It is with a deep sense of humility and thanks to God that I stand here to accept the responsibility that you have chosen to entrust to me. I feel that I am standing on holy ground - called to serve the World Alliance of Reformed Churches - a life-giving organization which has the potential to be even more to our peoples all over the world.

The Reformed family, our family, has for several centuries been a leading force in critical theological reflection that touches on the lives and realities of people. Our stand for life and against any form of oppression, stemming from our theological reflection, speaks loudly and clearly of a confessional family which is committed to being a partner with God in transforming our world. One need only look at examples such as the adoption of the Barmen declaration in the face of Nazism and, in our own life time, the 21st general council's declaration of status confessionis in the face of the evil of apartheid, to see some of the ways in which the Reformed family has been a refreshing prophetic voice of the church of Jesus Christ. A new commitment to justice in the partnership of women and men after the 22nd council, evidenced in the creation of what was then the programme to act, challenge and transform and is now the department of partnership of women and men, continues to portray refreshing obedience to God. Called to serve this organization - this is holy ground!

In the era of the 23rd general council, the holy ground on which I stand becomes even clearer. Given the challenges that face us in the many forms of persistent injustice and environmental degradation, this family chose a mobilizing theme which gives us a mandate to be God's instruments of transformation: "Break the chains of injustice". This is holy ground. It is opportunity to serve the living God and to be a part of a team of God's people to seek out the chains in whatever forms they exist and break them.

Like Moses, on the threshold of being sent to liberate a suffering people, my standing on holy ground here today is both humbling and empowering. I can hear the God who calls me note that I can use the staff in my hands, the resources we already have, and what God is going to continue to give. I cannot hide behind excuses - I can rely on other members of the team, the Aarons and the Miriams - you, executive committee members, staff colleagues, our member churches. Together, we are on this holy ground with its challenges and opportunities.

We are together on holy ground, hearing God's call to take the Alliance into a new century, a new millennium. So while thanking you for this honour done me, I also invite you to a new level of participation in leading the Alliance into the future. Let me dare share with you five elements of my dream:

Commitment to team spirit and teamwork

Those of us whom this executive committee has called to work for you in Geneva can serve you best only if we are a team, using our different gifts effectively, but as a team. I see my role as team captain in empowering every person to do what you have called us to do for you effectively, and creating a supportive and transparent environment in which we are able to serve you best. But the team is not only those of us who will be in Geneva. You, our policy makers, are an essential part of the team, not only when you guide us from here, but also when you lead us in bringing Warc closer to our peoples in the various communities from which you come. And our member churches, and many of the people on whom we shall call for dialogues, consultations, etc., are essential parts of the team also.

Commitment to the spirit of the 23rd general council

"Breaking the chains of injustice". This is what will dictate our commitment to the programmes of partnership of women and men which addresses expressions of injustice which have been a perennial problem for the church for so long.

It also gives us a strong base for addressing socio-economic injustices as well as the blatant disregard for the environment. The processus confessionis which we have in place will have a special place in our work together. I happen to come from a part of the world where the evils resulting from such injustices affect humanity the most. As a family we are called upon to break the chains that such injustices impose.

Warc needs to be more relevant to the Reformed family

My sense is that we do have ownership problems. Unless we work intentionally on being relevant to our entire family at all levels, we will have situations where many in our churches know little about Warc. This has implications for our communications programme, and the kinds of publications we put out and the kinds of tools we use. It also has implications for the way we do our programming in all departments. How relevant are we? Such relevance will also increase commitment to increased financial contributions. I personally look forward to visiting our member churches as we look forward to building together.

Creative ways of becoming financially stable

We really appreciate the churches that have remained so faithful in being the financial lifeline of Warc. We will continue to challenge other churches in both South and North to demonstrate our commitment to the organization we own. Here I want to let you in on a secret.In Africa we cherish our extended family members. I am thankful for the extended family I have within the Reformed family. They include the German churches who give the most to the work of Warc. They were the instruments through which the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Ghana came into being. Thanks to you and to all our member churches in Europe for giving so much to Warc. Thanks to my extended family in North America for their support of Warc. Two of our North American member churches provided space for me to study and do ministry for several years. Coming closer home, I really appreciate our African, Asian, South American, Middle East, Pacific and Caribbean members whose contributions (however small) continue to be on the increase. To all our churches which have been faithful in giving, we will pledge ourselves to a level of accountability that will ensure you know our money is in good hands and doing good work which will make good impact.

But we need new creative ways. Many new ways will emerge in our thinking together. Among the many ideas already emerging let me mention only a few. I would like to further discussion for an endowment fund. I would also want to develop further the idea of the "one-dollar campaign" with the Department of Finance. I believe we need to make the aim of this campaign very clear and have a campaign which is focused on making this more than a money campaign - one in which our entire constituency can be mobilized to know more about Warc and to know Warc and how relevant we are to them. We also need to tap into foundations and trusts for specific programmes. Our focus on breaking the chains of injustice is exciting, and even though raising funds with foundations and trusts can be tedious, we have possibilities which we needs to exploit.

An organization committed to the ecumenical calling

I am excited about being part of such an organization. Our bilateral dialogues, our commitment to the forum proposed by the World Council of Churches, indeed what led us to move our offices from Edinburgh to Geneva in 1948 will continue to be important for our team. Our striving towards unity, and towards healing divisions within our Reformed family and within the oikoumene will remain important. So will the ecumenical task of being the voice of the voiceless, and to being prophetic in the face of all forms of challenges and the forces of evil.

Concluding remarks

Let me end by expressing thanks. I would like to thank the community which nurtured me and prepared me for this task: my parents, my home church, and the church in Africa. I am an African Reformed Christian, and I thank God for the opportunity I have had to serve in Ghana and the continent of Africa in many ways, and to learn through that process. I am very grateful to God for my wife, Akpene, whose standing by me and working alongside me has made it possible for me to serve effectively.

Thanks to Milan Opocensky for ten years of service, and for leading this organization through some troubled waters. Thanks to all those who have served this organization in various capacities. In honour to you and to our Reformed mothers and fathers, we will continue to build on your good work. And we will not stop at that. Reformata, sed semper reformanda. We will need to be open to the Spirit in continuing to be reforming in ways which may not be apparent now. Thanks to this team, the current executive committee, the staff colleagues, and others with whom we shall be on this journey together. We will have to be open to new ways of building a team, being prophetic and building resources.

We thank God who has given us this opportunity to serve. God goes with us and equips us for it. We are together on holy ground. Let us rise up and, in good team spirit, build together our beloved World Alliance of Reformed Churches.