Latest News

Read the letter sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio from Faith groups urging release of funds for refugee resettlement and international humanitarian aid.

The post NCC Leads Letter to Secretary Rubio from Faith Groups on Refugees, International Aid first appeared on National Council of Churches.

The World Council of Churches Office of Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation, and the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, during an annual meeting held in Rome from 17-20 February

As Serbia becomes an increasingly crucial waypoint for refugees and migrants—including those fleeing Ukraine—urgent challenges such as lack of shelter, healthcare, and legal protections continue to put thousands at risk. With limited institutional support and growing migration complexities, CWS and its partners are stepping in to provide emergency relief, legal aid, and long-term solutions to help displaced individuals find safety, ... Read More

As 24 February marks the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay noted with sadness that the war continues without any immediate signs of an end. 

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay strongly condemned the “abhorrent act of parading human remains” during the recent handover of bodies from Hamas in Gaza.

In 2024, CWS launched operations in Ukraine’s Odesa Oblast province to provide essential services such as food distribution, medical and psychosocial support and protection for vulnerable groups, in partnership with local organizations. As part of this work, CWS and local partners visited communities in January 2025 to assess winterization needs. The following blog is a testimony from one of the ... Read More

The Executive Committee of the Alianza de Iglesias Presbiterianas y Reformadas de América Latina, or the Alliance of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches of Latin America (AIPRAL), convened in El Salvador ahead of the ACCRA +20 Regional Meeting, reaffirming its commitment to justice, solidarity, and collaborative action. The gathering featured in-depth discussions on the mission of […]

The post AIPRAL Executive Committee Gathers in El Salvador, Strengthening Regional and Global Ties appeared first on WCRC.

This letter was delivered to all 100 United States senators today from Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner regarding he nomination of Gov. Mike Huckabee as U.S. Ambassador to Israel.

Communication justice is vital to addressing the existential threats posed by climate change and environmental inequity in our digital world, Media Development editor Philip Lee writes in “Climate Justice and Digital Inclusion,” the latest issue of WACC’s journal. This means ensuring both that everyone has...

[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe announced staff cuts and the reorganization of several church departments on Feb. 20 as part of an anticipated structural realignment that eventually will reduce churchwide positions from about 143 to 110 and save an estimated $2.13 million a year in personnel costs. The announcement, including news that 14 current employees’ positions were eliminated, follows Rowe’s presentations earlier this week to Executive Council outlining the ways he hopes to reorient churchwide operations to prioritize serving dioceses and congregations. The plans were announced to continuing staff in a memo and an afternoon Zoom meeting before the public release.   In his Feb. 20 letter to the church, Rowe said these changes “will position us to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ more effectively in the world we see emerging.” The staff cuts involved “difficult decisions,” he said, though the realignment is “the first major milestone” toward strengthening church ministries at the local level. “To realize this vision, we will have to change some of our core staff priorities. In some areas, we will pivot to focusing on investing in strong diocesan programs and initiatives and making them available to the entire church,” Rowe said. “In other areas, we will be trying some experiments to see what might work in today’s church, learning from what we try, and building on what succeeds.” The lengthy announcement covered a wide range of changes in staffing, departmental organization and support for ongoing ministries. The church remains committed to church planting, Rowe said, though those efforts will be reorganized in ways he did not specify. Changes also are planned in how the church promotes evangelism and Christian formation, including through “an active partnership with Forward Movement.” And the offices of Transition Ministry and Pastoral Development will become part of a newly formed “leadership development department.” “I want to be clear that none of these changes indicate a lack of commitment to the ministries that are being reorganized,” Rowe said. “On the contrary, the data we collected over the past months from staff, Executive Council and bishops indicate that these areas of ministry are high priorities, and we want to devote resources and time to new models and opportunities to achieve our priorities.” Executive Council, the church’s governing body between meetings of General Convention, first proposed a “strategic adaptive realignment of our institutional structures” in a June 2023 resolution. The realignment also aims to achieve a financial goal identified by the 81st General Convention in June 2024, when it adopted the 2025-27 churchwide budget plan. That $143 million spending plan called for nearly $3.6 million in personnel savings over three years. The cost reductions to be achieved by Rowe’s staff realignment will not take full effect until the 2026 budget year, but the $2.13 million in annual savings are expected to exceed the goal set by General Convention. “This estimate also includes rough projected costs for positions that we know we will need to add in the coming months,” the church said in a separate FAQ document posted online with Rowe’s letter. “In some areas, we will pivot to focusing on investing in strong diocesan programs and initiatives and making them available to the entire church. In other areas, we will be trying some experiments to see what might work in today’s church, learning from what we try and building on what succeeds. Both of these new ways of working will require resources beyond the savings required by the triennial budget.” Rowe further emphasized in his letter that the goal of the realignment isn’t solely cost savings. “By identifying priorities for our work as a staff and restructuring the staff to support dioceses more fully, we believe that we can help The Episcopal Church make an even stronger and more effective witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Rowe said. The announcement did not specify which positions would be eliminated or in which departments. Instead, it provided a numerical snapshot of the staff reductions: Sixteen employees volunteered this month to participate in a retirement incentive program, offered to those who were at least 65. Fourteen additional employees were told Feb. 20 that their positions had been eliminated, and they were offered “a generous severance package and substantial outplacement program to support them as they discern their next vocational steps.” An additional 13 vacant positions will not be filled. When asked by Episcopal News Service about the departments affected by the staff cuts, a church spokesperson responded that the development, formation, pastoral development, transition ministry and church planting departments are being phased out. The restructured operations will continue to serve those ministry areas in other ways. Of the remaining churchwide staff, 17 will be invited to participate in a new employee-development program. “This is one way we hope to develop talent throughout the organization to build capacity for leadership in the years ahead,” Rowe said. He also announced three changes to his senior leadership team: Rebecca Blachly, director of the Washington, D.C.-based Office of Governmental Relations, will take on a broader role as chief of public policy witness. She will oversee global partnership, ecumenical and interreligious relations and Episcopal Migration Ministries, which laid off 22 of its 33 employees in January after President Donald Trump suspended the federal refugee resettlement program. The Rev. Charles Robertson, who previously served as canon to the presiding bishop for ministry beyond The Episcopal Church, will remain on the staff as canon and senior advisor to the presiding bishop. His priorities will include engagement with theological seminaries, assistance to the Diocese of Haiti, partnerships across the Anglican Communion and fundraising. Rowe also concluded that the canonical role of chief operating officer does not need to be filled. Jane Cisluycis, who had been serving as acting chief operating officer, will continue fulfilling many of her existing responsibilities in a newly created position, senior director of operations. In his presentations to Executive Council, Rowe identified several ways that this […]