World Protestant body issues solidarity message with Palestinian Christians
by Stephen Brown The World Communion of Reformed Churches has urged its more than 225 member churches worldwide to examine their mission, education and investment relationships with Israel and Palestine in the light of the witness of Palestinian Christians. In a resolution adopted by consensus on 7 July, the WCRC’s General Council, meeting in Leipzig, […]
World Exhibition brings Reformation to life in Wittenberg
When General Council members departed from the ecumenical service at Wittenberg’s Town Church on July 6, they discovered a city peppered with 90 Reformation-themed attractions, the World Reformation Exhibition. During this 500th anniversary year of Martin Luther’s Reformation, the city of Wittenberg celebrates their famous son with sites religious and playful, historical and artistic. A […]
Bible underlines the need to support diversity, says Palestinian Christian
by Stephen Brown The church worldwide will not survive if Christians in Africa, Asia and Latin America do not develop their own expressions of faith and theology, Palestinian Christian Mitri Raheb has told a global assembly of Reformed churches meeting in Leipzig, Germany. “Dare to develop and tell your story—in Africa, in Latin America, in […]
Discernment process relies on group consensus to discover God’s will
by Amy Eckert Over the course of the week and a half that the General Council has gathered in Leipzig, attendees have had many opportunities to hear of discernment. But what is discernment precisely? How does the process help delegates determine God’s will for the World Communion of Reformed Churches? And how does the process […]
Leipzig’s Reformed Church relishes opportunity to host Council
by Amy Eckert When Pastor Elke Bucksch learned in 2015 that the World Communion of Reformed Churches would hold its 2017 General Council meeting in eastern Germany, she couldn’t have been happier. When it was decided just a few months later to convene the meeting in Leipzig, her whole congregation got excited. “Everyone thought this […]
The hipster side of Berlin
by Hui Jun Chia One could mistake the artsy, vibrant Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg in Berlin as just another bustling capital city with typical restaurants and shopping brands lining its streets. However, this very place belies a solemn history of liberation and democracy won by its people through peaceful protests which eventually led to the fall […]
WCRC joins declaration to overcome Reformation divisions
by Stephen Brown The World Communion of Reformed Churches has formally joined an ecumenical statement with Roman Catholics, Lutherans and Methodists aiming to overcome divisions between Protestants and Roman Catholics from the time of the Protestant Reformation. “Today is a historic day,” said Jerry Pillay, president of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), at […]
Council receives newly commissioned psalm with a standing ovation
By Amy Eckert. Photo by Anna Siggelkow. Aus Tiefer Not (“From Deep Distress”), a new psalm commissioned by the WCRC for the occasion of its 2017 General Council in Leipzig, made its world premiere at the Nikolaikirche Tuesday, 4 July. The composition was created by collaborators Geonyong Lee and Cord Meijering and drew a standing […]
LWF and WCRC sign the Wittenberg Witness, as WCRC joins JDDJ
“In the pursuit of communion and common witness” In an ecumenical worship service, held in the City Church in Wittenberg today, the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) signed the Wittenberg Witness, a common statement affirming their common call to continued renewal and cooperation on the occasion of the […]
Witnessing to the unity of the church from Wittenberg
We will be live streaming a very special ecumenical service from the City Church in Wittenberg beginning at 10 a.m. this morning. At the service both our Association agreement to the JDDJ and the Wittenberg Witness will be signed. Watch the livestream on Facebook Download the liturgy to the service Download the Wittenberg Witness Download […]