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Speech by the WCC Acting General Secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca.

The World Council of Churches invites its member churches around the world, and all people of faith, to pray for the people of Afghanistan. 

As religious actors and networks of faith-based organisations, who work for the achievement of the Beijing Platform for Action and support the Action Coalitions, we welcome the Generation Equality Forum. We take this opportunity to speak out about our role and recommendations to the UN and its Member States, to the leaders and fellow commitment-makers of the Action Coalitions and the WPS-Humanitarian Action Compact, and to our civil society colleagues.

Recently during the PJP harvest gathering meeting of WCC, at a workshop on revisiting the Seven Weeks for Water – Lenten campaign of the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network, Dr Agnes Abuom was asked to reflect on the linkage between the WCC’s water justice campaign and the WCC’s overarching theme of Pilgrimage of  Justice and Peace? Having attended several PJP meetings and Lenten campaigns herself, she responded in a pre-recorded video message. The following is the transcript of her video message.

Opening address of Dr Agnes Abuom, moderator of the World Council of Churches central committee on 23 June, 2021.

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca shared greetings with the Council Meeting of the Lutheran World Federation.

Farewell greetings to Rev. Dr. Cornelia Fullkrug-Weitzel by Dr Agnes Abuom.

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca shared cordial greetings to Buddhist friends across the world observing the festival of Vesak. “May the values of compassion, loving kindness, empathy and equanimity taught by Gautama Buddha, whose birth, enlightenment and death you commemorate on this auspicious occasion, continue to inspire and guide you during this time of pandemic,” wrote Sauca. “We are living in an unprecedented time of uncertainty and widespread suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Message by the WCC Executive Committee, 20 May 2021.

Greetings from the World Council of Churches regional presidents to the fellowship of churches around the world celebrating the birthday of the church on Pentecost.

The Joint Working Group (JWG) between the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) met virtually for its plenary session from 12-14 April 2021 under the leadership of His Eminence Archbishop and Metropolitan Nifon of Târgoviște, Romanian Orthodox Church, and Most Reverend Diarmuid Martin, Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Dublin.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) and Religions for Peace speak out against gender-based violence and commit to widen religious participation in the Thursdays in Black campaign.

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

I had addressed you less than a week ago at the opening of the WCC Eco School 2020-2021 on Sunday evening, Geneva time. And here I am addressing you at the closing. The past 5 days have passed very quickly.  I have been updated by my colleagues responsible for the Eco School that this was an unique experience for all of them and I am sure for you as well. Carrying out a training programme for 5 consecutive days beyond midnight was new for most of them.  But I gather it has been a very enriching experience for them journeying with you all imparting this important training and at the same time listening to your valuable comments, questions and feedback.  But as I said in the opening, despite the geographic and time divide, we are united together virtually for a common cause  -  and that it eco justice! 

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

We are deeply privileged to conduct this Eco- School with all of you, with the youth from 5 different nations, in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Tonga and Vanuatu. We are truly blessed to join you, the Pacific youth, along with the global ecumenical family and partners for this opening ceremony. We are holding hands virtually, bridging the oceans, the geographic and time divide, and the disruptions caused by the COVID 19 pandemic. We thank you, the Pacific youth, for your time and commitment.

During an online meeting on 3 February 2021, the Executive Committee of the Joint Working Group between the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Roman Catholic Church focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ecclesial life and ecumenical relations in different local contexts.

Gathering for an annual meeting from 19-20 January, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and World Council of Churches Office of Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation discussed ways of sharing more widely the document “Serving a Wounded World in Interreligious Solidarity: A Christian Call to Reflection and Action During COVID-19 and Beyond,” which was co-produced by the two offices in 2020.

It is a joy for me to greet you on behalf of the of the World Council of Churches and to welcome  you to the  annual gathering with the WCC fellowship. This time we are not able to meet in person, but online. I would like to share some words of gratitude to the work you are doing and to your strong commitment to the ecumenical movement.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. For see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah. — Luke 2:10-11

The child in the manger, in its vulnerability, is an image of fragile hope, the beginning of a new story that will culminate in the gift of life and salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. There have been and there are today many reasons to be afraid and to live in despair. In the most difficult days of history, Christians have time and again found consolation and hope in the good news of Jesus Christ that begins with the birth of the Saviour in Bethlehem.