Europe held its first continental assembly at the end of September in Budapest.
23 countries out of a total of about 40 were represented as well as 11 charismatic realities (communities, networks, families and schools of evangelization) (present in at least 3 countries with a total of about 300 members).
National delegations came from Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine.
The representatives of charismatic realities present in the Assembly belonged to: Beatitudes, Chemin Neuf, Shalom Catholic Community, Gesù Risorto, Emmanuel Community, Jesus Youth, Koinonia Giovanni Battista, Sword of the Spirit, Fondacio, European Network of Communities and Schools of St. Andrew.
Our objectives were to build fellowship, to identify the needs and services to offer, and finally to elect the CCSC (CHARIS Continental Service of Communion) and the coordination team.
The first objective was fully achieved. We had a lot of exchanges, sharing of praise together in a strong atmosphere of communion. The prayer assemblies allowed us to exercise charisms, especially prophecy. Out of the hundred participants, 12 were under the age of 30, which is really encouraging for our ageing Europe.
The third objective was also achieved: the elections took place in prayer and in peace, not without any hot discussion beforehand on the proposed method.
Regarding the needs, in addressing the various issues we realized that the team has work to do. The main points raised are the promotion of the baptism in the Holy Spirit in the parishes, towards the priests, towards the bishops, the promotion of prophecy, deliverance and prophetic intercession ministries, training, and finally the communication within the current of grace, but also externally.
In the interesting points to remember:
- We have managed to elect our bodies, which required the implementation of some aspects of our statutes:
- The non-statutory Assembly elected the two representatives of the ministries, the two young people were elected by the group of under 30s, the CCSC elected the Coordination Team (CoCoTeam) by choosing people only from within it. We settled the criteria that explain what it means for communities to be “represented on a continent” so as to help communities be visible and known, without making it the majority element. We need to confirm or revise our choices with the whole CHARIS International Service of Communion – CISC.
- The CCSC has agreed on an annual physical meeting.
- We have set up a youth council, made up of all under 30s present in Budapest.
The Continental Service of Communion can play an important role in helping the nations to set up the National Services of Communion. This is probably one of the priority tasks for the beginning.
Etienne Mellot and Paolo Maino
Responsible for Europe in the CISC