wfn.org | WCC NEWS: WCC message to Hurricane Katrina victims

["WCC Media" <Media@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches - News Release
Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
For immediate release - 01/09/2005

WCC "COMPASSION AND SOLIDARITY" WITH VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA

WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia expressed today the compassion
and solidarity of the member churches of the World Council of Churches
with all the victims of Hurricane Katrina, which US officials fear has
claimed thousands of lives in recent days.

"The whole fellowship of the World Council of Churches unites in prayer
for the people, leaders and churches of the United States as you come to
grips with the tragedy brought to your shores by hurricane Katrina. We
pray for those who mourn, who suffer, who search for meaning. We pray the
time will come when even those who are now most troubled in spirit will
rediscover the hope of resurrection. We pray for those who have perished
and are already safe within God's eternal keeping. And we pledge our
solidarity with those who have begun the task of rebuilding broken walls
and restoring stricken lives. In particular, we hold in our prayers all
the church relief agencies, workers and volunteers who are struggling to
assist those in need.

"May the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus
Christ, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal
covenant, make you complete in everything good, that you may do his will,
working among us that which is pleasing in his sight; through Jesus
Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21).

Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363
media@wcc-coe.org

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The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 347, in
more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.