First of all let me say congratulations on 120 years of service and faithful witness. Thank you for that from all of us. I am honoured today to greet you on behalf of the Christian world communions, a number of whose general secretaries and high officials are seated here today. They have asked me to offer this greeting on behalf of us all.

Dr David Barrett, who editted the World Christian Encyclopedia, told me a few days ago that Christian world communions like the World Alliance of Reformed Churches are tremendously significant developments in the history of Christianity. There are about 20 families of Christian churches like the World Alliance and they have been meeting together annually for the past 40 years.

The items that come on the agenda of the conference of secretaries of Christian world communions are not unlike those I see in your programme. One item we have been talking about for the last three years is how together Christians can celebrate the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ and how we can do it in a way that will make a witness to our world. Perhaps this is an issue the World Alliance's general council might take up. How do you think we can do it? If we as Christians - Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, or whatever name we use - cannot, at Bethlehem, make a common confession, where under God can we do it? You see it is a great challenge at this time in history and maybe this is a matter that you can help give guidance on to all of us.

I want you to know that Dr Milan Opocensky is the chair of the conference of secretaries of Christian world communions. He is our world leader and I think you might want to acknowledge that.

I was sitting here yesterday after he spoke and your response to his address confirmed all the admiration and respect the secretaries of the other Christian world communions feel for this man. His inspired life and committed leadership are an enormous challenge to world Christianity

Let me close by extending the goodwill of the communion from which I come, the World Methodist Council, and of which I am the general secretary. We have a lot in common. We are not quite as old as the World Alliance but we were born in the same era, in 1881. We have other commonalities and as I listened to your wonderful 120th anniversary celebration I wondered how many of those things are common to us as well. One commonality is, of those churches belonging to the World Alliance, some also relate to the World Methodist Council. What a blessing they are to both bodies. I will not call all the names but would like to mention the Uniting Church in Australia, the United Church of Canada, the Church of Pakistan, the Church of North India, the Church of South India, the Hong Kong Christian Council, etc. Not only do we have these members in common, we have something more important in common and that is our faith in Jesus Christ.

When I was a young child my father was a Baptist and my mother was a Methodist and so we attended the Presbyterian church. We attended the Presbyterian church until I was seven years old and then began attending the Methodist church. What I remember most from my time in the Presbyterian church are the hymns we sang which are still precious and meaningful to me today, the Bible school we had in the summer, and, most marvellous of all, the Presbyterian Christians who took an interest in me as a child and were some of my greatest supporters when I decided to enter the Christian ministry. The encouragement they gave me is a debt I owe to this movement. I am one with you. I appreciate the Reformed tradition that has been poured into my life, even though I am now a Methodist, and I thank God for what you have given.

I pray the challenges and vision we are receiving here will be experienced by the churches of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches everywhere. God bless you in your work and in this great meeting. Thank you.