Dear Madame, Sir,

 

The World Council of Churches (WCC) was founded on August 23rd 1948 in the “New Church” (Nieuwe Kerk) in Amsterdam. Coming August this event will be 70 years ago.

 

A unique form of worldwide cooperation between Churches started with the founding of the WCC. From the beginning the Council has promoted intensified cooperation between the churches, and contributed substantially to peace and justice.

 

The WCC counts 348 member churches, representing approximately 500 million Christians in more than 110 countries. These members understand themselves to be united in Christ, in spite of theological and cultural borders and differences. Member Churches learn from each other, share with each other, and are challenged by each other.

 

In a spirit of gratitude and joy we want to celebrate this important jubilee with an international celebration in English in the Nieuwe Kerk in the Centre of Amsterdam on Thursday, 23rd of August 2018, 16.00 hrs.

 

Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit (Secretary-General) and Dr. Agnes Abuom (Moderator of the Central Committee) of WCC will speak during this celebration.

 

If you want to attend this celebration in Amsterdam, you are welcome to register at this site under the button register.

 

 

With kind regards, in Christ,

 

Rev. Karin van den Broeke, Member of the Executive Committee World Council of Churches on behalf of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands

Rev. Dr. René de Reuver, General Secretary of the Synod of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands

Rev. Klaas van der Kamp, General Secretary of the Council of Churches in the Netherlands

 

 

P.S.  We also like to inform you about connected activities taking place on the same date August 23rd 2018 in Amsterdam:

 

• A symposium (in English) will be organised by the Protestant Theological Faculty in Amsterdam, at 10.30 hrs. in the Vrije Universiteit te Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands. Registration for this is possible to fckuilboer@pthu.nl. Or by using the following direct link: https://www.pthu.nl/en/News_and_Events/Events/70th-anniversary-WCC/

• Walk of Peace through the Centre of Amsterdam, starting at 13.00 hrs. in the “Hoftuin” of the Protestant Church in Amsterdam and ending on the Dam Place around 15.00 hrs. The Walk of Peace will visit places of commemoration and interest. It will be possible to attend to this if you plan to attend to the subsequent celebration service in the Nieuwe Kerk. Registration for the Walk of Peace please through: raadvankerkenamsterdam@gmail.com
• Prior to this day of celebration, a Youth Pilgrimage of justice and peace will take place at invitation in Leusden, the Netherlands. For more information on this see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4Oayg-AQ0I