Global Christian Community

World Council Of Churches

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the scriptures, and therefore seek to fulfil together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is a community of churches on the way to visible unity in one faith and one eucharistic fellowship, expressed in worship and in common life in Christ. It seeks to advance towards this unity, as Jesus prayed for his followers, “so that the world may believe.” (John 17:21)

The WCC is the broadest and most inclusive among the many organized expressions of the modern ecumenical movement, a movement whose goal is Christian unity. The WCC brings together 349 churches, denominations and church fellowships in more than 110 countries and territories throughout the world, representing over 560 million Christians and including most of the world’s Orthodox churches, scores of Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed churches, as well as many United and Independent churches. While the bulk of the WCC’s founding churches were European and North American, today most member churches are in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East and the Pacific. 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada participates in the breadth of the WCC’s work with representation in the Ecumenical Officers Network and on the Faith and Order Plenary Commission. 

The World Council of Churches’ 9th Assembly (Porto Alegre, Brazil, 2006) decided that “the conclusion of Decade to Overcome Violence be marked by an International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC)”. The Assembly also called for “a process of wide consultation to be undertaken toward developing an ecumenical declaration on “just peace”. The IEPC (Kingston, Jamaica, May, 2011) brought together a wide spectrum of people witnessing to the peace of God as a gift and responsibility of the entire human family. It seeks to strengthen the church’s position on peace, provide opportunities for networking and deepening our common commitment to the processes of reconciliation and just peace. 

The WCC will hold its 10th Assembly in Korea (Busan, South Korea, October 2013). The ELCIC will be represented at the assembly.

WCC Relations Committee 

The WCC Relations Committee (WCCR) is a Canadian forum for promoting the mission and ministry of the WCC. The WCC’s Program Executive for Church and Ecumenical Relations and North American Regional Relations is endeavouring to re-animate this group in 2011.

Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance 

The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) is an international network of churches and church-related organizations committed to campaigning together on common concerns. Current campaigns focus on HIV and AIDS and Food. Advocacy includes raising awareness and building a movement for justice within the churches as well as mobilizing people of faith to lobby local and national governments, businesses, and multi-lateral organizations. They partner with many organizations who share common goals.

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