As detailed in a message to all subscribers sent on December 17, the Geneva, Switzerland based Ecumenical News International is suspending operations as of December 21, and will lay off the 50 correspondents, its Editor in Chief, and its Managing Editor and all current staff at the Geneva headquarters.

A new editorial team is expected to be assembly during this restructuring process with hopes of resuming work with a slimmed down operation early in 2011.

In the notice, Editor in Chief Peter Kenney explained:

“Unfortunately, increasing financial constraints on the operations of ENInews means that it is impossible for the agency to continue as it has done in the past. The governing body of ENInews has taken the decision to close the current editorial office based at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva as from the end of 2010. Its hope is that a new operation with new staff will be able to start work on a new basis in 2011.”

Troubles began earlier this year when the World Council of Churches, forced to make significant cuts to its 2011 budget year, cut their support of ENI by more than half.

ENI’s board chairman, Anders Gadegaard, the Dean of Copenhagen Cathedral, as well as the board treasurer, Marianne Ejdersten, the deputy head of communications for the Church of Sweden, have also resigned effective January 1.

After making the announcement, a formal farewell was made for the entire staff at the Geneva offices.

The process of restructuring has not gone smoothly. The business committee decided to move forward with an unpaid Publisher and a newly designed position of Editor/General Manager that would be funded at only 80% of normal salary. It was clear to observers that this was the result of disagreement with the present staff.

In a written statement, the outgoing president Gadegaard said:

“I do not wish to take responsibility for a restructuring process without ensuring that the experiences and achievements of the past are brought forward into the new structures. Transformation and renewal should always build on the achievements of the past. To begin once again from zero is a waste of investments, resources and great human qualifications.”

Since 1994 from Geneva, where ENInews has it headquarters, news has gone to other news agencies, radio, television and newspapers, church media and leaders as well as to research institutions in at least 50 countries and to individual subscribers.

It is hoped that the restructured service can assembly a new team which includes many of the same correspondents now used in various nations around the world.

Because of its oversight by members of the liberal wing of Christian churches, including the Lutheran World Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches and the Conference of European Churches, The Aquila Report has seldom published articles directly from ENI. However, they have been a valuable source of ‘tips’ to stories of interest to our readers which can be tracked down and published from other sources.