wfn.org | Secretaries of Christian World Communions Seek to Be an

["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

Secretaries of Christian World Communions Seek to Be an
Effective Voice in the Search for Christian Unity
Conference  Establishes Six Working Groups

NICOSIA, Cyprus/GENEVA, 23 December 2003 (LWI) - A point of
focus at this year's meeting of the Conference of Secretaries of
Christian World Communions (CS/CWCs) was how the conference can
be a more helpful and an effective voice in the search for
Christian unity.

The aim of the global Christian forum is to promote dialogues
and their reception, deepen and expand relationships, and
contribute to the rethinking of inter-church relations today. 

This year, the Conference has gone through a significant process
of evaluation with regard to its own nature and purpose, said
Rev. Sven Oppegaard, Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical
Affairs in the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), who participated
in the October 20-26 meeting in Nicosia, Cyprus.  

At this meeting, the CS/CWCs decided to establish six working
groups with a particular focus to contribute to the rethinking of
ecumenical relations; promote dialogues and reception; and enrich
the agenda of the CS/CWCs. Other concerns for the groups will be
to deepen and expand relationships among the different CWCs;
initiate study processes on central issues of common concern; and
extend participation in the CS/CWCs beyond the current
membership. 

Oppegaard will convene the group dealing with the rethinking of
ecumenical relations. It will focus on how to contribute actively
to a better understanding of the ecumenical role of the CWCs;
participate in the (re)configuration of the ecumenical movement;
and support the global Christian forum.

Since 1957 the CS/CWCs has been meeting annually for informal
exchange and information. The 2003 forum was very generously
hosted by His Grace Bishop Nikiforos, Abbot of the Monastery of
Kykkos, Orthodox Church of Cyprus. The meeting was moderated by
Dr Larry Miller, general secretary of the Mennonite World
Conference, elected last year as the conference chairperson for
the period 2003 and 2004. The newly-elected CS/CWCs secretary, Dr
John Graz organized the meeting in cooperation with Deacon
Chrysostomos Kykkotis, Monastery of Kykkos. (335 words)

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now
has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing over 61.7
million of the 65.4 million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on
behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as
ecumenical and inter-faith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects
of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is LWF' information service.
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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