One of the roots of the 20th-century ecumenical movement was the ecumenical lay movement founded in the 19th century which saw the formation of organizations such the Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations (YMCA and YWCA).
Layman such as John R. Mott, an early YMCA secretary and leader in the Student Christian Movement, worked tirelessly to "liberate the lay forces of Christianity" in order to participate in the missionary task of the church. This tradition continues today!
laity and the people of God
The 1997 Laos Consultation sought to clarify the theological understanding and terminology of laity, laos, and people of God. The participants concluded that while any term (laos) or image (people of God) has limitations, the "laity are the church in the world" constituting ninety-eight percent of the church in its life, worship and mission.
The consultation noted the trend away from lay participation in the ecumenical movement and challenged institutions such as the WCC to return to their lay roots. It also challenged the churches to take more seriously the ecumenical formation of lay people. Click here to read the consultation report and papers.
promoting lay training and participation
OIKOSNET seeks to express ecumenical solidarity through programme collaboration and staff exchanges which give special emphasis to lay training, leadership formation and ecumenical learning, thereby empowering God's people to embrace an ecumenical future.
OIKOSNET has been involved in organizing one-month courses for lay leadership training (CLLTs) to train young people for involvement in the ecumenical movement. Two publications (available from EEF programme executive Evelyn Appiah) giving more information on the CLLTs are:
The ecumenical training centre most closely connected to the WCC, is the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. Since 1946, Bossey has trained ecumenical leaders, both lay and ordained, for service in parishes, classrooms and ecumenical centres around the world. Bossey offers an annual series of seminars as well as residential graduate studies in ecumenics.
OIKOSNET Web Site: http://www.eaalce.de/extranet/oikosnet/.
Association of Christian Lay Centres in Africa (ACLCA)
Rev Felix Maafo
Rev. Dr Felix Sugirtharaj
Rev. Lee Chong II
Mr Pontas Nasution
Collaboration for Ecumenical Planning and Action in the Caribbean and South America
(CEPACASA)
Mr Raoul Rosales
Mr Peter Middlemiss
Dr R. Scott Haasarud
Mr Rich Watson
Dr Nuha Khoury
The Education & Ecumenical Formation programme's work with lay participation towards an inclusive community is done in collaboration with more than 600 Christian lay centres, academies and movements for social concern which belong to seven regional associations. The regional associations are linked together through a network called OIKOSNET that seeks to promote the role of the laity in the ecumenical movement as well as to support community life which is just, participatory, sustainable and inclusive.
History and Hopes of CLLTs
ed. Mithra Augustine
Key learnings of ecumenical leaders who attended CLLTs between 1968-1992
Empowering Lay Leadership: a manual on ecumenical learning for courses in lay leadership training (CLLTs)
by Evelyn Appiah and Gert Rüppell
Guidelines on organizing courses to empower all God's people for lay leadership roles in the church
The work of OIKSOSNET is rooted in the imperative that "we are called to be both pioneers on behalf of the whole church on new frontiers of social concern, and signs of renewal on the church's life and structures as a whole".
Rev. Jonah Katoneene
General Secretary, ACLCA
32 Winson Road South
Off St. Patricks Road
PO Box H122
Hatfield
Harare, Zimbabwe
E-mail: aclca@africaonline.co.zw
President, ACLCA
Immanuel Presbyterian Church
P O Box MD 19
Medina
Accra, Ghana
E-mail: felmaafo@yahoo.com
Mr Nicodemus Kitonyo
Hon. Treasurer, ACLCA
Kanamai Conference & Holiday Centre
P O Box 46
Mtwapa
Via Mombasa, Kenya
Email: kanamai@iconnect.co.ke
Association of Christian Institutes for Social Concern in Asia (ACISCA)
Mr Sudhakar S. Ramteke
Chairperson, ACISCA
Ecumenical Development Centre of India
Ghani Manzil, Kathol Road, Chhaoni
Nagpur 440-013, India
E-mail: edcio@nagpur.dot.net.in
Executive Secretary, ACISCA
No. 85, Vivekananda School Street
Sakthivel Nagar
Peravallur
Chennai 600 082, India
E-mail: arpmds@md3.vsnl.net.in
Vice-chairperson, ACISCA
2-6-10 Nakaga Wa Nishi
Ikuno-ku
Osaka 544, Japan
E-mail: kcc70@gold.ocn.ne.jp
Mrs Priscilla Atuel
Treasurer, ACISCA
Kapatiran-Kaunlaran Foundation Inc.
937 P. Parades Street, Sampaloc
P O Box 1600
Manila, Philippines
E-mail: kkfi@skyinet.net
ACISCA Committee
Akademi Leimena
Jl. Pakubuwono VI/103
Jakarta Selatan 12120, Indonesia
E-mail: leimena@cbn.net.id
CONOSUR Southern Cone Network of Centres
Ms Ivaline Nickie
Executive Director
CEPACASA
Diplomat Town House no. 1
107 Hope Road, Kingston
Jamaica, W.I.
E-mail: cepacasa@cwjamaica.com
Dr Harold Jap-a-Joe
Chairperson, CEPACASA
Domineestraat 46
Boven, Paramaribo
Suriname
E-mail: cynhar@sr.net
Rev. German Zijlstra
Executive Secretary, CONOSUR
Ricardo Rojas 576
CP 1980 - Brandsen
Buenos Aires, Argentina
E-mail: conosur@federalbrandsen.com.ar
or: zijlstra@federalbrandsen.com.ar
Centro Ecumenico
Diego de Medellin
Argomedo 40, Casilla 386 V
Santiago 21, Chile
E-mail: cedm@terra.cl
Ms Cristina Vila
Comite de Iglesias para Ayudas de Emergencia (CIPAE)
General Diaz 429 c/ Alberdi
Ascuncion, Paraguay
E-mail: ipade@sce.cnc.una.py
Ecumenical Association of Academies and Laity Centres in Europe (EAALCE)
Mr Wolfgang Lenz
General Secretary, EAALCE
Gruenewalder Str. 29-31
P O Box 10 11 85
D-42657 Solingen, Germany
E-mail: wolfgang.lenz@eaalce.de
Website: http://www.eaalce.de
President, EAALCE
Holland House
Cropthorne
Pershore, Worcs WR10 3NB, UK
E-mail: laycentre@surfaid.org
or hohse@aol.com
Mr Jaap van der Sar
Treasurer, EAALCE
Vormingscentrum Kerk en Wereld
Postbus 19
NL-3970 AA Driebergen
The Netherlands
E-mail: jvdsar@kerkenwereld.nl
NARDA (An Ecumenical Christian Association of Retreat and Renewal Centres and Leaders in North America)
Rev. Aurelia Hale
General Secretary, NARDA
4413 Tokay Blvd
Madison, WI 53711, USA
E-mail: reehale@nardacenters.org
Website: www.nardacenters.org
President, NARDA
Spirit in the Desert Lutheran Retreat Centre
7415 E. Elbow Bend, PO Box 3254
Carefree, Arizona 85377, USA
E-mail: sitdlrc@aol.com
Ms Sally Simmel
Vice-president NARDA
Evangelical Church of America
8765 W. Higgens Rd., Chicago
IL 60631, USA
E-mail: ssimmel@elca.org
Treasurer, NARDA
Vesper Society
22351 City Centre Drive, Suite 100
Hayward, CA 94541, USA
E-mail: rwatson@vesper.org
or richwatson@yahoo.com
Middle East Association of Training and Retreat Centres (MEATRC)
Fr Youssef A. Andarws
President, MEATRC
Bayad Retreat & Conference Centre
P.O. Box 30
Beni Suef, Egypt
E-mail: brcc_vmary@yahoo.com
Associate President, MEATRC
The International Centre of Bethlehem
P O Box 162
Bethlehem, Palestine
E-mail: nkhoury@annadwa.org
Mrs Rosangela Jarjour
Treasurer, MEATRC
Ayia Napa Conference Centre/Monastery
P O Box 30048
5340 Ayia Napa, Cyprus
E-mail: meccnapa@spidernet.com.cy
World Council of Churches (WCC)
Ms Evelyn Appiah
Executive Secretary
Education and Ecumenical Formation
World Council of Churches
PO Box 2100
1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
E-mail: WCC Contact
Nobel laureate John R. Mott, an ecumenical pioneer, sought to "liberate the lay forces of Christianity".
A chief architect of the ecumenical movement,
J.H. Oldham was convinced that "there is one gospel which is entrusted to Christ's one church, broken though it may be".
Suzanne de Dietrich, a leader of the ecumenical "Biblical renewal" movement, sought to make the Bible accessible to lay people, especially youth.
Hendrik Kraemer, first director of the Bossey Ecumenical Institute, was an advocate of the "spiritual mobilization" of the laity.
Kathleen Bliss, a life-long educator and ecumenist, coined the ecumenical affirmation, "we intend to stay together" that still guides the movement.
Aaron Tolen, political scientist and Africanist, one of many lay leaders to promote justice and sustainable development, especially in Africa.
