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WCC NEWS: New World Communion of Reformed Churches a source of inspiration, WCC says
From
WCC media <noreply@wcc-coe.org>
Date
Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:21:43 +0200
>World Council of Churches - News
NEW WORLD COMMUNION OF REFORMED CHURCHES A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION, WCC
>SAYS
>For immediate release: 22 June 2010
"The formation of the World Communion of Reformed Churches is a source
of inspiration for all of us who see the call to unity, to mission and to
promote justice as one, undivided call", said World Council of Churches
general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit in Grand Rapids, United States,
on Saturday, 19 June.
Tveit was greeting 380 delegates representing 227 Reformed churches from
all over the world at the uniting meeting of the World Alliance of
Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC).
The merger of the two organizations took place the previous day amidst
prayer and praise and words of joy in the Van Noord Arena of the Calvin
College's campus. Many years in the making, the new World Communion has
227 member churches representing 80 million Christians in 108 countries.
"I'm thrilled to say that the vote by both of the organizations was
unanimous," said Peter Borgdorff, president of the Reformed Ecumenical
Council (REC), at a press conference following the agreement to merge. "We
are intended to be more like a family than a structure."
"What you see here today is the commitment of Reformed churches to be
together globally," said Clifton Kirkpatrick, president of the World
Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) at the press conference. "The whole
process has come together so well today."
However, Kirkpatrick noted that 73 participants, including 46 delegates,
were denied visas to attend the event by the US government. "We need to
acknowledge the deep pain we feel about the absence of these brothers and
sisters," he said.
"The new communion that is born here is a gift from God", Tveit told
participants at the uniting meeting. He expressed the hope that the new
ecumenical body "will continue the tradition of its predecessors in
serving as a platform by which Reformed churches can strengthen their
dialogue with other Christian families, their common witness to the Gospel
and their mission in the world."
"We must work together with all churches in seeking to make unity in Christ
visible for the world to see", Tveit added.
On Sunday, 20 June Tveit preached at a service held at the Central Reformed
Church in Grand Rapids. He chose the passage of the letter to the
Galatians (3:23-29) in which the apostle Paul writes: "For freedom in
Christ has set us free, stand fast therefore, and do not submit to the
yoke of slavery."
"There is a new place for everybody in Christ. A place for change, for
hope, for new life", Tveit said. "To be in Christ is to think of what
shall come, of what is possible because we are together. To be in Christ
is to let those visions and dreams fill our hearts and actions, and act
accordingly today."
The World Communion of Reformed Churches draws on distinctive but
complementary traditions, the founding organizations say. While both share
the 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 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.
Media contact in Grand Rapids: Douglas Chial, 1-517-303-3915
Full text of the WCC greetings (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=ce92cb0ffcad062e9152 )
Morning meditation by the WCC general secretary (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=2820ce0f871453b0ab3f )
Additional information (Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=5
ea5da02f49733d7333a
)
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.
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