WCC NEWS: Children of God unite in Tuesday morning prayers

From the clashing of an Asian gong to soft strumming of a Hawaiian ukulele, from reggae to jazz, from a contemporary praise song in Mandarin to a gospel response in Arabic and a liturgical chant in Syriac, from a Scottish prophetic refrain to a sprightly Colombian recessional march, the beauty and diversity of world Christianity were celebrated in the Tuesday morning prayer at the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Karlsruhe, Germany. The theme for the service was “Christ’s love moves us to be faithful”. 6 September 2022, Karlsruhe, Germany: Jooeun Kim of the Presbyterian Church of Korea strikes a gong to begin a morning prayer service at the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, held in Karlsruhe, Germany. The Assembly's theme is "Christ's Love Moves the World to Reconciliation and Unity." Photo: Paul Jeffrey/WCC 06 September 2022 “I come to the oasis, a meeting place,” said participants in mutual affirmation. “I look around – to the left, to the right. I see many people, all different, all children of God.” In a litany of global community, the congregants in their oasis declared to one another, “You are a child of God.” A young woman read in Portuguese from Paul’s letter to the Galatians 3:23-29, a passage which includes the assurance, “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” The gospel lesson, Matthew 15:21-28, was acted out by players rather than read aloud. A Canaanite woman asks Jesus to heal her daughter, but Jesus replies that he was sent only to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” and it is not right to feed good food to the dogs. The woman replies that even “dogs” are welcome to scraps that fall from their master’s table. Jesus responds, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And there is rejoicing at this extension of community. In one prayer for renewal, the visitors to the oasis ask, “Show us when to do justice, how to love kindness and where to walk, humbly, with you.” A response comes in the sending and blessing: “This is what God says: You are my child. You are my image. You are blessed. Go now and do what love shows you: Act justly, love kindness and walk humbly with your God. I will be with you. This day and all days.” The Hallelujah in this service was familiar to some as first having been taught to members in a WCC governing committee by Metropolitan Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim, Syrian Orthodox archbishop of Aleppo. He was kidnapped along with Metropolitan Boulos Yazigi, the Greek Orthodox archbishop of Aleppo, while on a charitable mission in northern Syria. Their driver, an active member of the laity, was murdered. The status and whereabouts of the Syrian bishops officially remain unknown despite some reports that they were martyred. #WCC assembly - Morning Prayer Livestream of the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany Photos of the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany 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 352 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 acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland