World Communion of Reformed Churches
News Release
02 May 2011 By Kristine Greenaway If global church organizations are to have a future, people in local parishes will have to be mobilized, the president of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) has told participants at a national church event in Taiwan. “I personally believe that for ecumenism to have a future, we have to take its vision and mission to people sitting in the pews,” Jerry Pillay said in an address to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) delivered Thursday in the Taiwanese capital, Taipei. “We rely on member churches like PCT to find creative ways of doing this,” Pillay told the several hundred participants and international guests meeting at the Mackay Memorial Hospital in central Taipei.
The WCRC president made his remarks prior to flying to Geneva, Switzerland to oversee strategic planning and executive committee meetings that will set the agenda for WCRC for the coming seven-year period. WCRC vice-president for Asia, Lu Yueh Wen, who is a member of PCT will participate in those discussions slated to run from 2 – 13 May. Plans under discussion call for WCRC to focus over the coming years on encouraging the sharing of resources – including model programmes – among member churches; leadership development; and regional engagement in justice and church unity issues. “We invite PCT to help build regional leadership and capacity in the WCRC as you have done with medical missions and mission education. We’d love you to bring that to the WCRC,” Pillay noted. Pillay was accompanied on his visit to Taiwan by WCRC general secretary, Setri Nyomi. Earlier in the week, Nyomi brought greetings to the assembly. In referring to the assembly theme – “Let Cultures flourish: Let God’s Justice take Root” – the General Secretary noted the link between the theme and WCRC’s long commitment to justice issues. Nyomi praised PCT’s involvement in justice initiatives, including its work with the country’s Indigenous peoples, and thanked the church for its support and commitment to WCRC. The four-day assembly concluded Friday. The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan is a small but significant force in Taiwanese society. Its members make up just over 1% of the population that is primarily Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, or secular. Known for its human rights, social service and mission, the church is closely connected to the country’s aboriginal peoples. Eleven of its 23 presbyteries represent Indigenous congregations; the remaining 12 are Han or Hakka. WCRC was created in June 2010 through a merger of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC). Its 230 member churches representing 80 million Christians are active worldwide in initiatives supporting economic, climate and gender justice, mission, and cooperation among Christians of different traditions. Media Contacts:
Kristine Greenaway
Office of Communications Email: kgr@wcrc.ch
tel:41 (0)22 791 62 43;
fax:41 (0)22 791 65 05
www.wcrc.ch |