2025 - an Ecumenical Year of Pilgrimage on Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity
As the new year begins, I find myself reflecting on past challenges while remaining ever-hopeful. Like many, I carry a list of resolutions that, while ambitious and perhaps pre-doomed, reflect my optimism for what lies ahead.
Recently, I visited Geneva, a city that epitomises global collaboration and shared purpose. I was there to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the Geneva Fellowship and to visit the World Council of Churches. Standing before the Broken Chair monument in front of the United Nations, I was struck by the profound tension between human frailty and resilience. This 12-metre-tall wooden sculpture, created in 1997 by Handicap International, symbolises both brokenness and hope. It calls for justice and peace, even amidst conflict. Initially designed to promote the ban of anti-personnel mines and later cluster munitions, the plaque beneath it reminds us:
'Broken Chair is a reminder to the world's nations to protect and aid our civilian victims. It invites each one of us to denounce that which is unacceptable, to stand up for the rights of individuals and communities and call for their rightful compensations.'
Nearby, at the World Council of Churches, I participated in discussions about their vision for 2025 - an Ecumenical Year of Pilgrimage on Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity. Recognising that we are all on a journey, this initiative seeks to renew the call for a shared future and Christian Unity. The year will commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed, born of the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 325. This landmark council was the first attempt to achieve consensus across Christendom, offering a defining statement of Christian belief that emerged through dialogue and deep listening among diverse voices.
It will also mark the centenary of the 1925 Universal Christian Conference on Life and Work in Stockholm, which brought Anglican, Protestant, and Orthodox leaders together in the aftermath of the First World War to speak out for justice, peace, and reconciliation. This event inspired the eventual formation of the World Council of Churches in 1948. To honour these legacies, the WCC will host a series of events culminating in the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, set to take place near Alexandria, Egypt, in October 2025.
As Moravians, we are no strangers to dialogue and collaboration. In 2024, the British Province was deeply engaged in ecumenical activity, highlighted by the signing of the Armagh Agreement and the expansion of our Provincial Ecumenical Officers. Our Church has long sought to build relationships across boundaries, showing a willingness to listen and lean into one another's experiences. This year, we have the opportunity to embody this spirit of collaboration within our congregations and beyond. How can we, as individuals and communities, foster deeper connections? How can we step out of our comfort zones to hear and embrace the perspectives of others?
The Broken Chair reminded me that our faith calls us to stand with the marginalised and work towards justice. This work cannot be done in isolation; it demands collective action, ecumenical cooperation, and the courage to address uncomfortable truths.
As we step into 2025, let us carry the lessons of the past with renewed hope. Together, we can transform these lessons into tools for growth, building bridges that unite and inspire.
Sr Roberta Hoey
Chair of the Unity Board