wfn.org | WCC FEATURE: Living in community amidst diversity

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

World Council of Churches - Feature
Contact: + 41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
For immediate release - 14/05/2005

LIVING IN COMMUNITY AMIDST DIVERSITY

By Heather Chappell (*)

Free photos available at
www.mission2005.org

Women in brightly coloured saris eat breakfast with bearded men in flowing
black robes. Lutherans compare ideas with Catholics. Orthodox exchange
greetings of peace with Evangelicals. Participants in the Athens World
Mission Conference have experienced the formation of a peaceful and
accepting community.

In a divisive and increasingly violent world, the need for community is
great, and lack of close relationships can lead to intolerance, discrimination, isolation and fear. The over 650 participants attending the World
Council of Churches 13th Conference on World Mission and Evangelism have
spent a week living out the Christian call to be in close community with
one another, providing a working example of peace and tolerance.

The sub-theme of the May 9-16 conference, "Called in Christ to be healing
and reconciling communities," is brought to life in a very real way. Daily
workshops point to peace, trust, love, understanding, and unity as means
of creating healing and reconciliation in today's world. Participants from
over 100 countries and representing almost every Christian tradition
consider what it means to live in community, and share stories from within
their own particular backgrounds.

Quiet, intimate spaces

Amidst the busyness of workshops and presentations, there is a need for
more quiet, intimate spaces. Small "home groups" help to strengthen the
feeling of community that encompasses the conference. "It is important to
have this kind of bonding on an individual level with other participants,"
says Paula Devejian, a delegate from the Holy See of Etchmiadzin (Armenian
Apostolic Church).

Each morning, groups come together for Lectio Divina (Latin for "sacred
reading"). These meditative Bible studies are a good way for delegates to
prepare spiritually for the day ahead. Evening meetings are less structured, and provide an opportunity to reflect and to share stories and experiences of the day's events. Group members are encouraged to share their joys
and disappointments in a non-judgemental and supportive environment.

Ron Wallace, associate secretary of international ministries for The
Presbyterian Church in Canada, finds there to be a good balance of
culture, gender and tradition within his group. He enjoys the opportunity
to discuss world views with those from a variety of backgrounds and
contexts. "In my group there are Catholics, Protestants and Coptic
Orthodox from Europe, North America, and Africa. Everyone is very
open-minded," he says. "By the second day, we were comfortable in
accepting one another's diversity, and were able to discuss our wide
variety of perceptions." Devejian adds that the bringing together of
diverse cultures and denominations through biblical discussion gives her
important insight into the thought processes and belief systems of others
in her group.

The church is like a prism

Participants, who have seen their home groups evolve into small communities, can take their experience back to their own churches and apply it to
small group meetings within their own contexts.

Home group leader Fleur Dorrell, a Catholic working for the Church of
England and a member of the Anglican Communion's lay organization Mothers'
Union, feels that home groups facilitate the act of listening to one
another, ensuring that the unique voice of each person is both expressed
and heard.

"The church is like a prism," she says. "Each colour represents a
different expression of faith. The beauty is in reflecting as many colours
as possible." She goes on to say, "None of us understands God perfectly on
our own. We need each other to help us understand and nourish our own
faith."

In just one week, conference participants have come together in community,
creating a space where cultural, denominational, and spiritual differences
unite rather than divide. In this way, they provide an important model to
churches world-wide, and confirm that it is possible to live together as
one people - a diverse family centred in the community of God's love. [682
words]

(*) Heather Chappell is a writer from Toronto, Ontario. She works as
programme assistant for The Presbyterian Church in Canada in the areas of
stewardship and mission education.

Photos of the "homegroups" are available on the WCC website at:
http://cwme.wcc-coe.org/Home_groups.923+B6Jkw9NA__.0.html

Free high resolution photos to accompany this story are available at:
http://cwme.wcc-coe.org/High_resolution.884.0.html

Conference website: www.mission2005.org

Opinions expressed in WCC Features do not necessarily reflect WCC policy.
This material may be reprinted freely, providing credit is given to the
author.

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 347, 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.