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Ecumenical officers are designated WCC member church officials appointed to encourage, assist, and resource Christian unity. They work to build relationships, organize joint community initiatives, and foster theological dialogue between different Christian denominations.
In a short opening presentation, Dr. Louk Andrianos, WCC consultant for Care for Creation, Sustainability, and Climate Justice, traced the history of Season of Creation, an annual ecumenical period, from September 1 to October 4, during which Christians are invited to celebrate, pray and act for the care of God's creation.
“Season of Creation reminds us that care for creation is not an optional concern for the churches, but an expression of our Christian faith. In the face of the ecological crisis, we are called to unite across our traditions, renew our liturgical life and place creation care and eco-justice at the heart of our common Christian witness”, underlined Andrianos.
Rev. Dr Protopresbyter Nicolas Kazarian, from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, shared efforts in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to move from liturgical celebration to practical parish-level stewardship of creation.
Participants from various churches reported on their churches’ initiatives, challenges, and the need for new paradigms linking climate, justice, and economic transformation.
Dr Ann Riggs, from the Religious Society of Friends: Friends United Meeting, argued that new ways of thinking are needed to address today’s interconnected economic, environmental, and social challenges, and that the WCC could provide important leadership in developing these new approaches.
"For me, this is one of the biggest hurdles. There is a lot of will, but I think we are using old paradigms, and we’re just going around in circles if we don’t come up with a new paradigm that meets the current situation in reality”, she said.
The discussion also highlighted the connection between Season of Creation and the WCC's Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action.
The regular annual online meeting of the WCC Ecumenical Officers Network is scheduled for 27 and 28 October.
Ecumenical officers gather to reflect on formation (WCC news release, 9 July 2026)
More information and contact details of the WCC's Church and Ecumenical Relations area
Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action
