Search results | World Council of Churches

Displaying 1 - 20 of 78

As femicide cases rises, Kenyan religious leaders move to act

As cases of femicide rise, religious leaders in Kenya are calling for the protection of women, as they unite to condemn the incidents now sending shockwaves across the East African nation.

06 February 2024

Feature story

"Africa Six" bishops gather at St Paul’s University: “we carry the flag of women”

Six African Anglican female bishops—fondly known as the “Africa Six”—gathered at St Paul’s University in Nairobi, Kenya on 11 January to share their ideas and inspirations about “Christian Leadership for the 21st Century.”

12 January 2024

Feature story

As British monarch visits, Kenyan religious leaders discuss interreligious dialogue

At a 120-year-old Anglican cathedral in Kenya’s coastal city of Mombasa, a visit by King Charles III, king of the United Kingdom and 14 other commonwealth realms, provided an opportunity for religious leaders to discuss interfaith dialogue, and peace, security, and development.

09 November 2023

Feature story

For spiritual nourishment, “practise humanity,” says Mama Shamsa

A woman who works with youth in Kenya—young people who once turned to heinous crimes—had a group of young Christians, Jews, and Muslims weeping tears of compassion and joy as she recounted her tough upbringing and how she helps turn those youth from crime to community.

08 July 2023

Interview

On International Women’s Day, award-winning church sign language interpreter urges space for deaf women

At the St Andrew’s Presbyterian of Church East Africa in Nairobi, Judy Kihumba is the voice between the hearing and the deaf worlds in one of Kenya’s oldest churches.

08 March 2023

Feature story

Recieving the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity

Kenyan woman peace-builder wins human fraternity award

Shamsa Abubakar Fadhil, a recipient of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, is a household name in peace building and community mobilisation in the Kenyan coastal region.

14 February 2023

News

Launch of Thursdays in Black at St. Paul'

St Paul’s University School of Theology launches Thursdays in Black, pledges to “build Africa without violence”

As a crowd of more than 300 gathered, the St Paul’s University School of Theology officially launched Thursdays in Black, pledging to build an Africa without violence and to join together on a pilgrimage of justice, peace, and reconciliation.

01 December 2022

Feature story

Students and staff gathered at the school

School of theology at St Paul’s University leads the way in creating safe spaces for promoting gender justice in Kenya

Every Monday, staff and students at the Joshua and Timothy School of Theology, St Paul’s University, in Limuru Kenya hold their weekly fellowship during which they hold prayers, Bible study, and theological debates, and sometimes celebrate holy communion together.

24 November 2022

News

WCC reflects on women’s transformative leadership at international conference on innovation in Africa

Prof. Ezra Chitando, World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy regional coordinator for Southern Africa, presented on behalf of WCC deputy general secretary Prof. Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri, a paper on “Women’s Transformative Leadership and Africa’s Holistic Development: The Role of the Churches” during an international conference on leadership transformation and innovation in Africa.

21 October 2022

Feature story

Loyce Maturu speaks at an interfaith breakfast

Loyce Maturu on childhood HIV: “interfaith community has the power to make a difference”

As Loyce Maturu shared her story of growing up in Zimbabwe at an interfaith breakfast in New York City on 22 September, she held herself up as an example that faith communities really can make a difference for children who have HIV.

26 September 2022

Interview

Women-Church-Leaders-meeting-18May2022 - 12.jpeg

Right Rev. Dr Emily Onyango has a message for young people: “God is on your side”

Right Rev. Dr Emily Onyango, assistant bishop, Anglican Diocese of Bondo, Kenya, was ordained in 1987—the second woman priest ordained in all of east Africa—and appointed as assistant bishop in 2021. She also serves as a lecturer for St Paul’s University. Below, she reflects on her path to becoming a church leader, the resistance she encountered, and her message to young people today.

14 July 2022

Feature story

Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca and Dr Agnes Abuom outside the Ecumenical centre in Geneva

WCC leaders recall life-changing experiences from early days

At the end of a 9 February press conference — which followed a long day of videoconference meetings — Dr Agnes Abuom and Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauce fielded a surprise question: what first got them involved in the ecumenical movement?

10 February 2022

Blog post

Why theology must occupy social media

I see five imperatives for theologians (prophetic, pastoral and priestly), to occupy the social media space, which is currently dominated by politics (politricks), business (including profiteers), entertainers (artists, sports, etc.), economists, lawyers, etc.

10 January 2022

Kenneth Mtata

News

Praying with Zimbabwe and Botswana: “it is the small acts that grow and have a big impact on people's lives”

The ecumenical staff gathered with people from Zimbabwe and Botswana on 14 June for a morning prayer and song that focused on the church as a place of refuge and trust.

15 June 2021

News

Rev. Canon Dr Emily Awino Onyango accepts new Anglican leadership role

Rev. Canon Dr Emily Awino Onyango, a Kenyan woman theologian, was consecrated on 27 March as the assistant bishop of the Bondo Anglican Diocese, making her the first woman to hold such a post in the church in east-central Africa.

30 March 2021

Blog post

Remembering Patrick Matsinkinyiri (27 July 1937 – 15 January 2021)

Patrick Matsikenyiri was born in Biriri, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and died in Mutare, Zimbabwe near his home village a few kilometers from the border of Mozambique, as a result of complications due to the COVID-19 virus. His career included virtually all aspects of church music — singing, choral directing, composition, hymnal editor, festival leader, professor, and enlivener of global songs in venues around the world.

26 February 2021

Terry Macarthur

News

Patrick Matsikenyiri, former AU choir director and author of the Africa University song, greets a member of the Jubilate Choir from the Pacific Northwest Conference during the March 23, 2013, 20th anniversary celebration of Africa University.

WCC remembers life of Patrick Matsikenyiri, a joyful song leader

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is remembering the life of Patrick Matsikenyiri, whose career included virtually all aspects of church music—singing, choral directing, composition, hymnal editor, festival leader, professor, and enlivener of global songs in venues around the world.

15 February 2021

Interview

Dr Agnes Abuom: “We pray that churches will recommit to the search for visible unity”

WCC News met online with Dr Agnes Abuom, moderator of the World Council of Churches central committee, and she offers reflections on the impact of COVID-19, what gives her hope, and the future of the ecumenical movement.

17 December 2020

Feature story

Benaco Rwandese refugee camp in Ngara district, Tanzania

African faith leaders urged to redouble efforts against gender-based violence

As the COVID-19 pandemic has brought on what many are calling a “shadow pandemic” of gender-based violence, African faith leaders are amplifying their call for increased action for prevention and support for those affected.

01 December 2020

News

Woman leads conversation in rural Colombia

Calls grow to increase women’s visibility in work for peace and security

Upon the 20th anniversary of the UN Resolution 1325, the question is still being answered as to whether women’s important work in peace and security is getting the visibility it deserves.

26 October 2020