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Appendix 4

 

Letter from Dr Preman Niles, General Secretary of the Council for World Mission to the United Reformed Church- January 1998

 

Greetings in the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ!

 

In the context of reviewing contributions from CWM Churches to the common work of CWM, the Executive Committee of CWM (Lusaka, 1-8 December 1997) discussed the matter of the financial contribution of the United Reformed Church. The Executive Committee asked that I write a letter to the United Reformed Church to communicate the important points that were made in that discussion.

1. It was noted that, in the formation of CWM, financial and other material resources outside Britain, belonging to LMS and the other missionary societies which came together in CWM, were handed over to the churches that were using them. The resources in Britain were not handed over to the British churches, but were left for CWM. Consequently, the United Reformed Church, along with other British churches in CWM, did not gain from the initial sharing of common financial and other material resources.

 

2. The United Reformed Church has supported CWM by putting almost all of its financial resources for mission at the disposal of CWM. Between 1977 and 1997, the URC has annually contributed five to six times more that the next biggest financial contributor in CWM. Not once during this period has the United Reformed Church asked that it be represented on the bodies in CWM which would decide how this money is to be spent.

 

3. The Executive Committee noted that over the years the membership of the URC has declined by almost 50%. It needs to pay greater attention to its mission at home. The URC also needs resources to sustain the partnership in mission relationships it has formed outside the CWM family.

 

Twenty years after the formation of CWM, and especially with the new financial resources that have come to CWM, the Executive Committee felt that it is time CWM asked the URC to reconsider its level of financial support for CWM.

  • So, the CWM Executive Committee has asked me to inform you

  • that the CWM family is grateful for all the United Reformed Church has done over these many years to keep alive the vision and partnership of CWM;

  • that the Executive Committee recognises the fact that the URC may reduce its financial contribution to CWM beginning 1998;

  • that the Executive Committee reiterates the partnership principles of CWM, and asks that the URC not be timid in asking for support from the common pool of CWM’s financial and personnel resources for its work of ministry and mission at home and abroad.

 

I end this letter with what the Moderator of CWM, the Revd Nove Vailaau, said to me in a personal conversation which captures the mood of discussion.

It is like the elder brother in a large family that has lost its parents carrying the burden of the family. Now that the younger brothers and sisters have grown up and become strong, the elder brother wants to take care of his own wounds and hurts. The younger brothers and sisters must gratefully agree, and in turn support the elder brother.

 

May the United Reformed Church with its vision of unity in mission continue to be a blessing to the nations!

 

Yours in Christ’s service,

 

Dr Preman Niles, General Secretary

 

 

Copyright © 1998, United Reformed Church

 

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