Meditation by Archbishop Prof. Dr Anastasios of Tirana and Durres, Primate of Albania, at the opening prayer service of the Central Committee meeting February 2011
The International Ecumenical Peace Convocation, the situation of Christians in the Middle East and the proposed changes in the internal structure of the organization, are among the main items on the agenda of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, meeting from 16 to 22 February at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva.
The Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, WCC general secretary, delivered a speech to the CCIA meeting in Tirana, Albania, 2-8 October 2010, in which he called on the churches to speak with "one voice of advocacy for peace and justice".
With prayers, singing, gifts and speeches of thanks, the World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee offered its farewell to outgoing general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia on Sunday 30 August.
"When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from Heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they where sitting. Divided tongues, as a fire, appeared among them. And a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability" (Acts 2:1-4 NRSV).
An 18-person search committee for the next World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary was named by the WCC Central Committee Thursday (29 August).
The Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the World Council of Churches (WCC) will shortly hold its final plenary meeting. The Commission will meet 27 May - 2 June in Järvenpää, Finland, not far from Helsinki. The results of three years of work will be presented by the Special Commission in a final report to the WCC Central Committee, which meets this year 26 August - 3 September in Geneva, Switzerland.
The first meeting of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches (WCC), held in Lausanne on 3 August 1927, had very high hopes. Participants believed that the goal of visible unity of the churches was really attainable.
Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, explored the implications of "anamnesis" - "remembrance" - for the church and the world, lifting up the importance of anamnesis for the ecumenical movement. Delegates were given some silent time to reflect on his words before turning their attention to the second presentation.
