WCC NEWS: WCC to convene high-level roundtable with specialized ministries

The World Council of Churches (WCC) will convene a high-level roundtable with heads of specialized ministries partners on 16 May. The leaders will advise the WCC general secretary and provide input to the strategic direction of the WCC. 4 September 2022, Karlsruhe, Germany: Networking Zone of the WCC 11th Assembly. The 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches is held in Karlsruhe, Germany from 31 August to 8 September, under the theme "Christ's Love Moves the World to Reconciliation and Unity." Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC   10 May 2023 The previous roundtable produced the specialized ministries pre-assembly message, which substantially influenced the WCC 11th Assembly message, “A call to act together.” This year’s roundtable will contribute in substantive ways to the WCC strategic direction and plans, building on the assembly’s mandate to be on a pilgrimage of justice, reconciliation, and unity. Discussions at the roundtable will help prepare for the June 2023 WCC central committee meeting. “Together, we will discern the signs of our times, emphasize the importance of working together in a fragile world, and reflect on the mission and vision of the ecumenical movement,” said WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay. “Input from our partners in specialized ministries is valued and needed as we share potential points of collaboration to strengthen our common work and witness.” “Specialized ministries are church-related agencies and organizations active in humanitarian, development and disaster response work. They are key collaborators for the WCC, and I would argue an essential part of global conciliar ecumenism,” said Rev. Nathan Day Wilson, WCC liaison to specialized ministries. In June 2023, the WCC central committee will develop the strategic direction and programmatic responses to the assembly as a Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity. It will approve the WCC Strategic Plan 2023-2030, guiding the work of the WCC until the next WCC assembly in 2030.  Link to the WCC 11th Assembly Message “Working Together” hones collaboration to address the needs of the world See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland