wfn.org | Reformed churches send special message to children

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

Uniting General Council 2010                                    

>News Release 
>26 June 2010
> Reformed churches send special message to childrenBy Jerry Van
>Marter, UGC correspondent The Uniting General Council of the
>World Communion of Reformed Churches ended as it began: with a
>special message to children welcoming them to the new “family” of
>80 million Reformed Christians worldwide that was created in
>Grand Rapids, United States on 18 June. In story-telling style,
>the concluding “Message to the Children” described the June 18-28
>UGC as a family reunion, with all the joys and sorrows,
>celebrations and disappointments, laughter and tears that go with
>them. “It was a shame that 71 family members couldn’t come to the
>party,” the message read, referring to UGC registrants who were
>denied visas to enter the United States. The message
>incorporating children into the life of the fledgling WCRC echoed
>the previous Sunday’s (June 20) worship service in which children
>engaged in liturgical dialogue with WCRC leaders, who explained
>the significance of the merger between the World Alliance of
>Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council and the
>Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper that sealed the union. At the
>dialogue’s conclusion WCRC leaders presented a copy of the new
>organization’s logo to the children, welcoming them into the
>family. In reference to the participation of Native American and
>Canadian First Nations peoples at the UGC, the message to
>children referred to a keynote presentation by the American
>Indian educator, Richard Twiss. “One of our wise uncles welcomed
>us with a smile and told us stories about the first peoples who
>lived here”, the message says. “He said ‘some things have gone
>terribly wrong in the past because you didn’t know how to listen
>and how to share. But now I will reach out to you and I hope you
>to me, and let’s do better in the future.’” 
>“Before we said good-bye we made promises to each other, saying
>‘I will not forget you. I will listen to you. You will be my
>friend,’” the concluding message read. “I will be fair to you,
>care about what happens to you, and if you need me I will be
>there for you. We will work together for everyone in our church
>family and for all other families too!”

The message to children was accompanied by a message to adults
in the form of a liturgy. The full text of the UGC messages to
adults and to children is to be posted to: 
www.reformed.churches.org ( http://www.reformed.churches.org/
) 

The Uniting General Council 2010 in Grand Rapids, United States
(June 18-28) marks the merger of the World Alliance of Reformed
Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council to form the World
Communion of Reformed Churches. 

>Contact: Kristine Greenaway
>Executive Secretary, Communications
>World Communion of Reformed Churches

UGC News Room – Calvin College - Hoogenboom Center Room HC 204
Cell phone: 1-616-826-5540 or 1-616-826-8636
News Room: 1-616-526-7885
email: kgr@warc.ch
web: www.reformedchurches.org (
http://www.reformedchurches.org/#_blank )