August 23, 2005

Transforming the world will be the focus of two October conferences organized by the U.S. office of the World Council of Churches (WCC), an ecumenical organization with 34 member churches in the United States – including the Episcopal Church – and more than 340 worldwide.

"Shift your space – transform the world: young adults connecting ecumenically for peace and justice," which will be held October 8-10 in Hyde Park, Chicago, is an event for young adult leaders in peace and justice work which will "provide opportunities to draw on the strength of the unity of the church by building ecumenical connections."

Seminarians, students and youth delegates to the WCC's 9th Assembly, which will meet in Porto Alegre, Brazil, February 14-23, 2006 "will find links between their peace and justice work and the World Council of Churches, and engage with the vision for peace promoted by the initiative, ‘Decade to Overcome Violence: Churches Seeking Reconciliation & Peace 2001-2010 (DOV).'"

Activities will include participation in local peace and justice projects, including an action with the Chicago chapter of the National Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice. There will be time for sharing resources, and space for theological reflection with peace and justice leaders in the WCC and member communions. In addition, attendees will participate in a visioning process with members of the U.S. Decade to Overcome Violence Committee to determine how the committee can best support young adults in ecumenical peace and justice work.

Hyde Park is home to the University of Chicago Divinity School, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, McCormick Theological Seminary and others. "Seminarians are at the forefront of innovative peace and justice work," says Jenny Phillips, U.S. Decade to Overcome Violence program assistant and coordinator of this event. "We look forward to the wisdom and insight Chicago seminarians can share."

"Shift your space – transform the world" will overlap with the annual meeting of the U.S. Conference for the World Council of Churches and the WCC Ninth Assembly Pre-Event, which will be held October 10-12, 2005 at the O'Hare Crown Plaza Hotel in Chicago. The morning of Monday, October 10, will be used to prepare a young adult presentation for the annual meeting plenary to be held that evening.

Young adults are invited to stay and participate in the annual meeting for as long or as little as they like. "The Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches has been deemed ‘the youth assembly' by general secretary, Dr. Sam Kobia," says Rev. Deborah DeWinter, WCC program executive for the United States. "We are excited for the wisdom and passion U.S. young adults will bring to the U.S. Annual Meeting and 9th Assembly Pre-Event."

"Shift your space – transform the world" will cost $75 for the event, food and hostel-style lodging at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago Youth Center. For those who live in the area or prefer to secure other lodging, the event will cost $35, including lunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday.

Further information and registration details can be found online at: http://www.wcc-usa.org/.

The registration deadline is Friday, September 16, 2005.

If you have questions, or would like to receive information about future US DOV young adult events, email Jenny Phillips, US DOV Program Assistant at us-dov@wcc-coe.org.

Episcopal News Service