“THAT ALL MAY HAVE LIFE IN FULLNESS” (John 10:10)

By The Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the

General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Once every seven or eight years representatives of Presbyterian and Reformed churches from around the world come together for the General Council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.  It is our closest equivalent to a worldwide Presbyterian “Vatican Council.”  This year is one of those years.

Representatives from 217 member churches in over 100 countries, having a combined membership of over 75 million Christians, will gather in July for the Twenty-Fourth General Council.  The setting will be Accra, Ghana, home to two of the largest Presbyterian denominations in the world.  The theme will be Jesus’ wonderful promise in John 10:10 that he has come so “that all may have life in fullness.”

Over the holidays I found my spirit enriched as I worked my way through Crossing Ten Seas, the Bible study for the upcoming General Council.  The title is attributed to John Calvin, who once exclaimed that he would cross ten seas to promote the unity of the church.  It is a moving account of both God’s promises in Scripture and the reality of the fullness of life in Christ being experienced by so many Presbyterian Christians in diverse parts of the world.   They include those finding new life in Christ in secular Europe; those finding hope in Christ’s healing mercy in the struggle against HIV/AIDs in Africa; those finding assurance in the peace of Christ in a war-torn Middle East; and women in many countries who are finding the joy of being ordained ministers where new doors are opening for the full participation of women in ministry.

The theme and Bible study of the General Council are also the theme and Bible study

for the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which will take place in Richmond, Virginia in June.  It will hopefully serve to remind us that we are part of a much larger family of Presbyterian and Reformed Christians with whom we share the common promise of fullness of life in Christ.

I invite you to use this Bible study in your congregations this year, perhaps as a Lenten study.  It is an excellent way to share in the common witness of Reformed Christians

to Jesus Christ around the world.  It is also a very good way to prepare the hearts and minds of our church to be open to receive the fullness of life in Christ as we move to

our General Assembly in June.  The Bible study will be available February 1st through the Presbyterian Distribution Service at 800-524-2612.  Ask for OGA 04-080 for the English version; OGA 04-081 for the Spanish version.  The cost is $2 per copy. The study is also available online at http://warc.ch/24gc/cts/index.html.

Most of all, as each of you begins a new year in your ministry, I pray that the fullness

of life in Jesus Christ will be God’s gift to you in deep and wonderful ways!

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