The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) today opened its Strategic Planning Meeting, bringing together church leaders, theologians and partners from across the global Reformed communion for a three-day gathering focused on discernment, faith and strategic direction.

The meeting, running Jan. 29–31, is grounded in worship, theological reflection and communal discernment. It aims to shape a strategic framework that responds faithfully to current global realities while strengthening WCRC’s witness for justice, unity and life for the next seven years.

Opening the meeting, the Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, president of WCRC, emphasized the urgency of truth-telling in a world marked by injustice and the concentration of power.

“We are grateful for this Strategic Planning Meeting and for the courage to speak truth in a world dominated by power and injustice,” Thompson said. “As we reflect on injustice and the responsibility of church leadership, we are reminded that confronting truth is what we need today. Silent rooms are not an option.”

The meeting began with worship and continued with reflections on “Reading the Signs of the Times,” followed by plenary sessions on mission and vision that set the theological foundation for the strategic process. The Rev. Philip Vinod Peacock, general secretary of WCRC, located the planning process within the Reformed tradition of confession and ongoing reformation.

“We are living amid multiple global crises, and many of our confessions emerge from contexts marked by blood and suffering,” Peacock said. “Strategy is not separate from faith; it is part of our ongoing reformation.” Emphasizing the identity of the communion, Peacock added: “We are a global communion, not a nongovernmental organization. Our identity is confessional and relational — a justice-seeking witness rooted in faith, with strong theological commitments such as the Accra Confession and the Belhar Confession.”

He stressed that strategy must shape both belief and practice. “In a time of limited resources, strategy enables faithful stewardship and prioritization, helping us make choices that strengthen our communion,” Peacock said. “It must intentionally include marginalized voices, recognize changing contexts, and remain a living document for the communion.”

He concluded that the process is ultimately an act of faith. “This is about faithful obedience to God, helping WCRC live its calling with clarity and hope, grounded in our commitment to justice, unity and life,” he said.

The Rev. Dr. Daniel Ratnakar Sadananda, moderator of the Strategic Planning Meeting, framed the gathering as a shared spiritual and ethical quest. “The central question before us is what is required of us,” Sadananda said. “This is the quest that guides our discernment together.”

Providing theological grounding, the Rev. Dr. Hanns Lessing, executive secretary for communion and theology, recalled the prophetic witness of the Reformed churches. “In 1982, the General Council in Ottawa declared apartheid a sin and its theological justification a heresy,” Lessing said. “As we read the signs of the times today, we continue to seek God’s guidance with the same courage.”

Lessing underscored the importance of clarity, impact and communication. “Mission and vision must help us discern what brings us further and what impact our work is meant to have,” he said. “Communication is essential — communication is communion. We must create platforms that help people understand what we do and how they can be part of this shared calling.”

Acknowledging limited resources, he added that the communion must create meaningful opportunities for participation.“We are called to open meaningful spaces for engagement, including for those who can contribute voluntarily, strengthening participation across the communion,” Lessing said.

The Strategic Planning Meeting includes plenary sessions on communion, justice, theology, mission, ecumenism, communication and sustainability, alongside group work and daily worship. The process will conclude with a closing plenary titled “The Way Forward” on Jan. 31.