wfn.org | WCC NEWS: Exciting WCC 2006 assembly promised

["WCC Media" <Media@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches - News Release
Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org

For immediate release - 17/02/2005

PLANNERS PROMISE EXCITING ASSEMBLY FOR 2006; YOUTH OFFER THEIR
ENERGETIC VISION TO THE EVENT

Planners for the ninth WCC assembly promised a dynamic event for
2006 during an update to the central committee Wednesday -
exactly one year before the assembly.

Norman Shanks of the Church of Scotland, who coordinates the
planning committee, said that a visit to the host city of Porto
Alegre, Brazil, in November was "very encouraging". "It promises
to be an excellent venue, and the assembly itself to be a very
good experience indeed for all who attend it," Shanks said. 

Events will take place 14-23 February, 2006, at the Pontifical
Catholic University in this city of 1.5 million. It will be the
first WCC assembly to take place in Latin America. The planning
committee estimates that about 3,000 people will attend. Others
may join for the visitors' programmes called "mutirao", a
Portuguese word that connotes "coming together."

In his remarks Tuesday, WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel
Kobia said he welcomed the opportunity to have the assembly in
this region. "The testimonies of the churches and the challenges
faced by the societies throughout the continent will inform our
work in Brazil," Kobia said. 

During his visit to the region at the end of 2004, he had seen
"a great hope for political and economic renewal," Kobia noted.
"The role of the WCC in expressing support and solidarity with
the Latin American people" during the difficult times of
dictatorships "is greatly acknowledged and appreciated."

Tipping the balance

Youth stewards assisting at this week's meeting put their own
spin on the assembly theme during a presentation to the central
committee. Holding up cards with the assembly theme, "God, in
your grace, transform the world" printed on them, the stewards
inserted another card that said, "let youth". The "renewed"
version of the theme then read: "God, in your grace, LET YOUTH
transform the world."

In remarks to the delegates, various stewards shared their
perspectives on global issues. "Let us not just talk about
theology, but live theology," steward Penias Mulauzi of Zambia
said in a closing statement. "Let's not just talk about faith,
but live faith. Let's not just talk about youth but let youth
talk."

They also wheeled out a large scale, showing the imbalance
between "old" and "young" participation in the WCC. They invited
Kobia, who on Tuesday urged delegates to create the youngest
assembly ever, to come up and "balance the scales".

WCC member churches nominate 85% of the delegates to the
assembly; the central committee confirms these nominations, and
nominates the remaining 15% of delegates, based on the proposals
and alternates submitted by the member churches for
consideration. Later this week, the central committee will
consider this 15 percent, with consideration to balancing the
delegate body for youth and gender representation and other
factors.

Planning committee members invited member churches to be in
prayer for the assembly, to have discussions and Bible studies on
the theme, to attend, make donations supporting the event, and
watch for regular updates.

And, as central committee member Rev. Cibele Kuss of the
Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession in Brazil put it, all
are urged to "Come with open eyes, a joyful and open heart -
really go deeper into our Latin American reality." [531 words]

Free high resolution pictures and additional information about
the WCC central committee meeting are available at:
www.oikoumene.org > Central Committee 

(Sidebar) 
New Assembly website

A new website, at www.wcc-assembly.info, will help WCC member
churches and others keep up with the latest developments for the
ninth Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil. WCC staff recently
completed work to have the website ready for this week's central
committee meeting.

The site features the colourful Assembly logo on its home page
and gives an explanation of the logo's elements. Other links
provide background information on faith in Brazil, share prayer
and Bible study materials, outline the programme being planned,
and lead to numerous additional resources including plenary
topics and information on the business agenda.

The site is available in five languages: English, German,
French, Spanish, and Portuguese. [109 words]

Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507
6363 media@wcc-coe.org

Sign up for WCC press releases at
http://onlineservices.wcc-coe.org/pressnames.nsf

The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now
342, in more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually
all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a
member church but works cooperatively with the WCC. The highest
governing body is the assembly, which meets approximately every
seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in
Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general secretary
Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.