One Body, One Spirit, One Hope
The Assembly theme, One Body, One Spirit, One Hope, reminds us that in a fragmented world, we are called to unity in the one body of Christ. The theme is drawn from Ephesians 4:4 (NRSV): “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling."
Messages from the Pre-Assemblies take up the theme of the Thirteenth Assembly. Photo: LWF/Jotham Lee
The Assembly Study Guide
The Assembly Study Guide is a publication aimed at preparing LWF member churches for the Thirteenth Assembly. It is offered as a resource to inspire reflections on how the global communion of churches is called and equipped to be a sign of hope in the midst of God’s creation as it participates in God’s holistic mission.
Introducing the thirteenth Assembly theme
This publication introduces the Thirteenth Assembly, and its theme, “One Body, One Spirit, One Hope.”It is an invitation to LWF’s member churches to start engaging with the theme.
In addition to being ecumenically significant, the theme speaks of the needs of the world. LWF member churches are called to bear witness to God’s compassion and mercy for the world. It also reflects the church’s call to strive for unity through its engagement in service and mission, such as prophetic diakonia, humanitarian action and advocacy to end injustice and dehumanizing practices. The world urgently needs to hear the gospel of justification, that of God’s act of liberating grace. We are called into this adventure of living the Gospel ever anew in our many contexts. Together as a communion of churches we are called forth into the world.
The Assembly has three subthemes: the Spirit creates, the Spirit reconciles, the Spirit renews. The subthemes will help delegates interpret the main theme in light of the creative, reconciling and transformative love of God.
