DAILY UDPATES: www.cpce-events.eu/tallinn
How can the Christian faith be passed on to the next generation in Europe’s increasingly secular and diverse societies? This question is the focus of the 5th European Meeting of Synod Members of the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE). From October 1 to 4, approximately 70 synod members from member churches ranging from Ireland to Greece will gather in the Estonian capital, Tallinn.
Synods are the central governing bodies of Protestant churches. Their elected or appointed members deliberate and make decisions on theological, social, organizational, and financial matters concerning church life. Each European Meeting of Synod Members brings together people who hold positions of responsibility in these bodies, fostering dialogue across national and denominational boundaries.
The series began in 2012 in Bad Boll with the goal of strengthening cooperation among synods in Europe. This was followed by meetings in Budapest, Bern, and Bad Herrenalb. The meeting in Tallinn continues this work: Participants share experiences from their diverse church and societal contexts, learn from one another, and forge connections to support their work in their respective home churches.
This year’s focus is on the question of how a faith that has been handed down can become a faith that is actively lived out. In doing so, the gathering takes up a mandate from the 9th General Assembly of the CPCE, which took place in 2024 in Sibiu/Hermannstadt, declaring the transmission of the faith and the churches’ missionary responsibility to be focal points of their joint work.
“Faith cannot be handed down to the next generation like a ready-made package. It comes alive when people share it, allow for questions, and find new forms of expression together. The experiences of our churches in Europe vary—and that is precisely why we can learn so much from one another. For me, the fact that we are coming together in Tallinn is a sign of confidence and solidarity with the churches in this region of Europe,” says CPCE General Secretary Dr. Susanne Schenk.
The host is the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELK). The gathering will open with a worship service at Tallinn Cathedral, where Archbishop Urmas Viilma will preach. Representatives from previous host cities will symbolically pass the baton to the Estonian Church. This handoff also symbolizes the conference’s central question: What do the churches pass on to the next generation?
The program includes discussions on the importance of family, church institutions, and an open society for passing on the faith. During visits to the Betheli Social Center and the Kaarli Church School, participants will learn about concrete examples from Estonia. Projects from various European churches will also be presented. Finally, the synod members will discuss how the CPCE can further support the exchange of experiences and cooperation among its member churches.
About the CPCE
The Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe comprises 96 Lutheran, Reformed, United and Methodist churches. It represents around 40 million Protestants in Europe and beyond. The Leuenberg Agreement of 1973 is the foundational document of this church communion; in it, Protestant churches of different confessional traditions declared pulpit and table fellowship on the basis of their common understanding of the Gospel. This church communion is lived in common worship, in common learning and teaching, in common witness and service, in reliable common structures, and in service to the unity of the Church. The CPCE has been based in Vienna since 2007.
More Information and Daily Updates:
www.cpce-events.eu/tallinn
www.leuenberg.eu
Press Contact:
Dr. Susanne Schenk
E-Mail: s.schenk@leuenberg.eu
Vienna/Tallinn, September 29, 2026.