CESE celebrates 45 years with Assembly and projects visitations

The 45th Assembly of CESE, which celebrates the 45th anniversary of the Ecumenical Service Coordination, was held last Thursday (June 7th ). At the time, the CESE team, representatives of the Churches and ecumenical organizations visited initiatives that already had projects supported by it in Salvador (Bahia).

The group of about 60 people started the day going on a trail at São Bartolomeu Park, located at the Railroad Suburb. They were able not only to to experience the nature’s richness in that region, with forests and waterfalls, but also debate about the challenges to preserve the Park and the struggle of the communities af african based religions to express their faith in that area.

In the following moment, a dialogue took place to reflect on CESE’s four reference policies (The Right to Land, Water and Territory, the Right to Identity in Diversity, the Right to Work and Income, and Right to the City), in the light of experiences of popular groups, organizations and movements that operate in the Suburban area. “It is clear that the reality is much more dynamic, but the referential policies are a pedagogical work, a way of guiding the work of CESE in its various ways: formation, dialogue and articulation and incidence. Concluding, it is a way of guiding our actions in these 45 years of activity, “explains the project and training consultant of CESE, Olga Matos, who contributed mediating  the dialogue.

The Executive Director of CESE, Sonia Mota, says that this moment of the Assembly, where initiatives supported are paid a visit, is an area of incidence, on-site experience and team formation. “For us, these experiences are important to fuel our struggle. When we bring in churches and partner organizations to get to know the experiences of organizations and movements that act directly to address their problems and seeking creative solutions, it is a way to make churches and organizations that are part of CESE to feel part of this work.”

At the end of the day at the Park, each representative of the churches and ecumenical organizations that were there donated a small plant to the Park, symbolizing the commitment and solidarity with the various struggles that are taking place in the region.

The day ended with an ecumenical ceremony at the Church of the Trindade. Each person present was invited to light a candle and think about the referential policy that most identifies and make an individual commitment regarding to it. “Let the sparkle of these 45 years of CESE’s work never end and let us act actively for this flame to remain on,” expresses his vows to the Ecumenical Coordination of Service, the foundor of the Trindade community, Henrique Peregrino.

 

CESE’s Elective Ordinary General Assembly – June 7th to 8th, 2018

Aliança de Batistas do Brasil – ABB

Igreja Católica Apostólica Romana – ICAR

Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil – IEAB

Igreja Evangélica de Confissão Luterana no Brasil – IECLB

Igreja Presbiteriana Independente do Brasil – IPIB

Igreja Presbiteriana Unida do Brasil – IPU

Centro do Estudos Bíblicos – CEBI

Conselho Nacional de Igrejas Cristãs do Brasil – CONIC

Koinonia Presença Ecumênica e Serviço

Processo de Articulação e Diálogo – PAD

Coordenadoria Ecumênica de Serviço – CESE