Nyomi, van Houten look to the future of WCRC union

By Jerry Van Marter, UGC correspondent

The general secretaries of the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) gave their final reports Saturday as the day-old World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) took flight.

Richard van Houten, who is retiring after 21 years as REC general secretary, and Setri Nyomi, WARC's general secretary who will continue as the head of WCRC, mixed accounts of their organizations' progress since their last meeting with an optimistic look to the future of WCRC, which unites 80 million Reformed Christians worldwide.

The historic emphases REC brings to the union, van Houten said, are biblical and confessional integrity, Reformed piety, mutual care and a commitment to social justice based on biblical principles. He urged WCRC delegates to maintain those emphases by continuing "personal ministry visits" to member churches, efforts to overcome racial and ethnic discrimination, and youth ministry.

Nyomi said if he were asked 10 years ago when he became WARC general secretary if WARC and REC would ever unite, his answer would have been "impossible!"

Quoting Matt. 19:26, Nyomi said, "Today the God who makes all things possible, and who has brought together two Reformed bodies, calls us to a new level of embracing an impossible future. ... But we can dare to move forward together because with God all things are possible."

Nyomi outlined WARC's seven "core callings" that will continue to guide WCRC: economic and environmental justice; spiritual and worship renewal; ecumenical unity; contemporary understandings of the Reformed tradition; mission unity, renewal and empowerment; inclusivity and partnership; and enabling churches to witness for justice and peace.

Delegates also heard from the outgoing REC and WARC presidents. WARC's Clifton Kirkpatrick acknowledged "there have been struggles along the way." For example, said REC's Peter Borgdorff, his organization erred in 2005 when it admitted an all-white South African church "based on a promise for changed behavior rather than on evidence that such changed behavior had actually been demonstrated."

Kirkpatrick said the union achieved Friday "is due to the peerless devotion to unity of our respective leaders, Setri Nyomi and Richard van Houten."