Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council (DECC) Addresses Pastoral Letter to Churches in Zimbabwe
Nashville, Tennessee -- The Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council (DECC) -- a global gathering of churches representing the Disciples of Christ, Churches of Christ, and United Churches which Disciples have joined -- issued a pastoral letter affirming “the Council of Churches and other Christian organizations in Zimbabwe in what you are seeking to do together to witness to the reconciling power of Christ in this time of political and economic upheaval that is wreaking havoc in the daily lives of Zimbabweans and the wider global community.”
The letter was drafted in response to a report by B.J. Mpofu, vice-moderator of the DECC and a member of the Associated Churches of Christ in Zimbabwe, reflecting on the terrifying situation that exists in Zimbabwe today. The DECC Reference Committee stated, “We recognize that we do not know what to pray for, only for whom we need to pray. We write to assure you of our prayers. We trust, even in our weakness and ignorance of your plight and what specifically to pray for, that the Holy Spirit will intercede for you, according to the will of God, with sighs too deep for words.” (Full copy of the Pastoral Letter is copied below)
Other actions taken during this meeting of the DECC Reference Committee, July 28-29, included receiving reports from each member church represented, updates on the work and program of the DECC in the areas of the international commission for dialogue between Disciples of Christ and the Roman Catholic Church, involvement in the World Council of Churches and Christian World Communions, participation in the Global Christian Forum, and a growing partnership with the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.
The Committee also drafted a statement addressed to the Faith and Oder Commission responding to the WCC’s text on “Called to be the One Church.”
New officers were named to give oversight to the life of the DECC in the coming years: Shernett Smith (Moderator), from the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands; B.J. Mpofu, Zimbabwe; Lyndsay Jacobs, Christian Church New Zealand; and, John Gilmore, Associated Churches of Christ in Australia.
In reporting on the meeting, Robert Welsh, General Secretary of the DECC and ecumenical officer for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ in the US and Canada), stated, “This gathering of the DECC Reference Committee illustrates the global reality of the church’s life in too many countries around the world that face serious violence, conflict and poverty. Our first response to the report on the current situation in Zimbabwe today was simply to be moved to silence. The witness of the Zimbabwean churches is a source of hope to all Christians working for God’s justice and peace.”
Pastoral Letter from DECC, July 29, 2008
To: Secretary General
Zimbabwe Council of Churches
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches,
Greetings in the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ from the Disciples Ecumenical Council of Churches (Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ) meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, on July 28-29, 2008.
Our global family has had long and continuous association with and involvement in the life of the church in Zimbabwe. We were deeply moved by the sharing of our brother, B.J. Mpofu, of the terrifying situation that you, our friends, in Zimbabwe are facing. We were moved to silence. We recognize that we do not know what to pray for, only for whom we need to pray. We write to assure you of our prayers. We trust, even in our weakness and ignorance of your plight and what specifically to pray for, that the Holy Spirit will intercede for you, according to the will of God, with sighs too deep for words. We know that you will thereby be sustained and upheld in Christ in all you have to face.
We affirm you as a Council of Churches and other Christian organizations in Zimbabwe in what you are seeking to do together to witness to the reconciling power of Christ in the time of political and economic upheaval that is wreaking havoc in the daily lives of Zimbabweans and the wider global community. We pray that Christ will give you continuing strength and wisdom to persist in seeking God’s justice and peace in Zimbabwe.
We rejoice and give thanks for the help and encouragement you are receiving from neighbouring countries and Christian churches in Africa and across the world. We add our support and voice to the great cloud of witnesses calling for and seeking God’s justice and peace.
God bless you in all your endeavours to remain faithful to Christ in these terrible and difficult days.
The peace of Christ be with you all.
Dr. Robert K. Welsh
General Secretary, DECC
July 29, 2008
The Council on Christian Unity is the ecumenical office of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Our mission is to carry out the ecumenical witness that is our call as Disciples of Christ.