Fellowshipping with a Rabbi, Russian and Greek Orthodox Priests and Representatives from Around the World

‘Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity’
Theme of World Council of Churches
11th Assembly at Karlsruhe, Germany.

‘Extraordinary!’ - that was my experience of the World Council of Churches’ 11th Assembly that I discussed last week. The 11th Assembly was opened by Germany’s President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and it was attended by over 3,500 participants and 425 delegates from around the globe!

The inspiration behind this Assembly’s theme was the verse ‘For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.’ from 2 Corinthians 5:14 in the Bible. We spent time in prayer and celebration and we were challenged to respond to the terrible economic, social and ethnic injustices that the global pandemic has worsened for the under-privileged.

While there Marlon and I attended the daily Ecumenical Conversation workshops and we had the wonderful experience of being in a diverse group with a Rabbi, a Russian Priest, a Greek Orthodox Priest, representatives from Taiwan, Thailand, Africa, USA, Norway, UK and us from Hong Kong. The teaching and spiritual sharing was exquisitely rich!

During the 11th Assembly we shared meals fellowship with Rev. Wu Wei president of China Christian Council and the Hong Kong delegates and with many others. On another occasion I represented China in an Ecumenical Cedar Tree Planting Ceremony in remembrance of the WCC 11th Assembly Ecumenical simply because I was there!!

I also visited the Liebenzeller Mission which was amazingly the headquarters of China Inland Mission of Hudson Taylor in Germany. I attended a talk given by Rabbi Mark Dratch about unity between Jews and Christians which is such an important milestone in the kingdom of God.

It was with hearts full of contentment that Marlon and I eventually left Karlsruhe. We were grateful for the privilege of representing and participating at the World Council of Churches 11th Assembly.

Siew Mei

I was invited to represent China at the
Ecumenical Cedar Tree Planting Ceremony Creating the Ecumenical Face of Karlsruhe
2022, from all the faces of the
11th Assembly attendees