Cuban theologian to head Reformed church movement’s Justice Office

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

** High Priority **


World Communion of Reformed Churches  
News Release
29 November 2011
 
 
Cuban theologian to head Reformed church movement’s Justice
Office
 
A Cuban theologian and pastor has been appointed to head the
Justice and Partnership programme of the World Communion of
Reformed Churches (WCRC). Dora Arce-Valentin will take up her
appointment in January 2012.
 
“Dora Arce-Valentin is moving into a key role,” says WCRC
General Secretary, Setri Nyomi. “Her experience of grassroots
ecumenism and her involvement in social justice initiatives give
her strong connections to the local contexts of member churches.”

 
Arce-Valentin’s appointment was approved by WCRC’s Officers at a
meeting in Geneva, 20-21 November. She will serve for two years
as a consultant based in Cuba and spend up to eight weeks per
year at the WCRC office in Geneva, Switzerland. She is expected
to travel widely to connect with WCRC member churches. Funds are
being sought for her eventual relocation to Geneva.
 
"We welcome Dora with all her gifts and experience,” says Nyomi.
“She will complement the staff team and WCRC’s networks which are
already so dedicated to facilitating how Reformed churches make a
difference in a hurting world".
 
Arce-Valentin will be working closely with the Justice Network
co-moderated by Yueh-Wen Lu of Taiwan and Helis Barraza Díaz of
Colombia.
 
“With a spirit of cooperation and respect we will accomplish
much that is good and necessary,” Arce-Valentin says in a written
response to news of her appointment to the WCRC staff team.
 
Arce-Valentin was ordained by the Presbyterian Reformed Church
in Cuba following studies at the Evangelical Seminary of Theology
in Matanzas. She has a Masters degree in theology from Matanzas
and is completing work on a Masters degree in Gender Studies at
the University of Havana.  Arce-Valentin began her career as a
civil engineer before switching to theology. The theologian has
served as a parish pastor and as a teacher at the Evangelical
Seminary of Theology of Matanzas.  
 
In reflecting on her priorities for 2012, Arce-Valentin writes:
“We must continue to involve ourselves in efforts to put a
brake on the destruction of our planet – both ecological and
economic. It will be important as well to make gender issues
visible as key components of economic and social justice.”
 
As a pastor, Arce-Valentin brings a parish-level perspective to
her involvement with global ecumenism, saying: “We can’t think of
global justice if our own local churches are not a witness to the
love which we proclaim and which engenders justice from a
biblical perspective."
 
In other decisions the Officers reviewed the organization’s
financial situation in light of the drop of the value of
contributions in Euros and American dollars against the Swiss
franc. Initiatives to seek additional support to cover the
shortfall of income against expenses and to reduce spending were
endorsed. WCRC’s Officers include the president, vice-presidents
representing WCRC regions, a general treasurer and the general
secretary.
 
WCRC’s programme for 2012 will build on key elements from the
organization’s strategic plan.These include working closely with
WCRC regional councils to better serve the Communion’s 230 member
churches and ensuring close interaction between WCRC’s programmes
for theology and justice.  
 
Douwe Visser, head of WCRC’s Office for Theology, Mission and
Communion, told Officers that the wide-ranging theology programme
for 2012 includes a second round of dialogue between theologians
from the Roman Catholic Church and the Reformed Church tradition
as well as an intensive three-week seminar for theology students
in Yogyakarta, Indonesia from 8 June to 1 July. Fifty
international students will be selected to participate in the
Global Institute of Theology with its focus on faith and practice
in an interfaith context.
 
Nyomi reported that plans are moving ahead for a conference in
2012 focused on the world’s financial system. Arce-Valentin will
attend the initial planning meeting in Geneva, 11-16 December.
 
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/ )