Raytown Christian Church

In brief comments to the Fourth Preconciliar Panorthodox Conference which met recently at the Orthodox Centre of Chambésy, near Geneva, the WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, assured the participants that the WCC and its member churches are accompanying them in their work in thoughts and prayers, "knowing the importance of the decisions that the conference was preparing."

In a worship service opening the "Churches against Racism" conference in Doorn, Netherlands, 14-17 June, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia said the Bible was the "ultimate immigration handbook".

An upcoming meeting of 120 theologians from nearly all Christian traditions will be looking at what churches consider to be their mission in the world and how they come to decisions on theological, ecumenical or moral questions.

The recent incidents of violence in Bagua, Peru are "but one instance of a series of government actions to abrogate the rights of the Indigenous peoples of the Peruvian Amazon over land and resources", stated the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia in a 9 June letter to President Alan García Pérez.

As social networks become more and more popular, churches still struggle to find the best ways of using these new features to communicate with their members and spread the gospel.

The WCC Working Group on Climate Change with 25 participants from around the world gathered at the Protestant Academy Bad Boll, Germany, to strategize together towards and beyond Copenhagen.

Change is in the air as churches in many parts of the world hold a "World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel" that began on 4 June 2009. New voices are advocating steps toward peace that churches have been promoting for years.

The Dutch queen will be the guest of honour at a conference seeking to take on the legacy of the World Council of Churches' (WCC) historic anti-racism efforts.

In a message for World Environment Day, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has stressed that "the care for and protection of Creation constitutes the responsibility of everyone on an individual and collective level."

The World Council of Churches (WCC) officers who are meeting in Geneva this week have expressed concern and regret over the release of a short list of candidates reportedly being considered for WCC general secretary.

Sister Pina Sandu says that in her Orthodox monastery, in the mountains of Romania, they practise "touristic spirituality". With a resort built up around the monastery, "like it or not" the tourists "hear the bells, hear the services three times a day… They hear, they feel, they know that something is happening." As a result, their curiosity leads them into the yard and into the church – "small, sure steps towards something beautiful."

The year 2009 began with grave concern about the catastrophic economic situation of the world of wealth. Towards the end of 2008, in the midst of a life that to many was apparently without problems, disastrous financial and economic difficulties suddenly came to light.

Australia is focusing on Gaza, Austria has town pilgrimages. Brazil has seminary students debating conflict over "holy" land. Canadians, Scots, Norwegians, British and French are making contact with lawmakers. Directors of church-related aid agencies are visiting Israeli and Palestinian partner organizations. And on the high Wall that hems in Bethlehem, Palestinians are "showing" prayers at night.

The hope that all Christians will be able to celebrate Easter on the same day in the future was reaffirmed by an international ecumenical seminar organized by the Institute of Ecumenical Studies at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, 15 May.

Its population may be dwindling, but the Palestinian village of Taybeh is striving to maintain normality in the midst of conflict, and hope in the midst of oppression.

At a time when the international community is re-kindling the vision of a world free of nuclear weapons, the North Korean nuclear test is a source of profound concern, stated the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia.

Five young men and women from Australia, Kenya, Greece, India and Scotland, who are attending the German Kirchentag as part of their year-long internship with the WCC, will share their impressions of this nationwide protestant convention on a new blog.

What do you think about when you hear the word "health"? A doctor with a stethoscope, lab testing tubes, coloured pills? Wrong answer, grassroots health activists say. You should be thinking first of clean drinking water, nutritious food, a safe work environment and essential health care made accessible at the community level. Yes, even in times of influenza A.

According to an Indian church worker, the violence against Christians in the Indian state of Orissa last year was not a one-time event but the consequence of a fragmented society. However, the results of the recent general elections are heartening.

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, legate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, and a member of the World Council of Churches Central and Executive Committees, has been awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honour.