wfn.org | WCRC Creates a ‘New Thing’ for God’s People

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

Uniting General Council 2010                                    

>News Release 
>26 June 2010

WCRC Creates a ‘New Thing’ for God’s People

>By Chris Meehan, News editor

In a spirit of unity and cooperation, the newly formed World
Communion of Reformed Churches made several decisions, “heard the
Gospel of reconciling love,” and prepared itself to respond “in
joyful hope” to a range of issues in churches and the world, the
WCRC said in a final message statement issued Saturday.

 From start to finish, the focus of the gathering was on the
importance of valuing diversity while establishing unity. The
unity was seen in discussions, but also in the times of worship,
says Setri Nyomi, general secretary of WCRC, in an interview at
the end of its 10-day meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the
Upper Midwest of the United States.

Formed from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and
the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC), WCRC represents 230
churches and 80 million Reformed Christians worldwide.

Now that the meeting is finished, the WCRC will establish a
strategic planning committee to help “unpack” all that was
discussed and acted on this week. 

Responding to “God’s Word,” the new communion made a number of
statements on Friday and Saturday on such topics as the need to
focus on human rights in countries including Somalia, Sudan,
Burma[Myanmar], North Korea and Cuba.

It also overwhelmingly issued a strong statement protesting the
denial of more than 70 visas for delegates and others from around
the world who wanted to attend the meeting.

A major statement was issued, asking that the WCRC join in
“prophetic solidarity” with Indigenous peoples around the
world and “rely on God’s grace and join hands together for all in
a world in need of healing.”

“This is a serious step and churches… will need address and
accept this,” said Clifton Kirkpatrick, former president of WARC
who was moderating the discussion on Saturday morning.

The WCRC also discussed issues ranging from how to better
include youth and women in member churches and ways to address
how the current, market-based economy hurts people worldwide. 

A special message was issued to children which said: “We will
work together for everyone in our church family and for all other
families, too!”

In all, the new ecumenical body spoke to the bulk of important
issues and situations that impact the world today, such as the
loss of Christians in countries in the Middle East and the
dissension between churches in South Africa.

“We were moved by the Word of God which came to us in many ways
as we explored our theme: ‘making every effort to maintain the
unity of Spirit in the bond of peace’,” WCRC officials wrote in
the final message.

“We recognized that this communion is for the sake of the
world’s transformation. We heard that our identity as God’s
people commits us to the work of God’s justice.”

“Certainly last Sunday’s worship service (in Van Noord Arena
with members of the West Michigan community) was where unity was
celebrated, especially in how it was oriented to young people and
children” said Nyomi.

“We had a wonderful time of celebrating today as the old was
handed over to the new. Our emphasis on Native American and
Indigenous people is part of the new. This is a point toward
which the new organization will continue to follow issues of
social justice.”

Whether in addressing social justice or in new ways of worship,
unity derives from one main source – Christ – and that was
emphasized over and over again.

“We need to be where Jesus chose to be, namely among the poor
and oppressed,” said Jerry Pillay, a South African church
official who was elected as the first president of the WCRC, in a
sermon during the final worship service.

“God’s presence in the world tells us that business as usual is
no longer acceptable.”

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 )