WCC news: Evangelical Church in Germany welcomes WCC general secretary at ecumenical conference

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay is attending this year’s conference on ecumenism, mission, and development of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) taking place of 15-16 May near the German city of Erfurt.  4 September 2022, Karlsruhe, Germany: Celebrating the occasion of the World Council of Churches' 11th Assembly, Sunday service was held at the Friedenskirche in Karlsruhe. Bishop Petra Bosse-Huber (center) and Karlsruhe Mayor Frank Mentrup (right). Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 15 May 2024 Invited by Bishop Petra Bosse-Huber, head of the EKD’s division for ecumenical relations and global ministries, Pillay will deliver an address on “The role of anti-racism and the fight against discrimination in the work of the WCC today.” Bosse-Huber served as the moderator of the local host committee for the WCC’s 11th Assembly, held in Karlsruhe, Germany in 2022. Pillay will also participate in a panel discussion on “Racism and the shift to the right - How do churches around the world respond to radicalization and polarization in their societies?” Later during the meeting he will lead a devotion. Known by its German initials KÖME, the conference brings together the ecumenical officers of the EKD’s 20 regional churches, as well as representatives of German Protestant mission and development agencies.  This year’s KÖME is being held in the Zinzendorfhaus in Neudietendorf, where the ecumenical officers are discussing how churches can meet the many challenges facing the world today.  The WCC will also offer insights related to communications for KÖME participants. WCC director of communication Marianne Ejdersten will present a session on “Communicating in a global fellowship: How the WCC strengthens participation and exchange among its member churches.” Among other things, discussions will cover commemorative events in 2025 related to the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, a major ecumenical milestone, as well as the 500th anniversary of the Anabaptist movement.  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