Women's Pre-Assembly Gathering

Women listen during a presentation at the pre-assembly gathering in Porto Alegre. About 200 women took part in the event.

How do women express the search for Christian unity against current societal challenges? About 200 women worked at that question as they participated in a pre-assembly gathering 11-13 February in Porto Alegre. At the conclusion of a Bible study on the second day of the gathering, the women displayed their unity through their collective spirituality, recognizing the gifts God has given and the manifestation of God's grace for all humanity, without discrimination.

The meeting was planned by the World Council of Churches so that delegates to the 9^th Assembly, which begins 14 February, would have an opportunity to meet and prepare for their participation over the next two weeks. Women will make up 37 percent of delegates at the 9^th Assembly. Their participation in the debates and decision-making is expected to be crucial in advancing opportunities for and equal treatment of women within churches and in the ecumenical world.