wfn.org | Year with Latin America to continue

[PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org]

03-July-1996 
 
GA96087 
 
Year with Latin America to continue 
 
ALBUQUERQUE--Prayers for the "brokenhearted in Lebanon and in Guatemala," 
for those who are "uprooted and displaced" and for those who grieve and 
those who "cannot forgive past hurts" were offered in the midst of the 
report of the Assembly committee on Global Partnerships. 
 
    Moderator John Buchanan opened the prayer on behalf of churches in both 
countries who have asked the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to "stand in 
solidarity with them." 
 
    George Mourad of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon 
and Josephina Martinez of the much-harrassed National Evangelical 
Presbyterian Church of Guatemala's Kaqchiquel Presbytery, led portions of 
the prayer. 
 
    In other business, the Assembly approved a sweeping agenda for 
ministries across the world, focusing largely on churches in China and 
Taiwan and initiating a church-wide emphasis on partnerships with Latin 
Americans. 
 
    The "Year With Latin Americans" calls on each congregation and each 
member to "get to know Latin Americans in this country and in this 
hemisphere; pray for them; stand in solidarity with them; and join them in 
fellowship, celebration and mission" by: 
 
    * sponsoring a refugee family from Latin America; 
    * becoming informed about Latin American issues and working for just 
public policies; 
    * attending regional conferences in Latin America; 
    * serving as a mission volunteer there; 
    * or inviting Latin American interpreters to speak. 
 
    In the same action, the General Assembly authorized its churches and 
governing bodies to use study resources for the "Year With Latin Americans" 
and encouraged the General Assembly Council to consult with partner 
churches and ecumenical agencies in planning four regional conferences and 
travel study seminars in Latin America and with Latin Americans in the 
United States. 
 
    As tensions in the Taiwan Straits begin making news and as Hong Kong 
prepares for its return to Chinese sovereignty, the General Assembly 
reaffirmed its partnership in mission with Christians in Hong Kong, Taiwan 
and China -- and authorized a mission trip to both Taiwan and China. 
 
    It recommitted to working closely with churches in all three area and 
encouraged continued dialogue and exchanges to "build up mutual acceptance 
and understanding" between the people and churches as well. Specifically, 
the Assembly encouraged continued dialogue between the Presbyterian Church 
in Taiwan and the China Christian Council (CCC) in an international 
context.  That dialogue was begun in 1983, led by Moderator Robert Bohl. 
 
    Acknowledging the diverse political ideologies in the three areas, the 
Assembly voted to reaffirm the PCUSA's "solidary and partnership" with: 
 
    * the CCC and support for mission and ministry opportunies through the 
Council and the Amity Foundation.It also said, "We stand with the people of 
China and the CCC in the affirmation of their integrity and selfhood;" 
    * the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan "for its leadership in pursuit of 
freedom, human rights and peace;" as it voiced support for "the people of 
Taiwan in their efforts for self-determination, integrity and international 
acceptance;" 
    * the churches of Hong Kong as "they approach 1997."  It voiced a 
commitment to "pray for a just and peaceful transfer of sovereignty and 
support [for] the full participation of Hong Kong people in the democratic 
governance of the post-1997 special administrative region. 
 
    In other action, the denomination voted to join with other 
denominations and churches who are working toward the goal of the AD 2000 
movement.  Identified as a grassroots initiative, the movement proclaims: 
"a church for every people and the gospel for every person by the year 
2000." 
 
    The Assembly also adopted as a goal engaging in mission and evangelism 
among 200 of "the least evangelized people during the decade of the 1990s." 
 
Alexa Smith 

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