WCRC - Let anniversary of September 11 attacks lead to peace and healing

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

** High Priority ** World Communion of Reformed Churches

> News Release 07 September 2011

Let anniversary of September 11 attacks lead to peace and healing 
says church organization

Let the tenth anniversary of attacks on sites in the United States 
mark a time both of remembrance and of renewed commitment to peace, 
says a global organization of Protestant churches.

The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) based in Geneva, 
Switzerland, is inviting its 230 member churches worldwide to join in 
prayers for those who lost loved ones in attacks on the World Trade 
Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington on 11 September, 2001.

The president of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) 
Jerry Pillay, says in a message from South Africa: "The enormous 
suffering experienced by the families of American and foreign 
nationals working in New York and Washington at the time, has formed 
tragic links with victims of terrorist attacks in other countries in 
recent years. It is time to resolve differences with dialogue and 
peace building rather than with weapons of mass destruction in whatever form."

"WCRC member churches in North America and the Caribbean send our 
prayers and condolences to those who mourn," says Yvette 
Noble-Bloomfield, WCRC's vice-president for the region."We pray for 
comfort for those who are hurting. And we pray that a spirit of 
healing and reconciliation will emerge from the ashes of this disaster."

"This is a time of pain relived and grief remembered," says Douwe 
Visser, WCRC's acting General Secretary. "We are thinking of those 
who were bereaved by the attacks and hold them up in our prayers as 
we approach the anniversary of this event that changed the course of 
American history."

"WCRC celebrates American churches as they seek to draw on the 
country's rich history of tolerance and inclusion. We recognize how 
challenging Christ's message of love for one's enemy is in these days 
of tragic memories and know that churches are seeking to be faithful 
to the Christian gospel message that calls us to healing and 
reconciliation, a costly discipleship," says Noble-Bloomfield.

"Churches in the United States and worldwide are left with 
questions," says Visser." "Is there room in the aftermath of such 
events for the Gospel message of forgiveness? Does Jesus teaching us 
to love our enemies and do good to those who harm us apply to a 
situation like this?" the Dutch theologian asks. At the end of 
September churches from the region will be meeting the Dominican 
Republic around the theme of "Who is my neighbour?"

This theme reflects concern for what it means to be a neighbour in 
the post-9/11 era. WCRC has 21 member churches in the United States 
and Canada and in the Caribbean region. WCRC was created in June 2010 
through a merger of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) 
and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC). Its 230 member churches 
representing 80 million Christians are active worldwide in 
initiatives supporting economic, climate and gender justice, mission, 
and cooperation among Christians of different traditions. Media 
Contacts: Kristine Greenaway Office of Communications Email: 
kgr@wcrc.ch tel: +41 (0)22 791 62 43; fax: +41 (0)22 791 65 05 
www.wcrc.ch ( http://www.wcrc.ch/ )