World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship
by Ron Hamilton, Conference Minister
I am in the process of completing my plans to attend the triennial meeting of the World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship (WECF) in Australia later this month. The meetings will be held in the Wollongong region south of Sydney on September 23–27. The theme is “No Other,” with an emphasis on no other Gospel, King, Power and Life. The CCCC will be represented by Rev. Dr. Steve Gammon (WECF Vice-President) and his wife, Helen; Mr. Bill Brandon (WECF Treasurer); Rev. Barry Jones; and my wife, Shirley, and me. The CCCC Board of Directors voted to host the next triennial meeting of the WECF in 2016.
The history of the WECF dates back to the 35th annual meeting of the CCCC, which was held on the campus of Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1983. The annual meeting took on an international flavor with representatives from Australia, Great Britain, and Micronesia. It was agreed at that time that the ties between evangelical Congregationalists from around the world need to be strengthened and there needs to be a means by which effective communication and joint ministries could be carried out. The formation of an international evangelical Congregational union was proposed and the initial meeting of the WECF was held in Boston, Massachusetts one year later.
The current membership of the WECF is, as follows:
MEMBERS
Representing approximately 1,400 congregations, plus mission points and outreaches:
| __ | • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • |
_ | Fellowship of Congregational Churches, Australia Alliance of Evangelical Congregational Churches, Brazil Union of Evangelical Congregational Churches, Brazil Union of Congregational Churches in Bulgaria Congregational Christian Churches in Canada Evangelical Churches Association (Congregational), Manipur, India Evangesko-Kongresanska Crkva Skopje, Republic of Macedonia Chuuk Congregational Church of Christ, Federated States of Micronesia The Congregational Union of New Zealand Congregational Union of Northern Ireland National Association of Congregational Churches, Philippines Union of Congregational Churches in Portugal Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches, Republic of South Africa Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches, United Kingdom Conservative Congregational Christian Conference, United States of America |
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
| __ | • | _ | Saipan and Guam |
Information about the WECF can be found on its webpage, www.wecf-cong.org.
It is encouraging to know that we have devoted brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ from like-minded churches around the world. Please pray for these meetings and for all of the members of the WECF.
