News
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church (USA) delegation visited from 11-13 December.
In addition to receiving an introduction to the WCC, the delegation met with WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, as well as members of the WCC staff leadership group.
After an overview of the WCC Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity, the delegation also discussed the WCC’s work in the Middle East, as well as work in the areas of Mission and Evangelism, Faith and Order, and Spiritual Life.
The delegation also received a tour of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, where discussions centered on WCC’s work on Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation, Ecumenical Formation and Theological Education, and Communication.
Members of the delegation from the Presbyterian Church (USA) included: Rev. Jihyun Oh, stated clerk and executive director; Sara Lisherness, deputy executive director for mission; Dr Dianna Wright, director of Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations; Kerry Rice, deputy stated clerk.
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WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay and WCRC general secretary Rev. Dr Setri Nyomi.
Gloria Charles/WCC
World Communion of Reformed Churches
Rev. Dr Setri Nyomi, general secretary of World Communion of Reformed Churches met with Pillay on 17 December.
"It is always a pleasure to have discussions with the general secretary of the WCC and colleagues,” said Nyomi. “This time around we shared how our collaborations around the upcoming World Communion of Reformed Churches 27th General Council and the commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed would be of benefit to our member churches and would strengthen the ecumenical movement. We appreciate the leadership the WCC gives in this.”
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From the left: Doug Chial, director of the WCC Office of the General Secretariat, Marianne Ejdersten, WCC director of Communication, Dr Kimmo Kääriäinen, Executive Director National Church Council, Department for International Relations, The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Peter Lindvall, Head of the unit for pastoral development and ecumenical relations, Church and Society, Church of Sweden, Stylianos Pappas, WCC finance director, and Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, WCC programme director for Public Witness and Diakonia.
Grégoire de Fombelle/WCC
Nordic churches
The Nordic delegation that visited the WCC consisted of: Dr Kimmo Kääriäinen, executive director of the National Church Council, Department for International Relations, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland; and Rev. Dr Peter Lindvall, head of the unit for pastoral development and ecumenical relations, Church and Society, Church of Sweden.
Conference of European Churches
On 19 December, the general secretary of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), Rev. Frank-Dieter Fischbach, paid his first visit to the WCC since his appointment last March. He met with Pillay and selected members of the WCC staff. Fischbach was accompanied by Ms Katerina Pekridou, CEC programme officer for theology and studies.
"It was for CEC an intense and inspiring meeting with representatives of WCC. I am very thankful for the very open minded exchange with generals secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Pillay on the pilgrimage of justice, reconciliation and unity and on the complementary work of WCC and CEC on the war of Russia against Ukraine", said Fischbach. "It was very fruitful to learn more from other working areas of WCC – governance, communication, interreligious dialogue, ecumenical education and public witness -, in which CEC and WCC might develop more cooperation in the future – always relating to the financial and human resources available", he added.
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From the left: CEC general secretary Rev. Frank-Dieter Fischbach, WCC general secretary Rev. Prof Dr Jerry Pillay, and CEC programme officer for theology and studies Ms Katerina Pekridou.
Grégoire de Fombelle/WCC
