WCC Reference Group begins Vancouver meeting with renewed focus on Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation and Unity

WCC Reference Group begins Vancouver meeting with renewed focus on Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation and Unity

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Fri, 09/18/2026 - 20:04

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Reference Group for the Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation and Unity (PJRU) began its in-person meeting on 17 September at the Vancouver School of Theology (VST), bringing together WCC representatives, church leaders and local ecumenical partners to reflect on the pilgrimage and its role in the life of the ecumenical movement.

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Participants of the Vancouver meeting gathered for a photo to express solidarity with the WCC's Thursdays in Black campaign for a world against rape and violence.

Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC

The meeting opened with prayer and an acknowledgement of the traditional territories and Indigenous peoples, followed by welcomes from Rev. Janet Anstead, general secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches, and Rev. Prof. Dr Richard Topping, VST president and vice-chancellor.

WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay presented his vision for a WCC-wide PJRU framework, exploring how the pilgrimage can deepen…