The World Communion of Reformed Churches’s next General Council, bringing together hundreds of delegates to discern God’s will through Scripture to set the WCRC’s direction and elect new leadership, will be held in Leipzig, Germany, 29 June to 7 July 2017.
The Council’s theme—Living God, renew and transform us—not only reflects the WCRC’s heritage but centres the Council around the God of Life and challenges participants to renew themselves and the church so that the world can be transformed.
“This theme is reflected as a prayer to God who lives and reigns in the world to make us more like Jesus,” says Jerry Pillay, WCRC president. “It is a prayer that God will make us to be what God wants and wills for us to be, and that God will use us to change the world so that it may reflect God’s reign and presence bringing justice, peace, love and abundance of life to all.”
The WCRC has brought together outstanding theological thinkers, teachers and leaders to help all member churches and congregations enter deeply into the work of the Council by engaging its theme. The result is Prayerful Preparation, a booklet containing Bible studies; theological, confessional and contextual essays; and worship resources.
“The point of this critical reflection is to move forward in faith and in response to the God of Life,” says Chris Ferguson, WCRC general secretary, in the booklet’s preface.
“The Reformation commemorations are for us not about theological nostalgia. They are about putting the Reformation into the present tense,” Ferguson continues. “This means not just the here and now; it means bringing Reformed traditions, theology and the confessing faith stance into the tense present—into the tensions, conflicts, violence, suffering, beauty, wonder and promise of this historical moment.”
Prayerful Preparation is available in six languages:
It can be downloadable for free above or from the WCRC’s General Council website: wcrc.ch/gc2017. Printed copies may be obtained by writing to wcrc@wcrc.eu.