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Seven Weeks for Water 2024, week 6: "Cured water, peaceable people: A reflection from Pasifika (Pacific)"

The sixth reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2024 series of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network is written by Rev. Dr Jione Havea from the Pacific region. Reflecting on the interesting story of the Bible where Moses turns the bitter water of Marah into drinkable water, with the help of God, Havea argues that drinkable water can bring peace while lack of water is a source of conflict. Then he encourages the readers to advocate for water justice. 

Seven Weeks for Water 2024, week 3: "Celebrating Jesus’ life in water through the lens of justice”

The third reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2024 series of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network is written by Very Rev. Dr Augustinos Bairactaris. In this reflection, he underscores that the water justice issue is a theological task for all, and that the health of the water is vital to human civilization, and for the stability of the worlds climate and biodiversity. He urges all Christians to pray, fast, and act together for a sustainable environment and planet, especially during Lent.

Seven Weeks for Water 2024, week 1: Water for peace in the Middle East region

The first reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2024 series of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network is written by Dr Munib Younan,* bishop emeritus of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and former president of the Lutheran World Federation. In this reflection, the author, as a Palestinian, in line with this year's theme of "leveraging water for peace,” reflects on Isaiah's promise of free water for the thirsty in the context of the ongoing Israeli war in Gaza that has worsened the water situation in Gaza to catastrophic levels.

Statement: Religious Leaders Unite for Climate Peace in Solidarity with Refugees

Reinforcing the traditional role of faith communities in offering sanctuary and, indeed hospitality to refugees, 90 faith-based leaders today committed to offering their continued and additional support to refugees, including children, on their journey to safety, including in reception and admission, meeting protection or service delivery needs and supporting communities to find solutions such as private sponsorship or scholarship programmes.

Ecumenical movement

Address by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the WCC Town-Hall Discussion on Interfaith Dialogue, Climate Change, and Refugee Displacement

Address by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the WCC Town-Hall Discussion on Interfaith Dialogue, Climate Change, and Refugee Displacement - at the Religious Leaders Unite for Climate Peace in Solidarity with Refugees, Ecumenical Center, Geneva, Switzerland 12 December 2023.

Ecumenical movement

Keynote address by Peter Prove, director of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs at the Peace Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia

"Peace Among the People – Interreligious Action for Peace and Inclusive Communities", keynote address by Peter Prove, director of the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, World Council of Churches, at the Peace Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, 21 November 2023.

Commission on International Affairs

Seven Weeks for Water 2023, week 2: "God’s Gift of Water", by Grace Ji-Sun Kim

Originally written in 2019, the second reflection of the “Seven Weeks for Water 2023” of World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Water Network is by Grace Ji-Sun Kim, an ordained minister of PC (USA). She received her PhD from the University of Toronto and works as a Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion. She is a prolific writer and the author or editor of 21 books including, Making Peace with the Earth. Kim is part of the World Council of Churches working group on climate change. In this reflection, she recollects her early days in Korea and how she looked at the water then and now, as an eco-feminist theologian. She further reflects on the promise of God "I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground…" and contrasts it with today's consumeristic lifestyle, which is polluting our water bodies and denying millions from enjoying this life-giving gift of God – Water!

Experiences of promoting global coexistence and Human Fraternity - Lecture of the WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca at the “Bahrain Dialogue Forum"

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca delivered a lecture during the first edition of the Bahrain Dialogue Forum: East and West for Human Coexistence” held 3-4 November. Saucas lecture took place during a forum session entitled Experiences of Promoting Global Coexistence and Human Fraternity.”

General Secretary

Seven Weeks for Water 2022, week 4: “Water for peace: an interfaith perspective”, by Susanne Öhlmann

The fourth reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2022 of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network is written by Susanne Öhlmann.* She says water and peace are similar to each other. We do not miss them until they are absent. On one hand, Europe, a water rich continent, has started to feel the pinch of water shortages in recent times, and on the other, peace and security of the region has started to destabilize in the wake of war in Ukraine. Drawing inspiration from the prophet Amos, she prays for peace and justice to prevail.

Water Justice is integral to Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, by Dr Agnes Abuom

Recently during the PJP harvest gathering meeting of WCC, at a workshop on revisiting the Seven Weeks for Water – Lenten campaign of the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network, Dr Agnes Abuom was asked to reflect on the linkage between the WCC’s water justice campaign and the WCC’s overarching theme of Pilgrimage of  Justice and Peace? Having attended several PJP meetings and Lenten campaigns herself, she responded in a pre-recorded video message. The following is the transcript of her video message.

Moderator of Central Committee

Morning Prayer for Monday, 1 February 2021

God of compassion and solidarity, we come together as people with open hearts...

This week in the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle, we are praying with the people and churches of  Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Western Sahara, Tunisia.

This order of service for the World Interfaith Harmony Week makes use of material from the document Serving a Wounded World in Interreligious Solidarity: A Christian Call to Reflection and Action During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond, jointly produced by the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

Prayers were prepared in cooperation with the Lutheran World Federation.

Ecumenical movement

YATRA 2020- Application Form

Applications are now open for YATRA (Youth in Asia Training for Religious Amity), an interreligious training programme launched by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in 2014 following its 10th Assembly in Busan, Republic of Korea. The choice of name for the programme is intended to reflect the idea of a pilgrimage of justice and peace. YATRA is a common term for the word "pilgrimage" in many Indo-Asian religions and languages. The YATRA programme is an intensive training course to equip young Christians from Asia, between the ages of 20 to 35, to build up communities of harmony and hope from an interreligious perspective.

Young Adults Training for Religious Amity - 2020

Applications are now open for YATRA (Young AdultsTraining for Religious Amity), an interreligious training programme launched by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in 2014 following its 10th Assembly in Busan, Republic of Korea. The choice of name for the programme is intended to reflect the idea of a pilgrimage of justice and peace. YATRA is a common term for the word "pilgrimage" in many Indo-Asian religions and languages. The YATRA programme is an intensive training course to equip young Christians between the ages of 20 to 35, to build up communities of harmony and hope from an interreligious perspective.

Seven Weeks for Water 2019, week 3: "God’s Gift of Water", by Grace Ji-Sun Kim

The third reflection of the “Seven Weeks for Water 2019” of World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Water Network is by Grace Ji-Sun Kim, an ordained minister of PC (USA). She received her PhD from the University of Toronto and works as an Associate Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion. She is a prolific writer and the author or editor of 16 books including, Making Peace with the Earth. Kim is part of the World Council of Churches working group on climate change. In this reflection, she recollects her early days in Korea and how she looked at the water then and now, as an eco-feminist theologian. She further reflects on the promise of God "I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground…" and contrasts it with today's consumeristic lifestyle, which is polluting our water bodies and denying millions from enjoying this life-giving gift of God – Water!

WCC Programmes