Final message of the 2023 Cevaa General Assembly

“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Romans 5 : 3-4
To the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Ghana, our Member-Church in Ghana:
The Cevaa General Assembly, meeting from 16 to 22 October 2023 in Jacqueville, Côte d'Ivoire, sends its messages of support and prayers to the Church and to the victims of disaster in Ghana following the overflow of the Akosombo dam in the Volta, caused by heavy rains.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11 : 1
To the associations: Amis de Sabeel France (Palestine) https://plateforme-palestine.org/Amis-de-Sabeel-France
and Peace Now (Israël) https://peacenow.org.il/en
The Cevaa General Assembly, meeting from 16 to 22 October 2023 in Jacqueville, Côte d'Ivoire, sensitive and affected by the suffering endured by peoples, gives its full support to Israeli and Palestinian associations and organizations working for peace.
We pray that lasting peace may be restored for a peaceful existence.

“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. ”Psalm 94 : 19
To the Cevaa General Secretariat:
The General Assembly, meeting from 16 to 22 October 2023 in Jacqueville, Côte d’Ivoire, sends its warmest thanks to the Secretariat for the preparatory and organizational work. More specifically, the Assembly wishes to acknowledge Aurore Gibily’s commitment to the smooth running of the Community’s life.
The General Assembly also extends its heartfelt thanks to Rev. Célestin Kiki, for his service as General Secretary of Cevaa (2008-2021) and to Mrs. Henriette Mbatchou as President of the Community (2016-2021), as well as for their best wishes for the success of our General Assembly.

“Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, you will find a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 24 : 14
To the Cevaa Member-Churches:
COP21 boosted the mobilization of Christians sensitive to environmental issues, and initiated a process that was expressed in particular by the publication of the brochure “Inhabit Creation differently”.
The delegations of the Cevaa Member-Churches, gathered from 16 to 22 October 2023 in Jacqueville, Côte d’Ivoire, took part in the work of the General Assembly on the theme “Inhabit creation differently”. The reflection was centered on the Churches' own commitment to the establishment of a new Shared Action.

The debates and discussions highlighted a real awareness of respect for the environment and the urgency of climate justice. The meditations and interventions of witnesses from all different backgrounds have born the fruit of concrete projects.
We are led to speak and to say our convictions drawn from our Christian faith: respect for creation and responsibility of women and men in the future of our earth (land-sea), necessity to act for a globalization with human face, justice and solidarity. Seeking the right balance: what principle should lead the missionary activity of the Cevaa Community?
The participants expressed concern about the future of the Community, faced with a tension between financial realities and the utopia that defines the Community. Faced with an uncertain future, the General Assembly took important decisions that will be transmitted to the Churches.

Our sincere thanks to our speakers for their intervention, their contribution and participation in the roundtable:

• Professor Marcel NGIRINSHUTI, Professor of Eco-theology at PUCA – Protestant University of Central Africa (Yaoundé, Cameroon);
• Dr. Cynthia AGBA wife GBLIGA DJOMAN, PhD in Communication, Ethics and Society, teacher-researcher at the UPGC University of Korhogo (Ivory Coast);
• Professor Frédéric Armel MEMEL, professor-researcher at the Institute of Tropical Geography at the Houphouet-Boigny University of Cocody-Abidjan (Ivory Coast).

Our sincere thanks also to the Ebenezer parish of Jacqueville for the opening service and its welcome of the delegations of the Cevaa Community.
Our warmest thanks to all of EMU-CI, United Methodist Church - Côte d'Ivoire, for hosting and organizing the Cevaa General Assembly.
Finally, our thanks go to the administrative, political and traditional authorities of Côte d'Ivoire for their warm welcome.

The next Cevaa General Assembly will take place in Italy from 6 to 13 October 2025, hosted by the Evangelical Waldensian and Methodist Churches in Italy: Chiese Evangeliche Valdesi e Metodiste de Italia.

                                                                       The delegations at the 2023 Cevaa General Assembly