World Council of Churches

Churches have been telling stories that address inequality not only on big stages and at global negotiation tables. Investing in formation and a joint ecumenical approach has been one tactic to strengthen local communities and connect them to the spaces where their voices can influence policy decisions. In Panama City, from 17-25 August, that tactic took the shape of nine days, 21 church leaders, and a keynote that opened with a question.

A new comic, “Eli and the Little Saints,” produced by the St Thomas Indian Orthodox (Malankara) Church in Germany, is bringing to life ancient Orthodox traditions with colorful illustrations and a fictional priest, Fr Eli.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) and Canadian Council of Churches will host a webinar panel discussion, entitled “Counting the Ecological Cost of AI - Data Centres, Water, Energy, and Critical Mineral Extraction,” on 17 September at 10 am (GMT-4:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada). 

A team from Cuba has joined an international editing team to begin drafting the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity materials for 2028. The resources are being prepared jointly with Catholic and Protestant Christians from Cuba, including the staff and students of the Seminario Evangélico de Teología in Matanzas City. 

The World Council of Churches (WCC) will join the global Christian family in opening the 2026 Season of Creation, the ecumenical world's month of prayer and action for creation. Communities on every continent have already lived through record heat, wildfires, and flooding in 2026, many of them home to WCC member churches. 

The city of Florianópolis in South Brazil is hosting, from 26-30 August, the 35th General Council of the Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession in Brazil (IECLB), the highest decision-making body of the church. In a greeting, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended prayers to the leadership and participants.

Mongolia is hosting the UN Convention to Combat Desertification for the first time, with nearly 77 percent of its land already degraded. Its theme is "Restoring Land, Restoring Hope." A World Council of Churches (WCC) delegation is in Ulaanbaatar for the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17).

World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee moderator Bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm will offer the keynote address at a public theology conference to be convene in Korea on 28 September 2026.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended greetings to the Synod of the Waldensian and Methodist Churches, meeting in Torre Pellice, Italy, 22-26 August.

Prayers for Ukraine rang ’round the world on 24 August, from large ecumenical services to quiet reflections, all expressing solidarity and determination for justice and peace. The day also marked the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence.

Across Africa, churches are stepping up aid for children affected by civil wars and conflicts, as crises rise on the continent.

Kathy Kuczka, producer and director of the documentary “Taizé: A Pilgrimage of Trust,” reflects on what sparked her creative idea, and how the authenticity of nine young people gives the film a sense of hope. 

During a visit to Nigeria from 20-27 August, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay participated with the Church of the Lord (Worldwide) in celebrating its 90th historic Tabieorar Anniversary, under the theme "Faithful & Glorious God.”

In a special message marking the 78th anniversary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed gratitude for the historic journey that began in 1948 in Amsterdam.

In a message to the Mother's Union of the Church of the Lord (Aladura), Nigeria, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed gratitude for the women’s faithful witness, steadfast commitment to prayer, and tireless service to the church, their families, and their communities.

A discussion on “AI Utility, Ethics, and Governance” on 20 August hosted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) featured Ezekiel Takam, who recently completed his PhD on Theology and AI Ethics at the University of Geneva; and Michael Meier, who is International Affairs Attaché for the Canton of Geneva.

Michael Tettey went to Cotonou to talk about land. Victoria Ebunoluwa Olatunde went to talk about water. Souleymane Guindo travelled from Mali to argue that water is a common good rather than a commodity. All 25 of them, one of the largest missions brought to the World Social Forum by the World Council of Churches (WCC), set out knowing the government of Benin had told organizers it would not host it.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay will visit Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria from 20-27 August, to strengthen the bonds of fellowship and cooperation among the WCC member churches in Nigeria, and to deepen the relationship between the WCC and the churches in the country.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed deep sorrow at the passing of Rev. Neville George Callam, honouring his life and ministry as a pastor, church leader, ecumenist, and servant of the wider Christian community.

The film “Nun Dul Dega Eomne” (Nowhere to Lay My Eyes) earned the prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the 79th Locarno Film Festival, held 5-15 August.