After more than ten years' service (1989-2000) as general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Dr Milan Opocensky of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren retires from his post on March 31. Here he writes a farewell letter to the whole Alliance family.

Dear sisters and brothers,

At the end of March 2000 I shall terminate my work in the Alliance and so wish to take this opportunity to bid farewell to all of you. This includes my staff colleagues in Geneva and elsewhere, the officers, members of the executive committee, members of the area councils and all of you in WARC member churches near and far. During my tenure I was in a position to visit about half of the churches in membership and, through correspondence, I have managed to keep in contact with the rest. The visits to church headquarters and local congregations in different countries have been the most rewarding part of my activity. I am most grateful to all of you who received me warmly when I came to visit you. My colleagues and I have been supported in our daily work by your prayers and intercessions. You stood firm in the Lord and therefore we could live and continue our daily work.

I gratefully recall the cooperation and contacts with colleagues in the WCC, the regional ecumenical organizations, the Council for World Mission, the Evangelical Community for Apostolic Action (CEVAA), etc. I wish to highlight especially my close cooperation with the John Knox International Reformed Centre, the Lutheran World Federation and the Secretaries of the Christian world communions. I had the privilege of chairing the CWC annual meetings from 1996-1998. I do not wish to forget the rewarding sessions of bilateral dialogues with other Christian traditions.

When I was first approached to apply for the position of general secretary, I did not take it very seriously because I did not believe that a person from my part of the world was eligible, as at that time I was living in the Soviet orbit under a communist regime. When I was elected in Belfast in 1988, I took it as a genuine calling. My wife and I believed that we could be of some help to the churches in the Reformed family. It was my principle to take every single voice seriously and not to differentiate between big and small churches, "important" and "insignificant" churches. It is my joy that during my time forty-three new member churches have become a part of the worldwide fellowship. It was possible to intervene with governments and to plead in the corridors of power for Reformed churches in situations of duress and difficulty. For example, the return of a church building to a congregation in Riga (Latvia) was an instance where WARC was successful.

We can look back on the past ten years with a certain satisfaction. I commend my colleagues in Geneva for their dedicated and diligent work. Many churches in all continents have been visited. Several new WARC area councils started their work. Many new people have participated in WARC events and enriched our deliberations. WARC study consultations in all continents have been landmarks in the life of many churches and in the ecumenical movement. The conferences on Reformed faith and economic justice led the 23rd general council (Debrecen 1997) to call member churches to engage in a confessing process in relation to global economic injustice and environmental destruction. The programme on "partnership of women and men" was started and later became a department. A communications secretary has been appointed and the work of his desk has been significantly enlarged. The Reformed churches partnership fund has supported many projects around the world. The financial situation of WARC has been stabilized and the books closed usually without a deficit. However, the most significant change is that WARC has ceased being a northern hemisphere-orientated organization. Nowadays WARC is a global organization. This fact is also reflected in the composition of the executive committee and in the composition of its staff. WARC has become more visible and its contribution is more tangible in the ecumenical world.

In working with WARC member churches I have noticed a lack of awareness of the communion among Reformed churches. Churches basically live separated from each other and do not feel accountable to each other. Perhaps we do not appreciate fully the notion of church as God's gift. Communion means sharing and if necessary sacrificing and suffering for each other. It seems that we do not see sufficiently clearly the link between local or regional churches and the church universal. I would like to see all member churches exploring together what it means to be a Reformed fellowship and taking seriously their membership in the worldwide Alliance family.

I hope that the emphasis on economic justice and justice vis-à-vis creation expressed in the call to a confessing process in Debrecen in 1997 will continue to be a priority for the Alliance and that the programme in this area will expand. At the same time, we need to deepen our biblical and theological reflection and to revitalize our spiritual life. We are committed to a simpler lifestyle. The ultimate goal of all our efforts is to renew our faith and life together.

I pray that WARC may be given a vision of how to discover new frontiers for its witness and mission. In true partnership of women and men we need to continue to work for a common witness of Reformed churches and creative reinterpretation of the Reformed tradition. In all our work we need to be attentive to the voices of young people. It is essential for WARC to be a network of solidarity and a place where we can put challenging questions to each other. WARC is committed to the ecumenical movement and will try to express the already existing unity in Christ in a new, fresh and tangible way.

Now as I prepare to leave my post I wish to thank my colleagues with whom I have worked on a daily basis. A bond of friendship and Christian fellowship has grown between us. I thank all the members of the former and present executive committee who have supported me in my work. I am obliged to WARC member churches which have enriched me beyond any expectation. I have tried to give of my best and to be of some help, but I have always been conscious of how much I have received.

A special word of thanks goes to my wife Jana who has encouraged and sustained me in many ways. A number of times she accompanied me on my visits, participated in church meetings or consultations, and brought her own contribution. Without her support and understanding I could not have carried out my work. Please include my family and me in your intercessions.

I ask you to accept my successor, Dr Setri Nyomi, and the other new members of the WARC staff with the same trust and openness that I have been privileged to enjoy. Continue to support WARC and its work on international and regional levels.

And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace... (Acts 20.32).

Fraternally yours,
Dr Milan Opocensky, general secretary