National Council of Churches

A National Council of Churches (NCC) is an ecumenical organization in which the churches of a country work together on a national level. The self-image and tasks of a National Council of Churches can be very different. In most cases, this includes joint representation vis-à-vis state authorities and the coordination of national participation in international ecumenism.

National Councils of Churches can be given associate status with the World Council of Churches and some Regional Ecumenical Organizations .

Churches that are not members of the World Council of Churches or their regional ecumenical organization are also members of some National Councils of Churches. For the Conference of European Churches , participation in local and national ecumenism, which can be expressed, among other things, in membership in a National Council of Churches, is a criterion for examining applications for membership from new churches.

National church councils in German-speaking countries are:

• Working group of Christian churches in Germany
• Working group of Christian churches in Switzerland
• World Council of Churches in Austria