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The Church of Ireland Bishops’ Appeal for World Aid and Development has launched a disaster appeal in response to the catastrophic flooding in Libya. The floods, which were triggered by a Mediterranean storm, were focused on the city of Derna where almost 4,000 people are known to have died and over 9,000 are missing after torrents of rain and debris swept away entire districts. 

The future of diaconal work in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in the context of the war in Ukraine and aftermath of the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, was discussed this week at the meeting organized by Interdiac, the International Academy for Diakonia and Social Action, Central and Eastern Europe in Český Těšín, Czech Republic.

On 15 September, the Czechoslovak Hussite Church officially celebrated its 100-year anniversary with a service in Prague. The service followed a previous one held on 11 January. The September date is a special one for the church, as 100 years ago on that day, the Czechoslovak Hussite Church achieved official recognition by the state.

As the Czechoslovak Hussite Church celebrates its 100 anniversary, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit attended a festive worship service, where he received a “memory medal” from Patriarch Tomás Butta commemorating the occasion.

WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit is visiting Czech Republic this week, joining the Evangelical Church of the Brethren in the celebration of its 100th anniversary, then meeting with leaders from the Czechoslovak Hussite Church.

Rev. Martina V. Kopecká of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church represented the World Council of Churches at a Synod of Bishops (XV Ordinary General Assembly) which met in Rome under the theme “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment.”

At a time of increased divisions within churches and within rapidly changing societies, Christians are called, more urgently than ever before, to model the values of reconciliation, justice and peace. That’s why a group of theologians and church leaders from different denominations have been meeting near the German city of Augsburg to work together on two documents calling for much closer collaboration in the tasks of peace-building and the care of migrants and refugees.

After the Czech Republic announced it would not accept any refugees from a group of 450 people rescued from a fishing boats in the Mediterranean Sea near the Italian shores, the Synodal Council of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren sent a statement to the government encouraging help for the refugees.

“What is the role of churches in peace-building? How are they actually involved? Which are the ecumenical challenges, and especially which are the ecumenical opportunities that arise from joint efforts at peace building?” These were some of the questions on the table as the Executive of the Joint Working Group of the WCC and the Roman Catholic Church met in Dublin, Ireland on 24-26 April.

Czech Television devoted 90 minutes of programming on the afternoon of 6 July 2016 to a liturgical commemoration of national and religious leaders, chief among them the reformers Jan Hus and Jerome of Prague who were executed in 1415 as heretics and are celebrated today as martyrs and champions of faith, intellect and liberty.

A plenary discussion on support by religious communities for the rights of children, and a first draft of the statement of “principles for child-friendly churches,” captured the imagination of the Central Committee of the WCC on 27 June. The document will now undergo further revision and be resubmitted at the next WCC executive committee meeting.

A celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, called the “European Reformation Roadmap,” will begin in November 2016 in Geneva, then tour across sites of significance through May 2017.

In the Czech Republic, “HateFree” zones have been established as places for a fair approach toward every person — and expressions of solidarity poured forth from the world this week to help these zones stand strong in the face of vandalism.

Anglican parishes in the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in the Republic of Ireland are seeking new paths and projects for 2016 after considering the results of a survey that identified successes and concerns among laity.

A WCC member church in Kenya has consecrated its second woman bishop, Rev. Alice Muthoni Mutuma, on 31 January in Meru. Rev. Pauline Wanjiru Njiru, East Africa regional coordinator for the WCC Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy, attended the service and brought greetings from WCC.

Following the WCC/UN High Level Conference on the Refugee Crisis in Europe, which took place at the Ecumenical Centre Geneva on 18-19 January, a statement has been issued entitled "Europe’s Response to the Refuge Crisis, From Origin to Transit, Reception and Refuge, A Call for Shared Responsibility and Coordinated Action”.