Thursday 22th of June 2017: Arrival up to 6.00 p.m. Kick off meeting in the evening.

Flight to Leipzig at 22. 6 up to 5p.m would be best. If you fly to Berlin you can go by train via Leipzig main station to train station Leipzig Air Port. We will shuttle you form there at a meeting Point to Zwochau. Stay in contact by fon/sms or by mail. We meet near Leipzig at a small village in
04509 Zwochau
Street: Hallesche Straße 38

Back home you have to leave from Leipzig main station to airport Leipzig or Berlin…
From 2 p.m. after the service in the reformed church in the city of Leipzig.

Thursday 22th

On spiritual growth and material degrowth: “He must increase, but I must decrease…” John 3,30

From june 29th till july 7th more than 1.000 delegates from more than 200 presbyterian, reformed and related churches of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) will gather in Leipzig to celebrate their communion in Christ and to look at and to discuss those issues all the member churches are coping and struggling with. In the run up to this General Council (GC) there will be a worldwide seminary of reformed students of theology (Global Institute of Theology, GIT), a Women’s Council, a Youth Council (formed by the youth delegates of the GC) and: the Youth Gathering in Zwochau.

The Youth Gathering in Zwochau will be made up by three groups: most of the youth delegates, the stewards and other individual participants. We look forward to having a good time in Zwochau, to build friendships and to share stories. And we will try to learn about and to discuss the main theme of the General Council “Living God, renew and transform us” by asking: What does that mean for us as the so-called Millennials?

By discussing this topic we don’t start from scratch. Our family of reformed churches is debating and struggling with some issues for decades now. In the last 20 years the main theme has been the ongoing process of economic globalization and its different effects on people all over the world. This implies social injustice, growing migration movements, ecological and economic crises and changing life patterns and cultures. When the reformed churches gathered in Accra, Ghana, in 2004, they condemned the prevailing neo-liberal concept of globalization (“more market, less rules”) in the “Accra Confession” as a devastating and dehumanizing ideology. They described the forces behind this ideology – you can find them by following the money – as an “Empire”, using apocalyptic language.

13 years later the situation on a global scale has not improved; it has even become worse. In many countries the “gospel” of free markets and less rules has gained even more ground. At the same time, the devastating effects of globalization without social and environmental concerns have provoked and reinforced racist and nationalist movements all over the world. Yet, there are also thousands and millions of positive stories, stories of communion and respect, stories of common values and solutions.

Our personal lives, the cultures we live in and the churches we belong to have changed in the last decades. Today, they continue to be transformed. But in what direction? The youth gathering in Zwochau is a unique chance to share stories of those transformations we’ve seen in the life of our families and communities. And to ask: What could renewal and transformation inspired by the living God mean for our lives, for our churches?

Starting from biblically inspired concepts of the “good life” we ask how we can foster and share a way of life that does not violate the environment and the quality of life of other people and societies. We will learn from researchers developing social and economic concepts towards a world in which “all may have life in fullness” (the main theme of the General Council in Accra 2004).

We will do engage with our topic in different ways:

  • By experiencing and celebrating our union in Christ.
  • By listening to experts who can tell us more about the theological and economic backgrounds of these issues, both in plenary sessions and in workshops.
  • By sharing stories of change and transformation from our own families, communities and congregations.
  • By creating art & formulating our vision for a good life for all.

Friday 23th

Friday 23th of June 2017

Input I: Welcome to Degrowth

Zwochau location

Introduction

My Image

Degrowth challenges the hegemony of growth and calls for a democratically led redistributive downscaling of production and consumption in industrialized countries as a means to achieve environmental sustainability, social justice and well-being.

Input I: Welcome to Degrowth
Intro to our topic and program guidance
input on limits to growth plus degrowth (KNOE)

Presentation and choice of workshops:

Workshops I
• Mental Infrastructures I: acceleration and enterprising self (KNOE)
• Spoken word (Art)
• Dance (Art)
• “prosperity gospel” (Mrs Währisch-Oblau)
• Accra Confession (Jan-Henry + Martin Engels?)
• Optional: Sharing stories of transformation/change


Saturday 24th

Saturday 24th of June 2017

Input II: buen vivir

Zwochau location

Introduction

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Dr. Germán Muruchi Poma is live at stage speaking on buen vivir


presentation and choice of workshops
Since 2011 CEO of „Ayni – Verein für Ressourcengerechtigkeit“ in Leipzig. You can read one of his publications in spain and a german introduction here (more here)

Presentation and choice of workshops:

Workshops II
  • Mental Infrastructures II: societal nature relations and alternatives (KNOE)
    • Spoken word (Art)
    • Dance (Art)
    • Buen Vivir (Acosta)
    • Pilgrimage to coal digger (Jan-Henry)
    • Peaceful Revolution (?)


Sunday 25th

Sunday 25th of June 2017

Input III: Our faith, our churches

Zwochau location

Art and dance and performance

My Image

Explanation of Open Space, biblical impulse und church “journey” (Accra, Michigan) with interviews, work in small groups on “What does this mean for our church (life)?”

Presentation and choice of workshops:


Open Space-method:
- workshop offers by participants
- several preparation groups for worship (?)

One of our inspiring Artist, the Rick Zuzu from Netherlands will challenge you together with his artistic companion Ulrike Flämig and Konzeptwerk


Monday 26th

Monday 26th of June 2017

Preparation for Event

Zwochau location

Introduction

My Image

Presentation on public event and options
Work in theme groups:
- Theater (KNOE)
- Performance (Art)
- Exhibition / optional
- Panel/Talkshow/”9,5 theses for our churches” for evening program


Tuesday 27th

Tuesday 27th of June 2017

Degrowth challenges the hegemony of growth

Evangelisch Reformierte Kirche zu Leipzig, Tröndlinring 7, 04105 Leipzig

Open Festival Day in Leipzig Center

My Image

Degrowth challenges the hegemony of growth and calls for a democratically led redistributive downscaling of production and consumption in industrialized countries as a means to achieve environmental sustainability, social justice and well-being.

In a consensus for degrowth, focus is set on ending the overexploitation of natural resources and humans, because the carrying capacity of the planet, the “planetary boundaries”, and the social limits to growth have been largely surpassed.

Degrowth furthermore implies other types of institutions and ethics, and an efficiency, which is frugal or based on reducing inputs and outputs

Beim Internationalen Jugendtreffens, das vom 23. – 28. Juni 2017 im Rahmen der Generalversammlung der Weltgemeinschaft Reformierter Kirchen (WCRC) in der Nähe von Leipzig stattfinden wird, kommen 300 junge Erwachsene aus aller Welt zusammen.

Sie werden sich intensiv austauschen, Erfahrungen miteinander teilen und gemeinsam neue machen. Als leitende Frage wird über dieser Woche der Begegnung stehen: Was bedeutet das Gute Leben? In Anbetracht vielfältiger globaler Krisen (Gerechtigkeit, Ökologie, Demokratie) und in Anlehnung an das lateinamerikanische Konzept des „Buen Vivir“ entwickeln die Teilnehmenden neue – individuelle und gemeinsame – Perspektiven auf das Gute Leben und stellen sich der Frage, wie ein Gutes Leben für Alle möglich sein kann. Antworten sollen in unterschiedlichsten Formen und mit vielseitigen Methoden erarbeitet werden.

Die Ergebnisse werden kurze Texte, Schauspiel, Foto- oder Videoarbeiten, bildende Kunst u.v.m. umfassen.


Wednesday 28th

Wednesday 28th of June 2017

Preparation for leaving with a service

Zwochau location to Leipzig

Lifted above the normal world :-)

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We will leave an inspiring and intense heavy week of strengthening the vision and faith in our future - coming through God.

Finish of our meeting Wednesday 28th of June 2017, 2.00 p.m in Leipzig city, Reformed City Church


WCRC2017