The World Council of Churches (WCC) was born out of a desire for peace at the conclusion of World War II, and now, 75 years on I had the privilege of travelling from Australia across to Geneva to serve in the Stewards Programme at the 2023 Central Committee Meeting.

Christianity is a religion that has become internally diversified, both transforming and being transformed by the people and cultures who practise this faith.  Nowhere is this more evident than in the gathering of church representatives from across the world.

As a Steward, I participated alongside 27 other young adult Christian leaders from communities across the globe, in the practical application of ecumenism. I discovered a glimpse into the processes of the WCC’s meeting structure, programmatic work, consensus decision-making, committee systems and ongoing work. It placed my own small and insignificant life within the expansive, miraculous, human story.

Being a Steward at the WCC Central Committee meeting, from 21 -27 June 2023, involved assisting with the practical components required to make the meeting run, such as managing presentations, data recording, printing of documentation, manning the microphones, leading the daily worship service, etc. It was the people and connections that were the most impactful aspect of the Stewards Programme.

Christian unity lies at the very heart of the WCC which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.

I see ecumenism as the gathering of these various Church traditions to listen to each other’s stories of suffering and of hope, to learn from one another, to stand together in solidarity, and to connect through our shared faith. It requires the acceptance of pluralism within the Christian tradition, and bears witness to the richness of the multifarious expressions of our shared faith. To me, ecumenism means unity; not as a singular end state, but as an intentional ongoing commitment to working together towards shaping a better world. One free from violence and hatred.

The experience as a Steward revealed the value of visible unity, the power of the collective church to enact change, and the beauty of uniting together in worship in new and different ways. However, as with any gathering of diverse people, there are challenges that arise. Unity is not without a cost. This experience exposed some of the flaws within the consultative process, behaviours that do not reflect our Christian values, abuse of power and position, the strength and patience required to ‘play the system’, and the importance of representation and the impact of its absence. Yet this is the complicated world in which we live and the complexity of the embodiment of Christ in flawed human beings. 

I am incredibly grateful for the assistance of the NCCA's Ronald Wilson Ecumenical Leadership Fund, that provided me with the opportunity to serve at the WCC, to develop my Christian leadership, and to meet and share in the cultural traditions and practices that each of the stewards brought with them. Although the time was short, and the work was plentiful, there was much joy in joining together with youth from 25 different countries who are all engaged in their church communities, who are equally passionate about propagating the ecumenical movement, and who have the energy and desire to be the transformation we wish to see within the church.

This connection, the love and friendship I have with my fellow stewards, and the renewed ardour for ecumenism are what I will be bringing home with me to Australia. My prayer is that it will continue to transform me, influence my work and other pursuits, and maybe, somehow, God will use this to shape the world around me in a small way.

Naomi Boulton,

Watch the WCC interview with Naomi on YouTube here  

 

Above: Naomi caught up with fellow Australian, NCCA President Rev John Gilmore. Photo credit: Rev Sharon Hollis, Uniting Church in Australia.	Above: More fellow Australians. (L) Emily Evans and (R) UCA Assembly President, Rev Sharon Hollis.
	Above: Naomi leads a prayer for Malawi.
Above and below: The Stewards gathered together informally
Below: From the WCC photo gallery - Central Committee Stewards
Photo credit: A Hillert, WCC	WCC Moderator: Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria instructs the Stewards. Photo credit: A Hillert, WCC.
Photo credit: A Hillert, WCC	Photo credit: A Hillert, WCC