28.07.2004

Setri Nyomi: youth must challenge the Reformed family

There’s a place for you within the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC).

That was the pointed message for youth on Wednesday as Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the Alliance, fielded questions from members of the Reformed youth forum of the 24th general council meeting in Accra, Ghana.

“Young people are a very important part of the Alliance,” said Nyomi, adding, “Young people have always challenged the Alliance. That has to continue. It is my hope that the young people of this generation will find a new way to contribute.”

Nyomi traced a brief history of the Alliance, mentioning in particular its prophetic actions over the years: speaking against Nazism in the 1930s; naming apartheid a heresy in 1982.

“Our main focus has been to say, ‘How can we work on some things together?’ The church is called to speak out. There are so many times when society puts in place systems that are unjust. Who will speak out? It is the church.

“There are many times that WARC has played that role. All along young people have been at the forefront of those activities but have not always been visibly present,” Nyomi said.

He added: “Don’t hide your light under the bushel, place it so that others can see.”

The youth forum members and students from the Global Institute of Theology, also a part of the 24th general council, had many questions for the general secretary, whose ecumenical ministry is rooted in the church youth movement.

How do we get more young people in decision-making positions in the Alliance? How do we get more involved in our local churches? Why can’t the youth forum meet more than every seven years?

Nyomi resisted offering his own specific answers to those questions. He encouraged the youth to go to the general council later this week prepared to advocate for their role in the Alliance.

“If anybody has more of a right to determine what WARC is, it is you. So the question is not, ‘What is WARC doing for us?’ But, ‘What are we doing within the fellowship of the Alliance?’”

John Asling, July 28 2004