WCC NEWS: WCC Staff Planning Days will carry forward a first reading of assembly mandate

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Staff Planning Days, being held from 4-7 October, will give WCC staff the opportunity for a first reading of the WCC 11th Assembly mandate, and a chance to begin work toward finalizing plans and budgets for 2023. 2 September 2022, Karlsruhe, Germany: Climate protest at the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, held in Karlsruhe, Germany from 31 August to 8 September, under the theme "Christ's Love Moves the World to Reconciliation and Unity." Photo: Gjermund Øystese/WCC 03 October 2022 Three assembly mandates will be explored in the form of questions. What did we hear from the pre-assemblies? Staff will consider the messages from four pre-assemblies for women and men, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and persons with disabilities. What did we hear from the assembly committees? Specifically, staff will focus on decisions of the assembly expressed in the reports of the policy reference, programme guidelines, public issues, nominations committee and finance committees. What did we hear from the Ecumenical Conversations? These sustained, in-depth dialogues focused on 23 critical issues that affect the unity, mission, and witness of the churches today – issues that require a common response by the churches together. Staff will discuss the results as a guide to future ecumenical cooperation. Staff will attend morning prayers as well as workshops, plenary discussions, and closing worship, all of which will be offered as hybrid events. They will also be observing Thursdays in  Black, wearing black on 6 October to voice their support for a world free from rape and violence.  Those gathered will also be reflecting on highlights, innovations, and insights from the assembly. Together, they will begin to map the next 8-year cycle of programmatic work.  The year ahead can be seen as “bridge year,” during which the strategic direction and programmatic response to the assembly mandate will be developed for approval by the central committee in June 2023. This includes the formation of new commissions, working groups, and reference groups. Staff will also discuss moving to the new Kyoto workspace in 2024, and the preparations during 2023 that will enable them to fully appreciate the features of their new offices within the Green Village.  Message of the WCC 11th Assembly Assembly Message, slides  Assembly slideshow 360' Assembly  Assembly in brief  All Assembly resources 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 acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania.  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