Council for World Mission (CWM) Moderator Rev. Lydia Neshangwe and General Secretary, Rev Dr Jooseop Keum, officially opened the CWM Exhibition booth at the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) on 31 August, 1:30 P.M (CET). Gathered together in prayer were CWM’s delegates to the Assembly, Deputy General Secretary – Programmes, Dr. Sudipta Singh, and Mission Secretaries to dedicate this outdoor exhibition stand.
The WCC Assembly is being held under the theme, “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity”, and CWM was among WCC ecumenical partners, networks and member churches invited to set up exhibitions to showcase their programmes and work as part of the Brunnen Programme.
CWM’s physical presence was a visible extension of its participation at the WCC Assembly, and presented it with an excellent opportunity to communicate its new programmatic structure and highlight and promote CWM areas of focus. The booth, with its life-sized banners on The Onesimus Project (TOP), Partner-in-Mission (PIM) and eDARE, received visits by Assembly participants from countries such as Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, Greece, Korea, New Zealand, and Norway on its first exhibition day and generated stimulating missional conversations among visitors. The exhibition tent was also a space to network and engage with visitors and partners such as United Evangelical Mission (UEM) General Secretary Rev. Volker Martin Dally and other ecumenical partners.
Praying for God’s blessing upon the work and upon all the people they will meet, discuss and converse with, the CWM Moderator noted the “wonderful reunion” with some visitors whom they are already acquainted. On behalf of CWM, Rev. Neshangwe gave thanks for “this God-given opportunity to be able to tell the world about CWM and the work we are doing, and to relate to other organisations and churches that will be exhibited here”.
As part of first day agenda, Dr Keum, Rev. Neshangwe and Dr Singh participated in the opening plenary session of the WCC Assembly, witnessing the day’s highlights of German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s keynote speech, among others, before the day ended with a lively opening worship and prayer.
CWM anticipates welcoming participants at its Workshop held 1 September 2022, 5 P.M, at Mühlburg Room (Level 1) at Leonardo Hotel Karlsruhe, located opposite the WCC Assembly venue (https://maps.app.goo.gl/CbHM6T4vqhdG9kmo8?g_st=ic). Through an overall introduction of the CWM, its Theological & Missiological Framework, and The Onesimus Project (TOP), it looks forward to provoking intentional missional thinking among attendees.