Being Church: women's voices and visions. (News).

This reflection and action process, will bring to churches some insights from women on ways of being Church that were revealed during the Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with women, 1988-1998. The churches would then take account of these perspectives and respond to women's deepest aspirations for community (koinonia), justice and solidarity. The hope is that out of this listening to and engagement with women's voices and visions, renewal and greater unity would come.

This process is a response to the Central Committee's call to the World Council of Churches to have `Being Church' as one of its themes. At the same time, these proposals are also a follow up of the progress made in the earlier study on `The Community of Women and Men in the Church', which greatly affected the lives of the churches in many countries.

This new study explores what it means to be called by God, to live in and for the world; what forms of spirituality would nurture the life of the church as a community; how the ministry of the whole Church might be renewed to include the gifts that God gives to both men and women for service; and what structures would better equip the Church for faithfulness in its task of witness and service in the world. This exploration and reflection will inevitably raise challenges that require action.

Women's perspectives on being Church is explored by:

* Encouraging women to articulate the ways their communities of faith are life-giving for them;

* Exploring how the healing mission of the Church touches the pain of violence and exclusion that some women feel;

* Listening to women share their visions of what the Church of the future might be;

* Documenting how women are already experiencing new ways of being Christians together and how it would impact the Church of the future;

* Reflecting theologically on women's insights and experiences of being Church.

The process is open and invitational, leading to clarification of positions that spring from mutual listening and questioning, without moving too quickly to specific positions or propositions.

Themes for theological research and reflection

1. Metaphors and Models of the Church: old and new

Exploration of the images of the Church in Scripture and tradition from the perspective of women; consideration of the implications of understanding the basic reality of the Church as koinonia; reflection on new images that are emerging from women's communities of faith and struggle.

2. Word Sacrament and Liturgy

Investigation of whether, and how, traditional understandings of Word, sacrament and liturgy exclude women and their experience and whether there is something distinctive in the way women experience and interpret Word and sacrament, and an exploration of the role of rituals in women's communities of faith and struggle.

3. Community, Diversity and Justice

Investigation of women's particular perspectives on the work for unity and their insights into identity, diversity and community; reflection upon ways to energize forces of life, to overcome violence and other forms of injustice in the midst of the groaning of creation.

4. Partnership and the Exercise of Power

Investigation of how power and authority are exercised and by whom in the life of the churches today, and a consideration of the representation of women at the different levels of the life of the churches, and an envisioning of different models of partnership and inclusiveness for the future.

How to be involved ...

Individual women, or groups of women, or groups of women and men are invited to offer reflections on the following questions:

* Where do you find strength and healing in the church?

* How do you contribute to the life of the church?

* What hinders your participation in the church? What changes will improve the life of women in the church?

* What will enhance the gospel message in the church for women, men and creation?

* If not in the church, where do you find your source of strength and spirituality?

Please send your responses to: The Women's Program, Justice Peace and Creation Team, World Council of Churches email: [e-mail]