Reflections from a seminarian: Disciples of Christ
By Fiyori Kidane
World Council of Churches
This week, I had the opportunity to gather with a group of young adults and leaders from across the life of our denomination for an evening of conversation with Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC). Rev. Nathan Day Wilson, WCC liaison with specialized ministries, facilitated the discussion.
As we mingled and got to know one another, the space quickly shifted from casual connection to deep engagement. I found myself drawn into conversations that mattered—about the world we’re living in, the church we’re part of, and the future we hope to shape.
When Dr. Pillay began to speak, I was struck by the depth of his wisdom and the way he allowed for nuance. His responses weren’t just informative—they were compassionate, challenging, and honest. He modeled the kind of leadership I aspire to: one that listens carefully, speaks boldly, and leads with humility.
We spoke about the World Council of Churches’ continued response to the apartheid facing the Palestinian people. We named the rise of nationalist movements around the world and the harm they cause to communities already on the margins. We wrestled with what it means to engage in global community through the lens of decolonization—and how that posture demands not just new language, but new practices and new power structures. Dr Pillay didn’t offer easy answers, but he helped me understand the intentionality and care with which the WCC engages in these challenging but essential conversations.
What stayed with me most was his emphasis on hope—not a vague optimism, but a grounded, courageous hope. He reminded us that, as Christians, we are called to imagine peace and justice not as abstract ideals, but as real possibilities that guide how we live, lead, and love. His words reignited something in me: a conviction that our faith compels us to dream boldly and act faithfully.
As someone still growing into leadership, I left the evening feeling both challenged and encouraged. The global church is complex and ever-changing, and I know I have so much to learn. But I also know that conversations like this are part of how we grow—by showing up, listening deeply, asking hard questions, and learning to speak with both courage and grace.
I’m especially grateful to Week of Compassion and University Christian Church in San Diego for creating this space and making this conversation possible. And I’m thankful to Dr Pillay and Rev. Wilson of the WCC for their generosity in sharing time and wisdom with us during this busy General Assembly. It was a night I won’t forget—one that reminded me why I care so deeply about this work, and why I believe the church still has something powerful to offer the world.
This week, I had the opportunity to gather with a group of young adults and leaders from across the life of our denomination for an evening of conversation with Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC). Rev. Nathan Day Wilson, WCC liaison with specialized ministries, facilitated the discussion.
Fiyori Kidane is a first-year seminarian in the Disciples Divinity House at the University of Chicago Divinity School. In 2018, Fiyori served as a summer intern in the DOM office in Indianapolis. From 2019 to 2020, she served as a Global Mission Intern with Perichoresis, a program of the Evangelical Church of Greece, working with migrant and refugee communities. From 2023 to 2025, Fiyori served as the People to People Pilgrimages coordinator for Global Ministries.