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Greetings to the 4th Global Gathering of the Global Christian Forum in Accra, Ghana by Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, general secretary of the World Council of Churches.

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, on behalf of the global fellowship, expressed grave concern regarding the recent escalation of violence in the Middle East following the first direct confrontation between Iran and Israel.

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay sent a pastoral letter to Haitian brothers and sisters whose lives are lived in a land with hatred, violence, and suffering. “Although we might be physically distant, we are close to you in heart, in the spiritual sense,” wrote Pillay. “We all are children of God. We belong to one family, as Jesus Christ himself said.”

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended condolences to the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan and those who lost loved ones and invited prayer and support for the people of Taiwan in the wake of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Taiwan on 3 April.  

With the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle, we pray for the people and churches of Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria.

World Health Day is April 7 when the World Health Organization commemorates its 76th anniversary. This year the theme is 'My Health, My Right, which reminds us to advocate for equitable access to health services and work towards a healthier, more inclusive world.  

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended congratulations to Rev. Frank Dieter Fischbach, who has been appointed as the new general secretary of the Conference of European Churches.

Ecumenical leaders, including World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, gathered with several hundred people, filling St Pierre Cathedral in Geneva on 30 March 2024, with the sounds and songs of Easter joy. 

As we witness the ongoing violence and injustice in the Holy Land and seek to stand in solidarity with its peoples struggling to find peace, the 2024 WCC-EAPPI Easter initiative lifts up the call to roll away the heavy stone of violence, war, and occupation, pain, and suffering, and to remind the world of what is needed to bring about peace, and to transform swords into ploughshares.

Jesus is not here, He is Risen!

In a speech before the Anglican Bishops’ Conference of Southern Africa, WCC moderator Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm reflected on “Salt of the earth and light of the world: Unity of the church as a sign for unity in the world.”

The World Council of Churches comments to the zero draft of the “Pact for the Future,” the envisaged outcome of the UN Summit for the Future, submitted on 12 February 2024 (extended version).

I am pleased to offer a word of welcome at this historic moment, the gathering of the new Faith and Order Commission here in North Sulawesi in Indonesia. As far as I know, this is the first time our Commission is meeting in Indonesia. We are thankful for the opportunity to gather here, and immensely grateful for the hospitality the local church is offering to us.

1. There is no other space like Faith and Order. There are many spaces and places where one can discuss theology, but this one is very unique. And truly remarkable.

Speaking to the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on Faith and Order during the commission’s historic meeting in Indonesia, WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed gratitude for the commission’s work, and hope for the ecumenical journey in 2025.

Speaking before religious leaders, pastors, and students in Indonesia, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay reflected on “The Kingdom of God and the Role of the Pastor Today.”

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay opened the 10th Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-based Organizations in International Affairs on 23 January in New York City, with reflections on the theme “Human Rights and Dignity: Towards a Just, Peaceable, and Inclusive Future.” 

As the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting commenced in Davos beginning 15 January, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay urged the gathering to renew its commitment to multilateral cooperation for the longer-term good of all people.