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Communiqué December 2013

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Communiqué December 2013 Reformed communiqué DECEMBER 2013 “The light will remain burning in all locations”: WCRC President Jerry Pillay and Vice-Presidents Lu Yueh Wen and Bas Plaisier. Photo: Stephen Brown WCRC gives thanks for 65 years in Geneva At a service in the chapel of the Ecumenical Centre The President of the Protestant Church of Geneva, in Geneva, the World Communion of Reformed Charlotte Kuffer, also bringing greetings from the Churches (WCRC) marked the more than six decades Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches, said her in which the Reformed church family has been church had been profoundly marked by WCRC and its based in the Swiss city. In January 2014, WCRC’s predecessors. Thanking these churches for their support, operating office moves to Hannover, Germany. Setri Nyomi said they would remain “custodians of “We gather here to join our hearts in thanksgiving the Reformed tradition that binds us together”. for 65 years of God’s presence,” said WCRC General Yorgo Lemopoulos, WCC Deputy General Secretary Setri Nyomi. He recalled that the Presbyterian Secretary, and Kaisamari Hintikka, Assistant World Alliance, a forerunner of WCRC, moved General Secretary of the Lutheran World from Edinburgh to Geneva in 1948 to be near to the Federation, promised that their organizations would newly-founded World Council of Churches (WCC). continue to remain linked with the WCRC. The service on 5 December was attended by WCRC In his message, Jerry Pillay described the time in President Jerry Pillay and officers, current and former Geneva as a significant chapter in the WCRC’s life, staff, representatives of Swiss and German churches, and and the move to Germany as a new chapter. “The sister organizations in the Ecumenical Centre, as well as chapters may be written in different places,” he the German Ambassador to Switzerland, Otto Lampe. said, “but it is the same book and the same story.” “We certainly thank God for the fact that … we A candle was lit by Pillay and WCRC Vice-Presidents could be physically part of a wider ecumenical family,” Lu Yueh Wen and Bas Plaisier to mark the departure said the WCRC’s Executive Secretary for Theology and from Geneva. It was then passed to representatives of Communion, Douwe Visser, in his sermon. Above all, sister organizations, the Geneva church, and the German however, the period in Geneva, he said, was a time of churches, including WCRC General Treasurer Johann being able to receive God’s word. “Looking at our 65 years Weusmann. He shared the flame with worshippers, who of being with you here in Geneva from the perspective of placed candles at the front of the chapel. “The light God’s word given to us, we see so much to thank God for.” will remain burning in all locations,” said Nyomi. 1 DECEMBER 2013 Reformed Communiqué Pastors’ gathering explores Reformed tradition, WCRC’s role By Rob Bullock laypeople and to develop networks built around Eleven pastors from six denominations gathered in shared expertise and/or ministry passions; Geneva in August to explore the future of the Reformed movement, and the role of the World Communion - To strengthen the Reformed identity by developing of Reformed Churches (WCRC) in that movement. a significant voice in the culture to proclaim and The five-day gathering, sponsored by WCRC and the celebrate core Reformed beliefs, providing help Presbyterian Foundation, placed particular emphasis on and encouragement for the missionary vocation of ways WCRC can connect with and serve congregations. evangelism, and doing work with obvious and repeated The gathering included visits to Reformation references to the Saviour – why we do what we do. sites, daily worship, meetings with leaders of WCRC, the World Council of Churches and the “WCRC is a body that is able to do an enormous Protestant Church of Geneva, and discussion amount of work that we as congregations on the ground about how congregational mission and ministry are cannot do,” said Martin (Chunky) Young, pastor of St related to global theological and justice work. Columba’s Presbyterian Church in Johannesburg, South “I was glad for the conversations with pastors from Africa. “They have enabled me to engage my prayers various places with shared faith, diverse opinions, with people’s faces and to know that because of the work and common desires to see the Reformed faith they do, justice and reconciliation has a real chance.” and its churches flourish and be strong witnesses The Presbyterian Foundation sponsored the gathering for Christ,” said Jerry Andrews, pastor of First as part of its efforts to bring more Presbyterians Presbyterian Church in San Diego, California. together in support of shared ministry causes. WCRC, in its strategic plan, has placed particular “The conversations at this gathering were substantial emphasis on relating to local congregations. The group and important for the future of the Reformed identified several areas of need among congregations and Tradition,” said Tom Taylor, President and CEO of ways the World Communion could help address them: the Foundation. “Bringing together these pastors and World Communion leaders could begin to shape - To capture stories of the Reformed tradition what our tradition will look like in the future.” in its work today and provide means of Participants represented Reformed denominations distributing them by creating and utilizing more in North America and Southern Africa: the and better channels of communication; Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Reformed Church in America, the Presbyterian Church in Canada, - To focus more on relationships – less on institutions. the United Christian Churches of Canada, ECO: a This includes helping Reformed Christians learn Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, and the to be peers with each other, serving as a bridge- Uniting Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa. builder for congregations seeking relationship, Rob Bullock is Vice-President for Marketing and working for reconciliation amongst divided Communication of the Presbyterian Foundation bodies, and providing a safe space for difficult discussions and shared theological exploration; - To continue to engage various groups such as young theologians, more experienced pastors, and 2 Reformed Communiqué DECEMBER 2013 New panel starts work on reform of financial system A newly established ecumenical panel of economic for a financial transaction tax, to translate the experts has begun work on proposals to promote ethical, spirit of the São Paulo statement into action. just and sustainable systems of economics and finance. While some countries have introduced a tax The Ecumenical Panel on a New Financial on financial transactions and raised considerable and Economic Architecture was created by the financial resources, “campaigns are needed to World Communion of Reformed Churches increase tax payments by tax evaders, who are (WCRC), the World Council of Churches overwhelmingly big companies and the more (WCC), the Council for World Mission (CWM) affluent segments of society,” said Herman. and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). “Tax evasion is not a crime against a faceless The panel is intended to take forward the work bureaucracy. It is a crime against the citizens who of the Commission of Experts on Reforms of the pay more taxes as a result of the non-payment International Monetary and Financial System, chaired by others and receive fewer and poorer quality by Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate in economics and public services as a consequence,” he stated. professor at Columbia University in New York. Nora Castañeda, the first president of the Women’s The first meeting of the ecumenical panel Development Bank in Venezuela, appointed by the late took place in August at the Ecumenical Institute president Hugo Chavez, highlighted the importance at Bossey, near Geneva, Switzerland. of gender aspects in efforts for a just economy. “Suffering as a result of the economic injustice inherent in the current architecture is increasing,” WCRC General Secretary Setri Nyomi told the meeting. “Both faith- based analysis and analysis in secular institutions point to the fact that the way the global economy is arranged is largely responsible for this injustice.” He urged the panel to “develop meaningful prophetic conversations with the economic powers of our days aimed at life-giving transformation”, and tools and campaigns that churches in every context can use to challenge their own economic systems that are part of the injustice of the current economic architecture. The creation of the panel was one of the recommendations of a global conference on the international Nora Castañeda, Venezuelan participant in the ecumenical panel on a new financial financial and economic system, and economic architecture in Bossey, Switzerland. Photo: WCC/Naveen Qayyum organized by WCRC, the WCC and CWM near the Brazilian city of São Paulo in “Women often live at the front of the poverty September-October 2012. In a concluding document, line. To address economic injustices, it is important titled São Paulo Statement: International Financial to incorporate gender perspectives, a principle also Transformation for the Economy of Life, the conference outlined in the São Paulo statement,” said Castañeda. described social inclusion, gender justice, care for the Projects that address the needs of women have environment, and actions to overcome greed as criteria a lasting impact on Venezuelan society, where a for the new economic and financial architecture. majority of families living in poor conditions are Barry Herman, one of the members of the headed by women, she said. (WCRC/WCC) panel and a visiting senior fellow at the Graduate Program in International Affairs of The New School in New York City, referred to the need 3 DECEMBER 2013 Reformed Communiqué Heidelberg Catechism continues to inspire after 450 years Reformed churches in different parts of the world umbrella for about one and a half million Reformed have marked the 450th anniversary of the Heidelberg Christians in Germany. In a keynote address, Petra Catechism, one of the most widely Bosse-Huber, then Vice-President circulated statements of faith of the Evangelical Church in the in Reformed Protestantism.
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