The first plenary of the 11th mandate of the Joint Working Group between the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Roman Catholic Church convened at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey from 3–5 September.
World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay met with His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church at the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade. The meeting marked a significant moment in strengthening the ties between the WCC and the Serbian Orthodox Church, focusing on the challenges facing the global Christian community and exploring ways to enhance inter-church cooperation.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Serbian Orthodox Church opened an exhibition titled, “World Council of Churches and the Serbian Orthodox Church (1948-1991): Exhibition of Archival Materials,” at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Zemun, Serbia, on 3 September.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) met with the leadership of the Churches' Commission for Migrants (CCME) to strengthen regional and global collaboration.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) and Middle East Council of Churches met online to prepare for the WCC Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, which will be held under the theme “Where now for visible unity?” from 24-28 October 2025, at the Papal Logos Center in Wadi El Natroun, Egypt.
World Council of Churches (WCC) moderator Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm delivered greetings at the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe assembly, being held 28 August through 1 September.
Speaking during the International Mission Partnership Consultation in Finland on 27 August, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay reflected on “Church in changing landscapes: God’s Mission and Our Own.”
Co-moderators of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity Reference Group Rev. Karin van den Broeke, from the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, and Bishop Philip Silvin Wright, Church in the Province of the West Indies, Anglican Diocese of Belize, convened on 22 August to consult with WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay on the direction of the pilgrimage, with particular attention to methodologies and theologies.
World Council of Churches (WCC) moderator Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm reflected on the WCC’s 76th anniversary, and offered a Prayer for Peace that shared a message of hope and trust in laying the future of the world in God’s hands.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) hosted Roland Fernandes, general secretary of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries and UMCOR, Higher Education, and Ministry (UMGBGM), for a collaborative visit and dialogue on 18-20 August.
Forty retired World Council of Churches (WCC) staff gathered at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey on 21 August to celebrate the WCC’s 76th anniversary and to receive greetings and reflections from WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, from current WCC staff, and staff from ecumenical partner organizations.
Prayer for Peace on the World Council of Churches 76th anniversary, 23 August 2024, offered by Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, moderator of the WCC central committee.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) has newly published resources for the 2024 World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel, to be observed 16-22 September. This week includes the UN International Day of Peace on 21 September, now in its 25th year.
Speaking at a Korea Peace Night on 15 August during the World Methodist Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay urges redoubling efforts for reunification on the Korean Peninsula.
During a sermon at the World Methodist Council in Gothenburg, Sweden on 14 August, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay explored the heart of the gathering: “On the Move.”
On 12 August, young people across the world participated in the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical International Youth Day, which convened under the theme "Journey of Justice, Peace, and Unity: A Call to End Violence." The online event highlighted the experiences and resilience of young people and children living amidst conflict, emphasizing the urgent need for peace and support.
A delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) and ecumenical partners including the Middle East Council of Churches, ACT Alliance, and Caritas Internationalis met online with His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and other Heads of Churches in Jerusalem on 7 August.
World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed grave concern over the recent escalation of violence in the Middle East. “The situation has deteriorated significantly following the attack on Golan Heights, the subsequent Israeli attack in Beirut, and the assassination in Tehran on 30 July,” he said. “These attacks have not only intensified the conflict but have also entailed violations of the sovereignty of multiple nations.”
