wfn.org | WCC willing to coordinate future assemblies with LWF

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

Possible areas of collaboration will be explored

GENEVA, 3 September 1999 (lwi) - The World Council of Churches (WCC) is
willing to work together with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) as
well as other Christian world communions (CWCs) and regional ecumenical
organizations on the coordination of future assemblies, and to explore
together the possible areas of coordination for the next assembly.

This was among recommendations passed by the WCC Central Committee
meeting here from 26 September to 3 September 1999. The recommendation
arose from one of the issues raised in the report of the general
secretary, Rev. Dr. Konrad Raiser to the Central Committee.

In his report, Dr. Raiser said that the last LWF Council meeting
approved a recommendation by its Standing Committee for Ecumenical
Affairs, which specified the need for possible coordination in the
future of LWF assemblies with assemblies of the WCC and regional
ecumenical councils in view of better stewardship of resources well as
increased cooperation.

The WCC Assembly, the Council's highest governing body, meets
approximately every seven years. Its last meeting was in Harare,
Zimbabwe, in December 1998, which also marked the ecumenical
organization's 50th anniversary.

The highest decision making body of the LWF is the Assembly, held every
six or seven years. The Ninth Assembly took place in Hong Kong in 1997,
marking the federation's 50th anniversary.

The WCC Central Committee also welcomed the recent decision of the LWF
Council to seek a dialogue with the WCC on relations and cooperation,
and to respond positively to this initiative.

Following proposals presented before it by the Standing Committee for
Ecumenical Affairs the LWF Council meeting in Bratislava, Slovak
Republic in June 1999, recommended that the LWF continue to participate
in the ongoing exploration and discussion regarding the proposal for a
forum of Christian churches and ecumenical organizations. On
relationships between the WCC and the Christian world communions (CWCs),
the Council requested that the LWF continue its efforts to strengthen
cooperation between the WCC and CWCs in general, and seek to initiate
direct dialogue with the WCC on future relations and patterns of
cooperation between the LWF and WCC.

The WCC is a fellowship of more than 330 churches in over 100 countries
from virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is
not a member but works cooperatively with the WCC. About 50 of the 128
member churches of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) are also members
of the WCC.

(The LWF is a global communion of 128 member churches in 70 countries
representing 58 million of the world's 61.5 million Lutherans. Its
highest decision making body is the Assembly, held every six or seven
years. Between Assemblies, the LWF is governed by a 49-member Council
which meets annually, and its Executive Committee. The LWF secretariat
is located in Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information is the information service of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF). Unless specifically noted, material presented
does not represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various
units. Where the dateline of an article contains the notation (lwi), the
material may be freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]

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