WCC Central Committee
18-24 June, Johannesburg, South Africa
What is the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee?
The WCC central committee comprises 158 members, the WCC regional presidents, and 100 advisors from the wider ecumenical movement. Its purpose is to implement the assembly mandate, make policy decisions, and address issues affecting the life and witness of the churches.
What will happen in South Africa?
The central committee meeting will be an important encounter on the Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity, particularly with South African churches.
The facets will include pilgrimage encounters with:
South African churches
The year 2025 marks the 140th anniversary of the Berlin Conference regulating the colonization of Africa as well as the 40th anniversary of the Kairos theological statement challenging the apartheid regime of South Africa. The concurrence offers the central committee an opportunity to celebrate the work of the churches in dismantling apartheid and the ongoing struggle to overcome racism.
Apostolic faith today
The year 2025 marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. The anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the affirmation of faith expressed in the Nicene Creed, the mission of God’s triune love and the implications this has for the common witness and service of the churches. The central committee is a time to deepen the experience of living the apostolic faith together today.
Climate justice
The year 2025 marks 100 years of the Life and Work movement, igniting a vision for diaconal ecumenism to unite the churches through service. The climate crisis is among the greatest challenges facing the world today and the churches are at the forefront of the movement for change. The central committee is an opportunity to achieve the assembly vision of declaring an ecumenical decade for climate justice.
Gender justice
The year 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the UN Fourth World Conference on Women and the Beijing Declaration. The WCC emphasis on the role of women in church and society and its work for a just community of women and men have shaped the ecumenical commitment to gender justice, including Thursdays in Black, which originated in South Africa. The central committee is an opportunity to focus on what has been achieved since Beijing and the role of the churches in promoting gender justice.
Spiritual life
The meeting will begin with an opening prayer, including the tradition of remembering ecumenical leaders who have passed away since the last meeting. The meeting will end with a closing prayer, thanking God for all that was achieved and sending participants out to into the world.
Daily prayers at the central committee will be a spiritual encounter with the member churches in South Africa. Member churches will lead morning prayer, noon prayer, and evening vespers, with a different church preparing and leading each service.
The South African Council of Churches is preparing a welcome prayer on 18 June, followed by a reception. On Sunday, participants will have congregational pilgrimage encounters with local churches, sharing worship, lunch, and experiences in ministry.
What are the expected outcomes of the central committee meeting?
In many ways, the most interesting outcomes of a central committee are the unexpected outcomes. What happens when 300 people from around the world come together to walk, pray, and work together is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
The central committee meeting in June 2023 established strategies, and elected commissions, joint consultative groups and reference groups in response to the assembly mandate.
In South Africa, the central committee will initiate a midterm review of strategies and governance. It will also initiate preparations for the next assembly in 2030, inviting churches to host the next assembly. The central committee will elect:
- A second executive committee – beginning in November 2026
- A midterm evaluation working group – reporting in June 2027
- A governance review working group – reporting in June 2027 and June 2029
- An assembly planning committee and a worship planning committee – reporting in June 2027 and June 2029
New member churches
The central committee is expected to receive the application of the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim (Nigeria) and to welcome four new member churches:
- Apostolic Pentecostal Church International (Liberia)
- Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (Malawi)
- Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria
- Union of Evangelical Free Churches in Germany
Other proceedings
The central committee will review the general reserves policy and receive reports from WCC commissions, reference group, and joint consultive bodies.
The public issues committee will begin with a suggested list of statements on some of the burning issues affecting the life and witness.
There will be a hearing on the report of the working group on Palestine and Israel which, following an assembly mandate, reviewed the current crisis, the use of the term apartheid, and WCC policy supporting a two-state solution.
In addition, there will be regional meetings, confessional meetings, a women’s meeting, and a meeting of Africans and African diaspora. The WCC executive committee meets 16-17 June, just prior to the central committee.
