WCC news: WCC general secretary: “We are all co-pilgrims along the way”

During an opening address on 28 April to the “Working Together” meeting at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay underscored that collaboration is not a luxury but essential for working in today’s crisis-ridden world.  Photo: Gregoire de Fombelle/WCC  29 April 2026 “If we do not seek collaboration, we are going to take the world into even greater crisis,” he said.  Working Together has drawn 36 specialized ministries representatives to share about challenges, opportunities, and direction; to strategize together; and to find paths of collaboration. “One part of the world affects the other part of the world,” continued Pillay, naming war, the climate emergency, displacement, and inter-religious tensions as just a few of many global challenges.  He emphasized the importance of working with young people, particularly in contexts that are increasingly secularized. “We need to listen to what young people say and we need to work with them,” he said. “What does it mean to be religious where, in some places, religion does not count so much anymore—or doesn’t matter?” Pillay noted that all of the issues in which the WCC and its partners are engaging are part of the Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity. “We are all pilgrims and we are all co-pilgrims along the way,” he said. “Our relationship is built on our mission together,” he said. “We need to move from dialogue to common action.” Pillay shared that collaboration asks: Who does what, and who does what better—or best?  “We come because we are called by Christ to go into the world and make the world a better place,” he said. “That’s our job: to work together.” He also shared an update on the Green Village project, the redesign of the WCC, and the plans already underway for the WCC 12th Assembly in 2030.  Shared impressions Representatives from specialized ministries shared the impressions they took away from the Working Together gathering.  Graham Gordon from Christian Aid, who attended Working Together for the first time, said a key issue is broadening participation by the Global South. “I’m hoping next year we will see a broader participation and many more people from around the world participating in discussions,” he said.  Wendy Gichuru, from the United Church of Canada, said those gathered did not have all the answers. “We know that—but we are increasingly willing and eager to collaborate more closely, to explore what that looks like,” she said. “The conversations now that have started are really pushing us to think outside our comfort zones.” Rev. Tyler Ward, from the United Methodist Church, appreciated hearing about challenges that those gathered had in common. “To come here and see other friends and colleagues, to find possible solutions together, is always a strength of these conversations,” he said. Photo gallery What does collaboration mean for the world today? (WCC feature, 29 April 2026) High-level consultation convenes global ecumenical organizations and partners around shared priorities (WCC news release, 28 April 2026) “Working Together” meeting will convene WCC’s specialized ministries partners (WCC news release, 27 April 2026) 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 356 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 general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland