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/