Displaying 1 - 20 of 47

Ecumenism in the Philippines means hope and resilience

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 the Philippines.

ÖRK-Spitze bei Pressekonferenz zu Haltung in Bezug auf Ukraine befragt

Die Zusammenkunft des Zentralausschusses des Ökumenischen Rates der Kirchen (ÖRK) sorge für große Freude, sagte der Vorsitzende des 148-köpfigen Gremiums, das im Ökumenischen Zentrum in Genf zu einer Tagung zusammengetreten ist, um seiner Verantwortung als Leitungsgremium einer der wohl vielfältigsten Kirchengemeinschaften der Welt nachzukommen.

Beyond gravel: designing water-wise church grounds

Becoming better stewards of Creation by killing off your church lawn? It sounds odd, but it is exactly what the Community United Church of Christ (UCC) in Fresno, USA, did. Facing increasing drought and water scarcity in their home state California, the congregation embarked on a project to drastically reduce their water use. Thanks to the massive support of volunteers, an entirely new, water-wise landscape was created that offers a lot to discover.

The Geneva Policy Outlook explores ecumenical peacebuilding as a new form of diplomacy

Can ecumenical peacebuilding guide the way towards shared interests in the Russia-Ukraine war, which exemplifies the clash of fundamentally different value systems, ethical frameworks, and historical narratives? Peter Prove, director of the WCCs Commission of the Churches on International Affairs reflects on the issue in the inaugural edition of Geneva Policy Outlook, a new online publication.

In New York City, unity prayers focus on how we “can join hands and minds and do the work that God has called us to do”

Christians in New York City opened the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on 18 January by participating in a worship service at the Interchurch Center, an office building that houses many church-related organizations and many others focused on intercultural and religious exchange. The service was infused with themes of justice and unity, both from a perspective of African-American history and the urging of Christians today to put their faith into action.

Ukraine: Auf humanitäre Bedürfnisse reagieren

Als am 24. Februar 2022 die russische Großinvasion der Ukraine begann, hatten die Kirchen bereits acht Jahre lang seit der Annexion der Krim im Jahr 2014 humanitäre Hilfe im Land geleistet. Die Arbeit, die die Kirchen durchführen, um die Bedürfnisse von Kriegsvertriebenen zu erfüllen, ist nicht neu, der Umfang hingegen ist enorm, denn in den sechs Monaten seit Beginn der Invasion wurden 14 Millionen Menschen vertrieben.

Ukraine: Responding to humanitarian need

When the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, churches had already been responding to humanitarian need in the country for eight years, since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.  The work being undertaken by churches in meeting the needs of those displaced by the war is not new, but the scale is staggering as 14 million people have been displaced in the six months since the invasion began.

Under the canopy of yellow leaves

Ushered into the venue of the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany, one finds a sanctuary, a safe space under the canopy of yellow leaves. Under the shade of trees with leaves slowly going through the withering process is the springing of hope for a better world engaged in conversations and dialogues that promote life at its fullness.

Kloster in der Ukraine reagiert auf Kriegsfolgen

Im Rahmen eines Solidaritätsbesuchs wurde eine Delegation des Ökumenischen Rates der Kirchen (ÖRK) kürzlich im Kloster von Banchen in der ukrainischen Oblast Chernivtsi begrüßt und mit dessen Aktivitäten zur Unterstützung und Gewährung von Obdach für Opfer von Russlands Krieg gegen die Ukraine vertraut gemacht.

Monastery in Ukraine responds to the consequences of war

During the recent solidarity visit to Ukraine, a World Council of Churches (WCC) delegation was welcomed at the Banchen monastery in the Chernivtsi region of Ukraine, witnessing its active involvement supporting and sheltering victims of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.

What will we hear?

I believed Christian unity to be an ideal we strive for, perhaps analogous to the saying "if you shoot for the moon, you'll land in the stars." In the times I have seen Christian Unity manifest, often in times of prayer and most often when hands and feet are moving to answer prayer, it has been fleeting, almost illusory.