News about the WCC US office

The United States' and Russia's public commitment to cut back their stockpiles of strategic nuclear weapons "is an encouraging initiative and a step forward on the difficult but essential journey that the world must take to free itself from the spectre of self-destruction," the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia said in a statement published 7 July.

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.

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.

WCC Central Committee member Rev. Dr Sharon Watkins, general minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is among 25 religious and secular leaders and scholars appointed to US President Obama's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Until 31 March, young Christians aged 18 to 30 have the chance to apply for being one of 25 youth from all over the world in the next WCC Stewards Programme from 19 August to 4 September 2009. They will participate in the WCC Central Committee meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, contributing their work in the areas of worship, conference room, documentation, press office, sound, and other administrative and support tasks.

Roughly one in ten women attending the 53rd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women is part of Ecumenical Women, an international coalition of churches and ecumenical organizations.

In her sermon at the first prayer service attended by US President Barack Obama after his inauguration, Rev. Dr Sharon Watkins, general minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), called on the leader who, she said, would "set the tone" for the nation, to chose compassion, faithfulness and love over vengefulness, anger and fear.

Poverty, violence and war are amongst the "enormous and formidable" challenges of the present time, representatives of member churches of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in the United States have pointed out to President Barack Obama on the occasion of his inauguration.

Rev. Dr Sharon Watkins, WCC Central Committee member and Disciples of Christ general minister and president has been invited to deliver the sermon at President-elect Barack Obama's national prayer service to be held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., the day after Obama is inaugurated president of the United States.

Individuals, groups, churches and councils of churches from Kenya to Sweden to the United States to Australia are carrying out hundreds of advocacy actions involving Christians concerned about the Gaza crisis, especially the collective punishment of the people of Gaza, and the need for a just and lasting peace between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.