Edinburgh 2010 is a project of the World Church. It is governed by a General Council made up of 20 representatives from the Evangelical, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal and Protestant Christian traditions, and has authority to decide all matters of strategy and policy. The project is co-ordinated by an International Director who is employed by the University of Edinburgh.

The governance of Edinburgh 2010, sometimes raised as a question, 'Who owns and is in charge of the project?', is a complex one and continues to be a challenge to those of us closely involved in the project.

The General Council is the supreme body responsible for Edinburgh 2010 and decides its strategy and policy. It was established as an international body and met for the first time in September 2006. It has met twice since, once last year and again in April this year. The council was the product of much careful planning by the Towards 2010 network which started preparation for Edinburgh 2010 in 2000, and it draws its authority from the fact that it represents all the main parts of the worldwide Church family, Evangelical, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal and Protestant. The General Council has set up an Executive Committee to meet more regularly, together with several committees tasked with carrying out various aspects of Edinburgh 2010.

The General Council is not a legal entity in its own right and as such under UK law (where the project is based) cannot employ staff, or operate a bank account. This created problems that needed to be solved thoroughly. It was considered too difficult to make the General Council into a Trust with its scattered members of Trustees. So the responsibility for employing staff has generously been met by the University of Edinburgh, who employ the International Director, Dr. Daryl Balia, and also by the Church of Scotland who employ the Communications Officer.

Both the University and the Church have insisted that no financial liability whatsoever will be incurred in employing staff. This means that staff costs have to be paid for, and guaranteed, in advance. The University of Edinburgh has agreed to organise the June conference next year under the direction of the General Council's Events Committee. The University's Office of Lifelong Learning will help to administer the conference and will be paid a fee by the project for doing so. The Church of Scotland is acting as banker, gathering in funds, paying invoices, and providing basic management accounts for the project. Again, the Church has made it clear it cannot accept any financial liability for Edinburgh 2010.

It can be seen from this structure of governance that it is crucial to the success of Edinburgh 2010 that the World Church in its various parts accepts responsibility to fund the work adequately. Hence our widespread and ongoing appeal for funds.

It is important to state that Edinburgh 2010 is uniquely a project of the World Church represented by the General Council. It is not solely a project of the World Council of Churches (WCC), nor of the Church of Scotland, nor of the University of Edinburgh. It should be pointed out that this project is, of course, of limited duration and will come to a close soon after the June celebration next year.

Rev. Andrew Anderson
Chairman of the General Council
andrew@pilrig.fsnet.co.uk

One hundred years ago missionary leaders from around the world travelled to the very Northwest of Europe. They met in the Scottish city of Edinburgh to explore and discuss perceptions and strategies of evangelization. The outcomes of this gathering changed the life of many people around the world, and laid the foundations for the Protestant ecumenical movement.

But why of all cities did this unique event happen in Edinburgh, and not in one of the bigger European or North American capitals like London, Paris or New York? The records of the 1910 conference help us to find an answer to this question: 

"Edinburgh was a fitting place of meeting. In the earlier missionary enterprise which evangelised Europe no country was more prominent than Scotland, and no country has in proportion to its size contributed to the evangelisation of the world during the last century so large a number of distinguished and devoted missionaries. The beauties of the capital of Scotland, as well as the romance of history clinging to its ancient castle and palace and buildings, made it an attractive gathering-place for those from other lands; the hospitality of its citizens transformed the city for them into a Christian home; and the bright sunshine, which was broken only by a brief thunderstorm one afternoon, enhanced the welcome of the city and the comfort of the members in attending the meetings."  (The History and Records of the Conference. World Missionary Conference, Edinburgh 1910)

Although a small country, Scotland had played a leading role in the development of the missionary movement. Its capital is not only nicknamed the "Auld Reekie" (Scottish for Old Smoky), but also the "Athens of the North" recognizing Edinburgh's importance during the Enlightenment. As Ken Ross, Council Secretary for the Church of Scotland's World Mission Council, points out, "it had produced such inspirational figures as Alexander Duff and David Livingstone. Scottish missionary work in such places as Calcutta, Bombay, Lovedale and Livingstonia was widely respected. So missionary leaders from around the world accepted the invitation to travel to Edinburgh for the conference." (WM 28)

In less than one year's time we will celebrate and commemorate the legacy of the World Missionary Conference. Like in 1910 missionary leaders will be invited to Edinburgh for a five-day conference. In 2010 the celebrations will not be limited to Edinburgh however. Thanks to the internet people from all over the world will be able to follow the celebrations online. With the help of our soon to be published Participation Guide Christians of all traditions are invited to organise local 2010 events, thus making Edinburgh 2010 a truly global movement in the name of Christ.

How can YOU be part of Edinburgh 2010?

Edinburgh 2010 is more than just a single conference that is taking place in Scotland. It is a movement and series of events that hopefully reaches Christian communities all over the world. 

The Global Events Committee wants to invite YOU to be part of the 2010 movement. You can pray for the project, watch the Edinburgh celebrations online, or even organise a 2010 event in your local community. The hope is that next June people in Asia, Africa, America, Europe and Australia are all reflecting on what it means to witness to Christ today. Further information will be provided in our newsletter and on the website.

The Global Events Committee was established in April 2009 by the General Council to coordinate and link up events in the Edinburgh 2010 spirit. Edgar Ruddock (USPG), Ruth Padilla De Borst (Latin American Theological Fellowship), Roger Schmidt (Lutheran World Federation) and Jasmin Adam (Communications Officer) are part of this team. Via Skype and online discussions the committee is currently working on a detailed participation guide. The guide will be available as download from the Edinburgh 2010 website in as many languages as possible.  

16-25 October 2010
Cape Town 2010
Venue: Cape Town (South Africa)

The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, 16-25 October 2010.  The Congress, held in collaboration with the World Evangelical Alliance, will bring together 4,000 leaders from more than 200 countries to confront the critical issues of our time – other world faiths, poverty, HIV/AIDS, persecution, among others - as they relate to the future of the Church and world evangelization. In addition, thousands more will participate virtually in the Lausanne Global Conversation and Cape Town GlobalLink before, during and after the Congress. Find out how you can participate in Cape Town 2010 by visiting the event website.

Take time to listen to the Word of God.

'God loved the world so much
that he gave his only Son,
that everyone who has faith in him
may not die but have eternal life.
It was not to judge the world
that God sent his Son into the world,
but that through him the world might be saved.'
(John 3:16)