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From 31 August to 8 September, thousands of Christians converged on the German city of Karlsruhe for the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, the first in Europe since Uppsala in 1968.

“For the first time in a long while, this 11th assembly provided safe spaces for serious engagement, reflections, prayer, challenging one another, [and] encounters.” said Dr Agnes Abuom, moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee. She spoke of her take-aways from the WCC assembly, including the “commitment to the search for unity – common vision and understanding,” which she referred to as the cornerstone of the WCC.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly elected eight new presidents, six regional and two from Orthodox churches, in a vote on 5 September with 574 delegates present.

During a special reception at the Karlsruhe town hall on 3 September, the leaders of the World Council Churches central committee—Dr Agnes Abuom, moderator; Bishop Mary Anne Swenson, vice moderator;  Metropolitan Nifon of Târgoviște, vice moderator; and WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof Dr Ioan Sauca—were asked to sign the Golden Book of Karlsruhe.

The mayor of Karlsruhe Dr Frank Mentrup welcomed World Council of Churches leaders at a special reception at his German city’s town hall on 3 September, expressing his delight that the WCC has brought the global fellowship to his city.

In a process described as, “a journey of walking together, praying together, and working together,” Dr Agnes Abuom, WCC moderator, began the second business plenary with a review of the assembly decision-making process. “The decisions of the assembly are expressed through the final reports of the assembly committees,” she said, noting the distinction between earlier messages and final messages, which are expected to come to assembly next week.

The World Council of Churches 11th Assembly began its assembly in the German city of Karlsruhe on 31 August, with Dr Agnes Abuom opening the gathering, her last as moderator.

Opening the first business plenary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly on 1 September, WCC moderator Dr Agnes Abuom acknowledged the contributions of three former WCC general secretaries, as well as acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, and general secretary-elect Dr Jerry Pillay.

Opening to the sounds of nature reverberating through the speaker system, World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly delegates took part in the first thematic plenary, “The purpose of God’s love in Christ for the whole of creation – reconciliation and unity," on 1 September, the first day of Season of Creation.

An opening press conference for the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly was held on 31 August as the assembly began in Karlsruhe, Germany. Hundreds of media representatives were present both in person and online to listen to and interact with a panel comprised of WCC leadership and local hosts.

World Council of Churches (WCC) moderator Dr Agnes Abuom called on assembly delegates to “let Christ’s love move us,” as she delivered her opening report at the WCC 11th Assembly on 31 August.

A daily Assembly News Show produced by the World Council for Churches (WCC) debuted with its first episode on 31 August, the opening day of the WCC 11th Assembly.

An Ecumenical Youth Gathering held 27 August helped to usher in the World Council of Churches 11th Assembly with a spirit of praying, dancing, and singing, as more than 200 young people drew together at St Stephen’s Church in Karlsruhe, Germany, to assert an inclusive assembly ahead.

As the World Council of Churches (WCC) focuses on final preparations for the upcoming WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, WCC moderator Dr Agnes Abuom offered some personal reflections on her leadership role within the WCC, the importance of ecumenical work, the loss of ecumenical luminary Metropolitan Gennadios of Sasima, and the most vital part of her own Christian faith.