NSW Ecumenical Council Commissions

Theological Reflection Commission

To assist the Council and its member churches to celebrate and to manifest their unity in Christ, this Commission provides a forum in which the churches may grow together in their understanding and proclamation of the Gospel, exploring theological and ecclesiological issues, thereby coming to a deeper understanding of each other and growing towards a richer convergence with each other.

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Peace and Justice Commission

This Commission gives advice to the Executive Committee on a wide range of matters related to issues of Peace and Justice: for example, refugees and people seeking asylum, climate change and care of the environment, support for the Palm Sunday Peace Rally, indigenous people’s issues relating to reconciliation in Australia, people trafficking.

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Overcoming Family Violence Commission

The work of this Commission focusses on raising awareness within church communities about the incidence and effects of family violence, identifying and providing suitable resources for church communities to increase awareness of family violence, and working with the NCCA’s Safe Church Programme.  The Commission currently has a Project Officer.

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Inter-faith Commission

According to its terms of reference, this Commission is to assist the Council in serving the broader ecumenical endeavour of building better relationships with peoples of other faiths – respectfully engaging with, listening to, hearing and learning from others, enabling a greater knowledge and deeper understanding of other faiths, celebrating diversity, and thus contributing to the building of a better society.

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Middle East Commission

The establishment of this Commission was in response to the request by Eastern Churches for there to be an ecumenical forum for conversations about the plight of Christians in the Middle East and the context in which they live, and for exploring ways in which the Council can be active in advocacy and awareness raising.

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Fund-raising Commission

This Commission, with the endorsement of the Executive Committee, initiates activities for raising additional funds for the Council, such as the organising of an annual dinner and building up a support group of ecumenical friends.

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Taizé Network 

For thirty years the Council has had a relationship with the Taizé Community, an ecumenical Religious Community in France, with a Brother from the Community coming to lead Prayer Services, Retreats and Quiet Days.  There are also local churches which regularly have Prayer Services using the Songs of Taizé.  This Network is a facilitating group.

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Youth Commission

The preamble from the Youth Charter:  The youth have approached the NSW Ecumenical Council seeking how they may best serve and participate in the life of the Council. The Council sees the Youth as making a significant contribution today and becoming the leaders of the Council and their church communities well into tomorrow’s future. The young adults are ecumenical participants and actors in the life of the Church and Council, acting as organs, arteries, and the backbone of the Council and its member churches.

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Recent News

Mid Lent Prayer for Peace 2023

23 February 2023|

The New South Ecumenical Council is holding its annual Mid Lent Prayer for Peace on Tuesday 14 March 2023 at St Andrews Ukrainian Catholic Church in Lidcombe. The natural disaster claimed the lives of 47,000 [...]

Christmas Bowl 2022

16 December 2022|

It was with great joy that we launched the 2022 Christmas Bowl with the Executive and Membership of the NSW Ecumenical Council in late November. For over 70 years churches across NSW and Australia [...]

Report from Interfaith Commission

15 December 2022|

Visit to St John’s Uniting Church, Wahroonga Eighteen members of the Islamic community joined the morning worship service at St John’s on 13 November. After the service members of the congregation welcomed the Islamic [...]