World church leaders’ gathering begins

(March 24.2012) Some 400 Christian leaders from around the world began a six-day conference in Manila, Friday, on Christian mission and evangelism, organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC). “We come together to proclaim our common faith in Jesus Christ and mission that we can work together in a world where competition, fragmentation, division are so strong,” said Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila before addressing the conference at the Traders Hotel. “Divisions between rich and poor, the learned and the illiterate and political divisions are not healed and it seems no matter where we look there is division,” he said. The gathering, until March 27, is expected to come up with new official statements on mission and evangelism based on challenges that have been evolving over the last three decades. This event will mark a new phase in fostering ecumenism as delegates and participants will present the final draft for affirmation before the 2013 WCC Assembly in Busan, South Korea, which is expected to attract about 1,000 church leaders,” said Rommel Linatoc, a National Council of Churches official. The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 churches representing over 560 million Christians, seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service.