THE closing message of the tenth Assembly of the World Council
of Churches in South Korea (News, 8
November) urged Christians to "engage their God-given gifts in
transforming actions".
The joint statement from the assembly in Busan, South Korea,
called on the global Church to "move together" to become a
community of healing and compassion. "May we seed the Good News so
that justice will grow and God's deep peace rest on the world," it
said.
The assembly ended last Friday after ten days of discussion and
prayer from representatives from 345 Churches. Echoing the first
assembly's message in 1948, "We intend to stay together," the
statement said: "We intend to move together."
The theme of the assembly was "God of life, lead us to justice
and peace." The joint message said: "We pray that as we are being
transformed ourselves, God will make us instruments of peace. How
necessary is justice for peace; reconciliation for healing; and a
change of heart for the world to be made whole."
The assembly elected its first female and first African
Moderator, Dr Agnes Abuom, of the Anglican Church of Kenya. Dr
Aboum said: "My open prayer is that we shall move forward together
. . . and that the WCC will continue to remain an instrument for
providing a safe space for all who can come and share their hopes,
aspirations and visions, and prophetic voice."
