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.
As Christians in Africa joined the celebrations to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a Roman Catholic priest who is involved in ecumenism, stressed the unity of the churches as central to building a concrete response to poor people’s need for justice in the continent.
Le pasteur Curtiss Paul DeYoung, codirecteur général du Conseil des Églises du Minnesota, aux États-Unis, a participé à la création d’une équipe d’auteurs et autrices chargée de rédiger les ressources de la Semaine de prière pour l’unité des chrétiens de cette année. Il revient sur les défis rencontrés et les espoirs partagés lors de la rédaction commune du texte.
Rev. Dr Curtiss Paul DeYoung, co-chief executive officer of the Minnesota Council of Churches, helped convene the team of authors for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity materials. Below, he reflects on the challenges and hopes the team brought to the table as they composed the text.
A Zoom panel on 30 January 2022 recalled the witness of Archbishop Desmond Tutu (1931-2021) and to celebrate the publication of a new book, Ecumenical Encounters with Desmond Mpilo Tutu, honouring his life and work and presented to him on his 90th birthday.
Women of faith who are African or of African descent held a powerful recent gathering, “Ubuntu: Remembrance, Diversity, and Advocacy in Unity Now!” in which they shared their call to action with a sense of Sankofa, or a season of now while looking back and forward. The event was organized by the Pan African Women’s Ecumenical Empowerment Network (PAWEEN) and Pan African Women of Faith (PAW).
The Perkins School of Theology Alumni/ae Council selected Dr Evelyn L. Parker as the 2021 recipient of the Perkins Distinguished Alumnus/a Award. The award recognizes Perkins graduates who have demonstrated effectiveness and integrity in service to the church, continuing support for the goals of Perkins and Southern Methodist University, outstanding service to the community, and exemplary character.
South Sudan came into existence ten years ago this week, but there is little to celebrate for the world's newest nation, Rev. Fr James Oyet Latansio, general secretary of the South Sudan Council of Churches.
L'entretien suivant avec Benoît et Denise Lokila, de la Fraternité Cana en République démocratique du Congo, fait partie d'une série consacrée à la Semaine de prière pour l'unité des chrétiens.
The following interview with Benoît and Denise Lokila, of the Cana Fraternity in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is part of a series dedicated to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Comment un groupe de responsables chrétiens du Minnesota (États-Unis) se consacre-t-il à la rédaction de réflexions destinées à la Semaine de prière pour l’unité des chrétiens de 2023 tout en luttant contre des problèmes urgents présents autour d'eux tels que le racisme, la violence et le suprémacisme blanc?
How does a group of Christian leaders from Minnesota (USA) focus on writing reflections for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 2023 while, at the same time, addressing the urgent racism, violence and white supremacy surrounding them?