Busan makes final preparations for World Council of Churches Assembly

(Photo: WCC)Dr. Soritua Nababan, general secretary of the National Council of Churches in Indonesia, preaching at an open-air worship service in Stockholm's Sergels Square on Sunday 4 July, 1968, as an artist illustrates the reading. The service involved participants in the 4th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, Uppsala, and members of Stockholm churches. It was telecast in color by Sveriges Radio (TV). Assembly participants went by special trains to Stockholm from Uppsala where the Assembly was in session.

Dubbed by its organizers as one of the most diverse events on the Christian calendar, the World Council of Churches 10th Assembly begins this week in Busan, South Korea.

Around 5,000 participants are expected in South Korea's second biggest city for an event that is hoped to find ways ease tension on the divided Korean peninsula following a failure to resolve the Korean War

From October 30 through November 8, the theme of the assembly "God of Life, lead us to justice and peace" will occupy the thoughts of Christians from all around the globe."

(WCC photo.)Final preparations for WCC 10th Assembly in Busan, South Korea on October 24, 2013

Volunteers from the Sansung Presbyterian Church are managing the final preparations, and various social media sites and broadcast systems are preparing its followers for the 10-day event.

Organizers say that more than 130 international print and electronic journalists have received press accreditation, while another 200 Korean media will be present in various capacities during the assembly.

The WCC brings together churches, denominations and church organizations in more than 110 countries and territories throughout the world, representing some 560 million Christians.

It includes most of the world's Orthodox churches, scores of Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed churches, as well as many United and Independent churches.

The 1.3 million strong Roman Catholic Church is not a member of the WCC, but serves on some important council bodies and the two are members together in a number of ecumenical organizations.

On October 24 and 25, more than 50 volunteers gathered to help stuff welcome bags for the participants. Since then, they have been able to fill over 3,000 bags.

"The bags include an array of assembly publications including worship and Bible study materials; program and resource book, as well as information about the work of the WCC since the last assembly, held in 2006 at Porto Alegre, Brazil," news@wcc-coe.org reported.

While people are volunteering to prepare for the Busan assembly, others are getting ready for the event through broadcast systems and social media sites.

"The live stream will broadcast several other events from the WCC assembly. A schedule of programming is now available on the WCC assembly website.

"In addition to a number of live stream broadcasts throughout the assembly, access to the assembly from afar will be facilitated through a number of other sources," news@wcc-coe.org stated.

Currently, the WCC Assembly Facebook is engaging around 600 people from all around the world. The users are engaging with one another in regards to sharing information, articles and links about the assembly.

Other ways followers are staying or will be staying informed for the event is through the WCC website and social media sites.

WWC twitter accounts include @oikoumene, @OlavTveit, or the assembly site, @wcc2013.

If interested in watching the opening service or video broadcasts stay updated with Korea's oldest Christian television network, the Christian Broadcast System and Madang Live.

The opening service will include an online LIVE broadcast through Korea's Christian television network, the Christian Broadcast System.

Additionally, for about 15-minutes each day there will also be a video broadcast from Madang Live; it will include updates, stories, and the highlights from the assembly.

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