Meeting of the World Council of Churches at Nairobi

Nairobi (Kenya). From 5 to 11 July 2024, the first meeting in presence of the World Mission and Evangelization Commission (CWME) of the World Council of Churches (WCC) was held at the headquarters of the All-Africa Council of Churches (AACC), which brought together 40 people from CWME and about 30 people from AACC and WCC.

Among the participants, there was also Sister Teresa Joseph, Daughter of Mary Help of the Indian Province St. Mary Mazzarello (INB), Catholic representative of the Commission for the World Mission and Evangelization (CWME).

“Preparing the way… mission as counter-creating” is the theme of the event, to “continue our journey in building relationships and co-creating the community for our ministry together” as expressed in the invitation letter to participants. In addition to the desire to build a community and place the meeting in an African context, the Commission had the objective of gathering from members key issues to be addressed in their contexts and to nourish missionary theological reflection.

Welcoming the participants, WCC Secretary General Jerry Pillay praised the Commission for being a vital link in the ecumenical movement and said, “You will bring to the fore the experience and questions that will shape and inform the future theology and practice of ecumenical mission and evangelization. And, importantly, united by prayer and communion, you will seek to discern the action and will of the Spirit in today’s world.”

During the meeting, an atmosphere of friendship, spontaneity, and mutual listening was created, with a style that, rather than the number of interventions, privileged dialogue, sharing, and attention to each participant. Every day, the selected texts of God’s Word were studied by experts and shared with the whole group.

Sister Teresa Joseph has been a member of the Committee at different times: during the opening and celebration moments concerning the host country, coordinated by Mikie Roberts and animated by a local choir, in the animation of the assembly for some group work and for a prayer of blessing from the Orthodox communities.

Throughout the days emerged the importance and urgency of conceiving a missionary theology that takes into consideration the peripheries and the Jesus of the peripheries, and also the pilgrimage as an element of unity for all believers.

This first meeting provided the opportunity for participants to clarify issues in order to ensure continuity of the Commission’s work, and to strengthen commitment and cohesion, to outline the way ahead for the World Mission Conference in 2028.