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floor ecumenical center chapel

Seven Weeks for Water campaign pre-launched with prayer service

At an online prayer service for staff held 28 February, the World Council of Churches (WCC) pre-launched the WCC Lenten campaign “Seven Weeks for Water.” Since 2008, the WCC – through its Lenten campaign – has been providing weekly theological reflections and other resources on water justice for the seven weeks of Lent. This year the focus of the campaign is on Europe.

28 February 2022
Feature story
man inside a well in Honduras

Groundwater: a hidden treasure we need to protect, say EWN members

Groundwater resources are the invisible lifeline of our planet. They provide almost half of all drinking water worldwide, about 40% of water for irrigated agriculture and about one third of the water supply required for industry. Yet many people are unaware of the importance of groundwater. That is why this year’s World Water Day on 22 March focuses on the theme “Groundwater: making the invisible visible.” In this article, members of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network testify to the urgency of protecting our global groundwater.

28 February 2022
Blog post
a glass of water

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
News
Landslide devastate houses in Petrópolis, Brazil

WCC stands in solidarity with victims of major flood in Brazil

“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.

17 February 2022
News
Marion-Unger-DSCN8121.JPG

Rivers, oceans, lakes all interconnected in God's patterns for nature, WCC webinar hears

The Rewa River is the longest and widest river in Fiji on the island of Viti Levu, originating in Tomanivi, the highest peak in the country, and is of enormous importance to local indigenous culture, explains Rev. James Bhagwan.

As general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, Bhagwan offered opening remarks and prayers at a World Council of Churches (WCC) webinar titled "Food from Oceans, Rivers and Lakes" on 28 January with participants from every part of planet earth.

03 February 2022
News
Members of the Ecumenical centre staff gathered at the chapel for prayer

WCC posts job openings for leadership staff

Following the decision of the Executive Committee during its meeting of November 2021, the World Council of Churches (WCC) is posting the opening of three staff leadership positions. The openings include programme director for Unity and Mission, programme director for Public Witness and Diakonia, and director of the WCC Commission on Faith and Order.

27 January 2022
News
Marion-Unger-DSCN8113.JPG

Webinar will highlight experts’ reflections on “Food from Oceans, Rivers and Lakes”

A upcoming webinar will offer speakers’ insights on “Food from Oceans, Rivers and Lakes.” Offered on 28 or 27 January (depending on time zone), the webinar will explore the vital role of blue, or aquatic, foods in the wellbeing and livelihood of 3 billion people in the world. But the health of the water bodies is being degraded by climate change,  pollution, unsustainable overfishing, and mining.

21 January 2022
Feature story
community bathroom

“Bathroom ministry” for the homeless

Whether people have access to a safe and clean toilet has wide-reaching consequences for their dignity, health, access to education, and gender equality. Churches around the world are therefore acting as messengers, implementers, advocators, and guardians to promote better sanitation and hygiene. There are many practical and encouraging examples. One is the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew (SsAM) in Wilmington (Delaware) in the USA, which has a “community bathroom” that people from the homeless community can use.

14 December 2021
News
African farmer man's hand touches a green plant.

WCC invites webinar on ’Racism, Land and Food’

The World Council of Churches (WCC) invites a webinar on ’Racism, Land and Food’ to explore the intersections of food, land, and racial injustices, and discern ways to overcome the impact of racial injustice and inequity on food sovereignty.

09 December 2021
Feature story
Ethiopia forests

Protecting Ethiopia’s church forests

In many parts of Ethiopia, the forests surrounding churches and monasteries are among the last remaining in the country. They are severely threatened as people cut trees to obtain firewood. The church fights for the preservation of the forests by making local communities more aware of the link between the forests and water availability and by helping them to find alternative livelihoods for themselves and their families.

27 October 2021
Feature story
Bangladesh water source

Climate crisis fuels existing water injustice

2021 has shown how vulnerable and unprepared even wealthy, industrialized countries are in the face of the escalating climate crisis. Devastating flooding, unprecedented heat waves and out-of-control wildfires have hit parts of Europe and North America. Yet this is just a foretaste of catastrophes that have long since become a bitter reality in other parts of the world. They are almost always a matter of too much or too little water. Yet water problems are often the result of discrimination and political failure, especially in times of climate change.

27 October 2021