Feature story
Under the theme “Hope in Action: Together for Justice,” 300 ACT delegates gathered in a commitment to build bridges and work together.
WCC general secretary Jerry Pillay said the WCC was glad to assign some of its staff to assist with the assembly. “This is no doubt a sign of good collaboration and relationship that prevails between the WCC and ACT Alliance,” he said.
Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata serves as the WCC member of the ACT Alliance board and will also be a member of the executive committee.
Strengthening relationships
Charlotte Belot served as the assembly coordinator for the ACT Alliance 4th General Assembly. Over the past eight months, she played a pivotal role in orchestrating every aspect of the assembly, overseeing logistics, coordinating the program, and ensuring smooth operations across the board. Her responsibilities involved managing intricate details, from scheduling sessions to arranging accommodations and coordinating with various teams to facilitate a seamless experience for the attendees.
“Together with the host organization, YAKKUM, the secretariat of ACT Alliance, co-opted staff and volunteers, they created a cohesive, well-organized environment that enabled meaningful discussions and collaboration among ACT Alliance members,” said Belot.
Albin Hillert was the lead photographer at the ACT Alliance General Assembly. “It was my privilege to serve on the communications team as part of the collective effort to capture and share those moments and those stories that convey both the deep commitment and the passion with which the ACT Alliance as a worldwide network takes on the task of supporting people in need, not least with assembly host the Christian Foundation for Public Health (YAKKUM) in Indonesia as an example,” he said. “My hope has been for photos not simply to serve as a historical record of what took place in Yogyakarta, but also as an entry point into understanding the work of ACT Alliance as a global body, an opportunity to strengthen relationships among members and partners, and ultimately help inspire continued action together – locally and globally – for justice.”
Marc-Henri Heiniger served as plenary hall manager, ensuring all sessions ran smoothly. “In practice, this means working with the moderation team, the worship team, the technical team (sound, live stream, video, lights, projection, recording), the interpreters, the volunteers, security, and the assembly coordinator, making sure information flows, problems are averted when possible, and solutions found quickly and quietly when they can’t,” he said. “This role is really about facilitating the work of others and making everything works smoothly. It is a role that requires listening and understanding the needs of all involved and mapping out a path together.”
During the assembly, Valter Hugo Muniz served as the coordinator of the video production team.
Powerful moments
Rev. Nathan Wilson, WCC liaison with specialized ministries, served as the voting officer for the assembly.
"My main job in that capacity was to ensure that every vote took place in accordance with the rules and procedures for the General Assembly,” he said. “There were 34 votes in total – 19 public statements, 12 business items, and three elections (new General Board, Membership and Nominations Committee, and Executive Committee). All went well.”
Wilson reflected before the assembly that, in today’s fragmented world, the delegates’ collective witness to God’s intended wholeness, their efforts to put hope into action, their working together for justice is vitally, essentially needed.
“Whether you work in humanitarian or development or advocacy or some combination, I hope that you spend these days together to truly deepen collaboration and strengthen cooperation,” he said. “It’s imperative for the organizations and others to stop posturing and discontinue the turf battles, including those over funding, because this war-weary and hurting world needs you, needs all of us to strive for that time when the concerns and celebrations are the concerns and celebration of all.”
Dr Marcelo Schneider, WCC programme executive for church and ecumenical relations and communication, reflected on how the WCC communication team collaborated closely with ACT Alliance to amplify inspiring stories and updates from the assembly in Indonesia.
“Through WCC’s news releases and engaging feature stories, shared with media and WCC news subscribers worldwide, we tried to connect our audiences with the powerful moments and impactful dialogues from the gathering,” he said. “It was a testament to the unity and shared mission that drive our global community forward.”
Before the assembly, a workshop organised by the WCC Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network with Duta Wacana Christian University from 22-25 October in Yogyakarta, Indonesia called for a review of theological curriculum on disability as the first step toward just and disability-inclusive churches.
WCC congratulates new ACT Alliance moderator (WCC news release, 11 November 2024)
