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In introductory remarks, WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca focused on the WCC executive committee meeting in May, the central committee meeting in June, and the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany in August-September.
Sauca also offered an update on ongoing response to the conflict in Ukraine including when he convened an ecumenical roundtable consultation on the situation in Ukraine, which took place 30 March at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute.
“Together, we called for diplomacy instead of threats, dialogue instead of confrontation,” said Sauca. “Our work will continue: this is one of several roundtables that the WCC will convene, and I know you all will work and pray with me as we see the first lights of peace—and I believe we will!”
WCC deputy general secretary Prof. Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri and WCC director for international affairs Peter Prove offered an update on a delegation from the WCC and ACT Alliance visiting Hungary, Romania and Ukraine.
WCC director of the Office of the General Secretariat Doug Chial reflected that these Staff Planning Days were certainly not business as usual.
“It is a unique moment – to do something new, to change something, to apply what we have learned,” said Chial. “It is a time to be critical, creative and innovative.”
In addition to initiating planning for 2023, the Staff Planning Days also included workshops on unconscious bias training and the WCC Gender Justice Principles, approved by the central committee for WCC staff, governing bodies, commissions and reference groups.
Sessions included a time for “learning together” with the lead question “what do we want to take forward and what could we maybe leave behind” as well as time for dreaming together, looking ahead, about the future of the fellowship of churches.
