12 February 2014 Consultation Assesses State of the Communion The Consultation on Communion, drawing together 50 church leaders from around the world in wintry West Michigan, produced the first draft of a report on the state of the communion that will be presented to the World Communion of Reformed Churches’ (WCRC) executive committee at its annual meeting in May. Bridget Ben-Naimah summed up the consultation’s work in her message at the event’s closing worship service: “Sisters and brothers in Christ, halfway through the first phase of the life journey of the WCRC, we have gathered here in Grand Rapids trying to identify the various dimensions of our understanding of communion and assessing how we have faired on this journey both collectively and as individual churches. “As we engaged in discussions together, quite a number of revelations were received,” she continued. “I believe that these findings are not to discourage us or to divide us; but rather to remind us that in spite of the fact that communion is a gift from God to us, we who are called to participate in the communion have a responsibility to work at it.” Setri Nyomi, WCRC general secretary, emphasized that the “communion is more than the leadership and staff of the institution of the WCRC; it is you, the churches that are spread in the countries where we find ourselves. Our evaluation of how we are doing as a communion should include whether or not the action of churches in each context demonstrate our understanding that communion and justice go hand in hand.” The consultation met in Grand Rapids, Michigan, February 4-7, 2014. Learn more here: http://wcrc.ch/news/consultation-assesses-state-of-the-communion/
Consultation on “Faith Declarations” Opens Future Possibilities
A consultation on “Ecumenical Faith Declarations” demonstrated a desire for continuing dialogue and action on issues that pertain to the role, purpose, and function of statements of faith, including creeds and confessions, in the context of the church’s life and witness. The consultation arose after the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) decided to adopt the Belhar Confession and designate it as a document in a new category called “Ecumenical Faith Declaration.” The Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee of the CRCNA, in conjunction with the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), invited approximately 50 representatives from WCRC member churches to consider whether this new category could serve a broader purpose within the Reformed family. In the course of the discussions, it became evident that the majority of the participants did not embrace the concept of a new category entitled “Ecumenical Faith Declarations.” However, additional dialogue explored alternative ways to address the identified complexities, challenges, and opportunities regarding creeds, confessions, declarations, and other statements of faith. Despite the shift in course, or perhaps because of it, participants expressed confidence that the present consultation fulfilled a significant role in highlighting the need to seek further clarity and creative engagement on confessional issues. The consultation met in Grand Rapids, Michigan, February 2-4, 2014. Learn more here:
http://wcrc.ch/news/consultation-faith-declarations-opens-future-possibilities/ For additional information, please contact Douwe Visser: dvi@wcrc.eu. |