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Days before the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins, many across the world are getting ready by accessing the resources prepared by the Minnesota Council of Churches, based in the USA.

Expressing the profound sadness of the World Council of Churches (WCC) following the announcement by the Holy See of the death of His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI today, the WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca stated:

“On behalf of the World Council of Churches, I express our deepest condolences on the passing of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. He was the first pope to have come from a country, Germany, with a roughly equal balance between Protestants and Catholics, and one that had been at the very centre of the 16th century Reformation.”

As the UN Conference of Biodiversity opens in Canada, African church leaders and scholars are urging urgent action to reverse nature loss to mitigate climate change.

An international conference entitled “WE BELIEVE: The Status Quaestionis and the Neglected Topics of Nicaea and its Creed” was held in Istanbul on 1-2 December. WIth the theme “The Churches and Nicaea: An Anniversary for New Beginning,” the conference inaugurated a series of scholarly events on the occasion of the forthcoming 1700th anniversary since the convocation of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea.

On 29 November, World Council of Churches (WCC) staff held a farewell prayer for staff members who are retiring or moving on to serve elsewhere, including WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca; WCC deputy general secretary Prof. Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri; interim deputy general secretary and Faith and Order director Rev. Dr  Odair Pedroso Mateus; Rev. Dr Risto Jukko, director of the WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism; Diana Chabloz, assistant to the general secretary; and Marc Enzo Bellingoi, project assistant for the Assembly Office.

The second week of the COP27 conference in Egypt focused on the link between global warming and water. This is the first time that water has been included on the agenda of a major global environmental event.

“COP27 is a critical occasion for governments to together re-envision, develop, commit to and implement a roadmap towards a fossil fuel-free, post-growth, equitable and sustainable tomorrow,” said Bishop Arnold Temple of the Methodist Church in Sierra Leone, representing the interfaith liaison group, to the High-Level Ministerial Segment of the 27^th Session of Conference of the Parties (COP27).

During an ecumenical prayer, people of many faiths gathered during COP27 to confess, lament, and express hope for the future. 

The World Council of Churches and its partners hosted a side event during COP27 that explored “Delivering the promise: How to ensure present and future adaptation needs are addressed.”

As the study groups of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Faith and Order Commission convened this week, the paper “Towards a Global Vision of the Church Volume I: Explorations on Global Christianity and Ecclesiology” was released.

The study groups of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Faith and Order Commission are convening from 14-16 November at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has appointed Dr Andrej Jeftić as the new director of the Commission on Faith and Order.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has postponed its Eco School in North America until 2023, when it will be held in Europe. To accommodate participants from North America, a special event will be conducted in the region. Details about the event and the venue will be announced soon.

A World Council of Churches (WCC) statement on COP27 notes that there are communities and nations already facing catastrophic impacts of climate change but whose urgent appeals other members of the international community have failed to heed.

On the day before the official opening of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, representatives from different faiths gathered at Qesm Sharm Ash Sheikh, or The Heavenly Cathedral, home to congregants of the Coptic Orthodox Church, to share their perspectives on the climate crisis.

During a conference focusing on water for human rights and sustainable development in Geneva, World Council of Churches (WCC) deputy general secretary Prof. Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri spoke on “Water for Climate, Resilience and Environment.”

The Pacific Conference of Churches is calling for “less talk and more action” that supports the resilience of Pacific communities affected by climate change at COP27 in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.