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Who on earth decided in June 1920 in a conference held in Crans, near Geneva, that the following year at Lake Mohonk, New York, an International Missionary Council would be established and give an enormous institutional impulse to the emerging ecumenical movement?

The newly available materials for next year‘s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity draw on the experience of contemplative community life to guide us on a journey of prayer bearing fruits of reconciliation and solidarity. Tasked with preparing a draft for the 2021 edition, the Community of Grandchamp in Switzerland chose the theme “Abide in my love and you shall bear much fruit” (cf. Jn 15:5-9).

Les nouvelles ressources mises à disposition pour la Semaine de prière pour l’unité des chrétiens de l’année prochaine puisent dans l’expérience de vie communautaire et contemplative pour nous guider sur le chemin de la prière en portant les fruits de la réconciliation et de la solidarité. La Communauté de Grandchamp, en Suisse, a reçu la mission de préparer l’édition de 2021 et a choisi le thème «Demeurez dans mon amour et vous porterez du fruit en abondance» (cf. Jean 15,5-9).

One of the foundational moments in the modern ecumenical movement is an encyclical letter issued 100 years ago by the Ecumenical Patriarchate on 1 January 1920. As its opening words state, it was addressed “Unto the Churches of Christ everywhere” and sent as a letter to the leaders of key Christian churches. Its first words are an appeal to “Love one another earnestly from the heart,” quoting from 1 Peter 1:22. The thrust of the letter is the suggestion that doctrinal differences among Christian churches do not, or at least should not, prevent “rapprochement” between Christians.

Was 1920 to the ecumenical movement what the ancient used to call annus mirabilis, an amazing year? If you are confined like me you may take time to think about it. We start our ecumenical tour of 1920 one year earlier.

L’année 1920 a-t-elle été pour le mouvement œcuménique ce que l’on appelait autrefois une annus mirabilis, une année prodigieuse? Si vous êtes confiné-e comme moi, le temps qui s’offre à vous est propice à la réflexion à ce sujet. Commençons notre tour œcuménique de 1920 une année plus tôt.

Auf seinem ökumenischen Weg hat Georges ,Yorgo‘ Lemopoulos unter fünf Generalsekretären für den ÖRK gearbeitet; für drei von ihnen als stellvertretender Generalsekretär. Er war außerdem Co-Koordinator für die Feierlichkeiten zum 70-jährigen Bestehen des ÖRK. Lemopoulos macht sich Gedanken dazu, wie wichtig es ist, die Dokumente der ÖRK-Leitungsgremien zu digitalisieren und wie die Digitalisierung dazu beitragen kann, uns alle besser über die reichhaltige Geschichte eines globalen ökumenischen Pilgerwegs aufzuklären.

Au cours de son voyage œcuménique, Georges «Yorgo» Lemopoulos a servi le COE sous cinq secrétaires généraux, et pour trois d’entre eux comme secrétaire général adjoint. Il a également été co-coordinateur du 70e anniversaire du COE. G. Lemopoulos s’exprime sur l’importance de la numérisation des documents de gouvernance du COE et la meilleure connaissance de la riche histoire d’un pèlerinage œcuménique mondial qu’elle peut nous apporter à tous.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Permanent Committee on Consensus and Collaboration will meet from 25 February - 2 March at Kartause Ittingen, Switzerland. The committee will share its preparations for the WCC 11th Assembly to be held in Karlsruhe, Germany in September 2021. The group will also make decisions regarding a report to the assembly.

On 22 January, local churches in Geneva celebrated together the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with a service at the Ecumenical Centre.Marking the sixth day of the Week of Prayer, those gathered reflected on the this year’s theme, “They showed us unusual kindness,” remembering the importance of overcoming differences and division in order to share together in unity.

Bring the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity to your phone, computer or tablet - wherever you are - with the Bible-reading plan now available via the YouVersion Bible app. Users can explore the theme, “they showed us unusual kindness,” taken from Acts 28:2, in a digital format. The app, which has already been installed on more than 400 million devices by users in all countries of the world, allows users to read the Bible, share verses via social media, and bookmark favorite passages.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Faith and Order Commission, through its three study groups, is proposing a world conference as it continues to map common ground among churches worldwide. The work of the commission is carried on through three study groups focusing on the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, ecclesiology, and moral discernment. All three study groups recently met at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute.

During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, to be celebrated 18-25 January, Christians across the world will pray and reflect on what it means to “show unusual kindness.” This year’s theme, “they showed us unusual kindness,” is taken from Acts 28:2, and draws on the story of Paul finding safety in Malta after a shipwreck. The resources for the week have been pre-pared by members of different churches in Malta.

Jürgen Moltmann looked astonished when he saw his name on the list of contributors. In a recent dinner at the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, my colleague Stephen Brown, the editor of The Ecumenical Review, surprised him with a 50-year old brochure.

Jürgen Moltmann a paru interloqué de voir son nom figurer sur la liste des contributeurs. Il a été surpris lors d’un récent dîner à l’Institut œcuménique de Bossey par une brochure vieille de 50 ans que lui a tendue mon collègue Stephen Brown, rédacteur en chef de l’Ecumenical Review.

“Nationalist power politics is no longer interested in truth. They wage war under the guise of peace, a hybrid form of war with economic sanctions and cyber wars, fake news and lies,” affirmed Prof. Dr Jürgen Moltmann at the opening of his public lecture at the headquarters of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, 2 December.

«La politique des puissances nationalistes ne s’intéresse plus à la vérité. Ces puissances mènent la guerre sous l’apparence de la paix, une forme hybride de la guerre, assortie de sanctions économiques et de cyberguerres, d’informations truquées et de mensonges», a affirmé le professeur Jürgen Moltmann en introduction de la conférence publique qu’il a donnée le 2 décembre à Genève, au siège du Conseil œcuménique des Églises (COE).