To all the women present, the ecumenical movement and more specifically their involvement in the life and work of the WCC has been an empowering experience. They look back with joy and gratitude to different moments of their own involvement. The possibilities it has offered for encounters with people from around the world, the learning from each other's contributions to ecumenical debates, has been a high point for all the women. They also spoke with enthusiasm of the various team experiences that they have had. To most of them the ecumenical movement has been a life challenging experience and all named women in the movement who have played a nurturing and influencing role in their own involvement.

But, the experiences have not been without their moments of pain. There was need to name times and events which were disappointing and dis-empowering. Tokenism is one such experience both in the church and in the ecumenical movement- many women came into the life of the council in place of a man who could not make it.... the invisibility of women, their stories, their theological visions in most documents was also highlighted.

The place and participation of women in the new structure of the WCC was affirmed. The commitment of the whole Council to programmatic work related to women, needs to be continually monitored. However, concern was raised regarding the new trend towards a more "management approach" which does not include a commitment to participation and representation of the various constituencies of the council, and places women in a compromising position...

Women who have served in leadership positions spoke of "loneliness" and alienation from other women in the movement. There was a strong plea for a change in the present methodology of functioning. It was held that the WCC, given its diversity, has the potential to become the authentic voice of the broken community. Shared leadership between women and men can become more visible and workable ... The WCC can model a now style which is integrated and holistic and not fragmented by programmatic and other interests. Women have a responsibility to bring these visions into the life and witness of the Council.

To most of the women, participation in the ecumenical movement has been more that their involvement in the WCC. The secular women's movement has been a challenging experience for many women in their own countries. Involvement with people of other faiths in grassroot level survival struggles in just living together in harmony with each other continues to be an empowering experience -be it political struggles of Tamils in Sri Lanka, work with ragpickers in Egypt or learning how to live with compassion and understanding in the new Europe which faces the now reality of having to welcome people of all races and religious' persuasions.

The unity of a splintered and disunited church remains a cause for pain. Women who have experienced the breaking down of denominational walls in their own local level ecumenical encounters, see the divisions in the church as a sign of unfaithfulness to Christ's calling...

(However), it was held that a unity that denies the rights of women will only be a broken unity... Women's participation in all aspects of the life of the church must be welcomed and appreciated. There was a plea to keep the issue of the ordination of women alive on the ecumenical agenda, respecting the voice of women in those churches where it is not yet an issue of discussion or concern. Ordination of women was seen, in many churches, as the church's struggle to move forward in its understanding of ministry... and have played a transforming role in the life of the churches.

The significance of the eucharist was affirmed. To many women, it was distressing that we are still divided at the Lord's Table. Eucharist, to some of the women, was a sign of sharing, a deep experience of the healing we receive in secular societies that are so badly In need of solidarity and community. To some others the divided table is an experience only when we meet at ecumenical gatherings. Can eucharistic unity ever be realized? was the cry of some. We live in a broken world, the disunity of the church, its brokenness; and inability to be a common voice of solidarity and sharing is far more important than our inability to share the table.

To the women, local ecumenism, often life and community centred must be the starting point for any understanding of the WCC. The WCC means different things to different people, according to their needs and contexts - this contributes to its dynamism and relevance, and therefore this is what must be safeguarded,

On women's visions for the future

- that the ecumenical movement and WCC will give expression to the oikoumene we speak of- a community that celebrates its diversity and plurality, where the gifts and visions of all will be welcomed

- that the participation of women will be affirmed so that the theological and spiritual visions of women will be integrated fully into the life of the ecumenical movement and more specifically into the WCC

- that the struggles of all marginalised groups will come to the centre of the life of the ecumenical movement- that the inter-linkage of struggles will be affirmed, rather than a tendency to hierarchalise suffering.

- that the ecumenical movement and WCC intensify its efforts at playing a reconciling and renewing role as societies and churches fall apart in different parts of the world.

- that the role of the WCC in human rights efforts be intensified, and that the churches speak out with greater unity and courage against violations in different parts of the world, rather than be silenced by groups or interests in various countries.

- that there will be true sisterhood of women- recognising that we still remain divided by human boundaries of class, race, religion, and region, that do tend to keep women apart.

- that the WCC will recognise, that women of the world are exhausted, often holding societies and sometimes churches together, and that it will continue to play a healing role in the world, specifically with women,

- that the end of the Decade will be a time of celebration (and not of mourning) because the churches will have moved forward in their commitment and faithfulness to the women of the world.

- that a true community of women and men will be realised, both in church and in society so that there will be no more need to set apart Decades for Solidarity of the Churches with Women.