Conference of European Churches - Office of Communications

Press release No. 08-/72e

Geneva, 19 December 2008

CEC Assembly in Lyon: Churches invited to be part of the process

The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is pleased to announce that the preparatory materials for its 13th Assembly are now available on the Assembly website at assembly.ceceurope.org/index.php?id=119.

Some 700 people will gather from 15-21 July 2009 in Lyon, France, for the 13th CEC Assembly on the theme “Called to One Hope in Christ”. The Assembly will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of CEC.

“Seven months before the 13th Assembly”, the Assembly Secretary Ms Smaranda Dochia said, “we invite the churches in Europe and all ecumenical organisations to be part of our process. We are not only speaking about the process leading up to the next CEC Assembly but also envisaging the future up to 2029. After 50 years of mission in Europe, the member churches of CEC are celebrating and appreciating the past while evaluating the challenges of CEC’s present work and projecting hopes for the future of Europe and the ecumenical movement.”

The preparatory materials, presently available in English, include:
• a full report on the activities of CEC from 2003 – 2008;
• the proposed CEC work priorities for the period 2009 – 2015;
• visions for the future until the year 2029 (outcomes of the “Future Conference” held in September 2008, see press release Challenges and visions for ecumemism in Europe );
• and reflections on the Assembly theme.

The French and German translations will be available in January 2009.

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The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a fellowship of some 120 Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches from all countries of Europe, plus 40 associated organisations. CEC was founded in 1959. It has offices in Geneva, Brussels and Strasbourg.


For further information:
Luca Negro
Phone +41 22 791 64 85 or 791 63 25
Fax +41 22 791 62 27
e-mail: Luca.Negro@cec-kek.org