Improved communication through WARC publications,
Creation of a full time position to address women's issues,
Increased effectiveness in its witness on human rights at the UN commission on human rights in Geneva and through the UN office of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in New York,
Building a network through the Special Services fund and
Monitoring political and socio-economic developments particularly in Aotearoa/New Zealand, Australia, China, Korea, the Pacific, Romania, southern Africa, Sri Lanka and Sudan.

Publications, women's issues and the Special Services fund were dealt with by creating independent desks, for which Rev Paraic Réamonn (since 1993), Mr Gerhard Dilschneider (since 1991) and Dr Nyambura Njoroge (since 1992) are responsible, and on which they report elsewhere.

In its journey from Seoul to Debrecen the department of cooperation and witness bade farewell to two executive secretaries - Rev Jill Schaeffer, Presbyterian Church (USA), who served the department until 1990, and Rev Sarah Stephens, Presbyterian Church (USA), who served from 1991 to 1994. Their hard work and commitment went a long way towards realizing the general council mandate. From 1994 to 1995, many of the department's activities were carried out by the general secretary, Dr Milan Opocensky. The present incumbent, Rev Seong-Won Park, Presbyterian Church of Korea, took up his post in September 1995.

The department has been well served by seconded staff and programme assistants. Rev Ursel Rosenhäger, seconded by the Lippische Landeskirche, worked on women's concerns prior to the arrival of Dr Nyambura Njoroge. Mr Stephan Dilschneider, a law student in Germany, served the Alliance in 1992 and 1993 as an intern at the UN Commission on Human Rights. Mr James Cairns, programme assistant, represented WARC at the world conference on human rights held in Vienna, Austria, from June 14 to 25 1993. Mr Martijn Doolaard, a Dutch student in international relations, served as programme assistant at the 1994 and 1996 sessions of the UN commission on human rights. Rev Robert F Smylie, Presbyterian Church (USA), coordinator of that church's United Nations office, also monitors the UN on behalf of WARC.

Many activities of the department - human rights actions, consultations and delegation visits - have been carried out with the support and cooperation of member churches. There is no space to mention all the activities of the member churches themselves in relation human rights, justice, peace and ecology; it is important to acknowledge, however, that many member churches have been active through their governing bodies, specialized groups and agencies, and individuals - ministers, elders and laypeople.

In many countries where peace, justice and human rights were at stake, WARC sent a pastoral letter or a delegation on a pastoral visit to demonstrate the Alliance's solidarity with the member churches there. Member churches welcomed such visits and thanked the Alliance for its solidarity. The delegations were impressed by the faithful witness of many member churches in difficult situations.

Ecumenical cooperation in the struggle for peace, justice and human rights in God's world has always been desirable. There has been much cooperation in this period with the Lutheran World Federation and the World Council of Churches. The consultation on the theological response to human rights is a good example.

Human rights

The dismantling of the Berlin wall and the collapse of the Soviet empire created a new world situation. The nation state came under new threats from without, as a result of the globalization of the world economy, and from within, as a result of the fragmentation arising from growing nationalism, ethnocentrism and religious extremism. Human rights suffered at the hands of diverse forces - economic, political, social and cultural - creating tension and conflict in many parts of the world.

Throughout this period, with all its complexities and uncertainties, WARC continued to witness to the gospel and to uphold the dignity of the human person. In Asia, Africa, central and eastern Europe, Latin America and other regions, member churches continued to struggle for the promotion and protection of human rights. Mobilization by the Alliance at the international level provided support to the churches at the local and national levels.

With the move towards democratization in many countries of the south, it became necessary to provide international monitoring services for elections. Election monitoring teams were sent to Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa and El Salvador. These teams looked into the issues of voter education and the conduct of the ballot in a free and open environment.

With the end of the cold war the United Nations emerged as a major actor for peace-keeping, peace-making and conflict resolution. The UN Secretary General's "Agenda for Peace" became a major document for preventive diplomacy. This document called for strengthening the capacity of the secretariat for early warning, including collection of data and its analysis; using fact-finding missions to serve the general secretary; implementing confidence-building measures in situations of tension and conflict; and developing more coordinated efforts to provide humanitarian assistance.

The UN office in New York

Through the Presbyterian United Nations office in New York, WARC's representative, Robert F Smylie, and colleagues have monitored or participated in the major United Nations conferences held since 1990: the world summit for children (New York), the UN conference on environment and development (Rio), the world conference on human rights (Vienna), the international conference on population and development (Cairo), the world summit for social development (Copenhagen), the fourth world conference on women (Beijing), the UN conference on human settlements (Istanbul), the world congress on the commercial sexual exploitation of children (Stockholm) and the review conference for the non-proliferation treaty. Monitoring continues on the UN's "Agenda for Peace", which includes the peace-keeping operations in Bosnia, Somalia, Rwanda, Central America and Cambodia, as well as a focus on the reduction and elimination of weapons of mass and indiscriminate destruction: nuclear weapons, chemical weapons and landmines. Further attention is given to sustainable development and human rights.

UN world conference on human rights

WARC, together with other ecumenical organizations, actively participated in the UN world conference on human rights in Vienna in June 1993. Mr James Cairns, programme assistant, represented WARC. The conference produced the Vienna declaration and programme of action. While breaking new ground, it also brought to the surface tensions between the countries of the north and the south, particularly over the right to development.

UN commission on human rights (UNCHR)

Every year the sessions of the UNCHR are held in Geneva. The commission continues to be a major international forum for bringing to account those governments that indulge in systematic and gross violations of human rights. It brings together member states, observers, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations to participate in its work. Reports are presented by special rapporteurs and working groups on thematic issues as well as on country-specific situations. The commission acts on the reports, as well as on representations by member states, for the promotion and protection of human rights and for the development of international standards.

WARC recognizes the importance of the UNCHR and facilitates the participation of representatives of member churches and related organizations in its sessions. WARC is accredited to the economic and social council (ECOSOC), and has found it useful to monitor closely the working of the council. Over the years a number of persons have represented WARC at the commission. The two programme assistants, Stephan Dilschneider and Martijn Doolaard, followed closely the six-week sittings of the commission and provided excellent analysis and factual reports of the day-to-day proceedings for the benefit of WARC and other ecumenical organizations. Mr Alvaro Senturias from the Philippines, Rev Aaron Longwe and Mr Muhammad Kulesi from Malawi, Mr Carmelo Mocong Onguene from Equatorial Guinea and Ms Heisoo Shin from the Republic of Korea were accredited to intervene on human rights violations in their countries.

Representatives of member churches in the following countries have been enabled by WARC to attend the commission:

The Philippines - In 1991, acting on behalf of 17 non-governmental organizations, WARC presented a statement to the UNCHR concerning the continuing intimidation, imprisonment and killing of peasant and labour organizers in the Philippines. In the following years, Mr Alvaro Senturias made interventions concerning human rights violations in the Philippines: continuing intimidation, imprisonment and killing of peasants and labour organizers (1992), economic, social and cultural rights (1993), the effect of foreign debt and structural adjustment programmes on the enjoyment of these rights (1994), torture, killings and disappearances (1996).
Equatorial Guinea - Carmelo Mocong Onguene made interventions on detention, imprisonment and violations of human rights (1993), violations of human rights and denial of the rights of the people (1994), arbitrary detention and legal security (1995), continued violations of human rights (1996).
Malawi - In 1993, Rev Aaron Longwe and Muhammad Kulesi from the public affairs committee made an oral intervention on human rights and civil liberties violations related to the upcoming referendum on multiparty democracy in their country.
1">Korea - In 1997, Ms Heisoo Shin, chair of the international relations committee of the Korean council for the women drafted for military sexual slavery by Japan made an oral intervention on the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery during the second world war.
Following its interventions, WARC tries to have dialogue with responsible people in the related countries. For instance, WARC hosted meetings with Filipino government officials in 1991 and 1996. In 1996, the Filipino government officially replied to the WARC intervention, saying that the government wished to cooperate with the NGOs to improve the human rights situation in the Philippines.

Human rights appeals

Human rights work is pursued jointly by the general secretary and the department of cooperation and witness. Over the last seven years, the general secretary regularly responded to requests for letters of concern and protest on particular human rights and civil liberties violations.

Consultations and studies

Accompanying refugees and displaced persons (1991, Switzerland)

The 22nd general council adopted the policy statement produced by the "sanctuary and asylum" project initiated by the department of cooperation and witness in 1986. The department identified the need for greater information-sharing and cooperation between Reformed churches and congregations involved in refugee and displaced persons protection work. To analyse the root causes of migration and to propose strategies which encourage churches to act in solidarity with refugees and displaced people, WARC convened a consultation on refugees and migration in Pensier, Switzerland, in 1991. The consultation received a positive response from participants and other ecumenical bodies.¹

Consultation on Sudan (1993, Kenya)

Religious freedom is a fundamental issue in the Sudan. Arabization and islamization of the whole of Sudan appears to be a conscious strategy of the government. It is widely believed that this strategy extends beyond the Sudan, as the heartfelt intention of fundamentalist Muslims is to arabize and islamize the whole African continent. This approach is supported by fundamentalist Muslim governments. WARC organized a consultation on peace advocacy in the Sudan, held from April 22 to 24 1993 in Nairobi, Kenya. It brought together representatives from the Presbyterian Church of the Sudan (PCOS), Presbyterian Church of East Africa (Kenya), Sudan Council of Churches (SCC), New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC), People for Peace in Africa, the Nairobi Peace Initiative, the Ecumenical Support Programme, and WARC. From the consultation emerged the necessity of more coordination among the groups seeking to foster peace initiatives. The initial focus of the peace efforts was to get the government of the Sudan and the Sudanese People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) to talk. But there was a new dimension as the SPLA/M had split and the factions were fighting each other. The war has forced the creation of parallel church and ecumenical structures in government-controlled and SPLA/M-controlled areas of the Sudan. Therefore, it is important to maintain regular communication with the PCOS leadership in both regions, as well as with the SCC and the NSCC. The consultation made recommendations to WARC along this line.

Consultation on the theological response to human rights

In the two decades since 1976, when WARC published a booklet on the "Theological Basis of Human Rights", there have been far reaching changes in the world. In many situations, the socio-economic and political contexts have radically changed. Liberation from ideological bondage has given rise to ethnocentrism and nationalism. Ethnic and national awareness has resulted in conflict and war particularly in Africa and Europe. The economic sector has come to dominate civil society and is an influential factor in determining human life. The wanton abuse of the environment has impacted on the daily lives of the people. In order to reflect on these challenges and on the theological imperatives underlying human rights work, a consultation was held in Geneva from March 19 to 23, 1997. Initially, it was planned as a WARC consultation, to revise the Alliance's 1976 document "Theological basis of Human Rights". Later, the Lutheran World Federation and the World Council of Churches asked to accompany the process.

Theologians, lawyers, and others involved in this issue from different parts of the world (7 representing WARC, 3 representing the LWF and 2 representing the WCC) took part in the meeting, in addition to 6 staff members from the three organizations. The consultation focused on four issues which were not dealt with in the 1976 documents: the rights of the individual and the rights of the community and their relationship; a theological view of impunity; the right to development and economic justice; and human rights in the context of ecology. Because today's global context is so different from that of 1976, the unanimous conclusion of the participants was that revision was not enough and that at least one more consultation was needed in order to produce a new document which would refer back to the 1976 text.

Government-sponsored lotteries

At the executive committee meeting in Pittsburgh, USA in 1994, it was reported that the Filipino government planned to establish a nation-wide gambling operation, in the form of an on-line lottery system, in which high-tech terminals would be set up in cities and municipalities. The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), a WARC member church, and other church groups and public service organizations in the country opposed the plan on the basis of justice, morality and ethics. The executive committee supported the UCCP's stand and the general secretary sent a letter to President Fidel Ramos of the Philippines asking for reconsideration. The executive committee in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in 1995, recommended that the department organize a study group on this issue.

In order to implement this, the department organized a small consultation in Pusan, Korea, from April 7 to 10 1997, with co-sponsorship by Pusan presbytery, Presbyterian Church of Korea. Ten participants from member churches in the Philippines, Uganda, Great Britain, the United States, Taiwan and Korea took part. In most of these countries national lotteries are becoming problematic and churches have responded to this issue. In spite of an initial reaction of surprise, the consultation has provoked a lot of interest among churches and ecumenical bodies and on the part of church and secular media.

Country concerns

Angola

The department secretary visited church representatives in Angola. The people are very poor and pastoral visits need to be encouraged to support the member churches.

A delegation visit to member churches in Angola and Mozambique took place from November 15 to 30 1994.

Equatorial Guinea

In 1991, on the initiative of refugees from Equatorial Guinea and with the support of the Evangelical Reformed Church (Berne, Switzerland) and WARC, a conference was organized in Geneva to study ways of facilitating the voluntary return of refugees to their country. Every year a representative makes an intervention on behalf of the churches in Equatorial Guinea at the UNCHR.

India

A letter was sent to the authorities in India expressing concern at discriminatory legislation against women and Christians. Solidarity was expressed with the struggle of Christian Dalits in India.

Korea

The executive committee appealed for a peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula and called upon the governments in the north and south to abolish laws and structures that hinder the process of peace and reunification outlined by the Korean churches. In 1996 the general secretary, the department secretary and some executive committee members visited Korea to build closer cooperation between the Korean churches. At some of the meetings the question of reunification and WARC's role was discussed.

At the executive committee meeting in Detmold, Germany, in 1996, it was resolved to hold a consultation on the reunification of Korea, so as to support the struggle for reunification of the Korean people including Christians.

In 1996, the Alliance was requested by the Korean Christians Federation (KCF) in North Korea to support them in alleviating the food crisis. The Alliance appealed to its member churches to contribute humanitarian aid, which was channelled through the partnership fund.

The Alliance invited the delegates of the KCF to the 23rd general council and received a positive answer; the KCF will send a five member delegation.

Liberia

At the executive committee meeting in Detmold in 1996, it was recommended to send a pastoral team to assess their most pressing needs and, based on the observations of this team, to provide financial assistance through the partnership fund to help in meeting these needs.

Malawi

WARC accompanied and supported the democratization process in 1992-1993 which led to the acceptance of a referendum by President Banda. WARC co-sponsored an ecumenical monitoring team and sent 11 observers for the referendum which took place on June 14 1993. WARC also accompanied the whole reflection within Malawi society and church following the referendum, in preparation for the general election on May 17 1994. WARC coordinated a 14-person delegation of observers for the elections.

After their imprisonment, former President Banda and Mr Tembo were visited by the WARC vice-president Benjamin Masilo. The executive committee, when it met in Yaoundé in 1995, recommended to have a lawyer present during their trial, in order to make sure that the trial would be fair.

Several letters were written concerning the disciplinary action taken against a group of women, following their conflict with the male leadership of the church.

Mozambique

A delegation visit to member churches in Angola and Mozambique took place from November 15 to 30 1994. Mozambique is a poor country and feels isolated from the international community.

The Philippines

WARC provided support to local and national groups in the Philippines working with the victims of human rights violations. Interventions drawing attention to human rights violations were made at the UNCHR (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996).

Regarding Filipino domestic workers' human rights, the department has written to two member churches in the Philippines asking them to provide the necessary information to follow up the resolution by the executive committee in Detmold (1996). As a member of the CEC working group on racism and xenophobia, the department secretary is in touch with Swiss-based Filipino human rights groups dealing with this issue, so that it could be studied in the European context as well.

Romania

The executive committee appealed to member churches to urge their governments to put pressure on the Romanian government to hasten the process of democratization and to guarantee human rights for minorities.

Rwanda

In mid-August 1994 a letter about the situation in Rwanda was sent to all member churches with the request to support our member church and all the people of Rwanda with prayers and, if possible, financially. Several churches (even some small ones) responded to this appeal.

An evaluation consultation of the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda with its partners took place in Kigali, from December 4 to 11 1995.

In November, 1996, Rwanda faced a challenging situation with the unexpected return of hundreds of thousands of refugees following the crisis in eastern Zaire. The department has closely followed developments and has taken a series of actions, sending an appeal to all our member churches, and writing a letter to the state president of Rwanda as well as to our Rwandan member church, the Église Presbytérienne au Rwanda.

South Africa

Continued support was given to the anti-apartheid movement and to non-violent political action aiming at democratization, including support for sanctions by other countries. A letter was sent, calling upon the government to repeal all remaining apartheid laws in December 1990.

The changes which occurred in 1993, both at the political level (suppression of the apartheid system) and within Reformed churches (creation of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa), were supported and encouraged.

WARC sponsored a six-person delegation of election observers for the April 1994 general elections.

The Dutch Reformed Church, which was suspended from WARC membership in 1982, after its theological defence of apartheid was declared a heresy, has not yet re-entered the Alliance.

Sudan

A WARC delegation visited the Presbyterian Church in Sudan (1991) to express its concern for the people and church in Sudan who are faced with an ongoing civil war, resulting in near famine and deterioration of Christian-Muslim relations. The delegation included experts on interfaith issues, peace concerns and human rights.

From April 22 to 24 1993, a WARC consultation on the Sudan was organized in Nairobi, Kenya (see above, under consultations and studies).

WARC appointed Rev John Gatu from the PCEA, Kenya, to an ecumenical team visit to Sudan in November 1993.

A pastoral visit to the Presbyterian Church of Sudan was made on behalf of WARC, from March 31 to April 7 1996.

From September 21 to 25 1996, a consultation of Sudanese church leaders took place in Morges, Switzerland. At the invitation of the WCC and the All-Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), 17 delegates from the SCC and the NSCC met together to discuss a common witness for peace and to try to unite the voices of the churches, which were faced with possible disputes over the political charter issued by the Khartoum government and the South Sudan Independence Army (SSIA). The Alliance was deeply engaged in this meeting. The general secretary was invited to lead a Bible study and the department secretary preached at the closing worship service. Rev John Gatu played an important role in spiritually challenging the Sudanese church leaders to speak with one voice.

The Sudanese church leaders issued a historic statement entitled "United in Action for Peace" which expressed the common vision of the churches of peace in Sudan. This statement was sent to the Khartoum government and all warring faction leaders and was well received. A copy was also sent to Mr Daniel arap Moi, the Kenyan president.

The department secretary has discussed the possible union of two Presbyterian churches in the Sudan. Since Rev John Gatluok, moderator of the Presbyterian Church of the Sudan, was asked by a representative from the Evangelical Church in the Sudan to pursue the process, it was agreed to follow it up.

Taiwan

The executive committee asked WARC member churches to express solidarity with the struggle of the Taiwanese people for self-determination. It conveyed its concern to the government at the arrest of people charged with sedition for peaceful expression of their desire for independence. In 1995 WARC was actively involved in organizing dialogue between the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan and the China Christian Council. In 1996 a letter was sent to the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan in response to China's missile testing in Taiwan's harbour area.

Zaire

In response to the human catastrophe in eastern Zaire which started in October 1996, the department has been following the situation closely and has appealed to all member churches to pray for peace in Zaire. Several member churches have responded by sending a letter of solidarity to our member churches in Zaire and Rwanda and urged their congregations to remember this crisis in their prayer.

Regional and global concerns

Nuclear waste and tests in the Pacific

A letter was sent to US President George Bush in December 1990, protesting against the dumping of nuclear waste in the Marshall Islands. Further work needs to be done on developing a cooperative relationship with the Reformed Congregational Churches in the Marshall Islands and advising them about economic dependence on environmental exploitation.

A letter was sent to President Jacques Chirac in June 1995 protesting against the resumption of French nuclear tests in the Pacific.

Reformed faith and economic justice

According to the Reformed tradition, economic, social and environmental issues should be dealt with within the context of faith. In June 1992 a small group was brought together to consider the urgent issues arising out of the relationship between Christian faith and economic justice. The 1992 executive committee approved a study on faith and economic justice. To implement this project, a first consultation was held in Manila in March 1995, and a second in Kitwe (Zambia) in October 1995, followed by in a workshop at the European area council in Edinburgh in August 1995. The reports of these discussions drew the attention of member churches to the deepening economic disparities between rich and poor countries. All the three reports used the word "exclusion" to indicate the negative impact of a rapidly globalizing economy, whether on Africa as a continent, on women as partners in economic enterprises or on other disadvantaged groups. They mentioned the damage done to the environment and the growing enslavement of people to the promise and glitter of the market. Biblically, they underlined the choice that Christians must make between God and mammon. The global economy is an altar on which humanity is sacrificed. "But we cannot profess to be Christians and not act to break the chains of injustice."

In December 1995, the planning committee met to review what had been done and to prepare for an international consultation in May 1996 in Geneva, Switzerland. The main concern of this meeting was to produce a preparatory document for discussion at the 23rd general council.

Justice for all creation

Since the 21st general council in Ottawa in 1982, WARC has played a significant part in furthering the ecumenical concern for creation. One of its earliest contributions was to refocus ecumenical concern for peace, justice, and creation after the just, participatory, and sustainable society (JPSS) programme faded away in 1979. The actions of the 1983 WARC executive committee played an important role in shaping the resolution that emerged at the WCC Vancouver assembly on "justice, peace and the integrity of creation". This was one of the three sections at the 22nd general council in Seoul in 1989; the general council adopted its report in the form of an "open letter to the children and young people of the planet". A WARC study on the rights of future generations and the rights of nature, published in 1990, was utilized by the WCC in preparation for the United Nations conference on environment and development (UNCED) and cited as a resource on biodiversity in the WCC's evaluation of the Earth summit.²

Following James van Hoeven's departure in 1990, the Alliance's JPIC workload passed to the department of cooperation and witness. It was suggested that WARC might sponsor consultations between member churches to develop grassroots covenants for JPIC, but this was not realized. In 1992, WARC was represented at UNCED by Rev Abival Pires da Silveira (Biodiversity, climate change, creation of a special fund for the environment, forests, and Agenda 21, a plan of work in many environmental areas, were the topics of the conference).

It was proposed that WARC should focus on the "stewardship of creation", in cooperation with the WCC and the LWF, who were already engaged in studies in this area. WARC participated in the case-study project run by the theology of life programme in Unit III of the WCC, and the department secretary was invited to join the theology of life team. Sarah Stephens also represented the Alliance at the LWF consultation on the "theology of creation" in April 1994. In this meeting, a considerable difference of opinion regarding the place of humanity in creation emerged, but WARC's concept of covenanting for creation was well received by the LWF participants.

Creation was highlighted once again as the preparations for the 1997 general council began. It was agreed that section II would address "justice for all creation", with "creation and justice" as a subsection. In order to prepare a document for the general council, an international consultation on creation was held in Geneva in May 1996. From this consultation emerged the concept of "Sabbath" which will probably become the key concept in WARC's contribution to the ecumenical discussion of creation.

WARC decided to join the petition campaign on climate change which was initiated by the WCC. The Alliance sent a letter to its member churches soliciting signatures in favour of the campaign.

Cooperation among member churches

The twinning programme

In 1987 the WARC executive committee endorsed the proposal to launch a programme twinning congregations in different parts of the world. Four years later, in 1991, an evaluation of the programme was presented to the executive committee (Minutes 1991, Document 36, pp.306f.). By that time, 344 churches had been linked, in 172 twinning operations. Of these congregations, 57 were in Africa, 44 in the Americas, 18 in Asia, 20 in Australia and 33 in Europe.

In February 1990 a letter had been addressed to all "twinning" partners to ask them to report on how their "twinning" links were progressing. Unfortunately, the response rate was very poor:

Africa: Out of 57 letters sent, we received 6 replies, all positive about the twinning process.
Americas: Out of 41 letters sent, we received 10 responses, 2 of which said that the twinning was not working, 8 that it was working well.
Asia: Out of the 17 congregations contacted, 3 replied. One said that they had no response from their partner in Australia. Another, in Taiwan, said that the pastor had many commitments but hoped to re-establish his relationship with his partner in the USA. One in Sri Lanka wrote very positively about the establishment of new youth "pen-pal" relationships.
Australia: Out of 18 letters sent, we received 2 responses, one reporting an excellent relationship with the partner in Scotland and another just advising the change of name of the parish.
Europe: Out of 31 letters sent, we received 3 responses. One twinning relationship was not working and the two others were progressing slowly.

The following conclusions were drawn:

The fact that so few churches responded to our enquiry was in itself a sign of problems in communication.
Supply and demand did not always match (for instance, there were not enough English-speaking parishes in Hungary interested in twinning to meet the demand from American parishes).
The postal service works very slowly in some countries in the south, which can discourage the twinning congregation.

In March 1994, a questionnaire was sent to all member churches to ask whether they truly desired the Alliance to coordinate a congregation-to-congregation twinning programme. A first summary of the responses received was reported to the 1994 executive committee meeting (document 4, attachment 4, minutes pp.94f.). Responses to the questionnaire continued to arrive. In May 1996, a new compilation of all responses was carried out.

Of the 27 member churches which responded, one had already been involved in the twinning programme and was negative about it. Two others expressed no interest, because they had already their own twinning arrangements.

The 24 churches which responded positively are situated in all regions of the world: 8 in Africa, 6 in Asia, 3 in North America, 1 in the Caribbean, 3 in western Europe, 1 in central Europe, 1 in Latin America.

18 congregations, mostly in Africa, responded to the proposal of applying for a twinning partner: 11 are African, 3 Asian, 1 Caribbean, 2 central European and 1 in the Pacific.

The congregations showed a real interest in sharing their faith and everyday life with a congregation in another part of the world. Some already have ideas about what they can offer: "prayer support, music and creative outreach programmes", "we want to know, learn and help one another in the different ministries of God in the church". They hope to "learn the talents, expertise and how to overcome the barriers of mission". They "think that there is a role for an ecumenical agency such as WARC in facilitating twinning", "as children of the Reformed family it is essential to keep in touch and pray for one another in strengthening our relationships". Under the heading "interested groups" they suggested quite a few other categories: deacons and ministers group, Sunday school, boys and girls brigades.

WARC Sunday

At the executive committee meeting in Pittsburgh in 1994, it was agreed to ask member churches to set aside a Sunday in 1996 to promote the 23rd general council and to focus on the theme of justice. This idea was reconfirmed at the executive committee meeting in Yaoundé in 1995. The idea needs to be adapted to the context of each member church.

Footnotes

1. The major presentations at the consultation were published in Reformed World, vol.41, nos.7-8, September-December 1991.

2. Lukas Vischer, ed., Rights of Future Generations, Rights of Nature, Studies from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches 19 (Geneva: WARC, 1990).