The Assembly in media

NEW YORK (UMNS) - When the World Council of Churches initiated its "Decade to Overcome Violence" in 2001, the idea was to "shine a bright light" on places where Christians are working on issues of justice and peace - places that could be models for others.

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (UMNS) - Children in northern Uganda are dying at the rate of 1,000 per week, and the world's churches need to take notice.

In a world full of violence and hate, there is no greater mission than "saving God's children from the scourge of war," a former U.N. official said to thousands of Christian leaders at the World Council of Churches' 9th Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Workshops on life giving agriculture were among the most popular at the World Council of Churches (WCC) Assembly in February.

Around 100 delegates arrived to the first seminar and 50 to the second about a method of farming that helps small farmers grow crops without the use of chemicals and to produce goods at a price affordable to the poor in their own communities.

Source: Reuters - PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil, Feb 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. Conference for the World Council of Churches condemned the U.S.-led war in Iraq on Saturday for "raining down terror" on helpless Iraqis, and criticized Washington's policies on the environment and poverty.

Porto Alegre, Brazil, Feb 19 (Prensa Latina) The 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches is sessioning in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre to seek unity among religions and overcome historic differences.

Porto Alegre, Brazil, Feb 19 (Prensa Latina) The 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches is sessioning in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre to seek unity among religions and overcome historic differences.

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil-Delegates representing U.S. denominations at the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches issued a letter February 18 begging God's forgiveness for their nation's policies relating to war, the environment, and poverty. "From a place seduced by the lure of empire we come to you in penitence," they said, "eager for grace, grace sufficient to transform spirits grown weary from the violence, degradation, and poverty our nation has sown, grace sufficient to transform spirits grown heavy with guilt, grace sufficient to transform the world."

Christians should solely commit themselves to Jesus, but should be open to pluralistic dialogue when addressing people of other faith, the symbolic head of the world's Anglican Communion said at the largest ecumenical gathering in a decade.

Five years after the World Council of Churches (WCC) launched its Decade to Overcome Violence participants at the 9th Assembly have paused to mark the midpoint, reviewing what has occurred so far and looking to what can yet come.