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Report of the Acting General Secretary to the WCC Central Committee meeting, 15 June 2022

"Witnessing in unity to Christ’s Compassionate love in times of survival", Address of the Dr Agnes Abuom, moderator of the World Council of Churches central committee, at the WCC Central Committee meeting of 15-18 June 2022.

During its current meeting (30 May-2 June 2022 online) the executive committee of the World Council of Churches was deeply disturbed by the kidnapping on 29 May of Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche, the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria – along with the Methodist Bishop of Owerri Diocese Rt. Rev. Dennis Okechukwu Mark, and the Chaplain to the Prelate, Very Rev. Jeremiah Abidemi Shittu – and was greatly relieved by the news of their safe release on 31 May.

The conflict in Ukraine continues to cause a terrible toll of death, destruction, displacement and misery for the Ukrainian people, with thousands of civilians reported to have been killed, and more than 14 million people – well over a quarter of the entire population – forced to flee from their homes. In addition, the impacts of this war are being felt far beyond the borders of Ukraine or the European region, producing a downward spiral effect on a global economy already battered by COVID-19 and the climate crisis. Prices of food, fertiliser and energy have risen rapidly in many parts of the world, given the important roles played by Russia and Ukraine in these markets.

Tribute of the World Council of Churches to Metropolitan Gennadios, Vice-Moderator of the WCC central committee, at his funeral in Thessaloniki, Greece, 3 June 2022.

Leadership of the central committee of the World Council of Churches, on behalf of the entire fellowship and the staff of the Council, extend the most sincere condolences to His All Holiness Bartholomew Ecumenical Patriarch and to the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the passing of Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima.

The executive committee of the World Council of Churches, meeting online on 30 May-2 June 2022, welcomes the ecumenical solidarity visit to Sudan on 20-25 April 2022 undertaken jointly by the WCC, the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) and the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa (FECCLAHA). Though this visit was planned already in early 2020 in light of the political upheavals and transitions of 2019, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the meantime, in October 2021, a military coup displaced again the civilian governmental leadership, in a development which this executive committee described as a betrayal of the revolution of 2019 and of the country's own Constitutional Document and other foundational documents of the transition.