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When COVID-19 brought its dark cloud of sickness, fear, and anxiety to his corner of the UK, Rev. Harvey Richardson decided to embrace his friends with the light of prayer.

As cases of femicide rise, religious leaders in Kenya are calling for the protection of women, as they unite to condemn the incidents now sending shockwaves across the East African nation.

Meet Christiane Ehrengruber, a 27-year-old professional working in digital communication and social media for Evangelische Mission Weltweit in Germany. With a background in Protestant theology and a history of volunteering in university politics and international ecumenism, Ehrengruber’s insights into the significance of prayer, the theme of Christian unity, and the challenges faced by churches provide a unique perspective on navigating faith in today's world.

Samson Waweru, a visually impaired Kenyan, holds the position of executive director at the Kenya Society for the Blind. In this capacity, he is responsible for executing a comprehensive mandate aimed at assisting blind and visually impaired individuals in Kenya. His focus encompasses areas such as prevention, education, rehabilitation, employment, and overall welfare. Beyond his professional duties, Samson also serves as the vice-chair of the St Cosmas and Damianos Cathedral in Nairobi, showcasing his dedication to both his professional and spiritual obligations.

In an annual audience during the ongoing Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Bishop Bo-Göran Åstrand of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland gifted a pair of gloves to Pope Francis, described as “a modest gift, to warm the Pope’s hands in an otherwise cold world.” 

Communication from the World Council of Churches (WCC) in 2023 involved prophetic storytelling and growing channels to highlight justice, reconciliation, and unity across the world. 

A photo exhibit, “Every Picture Tells A Story,” opened in the Ecumenical Centre on 29 November, showcasing the work of Most Rev. Dr Martin Modéus, archbishop of the Church of Sweden and primate of Uppsala.

The world needs a “reformation of hope and confidence,” according to the moderator of the central committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, giving the Otto Karrer lecture in Lucerne, Switzerland. 

Scholars, including colleagues and students of the Anglican theologian Rowan Williams, gathered in Cambridge to honour the contribution of the former Archbishop of Canterbury as a theologian, scholar and church leader, following his retirement in 2020 as Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge.

With a focus on peacebuilding and human rights protection, The United Evangelical Mission’s International Summer School 2023, organized in cooperation with the World Council of Churches and other partners, took place in August and September in Hofgeismar, Germany.

As the World Council of Churches celebrates its 75th anniversary, a series of feature stories from different regions of the world will portray ecumenism at the local level—within churches, communities, and individuals who embody the spirit of ecumenism in unique ways. The feature story below offers a glimpse of some facets of ecumenism present in Germany.