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“In the midst of death and trauma caused by this terrible event, let us bring our intercessions together, praying that the God of Life will comfort the ones who lost their loved ones and give strength to those involved in the actions of solidarity with the victims,” said Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, acting general secretary of the World Council of Churches, as a torrential rainfall took the lives of over 100 people in Petrópolis, Brazil.

As the COVID-19 pandemic forced many churches to pivot to an online presence, communicators from the Methodist Church of Brazil quickly pulled together a “toolbox” of support for church leaders.

An online event held on 22 July marked the launch of the Ecumenical Water Network Brazil, an initiative that intends to articulate several ecumenical organizations and interfaith voices with the purpose of raising awareness about the life cycle of water.

Areas around the River Pardo in northeastern Brazil are home to more than one million people. Included in them are traditional communities such as the quilombolas (descendants of runaway African slaves), the geraizeiros and others. Each year they see less water in their river. “This is not solely due to the reduction in rainfall. 

The Brazilian municipality of Juiz de Fora has approved a cooperation agreement with Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER), a member of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network (WCC-EWN), thus becoming part of an international working group that wants to contribute to good water management and management practices using a water flow diagram. The project also encompasses the city of Bern, Switzerland; Cape Town, in South Africa, and Rio Pardo de Minas, in Brazil.

In a 17 May letter to the Ecumenical Forum of the Churches in El Salvador, World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca and ACT Alliance general secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria wrote that they are following the political developments in El Salvador with great concern.

“It is with great concern that we are following political developments in El Salvador that undermine democracy and the rule of law in the country”, said Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, acting general secretary of the World Council of Churches.

"We pray that the God of life will lead El Salvador to peace and justice”, added Sauca.

Following the disappearance in Paraguay of a teenage girl and the killing of two 11-year-olds, World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca called for justice and an end to senseless, conflict-laden violence that tragically targets children. 

As the Ecumenical Fraternity Campaign begins in Brazil, World Council of Churches interim general secretary Rev. Dr Ioan Sauca shared his hope that the campaign will bring a unique opportunity to express concrete solidarity and support to the work of churches engaged in expressing Christian unity.

In a letter sent on 11 February, Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, World Council of Churches (WCC) interim general secretary, sent condolences to the United Evangelical Lutheran Church for the passing of Rev. Fabián Kreischer on 7 February, in San Miguel, outside Buenos Aires, Argentina.