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CEC ASSEMBLIES CEC ASSEMBLIES

CEC Assembly, Lyon 2009

According to the CEC Constitution, the Assembly is the "highest authority" of CEC (art. 5.1). It is held every six years.


The CEC Assembly is composed of the delegates appointed by the member churches and of the members of the Central Committee. Representatives of associated organisations and other church and ecumenical bodies attend Assemblies in advisory capacaties.

The beginning of CEC

The movement which led to the creation of the Conference of European Churches dates back to the period of the cold war. The fragmented and divided Europe of the 1940s and 1950s needed to surmount political divisions to devote itself anew to the peoples torn apart by the Second World War.

At this time a small group of church leaders in East and West Europe began to consider together the possibility of bringing into conversation churches in European countries separated by different political, economic and social systems.

Their aim was to enable the churches of Europe to become instruments of peace and understanding.

Exploratory and preparatory meetings took place in 1953 and 1957.

In January 1959 representatives of more than 40 churches met in Nyborg Strand, Denmark for the first Assembly of CEC. A second Assembly was held in 1960 and a third in 1962, both in Nyborg.

 

The Constitution of CEC

At first the organisation represented a loose association of churches, but with the adoption of a Constitution at the 1964 Assembly a significant step was taken towards forming a regional conference of churches. This Assembly was held at sea, aboard the m.v. Bornholm, in order to overcome last-minute visa difficulties.

The fifth Assembly in 1967, held in Pörtschach, Austria, created a full time secretariat as from April 1968. Subsequent Assemblies were held in Nyborg Strand (1971), Engelberg, Switzerland (1974), Chania, Crete (1979), Stirling, Scotland (1986), Prague, former CSFR (1992) when a radically revised Constitution was adopted, Graz, Austria (1997) and Trondheim, Norway (2003).

The report from the 2003 12th CEC Assembly in Trondheim can be accessed here

2009 13th CEC Assembly, Lyon, France, Final Report.

 

Past CEC Assemblies Past CEC Assemblies

  1. 1959 Nyborg, Denmark: "European Christianity in Todays Secularized World"
  2. 1960 Nyborg, Denmark: "The Service of the Church in a Changing World"
  3. 1962 Nyborg, Denmark: "The Church in Europe and the Crisis of Modern Man"
  4. 1964 m.v. Bornholm (at sea): "Living Together as Continents and Generations"
  5. 1967 Pörtschach, Austria: "To Serve and Reconcile: the Task of the European Churches Today"
  6. 1971 Nyborg, Denmark: "Servants of God, Servants of Men"
  7. 1974 Engelberg, Switzerland: "Act on the Message - Unity in Christ and Peace in the World"
  8. 1979 Chania, Crete: "Alive to the World in the Power of the Holy Spirit"
  9. 1986 Stirling, Scotland: "Glory to God and Peace on Earth"
  10. 1992 Prague, former CSFR: "God Unites - in Christ a New Creation"
  11. 1997 Graz, Austria: "Reconciliation , Gift of God and Source of New Life"
  12. 2003 Trondheim, Norway: Jesus Christ Heals and Reconciles: Our Witness in Europe"
  13. 2009 Lyon, France: "Called to One Hope in Christ
50th Anniversary Celebration, Lyon 2009