WCC Assembly 2013 - Monday, October 28

Wow.
It has been quite a day. A good day but a very full day. It feels like it has been two days in one. I was up at 6:30am today, left the hotel at 7:30am with the agenda for the day beginning at 8:30am and we kept going agenda item after agenda item until 8pm... and that was with us ending thirty minutes early. I don't think I'm going to be staying up very late for the next thirteen days!

Today was the start of the Youth Pre-Assembly.

Around 400 young people (delegates, observers, community members, stewards) gathered together for the first day of the pre-assembly. And like I said, it was a full day filled with people, presentations, conversations, singing, sharing and learning. We started the morning off with our opening prayer time together, it was a rather lovely and simple liturgy... I really liked it  (beware youth group members... parts of this might be coming back with me to add to our time together!). The singing is the best... and I think I can safely say we're a not bad sounding group! 

We heard from the WCC General Secretary who said a number of things that will stick with me for awhile one being a good reminder, "Everything we do we do as God's beloved and mandated children, asking God to lead us into the life God has created - praying for justice and peace." And at the end of his time talking about the presence of youth at the Assembly he said, "By being with you I realize even more why it is so important that you are here. You not only can ask the questions but you also need to participate in the answers." It's helpful for me to hear from the leadership in our church (which is so much a part of my expereince in Canada) that my role here is not the "youth" role but one of listening and contributing like everyone else. 

We reviewed some stuff around meaningful participation during the Assembly including consensus decision making and how the nominations process works. For lunch today I had my first experience of Korean food since I've arrived... I'll share some more about Korean food another day. Some pieces I really enjoyed and others were a new taste and texture. 

Thematic Family Groups

After lunch we met in our Thematic Family Groups; I am in the Reconciliation Family Group. One of the highlights of our Family Group time together was hearing from Father Michael Lapsley. He is one of those people who I could listen to for hours (or read for hours). He talked about listening and about how as young people we can play an important role in reconciliation and healing if we're willing to listen and he encouraged us to "while at WCC that we listen to the heart of the other". To listen with an "open heart so that we may be open to being changed... as we hear one another's humanity we can be changed. Listen not only with your head but also with the heart and let your heart be changed." There is lots on the web about Father Michael, I encourage you to go read a bit of his story.

The late afternoon and evening was devoted to the Korean Session, Korean Evening Prayer and an Agape ceremony and Korean meal with leaders of the ecumenical movement. Learned Korean history, sang Korean songs, watched Korean dance, prayed a traditional Korean evening prayer service and ate Korean food. You can watch a short video of Korean Culture Presentation here.

Korean Culture Presentation

As Father Michael said in his closing, "Go into the world and be kinder, gentler and more just!"