News about the WCC US office

"When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from Heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they where sitting. Divided tongues, as a fire, appeared among them. And a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability" (Acts 2:1-4 NRSV).

On the first leg of a visit to Switzerland, the Vatican, South Africa and Kenya, a twelve-person national delegation from the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc. is visiting the World Council of Churches (WCC) and its Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, just outside Geneva.

The US Conference for the WCC paused during its Annual Meeting to celebrate the 90th birthday of a life-long contributor to the global ecumenical movement, Ms. Edna Palmer. The Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, General Secretary fo the WCC, sent his congratulations.

The Rev. John H. Thomas, United Church of Christ (UCC) general minister and president, has released a special litany in response to the violence at Virginia Tech.

The North American Regional Office of the World Student Christian Federation expresses its deep sorrow for the feelings of panic, loss, sorrow, and anger being experienced among the members of the Virginia Tech community.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia has expressed "deep sorrow" over "this new horror of random violence" that took place at Virginia Tech University. To his prayers for the families and the wounded, he adds international church concern for more effective regulation of firearms.

The Medgar W. Evers Award for Religion & Education, given annually by the Honorary Committee of Walker County, Alabama, was awarded this year to the WCC.

Geiko Müller-Fahrenholz - an independent writer, researcher, theologian, and ecumenical consultant - is currently making preparations on behalf of the WCC for an International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC), a culminating event of the Decade to Overcome Violence, slated for 2011. Dr. Müller-Fahrenholz will visit Washington, New York, Pittsburgh, and Boston this March, garnering ideas for the IEPC and engaging the US churches in dialogue...

Nearly 1,300 religious advocates are expected for this year's Ecumenical Advocacy Days taking place 9-12 March in Washington, DC on the theme, "... and how are the children?"

Eleanor McGovern, wife of former US Senator and presidential

candidate George McGovern, died on January 25th of heart failure,

at the age of 85. The ecumenical community mourned her passing,

and remembered her as a woman of faith and extraordinary

passion.