In a simply but moving ceremony in St Pierre Cathedral, Geneva, on April 29, Sifiso Mpofu of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa and S Muthu Raj of the Church of South India were presented with first and second prizes for their entries in the Georges Lombard competition. The two contestants had contributed essays on the topic, "How Reformed worship and theology can learn from and influence financial institutions at the present time".

The prizewinners with Setri Nyomi

Georges Lombard was general treasurer of the Alliance from 1948 to 1970. In a short speech during the ceremony, Setri Nyomi underlined his commitment to the service of God, and his Reformed conviction that banking was not a secular pursuit devoted to maximizing profit but was, in the proper sense, a calling.

"He combined these two commitments creatively," Nyomi said. "This is what makes it appropriate to name this prize after him. It is a prize that identifies people of the younger generation who can be equally dedicated to serving God and humanity, doing the kind of analysis which discerns God's will in addressing the issues that confront us in the world. Georges Lombard would have been proud to see that young people of this day can still reflect on and express in relevant ways what he felt the church and Christians are called to."

Beatrice Lombard and Catherine Kuhn-Lombard were among the judges for the prize. They, M. Lombard's widow, and other members of the Lombard family took part in the ceremony.

The prize competition was coordinated by William A McComish, dean of St Pierre Cathedral and the Alliance's current general treasurer. In his remarks, he stressed the importance of passing on the theological baton to a new generation of Reformed thinkers and teachers.

The Alliance is grateful to the partners of Lombard Odier & Cie., private bankers in Geneva, for making the Georges Lombard prize possible.