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A journey through advocacy, women's leadership, and the Korea peace appeal

The call for peace in Korea has resonated for decades, echoing across international borders and faith communities. Patti Talbot, who has served The United Church of Canada for nearly 30 years, sheds light on the enduring relevance of ecumenical advocacy efforts for peace in the Korean Peninsula. She shared insights into the importance of these efforts and their potential to change the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

25 September 2023

From exhaustion to excitement—to hope

A reflection originally shared at the "Working Together" meeting between the World Council of Churches and specialized ministries, convened 3-4 May in Bossey, Switzerland.

15 May 2023

Marie Anne Sliwinski

Church center to the United Nations (UN) where the WCC Ecumenical Office to the UN is located, New York, Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC

In New York City, the spirit of Thursdays in Black is thriving

Walk around the streets of New York City and you may notice that there is one dominant color on the fashion palette: black. In this place, one of the world’s fashion capitals, residents want to show they are edgy, hip, and trendy.

06 October 2022

Photo essay

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 11^th assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany.

13 September 2022

Rev. Dr Jeffrey Carter expresses sense of hope in “centre that seeks unity above all else”

Rev. Dr Jeffrey Carter, Church of the Brethren, is president of Bethany Theological Seminary. His reflections below were drawn from an interview after the confessional meeting with historic peace churches and the Moravians that occurred during the recent World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee meeting. Carter is a member of the central committee.

21 June 2022

Jørgen Thomsen speaks at the Ecumenical diakona celebration

Soon-to-be-released publication on ecumenical diakonia is something to celebrate

As a document on ecumenical diakonia is set to be released in June, partners of the World Council of Churches (WCC) specialized ministries gathered to celebrate on 4 May at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute their years of work in creating a publication that shows how carefully crafted fruits are well worth the wait.

05 May 2022

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.

24 February 2022

Susan Lea Smith

People gathered for group photo in chapel room.

As Bossey students help lead prayers, they find hope “as long as churches are willing to journey together”

Students from the Bossey Ecumenical Institute deepened their understanding of the ecumenical movement as they helped lead prayers during the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee meeting, held via videoconference 9-15 February.

17 February 2022

People gathered in a stained glass chapel room, most of them seated, one young woman reading from a paper.

Bossey sees new generation of students graduate, celebrating the experience of ‘a school of life’

Gathered at the Ecumenical Institute Bossey on 27 January, a group of more than 30 Bossey students joined faculty members, partners and friends of Bossey in celebrating the experience of “a school of life,” as they earned their post-graduate Certificates in Ecumenical Studies.

28 January 2022

With boldness of faith, joy and peace, Pan African women hold “Ubuntu” gathering

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).

17 December 2021

COP26: historic moment into what really matters to sustain life

The highly anticipated, long awaited COP26 began 31 October. It has now been six years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement at COP21 and much remains to be implemented in order to fulfil the promises agreed to at that historic moment by the member states. We knew then that the road ahead would be challenging and that changing our systems would require a radical shift in policies and behaviours—but we were hopeful.

01 November 2021

Joy Kennedy

Climate change in Switzerland

It seems strange to put Switzerland in a line with other countries affected by climate change: not because we don’t suffer from climate change as well but because we, as Swiss people, should be very aware of how our problems stand in relation to our wealth.

19 August 2021

Sarah Bach

WCC-RevProfDr-IoanSauca-2021-photo-by-IvarsKupcis-06.jpeg

WCC acting general secretary reflects on building the bridges that contribute to peace

World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca offers reflections upon receiving the Bridge Builder Award for building bridges of understanding between people, nations, and communities at national and international levels. The award is presented by the Jury of the 14th August Committee Norway together with The Oslo Center.

02 July 2021

Bossey graduates set out to “be ambassadors of reconciliation and unity”

As they head back to their home countries, graduates from the World Council of Churches Bossey Ecumenical Institute are fondly remembering their time together, and looking ahead to turning their knowledge into action for their own communities.

22 June 2021

Standing Rock Tribal Office Building with a “Black Snake” depicting the DAPL oil pipeline.

In Standing Rock, eco-justice and indigenous identity go hand-in-hand

A World Council of Churches (WCC) pilgrim team engaged in online visits to indigenous communities on Standing Rock, 25-28 May. The WCC delegation stood in solidarity with the local indigenous communities, particularly along the shore of the Missouri River (Lake Oahe), in their struggle for justice, including water justice.

03 June 2021

Arctic communities to WCC pilgrims: “We need your voice”

Lorraine Netro, who was raised in the Gwich’in First Nation of Old Crow, Yukon (Canada), is part of an indigenous community—but she’s also a global citizen.

“Today’s Arctic peoples are important members of global society,” Netro said. “The survival of Arctic cultures and communities remains tied to the wildlife and landscape of the Arctic Refuge.”

11 May 2021