07.02.2005

From The Desk Of The General Secretary

“A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36.26)

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A new year has begun.
This is the beginning of the first full year after our 24th General Council. We are filled with gratitude as we enter this new year - a year filled with new opportunities and challenges.
As I prayed and reflected on what message the Lord has for me as we begin this year and what message the Lord might have for our journey together as an Alliance, it is this passage of Ezekiel’s vision that focused my thoughts.
Certainly the commitments we made together in the 24th General Council at Accra, Ghana, last summer have some challenges for us.
- As an Alliance we have articulated a need for spiritual renewal.
- We have framed new directions in our mission engagement and commitment to being a missional community in our various settings.
- We have seen the devastation caused by the way in which the world’s economy is arranged and stated very clearly that our faith calls us to reject or say “no” to the forces of death in economic globalization.
- We have seen that if we are truly an Alliance we need to move beyond a loose relationship in which we annually try to contribute something to an intentional search for communion so that we can develop together the Alliance we all own.
Each calls for changes.
The anticipation of change can often cause us to avoid addressing those things to which we have together committed ourselves. While change can bring new life, the process of that development into new life can have some painful aspects as we journey through some unknown waters. It is often easier as individuals and as churches to slump back into the comforts of how we have always done things.
This vision of the prophet Ezekiel came at a time when all the signs pointed to the need for change. Things were very bad. It was in the midst of this that Ezekiel announced the plan for restoration which included the changes God would bring. It would be change right from the roots - a new heart and a new spirit. The challenge of the people was to embrace this new heart and new spirit.
This remains our challenge today.
- Our churches need change of heart and new spirit to move from worship that is often experienced as routine to worship renewed by the breath of the Holy Spirit.
- Our churches need change of heart and new spirit that will give us courage to fulfil the mission to which we have been called in our times.
- Our communities cry out for a new reality where the distribution of the world’s resources is just and provides the best chance for the survival of all - not just the amassing of wealth for a few while a large number of people languish in poverty.
For churches to be a part of this change, there is a need to embrace the new heart and new spirit that God is offering.
It cannot be done in human strength. It is possible if we embrace the new heart and new spirit that God is offering. It is our prayer that we will dare to walk in the newness that God offers. Let us take this journey of faith together knowing that God is with us. We are not alone.
We wish you a very happy new year.

Setri Nyomi