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From the Ashes of War: The first WCC Assembly in Europe – Amsterdam 1948

As participants in the First Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) gathered at Amsterdam during August 1948, the Netherlands bore witness to the violence of the Second World War. The port of Rotterdam was rising from near destruction. Many other cities, towns and villages across Europe were struggling to recover. To the east, Germany and Austria were divided into zones of occupation administered by the Allied Powers. Two months earlier, tensions between the Soviet Union and the Western occupiers of the former German capital led to the start of the Berlin Airlift. Since 1945, publications had been increasing their use of the term “Cold War”.

WCC worship songwriting competition announces winners

Young songwriters will take center inspirational stage at the upcoming World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly as the WCC announced the winners of its Worship Songwriting Competition on 22 August. The contest aimed to engage and support young people in the assembly's planning and delivery.

Lighting the lives of many

Empowering underprivileged women and their children to alleviate poverty was the main topic of one of the confessional meetings held during the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee meeting in mid-June.

West Papuan Council of Churches issues a 'moral call’ for their people

For the people of the Indonesian province of West Papua, human rights have significantly deteriorated throughout 2019 and 2020, as demonstrated by the latest biennial report issued by the International Coalition for Papua. In this context, the West Papuan Council of Churches issued a moral call to the international community on behalf of their people.

Podcast reflects on risks of child trafficking in Malawi

In a new episode of WCC podcasts, Frederique Seidel, WCC senior advisor on Child Rights, interviews Malawian journalist Mphatso Moses Kaufulu on documenting the risks for vulnerable children in his country and how churches can protect them in local communities.

WCC acting general secretary reflects on preventing violence against children

At an event hosted by the Lutheran World Federation and focusing on Faith Based Actors and Prevention of Violence against Children,” World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca offered opening reflections that focused on, among other efforts, the WCCs initiative ChurchesCommitments to Children” in partnership with UNICEF.

Thursdays in Black Bible study series-Looking and Seeing (Luke 13:10–17)

Sister Imelda Poole, MBE, a native of Great Britain, is a sister of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM). After many years in the field of education and grassroots mission in the United Kingdom, her ministry moved to Albania where the Roman Catholic archbishop of Tiranë-Durrës invited the IBVM to work in the mission against human trafficking. This led to her co-founding Mary Ward Loreto, an NGO that addresses the root causes of trafficking, including poverty, and is involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of survivors of trafficking. 

Sr Imelda Poole currently serves as president of Religious in Europe Networking Against Trafficking and Exploitation (RENATE). RENATE has grown from a handful of religious sisters into a leading NGO combatting human trafficking in 31 European countries. It regularly convenes in different European nations to support work across borders in partnership with the many members of RENATE. Presently, Imelda Poole is co-founding the NGOs Mary Ward Loreto UK and Anti Modern Slavery Alliance.

 

Church leaders in southern Africa participate in child safeguarding workshops

Church leaders in South Africa and Zimbabwe are participating in online workshops on Churches and Child Safeguarding” on 3 and 5 August. Part of the World Council of Churches (WCC) partnership program with UNICEF, ChurchesCommitments to Children,” the workshops are designed to nurture churches where children feel welcome and safe.

Seven Weeks for Water 2021, week 7: "Healing the water heals the wounds of the earth and its people", by Andrew Schwartz

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.”