wfn.org | WCC NEWS: Kobia to meet Swiss churches and government

["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 - 16/01/2006

WCC GENERAL SECRETARY TO MEET SWISS CHURCHES, GOVERNMENT

On 18-19 January, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev.
Dr Samuel Kobia will pay his first official visit to the churches of the
country that is home to the headquarters of the WCC.

On the agenda of the two-day visit to Switzerland's capital city Bern are
discussions with the leadership of the Federation of Swiss Protestant
Churches (SEK-FEPS) and its member churches.

The WCC general secretary will also meet with Moritz Leuenberger, the
current president of Switzerland's seven-member Federal Council, and with
Micheline Calmy-Rey, the federal councillor responsible for foreign
affairs.

Since Kobia's visit to Bern coincides with the beginning of the 18-25
January Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, he will preach at a Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity service at the French-language church in Bern.

A meeting with the Federation of African Churches in Switzerland and a
visit to the offices of Bread for All, the development service of the
Swiss Protestant Churches, are also on the visit's programme (see below).

Topics scheduled for discussion with the Swiss churches are the WCC's
forthcoming 14-23 February 9th Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil; the
reconfiguration of the ecumenical movement and the WCC's self-understanding and vision; and the way in which churches and ecumenical bodies address
ethical and moral issues.

In his meetings with government representatives, Kobia will address issues
like the reform of the United Nations, as well as the situation in
Israel/Palestine and in Korea.

Kobia will be accompanied by WCC staff members Jacques Matthey (mission
and evangelism), Teny Pirri-Simonian (church and ecumenical relations),
Martin Robra (ethics and ecology), Sabine Udodesku (executive secretary),
and Peter Weiderud (international affairs).

Programme

18 January
AM Meeting with the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches (SEK-FEPS)
Council
PM Meeting with president Moritz Leuenberger
17:00 Worship at Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service at the French
church
in Bern; Kobia to preach.

19 January (all activities AM)
Meeting with Federation of African Churches.
Meeting with federal councillor for foreign affairs Micheline Calmy-Rey.
Visit to Bread for All headquarters.

Media contact: Simon Weber +41-31-370-2501 +41-78-739-5853 (mobile)

Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches' website:
http://www.sek.ch [in German and French]

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 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.