News about the WCC US office

Rodney S. Sadler, Jr., an Associate Professor of Bible for Union-PSCE at Charlotte, will lead the bible study sessions at the US Conference's Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. Sadler has a Bachelors of Arts from Howard University, a Masters in Theology from Howard University School of Divinity, and a Doctor in Philosophy from Duke University.

Ecumencial Advocacy Days, an event sponsored by the US Conference along with many others, will take place in Washington, DC from March 13-16, 2009. The following is an invitation to the event from the conference coordinator as well as registration materials.

The United Nations Liaison Office of the World Council of Churches (WCC) co-sponsored an international dialogue on September 25 between some 300 religious leaders and political figures - including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - aimed at exploring faith perspectives and the role of religion regarding global issues such as poverty, war and prejudice while deepening mutual understanding.

The executive committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) meeting 23-26 September in Luebeck, Germany announced their decision to extend the contract of Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, the current WCC general secretary, through the time when a new general secretary takes office.

The devastation of the Gulf Coast and the resilience of survivors was experienced first-hand by a group of young adults sponsored by grants from the U.S. Conference for the World Council of Churches. From August 17-23, 2008 four young ecumenists joined 35 other participants for the National Council of the Churches USA Ecumenical Work Week.

As hundreds of thousands of people from the US Gulf Coast have evacuated their homes, fleeing from Hurricane Gustav as they did from Katrina three years ago, US churches keep praying and providing relief. They also denounce underlying social and economic conditions that make for the vulnerability of the region.

To our brothers and sisters of the U.S. Gulf Coast,

The US Conference of the World Council of Churches sends you the love and prayers of your brothers and sister in Christ across the country and around the world.  We join the many who have expressed concern for your well-being and who are holding you constantly in prayer.  Know that we will continue to walk with you in your time of trouble, to help wipe away your tears and help you re-build...

Among the 22 people attending Ecumenical Water Network Summer School from 18 countries were Kelly Forbush (United Church of Christ), Walter Hildago and Kimberlee Mortimer from the United States. In addition, Young Adult Ecumenical Formation Coordinator David Fraccaro from the US Conference Office assisted Geneva staff from the Ecumencial Water Network in the planning and moderation of the event. David's work particularly focused on...

According to the United Nations, over 12 million women and children are forced into sex trafficking.  The Polaris Project reports that in the United States an estimated 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into sexual exploitation each year.  Labor trafficking is also a widespread problem.  The International Labour Organization estimates that there are at least 12.3 million victims of forced labor.  Of those, at least 2.4 million were...

When a World Council of Churches-sponsored "Living Letters" delegation seeking to learn more about the influence and extent of violence in U.S. society visited several cities last fall, its members expressed shock at the continuing devastation still evident in New Orleans three years after Katrina, and its lingering impact on families uprooted by the hurricane.