WCC news: Ecumenical Patriarch reiterates dangers of ecological destruction

In an address on 26 June, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew warned that a third world war—this one against nature—is being waged. His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch speaks at the Museum of the Princes' Islands, May 22, 2026  Photo: Nikos Papachristou 04 August 2026 He offered the address upon receiving an honorary degree from the School of the Environment at Ionian University. “Undoubtedly, the natural environment is threatened in our time as never before in the past,” he said. “The consequences of the ecological crisis know no borders of states and civilizations, and affect the conditions of survival not only of the human race, but also of life in general on the planet.” He added that this was not a hypothetical situation, but an imminent threat. “The climate crisis is not a ‘future scenario,’ but a painful reality, with the rapid decline of biodiversity, deforestation, pollution of the atmosphere and seas, catastrophic fires and floods,” he said. “Despite the reactions and resistance to this threat, geocide continues, while at the same time the unwavering view that nature has the power to renew itself is cultivated.” The Ecumenical Patriarch stated that “the Christian approach to the problem requires repentance for abuses, restraint and an ascetic ethos, which constitute an antidote to overconsumption, and at the same time, cultivating in man the consciousness that he is a ‘steward’ and not the owner of creation.” The Holy and Great Council of 2016, he pointed out, “never ceases to emphasize that future generations also have a right to the natural goods entrusted to us by the Creator.” Ecumenical Patriarch: ‘A Third World War Against Nature Is Being Waged’ Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action   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: World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel will focus on protecting children

The World Council of Churches (WCC) World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel will focus on protecting children.  23 November 2022, Bethlehem, Palestine: A young boy enters checkpoint 300 in Bethlehem. The checkpoint, which separates Bethlehem and the West Bank from the city of Jerusalem, sees thousands of Palestinians pass through daily, many of them for work in the city of Jerusalem. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 3 August 2026 The theme is from Psalms 127:3, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord.” The special week in September includes the UN International Day of Peace on 21 September. The WCC is encouraging church organizations, congregations, and people of faith to bear a common witness by participating in prayer services, educational events, and acts of support for children lost in the war, left without parents, traumatised, and afraid. A UN Human rights council Independent International Commission of Inquiry report concluded that “The essence of childhood has been destroyed” for Palestinian children. The World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel will lament the destruction and division in families due to the war and express solidarity with the Palestinian families forced to leave their homeland for a better life somewhere else.  The special week will also be a reminder for all that children are gifts from God that we should keep safe, protect, and preserve, because God entrusted us with them.  The World Council of Churches invites member churches, faith-based communities, and civil society organizations around the world to join for a week of prayer for just peace for all in Palestine and Israel. Congregations and individuals around the globe who share the hope of justice shall unite during the week to take peaceful actions, together, to create a common international public witness. “We cannot accept the destruction of childhood as an inevitable consequence of war and occupation,” said WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay. “Through the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel this year, the World Council of Churches calls upon churches and people of conscience across the world to pray, speak out and act together for the protection of every child. Our common witness must demand an end to violence and occupation, uphold the dignity and rights of Palestinian and Israeli children alike, and renew our commitment to a just and lasting peace for all.” World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel 2026: Concept Note 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: WCC to join Green Anglicans webinar on Season of Creation

From 1 September to 4 October, churches worldwide will mark the Season of Creation. It runs five weeks, and is given to prayer and action for the care of creation. The theme this year is Living Water, drawn from Ezekiel 47. Ahead of it, the Green Anglicans Movement, Africa, will hold a webinar on 4 August to introduce the season, where it came from, and the new Feast of Creation now kept at its start. Valter Hugo Muniz/WCC 31 July 2026 Some congregations keep the Season of Creation without knowing exactly where it came from,” said Dr Louk Andrianos, World Council of Churches (WCC) consultant for Care for Creation, Sustainability, and Climate Justice. “The story matters, because it is a story of churches learning from one another and responding together to the signs of the times. This year there is a new Feast for Creation, an opportunity for the churches to continue learning, celebrating, and caring together for our common home.” The change came in April 2026. The Consultation on Common Texts, which maintains the Revised Common Lectionary, added the “Feast of Creation in Christ” to it. That lectionary sets the Sunday readings for many Protestant and Anglican churches. No feast had been added since 1983. Churches may keep the new one on 1 September, when the season opens. Andrianos will trace that history at the webinar. Bishop Edwin Pockpass of the Diocese of George, South Africa, will offer a biblical reflection on Living Water. A short film from South Sudan will show churches of different traditions keeping the season together there. The organizers say they asked for the history because parishes they work with have had little exposure to the season. The webinar begins at 15:00 East Africa Time on 4 August – 14:00 in South Africa, 13:00 in Ghana. Registration is open. Congregations planning their own observance can draw on the season’s celebration guide, worship and prayer resources, Bible studies, children’s and youth materials, and advocacy suggestions, all free to download. Churches and organizations can also register their event on the international map. Register for the 4th August webinar Season of Creation resources Season of Creation 2026: Living Waters “Feast of Creation” process inspires adoption by common lectionary of Protestant churches 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

Gun Violence Prevention Training Aug 25 Deadline

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Dear Friends, I'm following up because you indicated that you are considering attending the Atwood Institute for gun violence prevention ministry training, Sept. 15-18 near Kansas City, MO. I hope that's the case! ---and that you may have others on a team to attend. Below you can see the event schedule and faculty -- all top-notch. Our firm deadline to register is Aug. 25 and scholarships are still available. If you would like to visit by phone about it, please email me HERE and we'll get a time to talk. Many thanks, Jan Orr-Harter, Moderator, Gun Violence Prevention Ministry, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Aug. 25 is the last day to register for gun violence prevention training at the Atwood Institute, Sept. 15-18 near Kansas CIty, MO. Whether you are a seasoned faith activist or want to explore gun violence prevention for your congregation, please join us in September for training in the practical, pastoral and prophetic calling to help save lives. Frequently Asked Questions HERE. See the Atwood Institute Schedule HERE. Meet the Faculty HERE. Why Come? Because we all need to learn how to effectively communicate about this issue, from the adult education class to sharing our own stories to the pulpit to the public square. Learn what's working in the urban centers of the midwest, including the role of congregations with community violence interruption programs. Learn how to help your community heal from the trauma and fear of gun violence. And, together, let's learn what steps can best prevent gun violence now. Plus, find a spiritual community to keep us all going --and transform a gun into a garden tool! Learn More & Register Here. See a 1 minute video HERE on what last year's participants took home to their churches. Find a recent news article on the Atwood Institute HERE Photos below from Atwood Institute 2024 and 2025. Thanks to Generous Sponsors, Scholarships are Available. 2026 Sponsors (as of 7/16/26) First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe, NM Wisconsin Council of Churches Webster Grove Presbyterian Church, St. Louis, MO Fellowship of Reconciliation, Atwood Family Doug and Cheryl Hunt, Jeff Wild, Doris Mabrey New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence Heartland Presbytery, The Presbyterian Outlook RAWtools South, Kansas City Guns to Gardens Wisconsin Guns to Gardens Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Sponsor/Donate Here/Atwood Institute 2026 presbypeacefellowship.org/gun-violence-prevention  Rev. Margery Rossi, Minister for Gun Violence Prevention margery@presbypeacefellowship.org Rev. Jan Orr-Harter, Editor & Moderator, Gun Violence Prevention Working Group gvp@presbypeacefellowship.org Presbyterian Peace Fellowship 845-786-6743 | presbypeacefellowship.org Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

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