In the face of a global "fear of the other", the church has been a witness of a "sensitive and generous response" to the refugee crisis, according to the Anglican moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

The church must move from nostalgia to action and justice for the overlooked, said Dr Agnes Abuom, from Nairobi in Kenya, addressing the WCC's central committee in Norway.

"The witness of many in the forefront of struggles demand that we move away from the culture of conferences and statements and begin to get engaged in actions that nurture hope and alternatives," she said.

She praised the church for involving itself in the migration crisis in Europe, and overcoming the xenophobia so prevalent in society.

"There doesn't seem to be a place that is free of xenophobia and the consequential violence against minorities, migrants and refugees, many of whom are victims of war and poverty," she said.

"The images of rejection and mistreatment of millions fleeing from war and violence in recent times are still fresh in our minds. I commend the churches of Europe for their sensitive and generous response and their great witness, even if it meant facing the ire of their governments and the majority."

The church has a responsibility to actively serve the weakest in society and challenge values that glorify power, Abuom added.

"There is room in the gospel for disagreement but there is no room for disengagement," she said.

"Pilgrimage is about hope breaking into our present, motivating us to move forward, overcoming hurdles... We need to move from the nostalgia of the past, set aside our burdensome preoccupations and instruments that have outlived their purpose and venture into new and relevant areas of engagement."

One hundred and fifty members of the WCC are currently attending the weeklong conference in Trondheim under the theme of 'pilgrimage'.