WCC News: WCC general secretary to visit Indonesia, focus on “God’s goodness for all”

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay will visit Indonesia, where he will speak at the Persekutuan Gereja-gereja di Indonesia (Communion of Churches in Indonesia) annual meeting, as well as visit member churches and government leaders. Ecumenical women's retreat in Sembakung, a small village on the Indonesian island of Borneo, hosted by the local congregation of the Gereja Kristen Pemancar Injil (GKPI) and supported by United Women in Faith. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/Life on Earth 26 January 2024 Pillay’s keynote speech, which will occur 29 January, will focus on the theme "To Present God's Goodness for All (Matthew 5:45): Emerging Challenges of the ecumenical movement and the role of Asian churches.” Pillay pointed out that this is a very pertinent and relevant theme in the Asian context, especially in Indonesia. He added, “this is my first visit to Indonesia since assuming the office of WCC general secretary and I am so much looking forward to interacting with our member churches and others in this context. Indeed, they have so much to contribute to the rich tapestry of ecumenical experience and development.  The Persekutuan Gereja-gereja di Indonesia meeting will take place in Mentawai, West Sumatra from 26-30 January, and will draw 96 churches as well as regional ecumenical partners.  The meeting’s location, in one of the poorest and most underdeveloped locations in West Sumatra, is intended to allow churches to directly witness the life and struggles of the Christian community in Mentawai.  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