WCC Assembly Agnes Abuom
WCC central committee moderator Dr. Agnes Abuom delivers her report on opening day of the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, held in Karlsruhe, Germany from August 31 to September 8, under the theme "Christ's Love Moves the World to Reconciliation and Unity." (Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC)
World Council of Churches 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 August 31.
Abuom reflected on the challenges facing members since the last assembly eight years ago and shared her hopes for this assembly. “At its best, the assembly is a spiritual celebration of the power of God’s love to renew our minds and hearts so that we may become a countercultural force driven by solidarity with the most vulnerable people and God’s creation,” she said.
“Listen carefully to youth among us,” urged Abuom, noting that many young people are anxiously struggling as they voice their fears about justice, peace, and the future of the planet. “They are the generation that is experiencing the first catastrophes of climate crisis and the last generation that can take any action to stop global warming.”
The assembly gathers around the theme: Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity. Abuom spoke of the various ways Christ’s compassion and love for those at the margins will be lifted up through all aspects of assembly including morning prayers, thematic plenaries, and home group discussions.
An overarching feature of this gathering is a consensus model for decision making. “This strong commitment to the unity of the church and the unity of humanity, and our readiness to search for a common mind in the power of the Holy Spirit, mark our deliberations according to consensus procedures,” said Abuom. “I trust that the assembly theme together with the consensus procedures and our shared commitment to go forward together in unity will also help us to address in constructive ways tensions and difficulties that divide humankind today.”
At the conclusion of the WCC 10th Assembly in Busan in 2013, member churches called on one another to embark on a “Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace” and to engage in transformative action. This journey focused around four key areas: the climate crisis and care for creation; economic injustice and the struggle for an economy of life; violence and wars and the work for just peace through peace building and reconciliation; racism, ethic pride, and oppression of women and the affirmation of human dignity.
“We can and must be bold and prophetic, standing up for justice and peace,” declared Abuom. “To proclaim Christ’s love and to struggle for human dignity and the life of creation is our call and our mission in the world.”
“In Christ’s love lies the key to our unity,” she said, strongly encouraging delegates and member churches to “continue walking, praying and working together as pilgrims on the way of justice and peace with the purpose of healing, reconciliation and unity for all.”
Seven new member churches
Abuom, an Anglican from Kenya, welcomed seven new member churches to the WCC.
Joining in 2016 was the Dutch Reformed Church from South Africa, the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Blantyre Synod from Malawi, and the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India.
In 2018, the Africa Brotherhood Churches from Kenya and the Community of Baptist Churches in Central Africa from the Democratic Republic of Congo joined the council.
Then in 2022, joining the WCC were the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa and the First African Church Mission from Nigeria.
The moderator said there were also 11 special guests from Ukraine.
"Absolutely fundamental to the WCC and the ecumenical movement are relationships," said Abuom. "That's what makes experiences like the assembly so precious and formative. We encounter one another – in all our uniqueness – and recognize a neighbour in the stranger, unity in the midst of our diversity."
United Methodist Bishop Mary Anne Swenson, vice moderator of the central committee, said, "None of us anticipated COVID and the need to postpone this assembly and change so much from in-person to online. It was challenging.
"Above all, we were reminded that nothing – not death nor life, nor things present, nor those to come, not even COVID, nothing can separate us from God's love."
Report of the Moderator to the WCC 11th Assembly
Livestream of the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany