Member Church News: Earthquake, Peace Calls, Visit

Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) churches and a seminary suffered damage from the earthquake that hit Hualien on 3 April. The PCT is accepting donations to support relief efforts.

More than 140 global Christian leaders call for Gaza cease-fire in Holy Week letter: ‘We repent of the ways we have not stood alongside our Palestinian siblings in faithful witness in the midst of their grief, agony, and sorrow,’ the leaders wrote.

Uniting Church in Australia President Sharon Hollis, three Uniting Church Moderators, and several other senior Uniting Church leaders are among 106 signatories to an Open Letter calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Presbyterian Church (USA) representatives join Global Partners Roundtable in Buenos Aires: Faith-based activists in Argentina share stories of their struggles and visions of a society built on solidarity.

World Council of Churches General Secretary Jerry Pillay visited Lebanon, meeting with WCRC member church leaders Paul Haidostian and Joseph Kassab, among others, to strengthen ecumenical work in the region.

South Sudan churches share Easter messages of hope: Churches in South Sudan shared Easter messages of hope, even amid troubling times for the African nation.The South Sudan Council of Churches, in its message, emphasized renewed hope. “In today’s world, marked by so many conflicts and so much suffering, we understand that many of us feel disheartened,” reads the message.

Ecumenical efforts to introduce a Christian Feast of Creation: A seminar in Assisi asks whether a Feast of Creation could become a pivotal part of the church’s liturgical calendar alongside the celebrations of Christmas and Easter.

Visionaries honored for dedication to advancing communication for all: On 27 March, ten visionaries were honored for their longtime dedication to advancing communication for all.