Press Release No: 19/13
3 June 2019
Brussels

The Governing Board of the Conference of European Churches that met in Strasbourg last month have finalised the strategic priorities for CEC’s work for the next four years.

Focusing on the theme “Together in Hope and Witness” these strategic priorities are broken down into a detailed work plan related to CEC’s thematic desks.

The important areas in CEC’s strategic work plan for 2019-2023 include promoting peace, justice and reconciliation in Europe, strengthening ecumenical fellowship and promoting the mission of the Church, and raising churches’ voice in Europe and the European Institutions.

CEC has invited its Member Churches and Organisations in Partnership to collaborate in developing and implementing the tasks in this plan.

Particular attention is paid to the involvement of young people in the development of CEC’s strategic plan. Ecumenical youth representatives were invited to the Governing Board meeting in Strasbourg, where they actively contributed to CEC’s future work.

Serious consideration regarding the implementation of CEC’s strategic aims also led the Governing Board to conclude that a new general secretary, with different skills and experience, was needed in order to drive the work before CEC’s next General Assembly.

To this end, the board took the difficult decision to end Fr. Heikki Huttunen’s contract with effect from 20 May 2019. The Governing Board extended sincere thanks to Fr. Heikki Huttunen for his services to CEC during some testing transitional years, to which he brought his substantial personal experience, mature relationality and great commitment. The board wished him God’s blessing in his future service of the Church and in his family life.

The process for identifying a new general secretary is now underway and, in the meantime, the work will be directed by the CEC President Rev. Christian Krieger.

In order to implement CEC’s work to stream in line with its strategic priorities from 2019-2023, the Governing Board created working groups to cover the following thematic areas:

• Ecclesiology and mission
• Diversity, pluralism and education for democracy
• Economic and ecological justice and a sustainable future
• Science, bioethics and technology
• Human rights education and advocacy
• Social justice

Click here to read CEC Strategy 2019-2023.

For a complete list of Governing Board members, please click here.

For more information or an interview, please contact:

Naveen Qayyum
Communication Assistant
Conference of European Churches
Rue Joseph II, 174 B-1000 Brussels
Tel. +32 2 234 68 42
Fax +32 2 231 14 13
E-mail: naveen@cec-kek.be
Website: www.ceceurope.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ceceurope
Twitter: @ceceurope