World Council of Churches

In the midst of the devastating war sweeping Lebanon, killing and displacing its people, the Women's Pastoral Office of the Maronite Church in Bkerki, Lebanon has launched a cry and  issued a statement entitled “Stop the Madness of War, Lebanon deserves to live!" Abboud Mzawak, coordinator of the office, took time to reflect on the motivation behind the statement, some of the daily realities women are facing, and how women across the world can help.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay shared a special message with the Global Network for Religions for Children Sixth Forum, taking place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from 19-21 November under the theme “Interfaith Cooperation to Build a Hopeful World for Children.”

During COP29, the World Council of Churches (WCC) interviewed Patricia Mungcal, a young climate advocate and humanitarian leader from the National Council of Churches in the Philippines and a member of the ACT Alliance delegation. Speaking from Baku, Azerbaijan, Mungcal reflected on the challenges faced by frontline communities in disaster-prone regions, the barriers youth face in accessing decision-making spaces, and the hope she finds in collective resistance and solidarity.

The World Council of Churches in partnership with the Christian Conference of Asia organised a conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from 14-16 November, on “Reversing the HIV Epidemic in Asia: Faith-Based Engagements.”

A day after World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, and a day before World Toilet Day, the World Council of Churches (WCC) morning prayer on 18 November mourned those lost to traffic accidents, and also called for addressing the global sanitation crisis.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee convenes in Paralimni, Cyprus, from 21-26 November to focus on planning for 2025, including the budget and implementation of WCC strategies.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) co-hosted two side events addressing the non-economic impacts of climate change. These discussions focused on how climate change affects vulnerable communities worldwide, particularly Indigenous peoples, by disrupting cultural heritage, spiritual practices, and community resilience.

During COP29, the World Council of Churches (WCC) interviewed Pastor Eugenio Albrecht from Argentina, communications officer for the Evangelical Church of the River Plate and a Lutheran World Federation Latin America Communications Network member. Albrecht reflected on his first COP experience, shared insights on Latin America's challenges, and emphasized the importance of diakonal faith in fostering hope and action for climate justice.

The North America-Turtle Island regional gap-year session, a critical convening between World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee meetings, took place online 12-14 November. 

The World Council of Churches (WCC), in collaboration with UNAIDS and national resource persons, conducted capacity-building programs on HIV, mental health, and human rights during the annual youth assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia from 31 October to 3 November in Ondangwa. Nearly 500 youth participated in the assembly.

Dr Andrej Jeftić, director of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Faith and Order Commission, answered questions about his expectations for the Ecumenical Year 2025, as well as how the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea might inspire churches today.

The World Council of Churches, World Communion of Reformed Churches, Lutheran World Federation, World Methodist Council, and Council for World Mission signed a letter to G20 leaders that embraces the theme of the 2024 G20 Leaders’ Summit, “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet.” 

The All Africa Youth Network, in collaboration with the Africa Christian Health Associations platform, along with the WCC, organized an online consultation on 11-12 November to embark on a journey of promoting the holistic mental health and wellbeing of youth in Africa.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on Young People in the Ecumenical Movement (YPEM) convened in Manila, Philippines, marking the start of its first in-person meeting since its formation. The gathering, scheduled from 13-19 November, unites young ecumenical leaders from around the globe with a mission to amplify youth voices, address pressing global and local challenges, and establish intentional, actionable strategies for youth-led faith initiatives.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Reference Group for Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation will convene in person at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva from 1-3 December. 

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay and WCC moderator Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm extended congratulations to Bishop Kirsten Fehrs, who has been elected chair of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD).

Church and Peace— the European ecumenical peace church network of communities, training centres, peace organisations, and peace service agencies—is calling on parliamentarians to rethink security, and work for a paradigm shift toward peace. Rev. Antje Heider-Rottwilm, chair of Church and Peace, offered an update on how the call is being received, and her hopes for the future.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) will debut a new publication, Living Planet Monitor, during a webinar on 28 November from 15:00 to 16:30.

The leaders of regional ecumenical organizations met online 13 November to consult and collaborate with each other and with the World Council of Churches (WCC).

At COP29, religious leaders are emphasizing the need to care for the creation that God made, and to safeguard the most vulnerable who have contributed the least to climate change—yet face its worst impacts.