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>World Council of Churches - News

WCC WELCOMES COMING INTO BEING OF NEW WORLD COMMUNION

>For immediate release: 17 June 2010

On 18 June, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) will  merge
with the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) to form the World Communion  of
Reformed Churches (WCRC). The new ecumenical body will group 227  member
churches representing 80 million Christians in 108 countries.

"The coming into being of the World Communion of Reformed Churches  will be
a historic moment for the churches of the Reformed family and for  the
church of Christ everywhere", said the World Council of Churches  general
secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, who will attend the uniting  event.

"This is a new expression of the visible unity of God's church,  and as such
it represents both a gift from God and a sign of hope", Tveit added.  "I
trust that it will strengthen the contribution of the Reformed churches  to
unity, peace and justice."

The uniting meeting between the world’s two largest networks  of
Protestant churches in the Reformed tradition will take place in  Grand
Rapids, United States, 18-26 June. Some 475 delegates, and almost  as many
observers, guests, visitors and volunteers are expected to participate.

“The term ‘communion’ in the new organization�� �s name points to a
new form of working relationship,” says the Rev. Dr Setri  Nyomi, WARC
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 two founding organizations say they draw on distinctive but
complementary traditions. While both share the Reformed commitment  to
biblical tradition, REC is known for its emphasis on spiritual developmen t
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.

“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 […] should be willing to come together  in a higher
level of union than ever before,” says REC general secretary  Rev. Dr
Richard van Houten.

The 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, with which the WCRC will be in a
relationship of cooperation.

The programme for the uniting event 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.

>Media contact in Grand Rapids:
>Douglas Chial, 1-517-303-3915

Additional information

http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=8c86659d44aedbca0af0 (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=50731bc27be3522369db )

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith,  witness and 
service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship  of churches 
founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant,
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560  million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the  Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse  Tveit, from 
the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.