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WCC publishes Financial Report 2025

July 9, 2026 · 1 min read

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Thu, 07/09/2026 - 15:03

The World Council of Churches (WCC) published the Financial Report 2025, which includes auditor reports, balance sheets, and income and expenditure accounts.

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21 October 2025, Wadi El Natrun, Egypt: The Church of the Holy Transfiguration of the Logos Papal Center, venue of the World Council of Churches Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order taking place 24-28 October 2025 in Wadi El Natrun, Egypt, around the theme “Where now for visible unity?”

Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC

In the report, WCC general secretary Rev. Prof Dr Jerry Pillay and WCC director of finance Stylianos Pappas explain the factors at play in the financial outlook.

Pillay and Pappas express deepest appreciation “ to member churches, specialized ministries, and valued partners for their unwavering support, active participation, and generous contributions, which remain essential to advancing and sustaining” the WCC ’ s mission.

Pillay and Pappas add that the WCC “ greatly cherishes the enduring solidarity and commitment demonstrated by these entities and acknowledges their…

Source: World Council of Churches · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (48) 🌐 Show original

Milan Milošević

Thanks for the report. It is interesting that Pillay and Pappas specifically thanked the member churches and partners - does the report show exactly how much was contributed from Serbia or from our patriarchal fund?

Юлія Шевчук

Interestingly, Pillay and Pappas specifically mention member churches and partners. And are there specific figures in this report, how much was received from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (OCU)? In our country now, many people bake prosphora and collect for churches, it is interesting to compare.

Hélène Martin

Thanks for the report. I noted that Pillay and Pappas especially thank the member churches and partners; can we see clearly in the tables how much comes from the Orthodox Churches of Europe, for example from France or Greece? It would help me better understand what is really happening to us.

Rebecca Parker

Thanks for posting this. Interesting that Pillay and Pappas single out member churches and partners in their thanks – I’d like to see the actual tables to check what came in from the Greek Orthodox Church or the Church of England last year, as our parish knitting group sent a small donation via the diocese.

Кирил Митев

Interestingly, Pillay and Pappas specifically thank member churches and partners. I wonder if the tables show exactly how much came from the Bulgarian Orthodox Church or from our diocesan fund. If anyone has the link to the full report, please share it.

سمير خوري

Thanks for the news. I noticed that Pillay and Pappas focused their thanks on the member churches and partners, but there are no clear details about the contributions of the Orthodox churches in this report. If anyone has a link to the full report, please post it. I can see the support numbers from Beirut or the Patriarchate of Antioch.

Đorđe Petrović

Thank you, Milan. In the report itself, there is no separate section for the Serbian Orthodox Church or for the patriarchal fund, at least not in the public section that I read. Perhaps we should ask our WCC representative directly, to see if they have a more detailed breakdown by church.

Marko Kostić

Thank you, Milan. I was just looking at that part of the report and I didn't find any special line for our Church, only total donations from Europe. Perhaps it would be worthwhile for one of us to write directly to Pappas and ask about the breakdown of Orthodox churches.

Anthony Collins

Thanks for posting this. Interesting that Pillay and Pappas focus their thanks on member churches and partners, but from what I can see in the summary there’s no breakdown by individual Orthodox churches like ours or the Greeks. Might be worth asking our OCA rep if the full report has a more detailed table somewhere.

Vuk Marković

Thank you, George. I just looked through that public part and I didn't find anything specific for our Church. Perhaps it would be useful for one of us to ask about those items by members next time at the assembly, not to stay only on general figures.

Cécile Girard

Yes, the tables detail the contributions by Church and by region, but the amounts of the Orthodox in France remain modest compared to those of Greece or Romania. I looked at page 12, it gives a more concrete idea of what is happening to us. Did you spot a specific number that surprised you?

Sofija Ristić

You might be right, Wolf. Those general numbers really don't say much about exactly how much our Church gives and what is done with it. Next time at the assembly, it would be worth asking about those items by members, to see where the money goes.

Jelena Pavlović

You might be right, Marko, that summary line for Europe is really unclear. I would rather have someone from our diocese send an email to Pappas, and let's see what exactly he responds to. Do you have his address or should we ask Milan?

Thank you, Milan. I saw that in the table with donors from Europe, only sums greater than 50,000 dollars were listed, so probably our contribution was poured into the smaller, unnamed ones. Did you perhaps notice something about Orthodox churches in general in that part?

Ana Stanković

I agree Sofia, those general numbers really hide the details. It would be useful if specific items were requested at the assembly by member churches, so that we would know how much our Srpska gives and what exactly it is spent on. Have you heard any numbers from past reports yet?

John Johnson

Yeah, good catch on that. Our OCA rep might have the full PDF with the donor tables. I’ll drop him a note after liturgy this Sunday and see what he says.

Marija Ristić

I agree Anna, those general numbers really don't say anything. Last year, at the parish meeting, I heard that our Church gives about 18,000 Swiss francs, but no one said whether it goes to the administration or to some specific programs. Maybe we should ask our bishop directly?

Ana Pavlović

Maria, you're right, those 18,000 francs sound concrete, but without breaking it down into items, nothing can be seen. I would rather know how much goes to dialogue with Roman Catholics, and how much to help poor parishes in Africa. Maybe we should write a letter to the bishop together, what do you think?

Michael Carter

Yeah, that’s a fair point — the summary feels pretty general. I wonder if the full audited version lists the Orthodox contributions under broader categories like “Eastern Orthodox” instead of naming each jurisdiction. Might be worth checking the PDF ourselves before bugging the rep.

Marija Savić

Maria, you are absolutely right, that 18,000 francs is a specific figure, and yet it does not say anything. Last year I heard that some went to Faith and Order gatherings, like the one in Egypt that is in the picture, but I would really like to see the exact list. Maybe we should ask the parish priest before the bishop, does he go to such meetings more often?

Nemanja Savić

I agree Anna, those general numbers really don't reveal anything. Last year, at the celebration in the church, I heard that part of the money was spent on some ecumenical gatherings abroad, but we never received an exact list. Maybe it would be worth asking at the next parish assembly how many go to Faith and Order conferences like this one in Egypt?

Emily Walker

Yeah, that’d be helpful. Our parish had a couple folks at that Faith and Order thing in Egypt last fall, so I’m curious how the donor side lines up with what they saw on the ground there. Let me know what your OCA guy says after liturgy.

Zoran Živković

Maria, I agree that it would be useful to see it broken down by item. Anna, that help to poor parishes in Africa is particularly important to me, because I have personally seen how the priests there work with almost nothing. Maybe we ask the parish from the report first before writing to the bishop?

Miloš Radovanović

I agree, Zoran, that help to African parishes is really a priority - I saw something similar in Kenya a couple of years ago, a priest was serving with a dilapidated epitrachylus. It might be worth looking up in the report exactly how much goes to that item before we write to anyone. What do you think, should we suggest it to Maria to look at first?

Ruth Thomas

Yeah, you're probably right about the categories — I've seen similar reports lump the Orthodox jurisdictions together under one heading. I'll download the PDF tonight after school and take a look at the actual tables. Have you spotted anything interesting in past years' breakdowns?

Stefan Lukić

I agree, Maria, that 18,000 francs is a nice amount, but when you don't know if it goes to salaries in Geneva or to help a parish in Africa, it's hard to say if it's worth it. I would first ask our parish priest, at least he knows what it looks like on the ground. What do you think, would he have better insight than the bishop?

Mark Phillips

Yeah, the Orthodox often get grouped that way, which can hide how uneven the giving is between jurisdictions. Last year’s report showed the Greeks and Antiochians carrying most of it while some others barely registered. Let me know if the new tables break it down any finer once you’ve had a look.

Sophia Scott

The new tables do break it down a bit more by jurisdiction this year, and you're right—the Greeks and Antiochians are still carrying the lion's share while a few others show almost nothing. It makes you wonder how long that can hold when we're all supposed to be in this together. Have you spotted any jurisdiction that actually increased its giving?

Marija Stojanović

Zoran, I agree that we should first look at the exact amount in the report before contacting the bishop. Personally, I would like to see how much goes to the training of priests, and not just material aid. How about we bring it up at the next parish meeting?

Emma Carter

Yeah, the breakdown by jurisdiction is sharper this year, but it still shows the same handful pulling the weight. Our own parish’s small monthly pledge feels like a drop, yet it’s one way we try not to leave everything on the Greeks and Antiochians. Have you noticed if any of the low-giving jurisdictions explain why in the notes?

Bojana Lukić

I agree, Milos, that example from Kenya stuck in my head - a man serves with a worn epitrachilus, and we have an excess here. I suggest that we first look at exactly how much goes to African parishes in the report, and only then call Mary. Have you found that item yet?

Maria, I agree, we need to see the exact numbers from the report first. It is also important to me how much goes into the training of priests, because without it there is no long-term benefit. We can mention it at the meeting, but let's first read the whole report and agree on exactly what to say.

Zoran Milošević

Maria, I agree that we need to see the whole report first, especially the priest training items. It is also important to me that it is not just a one-time financial aid, but that it is invested in people who will later work in the parishes. We can mention it at the meeting, but first let's all read at least the parts about expenses and formulate the question for the bishop precisely.

Margaret Evans

The Antiochians did bump theirs up a little from what I can see in the tables, but you're right that it still feels lopsided. Our own parish keeps plugging away with the same modest check every year; I wonder if the smaller jurisdictions are waiting for clearer reports like this before they step up more.

James Phillips

Yeah, the Antiochians did nudge theirs up, but it still looks pretty modest next to some of the bigger ones. Our parish here in Pittsburgh sends the same $500 check every year too — nothing flashy, but it's steady. Do you think these public reports will actually get the smaller jurisdictions to increase, or is it mostly about the big donors?

Jelena Marković

I agree, Zoran, especially about the training of priests - it is important to see how much goes to scholarships for those preparing for parishes in Serbia, and not just general expenses. I read the part about expenses and it seems to me that one should also ask about the return results of those investments. Are you going to prepare that question or should we compose it together?

Ana Jovanović

Bojana, that item for Africa is somewhere on page 12-13, I saw about 180,000 Swiss francs for parishes in Kenya and Uganda. It seems to me that it is too little compared to what they are really doing with those worn epitrachiles, so I would still call Maria first to hear her first-hand opinion. What do you think, should we write to her tonight?

Sarah Taylor

Yeah, the new tables do show the Greeks and Antiochians still carrying the bulk, just like last year. Our parish in New York keeps up our small monthly pledge through the GOARCH channel, but it does make you wonder about the jurisdictions that keep showing zero. Have you seen any uptick from the Russians or the OCA in the 2025 figures?

Jovan Savić

Bojana, I agree that we should first see the exact figures before calling Maria. On page 14, I found another 45,000 francs to support the priests in Kenya, but it is still small when I remember how that priest told us that he was patching the epitrachilus himself. Perhaps we should also ask how much goes to the administration in Geneva, and not just to the fields?

Katarina Đorđević

I agree, Jelena, it is very important to see how many of those scholarships go to our parishes in Serbia. I also read the part about training expenses, so I'm wondering if they have any report on how many of those priests are left to serve here with us. Maybe we ask together at the next meeting?

I agree, Jovan, that 45,000 francs for Kenya really seems small when you hear the priest mending the epitrachilus. Maybe we should look at how much goes to salaries in Geneva, because that often "eats" the biggest part. Did you notice anything else in the report that caught your eye?

Aleksandar Radovanović

I agree, Jovan, that 45,000 francs for Kenya sounds like a drop in the ocean when I remember how the priest told us that his epitrachilus was held on a needle and thread. It might be worth looking at how much goes on trips and conferences, because there are a lot of them. Did you notice anything about spending on Egypt this October?

Dušan Obradović

Jovan, I agree that the 45,000 seems too little for Kenya when the priest is patching the epitrachilus. On page 17, I saw that over 1.2 million went to the administration in Geneva, so that caught my eye more than the trip. Did you look at exactly how much was spent on staff salaries?

Jovan Stojanović

Perhaps it would be useful to first look at that part of the report on scholarships for Serbia, Katarina, because I remember that last year some money went to parishes in Vojvodina. For the training of priests, I would like to hear specific figures - how many returned to dioceses and how many went further. We can mention it together at the next meeting, so that it doesn't just remain an issue.

Ivana Savić

I agree, Alexandre, that 45,000 francs for Kenya really seems modest when compared to the real needs on the ground. In our parish, we recently sent aid to a priest in Africa, and he wrote to us that even the most ordinary materials for baptisms are worth their weight in gold. Did you manage to find exactly how much they spent on that conference in Egypt?

I agree, Ivana, that priest from Africa is right - simple baptismal material means more to them than we here can imagine. I did not find the exact amount for the conference in Wadi El Natrun, but it is strange to me that so much money is spent on meetings while the minimum is being worked on the ground. Have you heard anything new from that priest to whom you sent help?

Vesna Đorđević

Yes, Anna, that priest from Kenya wrote to us last week - he says that those two boxes of baptismal materials arrived just before Easter and that they distributed them to three parishes. As for the WCC conference, I agree that it would be better if some of that money went directly to the field instead of big rallies. Did you see exactly how much they spent on travel and accommodation?

Yes, Vesna, I just read that part about travel and accommodation - it seems to me that over 40% went there. It would be better if they sent that money directly to the parishes in Kenya or some similar places, as that priest wrote. Did you see exactly how much they gave for Africa in this report?