NEWS
News from our member churches and the wider ecumenical movement, with our monthly roundup and a library of stories from ecumenical bodies around the world.
Quakers pray for peace around the world
For World Quaker Day on 4 October, the Friends World Committee for Consultation hosted a six-hour online meeting for worship on the theme “Let Peace Be Among Us”, with more than 900 registrations from at least 50 countries.
Reformation Sunday resources for 2026
The World Communion of Reformed Churches released worship resources for Reformation Sunday, 25 October, on the theme “Led by the Spirit: Persevering in Witness, Reforming Hope”, prepared under the worship planner Gerardo Oberman.
Methodist and Uniting Church women gather in Auckland
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland hosted the 15th World Assembly of the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women from 25 to 29 August, on the theme “Arise and Shine for the Glory of God is Upon You”, from Isaiah 60:1.
Taizé’s European Meeting in Łódź
The Taizé Community has published the programme for its 49th European Meeting, to be held in Łódź, Poland, from 28 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 at the invitation of local churches of several denominations.
A documentary about Taizé
Taizé: A Pilgrimage of Trust follows nine teenagers from a youth group in Massachusetts, some Catholic and some Protestant, as they discover the Taizé Community in France.
Pacific resources for the Season of Creation
The Pacific Conference of Churches published its resource guide for the 2026 Season of Creation, which ran from 1 September to 4 October with the shared ecumenical theme “Living Water”, from Ezekiel 47.
Bible Month in the Diocese of Polynesia
The Diocese of Polynesia kept its annual Bible Month in July under the theme “Anchoring Our Vaka on the Word”, inviting families to pray and study the Scriptures together each day.
Australia’s ecumenical officers meet in Brisbane
Ecumenical officers from the National Council of Churches in Australia and the state and territory councils of churches met at St John’s Anglican Diocesan Centre in Brisbane, hosted by Queensland Churches Together.
A day like Taizé in Baden
At Pentecost, on 24 and 25 May, two Taizé brothers took part in “A Day Like in Taizé” in Baden, Switzerland.
Together We Pray: a prayer book by Lutheran women
The Lutheran World Federation announced Together We Pray, a collection of prayers written by lay and ordained women from its member churches, due to be released online on 27 May in English, German, French and Spanish.
Asia Sunday 2026
Member churches and councils of the Christian Conference of Asia kept Asia Sunday on 17 May, with the theme “Hope for Redemption of Groaning Creation Amidst Bondage to Decay”.
Anglicans pray with the National Dialogue in the Week of Prayer
Anglicans in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia joined other churches for the 2026 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, kept here between Ascension and Pentecost, from 17 to 24 May.
Pope Leo’s message for Thy Kingdom Come
Thy Kingdom Come, the global prayer movement that runs from Ascension Day to Pentecost, began its 2026 novena on 14 May, and Pope Leo XIV sent its participants a video message of support.
A Taizé gathering for young people in Hong Kong
More than 330 young Christians from mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and Europe met at St Benedict Parish in Sha Tin from 30 April to 3 May for a Taizé Asian Youth Gathering, held for the eightieth anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong.
The Archbishop of Canterbury meets Pope Leo
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on 27 April, their first meeting since her installation in March, and the two prayed together in the Urban VIII Chapel of the Apostolic Palace.
Parishes pray for peace after Easter
Catholic parishes around New Zealand took up Pope Leo XIV’s Easter invitation to pray for peace by setting aside ten minutes after each Mass on the weekend of 11 and 12 April for a short liturgy of prayer.
Let love lead: the archbishops’ Easter message
In their joint Easter message for 2026, Archbishops Don Tamihere, Sione Ulu’ilakepa and Justin Duckworth reflected on Jesus’ command to love one another as he has loved us.
Holy Week prayer with the Old Catholic churches
The WCC’s morning prayer on the Monday of Holy Week was prepared with the Old Catholic World Communion.
Sixty years since the Common Declaration
An ecumenical Morning Prayer in Canterbury Cathedral on 26 March marked sixty years since the Common Declaration of Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey in 1966, which began formal relations between the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church and led to the founding of the Anglican Centre in Rome.
Churches stand together at Waitangi
The Moderator, Right Rev.