Conference of European Churches Meets in Geneva

The Presidium of the Conference of European Churches is currently meeting in Cartigny Geneva, at the Centre de Rencontres of the Protestant Church of Geneva, to discuss the progress of the organisation in areas including European migration and youth.

The 10-member Presidium serves as the executive of the 40-member Central Committee of CEC and will receive reports on recent and future activities of CEC from the General Secretary, the Venerable Colin Williams.

Reports will be given by the different working areas including the Church and Society Commission, which deals with European affairs, the theological commission 'Churches in Dialogue', and the Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe, an independent body which will soon merge with CEC.

Among other items, the Presidium will deal with the plans for the establishment of a CEC Gender Desk and Gender Working Group, and with a report from the working group on youth participation in CEC. The Presidium will be also invited to take steps to enable the preparation of the next CEC Assembly in 2009 to move forward.

Archdeacon Williams said a "substantial amount of time" would be devoted to reflecting on the Third European Ecumenical Assembly (EEA3), which will take place in Sibiu, Romania, from 4 to 9 September, and which has been jointly convened by CEC and the Council of European Bishops' Conferences.

Presidium members will also have the opportunity to reflect on the recent Ecumenical Encounter in Lutherstadt-Wittenberg, Germany, from 15 to 18 February 2007, which featured the third stage in the EEA3 process. Details of progress in planning the Sibiu Assembly will be shared and discussed.

The CEC is a fellowship of some 125 Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches from all countries of Europe, plus 40 associated organisations.

Its Presidium is headed by Rev Jean-Arnold de Clermont, President of the French Protestant Federation, and includes among its members the Rev Dr Susan Helen Jones of the Church in Wales and the Rev Thomas Wipf, President of the Council of the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches.