Rev. Philip Vinod Peacock, general secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), made a significant visit to El Salvador, where he met with the leadership of the Iglesia Reformada Calvinista de El Salvador (IRCES). The visit took place on August 12, deepening the relationship between the Communion and its Central American member church.

The meetings in San Salvador brought together Rev. Peacock,  IRCES workers, the Executive Committee, and representatives from the United Nations. The dialogue built on the affirmations made at the WCRC General Assembly last year, which resonated with IRCES’s own pastoral and mission agenda.

IRCES has an impactful ministry. Its work includes providing education to over one hundred children in Soyapango, offering college scholarships to students from rural areas, and running psychosocial support programs for communities affected by violence and natural disasters. The church is also a key partner in the Mesoamerican Migration and Mission Network.

The visit served as a platform to solidify several areas of cooperation and strategic planning for the future:

• Strengthening Solidarity Efforts: IRCES will collaborate with the Workers’ Trade Union Federation to develop new mechanisms to support solidarity efforts both nationally and internationally.
• Strengthening AIPRAL: A proposal was discussed to reassess AIPRAL, the Alliance of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches of Latin America, for greater effectiveness and efficiency. Rev. Peacock will convene a virtual meeting with regional leaders to further this discussion.
• Theological Education in Mesoamerica: Plans are underway to implement hybrid theological training programs with academic credits for church leaders, potentially in partnership with seminaries and universities.
• Project Collaboration with WCRC: IRCES will present a project to the WCRC for evaluation in September, focusing on Food Security, Mission and Peace, or Human Mobility.
• United Nations Partnerships: IRCES will strengthen its collaboration with the UN on issues of peace and human rights.

The visit is one of many in WCRC’s commitment to walking in solidarity with its member churches, deepening partnerships, and strengthening the global Communion.