The World Council of Churches (WCC) invites ecumenical youth to be stewards at the 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany, in 2022. The Stewards Programme aims to bring together a dynamic and diverse group of 160 young people from all over the world, from 21 August to 10 September 2022. The invitation is open to young people from a variety of backgrounds, churches and regions. 
Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC, 2018 The deadline for applications is 10 April 2021. The Stewards Programme includes: an on-site ecumenical formation, participation in the Ecumenical Global Gathering of Young People, and work at the 11th Assembly. Stewards will arrive in Karlsruhe a week prior to the assembly to learn about the ecumenical movement and to participate in the pre-assembly gathering. Stewards are young people between the ages 18 and 30 years old. As a diverse community, stewards bring their faith, experiences and visions to an ecumenical experience of togetherness and friendship, with English as the working language of the programme. Joy Eva Bohol, WCC programme executive for Youth Engagement and a former steward, notes that “being a steward will push you to be in uncomfortable spaces; will foster your involvement and participation in the wider ecumenical movement, and may redefine your life.”
Key attributes of stewards are patience and the ability to work with people from other countries and cultures as a team. Former steward Thomas Kang recalled that he has fond memories of those days as a steward in a WCC assembly. “It opened my eyes to the several ways we can serve as young Christians in a changing world. I met hundreds of people from different contexts trying to work together and discern as the body of Christ. That definitely strengthened my faith and identity. The stewards programme was a life-changing experience,” said Kang. WCC looks for young people capable of integrating their experience back in their local contexts, motivated to multiply the ecumenical enthusiasm, ready to “do ecumenism” locally. Click here to download the Guidelines & Application Form
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