WCC NEWS: Workshop applications open for “Brunnen”, where dialogue will flow at WCC 11th Assembly in 2022

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is accepting applications for workshops to be part of the “Brunnen” space of the WCC 11th Assembly in 2022. Photo: Albin Hiller/WCC 10 June 2021 The application window is from 10 June through 31 October 2021. Brunnen, a German word for “well,” will be a space for encounter and sharing, satisfying one’s thirst, greeting a visitor and welcoming a stranger at the WCC 11th Assembly, to be held in Karlsruhe, Germany, from 31 August – 8 September 2022. Brunnen also has a spiritual meaning: a space that shows diversity, as well as existing and expected unity. Workshops, which will run for 90 minutes, should be developed for 25-50 participants to explore a specific theme. There are 100 workshop spaces available, and the WCC is welcoming applications from WCC member churches, ecumenical partners or WCC networks. The Brunnen workshops are a vital part of the WCC 11th Assembly, said WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca. “They will encourage sharing and reflection from the perspective of our ecumenical fellowship,” he said. “We stand stronger in solidarity with our commitment to listening and learning together.” Workshops should help generate connections in the ecumenical movement, leading to empowerment and action to respond to one or more of the following five thematic areas: First, “Spirituality: celebrating and praying together,” which offers an ecumenical space for sharing resources and reflections on how we pray, preach, and celebrate the sacraments on the ecumenical journey to reconciliation and unity. Second, “Formation: innovative ecumenical and interreligious learning together,” which centres on the importance of innovative learning in the ecumenical dialogue and movement, exploring diverse aspects of education and formation, including capacity building and empowerment. Third, “Mission and Witness: community building and engaging in reconciliation together,” which engages with the call to discipleship and puts an emphasis on the communal expressions of Christian witness in the world. Fourth, “Justice and Peace: affirming human dignity and addressing inequality together,” which focuses on manifold struggles to overcome injustice, exclusion and discrimination in church and society as well as social justice in a digital age. Finally, “Creation: responding to the climate urgency together,” which highlights the need for economic and ecological transformation in churches and societies. Learn more about the Brunnen Workshops To apply for a workshop, please fill the application form online, or download the pdf form, fill it in and send back to brunnen.assembly@wcc-coe.org. Application is open from 10 June until 31 October 2021. Please contact brunnen.assembly@wcc-coe.org for any questions.   See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland