wfn.org | WCC NEWS: A brighter picture than 7 years ago

["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 - 23/02/2005

GADEGAARD SEES BRIGHTER PICTURE FOR WCC THAN SEVEN YEARS AGO

		 By Walt Wiltschek (*)

Free photos available, see below

Dean Anders Gadegaard of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark is a
member of the World Council of Churches (WCC) central and executive
committees, and moderator of its finance committee. In an interview near
the conclusion of the Council's 15-22 February central committee meeting,
he shared his thoughts on the journey of the central committee and the WCC
over the past seven years since the last assembly in Harare, Zimbabwe:

> What events and trends stand out for you from the central committee's
past seven years, leading up to this meeting?

We're really making progress now in the sense that we're a fellowship with
unity and diversity. We accept each other's differences, and still strive
for common worship, hopefully one day even to be able to celebrate
communion together. I think we're now on a much more realistic path to
unity. For me, this makes the ecumenical movement appear much more
promising.

That's a relief for the committee, and it's due to the success of the
Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the WCC. What you see in
the consensus method is that we trust one another so much more. The
atmosphere within the central committee has become more joyful than it was
in those first couple of years after Harare. Those were the difficult
years, with the constraints in finances as well.

Also, the transparency of what the council is doing has increased
tremendously. At the beginning, this was not very clear and it was
difficult for us to get a grasp of what was happening. But this has
increasingly been improving over this period and, while there is still a
long way to go, there are clear improvements. It's promising.

> For you as finance committee moderator, are finances a concern?

There has been a reduction in contributions on the programme side, but
I've not been so depressed by that. Sometimes, reduced financial resources
help you focus, and that has been the case here I think. You have to
change your methodology: let the member churches and partners do the job,
and you assure exposure and knowledge and a network for facilitation and
so on.

It was difficult at times, but I actually see that as helpful.

> Where do you see the WCC heading after the next assembly?

Firstly, I think we are just beginning now to focus on a few programmatic
areas. One challenge will be to integrate these areas, and to maintain and
nurture the fellowship with dialogue, theological reflection, and
ecumenical education.

Secondly, the area of serving communion in diakonia (compassionate
service) is extremely important.

Thirdly, we need to be an advocacy platform for churches to be able to
speak out, and to assure their visibility.

To focus on these few main areas, ensure that they are integrated with one
another, and making that visible to the secular world - that is the
challenge. [480 words]

(*) Walt Wiltschek is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren
(USA) and editor of the churches' monthly magazine "Messenger".

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

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

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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.