Topic Overview:

• Editorial
  
• News from the Council
• General Assembly 2024
  
• Europe
• European Cities of Reformation 
  
• News from the Head Office
• Book Introduction

The Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE) is hoping for a “fair debate about Europe’s future” in the run-up to the European elections in June 2024 and is calling for candidates who seek good cooperation across borders rather than polarisation. The CPCE Council has adopted the following statement, which can be found on our website. PDF versions of the statement can also be found on our website in English, German, and French:

The current members of the CPCE Council met for the final time in Reutlingen, Germany, this past February, as the General Assembly and the election of a new Council draws near. It was a bittersweet meeting for those in attendance, as Council members reflected on the past 6 years of CPCE work and looked towards the future, making decisions related to various texts and the General Assembly.

The meeting was made all the more special by the fact that it was hosted, for the first time in the history of CPCE, by the Methodists. Reutlingen is famous in European Methodist circles for its Theologische Hochschule, and this was the venue for the final Council Meeting.

Many prominent members of the Methodist Church graced the Council with their presence at a festive evening in the local church building, and General Secretary Mario Fischer presented Bishop Harald Rückert, the bishop of the Methodist Church in Germany, with a 50th Anniversary Medallion in recognition of this momentous occasion and display of hospitality.

CPCE President Miriam Rose warmly welcomes delegates, guests, and advisors to Sibiu, Romania this August for the CPCE's 9th General Assembly. She wishes all attendees a joyful experience and hopes that our commonalities will overcome any differences as we learn to live in communion with one another as churches in Europe.

The CPCE General Assembly will not only stay in the conference rooms, but interactions with the regional churches are also planned. On Sunday, 2 September, the participants will be guests at various worship services.

Under the motto "In the light of Christ – called to hope", the General Assembly will have the task of adopting texts that have been prepared, but also of proposing topics for further work. The texts and topics can be found on our website:

The Conference of International NGOs with Participatory Status at the Council of Europe meets in April. The CPCE supports the continuation of the Committee for Interreligious and Interconvictional Dialogue. At the end of April, the CPCE is planning an online meeting with representatives from the member churches who are interested in working at the Council of Europe and want to get involved. Interested people can get in touch with the office now.

In 2017 the CPCE designated the Estonian capital of Tallinn and Tartu as European Cities of Reformation on the basis of a joint application by the local city authorities and the Lutheran Church. The European Union selected Tartu as the Capital of Culture 2024 in recognition of the city‘s rich cultural heritage, dynamic arts scene and innovative approach to culture.