WCC NEWS: WCC central committee Stewards Programme 2023 now open for applications

“The Stewards Programme opened opportunities for me to take bigger roles in our church back in Brazil,” said Renato Miranda Valenga. “Now, I am serving as a country representative for young people in the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil.” 31 August 2022, Karlsruhe, Germany: Stewards set up equipment for the business meeting at the 11th assembly of the World Council of Churches held at Karlsruhe, Germany from 31 August to 8 September 2022. Photo: Ela Simson/WCC 14 November 2022 The next central committee  21-27 June 2023 in Geneva will have a group of young people ages 18-30 years old who will serve as stewards. This group will be made up of individuals from various church traditions and countries. The stewards will have the opportunity to contribute to the organization's operations through their work. The central committee meeting will also provide them with an opportunity to engage in discussions and learning. The Stewards Programme is composed of three main elements: intentional ecumenical formation, development of leadership, and participation of young people in major meetings of the World Council of Churches. Besides being involved in the meetings, the young people will also be able to perform various tasks to help make the meeting run smoothly. The steward is not merely an observer of the meetings they attend. They are the respiratory and circulatory systems of the ecumenical movement, and they play a vital role in its development. When the work of a steward come to an end, they engage in the local realities of their communities. This is because the support they receive from their local churches and communities allows them to continue their work. Isak Mikael Emanuel Sandell, from Sweden, said serving as a steward helped him to grow in faith and understanding of the ecumenical movement. “Now I have a better perspective, and it is one of the greatest parts of my life. I felt something missing when I went home,” he added. The deadline for application is 20 January 2023.  Steward Application Form for the WCC Central Committee 2023: download PDF or Word doc file 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