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The Church of Ireland Bishops’ Appeal for World Aid and Development has launched a disaster appeal in response to the catastrophic flooding in Libya. The floods, which were triggered by a Mediterranean storm, were focused on the city of Derna where almost 4,000 people are known to have died and over 9,000 are missing after torrents of rain and debris swept away entire districts. 

At a time of increased divisions within churches and within rapidly changing societies, Christians are called, more urgently than ever before, to model the values of reconciliation, justice and peace. That’s why a group of theologians and church leaders from different denominations have been meeting near the German city of Augsburg to work together on two documents calling for much closer collaboration in the tasks of peace-building and the care of migrants and refugees.

„Welche Rolle übernehmen die Kirchen in der Friedensarbeit? Wie sind sie tatsächlich daran beteiligt? Welche ökumenischen Herausforderungen gibt es, und vor allem welche ökumenischen Chancen eröffnen sich infolge der gemeinsamen Friedensarbeit?" Dies waren einige der anstehenden Fragen auf der Tagung der Exekutivgruppe der Gemeinsamen Arbeitsgruppe (JWG) des Ökumenischen Rates der Kirchen (ÖRK) und der römisch-katholischen Kirche in Dublin, Irland vom 24. bis zum 26. April.

“What is the role of churches in peace-building? How are they actually involved? Which are the ecumenical challenges, and especially which are the ecumenical opportunities that arise from joint efforts at peace building?” These were some of the questions on the table as the Executive of the Joint Working Group of the WCC and the Roman Catholic Church met in Dublin, Ireland on 24-26 April.

Der „Europäische Stationenweg“, ein Projekt im Rahmen der Feierlichkeiten zum 500-jährigen Reformationsjubiläum, beginnt im November 2016 in Genf. Danach werden bis Mai 2017 weitere wichtige Orte der Reformation bereist.

A celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, called the “European Reformation Roadmap,” will begin in November 2016 in Geneva, then tour across sites of significance through May 2017.

Die anglikanischen Gemeinden in den vereinigten Diözesen von Dublin und Glendalough in der Republik Irland suchen nach neuen Wegen und Projekten für 2016 und reagieren damit auf die Ergebnisse einer Umfrage, in der es um Erfolge und Anliegen des Laienstandes ging.

Anglican parishes in the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in the Republic of Ireland are seeking new paths and projects for 2016 after considering the results of a survey that identified successes and concerns among laity.

A WCC member church in Kenya has consecrated its second woman bishop, Rev. Alice Muthoni Mutuma, on 31 January in Meru. Rev. Pauline Wanjiru Njiru, East Africa regional coordinator for the WCC Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy, attended the service and brought greetings from WCC.

The Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe and the WCC have published a revised and updated edition of their joint study, Mapping Migration: Mapping Churches’ Responses in Europe. The 2016 text explores challenges and changes in the European church landscape in light of international migration.

In tiefer Sorge um die Migrantinnen und Migranten in vielen Regionen der Welt, insbesondere um diejenigen, „die aus Verzweiflung unter großen Risiken und Gefahren reisen“, erklärte der Exekutivausschuss des ÖRK: „Alle Mitglieder der internationalen Gemeinschaft haben die moralische und rechtliche Verpflichtung, das Leben der Menschen zu retten, die auf See oder auf der Durchreise in Lebensgefahr schweben, ungeachtet ihrer Herkunft oder ihres Status.“

Deeply concerned for migrants in many regions, especially those “driven to undertake journeys of desperate risk and danger”, the WCC Executive Committee has declared: “All members of the international community have a moral and legal duty to save the lives of those in jeopardy at sea or in transit, regardless of their origin and status.”

The newly published issue of Current Dialogue is now available online. Along with key documents from the WCC 10th Assembly, the issue includes several strong pieces addressing some thorny issues in contemporary inter-religious encounter and dialogue, including the recent Malaysian prohibition of Christian use of the name Allah for God, the relationship of ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue, the particular difficulties in dialogue among the Abrahamic traditions, and the limits of dialogue itself.

Invoking prayers for creation, eco-justice and peace with the earth, Time for Creation, a Christian global event, is observed worldwide by many member churches of the WCC. This year, the Council has invited a focus on the theme “pilgrimage of justice and peace” – a call issued by the WCC 10th Assembly in Busan, Republic of Korea in 2013.

Young people of the Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths have created a unique community during a summer course at the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey. Together they seek to break religious stereotypes, promote mutual respect and enhance their understanding of religions beyond the conflict paradigm.