Presbyterian Peace Fellowship - Colombia Accompaniment 2.0

A New Program  Presbyterian Peace Fellowship (PPF) has strong ties to Colombia that predate the start of the accompaniment program in 2004. That program began at the invitation of our partners in the Presbyterian Church of Colombia (known as the IPC, its Spanish acronym). From 2004-2020 PPF trained and sent at least 168 volunteer accompaniers. They served in a ministry of presence and supported the work and witness for peace with justice of the IPC. The program came to a halt with the pandemic, but PPF has remained in contact and visited the IPC several times in the interim.    Today, with gratitude and hope, we answer the invitation to renewed partnership in what we have been calling “Colombia Accompaniment 2.0.” Calling it this draws attention to the ways we are both continuing the same program that began 22 years ago and also doing so in new ways that respond to the changing dynamics, capacity, and needs on both sides.    The Current Situation (La Coyuntura)   Ten years after the 2016 signing and ratification of the Peace Accord between the Colombian state and the former FARC insurgent group, Colombia continues to struggle with a peace process full of contradictions and complexities, with steps forward and with setbacks. Some sectors of Colombian society maintain a firm commitment to build peace even in the face of powerful overt opposition. In this challenging time, our commitment to walking the paths of peace as followers of Jesus remains steadfast.    If you were connected to the accompaniment program in the early days, you may remember hearing the story of Saiza, a remote community in the mountains. The Presbyterian church there was established in the 1930s and grew to be one of the IPC’s largest congregations. Then in 1999, a paramilitary group carried out a massacre in the center of town. The Presbyterian pastor in Saiza at the time was able to escape from the massacre, and the surviving community fled because of the threats. Some 1,200 families migrated to towns in Urabá and other municipalities in Colombia. Years later, the population slowly began to return, and eventually the Presbyterian church resumed its life and witness as well.    In Saiza today, there is an “apparent peace” but under the control of the paramilitary group. The Presbyterian church and its young pastor play a prominent role in the community, and Saiza’s community action board has invited us to come and support them in promoting peace.   In collaboration with a team representing the IPC’s three presbyteries, we are planning a series of four joint PPF-IPC accompaniment delegations for 2027. The delegations will offer solidarity and ministry of presence, psycho-spiritual accompaniment and support, and peace education through creative expression. PPF executive committee member Ben Daniel and Colombia accompaniment coordinator Sarah Henken will make a preliminary visit this fall to begin preparations.    Spreading the Word and Praying   We welcome and appreciate your support for this new season of accompaniment. Please pray for this new initiative, for the community of Saiza, and for the accompaniers who will take part in our delegations. PPF is committed to making accompaniment economically accessible to all eligible volunteers, and your donations make that possible. Donations sent to PPF using this link will be designated to Colombia Accompaniment 2.0: https://bit.ly/colaccomp   Would you like more information about serving as an accompanier? Here is a link to let us know of your interest: https://bit.ly/3Vrpz2q (wait a few seconds for the form to appear).

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Margaret Atwood: Who gets to shape the future?

Before a movement has a name, a strategy, or a crowd filling the streets, it often begins with a story. Someone finds words for what others have felt but could not yet name. Something hidden becomes visible. People begin to recognize themselves in one another and imagine that the world does not have to remain as it is. Few writers understand that power more deeply than Margaret Atwood. Across novels, poetry, and essays, Atwood has spent decades exploring the stories societies tell about themselves, the forces those stories can conceal, and what happens when people begin to question what they have been taught to accept. On Wednesday, November 11, at 1 pm ET, Atwood will join Sojourners president Adam Russell Taylor for a live conversation, How Stories Shape Justice Movements. Registration is free, but space for this live online conversation is limited. We expect seats to fill quickly, so we encourage you to register soon. You can also help shape the conversation. Is there something you have always wanted to ask Margaret Atwood? When you register, you’ll have an opportunity to submit a question for consideration during the live Q&A. We may not be able to include every question, but each one will be reviewed, and we will include as many as time allows. Save Your Seat and Submit a Question This will be more than a conversation about books. Atwood and Taylor will explore what stories do in the world: how they expose systems of power, deepen our responsibility to one another, give language to resistance, and help us imagine futures that once seemed impossible. They will consider: What makes a story powerful enough to change how we see the world? How can storytelling reveal the forces shaping our lives? Why does imagination matter to movements for justice? What helps hope endure when change feels distant? Atwood’s work has accompanied readers through moments of uncertainty, awakening, and change. This conversation invites us to consider not only the stories we have inherited, but also the ones we are telling now and the future they may help create. Event Details What: How Stories Shape Justice Movements When: Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | 1pm ET Where: Online via live stream Cost: Free; registration required This is a can’t-miss conversation for anyone who believes stories can help us see injustice more clearly, awaken our courage, and imagine a more hopeful and just future. Can’t attend live? Register anyway, and we’ll send you the recording afterward. Register for this free webinar today In faith and resistance, Your friends at Sojourners

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WCC News: Commission leaders in Chiang Mai reflect on re-articulating social ethics for today

World Council of Churches (WCC) commission leaders in Chiang Mai, where those gathered are exploring what “Being Church in the World Today” means, took time to reflect on what it means to re-articulate ecumenical social ethics today, and their hopes for the impact of the conference.  Archbishop Julio E. Murray, moderator of the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, Dr Gisela Schneider, co-chair for the Access and Health Systems Working Group of the WCC Commission on Health and Healing, and Dr Mathews George Chunakara, moderator of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs. Photo: Sean Hawkey/WCC 09 October 2026 Dr Mathews George Chunakara, from the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar, is moderator of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs. The commission is contributing to the conference by analysing some of the most pertinent issues in today’s global context and helping participants discern contextual challenges. "As global challenges become increasingly interconnected, the ethical crisis becomes more evident, characterised by a loss of trust and a sense of powerlessness, especially as these issues threaten people’s security,” he said. What the world now urgently requires is a concerted effort to address the unprecedented and interconnected ethical crises amid polycrisis, Chunakara added. “Humanity must navigate the future within an ethical framework, especially as the international order faces an ethical crisis characterised by the breakdown of shared values and the erosion of ethical principles,” he said. “It is hoped that participants become aware of the need to reflect on their prophetic witness as established multilateral institutions weaken and inequalities in economic, military, and technological capabilities between the West and the Global South deepen,” Chunakara said.  “Peace on earth and with earth” For the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, the focus is on the Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action, explained commission moderator Archbishop Julio E. Murray, from the Anglican Church in the Central Region of America. The theme of the special decade during 2027 will be “Peace on earth and with earth.” Murray noted that the climate emergency is already threatening lives, cultures, and homelands. “Communities that have contributed least to the crisis face some of its gravest consequences, especially in the Global South and among Indigenous Peoples,” he said. “For those most at risk, action and support cannot wait.” He pointed out that every delay deepens injustice.  “The conference in Chiang Mai has given an opportunity to express a shared commitment from all the commissions, reference groups, and staff,” said Murray. “Together with churches and partners worldwide, let us make 2027 a year in which our worship, daily choices, and public action show that climate justice belongs at the heart of Christian faith.” Churches’ contributions to health Dr Gisela Schneider, co-chair for the Access and Health Systems Working Group of the WCC Commission on Health and Healing, first noted that health has been an important part of the churches’ witness. “Today, in our world of poly-crisis and conflict, health is threatened due to a lack of resources and the impact of climate crisis on health,” she said. “The Commission on Health and Healing strengthens the advocacy for health in sustainable development and underlines the important role the church plays in access to health especially among the marginalised.” Churches can and do contribute a positive impact on health, said Schneider. “On one hand, it provides access to health services especially in crisis situations such as the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where churches play an important role in addressing this. On the other hand, the church can advocate for more equitable access to care with their respective governments, and the commission wants to support churches in this work of advocacy.” Listening before speaking: conference participants meet local communities in Chiang Mai (WCC Feature story, 8 October 2026) Chiang Mai conference opens to explore “Being Church in the World Today” (WCC News release, 05 October 2026) PHOTO GALLERY: Conference of the WCC Commissions and Reference Groups on Life, Justice and Peace in Chiang Mai, Thailand See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC News: Listening before speaking: conference participants meet local communities in Chiang Mai

Listening before speaking and walking before leading set the tone for the Joint Conference of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commissions and Reference Groups on Life, Justice, and Peace, taking place in Chiang Mai, Thailand this week. Conference participants arrive at the Chiang Mai Breath Council, working with civil society, government, academia, and the private sector to decrease the air pollution that affects the region.  Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC 08 October 2026 Participants started with encounters with seven civil society and faith-based organisations in and around Chiang Mai. These "sacred journeys of listening, learning, and accompaniment" tied the conference's theological and ethical reflection to local realities. At the Chiang Mai Breath Council, participants learned how civil society, government, academia, and the private sector work together on the seasonal haze and air pollution that affect the region. The council's vision is sustainable clean air in Chiang Mai – which means addressing outdoor burning, traffic, industry, and cross-border pollution, and calling for a Clean Air Act. Its motto: "…Because we are in the same breath…" Participants of the conference listen to the presentation by Chiang Mai Breath Council, working to decrease air pollution that affects the region. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC Two groups visited Akha and other highland migrant communities that have moved to the city for work, education, and livelihoods. At Kamphaeng Ngam Church, home to an Akha congregation of about 51 families, participants heard stories of displacement and resilience. "Migration is not only movement of people. It carries memory, identity, and hope," the group reflected. At the second church they saw how a congregation offers fellowship and practical support with jobs, family care, and children's education. At the Migrant Assistance Program Foundation, participants met a grassroots organisation working with migrant workers and their families, mostly from Myanmar. It promotes labour rights and offers information in migrants' own languages, with particular attention to the empowerment of migrant women. Members of the local encounter group on Health & Well-being (HIV/AIDs) being greeted as they arrive at Happy Home, an HIV programme of the Church of Christ in Thailand run with the Baan Sabaay Foundation. Photo: John Christensen/WCC A visit to the Hua Rin Temple Drug Rehabilitation Center showed a community-based approach to recovery run by a Buddhist temple. It combines spiritual formation, counselling, and vocational activities with help for people returning to their communities. At Happy Home, an HIV programme of the Church of Christ in Thailand run with the Baan Sabaay Foundation, participants saw a programme that grew from a shelter and crisis centre into outreach for the wider community. People who once received care have become trainers and leaders, and the focus is on overall wellbeing, not just medication. The seventh group visited Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, a leading Buddhist university, to learn about its interfaith dialogue with Christian institutions and other communities on peacebuilding, human dignity, and sustainability. Rev Marvia Lawes, the Abbot Phra Maha Inson Kunavuddho and Thai Muslim leader Ratifar Simarak during the interfaith dialogue visit at the leading Buddhist university near Chiang Mai, with participation of WCC delegates to the Joint Biennial Commisions and Reference Groups Meeting. Photo: Sean Hawkey/WCC The Akha group summed up the lesson of the day: the church is called not only to speak for displaced people, but to walk with them. The joint conference, being held from 4 to 10 October in Chiang Mai, brings together the WCC's commissions and reference groups on international affairs, climate justice, health, gender justice, racial justice, and ecumenical diakonia. Participants are reading the signs of the times and renewing a century of ecumenical social thought for today's challenges, aiming for shared commitments for the churches' witness in service of life, justice, and peace. Chiang Mai conference opens to explore “Being Church in the World Today” (WCC News release, 05 October 2026) PHOTO GALLERY: Conference of the WCC Commissions and Reference Groups on Life, Justice and Peace in Chiang Mai, Thailand Learn more about the Joint Conference of the WCC Commissions and Reference Groups on Life, Justice and Peace See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC NEWS: Can churches help make an alternative asylum system a reality?

Dr Torsten Moritz, general secretary of the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME), reflects on a recent conference, “Protecting People More Than Borders,” and how churches can help make an alternative asylum system a reality. Photo: Joy Eva Bohol/CCME/UMCOR 08 October 2026 What were your biggest takeaways from the conference?  Dr Moritz: We met 28-30 September with some 30 participants representing churches from all over Europe. Discussions were around a draft paper outlining what elements of an alternative, protection-oriented asylum system in Europe could look like – a system which protects people more than borders. These were very earnest discussions. They showed how important it is in asylum policy and practice to put the human being first - and how often this is not the case in Europe these days. There is thus great support for the draft paper. At the same time, there is a fear that any policy reform might even more be influenced by the extreme right and those following their agenda. Last not least, the message protecting people more than borders is a good common message, but it needs to be translated and contextualised into the different languages and contexts of churches in Europe.    What is the most crucial information for churches to know right now?  Dr Moritz: We – that is the CCME office and a task force from among members – will be working with the input we received from churches in Europe.  In early 2027 we will make an updated version of the proposals for an alternative asylum system in Europe available. It will be mainly policy-oriented and will contain specific suggestions for organising recognition of people asking for protection in Europe, their reception and integration, how this can happen while social cohesion increases, and how it doesn’t have to cost more than the current policy of dissuasion. The proposals are informed by good practices, as we could for example find them in the protection of Ukrainians fleeing in and since 2022. We will present an outline which shows that protecting people is not an a lofty illusion, but a real option if we dare to be values-based and realistic at the same time. We will also provide accompanying information templates – like an explanation of policy proposals in a less technical language, which non-expert church members and members of the public can relate to. Throughout 2027, we will spread this information—online but also through events across Europe – to a church audience and policymakers, but also a broader public.   What is your urgent call to churches? Dr Moritz: First of all, continue your work around the principle of protecting  people more than borders. With hardening of policy and practice towards the most vulnerable, damage control is essential. Churches in many places make a different for upholding the dignity of persons seeking protection in Europe, while working to uphold social cohesion for all.  And, secondly, work with us on making an alternative asylum system a reality. Let us know what will help you in making an argument for a policy which prioritises protecting people – what information do you need, do you want us to visit and explain, and whom would you like to reach with your arguments? We all know that times are difficult and our resource at different levels are limited, but if we work together, we can have impact!   Learn more about the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland