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News & Announcements
Edinburgh 2010 - Common Call
(06 June 2010 12:00 am)| Dr. Mary Mikhaet President of the NEST, has attended the 100 Anniversary of the Mission |
| Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, the venue of 1910 Mission Conference. She said, The " |
| gathering in Edinburgh was a significant moment in time. A unified mission of the church in the |
| 21st century is as urgent now as it always has been, and the common Call of the conference is to |
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be heard by all Christians. " |
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Edinburgh 2010 |
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COMMON CALL |
| As we gather for the centenary of the World Missionary Conference of Edinburgh |
| 1910, we believe the church, as a sign and symbol of the reign of God, is called |
| to witness to Christ today by sharing in God's mission of love through the |
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transforming power of the Holy Spirit. |
| 1. Trusting in the Triune God and with a renewed sense of urgency, we are |
| called to incarnate and proclaim the good news of salvation, of forgiveness of sin, |
| of life in abundance, and of liberation for all poor and oppressed. We are |
| challenged to witness and evangelism in such a way that we are a living |
| demonstration of the love, righteousness and justice that God intends for the |
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whole world. |
| 2. Remembering Christ's sacrifice on the Cross and his resurrection for the |
| world's salvation, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are called to authentic |
| dialogue, respectful engagement and humble witness among people of other |
| faiths -and no faith -to the uniqueness of Christ. Our approach is marked with |
| bold confidence in the gospel message; it builds friendship, seeks reconciliation |
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and practises hospitality. |
| 3. Knowing the Holy Spirit who blows over the world at will, reconnecting creation |
| and bringing authentic life, we are called to become communities of compassion |
| and healing, where young people are actively participating in mission, and |
| women and men share power and responsibilities fairly, where there is a new |
| zeal for justice, peace and the protection of the environment, and renewed liturgy |
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reflecting the beauties of the Creator and creation. |
| 4. Disturbed by the asymmetries and imbalances of power that divide and trouble |
| us in church and world, we are called to repentance, to critical reflection on |
| systems of power, and to accountable use of power structures. We are called to |
| find practical ways to live as members of One Body in full awareness that God |
| resists the proud, Christ welcomes and empowers the poor and afflicted, and the |
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power of the Holy Spirit is manifested in our vulnerability. |
| 5. Affirming the importance of the biblical foundations of our missional |
| engagement and valuing the witness of the Apostles and martyrs, we are called |
| to rejoice in the expressions of the gospel in many nations all over the world. We |
| celebrate the renewal experienced through movements of migration and mission |
| in all directions, the way all are equipped for mission by the gifts of the Holy |
| Spirit, and God's continual calling of children and young people to further the |
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gospel. |
| 6. Recognising the need to shape a new generation of leaders with authenticity |
| for mission in a world of diversities in the twenty-first century, we are called to |
| work together in new forms of theological education. Because we are all made in |
| the image of God, these will draw on one another's unique charisms, challenge |
| each other to grow in faith and understanding, share resources equitably |
| worldwide, involve the entire human being and the whole family of God, and |
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respect the wisdom of our elders while also fostering the participation of children. |
| 7. Hearing the call of Jesus to make disciples of all people -poor, wealthy, |
| marginalised, ignored, powerful, living with disability, young, and old -we are |
| called as communities of faith to mission from everywhere to everywhere. In joy |
| we hear the call to receive from one another in our witness by word and action, in |
| streets, fields, offices, homes, and schools, offering reconciliation, showing love, |
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demonstrating grace and speaking out truth. |
| 8. Recalling Christ, the host at the banquet, and committed to that unity for which |
| he lived and prayed, we are called to ongoing co-operation, to deal with |
| controversial issues and to work towards a common vision. We are challenged to |
| welcome one another in our diversity, affirm our membership through baptism in |
| the One Body of Christ, and recognise our need for mutuality, partnership, |
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collaboration and networking in mission, so that the world might believe. |
| 9. Remernbering Jesus' way of witne3s and service, vIJe believe we are called by |
| God to follow this way joyfully, inspired, anointed, sent and empowered by the |
| Holy Spirit, and nurtured by Christian disciplines in community. As we look to |
| Christ's coming in glory and judgment, we experience his presence with us in the |
| Holy Spirit, and we invite all to join with us as we participate in God's |
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transforming and reconciling mission of love to the whole creation. |
| Edinburgh, 6 June 2010 |