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Plenary Session I: 14:15-17:20 GRAND RAPIDS 2010 PROCEEDINGS OF THE UNITING GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE WORLD COMMUNION OF REFORMED CHURCHES GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN USA JUNE 18-28, 2010 REV. DR. SETRI NYOMI GENERAL SECRETARY WORLD COMMUNION OF REFORMED CHURCHES 150 ROUTE DE FERNEY 1211 GENEVA 2, SWITZERLAND UGC 2010 Record of Proceedings 2 THE WCRC LOGO The symbol designed by Judith Rempel Smucker identifies the family of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. When dismantled into four key elements, its visual theology reinforces verbal theology and invites prayerful reflection. The elements are: vessel, circle, interwoven threads, and cross. ISBN 978-2-9700686-8-6 © 2011 World Communion of Reformed Churches P.O. Box 2100, 150 Route de Ferney, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland The texts in this book may be freely reproduced for the purpose of study within the member churches of the Communion, provided the source is acknowledged. Except in this case, no text may be reproduced in whole or in part without permission. The text was edited by Setri Nyomi, with the assistance of Penny Blachut, Hartmut Lucke and Elizabeth Visinand. The recorder was Carol Veldman Rudie. Cover, layout and design: Judith Rempel Smucker UGC 2010 Record of Proceedings 3 Table of Contents PREFACE 6 PROCEEDINGS OF THE UNITED GENERAL COUNCIL 8 APPENDICES: Messages 1. Message to Adults 59 2. Message to Children 63 Presidents’ Reports 3. Report of the President of WARC 65 4. Report of the President of REC 70 General Secretaries’ Reports 5. Report of the General Secretary of WARC 74 6. Report of the General Secretary of REC 93 Pre-Council Messages 7. Message from the Women’s Pre-Council 101 8. Message from the Reformed Youth Forum 105 Committee Reports 9. Policy Committee Report 107 10. Public Issues Committee Report 115 11. Finance Committee Report 125 UGC 2010 Record of Proceedings 4 Section Reports 12. Section Report on Reformed Identity, Theology and Communion 129 13. Section Report on Christian Unity and Ecumenical Engagement 132 14. Section Report on Justice in the Economy, on the Earth and for All of God’s Creation 134 15. Section Report on Spiritual and Worship Renewal: Worshiping the Triune God 139 16. Section Report on Leadership Development and Nurture 153 17. Section Report on Gender Justice 157 18. Section Report on Youth Empowerment 161 19. Section Report on Mission 164 20. Section Report on Working for Peace and Reconciliation 167 Keynote addresses 21. Rev. Sabine Dressler-Kromminga 171 22. Rev. Ruth Padilla 176 23. Rev. Dr. Seong-Won Park 182 24. Ms. Ayana McCalman 187 25. Rev. Richard Twiss 192 Sermons 26. Opening Worship 205 27. Sermon: Rev. Dora Arce 211 28. Sermon: Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko 215 29. Sermon: Rev. Sujanna Raj 218 30. Sermon: Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit 222 31. Celebratory Service: Rev. Yvonne Delk 226 32. Closing Worship: Rev. Dr. Jerry Pillay 232 Special Initiatives and Statements 33. Dreaming a Different World Together 237 34. Edinburgh Letter 242 35. Resolution on President’s Medal 248 UGC 2010 Record of Proceedings 5 Legal Agreements 36. Articles of Union 249 37. Constitution and By-Laws 253 38. US Corporate By-laws 271 39. US Restated Articles of Incorporation 284 Lists 40. UGC Attendees: 291 Delegates Ecumenical Observers Global Institute of Theology Faculty and Students Guests Joint Working Group Non-Member Church Observers Officers and Members of WARC and REC Executive Committees present Official minute taker Speakers Staff (WARC, REC, Co-opted, Consultants) Stewards Worship team 41. Officers and Members of the Executive Committee 2010-2017 319 42. List of Member Churches of WCRC 321 UGC 2010 Record of Proceedings 6 PREFACE I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4: 1-6) June 2010 will be etched forever in the history of the Christian church. Here Reformed, Presbyterian, Congregational, Disciples, Waldensian and some United and Uniting Churches came together in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the USA to affirm their reception of the gift of unity given by God. The unity of the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) into the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) and the reception of the Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council (DECC) as an associate member mark an agreement with these words in the letter to the Ephesians – that we know we are one body and one Spirit, just as we were called to the one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. We responded to the calling to make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Reformed unity is a contribution to the unity of the entire church of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we appreciate the presence among us of ecumenical colleagues from different church families and organizations. We are not alone or united in order to strengthen just one part of the Christian family – this would constitute isolationist denominationalism which would be in contradiction to a living church willing to live in obedience to its Lord Jesus Christ who prayed that we might be one. The Uniting General Council (UGC) in Grand Rapids was a celebration of this unity. These proceedings document that celebration. We share it within the WCRC community as well as with the wider Christian family. It records the last Assembly of the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) and the last General Council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) – both of which took place in the morning of June 18, 2010. Both WARC and REC then took actions which gave them a new life together in the WCRC. This book is therefore mainly the record of the proceedings of the UGC of the WCRC which took place from June 18 to 26. UGC 2010 Record of Proceedings 7 We offer the Record of Proceedings to our constituency and our partners with great gratitude to God for the gift of unity. The records show that the delegates affirmed a strong vision for the Reformed family of churches ready to live out that union in a manner that brings us closer together in a Eucharistic covenant and makes us even more committed to justice in the world. We are very grateful to God for the two presidents of the UGC, Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick and Rev. Dr. Peter Borgdorff. They were the retiring Presidents of WARC and REC and therefore also led the two organizations in the last couple of years of working towards unity. For their vision and leadership, we are grateful to God. We are grateful to God for Dr. Richard van Houten, the last General Secretary of REC, for his leadership and commitment to unity within the Reformed family. In addition to his being my counterpart in this process, he was also the Coordinator of the UGC and worked tirelessly towards a successful General Council. We again give thanks to God for Dr. Peter Borgdorff and the entire North America Arrangements Committee for their diligence in preparing to host the UGC. We give thanks to God for the staff teams of both WARC and REC which made it possible for the General Council to take place successfully. We were joined by a whole network of volunteers and coopted staff in Grand Rapids – for these we are grateful to God. My special appreciation goes to Ms Carol Rudie who was our meticulous minute taker in Grand Rapids. I appreciate our entire WCRC staff team in Geneva for working hard to follow up on UGC mandates and to bring out these proceedings. Two of them, Kristine Greenaway and Penny Blachut, have worked especially hard on the Record of Proceedings. They have enjoyed the support of our faithful volunteer, Hartmut Lucke and a whole host of translators and colleagues who have helped to make sure we have the proceedings in different languages. As you read these proceedings, we call on you to give thanks to God for the WCRC, and to pray for us. Pray that we may stay faithful to the vision in carrying out programmatic directions mandated by the UGC. Pray that we will have the resources to carry them out. Pray that our communion will stay committed to unity and to justice. Let us all renew our commitment to leading lives worthy of our calling and to making every effort to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Setri Nyomi, WCRC General Secretary UGC 2010 Record of Proceedings 8 PROCEEDINGS OF THE UNITING GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE WORLD COMMUNION OF REFORMED CHURCHES Grand Rapids, Michigan USA June 18-28, 2010 FRIDAY, 18 JUNE 2010 REC GENERAL ASSEMBLY: 08:00-09:00 Peter Borgdorff, President of the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) called the Assembly of REC to order. He welcomed delegates and led a brief devotional based on Psalm 145, calling attention to moments of gratitude for significant events. He led the Assembly in prayer. The General Secretary, Richard van Houten indicated that 28 of the 41 member churches were represented by delegates and three more churches were expected later, therefore the Assembly had a quorum.
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