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World Council of Churches (WCC) programme executive for Spiritual Life Rev. Dr Mikie Roberts attended the Provincial Synod of the Moravian Church of Great Britain and Ireland, held from 9-13 July at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire.

A joint statement signed by parliamentarians from across Europe calls on Egyptian authorities to “fully uphold the freedom of religion or belief” in the country.

[World Council of Churches] Religions for Peace and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees organized a July 28 panel discussion in Geneva, Switzerland, on the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the 1951 Refugee Convention, a key international treaty that defines who a refugee is, outlines their rights and sets standards of treatment for their protection. Participants, including Bishop Mark Edington of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, explored how values-based approaches can strengthen protection, dignity, social cohesion and solutions for displaced populations. During the discussion, Edington reflected on how religious leaders and faith actors can best serve refugees and other displaced people. He said that churches can exercise their “prophetic voice.” “In particular, we need to exercise our prophetic voice to challenge the negative caricatures,” Edington said. “The question we should ask refugees is not ‘what do you need,’ but ‘tell me your story.’ Because without that we are just having a conversation among ourselves.” Read the entire article here.

[Episcopal News Service] Wisconsin Bishop Matthew Gunther issued a call for the election of his successor on July 29, saying he intends to retire in 2028 when the new bishop is consecrated. Gunter was first consecrated bishop of the former Diocese of Fond du Lac and became the bishop of Wisconsin in 2022 when Fond du Lac reunited and merged with the dioceses of Milwaukee and Eau Claire to form a single statewide diocese. The original Diocese of Wisconsin was created in 1847, a year before Wisconsin became a state, and was first led by Bishop Jackson Kemper. “I love the Diocese of Wisconsin. I love being your bishop. I have known and served with many of you for many years. I have just started to get to know some of you,” Gunter said in a written message to the diocese. “I am excited about what we have accomplished since the reunification. I am excited about the possibilities for the future. I cannot imagine a better diocese in which to serve. And yet, I believe it is time to move toward calling a new bishop to help guide the diocese into the next chapter.” Gunter noted that next year he will turn 70, two years shy of The Episcopal Church’s mandatory retirement age for clergy. “It is also a good time because the Diocese of Wisconsin has made a good beginning and is on a firm footing,” he said. “We have an excellent, faithful, and dedicated staff. We are blessed with truly fine clergy and wonderful lay leadership. There is growth of membership and vitality around the diocese. Our finances are good. I look forward to continuing my part in the good work begun for the next 18–24 months.” The standing committee also released a letter acknowledging Gunter’s coming retirement. “We give thanks for his steadfast example of grace and service,” the standing committee said. “Bishop Matt has faithfully offered himself to the work of the church as a pastor, wise counselor and discerning leader. The standing committee is deeply grateful for his compassionate witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and we look forward to celebrating his ministry as he enters this new season. “

[Episcopal News Service] An Episcopal church in Menasha, Wisconsin, is offering food, parking and comfort to neighboring residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed by a tornado that touched down there on July 27. St. Thomas Church was not in the path of the tornado but is located near some of the neighborhoods devastated by the storm. Meteorologists later confirmed that an EF-3 tornado had touched down in Wisconsin’s Fox Vally region on the northern end of Lake Winnebago. No fatalities have been reported. “Please know that your church family is here for you,” St. Thomas said in an initial social media post on the evening of the tornado. “If you need assistance, a pastoral visit, prayers, or someone to talk to, we encourage you to reach out.” Since then, the church has opened its parking lot to residents who need a place to park their cars while they walk to inspect their damaged homes. On July 28, the congregation served about 300 storm-weary residents a hot lunch of grilled hot dogs and burgers, as well as about 200 bratwursts donated by an organization called Operation BBQ Relief. Afterward, the Rev. Andy Cruz Lillegard, St. Thomas’ rector, said he and others from the church went on foot to bring additional food and supplies to residents affected by the disaster. “A bunch of us grabbed wagons … simply walked our way in,” Lillegard told Episcopal News Service through a cellphone scratching from patchy reception. The tornado touched down around noon July 27 in Appleton, reportedly tearing roofs off businesses, and then moved south into Menasha, where it downed trees and caused widespread damage to homes and businesses. It eventually moved over Lake Winnebago before dissipating. Images from the tornado’s path show upended vehicles, homes in ruins, scattered debris, tangled power lines and mangled trees. St. Thomas, like much of that part of Menasha, was still without power on July 29, and the city has advised residents to boil water until it can ensure the municipal water is safe to drink again. Some St. Thomas parishioners were among those who lost homes in the storm. Others, including “friends of friends,” are helping the church distribute emergency food and supplies, such as diapers, personal hygiene products, cleaning supplies, flashlights, batteries and bottled water. “It’s still chaos,” Lillegard said. “But what we’ve noticed is people pitching in to help one another.” – David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at [email protected].

The Multi-Religious Council of Leaders, brought together by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Religions for Peace, strengthens collective efforts across regions and faiths to address root causes by supporting global advocacy, conflict prevention, reconciliation, peacebuilding, and social cohesion initiatives. Bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee moderator, who recently attended his first meeting with the council, reflects on its important role and how churches can contribute.

[World Council of Churches] In one of the largest dioceses of the Church of South India, climate justice begins in a vegetable garden. Across Kerala, many farmers have walked away from the land, convinced a shifting climate has made cultivation too risky. Madhya Kerala Bishop Malayil Sabu Koshy Cherian hasn’t given up on it. Every morning, two hours before he begins his daily ecclesial duties, Cherian works as a farm worker – watering, checking irrigation lines, harvesting and turning soil. For him, farming isn’t a hobby, but discipleship. “The land belongs to God,” Cherian said. “God has entrusted it to human beings to cultivate for the sustenance of life. If we neglect the land that God has given us, it is not merely wastefulness; it is sin.” Read the entire article here.

Reggie Smith, an African American from the West Side of Chicago, came to Grand Rapids, Mich., in the early 1990s to become the pastor of Roosevelt Park Christian Reformed Church, a congregation with a rich, generations-long Dutch-American heritage on the southwest side of town. We learn about this experience from his fascinating new book, Roosevelt Park Rising . When Smith arrived in West Michigan, the book recalls, there were some who looked askance as they first set eyes on him. He was a young man with a baseball cap on his head, a hiphop-like cadence in his voice, and a deft, if somewhat tentative, urban manner about his walk. But naysayers soon turned into supporters when it became clear that...

11 Christian organisations have written to the chair of the Charity Commission for England and Wales outlining our opposition to allegations made in the report.

In a major move welcomed by many faith communities and medical professionals across Canada, a parliamentary committee has officially recommended an indefinite pause on expanding Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) laws to include individuals suffering solely from mental illnesses. The recommendation from the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying, detailed in a comprehensive 88-page report released on June 17, 2026, suggests that Canada is not ready for this expansion, citing widespread concerns over safeguards and medical uncertainty. This development has turned what many feared would be a stressful countdown into a moment of profound gratitude for those who have been praying and advocating for protection. Under current federal law, individuals whose sole underlying medical condition is a...