The last reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2024 series of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network is jointly written by Rev. Audra Hudson Stone and Jacob Stone. They argue that natural disasters are not natural anymore; rather, they are human-induced. These disasters are the groaning of the earth, which is drawing our attention to mend our ways. The Stones are hopeful that, as Jesus rose from the shackles of death, the mother earth, too, will rise from its despair, suffering, and death through the “water of life”—Jesus Christ. To that end, we need to facilitate and practice “resurrection” of the earth!
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is calling on Azerbaijan for the immediate lifting of the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, as more than 120,000 people—including 30,000 children—are suffering under an increasingly dire humanitarian crisis.
Originally published in 2020, the fifth reflection of the seven weeks for water 2023 of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network is by Rev. Dr. Donald Bruce Yeates, a minister of Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church of Suva, Fiji and a consultant chaplain at The University of the South Pacific. Bruce has been active in the Pacific since 1975 as an academic in social work, community development and social policy having served at the University of Papua New Guinea and The University of the South Pacific. In the following reflection he underlines the importance of human right to water and the onslaught of privatisation in the backdrop of world’s most famous bottled water which comes from his home country, the “Fiji waters”.
As World Immunization Week is observed from 24-30 April with the theme “Long Life for All,” the World Council of Churches (WCC) and its vaccine champions continue to support sharing accurate information about vaccines as well as access to vaccines across the globe.
A compilation of the most-read stories published by the World Council of Churches (WCC) reveals a global fellowship focused on a better future even amid the grave challenges the world faced during 2021.
After nearly two years of preparations and two weeks of physical meeting, COP26 is over. People from all over the world came together to a major in-person meeting on a global level.
Address of Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, acting general secretary of the World Council of Churches at the meeting of WCC, EKD, German Federal Foreign Office and TransAtlantic Network, 13 October 2021
Rev. Dr Fidon Mwombeki, general secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches, has expressed hope that the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to new types of fellowship, where churches can build back better.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) will express its solidarity in lament, hope and courage with churches of India during a Day of Praying and Fasting for the healing of India on 7 May as COVID-19 continues to surge across South Asian countries.
As part of World Immunization Week, the World Council of Churches (WCC) is offering a range of resources designed to share accurate information about vaccines and help churches to advocate for vaccine equality across the world.
The seventh and last reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2021 of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network is written by Andrew Schwartz.* In the following reflection during Holy Week, he is using a small town in the USA as a case study to emphasise how local communities can take small initiatives to “resurrect” the contaminated or “dead” groundwater to form life giving waters. Leaving us on a positive note, he ends by saying, “if Holy Week teaches us anything it’s that death is not final.”
Faith-based health services play a critical role in many countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization head Dr Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, has said in support of a World Council of Churches (WCC) led Week of Prayer on the pandemic.
The 15 March webinar provided information on the pandemic's current status and related issues and presented an introduction and overview of the ecumenical Week of Prayer from 22-27 March.
Young people in the Pacific region shared their unique ecological insights, along with their passion for change, at the World Council of Churches (WCC) Eco-School on Water, Food and Climate Justice in February.
I had addressed you less than a week ago at the opening of the WCC Eco School 2020-2021 on Sunday evening, Geneva time. And here I am addressing you at the closing. The past 5 days have passed very quickly. I have been updated by my colleagues responsible for the Eco School that this was an unique experience for all of them and I am sure for you as well. Carrying out a training programme for 5 consecutive days beyond midnight was new for most of them. But I gather it has been a very enriching experience for them journeying with you all imparting this important training and at the same time listening to your valuable comments, questions and feedback. But as I said in the opening, despite the geographic and time divide, we are united together virtually for a common cause - and that it eco justice!
World Council of Churches central committee moderator Dr Agnes Abuom will serve as a panel speaker on food security during an event hosted by the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund, based in Canada.
Thousands of people hit by two hurricanes that lashed Honduras in November have spent Christmas in makeshift street shelters. Local churches responded with what they have, providing shelterfood and clothing. But their needs are great and the resources few. These photographs are from Sean Hawkey. He has reported on the double disaster for the World Council of Churches introducing us to some of the people living this disaster.
This week, on the first week of Advent, in the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle, we are praying with the people and churches of Myanmar and Thailand.
In the context of the 16 Days against Gender-Based Violence, this week marks World AIDS Day (December 1), the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (2 December) and the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December).
Dr Manoj Kurian is coordinator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance. We we are now in the midst of observing Churches’ Week of Action on Food, he reflects on this year’s theme, “Grow, Nourish, Sustain Together.”
