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Rev. Zenda Chipaka, the first deaf pastor of the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe, through a sign language interpreter shared reflections on the importance of listening to advice in her devotion during the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) 8th Biennial General Assembly. The assembly was held 28-29 August.

“It is with great sadness that the World Council of Churches received news about the passing away of Rev. Dr Micheline Kamba Kasongo, an outstanding theologian and ecumenist who contributed enormously to many areas in the ecumenical movement,” said Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, interim general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have faced new challenges worldwide. Our life situation has changed drastically and in many places and regions of the world it has even become an existential challenge. We do face many ambiguities and uncertainties, which raise many questions. In such a life situation, it is good to rely on the experiences and practices of others, and to be part of a wider fellowship of voices of reason and support.

Persons with disabilities may be even more vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have also shown resiliency and wisdom that can be shared across the world.

Rev. Jacques Maury, a leading French Protestant who served as president of the Reformed Church of France and then of the Protestant Federation of France, has died at the age of 99.

Taking into consideration the growing global concerns and implications of the current spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), the World Council of Churches (WCC) will postpone its annual Ecumenical Continuing Formation on Youth seminar in the Pacific to the end of the year 2020, with a date to be announced. The event was scheduled for June 2020 in Tonga.
The WCC is taking steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including cancelling or postponing certain meetings and limiting travels.

“The church has lots of roles in removing barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from living a fulfilled life. All are created in the image of God and have equal rights. Sexual and reproductive health is one such right that should not be denied to any woman,” said Rev. Evans Onyemara, general secretary of the Christian Council of Nigeria during a training on empowering women with disabilities on sexual and reproductive health care held at Umuahia, Nigeria from 9-11 March.

As the World Council of Churches prepares for its 11th Assembly in 2021, a special “virtual” issue of the WCC’s journal International Review of Mission is now available online presenting a set of 12 articles published following the WCC’s previous assembly in 2013 in Busan, Republic of Korea.

Ecumenical partners in Africa convened by All Africa Conference of Churches, World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, WCC Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative and Advocacy, Christian Aid, and Side by Side gathered in Nairobi on World Prayer day 2020 to celebrate the achievements of women in Africa as well as to recognise men as allies. The gathering also observed the International Women’s Day under the theme #EachforEqual.

Beate Fagerli, World Council of Churches (WCC) assembly coordinator, answers the most frequently asked questions about the upcoming WCC 11th Assembly in 2021.

Christians in Africa have joined in ecumenical celebrations and prayer services to mark the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, observed worldwide from 18-25 January.

“The Pacific Conference of Churches welcomes you on board our ecumenical canoe, as we sail and voyage together beyond the fringing reefs and rocks of the many issues that affect us here in the Pacific and globally, and set sail with our eyes firmly fixed on the island of hope,” said Rev. Dr James Bhagwan, Pacific Conference of Churches general secretary as he welcomed participants of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace to Fiji, on 20 January.

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, visited Geneva on 12-13 October. Karekin II, a World Council of Churches (WCC) president, was attending the 2019 Swiss Red Cross Ball with the theme of “Brighten the Lives of our Elders.” The main purpose of the event was to support people with disabilities in Armenia.

In a gesture of solidarity with marginalized minorities in Japan, a pilgrim team with participants from around the world gathered in Tokyo, Japan, on 12 September to encourage, empower, support and walk alongside minority communities for four days.