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Ecumenical delegation visits Armenia

As the humanitarian crisis continues to escalate in the blockaded enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), a World Council of Churches (WCC) delegation visited Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, headquarters of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The Focolari experience

My recent visit to Focolari in Montet left an indelible mark on my mind and heart. What made this experience even more remarkable was witnessing individuals, especially young ones, who, out of a deep sense of love and devotion to God, had chosen to take vows and dedicate their lives to serving at this extraordinary place. 

Christ’s Love (Re)moves Borders – GETI 2022 in images

GETI 2022, the third global iteration of a Global Ecumenical Theological Institute, brought together some 100 young theologians from across the globe for six weeks of intense ecumenical sharing and learning – first online for four weeks and then for two weeks in person onsite – as the World Council of Churches (WCC) recently gathered for its 11th assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany.

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.

In the mood for vibrant music? Or deep reflection? Visit the Networking Zone

Whether you need vibrant music, a lively dialogue, calming atmosphere, or a quiet coffee, youll find it in the Networking Zone of the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly. Located at the front of the assembly grounds, the space invites participants to engage one another in a more relaxed and social area apart from the plenaries.

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. 

Borders and Migrants

On 20 May 2022, a group of us, 14 pilgrims from different parts of the world (Kenya, Brussels, Germany, Hong Kong, Philippines, Poland, Rome, Korea, Canada, Fiji, Australia, London, Scotland, and Geneva—a very diverse group) gathered in Palermo, Italy for a Pilgrim Team Visit on the theme of migration. 

WCC visit to Italy harvests examples of the churches’ unconditional support to refugees and migrants

The Central Mediterranean route is the overseas crossing from North Africa to Italy. Those migrating on this route generally aim to reach Italian shores but leave from a variety of North African countries bordering the Mediterranean. Though in past years most migrants have departed from Libya, which is a destination for migrants as well as a transit country, there is also a proportionally small but growing number of departures from Tunisia, Egypt, and Algeria.

Reflecting on California groundwater abuse

I live in western Oregon, part of the Pacific Northwest long regarded as a verdant paradise, courtesy of rains and snowfall that can exceed 100 inches each year.  The snowfall in the mountains sustains our rivers through the dry summer.  But our climate has been profoundly disrupted.  Where I live, summers are far drier and hot.  But just to the south of us, this climate change has caused a drought worse than any drought in the past 1200 years.  Scientists call it a “mega-drought,” a severe drought affecting massive areas of the western United States for more than two decades.