The Council of the World Communion of Reformed Churches in Europe

We are also grateful that we could do – in our view – some meaningful work. Of course, there is always the feeling that we could have done more to strengthen our communion but, on the other hand, there is always also a lack of time and very much work and activities in our own churches. This has been a struggle since the changes we agreed in Budapest 2006, resulting in a light structure. In full awareness of this fact, we nevertheless have been trying to fulfil our task, putting emphasis on solidarity within the region and co-operation with partners in Europe.

 

I would like to bring the following activities of the Steering Committee to your attention:

 

The year 2013 was the year of the 450th anniversary of the Heidelberg Catechism. In many of our member churches there were activities regarding this jubilee. Most of the activities werenot just focused on a historical view back but were focused on meaning of the Heidelberg Catechism for churches today.

 

The President was invited to give an introduction on the Heidelberg Catechism for an workshop at the ‘Evangelischer Kirchentag’ in Hamburg. After two introductory inputs, agroup of very interested people discussed the question of whether the Heidelberg Catechism could still help the church to stay focused on the central message of the Gospel.

 

In June, the first ordinary session of the Common Synod of the Reformed Churches in the Carpathian Basin was held in Debrecen. The importance of the Heidelberg Catechism was one of the themes and the President also got the chance to speak on this item and to bring the greetings of WCRC Europe to the Synod.

 

The Church & Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches and the Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg to the European Union, Brusselsorganised, together with other organisations and churches (including WCRC Europe), an introduction to the Heidelberg Catechism and a panel discussion in Brussels. The theme of the conference was:  450 years jubilee of the “Heidelberger Katechismus” – a confession amidst an open society? From the interplay between confession, open society and freedom in Europe.The President and Vice-President Martina Wasserloos-Strunk were guests and the Presidentwas one of the members of the panel.

 

The ‘Reformierter Bund’ held the ‘Hauptversammlung’ this year in Heidelberg. Of course, the jubilee of the Heidelberg Catechism was also the focus of this meeting. Very interesting lectures from different persons from theological science and church leadership were presented. The President represented WCRC Europe.

 

The WCRC Europe Steering Committee has been making Solidarity Visits to member churches alongside its normal committee meetings. We are prioritising smaller member churches, in particular those who have experienced recent difficulties.

 

The September meeting of the WCRC Europe Steering Committee took place over two days. The first day started with a visit to the offices of the Reformed Church in Transylvania, ClujDistrict and discussion with Bishop Béla Kató and other members of the church administration. The Steering Committee was made most welcome and heard of a variety of challenges facing the Church. In common with the Church in much of Europe, the ReformedChurch in Transylvania is experiencing a decline in the numbers attending. This is particularly marked among younger people; part of the reason for this is that many are seeking work in other parts of Europe and communities are being left without many youngpeople in them. There are also on-going struggles to regain ownership of a number of buildings which belong to the church. Some of these have been successful, and for that there is much thankfulness, but other are still occupied illegally, some by private individuals andsome by the government.

 

The Steering Committee met in January 2014 in Lithuania and was in contact with the governing body of the Evangelical Reformed Church in Lithuania, especially Rev RimasMikalauskas, Vice-Superintendent of the Evangelical Reformed Church in Lithuania, whowas our host. Conversation ranged over topics including the history of Lithuania, with particular reference to the role of the Reformed Church within it, and the current situation of and challenges faced by the church. About 0.2% of the population are Reformed but this figure is holding up, in contrast to the decline experienced by the Lutheran Church, the Orthodox Church (both minorities) and the Roman Catholic Church which, at about 76% of the population of Lithuania, is in the distinct majority. This visit was a follow-up to our lettersduring the difficult period for the church related to legal questions regarding church buildings. Vice-President Rev. Balázs Ódor had previously represented WCRC Europe in March 2013 at the extraordinary synod of the Lithuanian Church, so contact with the Church in Lithuania has been intense and ongoing.

 

The Steering Committee is grateful for the hospitality offered to us by the two churches we visited and for the opportunity to renew and deepen relationships.

 

One of the highlights of the work of  WCRC Europe is the theological work. In Athens, the Steering Committee reported: The Steering Committee wanted to focus on further development of the theme of hermeneutics. We think that it is very important to talk and think in our communion about this question. In many member churches there are discussions with hermeneutic aspects (for example same-sex relationships and the ministry). How can we, in our churches but also in our communion, work on this theme? Are we to be only a communion of the like-minded, who agree with one another, or can we maintain and build communion in diversity? What is the nature of doing reformed theology and its impact on dialogue?

 

In the last number of years we have had a – sometimes changing – group of theologians who did work for WCRC Europe. Because of a very full agenda of some of the members and illness experienced by another, the work of this group has recently had to be done on a low level. In close consultation with Prof. Weinrich and the Theological Secretary of the WCRC, it was decided to ask a group young theologians to make a new start for the theological group. The members of the ‘old’ group were informed and asked to support the new group ifnecessary. The first meeting of the new group will be in April in Hannover. The Steering Committee asks for the support of the Council for this new start.

 

Prof. Dr. Henk Vroom

On January 16th 2014 Henk Vroom passed away. We knew that he had been very ill for a long time. Even in that time there was contact with him about the theological work for WCRCEurope. We are grateful for all he has done for our communion. The Steering Committee sent a letter of condolence to his wife and family.

 

Vice-President Balázs Ódor represented WCRC Europe at the assembly of the CEC in Budapest. Greetings to the assembly were brought.

 

The Steering Committee was invited by the WCRC for a consultation on Communion. Rev. Cheryl Meban was asked to represent WCRC Europe. Vice-President Rev Balázs Ódor wasalso at the consultation representing his own church. There will be a separate report on the consultation.

 

In January, the new office of the WCRC was opened in Hannover. There was a warm welcome by the German Churches to the office. On Sunday 12th January, a service of welcome took place in the Reformed Church of Hannover, followed by a reception and the dedication of the new WCRC offices. In his sermon, Rev. Dr. Jerry Pillay, President of the WCRC told the congregation that, “the decision to move out of Geneva was not an easy one” and that, “fears, concerns and anxieties had been expressed during the time of decision”.

 

It was interesting how fast the history of the REC in the WCRC is forgotten. In all the declarations and words about the move from Geneva to Hannover, the history of the REC with the office in the US never was mentioned. Just the years in Geneva seemed to be important. The President and the Treasurer represented WCRC Europe.

 

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Accra confession

The WCRC Secretary for Justice and Communion has been organizing regional consultationson the theme: “Called to Communion, Committed to Justice: The Accra Confession Ten Years Later”. The general objective is to reflect together, through the lens of each regional context,on our commitment to justice as WCRC member churches, amidst the global context of violence and injustice and degradation of both human beings and nature.

 

The regional consultation for Europe will take place from 9th – 10th October, 2014 and will be a conference about asylum (see below). The global consultation is scheduled for 2nd – 6thNovember, 2014.

 

The issues of refugees and asylum seekers and of migration are urgent ones for the countries of the European Union, the catastrophe off Lampedusa bringing the plight of those who seek to flee their own countries into tragic focus. The EU faces the challenge of developingpolicies to address the specific situation of migrants, respecting human rights and giving protection to vulnerable people.

 

For the institutions of the EU, and also for national governments, it is highly important to see and consider their own situation and possibilities, but nevertheless it often gives theimpression that the EU is building its own power structures, which are building a new “iron curtain”, excluding people who are in need for help.

 

The conference will hear detailed reflections about the “Theology of Migration” and“Reformed Theology as Theology of Escape”.

 

Presentations and discussions about the experiences of Reformed Churches who are involved in or affected by this issue and who are working with migrants, refugees and asylum seekersare planned. It is important to recognise how people react to the problems raised by asylum seeking and migration and what kind of programmes churches and other institutions develop for giving help and support. What are the problems of communities who are directly involved in those problems? What does the fact of asylum seeking and migration mean for their “being Church”? What are their internal discussions and theological reflections? What kind of co-operation with NGOs or local governments are successful? How is the co-operation with national governments and what impact can churches have on shaping policy?

 

The conference will take place in Hannover 9th - 10th October, 2014. Invitations have been sent to the Waldensian Church and our member churches in Spain, Greece, Hungary and France. Furthermore, representatives of the Reformed Church of Morocco, which supports migrants in Morocco, and of the Uniting Church in Sweden, with their experiences of “openness for migrants”, will be invited. Vice-President Martina Wasserloos-Strunk isrepresenting the Steering Committee as part of the steering group of the conference.