In addition to a commemoration service in Amsterdam on 23 August, the WCC, its member churches and partners are planning a variety of events to move forward on our ongoing Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, and at the same time honour and learn from these 70 years of ecumenical endeavour. Dr Abuom, from the Anglican Church of Kenya, is the moderator of the WCC Central Committee. She is the first woman and the first African in the position in WCC’s history. In an interview, she reflects on the evolution of the WCC in the past 70 years.

Il y a 70 ans, le 23 août à Amsterdam, était fondé le Conseil œcuménique des Églises. Outre la célébration d'un office de commémoration le 23 août prochain à Amsterdam, le COE, ses Églises membres et ses partenaires prévoient d'organiser de nombreuses manifestations. Objectifs: poursuivre notre Pèlerinage de justice et de paix et, dans le même temps, honorer et tirer des leçons de ces 70 années d'efforts œcuméniques. Lors de la 10e Assemblée du COE, Agnes Abuom a été élue à l'unanimité présidente du Comité central du COE. Elle est la première femme et la première Africaine à occuper ce poste dans l'histoire du COE.

After an historic meeting in South Africa in June 2017, study groups within the WCC Faith and Order Commission are using theological reflection as a tool to build unity between churches. The questions Faith and Order considers are not abstract issues but, in many contexts across the world, matters of life and death.

A delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) participated in a service marking the 500th anniversary of the Reformation at the Ilboru parish of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCT) in Arusha, Tanzania.

Une délégation du Conseil œcuménique des Églises (COE) a participé à un service marquant le cinquième centenaire de la Réforme dans la paroisse d’Ilboru, de l’Église évangélique luthérienne de Tanzanie (ELCT), à Arusha, en Tanzanie.

Douglas Leonard, from the Reformed Church in America (RCA), was announced as the new coordinator of the Ecumenical United Nations Office (EUNO), a joint working space of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and ACT Alliance, in New York.

Fifty church development practitioners and leaders as well as organisations for persons with disabilities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda met in Nairobi, Kenya from 9-13 October to share their experiences on disability inclusion in church development programmes and to explore strategies to ensure inclusion of persons with disabilities in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The meeting was organised by WCC Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network Project on Disability Inclusion in Development.

Cinquante dirigeants et spécialistes du développement ecclésial, ainsi que des organisations pour personnes handicapées au Kenya, en Tanzanie et en Ouganda, se sont réunis à Nairobi, au Kenya, du 9 au 13 octobre, pour partager leur expérience de l’inclusion du handicap dans les programmes de développement ecclésial et pour explorer des stratégies visant à assurer l’inclusion des personnes handicapées dans la mise en œuvre des objectifs de développement durable (ODD). La rencontre a été organisée par le projet d'inclusion du handicap dans le développement du Réseau œcuménique de défense des personnes handicapées du Conseil œcuménique des Églises (EDAN-COE).

During a solidarity visit in Kenya on 10-12 October, leaders from the World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee met with Kenyan church representatives, expressed their support for Kenyan churches working toward peace and justice, and deepened their vision for future WCC events, including the Conference on World Mission and Evangelism set for March 2018.

Au cours d’une visite de solidarité effectuée au Kenya du 10 au 12 octobre, les responsables du Comité central du Conseil œcuménique des Églises (COE) ont rencontré des représentants des Églises kenyanes, et ont exprimé leur soutien à celles qui œuvraient pour la paix et la justice. Ils ont également étayé leur vision des événements du COE à venir, notamment concernant la Conférence mondiale sur la mission et l’évangélisation, prévue en mars 2018.

The World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA grieve with the families of those who lost their lives in the mass shooting that took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the night of October 1, 2017. We pray for those whose lives have been shattered by this senseless act and lift up those who will be recovering years to come.

In a press statement on 27 September, the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) called for government officials to offer adequate information in order to ensure peace and justice in the face of panic buying of fuel and basic food items.

At a “Hearing on Racism, Discrimination, Afrophobia and Xenophobia” held at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva on 25 September, speakers reflected, lamented and, at times, simply sat in silence as they considered the experience of people of African descent in the USA.

On 20 September at the United Nations in New York, a treaty to ban nuclear weapons was formally opened for signature. At the time of writing, some 49 states have signed.

Le 20 septembre, au siège de l’ONU à New York, un traité d’interdiction des armes nucléaires a été officiellement ouvert à la signature. Au moment de la rédaction, 49 États avaient signé.

Dr. Emily Welty is an assistant professor in Peace and Justice Studies at Pace University in New York City (USA). She also serves as vice moderator of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs. As an advocate for banning nuclear weapons, Dr Welty is known both for her unwavering belief in a world free from nuclear weapons, and for her strategic thinking toward that goal.

Participants at the Africa Pre-Conference of the Conference on World Mission and Evangelism, arrived in black clothing on 14 September to act in solidarity with the worldwide “Thursdays in Black" campaign.