Making new friends from around the world, deepening a relationship with Christ and engaging in critical issues is only a taste of what’s planned for the Youth Gathering in the week before the 2017 General Council.

“This event is for young Christians from all around the world to share their unique context, embrace the diversity and together build fellowships,” says Wan-Jou Lu, a member of the Youth Gathering team from Taiwan.

“It is also a wonderful opportunity to travel to a city in Germany—Leipzig—that has an important place in history and is currently a creative hub,” adds Gretchen Schoon Tanis, an American team member.

The Youth Gathering will include Bible studies, worship experiences, workshops, participative games, artistic opportunities and a focus on making a difference in the world.

“Individual and societal transformation towards global justice and the protection of God’s creation has been central to the members of the WCRC,” says Helge Seekamp, a German and chair of the team. “At this event, we’ll focus on climate justice and ‘degrowth’—how we can work for a democratically-led redistributive downscaling of production and consumption in industrialized countries as a means to achieve environmental sustainability.”

The Youth Gathering will run 23-28 June 2017 and will be centered at a conference grounds just outside of Leipzig, with trips planned into the city. Individuals aged 18-28 and youth groups from the Communion are invited to attend. More information can be found online at youth.wcrc.eu.