Finances and Christian unity are focus of global gathering of Reformed churches

From Martin_Gnanadason Daphne <Daphne.Martin_Gnanadason@wcrc.ch>
Date Fri, 11 May 2012 11:39:59 +0000

>World Communion of Reformed Churches
>News Release
>11 May 2012

Finances and Christian unity are focus of global gathering of Reformed chur ches

Church unity, justice, peace, and financial issues are at the heart of disc 
ussion as the senior decision making body of a global organization of churc hes 
opens its annual meeting today in Indonesia.

Members of the Executive Committee of the World Communion of Reformed Churc hes 
(WCRC) are meeting in Berastagi, North Sumatra (10-17 May) to plan the  
organization’s future in times of increasing pressures on churches caused  by 
financial concerns and differences over issues such as the ordination o f women.

WCRC president, Jerry Pillay, a pastor from South Africa, told approximatel y 
50 committee members, advisors and staff that he is concerned about cases  of 
disagreement that are leading  to division and the creation of new chur ches.

“Unity is at the heart of what it means for us to be a communion of churc hes,” 
Pillay says. “We need to emphasize that which unites us and not t hat which 
divides us.”

The report of WCRC’s general secretary, Setri Nyomi, which followed Pilla y’s, 
notes the ways in which the Communion has accompanied churches in th eir 
engagement in mission and justice and in seeking to overcome divisions.  This 
included attention paid to issues in Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa an d Middle 
Eastern countries over the past year.

In his address, Nyomi referred to financial challenges the organization fac es. 
The economic crisis is affecting income as most donations are received  in 
Euros and American dollars yet the organization’s offices are in Switz erland 
where the cost of the Swiss franc is high. The committee’s agenda  for the 
coming days will include in-depth discussion about how to ensure fi nancial 
stability in the coming years.

The day began with worship hosted in a local church, the GBKP Runggun Beras 
tagi Kota. In a service attended by the WCRC Executive Committee and member s 
of the congregation, Pillay spoke about the example of generosity in the  early 
Christian church as recorded in the book of Acts in the New Testament.

“Christians shared what they had,” Pillay told the congregation.

In reference to WCRC’s reputation as a champion of social and economic ju 
stice, Pillay challenged Christians today to follow this example.

“Do we care enough to make sure people have enough to eat? Do we care eno ugh 
to share what we have as the early Christians did?” Pillay asked.

The Moderator of the Gereja Batak Karo Protestan Church (GBKP), Pastor M.P.  
Barus, welcomed the WCRC participants from Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin Ame 
rica, North America, and the Middle East, saying it is an honour for his ch 
urch to host the first international gathering of this type in the Karo reg ion 
of North Sumatra.

“Your presence here is important,” Barus says. “Worshiping with you t oday and 
again this Sunday will show local congregations that they do not n eed to feel 
alone.”

WCRC was created in June 2010 through a merger of the World Alliance of Ref 
ormed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC). Its 230 me 
mber churches representing 80 million Christians are active worldwide in in 
itiatives supporting economic, climate and gender justice, mission, and coo 
peration among Christians of different traditions.

>Media Contacts:
>Kristine Greenaway
>Office of Communications
>News Room in Berastagi, Indonesia (10-17 May 2012)
>Phone: +62 852 8552 0015
>Email: kgr@wcrc.ch<mailto:kgr@wcrc.ch
>www.wcrc.ch<http://www.wcrc.ch/