It is perhaps not a coincidence that in all four gospels, Jesus’ last reported miracle is one of healing. In Matthew and Mark, he restores sight to blind men. In Luke, he heals the ear of a servant, cut off by one of his own disciples. (“No more of this!” he warns sternly.) And in John, he weeps at Lazarus’ death, and raises him from the tomb.

What does it mean to be an ecumenical organization? One of the privileges of my role as Executive Director of a state Council of Churches is that I get to spend an inordinate amount of my time reflecting on that question as I go about my work, and encouraging others to do so. In my fifth year with the Wisconsin Council I’d like to think we now discuss that question with some excitement and enthusiasm!

Dr. Peter Bakken, WCC’s Coordinator for Justice & Witness joined Rev. Breanna Illéné, WCC’s Content Curation and Ecumenical Innovation Coordinator to talk about what churches can and cannot do during elections.

I’ve been asked to sum up what I’ve learned in my 18 years as the WCC’s Public Policy and/or Justice and Witness Coordinator. That is impossible. But I will try to set down a few notes about the nature of this work as I’ve come to understand it, using a phrase from WCC’s mission statement that has been a constant reference point for me: We pray and work together for the unity and renewal of the church and the healing and reconciliation of the world.