The Conference of European Churches (CEC) regards Oikosnet Europe as an “organisation in partnership”. Earlier this year, CEC presented a draft of a strategic work plan to all its member churches and partner organisations for commenting. The strategic plan is to guide CEC’s work for the years to come and also to determine as to where CEC wants to make a difference in bringing a faith-based voice to the European institutions. Oikosnet Europe took the challenge seriously and, after discussions in the Board, responded to CEC’s plans and offered its comments and resources with regard to strategic issues as well as in view of the many topics which CEC sees as part of its work plan.
In follow-up of this consultation process and a meetings of CEC’s Governing Board, CEC now issued a letter with three overarching aims for its future work and announcing six working groups to be established. These working groups will work until the next CEC Assembly in about 2023. The frequency of meetings is usually two to three times a year. The six broad themes around which the working groups are to convene are:
– ecclesiology and mission
– diversity, pluralism and education for democracy
– economic and ecological justice and sustainable future
– science, bioethics and technology
– human rights education and advocacy
– social justice.
As Oikosnet Europe is an organisation in partnership, we are also eligible to suggest members for these working groups from among our constituency. Therefore, Oikosnet members are invited to suggest potential candidates with adequate expertise, to the Oikosnet Executive Secretary (noll@evangelische-akademien.de) until 1.September 2019. The next Annual Conference of Oikosnet Europe (11-15 September) will then discuss the matter and take a decision about names to be forwarded to CEC. The final selection of working group members will remain entirely in the hand of CEC.
The letter from CEC (and its appendices) to its member churches and organisations in partnership can be found on the Oikosnet website under: www.oikosnet.eu/partnerships