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Presided by an African woman, with a membership that includes three youth, eight women, four Orthodox and a strong representation from the South, the search committee for a new World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary has already begun to work.

By Manuel Quintero (*)

The World Council of Churches central committee issued a reminder on the pressing issue of climate change this week, urging member churches and others to "Be stewards of God's creation".

Election issues fresh from the headlines formed the focus for three public statements adopted by the World Council of Churches central committee on Tuesday 19 February in Geneva: one each on Kenya and Pakistan, and one on the larger picture of democratic electoral processes.

The WCC's Pacific Region is taking its opportunity to shine at these central committee meetings. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the WCC, the member churches of the Pacific presented a wood and shell plaque to the organisation and shell medallions to the moderator and other officers. "When we received the program for the 60th anniversary, we discussed it, and (the churches) asked me to present something from the Pacific", said Mr John Taroanui Doom, WCC president from the Pacific. "I like to show things from the Pacific"! The gifts are locally made, with special wood from the Marquesas Islands and glistening mother of pearl shell from Tuvalu. They were made at a factory that has provided work for local young people. The plaque and medallions note the anniversary and the years 1948-2008, with the WCC "Oikoumene" logo in gold and the motto "We intend to stay together" in English and French. Doom also presented the medallions to WCC staff and representatives at the Global Christian Forum held in Kenya this past November.

By Walt Wiltschek (*)

Dr Mary Tanner, WCC president from Europe, was late for these central committee meetings. She had a good reason, though: an audience with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. Tanner received the title of "Dame" from the queen this past Wednesday, 13 February, in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London. The queen shook her hand at the investiture and pinned a star and a medal on her. Tanner, a member of the Church of England, received the honour as a double citation for her work with the World Council of Churches and with the Anglican Communion. "It's not for me personally that it is such an important thing, but that the work for the WCC and the Anglican Communion is thought worth recognizing", Tanner said. "I'm aware that so many people taught me and worked with me around the ecumenical tables, from whom I've learned so much". It was Tanner's second major honour from the Crown. Ten years ago she received an Order of the British Empire, which was presented by Prince Charles. WCC moderator Rev. Dr Walter Altmann offered his congratulations for her latest honour during a plenary session, and Tanner was applauded by the central committee.

Each working day of the WCC central committee meetings begins with a time of common prayer. These daily prayers are a blend of scriptures, readings, songs, and music of the various traditions represented by the 349 WCC church members. The committee responsible for planning these times of prayer chose to use one of the past WCC Assemblies (nine to date) as the focus each day. Tuesday morning, the Canberra Assembly of 1991 with the theme "Come, Holy Spirit—Renew the Whole Creation" inspired the prayer service.

By Walt Wiltschek (*)

After 25 years standing vigil at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, a totem pole was returned to the soils of the earth Sunday at an event attended by many of those taking part in this week's central committee meetings. The totem was presented as a gift of the churches of Canada at the WCC's Sixth Assembly, held in Vancouver, as a way to raise the profile of indigenous people.  The totem consisted of carved images offering an interpretation of the story of humanity's search for the spiritual experience. But time and weather took its toll on the nearly 50 foot-tall totem since its placement at Bossey, and it had become unstable. Following advice from the First Nations of Canada, the WCC decided to respectfully remember the gift and the work of those who carved it. Rev. Carmen Lansdowne, a Central Committee member from the United Church of Canada and member of the indigenous people of western Canada, was asked to lead the commemoration. A small, permanent display will continue to tell the totem's story.

The four newest titles in the WCC's "Risk Series" of books were introduced at a session with the authors Monday afternoon. Two of the four are by Zimbabwean author Ezra Chitando, looking at the HIV/AIDS issue in the African context. Chitando used body imagery to describe the call of the church to bring about transformation. Churches, he said, need to have sharp minds, ears to listen to the cries of the marginalized, warm hearts, healing hands, long arms, and quick feet. "Churches can only be relevant if they are bearers of hope, ambassadors of hope", he said. He emphasized that HIV/AIDS is a global problem, not just an African one. "We need to mobilise the entire global community", Chitando said. His books are titled "Living with Hope" and "Acting with Hope". The other two new books in the series are "Resisting the Intolerable", by Geneviève Jacques, which addresses the importance of human rights, and "With Hearts, Hands and Voices" by Margot Käßmann, examining "spirituality for everyday life".

Gathered in a church dating from the 12th century, the World Council of Churches seemed like a relative youngster as it celebrated its 60th anniversary Sunday 17 February.

The World Council of Churches central committee has approved the appointment of a search committee for a new general secretary. It is expected that the election of a new general secretary will come at the next central committee meeting in September 2009.

Mr. Khamphone Kounthapanya is president of the Lao Evangelical Church, one of two church bodies newly welcomed into full fellowship as members of the World Council of Churches at the 13-20 February Central Committee meeting. Kounthapanya shared some information about his church:

The church has an important role to play if Kenya is to achieve peace and stability for the future, several speakers said Friday. The African nation has seen significant violence over the past two months in the wake of presidential elections, killing nearly 1,000 people and forcing some 300,000 others to flee their homes. "We believe that for Kenya and Africa, church unity and ecumenical cooperation is not just an optional alternative", said Rev. Dr Mvume Dandala, general secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches, which is based in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. "Sometimes the churches have to work hard if they are to be relevant". Eden Grace, a member of the Friends (Quakers) who was based in the city of Kisumu until the violence erupted and forced her to evacuate, said the church "has to have a role in restoring the ability of Kenyans to live side by side". The WCC Central Committee is expected to consider one or more public issues statements related to Kenya during their meetings in Geneva, which conclude 20 February. For more information on a recent WCC ecumenical solidarity visit to Kenya, go to http://overcomingviolence.org/index.php?id=5524 .

The convocation will meet under the theme "Glory to God and peace on earth". It will be the culmination of the WCC's Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV), which has sought to network and bring attention to the peacemaking initiatives of its various member churches.

How elastic can a WCC Assembly be? Can it expand enough from its traditional form to draw others into its circle without breaking, or stretching out of shape? Central Committee member Ms. Christina Biere of Germany used a different metaphor, that of an "ecumenical river". A broader WCC Assembly, she said, will be envisioned by those who are "not going to hold the ecumenical river between walls, but let it expand and flow".

Rev. Dr Fernando Enns says the new English version of his book, The Peace Church and the Ecumenical Community , is a much easier read than the original German text. The English edition was officially launched during the WCC Central Committee meetings on Thursday. "This is a small church that has put ethics and theology very closely together... and the peace issue is at the very center," Enns, a Mennonite theologian from Germany, said of the Historic Peace Churches. "I feel this is a very rich tradition that should present (itself) in a clearer way." While Enns grew up in the peace church tradition, he also found valuable perspective as he became involved in the ecumenical movement. He feels the two spheres have much to share with each other, and he hopes his book contributes to that conversation. Enns, a member of Central Committee, also carefully grounded the principles of nonviolence in trinitarian theology. The church, he said, is the place where overcoming violence must start. The book, produced in conjunction with the WCC's Decade to Overcome Violence , is co-published with Pandora Press. A limited number were available at the meetings and quickly sold out.

New expressions of Christianity. The growing prominence of the global South. The impact of globalization. Increasing religious diversity. These factors and others are contributing to a "rapidly changing ecclesial context," one that World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia addressed in his comprehensive report to the Central Committee on Thursday.

A group of young adults again has a significant role at these Central Committee meetings in Geneva, with two dozen young people from 22 countries on five continents serving as stewards. They can be easily spotted around the building, all wearing their royal blue WCC shirts. The stewards assist in a variety of ways during the meetings, often behind the scenes, while learning about the ecumenical movement and the work of the WCC. Their tasks include distributing documents and translation headsets, monitoring the doors of the main hall, setting up for morning prayers, assisting the press operation, running errands, and much more---including the job of ringing bells to summon Central Committee members back to their tables after breaks. Stewards, chosen through a competitive application process, serve during each Central Committee meeting and Assembly.