The 13th CEC Assembly is a constitutional assembly. As the “highest authority” of CEC, the Assembly will need to review the work of the organisation for the past six years before planning the priorities of the future work of CEC. With this main aim in mind, CEC has invited its member churches to nominate delegates to participate in the assembly with full rights.

Up to 415 representatives from the CEC member churches, Central Committee members as well as from CCME member organisations will attend the Assembly as official delegates. Together with delegated representatives from CEC partner and associated organisations, guests, young stewards and staff, the total number of participants will be approximately 700.

We particularly invited member churches from each country to enter into discussion with each other so as to try to ensure that representatives from black-led churches are included in one or more of the delegations from each country.  We also asked that careful consideration be given to the inclusion of disabled people in delegations from member churches, as well as delegates of ethnic minority background.

130 representatives of CEC Associated, Partner, Regional and International Organisations, as well as National Councils of Churches and Ecumenical Aid Agencies in Europe will participate in the Lyon Assembly as “delegated representatives”. For more information, click here.

Young people will be involved in the CEC Assembly in two ways. Some will be nominated by CEC member churches and associated organizations, as delegates or delegated representatives. Others will have the possibility to attend as stewards, who help with the day-to-day smooth running of the Assembly, and at the same time observe and engage in ecumenical conversation within the Assembly, and meet other like-minded young people from other countries and denominations. For more information, or to find out how to become a steward, click here.

Special guests will join us on the days celebrating the 50th anniversary of CEC. The names of speakers at the Assembly will be announced on this page in due course.

The Assembly will begin on the afternoon of Wednesday, 15th July and end on the evening of Monday, 20th July 2009 (departures are foreseen for Tuesday, 21st July). It will be necessary for participants to ensure that their arrival time in Lyon will permit their attending the Opening of the Assembly, mid-afternoon of Wednesday, 15th July.