wfn.org | Moving against the current: two global church networks merge

["Daphne Martin_Gnanadason" <Daphne.Martin_Gnanadason@warc.ch>]

>World Alliance of Reformed Churches
>News Release
>7 June 2010

Moving against the current: two global church networks merge

The world’s two largest networks of Protestant churches in the
Reformed tradition are meeting in Grand Rapids in the
northeastern United States            June 18 - 26 to found a new
organization signaling a new level of relationship between two
families of churches once divided from each other.

“In these times of division and dissension in so many areas of
our lives - including church life - it is highly significant that
two global groups of churches based in 108 countries and
representing 80 million people should be willing to come together
in a higher level of union than ever before,” says Richard van
Houten, General Secretary of the Reformed Ecumenical Council
(REC). 

On June 18, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) will
merge with REC to form the World Communion of Reformed Churches
(WCRC). An expected 475 delegates plus a nearly equal number of
observers, guests, visitors and volunteers will gather on Calvin
College Campus for the Uniting General Council (UGC) which will
mark the launch of the WCRC. The event runs from 18 – 26 June.

The two founding organizations draw on distinctive but
complementary traditions. While both draw on Reformed commitment
to Biblical tradition, REC is known for its emphasis on spiritual
development and faithfulness to church 'Confessions' (statements
which define points of faith) while WARC is known for its stances
on issues such as racial and gender justice, environmental
protection and a just and equitable world economic order.

“The term ‘communion’ in the new organization’s name points to a
new form of working relationship,” says Setri Nyomi, WARC’s
general secretary. “As a communion, we recognize our common
baptism and our togetherness at the Lord's table - making us
better witnesses and more effective in making a difference in the
world.”

The programmatic mandate of the new World Communion of Reformed
Churches will be to focus on issues of church unity and social
programmes. The staff will be based in Geneva, Switzerland at the
Ecumenical Centre which also houses the World Council of Churches
to which WCRC will belong.

“Justice concerns will be at the heart of the WCRC,” says Judi
Fisher of the Uniting Church of Australia. Fisher, WARC’s Pacific
Region Vice-President, says matters affecting the lives and
rights of Indigenous peoples will be an integral part of the UGC
agenda. 

“Hearing the voices of the world’s indigenous peoples,
particularly those from North America whose guests we are when we
meet on their land, will challenge and inspire us to understand
what environmental destruction and the legacy of racial abuse in
church-run schools has done to entire communities of Indigenous
peoples in North America,” says Fisher. 

The programme for the UGC features debate of a wide range of
issues of concern to member churches. From these, delegates will
set specific priorities for the coming seven-year period leading
up to the next global assembly.

UGC programme highlights include:

·      Opening of the Uniting General Council, the first meeting
of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. Friday, June 18 at
2:15 p.m.  

·      Ceremonial arrival, drumming and greetings by tribal
chiefs from the Michigan State area. The ceremony will include an
exchange of drums between UGC delegates and tribal chiefs.
Friday, June 18 at 2:00 p.m. 
 Keynote panel presentation featuring:

Ruth Padilla (Costa Rica) “Reflections from Latin
America”

Park Seong-Won (Korea) “Flourishing Life-Giving Oikos”

Sabine Dressler-Kromminga  (Germany) “Unity in Uniqueness
and Diversity”

>Ayana McCalman (Guyana) “Justice Renewed”

The moderator is Sharon Watkins of the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ).

>Saturday, June 19 at 10:30 a.m.  

·      Celebratory worship service to mark the launch of the
WCRC. The service will feature children as the leaders of
tomorrow's church receiving the symbol of unity of the new
Reformed body. Sunday, June 19 at 4:00 p.m.

·      Keynote presentation by American Indian leader, Richard
Twiss, known for his approach to cultural and community renewal
based on Christian faith and traditional Indigenous dance, music
and arts. Tuesday, June 22 at 11:15 a.m. 

·      Afternoon of worship and cultural activities with
Indigenous peoples from throughout the United States in
Ab-nab-awen Park on the banks of the Grand River in downtown
Grand Rapids. The programme includes a Pow Wow and will conclude
with a Friendship Dance. Arts, crafts and food will be on sale.
Activities are open to the public. 

Tuesday, June 22. 2:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Ab-nab-awen
Park.

·      Election of WCRC President. Thursday, June 24. 2:00 p.m. –
4:00 p.m. 

·      Planning church response to economic and climate
injustice, the impact of the financial crisis on the world’s
poor, women’s rights in the church and human rights in troubled
regions of the world. Friday, June 25 and Saturday, June 26. 

Unless otherwise noted, all sessions noted above take place in
the Van Noord Arena of the Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex, Calvin
College.
Organizers are arranging for hundreds of local volunteers to
serve as airport greeters, ushers for the worship events,
information desk attendants, drivers and “go-fers”.
Host committee member, Anne Weirich, wants to provide a warm
welcome to UGC participants. “It is going to be a great
experience for all of us from the Grand Rapids area to meet
Christians from around the world,” says Weirich.
Throughout the Uniting General Council, workshops and exhibits
will be offered in the Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex. UGC delegates
will be welcomed as guests in congregations around Grand Rapids
on Sunday, June 20 and on the weekend of June 26 and 27.

A full programme listing is available at

www.reformedchurches.org ( http://www.reformedchurches.org/ )

Journalists wishing to cover the event, are asked to contact the
head of the UGC Communication and News Team, Kristine Greenaway
kgr@warc.ch, for accreditation. A full news service will be
offered to journalists from June 14-26 in the Hoogenboom Center,
HC Room 204, Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex. Phone number from 14
June: 1-616-826-5540 or 1-616-826-8636.

>Kristine Greenaway
>Executive Secretary, Communications
>World Alliance of Reformed Churches
>150 Route de Ferney
>P.O. Box 2100
>1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
>tel.  +41.22 791 6243
>fax: +41.22 791 6505
>email: kgr@warc.ch
>web: www.warc.ch ( http://www.warc.ch/ )
>