Reformed Communiqué December 2011

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Who is my neighbour? Churchesseek faithful responses to migrationThe United Nations estimates

that 43.7 million people world-wide are now migrants due towar, civil unrest, natural disas-ters, human rights abuses andlack of economic opportunity.

Migrant peoples have beenthe focus of attention in 2011 formany member churches of the

World Communion of ReformedChurches (WCRC). A delegationfrom French churches visiting the

WCRC office in Geneva earlier

this year named the integrationof new arrivals into local par-ishes as a key issue to which theylook to WCRC for guidance.

During this period of Advent

when we remember the birth of Jesus,whose parents fled to Egypt underthreat of persecution, it is appro-priate to listen to these stories andreflect on Jesus response to the ques-tion of who is our neighbour ask-ing what it means for church missiontoday. The following stories representa sample of responses from Latin

America, North America and theCaribbean, Europe and the Pacific.

CaribbeanMigrants from the Caribbean toNorth America often encounter dif-

ficulty crossing borders, receiving

adequate compensation for theirwork and accessing decent housing.Churches in North America and theCaribbean are now forming partner-ships to respond to these challenges.

Representatives of WCRCsCaribbean and North American

Area Council (CANAAC) are tak-ing up the challenge. In September,delegates met for their gen-eral assembly in Santo Domingo,Dominican Republic under the

theme Who is my neighbour?

DECEmbEr 2011

Integrationof new

arrivals is a

key issue

Continued on page 2

As migrants take to the road, churches seek to respond. (Photo: ACT/Paul Jeffrey)


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December 2011 rfod Communiqu

The focus was on collaboratingon issues related to immigration andmigration concerns in the region.Delegates encouraged joint advocacy

initiatives on behalf of Haitiansliving in the Dominican Republicand in response to the embargo bythe United States against Cuba.

AustraliaChurches in Australia lobbied hardagainst the Australian govern-ments Malaysian solution topeople-trafficking. In June, the gov-ernment announced plans to trade800 asylum seekers who arrived byboat from Malaysia for 4,000 con-firmed refugees still in Malaysia.

The Uniting Church, a mem-ber of the World Communionof Reformed Churches, wroteto all Federal Labour parlia-mentarians expressing its shockover the cruel and punitiveplan and urged compassion.

Uniting Church President,Alistair Macrae, called the planan abrogation of Australiasresponsibilities under the 60-year-

old United Nations ConventionRelating to the Status of Refugees.Malaysia offers no legal domes-tic rights to asylum seekers.

At the end of August, Australiashighest court blocked the govern-ment decision saying that theimmigration minister could notsend asylum seekers to any countrythat was not legally bound... to

provide access for asylum seekersto effective procedures for assess-ing their need for protection. Avictory for the churches andother human rights advocates.

ColombiaStatistics show that three millionpeople have been pushed off theirland in Colombia due to armed con-flict with revolutionary and drugsgroups. Colombias attorney generalreports widespread cases of murder,rape, torture and forced evictions.

A new accompanimentprogramme managed by the Latin

American Council of Churches, inpartnership with organizationsincluding WCRC, KAIROS Canadaand the World Council of Churches,has been established in responseto the crisis. Chris Ferguson, aminister with the United Churchof Canada, is the programmesinternational coordinator.

The purpose of the Programmeof Ecumenical Accompanimentin Colombia (PEAC) is to supportefforts to achieve a negotiated

solution to the conflict, restoreland to displaced people, defendhuman rights and build peacethrough dialogue. Internationalecumenical observers will beassigned for three-month periods

to accompany Colombianrights and peace advocates.

SwitzerlandIn Geneva there are some 70 eth-nic, linguistic and internationalChristian communities serving thecitys international community. Mostof the migrant Christian communi-ties have little contact with organi-zations from the global ecumeni-cal movement with offices at theEcumenical Center, even though theorganizations offer advocacy and jus-tice programmes that address issuesof concern to their communities.

In an effort to create connectionsbetween the global ecumenical com-munity and local parishes, a two-dayconference at the Ecumenical Centerin October brought together 50people from 20 local migrant and

long-established parishes to meetwith representatives from WCRC,the World Council of Churches, theLutheran World Federation, and

ACT Alliance. Plans are to build onthis first encounter, and engage inaction on issues of mutual concern.

The conference was co-sponsoredby the World Council of Churchesand Witnessing Together inGeneva, a programme of the John

Knox International Reformed Centrethat encourages connections betweenchurches founded by immigrants toSwitzerland and churches that havelong histories in Switzerland andelsewhere in Europe. Douwe Visser,head of WCRCs Off ice of Theologyand Communion, chairs the JohnKnox programme committee respon-sible for this networking initiative.

With files from ENI and WCRC

Continued from page 1

Foreign workers have fled Libyan turmoil. (Photo: ACT/Paul Jeffrey)


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Refored Communiqu DECEmbER 2011

Communion: What does it mean for WCRC?When churches agree to form acommunion with each other asthey did when they launched the

World Communion of Reformed

Churches in 2010 it signals thatthey want to be more closely linkedthan the members of an associationor network would be. By makingthis commitment to each other,they are evoking the unity of thefaith expressed by sharing breadand wine at Christs table. Theyare accepting both the validity ofeach others traditions of celebrat-

ing holy communion and recog-nizing the legitimacy of ordainedclergy from sister denominations.

When the World Communion of

Reformed Churches (WCRC) waslaunched in 2010, its 230 memberchurches affirmed that there canbe no communion (unity) without

justice and no justice without com-munion. At the same time theyrecognized there were importantquestions about the meaning ofcommunion for member churchesthat would require further think-

ing.Will the communion ofReformed Churches decide whatit is to be Reformed? Does beingin communion imply a sharing of

resources between wealthy and poorchurches? Does the communionspeak for its member churches? Themost important question is whetherchurches can have great differencesin doctrine and still be part of thesame communion. These are allchallenges that WCRC is exploringas the communion takes shape andlife in 108 countries worldwide.

Theology is crucial for earths survival, saysSouth African professorThe combined effects of globaliza-tion and networked communica-tion are transforming the world inways that can lead either to betterlife or disaster. How Christiansunderstand what their faith iscalling them to do in response

to this challenge could make asignificant difference accordingto a South African theologian.

Theology now is crucial forthe survival of the earth and itspeople, says Jurgens Hendriks.

God calls to us in a specific placeat a particular time and we are atan altogether new time and place.

Hendriks who is Professorof Practical Theology at the

University of Stellenboschmade his comments in anaddress to participants in thefirst global consultation of theNetwork of Theologians. Theevent, organized by the WorldCommunion of ReformedChurches (WCRC), brought 15theologians from 12 countries toMangalore, India from 21-26 October.

Douwe Visser, head of WCRCsOffice of Theology and Communion,

says the objective of the consultationwas to create an opportunity forReformed theologians to reflect onkey issues affecting the contemporary

world, including the impact of themedia on Christian beliefs and action.

This is a group that willgive guidance in a theologicallychanging landscape, says Visser.

Plans include developinga theology of church unity(communion) among the 230

WCRC member churches and a

theology of justice. The two wouldbe closely interconnected, says Visser.

Hendriks believes the need for newtheological models is urgent in light

of the negative impact of the currentglobal economic system. He pointsto increased polarization betweenrich and poor, noting that in the past30 years the share of global income

for the worlds poorest peopledeclined from 2.3 percent to 1.4

percent while the share for therichest people rose from 70 percentto 85 percent. In addition, theSouth African professor recognizesthe impact of communicationnetworking. Hendriks believesthat these two forces have practicalimplications for the church.

In a networked society,networked social movements arethe key drivers of transformation.

The church needs to learnto understand how it worksin a digitalized world.

Visser says Hendriks paperand other input, offered at theconsultation, point to ways ofdeveloping and applying theologyin WCRC. This includes

working with related networkssuch as young theologians, justiceadvocates and regional groups oftheologians. Recommendations from

the consultation will be presented toWCRCs Executive Committee at itsmeeting in Indonesia in May 2012.

Network members include: Heleen Zorgdrager - TheNetherlands, Jurgens Hendriks - South Africa, Paul

Haidostian - Lebanon, Michael Weinrich - Germany(Photo: WCRC/Martin-Gnanadason)


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Reformed and Lutheran churches in France to uniteTwo churches from the Reformedtradition in France have enteredinto an historic agreement to unitein 2013. At a joint synod meet-ing in January 2011 in Paris, theglise rforme de France and theglise vanglique luthrienne de laFrance took important steps in the

process of moving to unification.Participants at the meetingapproved the recommendationto call the new church the glise

protestante unie de France (theUnited Protestant Church ofFrance) and agreed to a processof approving pastors for minis-try from the two traditions.

Parishes were invited to reviewthe constitution and rules of thenew church prior to the meetings

of regional synods in Novemberwhere the input will be reviewed.In spring 2012, a joint nationalsynod meeting will adopt the

revised texts. Public educationand a communication campaignwill accompany the process.

The new church will become amember of the World Communionof Reformed Churches.

The founding synod ofthe Eglise protestante unie

de France will be held inLyon, France in May 2013.

WCRC readies for renewed dialoguewith PentecostalsBy Christopher Dorn

The World Communion ofReformed Churches (WCRC) is cur-rently preparing for a third round ofdialogue encounters with representa-tives of the Pentecostal movement.

A series of planning meetingsis scheduled for 5-9 December,2011, in Chicago in the UnitedStates, under the direction of

WCRCs Office of Theology andCommunion. The purpose of thesemeetings with individuals activein the Pentecostal movement isto decide on themes on which tofocus a new round of discussions.

At the time of writing thisarticle, one can only speculateabout the direction in which thisround of dialogues will proceed,but issues such as worship practiceand response to justice concerns areboth likely to be part of the agenda.

Reformed churches are wit-

nessing new, expressive or charis-matic forms of worship in someparishes that resemble those inPentecostal churches. At the sametime, within the Pentecostal worldthere is increasing interest in socialand economic issues. Both theReformed and Pentecostal churchmovements are seeking to under-

stand and be faithful to what it

means to live out their commoncalling as the body of Christ in

the power of the Holy Spirit.Representatives from Pentecostal

World Fellowship and otherPentecostal bodies, first met withthe World Alliance of ReformedChurches (WARC) at Torre Pellice,Italy in 1996. The event is regardedas historic because it was the firstecumenical exchange between aglobal family of Protestant churchesand the Pentecostal movement. Themeeting laid the groundwork forfour productive years of conversa-tion between the two partners.

At the conclusion of that firstround of dialogues in 2000, signifi-cant progress in bringing the twogroups of churches closer togetherhad been achieved. The finalreport, Word and Spirit, Churchand World (2000), succeeded inclarifying Reformed and Pentecostalperspectives on central Christian

doctrines that both can affirm. As

a result, each is able to recognizein the other a full and authen-tic Christian faith and witness.

Encouraged by the outcome ofthis first round, participants feltconfident that they could movebeyond comparing positions ondoctrines to engaging togetherunder the theme of Experiencein Christian faith and life.

The team further proposedthat aspects of this general themeconstitute the focus in each ses-sion of that round of discussions.Thus the dialogue teams devotedthe opening session to a discus-sion of worship at their meetingat Amsterdam, the Netherlands,in 2002. In subsequent sessions,teams presented papers on disciple-ship (acting on Jesus teachings),

discernment (discovering Godswill), community and justice.

A final report on the secondround of dialogues was not complet-ed as WARC was preparing to mergewith the Reformed EcumenicalCouncil (REC) to form WCRCin June 2010. The proposed newround of dialogues this Decemberwill pick up on the earlier work.

...clarifying Reformed andPentecostal perspectives on

Christian doctrines


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Worshiping the Triune God: Sharingwisdom about gathering for worship

The triune God is waiting tomeet us in our worship, prompt-ing, perfecting, and receiving ourprayers and praise and welcom-ing us to active participation.

Authentic Christian worship like the Word of God on which itis centered is living, changing,vibrant, and transformative. Theblessing of worship the life-chang-ing experience of encountering andadoring the living God is availableto Jesus followers around the globeevery time we gather. This blessingis not dependent on our resourcesor on the beauty of our location or

on the approval and endorsement ofour culture. Such a blessing is a giftfrom God as freely given as salva-tion itself. Yet many of Gods peoplesettle for worship that is ritualizedand devoid of energy, imagination,passion, surpriseeven life. Why?

The answer to that question is asvaried as the people who respond toit. There is no single solution, no uni-versal formula to guarantee deep andvibrant worship. The process of iden-

tifying the obstacles, real or imagined,that any given worshiping communityhas erected between itself and God iscomplex. For this reason alone, prov-

erbs about thereality of Godsblessing andthe reward ofapplied wisdom

are a helpfulstarting point.Bringing ourlocal contextinto an ongoingglobal conver-sation aboutworship isworth our timeand attention.

As you read

the followingproverbs about worship, we inviteyou to observe your congregationsprocess of gathering for worshipas if you were a newcomer. Whatdo you see? What do you hear?

Listen for the voice of the tri-une God in the words of theseproverbs from the documentWorshiping the Triune God. (Fullversion available online atwww.wcrc.ch/sites/default/files/

Worshiping_the_Triune_God.pdf)

Wise is the worshiping communitythat recognizes how the Holy Spirit

works through both reason andemotion, through both spiritualdisciplines and surprising events,through both services that are

prayerfully planned and throughmoments of spontaneous discovery.

Wise is the worshiping communitythat recognizes that the lastingvalue or spiritual power of wor-ship does not depend on our owncreativity, imagination, intellect,or emotions, but comes from theHoly Spirit, who may choose touse any or all of these things. Fortruly worship is a gift to receive,not an accomplishment to achieve.

These proverbs offer wise insightinto why we come together toworship. How well does yourcongregations process and lit-urgy of gathering for worshipeach week reflect this wisdom?

Paul Detterman is a PresbyterianChurch (USA) pastor and musi-cian serving as executive directorof Presbyterians for Renewal.

From Reformed Worship 101, 2011 Faith Alive ChristianResources. Used by permission.

This article is the second in a series introducing Worshiping theTriune God, a working document published following the inauguralmeeting of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC)in June 2010 (see part one in Reformed CommuniquSeptember 2011).

The first article introduced the WCRC document andexplained the process by which it was created. From hereon in the series, well examine five components of wor-ship: gathering, proclamation, response, sacraments, andmission. In this article, we focus on gathering.

Whenever we gather for worship, we bring our experiences withus: our traumas (natural disasters, political upheaval, unemploy-ment) and our triumphs (births, graduations, new jobs). Thesemake us who we are on any given day. Even the most staticcongregation will be different each time it gathers for wor-ship because our world is constantly changing and so are we.

As we gather for worship we open ourselves to God(Photo: WCC/Williams)


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Fight poverty. Promote peace. Give a concert.by Praic ReamonnThe Chief Minister of the MizoramGovernment, Shri Lal Thanhawla,was guest of honour at a concert

for peace in Aizawl in September.Some of the best singers from Aizawland Shillong performed in front ofan audience of morethan a thousand.

The concert,organized by thePresbyterian Churchof India (PCI), wasone of the first eventsin a programme topromote peace, fightpoverty, and give avoice to the downtrod-den in northeast India.

This vast region,shaped like an ele-phants ear, is joinedto the rest of India bythe narrow Siliguricorridor. It is boundedby five other coun-tries: Nepal, China, Bhutan, Burma

(Myanmar) and Bangladesh.Over 25 million people live in

the eight states of the region, includ-ing more than 400 indigenousgroups. Two-thirds, most of themlandless, engage in traditional andmarginal farming. Their villages lackbasic infrastructure roads, healthfacilities, and clean water. Economicinsecurity is compounded by lack ofeducation and social instability. The

low level of development often leads

to militancy. Ethnic clashes, rootedin questions of identity, survival,land and livelihood, take a heavy toll.

The PCI programme, supported

by the WCRC Partnership Fund,aims to break this vicious cycle. Itwill give concerts to promote peace

and highlight poverty. It will use

a modern, fully equipped studioto produce audio and visual news,advertisements, public serviceannouncements, documentariesand features and encourage bet-ter representation of poverty andconflict in the media. It will holdworkshops to examine the causesand cures of poverty and encour-age inter-tribe and inter-faith com-munication. The first of these

workshops, directed at PCI workers,

and focused on the importance ofmedia in the life and work of thechurch, also took place in September.

The concert in Aizawl was so

impressive and heart-touching forthe participants, reports Rev. SSMajaw, an administrative secretary

in the PCI andmember of the

WCRC executivecommittee. Itwas so helpful tocreate a differ-ent atmospherein the society.

A secondconcert for peaceis planned forHaflong, in theDimasao dis-trict of Assam.

The WCRCPartnershipFund is a soli-darity fund thathelps WCRC

member churches to carry out

projects in mission or service thatotherwise they could not afford.The grant to the PCI is just one ofmany the Fund will make this year.

To learn more about how toapply for a grant, visitwww.wcrc.chor send an email to partnership@

wcrc.ch. Applications for fundingfrom WCRC member churches,or endorsed by WCRC memberchurches, are welcome at any time.

The peace concert was impressive. (Photo: ACT/Sean Hawkey)

Churches in North America and the Caribbean planincreased cooperation

A joint assembly of two regionalnetworks representing churches inthe Caribbean and North Americaconcluded with a promise to con-

tinue working together to meet theneeds of the region. Representativesof WCRCs Caribbean and North

American Area Council (CANAAC)

met from 24-30 September in SantoDomingo, Dominican Republic.

CANAAC elected its steeringcommittee and officers for 2011-2014

by acclamation: Brenda Bullock ofthe Presbyterian Church in Trinidadand Tobago is the new CANAACconvenor (president). In her role,

she joins the WCRC ExecutiveCommittee and the WCRCEndowment Fund Board of Trustees.

Bullock, in her capacity as

CANAAC Convener, joins theWCRC Executive Committeeand the WCRC EndowmentFund Board of Trustees.


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Food Justice is a Moral IssueThe earth can feed all who live onthis planet. The problem is we areconsciously, actively choosing notto feed one another, says Randall

Bush of East Liberty PresbyterianChurch in Pittsburgh, UnitedStates. Bush travelled to Geneva,Switzerland in October to preachas the winner of the Ecumenical

Advocacy Alliances (EAA) Foodfor Life sermon competition.

Bush a minister of the WorldCommunion of Churches (WCRC)member church, the Presbyterian

Church (USA) delivered his ser-mon at a service in the EcumenicalCentre on the International Dayfor the Eradication of Poverty

at the conclusion of ChurchesWeek of Action on Food.The service was held follow-

ing a weekend in which a risingtide of popular anger at economicinjustice was expressed in demon-strations around the world. Foodprice volatility escalated by investorspeculation in agricultural com-modities has fuelled popular unrest

in several countries.We can do better,

Bush declares in hissermon. This is not

just a practical issueor a political issue. Itis a spiritual issue.

Bush told WCRCfollowing the servicethat he submitted asermon to the com-petition at the urgingof his congregations

mission committee. The commit-tees concerns include a focus onpoverty, neighbours, and justice.

Bushs award-winning sermonis available on the WCRC web-sitewww.wcrc.ch/sites/default/files/RandallBushSermon.pdf

Randall Bush preached his award-winningsermon on food and faith at the EcumenicalCenter in Geneva in October.

(Photo: WCRC/Sumichan)

(Photo: WCRC/Sumichan)

Ecumenical Cuban seminary celebrates65th anniversaryThe Evangelical TheologicalSeminary of Matanzas markedits 65th anniversary with a cel-

ebration from 3 to 4 October thatfocused on the theme The Missionof the Church and TheologicalEducation in Cuba today, accord-ing to a news release from theLatin America and CaribbeanCommunication Agency (ALC).

In the complex religious andecumenical situation, but also theeconomic, political and social onethat we are living through, Godcalls each one of us to respond

to that call [and gives] a reasonfor hope, said Reinerio ArceValentin, dean of the seminary.

Ofelia Miriam Ortega, a formerdean of the seminary, said it is likea house of ecumenical formation

in addition to being part of Cubancivil society. She said the schoolrecently added studies in genderperspective, feminist theologyand the inclusion of handicappedpersons, ALC reported.

The anniversary celebrationwas also the occasion for thepresentation of two books; Infinitesowing: Itineraries of the Protestantmissionary work and evangelizationin Cuba, by Rafael Cepeda and

Carlos R. Molina, and; My strongervocation has been the ecumenicalone: Articles and essays in honour

of Adolfo Ham Reyes, editedby Manuel Quintero Perez.

Arce Valentin spoke on

theological education in times ofsurvival, in which he insisted onthe necessity of focusing theologicalwork on mission, using biblical-theological and pastoral training asthe main instrument, ALC reported.

Present for the closing of theanniversary celebration wereCaridad Diego Bello, Head of theOffice for Attention to ReligiousMatters of the Party CentralCommittee, and other officials of

the Cuban Government and theCommunist Party of the province.

ENInews


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Harvesting fruits of contact amongReformed churchesA model programme promoting

contact between local pastors inKorea and Reformed church parishesin Switzerland is enriching con-gregational life in both countries.

The Federation of SwissProtestant Churches (FEPS-SEK)has given the mandate to thechurch mission agency, Mission21, based in Basel, Switzerland tocoordinate biennial encountertrips. Every two years a groupfrom Korea visits Switzerlandand two years later a group fromSwitzerland is hosted in Korea.

This year, 12 pastors and layper-sons from the Presbyterian Churchin the Republic of Korea and thePresbyterian Church of Koreatravelled to Switzerland for a pro-gramme with local churches from25 August to 7 September. Bothchurches are WCRC members.

Mission 21 programme officer for

South East Asia, Doris Grohs, whoaccompanied the group, explainsthat the objectives of the encountertrips are to create links at the locallevel between parishes in the twocountries and for local parish leadersto connect with global ecumenicalorganizations such as the WorldCommunion of Churches (WCRC).

Koreans get to know the coun-try of the Reformation and what

Protestant churches are doinghere today. The Swiss learn fromyoung (127 years old) Presbyterianchurches in Korea, Grohs explains.

During the groups visit to theEcumenical Centre in Geneva on 2September, Reformed Communiquinterviewed two of the partici-pants. Heeyoung Lim, a pastor withthe Presbyterian Church in theRepublic of Korea, and EunjeoungSon, General Secretary of the Urban

Industrial Mission, were asked whatthey would take home with themfrom their experience in Switzerland.Their answers were stimulating

and insightful the hallmark of a

successful ecumenical exchange.

Eunyeoung Son:becoming the Churchoutside the Gate

Eunyeoung Son was a pastor in alocal church in Seoul that servessocially and economically marginal-ized people before she took on therole in 2009 of General Secretaryof the Urban Industrial Mission,based in the South Korean capital.

Son knew about WCRC throughthe resources produced by one of the

founding organizations, the WorldAlliance of Reformed Churches. Inbooks of prayers and testimonies,she read stories of women and work-ers from Korea: some she knewbecause they were members of herchurch. I felt linked, she said.

The time in Switzerland wasan opportunity to remove herselffrom the daily routine and to reflect,Son told Reformed Communiqu.

Prior to visiting Swiss parishes,

Son says her vision of Europeanchurches was negative that theywere shrinking and dying. Butthrough her contact with congrega-

tions of the Swiss Protestant Church,

she realized that, while there wereindeed elderly people inside thechurches, there were also many chil-dren and young people just outside.

Son sees this as an opportunityfor the Swiss church; a convictionbased on her experience with herformer parish in Seoul called TheChurch outside the Gate (from thetext in Hebrews 13 Do not neglectto show hospitality to strangers.)

We were called to minister inthe local context, based on ourunwavering commitment to the

Gospel, Son recalls.In the open-

ness to gay andlesbian people ina Swiss congrega-tion on the borderwith Germany, Sonsees similar signsof a willingness to

integrate people ofdifferent orienta-tions or ways of life.

The conceptof church isevolving she says.

The purpose ofthe church is notto exist for itself.

Its purpose is to invite people toGod. Now we can see church

beyond church. Thats where wesee the dynamism of the church.Our challenge is how to

reconnect local reality to globalsolidarity so that the synergy canbe a renewed source for work-ing together, Son says.

Heeyoung Lim:preaching about peace isa challenge

Heeyoung Lim is pastor to a smallparish in Hwacheon-gun countynear the demilitarized zone. Its prox-

Eunyeoung Son is General Secretary of the Urban IndustrialMission in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo: WCRC/Greenaway)


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imity to the border between Northand South Korea makes the issue ofpeace both important and contro-versial in the local church. For yearsthe community benefited financiallyfrom being a military base from

which the United States staged itswar in Vietnam. But it also experi-enced the pain of the fighting dur-ing the Korean War in the 1950s.

People are saturated with thegovernment logic of security, says

Lim. Preachingabout peace isa challenge.

Lim believeshis ecumeni-cal encounter inSwitzerland giveshim the opportu-nity to bring theworld perspectiveback to his homeparish, YuchonChurch. He saysparishioners willhear that they arenot alone and thatthe world church

shares peace concerns andother challenges with them.

Lim cites several examples ofwhere the concerns of the global ecu-menical movement for life and jus-tice touch those of Korea. He reports

that rivers are being damaged andaquatic life destroyed by governmentprojects of excavation and of build-ing canals; there are plans to build anaval base on an island that is in theprocess of being designated a worldcultural heritage site; and economic

justice is under threat as workers arelaid-off or become under-employed.

By travelling to Switzerland, Limsays he has been able to explore thebirthplace of the Reformation and tosee how the church in Switzerlandcontinues to reform itself.

This will inform our con-tinuing Reformation inKorea, the pastor says.

Heeyoung Lim serves a parish near the demilitarized zonebetween North and South Korea. (Photo: WCRC/Greenaway)

WCRC an inspiration for GermanReformed Alliance, says ModeratorThe World Communion ofReformed Churches (WCRC)has received a strong endorse-ment from the moderator of theGerman Reformed Alliance, PeterBukowski. In his moderatorialaddress to the general assembly ofthe Reformed Alliance meetingin Emden, Germany at the end ofSeptember, Bukowski focused onthe Uniting General Council (UGC)

that launched WCRC in 2010.Calling the UGC an inspira-tion for the Reformed Alliance,Bukowski made WCRCs found-ing general council the key focusof his report in which he pointedto connections between priorityissues for the Reformed Alliancein Germany and the recentlyapproved strategic plan for WCRC.

When churches in German seedwindling congregations they can

be discouraged, says Bukowski, buturged that they instead look forsigns of hope such as the oppor-tunities WCRC offers churches in

Germany to engage in importantwork relevant to regional concerns.

Bukowski listed several opportuni-ties for the churches to consider. Theseinclude the challenge of understand-ing and addressing questions of ethicsand peace deployment in places like

Afghanistan; developing good theologywhich Bukowski defines as a theologywhich searches for answers for todayschallenges by listening to the witness

of the scripture and studying the richheritage of the Reformed tradition;and interreligious dialoguewith Islamas well as the need to go further andthink about a theology of religions.

Bukowski concluded his remarkswith a reference to the table wherecommunion is shared in churches andasked delegates to imagine WCRCas a table which is many miles long,because the Spirit which invites usconnects us to many others: with

more than 80 million people, whoserepresentatives met in Grand Rapids,with the more than 600 millionProtestants all over the world, with

2.3 billion people who believe in JesusChrist. We are not as small and weakas we feel sometimes. The commu-nity at the table of the Lord is con-tinued in the joint work for a more

just world: community and justice.Preaching on World Communion

Day at the historic church inBarmen, Germany where in 1934some German churches signeda declaration refusing to accept

Hitlers control over church life,WCRC General Secretary, SetriNyomi, echoed Bukowskis themeof the church community gath-ered at the table of the Lord.

Nyomi told the congregation:Seventy-seven years ago in these his-toric grounds, faithful servants of Godindicated clearly ... we cannot partakein this feast without standing up for

justice even if it has dire consequencesmeted out by those who are in power...

how can we eat together around thesame table while the global economyand how we treat the environmentdeals death to so many in the world?


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News briefs

Second earthquakefundraising campaignlaunched in Japan

Delegates to the 66th general

assembly of the Reformed Churchin Japan (RCJ) held 18-20 Octoberapproved a motion for a secondfundraising campaign in response todamage to communities and church-es in the earthquake and tsunamithat rocked Japan on 11 March 2011.

The fundraising campaign is tofocus on support for church-spon-sored relief and recovery activitiesand the implementation of a restora-

tion plan for Northeast Presbyterythat was strongly affected by thetwin natural disasters. Funds willbe used for the restoration of churchbuildings and parish activities andon support of diaconal mission. TheDiaconal Action Committee of theReformed Church in Japan (RCJ)General Assembly is responsiblefor coordinating fundraising andrelief efforts. The campaign willrun from November 2011 through

July 2012 The target is to raiseUSD320,000 in order to bringthe relief fund to USD770,000.

Political issueshighlighted at Pacificchurch anniversary

Political issues affecting Tahiti were

highlighted at the 30 August-4September commemoration in Samoaof the 50th anniversary of the PacificConference of Churches (PCC). Theanniversary celebrations were hostedby Malua Theological College inSamoa, where the first representa-tives of the PCC assembled in 1961.

During the meetings, TahitianPresident Oscar Temaru appealed to thechurches for help in his countrys fight

for independence from France. Mycountry used to be free... That changedin the 19th century after the Europeandiscoverers reached our shores, Temarusaid. This suppression... continues tothe present day. Tahiti is part of FrenchPolynesia, a protectorate of France.

The need for greater unity amongChristians in the region was recog-nized, as well as for a common engage-ment in dialogue with representativesof other religions. Economic, social

and environmental issues were dis-cussed in a part of the world underthreat by rising ocean waters thataccompany global climate change.

During five decades of decolo-nization and the establishment of

independent churches, the PCChas grown to include 28 Pacificisland member churches and ninenational councils of churches. Anestimated 5.2 million people belongto the churches of the PCC out ofa Pacific population totalling eightmillion. The World Communion ofChurches has 15 member churchesin the region including the MahiProtestant Church in Tahiti.

ENInews

Kenyan and Ugandanpastors take mission toeastern Africa

Two pastors from Kenya andUganda have travelled to Rwandaand the DRC Congo on a missionto stage church revival and renewalfellowships. Both are associated with

the Christian Reformed Churchin Eastern Africa (CRCEA). DavidMasai Wabule is a national youthleader and pastor of ChebarusLocal Church in Kenya. MartinM. Wanjala, serves as GeneralSecretary of CRCEA and pastor toa Kampala, Uganda congregation.

The intent of meetings withchurches in Rwanda and the DRCCongo was to enhance and promote

Reformed church teachings andculture and to encourage ecumen-ism. In a report on the trip sub-mitted to the World Communionof Reformed Churches, Wanjalareported the trip had been a success.

We left the churches in Rwandaand DRC Congo in a revived,transformed, renewed mood... Thepeople in this area need such visitsto be encouraged, so that they feelthat they belong to a wider family

of Gods people. He concludes byasking WCRC member churchesto pray for these Christians whoseem to be living outside this world.

(Photo: Cindy de Jong)


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11


In Northern Ireland, reconciliationarises from flamesBy Kristine Greenaway

Peace in Northern Ireland can some-times be a fragile concept, as seenby riots in the capital, Belfast, earlierthis year. But the people of Belfasts

Whitehouse Presbyterian Churchhave found durable ways to con-quer the hatred that destroyedtheir building nine years ago.

In the early hours of August2, 2002, police woke Liz Hughes,to tell her the Victorian-erachurch where she serves as apastor had been set ablaze by apetrol bomb tossed onto the roof.By morning, only the walls andbaptismal font were left standing.No one was charged but com-munity sources blamed youthfrom a nearby housing estatewhere the residents are predomi-nantly Catholic and Republican.

Following the fire, we hadthe option of closing, Hughes

told ENInews. But we askedourselves what the church isabout and what God was call-ing us to do. We felt our missionwas to move beyond sectarian-ism. Today, in a rebuilt church,mixed groups of Catholic andProtestants meet at the church foractivities ranging from worship andBible study to afternoon dance ses-sions for retired adults and training

for young people as peacemakers.Northern Ireland has longbeen wracked by violence betweenCatholic Republicans demandingindependence from Britain andProtestant Loyalists who oppose it.(Though often described as a battlebetween Catholics and Protestants,the causes of the conflict are com-plex and rooted in disputes overland, economic and political rights.)

Since a peace agreement was

signed on Good Friday 1998, theregion has been calmer though vio-lence still flares. This week, EastBelfast has been shaken by rioting

and gunfire. Local media reported

that police say violence has beenorchestrated by the UVF (UlsterVolunteer Force), a Protestantparamilitary Loyalist group.

Hughes says she isnt sure why

the Whitehouse Presbyterian con-gregation chose to strengthen linkswith their Catholic neighboursrather than seek revenge following

the fire at the church. Part of theanswer may lie in her own theology.I told people that the church is

not the building. Its the people. Andthat became our cry, says Hugheswho arrived 18 months before thefire and still serves the parish.

Whitehouse Presbyterian Churchstands on a piece of no mansland in an interface area betweenCatholic and Protestant workingclass neighbourhoods. In deciding to

stay and rebuild, the congregationrecognized that the location offersthe opportunity to serve as a bridgebetween communities. And so the

congregation made plans for a bright,

modern new facility that would beavailable to the whole community.Within weeks of the fire, f ive

priests from neighbouring Catholicparishes arrived with a cheque

for 10000 British pounds(US$16,000). A family in anearby Catholic housing estategathered contributions in a candy

jar and anonymous gifts arrivedat the church including onemarked simply Catholic pen-sioner. Protestant congregationscontributed and Whitehousemembers worked hard to designand develop the facility. ByFebruary 2005 the new churchbuilding was ready for use.

The parish is thriving. Priorto the fire, the congregation wasaging. Some thought it mightclose within ten years. But fol-lowing the fire, membership

grew steadily. A recent surveyrevealed that 50 per cent ofregular church goers are peoplewho joined after the fire.

People were drawn by thestory of the church, says Hughes.

Some came back after havingbeen away for a while. But theydidnt come because of a spirit ofvengeance. Instead, members todayare involved in initiatives such as

building housing for Catholicsand Protestants in Belfast, aninitiative that has expanded toinclude annual trips to Romaniato build housing with Romathrough Habitat for Humanity.

People who burn churches areneither Protestant nor Catholic,Hughes said. I feel a deep sad-ness that there are people out therewho havent a clue about what thechurch is meant to be about. It is

about being good neighbours andbreaking down barriers of distrust.

Liz Hughes worked with parishioners and thecommunity to rebuild church destroyed by arson.

(Photo: WCRC/Greenaway)


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12


Chris Dorn

It is a privilege to introducemyself in Reformed Communiqu,of which I have been a faithfulreader since first seeing it at theUniting General Council (UGC)

in Grand Rapids in 2010. I am anative of the Grand Rapids areaand a graduate of Calvin Collegewhere the UGC was held. I wentto Western Theological Seminaryin nearby Holland, Michigan,expecting to become a parish pas-tor in the Reformed Church in

America (RCA). However, my lifetook a detour through Milwaukee,

Wisconsin, where I completed aPh.D. programme in Religious

Studies at Marquette University,a Jesuit school. Living and work-ing among Roman Catholics for

several years left a deep impressionon me. Through this experience, Idiscerned a vocation to serve the

cause of Christian unity, a voca-tion which I am exercising here inGeneva as a participant in WCRCsinternship programme. The focusof my 12 month stay is on theol-ogy and church unity. So far, Ihave drafted a report on the his-

tory of dialogue between WCRCand some Pentecostal churchesin preparation for an upcominground of discussions and am help-ing to promote the next GlobalInstitute of Theology (GIT) to beheld in Indonesia in June 2012.

To learn more about Chris andAikos experiences in Geneva,

sign-up to receive postings from

WCRCs blogwww.wcrc.ch

Aiko SumichanIt was the evening of 1 March2011 and I was working late on mythesis when I received an e-mailfrom Douwe Visser informing meabout the internship opportunity atthe WCRC and asking whether Iwould like to apply for it. I repliedto the e-mail with a yes, but

I had two main considerations.One was that once I graduate withmy M.Div. I would have had to go(according to church regulations)through a series of ministerialtrainings towards ordinationand I did not know whether thesynod would allow me to go on

an internship programme. Theother was that 12 months ofliving on my own in a city I hadnever been to was a scary idea.

However, on that same night Iread a devotional that I took as a

sign from God (for more detailssee the WCRC blog), and as itturns out, everything worked outwell. On 31 August 2011, I arrivedin Geneva. For me it has been oneblessing after another, and Im suretheres plenty more to come. I amcertain that this whole experienceis shaping me and moulding meon my journey to serve God.

WCRC welcomes two interns toGeneva staff team

Aiko Sumichan Indonesia(Photo: WCRC/Greenaway)

Chris Dorn United States(Photo: WCRC/Greenaway)


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13


Theological college seeks bestmodels for aboriginal ministry

What are the best models for theo-

logical education for ministry withaboriginal peoples in the 21st centu-ry? The question concerns Reformedtheological seminaries in a num-ber of countries where the WorldCommunion of Reformed Churches(WCRC) has member churches.

In a recent interview, Chung-che Wu, Vice-Principal of Yu-ShanTheological Seminary in Taiwan,told Reformed Communiquaboutthe schools innovative approachesto theological education for ministrywith the countrys 15 tribal groups.The Canadian-educatedtheologian is not aborigi-nal but has a deep com-mitment to preparing theseminarys students forministry in Indigenouscommunities. (Theterms aboriginal and

indigenous are used

here interchangeably.)Ninety per cent of

Yu-shans 150 students areIndigenous. One-thirdof the 18 faculty mem-bers are Indigenous as isthe seminarys principal,Pusin Tali. Sixty-fivestudents are enrolled inthe Masters of Divinityprogramme, the rest are

enrolled in Bachelor of Arts pro-grammes in Christian Education,social work and religious studies.

Classes are in Mandarin butstudents are also given training intheir mother tongue. Many havelost their ability to speak their firstlanguage after leaving home for sec-ondary school education in an urbancentre. If they are to serve their ownpeople, says Wu, they must recovertheir ability to speak their language.

Preparation for ministry inaboriginal communities includeslearning traditional music, andexploration of how to use vestments

and art work in liturgy educa-

tional approaches that are suited toIndigenous culture, beliefs and tradi-tions. Wu wants to take this further.

Culture is lifestyle too, saysWu. But so many of our Indigenousstudents have lost touch with theirhome context. How can we helpthem recover and reconnect withtheir communitys lifestyle?

His vision is for students to spendthree months living in a villageas part of their theological train-ing so that they become familiarwith the lifestyle, make friends,

and can evangelize.Without this prepa-

ration, it can kill theirministry, says Wu.

In May of this year, Wu deliv-

ered a paper at a symposium atYu-shan on theological educationfor aboriginal ministry. The eventwas co-sponsored by TaiwansPresbyterian theology schools. TheSeptember issue ofReformed World,

WCRCs quarterly theologicaljournal carries the full address.

It is time for theological reflec-tion on where to go with theo-logical education for aboriginalministry, the academic says. Weat Yu-shan have a 65-year tradi-tion. Now we must ask how we canprepare students to make a goodcontribution to their local com-munities today and in the future.

Chung-CheWu, Vice-PrincipalYu-Shan

Seminary,Taiwan(Photo:

WCRC/Greenaway)

Yu-Shan Seminary in Taiwan offers programme for Indigenous students(Photo: WCRC/Greenaway)


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14


Latin American churches told foreignerstoo often blamed for social illsThe general secretary of the

World Communion of ReformedChurches (WCRC), Setri Nyomi,believes immigrants and refugeesare too often blamed when thingsgo wrong in their host country.

When things go bad in a com-munity, often foreigners are blamedfor it. Unemployment, crime, andimmorality are often blamedon foreigners, Nyomi says.

The Ghanaian theologianmade his remarks in a sermon atthe closing service for delegatesattending meetings of WCRCsLatin American regional asso-ciation, AIPRAL. More than 100representatives of churches fromthe region gathered in GuatemalaCity, Guatemala, in August for

AIPRALs 11th general assembly.In his sermon delivered in

Central Presbyterian Churchon Sunday, 14 August, Nyomi

spoke on the theme: Justiceand strangers: Where is God?

Referring to AIPRALs reputa-tion as an organization that defendsthe rights of groups tradition-ally excluded in society, Nyomi

said this concern for strang-

ers is based in Christian faith.Gods justice includes all. Infact foreigners are part of thepeople of action in Gods justice.

All are welcome to Gods house.Earlier, assembly delegates elected

Gabriella Mulder, a lay woman fromthe Reformed Church in Argentina, as

the new AIPRAL president. Mulder

takes over from Clayton Leal daSilva of the Independent PresbyterianChurch of Brazil for a five-year term.Dario Barolin of the WaldensianChurch in Uruguay becomes thenew general secretary replacingGermn Zijlstra of Argentina whoretires from AIPRAL later this year.

Clayton Da Silva, Past-president of AIPRAL presents new AIPRAL Executive Committee:L to R: Gabriela Mulder, President; Agnaldo Pereira Gomez, Vice-president, Santos

Espinosa, Treasurer, and Daro Barolin, Executive Secretary (Photo: AIPRAL)

Mission book launched to mark WCRC anniversary

By Shirley J. RoelsJune 15 marked the one-year anni-versary of the mission conferenceon the campus of Calvin Collegein Grand Rapids, United States,prior to the meeting of the UnitingGeneral Council which launchedthe World Communion of ReformedChurches. 240 participants from40 countries attending the missionconference explored the growingworld Christian movements con-

nected to the Reformed tradition.On that anniversary date, I was

pleased to announce the publica-

tion of a book based on the con-ference. Reformed Mission in anAge of World Christianity: Ideasfor the 21st Century, published byCalvin Press, includes a forewordby Setri Nyomi (WCRC GeneralSecretary) and an interview with

Jerry Pillay (elected in June 2010 asPresident of the WCRC) along witharticles covering input from confer-ence presenters and participants.

There are two forms of publica-

tion: online and printed. The onlineversion is available atwww.calvin.edu/admin/cccs/rcc

The online version is free of charge.The print edition can be orderedonline. Prices information is avail-able on the website. The contentsare in English except for RichardMouws plenary address that is avail-able online in Indonesian, English,French, Korean and Spanish.

Shirley J. Roels is Professor ofManagement and Director of the

Van Lunen Centre at Calvin College

in Grand Rapids, United States.


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15


Latin American ecumenist preparesfor busy retirementGerman Zijlstra has devoted his

working life to the church and ecu-menism. From singing in an ecu-menical choir as a boy through tohis theological studies with studentsfrom nine Protestant denomina-tions through to his connectionwith WCRC as a representative fromLatin America, the Argentineantheologian has been active in manyforms of ecumenism. At the endof the year he will retire from hisposition with AIPRAL, the Latin

American network of Reformedand Presbyterian churches.

In an interview withReformed Communiqu, Zijlstrareflected on his career.

Reformed Communiqu: How did

you first get involved in ecumenism?

I had my first contact withthe World Alliance of ReformedChurches (one of the WCRC found-

ing organizations) when I went toSwitzerland in 1986 for celebrationsmarking the 450th anniversaryof the Reformation in Geneva.

Most of my ecumenicalwork has focused on ecumeni-cal formation through lay train-ing centres. I am the GlobalCoordinator of OIKOSNET, aglobal network of 200 train-ing centres, and will continue in

that role until December 2013.For the past nine years I havehad the privilege of serving as theexecutive secretary of AIPRAL.

This has allowed me to work with

national churches of the Reformedand Presbyterian family throughoutLatin America and the Caribbean.

RC: What are you most proud of?For me the Accra confession,

signed at the WARC General Councilin Accra, Ghana in 2004, was amilestone. It drew the line betweenwhat was before and what was new.It is a paradigm of a new perspectivethat fleshed out regional demandsfor social justice based on our faith.

RC: What are AIPRALs chal-

lenges and opportunities?

There are several key issuesincluding concerns about effortsto rescind the ordination of

women; the situation of churches

in countries torn apart by severesocial and political conflicts; andAIPRALs financial challenges.

RC: What are yourplans for the future?

My wife and I will be moving toUruguay to be closer to our daughtersand grandchildren. In addition to con-tinuing in my role with OIKOSNET,I will be WCRCs representative insupport of the International Teamof the Ecumenical AccompanimentProgramme to the Colombian church-es. (See Colombia page 2). The

programme is sponsored by WCRC,the United Church of Canada, andthe Latin American council ofchurches (CLAI) amongst others.

Germn Ziljstra (3rd from left) plans to spend more time with family in retirement.

Making a Difference MADIP: Transforming MissionA new publication by the WorldCommunion of Churches offershighlights of mission work bychurches in South Africa, Rwanda

and Belgium through the Makinga Difference Project (MADIP)sponsored by the World Allianceof Reformed Churches, one of

WCRCs founding organizations.The book tells the storyof an experiment fromwhich Reformed and

United churches all overthe world can learn asthey seek to make a dif-ference in their own communities.

Available free of charge athttp://wcrc.ch/sites/default/files/MADIP_letter72print.pdfmaking a difference

making a differencemaking a difference

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MADIP: transforming mission

making a differencemaking a difference

WorldCommunionofReformedChurches

www.wcrc.ch


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From the general secretary

16


December 2011

Vol.2, No.4

Reformed Communiqu

is published quarterly by

the World Communion of

Reformed Churches.

Unless otherwise indicated,

the writers for articles are

alone responsible for the

opinions expressed. Articles

may be reprinted freely with

acknowledgement.

To receive your free subscription,subscribe online at:

www.wcrc.ch/resources

or send a request by post to:

WCRC

PO Box 2100

150 route de Ferney

1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland

tel: +41 22 791 6240

fax: +41 22 791 65 05

email: [email protected]

web: www.wcrc.ch

Editor: Kristine Greenaway

Layout: The Lutheran World

Federation

Printed in Switzerland

by SRO Kundig

World

Communion

of Reformed

Churches

Called tocommunion,

committed to

justice

Setri Nyomi, General Secretary(Photo: Helen Putsman-Penet)

Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and

hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made

straight, and the rough ways made smooth; 6 and all

flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Luke 3:4-6)

Advent season is here again. In this time of joy-ous expectation for Christians, it is appropriatefor us to thank God for coming in human form,invading history, coming to be with us. It is timeto renew our anticipation of his coming again.

One of the accounts that will undoubtedly be readin many WCRC churches is how John, in understand-ing the mission of God, proclaims Isaiahs prophecy,Prepare the way of the Lord... (Isaiah 40: 3ff). Asthis passage is preached in our churches this year, Ihope we will take the time to ask ourselves how weare preparing the way of the Lord in this season.

The coming of the Lord ushers in transformation.It spells new life for all who believe. When the Lordtouches the life of a person or a community, things arenot the same transformation follows. Terrains whichare challenging to cross, because of mountains, hillsand valleys, are transformed into plateaux which can becrossed with less effort. The crooked and the rough takeon new shape that makes them straight and smooth.

John the Baptist drew on these images fromIsaiah to urge his hearers to prepare the way of

the Lord. He had a message that was relevantfor everybody. Preparing meant transformationfor the crowds as well as for those with financialpower and military power. No one was left out.

Preparing the way of the Lord in this advent seasonhas the same urgency to it. We are called to a renewedsense of faithfulness to God which reflects our spirit ofsharing. In a world in which many people value ruggedindividualism and amassing possessions without think-ing of others in the community, this is a radical mes-sage which calls us to share what we have and advocate

for policies which provide social safety nets for all.The message for those who are powerful is even moredirect. For the powerful who control the finances of ourtimes, the message is nothing less than to reverse injusticein society by adopting values which would move themaway from amassing wealth at the expense of people.

The World Communion of ReformedChurches, in its strategic plan, is calling us toa new level of spiritual renewal that bonds usstrongly as a communion committed to the jus-tice reflected in the message of John the Baptist.

As we celebrate Christmas this year, it is my

prayer that we heed the voice that cries in the wil-derness: prepare the way of the Lord. It is timeto examine ourselves and yield to the transform-ing power of God in this season of Advent.

The coming of theLord ushers intransformation

Prayers onlineIs your church in need of prayers?

Is it concerned for the situation of

churches in other parts of the world?

The WCRC website has prayer

resources for you.

WCRC member churches frequent ly

submit requests for prayers that

are posted to the website. Recent

postings include prayers for Japan,

the Republic of South Sudan and

Tribal and Adivasi peoples in India.

Each week as well you can connect

with the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle of

the World Council of Churches viaWCRCs home page.

Visitww w.wcrc.ch regularly for

inspiration for prayer.

Reformed Communiqué December 2011

Documents

Transcript of Reformed Communiqué December 2011