You have no idea about the place where the worship will take place.
You have no idea about the people who will take part.
You can only guess what will be the important issues in 2004.
Does this mean: Let it be? Better not respond to this task?

Not at all!
There is someone who knows the place.
There is someone who can tell you who will come.
There is already a theme, and an ongoing struggle.
Take all your imagination to envision the best place.
Take all the time you've got until 2004.
Take all your creativity to project inspiring liturgy.

This we did with a lot of enthusiasm, commitment and solidarity,
Listening to each other, singing and praying together,
rethinking again and again what worship would mean.

There is space.
We just started to explore this open space, careful but curious.
We just started to plant small trees:
Music-trees, liturgy-trees, symbol-trees, song-trees, poetry-trees...
Which - we hope - will grow and flourish in the years
Up to the 24th general council in Accra.

They need a lot of attention, these trees:
Nourishing waters from different world regions,
Protection from storms of objections and the heavy hail of discouragement,
And soil from mother earth with all her secrets.
They need a lot of people all around the world
Engaging in this challenging task -
So that together we can celebrate life in the shadows of their leaves.