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In 1962 he began to work for the WCC as North American secretary for the study on "The Missionary Structure of the Congregation,” a post he held until 1966.
He then served the WCC as secretary for the study “Salvation Today,” which was coordinated by the WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism in preparation for the second World Conference of the commission after the integration of the International Missionary Council in the WCC.
The “Salvation Today” conference was held in 1973 in Bangkok, Thailand. Wieser was not only responsible for coordinating the study process, which began in 1970, but also for the conference itself, which is considered one of the most contextual and interdisciplinary ecumenical missionary conferences.
Wieser also served as managing editor for The Ecumenical Review in the early 1980s.
He earned a doctorate in theology from the Union Theological Seminary in 1962. Beginning his professional career as pastor of a Methodist church on Staten Island, New York City in the 1950s, he then served as director of the Refugee Centre, CIMADE, in Paris, and as an associate university pastor for the Westminster Foundation, Southern California, US.
He then served as study secretary for the National Student Christian Federation, US, from 1955-60, and as director of Studies for the Church and World Institute at Temple University, US. From 1966-70, he served as director for Evangelism, Division of Christian Life and Mission, for the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA.
The trilingual funeral service was held 19 May in Chêne-Bougeries, with disposal of the remains at the cemetery behind and sharing at the parish reception room nearby.
Doug Chial, director of the WCC Office of the General Secretariat, read a message on behalf of WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, at the 19 May memorial service.
