WCC NEWS: Harmonies of unity: Wednesday morning prayers

To the lively, lilting accompaniment of an orchestral band, visitors to the prayer tent in Karlsruhe, Germany sang an adaptation of Psalm 133 by Hungarian poet and playwright Zoltán Sumonyi, “How good it is when God’s people play together”. The assembled faithful sang enthusiastically, “nothing compares to the sound when God’s people play together as they really were one. Here is the blessing, do believe: God composes life and music so the kingdom may come.” 7 September 2022, Karlsruhe, Germany: Women lead singing during the morning prayer service at the World Council of Churches' 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany. From left are: Saya Ojiri, Lileata Soakai and Akanesi Seinileva. The assembly takes place August 31 to September 8 under the theme "Christ's Love Moves the World to Reconciliation and Unity." Photo: Mike DuBose/WCC 07 September 2022 By Theodore Gill “Christ’s love moves us to witness” was the theme for this service of morning prayer on Wednesday 7 September at the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC). In addition to words and music, symbolic action illustrated the need to reassemble structures that have been disassembled, to rebuild the ruins. The exploration of such daily themes continue in Bible studies and group discussions later in the assembly’s schedule. The gospel reading was taken from Matthew 20:20-28, a story of two disciples’ mother asking Jesus for preferment for her sons. She expresses the wish that they be allowed “to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus responds with a new understanding of preferment: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave.” While at prayer, the assembly admitted their disunity but hoped for better: “We are broken. But, with Christ, we are together. As we silently pray together, we witness to our unity as Christians…” A deliberately discordant Kyrie sounded the refrain amid the series of confessions: “We confess that our church structures and our desire for power have led to a lack of unity. May the compassionate Christ lead us to transform our motives and dismantle unjust structures. We confess that our struggles for power and truth stop us from sharing Christ’s body together. May the compassionate Christ lead us to the fulfillment of our unity.” The Hungarian setting for the psalm, composed by Dániel Gryllus, appeared alongside songs of praise drawn from Indonesia, Fiji, Jamaica, Finland, Armenia, Ivory Coast and Argentina. At the close of their devotions, assembly members moved rhythmically to the Argentine melody as they made their way to the plenary hall. #WCC assembly - Morning Prayer Video Livestream of the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany Photos of the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany Theodore Gill is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA) who has served in Geneva, Switzerland, 2002 - 2016 as senior editor of the World Council of Churches. See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland