A special song and video—“Christ’s Love Moves the World”—has been released for the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly, 31 Aug-8 Sep, set to inspire the voices and ears of many who are ready to participate onsite in Karlsruhe, Germany, or online.
Lay musicians and singers from different countries participated in the performance of the song written by the Swedish composer Per Harling.
The transcultural, ecumenical music project is featured in a music video that interprets the theme of the assembly, “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity.” In a world shaped by the fundamental question of how we want to live together on earth in times of COVID-19 pandemic, climate emergency, and worsening racism, the song is a testimony of faith: people who live in the love of God and with the power of the Holy Spirit, want and can work together with one another and with people of other faiths for just peace and reconciliation.
The musical director of the music project is Vera Hotten, music teacher and choir director at the Evangelische Pop-Akademie in Witten, Germany. Digital tutorials enabled the project participants to practice and record their voices individually. The result is a piece of living faith and a digitally and spiritually connected community in support of the WCC.
The video is freely available to all interested parties for further use.
Rev. Christina Biere, Evangelical Church of Westphalia, said she hopes the video in its diversity gives a foretaste of the spirit that will blossom at the assembly. “And we hope that people will use the video in a variety of ways—show it in church services, share it on social media, and send it to friends via messenger services,” she said. “It may encourage people who will and who will not come to Karlsruhe that participating is also possible in small digital ways.”
