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By Annegret Kapp*

Issues facing the ecumenical movement today were described as examples of 'challenges posed by success' in a speech by the Rev. Dr Sarah Lancaster to the 19-23 July conference marking the 50th anniversary of the Faith and Order commission of the NCC USA. Lancaster is a member of the Standing Commission on Fath and Order of the World Council of Churches.

"Chaque Eglise est l'Eglise catholique et non pas seulement une partie d'elle. Chaque Eglise est l'Eglise catholique, mais elle n'en est pas la totalité. Chaque Eglise réalise sa catholicité lorsqu'elle est en communion avec les autres Eglises."

The Faith and Order standing commission has called for a meeting of the plenary commission to take place in October 2009. The plenary commission - noted as the most diverse church-based theological forum in the world - will bring a wealth of confessional and regional perspectives to Faith and Order's work for the unity of the church. The call for a full commission meeting was voiced as the standing commission met at the Villa Notre Dame, Crans-Montana, Switzerland, from 12 - 18 June 2007 under the leadership of its moderator, Metropolitan Vassilios of Constantia.

"Each church is the Church catholic and not simply a part of it. Each church is the Church catholic, but not the whole of it. Each church fulfils its catholicity when it is in communion with the other churches."

Representatives of churches, church-related organisations and ecumenical bodies associated with the World Council of Churches (WCC) from Africa, Europe and the Middle East will be gathering in Brussels from 6-9 July 2007 for a meeting on migration in and between these regions. The participants from sending and receiving regions will focus on the issue of removals from Europe, coordinate advocacy work directed towards the European Union and the African Union and develop advocacy strategies to be implemented in the regions with a particular emphasis on "being church together".

Les Eglises locales de Palestine et d'Israël attendent de toute la communauté fraternelle du Conseil oecuménique des Eglises (COE) qu'elle renforce son soutien à leurs luttes en faveur d'une paix juste dans cette région. Telle est la principale conclusion à laquelle est parvenue une délégation conduite par le pasteur Samuel Kobia, secrétaire général du COE, qui s'est rendue en Palestine/Israël du 21 au 26 juin 2007. Le Forum oecuménique Palestine Israël, nouveau forum de sensibilisation mis en place peu avant cette visite, et l'accompagnement oecuménique constituent des activités prioritaires pour les Eglises soucieuses de réaliser cet objectif.

Local churches in Palestine/Israel are looking to the whole fellowship of the World Council of Churches (WCC) to play a stronger role in supporting local churches' struggles for a just peace there. This is the main finding of a delegation led by the Council's general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia that visited Palestine/Israel from 21 to 26 June. A new advocacy forum launched prior to the visit, and ecumenical accompaniment are high on the churches' list of actions in pursuit of this goal.

A free high resolution photo is available, see below

Free high resolution photo available, see below

Photo à haute résolution disponible gratuitement: voir plus bas

"En échangeant nos expériences, nous nous sommes également aperçus que l'approvisionnement en eau, l'assainissement et la protection de l'environnement ne devaient pas être traités séparément, mais de manière globale" dit la déclaration finale de la Conférence "Les Eglises pour l'eau en Afrique" qui s'est tenue du 21 au 25 mai à Entebbe (Ouganda).

A newly appointed commission with representatives of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and several Christian World Communions met for the first time, affirming the complementary witness of ecumenical partners.

"Our sharing of experiences revealed that water supply, sanitation and protection of the environment should never be separated, but worked on in a holistic approach," says the final statement of the "Churches for Water in Africa" conference, held on 21-25 May in Entebbe, Uganda.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary, Rev Dr. Samuel Kobia, visited the Eritrean capital of Asmara on 16-19 May 2007. He met church representatives and the president of the country and affirmed the Council's commitment to churches engaged in peace, reconciliation and nation building efforts.

By Marian McClure (*)

par Marian McClure (*)

Writing to Walter Cardinal Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPU) on 14 May, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia expresses "deep sadness" at the passing away of Bishop Pierre Duprey. Kasper succeeded Duprey as PCPU secretary when the latter retired in 1999 at the age of 75.

Dans une lettre envoyée le 14 mai au cardinal Walter Kasper, président du Conseil pontifical pour la promotion de l'unité des chrétiens (CPPU), le secrétaire général du Conseil oecuménique des Eglises, le pasteur Samuel Kobia, exprime sa « profonde tristesse » à la nouvelle du décès de l'évêque Pierre Duprey. Le cardinal Kasper avait succédé à l'évêque Duprey en tant que secrétaire du CPPU lorsque celui-ci avait pris sa retraite en 1999, à l'âge de 75 ans.

Christian scholars from Europe and US will discuss peace, justice and security and how they relate to religion, spirituality and healing at an international ecumenical conference on "Forgiveness, peace and reconciliation" to be held 17-20 May 2007 in Volos, Greece. The current situations in Cyprus, Serbia, Russia, Ireland and the Middle East will be amongst case studies considered in a conference section on "Orthodoxy in situations of conflict".