wfn.org | CORRECTION: WCC NEWS: New World Communion of Reformed Churches a source of inspiration, WCC says

[WCC media <noreply@wcc-coe.org>]

>World Council of Churches - News

NEW WORLD COMMUNION OF REFORMED CHURCHES A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION,  WCC

>SAYS

>For immediate release: 22 June 2010

[Resending with a correction concerning the Bible quote in the 9th
paragraph]

"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 REC president Peter Borgdorff  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 WARC president Clifton Kirkpatrick 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 in which the apostle Paul writes: "There is no longer  Jew or
Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male  and
female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus."

"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=89d8a35273a13d63fda9 )

Morning meditation by the WCC general secretary (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=3107940229c3087dcec2 )

Additional information (Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=6 
7dad5f43085fd1799b9
)

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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