Ecumenical Events

October 14-18, 2011: WSCF North American Regional Assembly

The North American Regional Assembly (NARA), the regional decision-making body for the World Student Christian Federation, will meet in Chicago on October 14-18 under the theme, "Swords Into Plowshares: Beating—Bending—Recycling." This event will be tackling the 2011 Federation's focus on "Overcoming Violence" and will be an opportunity for the region to plan its future activities. Inputs, workshops, worship and bible study, exposure in the Chicago area will be part of the conference. See the NARA concept paper. For more information, see the web site or send an e-mail.

November 18-25, 2011: WSCF Cultural Trip to Havana, Cuba

The North American and the Latin American-Caribbean regions of the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) will meet in Cuba on November 18-25 to develop a common bi-regional strategic plan for advocacy and solidarity work that will fit the program of the WSCF worldwide. See the concept paper. The North American region will select five students to attend, chosen from applications to be submitted by August 30. Send applications by e-mail to both Hierald Kane-Ostoro and Luciano Kovacs.

November 26-December 10, 2011: Youth for Eco-Justice

"Youth for Eco-Justice" is a program organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) for equipping 18-30 year olds to be multipliers for eco-justice. Those accepted into the program will actively participate in the ecumenical and civil society activities surrounding the 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP 17) in Durban, South Africa. Applicants must be able to initiate and implement a voluntary follow-up activity in the first half of 2012. Local costs will be covered; transportation to Durban must be covered by the participant. Applications due by August 15; acceptance will be limited.

November 27-December 18, 2011: Advent Bible studies

For each week of Advent one passage of scripture can be the focus of a gathering of Christians from different traditions. The Bible study can be hosted in a different congregation each week. For information, contact the Liturgical Conference. Fred Holper of McCormick Seminary was a member of the conference's board of directors in 2010.

December 1-3, 2011: Church Women United celebration

Seventy Years of Church Women United will be celebrated in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on December 1-3. It will be a time to review the CWU legacy, learn from the past, and "hold high the CWU light for our future." Cost of registration rises after October 15; deadline for registrations is November 7. See the brochure and registration form.

February 24-March 9, 2012: UN Commission on the Status of Women

Presbyterian women and men who wish to apply to participate in the ecumenical experience of attending the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York City as part of the Presbyterian delegation must submit an application by September 15, 2011. Find information with the application and in descriptions from 2011; e-mail for additional information. The 2012 theme will be "the empowerment of women from rural areas and their role in hunger and poverty eradication, development, and current challenges." PC(USA) orientation is on February 24 and the ecumenical orientation is on February 25.

March 18-March 21, 2012: NAEIS Gathering

The National Association of Ecumenical and Interreligious Staff will meet at Pendle Hill, a Quaker retreat center in Philadelphia, PA, for its 2012 NAEIS Gathering on March 18-21. Carlos Malavé of the PC(USA) General Assembly ecumenical staff is the current NAEIS president. Grant Abbott of the St. Paul Area Council of Churches is program chair; contact him if you would like to serve on the planning committee.

April 16-19, 2012: National Workshop on Christian Unity (DATE CHANGE)

The 2012 National Workshop on Christian Unity will meet in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on April 16-19 at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel.

April 16-22, 2012: Unity and Reformed Heritage travel seminar

The annual travel seminar to Geneva led by PC(USA) ecumenical leadership will next take place on April 16-22, 2012. Carlos Malavé will lead the group on its visit to ecumenical and Reformation sites. Participants will engage with the World Council of Churches (WCC), the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Oikocredit and other ecumenical organizations based in Geneva; they will spend a day at the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey. For more information, contact the Office of the General Assembly and see its web site.

TO TOP

The Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland, is the WCC's central means for ecumenical education. It has long formed leaders -- clergy and lay -- for service in parishes, classrooms, and ecumenical centers around the world. Per a 2011 agreement, all Bossey students are eligible to receive an accredited certificate or a degree from the University of Geneva. The ongoing formal programming includes a one-semester Graduate School of Ecumenical Studies, a two-year master of theology in ecumenical studies program, a one-year academic program for a masters in advanced ecumenical studies, a Ph.D. in ecumenical studies requiring up to five academic years, and a summer three-month intensive course in English as a tool for ecumenical formation. Additionally, short-term seminars on cutting edge issues bring together small groups from around the world. See general information on the Bossey web site.

The Irish School of Ecumenics, established in 1970, became fully integrated with Trinity College Dublin as a postgraduate institute in 2001. Its diverse programs particularly focus on the intersect of politics, theology, and religion. It has sixteen members on its academic staff and a substantial library. In addition to its Ecumenical Studies, International Peace Studies, and Conflict and Dispute Resolution Studies programs based in Dublin, it offers a Reconciliation Studies program taught in Belfast.

Items marked with

are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. For best results, right-click the link (or click and hold

for Macintosh), select "save target as" and save the document to your desktop for viewing and printing. Click on the image in the right column for free download of the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Ecumenical & Interfaith News Network - PCUSA

Ecumenical & Interfaith
News Network - PCUSA