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For public theology, “the essential and pressing task of the churches and theological education is to foster love, dialogue, forgiveness, reconciliation” says Prof. Dr Rudolf Von Sinner.

The 13th International General Assembly of the Church of the Lord (Prayer Fellowship) was held in the Bantama area of Kumasi, Ghana from 9 to 16 November.

During the 4th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights, the WCC, in collaboration with the ACT Alliance and Lutheran World Federation, organized a side-event on “Faith-based organizations’ contribution to the protection of communities’ land rights: lessons learnt and good practices from Africa, Asia and Latin America” at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva.

Commemorating the Armenian Genocide of 1915-23 was to have been the principal focus of the service of Sunday morning prayer on 15 November in the cathedral church of Saint-Pierre at the summit of Geneva’s old town. Following terror attacks in Beirut and Paris killing and wounding hundreds of civilians over the preceding days, the prayers of the Protestant Church of Geneva and the WCC Executive Committee took on a new dimension.

The role of faith-based communities in the electoral process of the Democratic Republic of Congo was explored in depth at an event organized by the National Endowment for Democracy in collaboration with the WCC.

“Stigma, discrimination, lack of access to information and appropriate prevention measures aggravate the spread of HIV and AIDS,” says Samuel Matsikure, who participated in a dialogue sponsored by Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy of the WCC.

Economic empowerment and a thriving positive engagement in community life for women affected by HIV and AIDS was the focus of a training sponsored by the Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy of the WCC in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Representatives of more than 150 faith-based organizations gathered in Bogota, Colombia on 5 November to discuss their role in the peace process in that country. The meeting was organized by the Ministry of Interior and drew participation from the WCC.

Aldo Etchegoyen, bishop emeritus of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Argentina (IEMA), died on 1 November in Buenos Aires, Argentina, leaving a legacy of strong commitment to human rights and the ecumenical movement. He was 86.

High-profile church representatives, theological educators and social activists from around the world will meet from 19-23 November in São Leopoldo, Brazil, to reflect on how Reformation traditions in the world have contributed through education to transform societies.

The WCC welcomed an initiative by the South African government to propose a resolution on “Ethical Imperatives for a Nuclear-weapons-free World” for adoption at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Supported by the World Council of Churches' Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, people with disabilities are welcomed at the Bio Intensive Agricultural Training Centre run by the Methodist Church of Kenya. People with disabilities learn livelihood skills with other members of the community at the Centre, contributing towards local development.

"Securing peace for South Sudan". That is how Fr James Oyet Latansio describes today's main challenge for the South Sudan Council of Churches. Since he was appointed general secretary six months ago, he has been on a tireless journey, beating the drum for peace throughout his war-torn country.

Adebayo Anthony Kehinde leads an African group supporting ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Its interfaith campaign is especially significant on the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings in Japan.

Churches continue to play their role in peace building for South Sudan despite the dashed hopes of many in the world’s newest nation, the moderator of the WCC said at a regional meeting.

The kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls in April 2014 is sadly symbolic of the suffering of children in Nigeria, says the pastor who heads the Council of Churches of Nigeria.

“Christianity is not about big preaching, it’s about how you can impact somebody and add value,” says Nigerian ecumenical leader Rev. Dr Ibrahim Yusuf Wushishi, who leads a huge grouping of churches in Africa’s most populous nation.

Key stakeholders in a new inter-religious centre in Nigeria have met to plan for the centre and its work, set to launch in March 2016.

The WCC has welcomed the historic announcement made by the Colombian government and the FARC revolutionary force agreeing to a framework for ending 50 years of internal conflict in the nation and addressing issues of justice and reparations to the victims.

The South African Council of Churches is all set to continue working for the unity of Christian witness and supporting communities in the country affected by poverty, unemployment, inequity and corruption.