WCRC’s discernment process gets underway

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — On Thursday afternoon, around 400 delegates at the 27th General Council of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) gathered in small discernment groups to share reflections on four key reports presented earlier in the day — from the president, the general secretary, and the women’s and youth caucuses.

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The Rev. Dr. Michael Blair, General Secretary of the United Church of Canada, moderated one of these sessions, describing the process as central to the Council’s work.

“This process is probably one of the most significant parts of the Council,” Blair said. “The discernment process is meant to be a process of listening to the Spirit. One of the ways we listen to the Spirit is to listen to one another.”

While groups managed to discuss the first three reports in depth, they plan to return soon to the youth caucus report.

Discussion around the president’s report, presented by the Rev. Najla Kassab, focused on the challenge of sustainability — a concern echoed in the report of interim general secretary, the Rev. Dr. Setri Nyomi. Delegates noted disparities in financial capacity among member churches.

“All our churches are not on the same level in terms of finances,” one participant observed. Another pointed out that much of the Communion’s funding “comes from a part of the world where Christian numbers are in decline,” while the greatest growth in the 100-million-member Communion is occurring in the Global South.

Delegates also reflected on questions of equity and ownership within the Communion.

“If we’re asking churches who are not contributing their dues to start, would they do so if along with those contributions came an understanding that there would be more ownership in the direction of the WCRC?” one member asked. “Are we prepared, as those of us who have had outsized influence, to let go of that if others step up to the plate?”

Another added simply, “Any sum you pay shows your commitment to the organization.”

The group discussed Nyomi’s report at length, focusing on his proposals to strengthen revenue streams and to have Executive Committee members visit every member church during the first six months of 2026. Most participants voted to affirm his three main recommendations.

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Following an in-depth exchange on financial sustainability, Blair concluded, “There’s work to do around the amount and around the messaging.”

The Women’s Caucus report was met with strong support. It presented six proposals aimed at promoting gender justice and inclusion within the Communion, including:

• Rejecting hetero-sexist and patriarchal power structures.
• Fostering sisterhood across generations and contexts, creating spaces for women to share their lived experiences.
• Developing a gender audit toolkit to assess church documents through a gender justice lens.
• Promoting the ordination and full inclusion of women in ministry and leadership.
• Ensuring accountability for the continued inclusion of ordained women in all member churches.
• Creating educational resources — such as contextual Bible studies, liturgies, and sermons — that challenge heterosexist and militaristic narratives.

These proposals received enthusiastic endorsement from participants, highlighting a collective commitment to advancing gender justice within the global Reformed family.

All reports and resources can be found here.

The Rev. Jihyun Oh, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Executive Director of the Interim Unified Agency, is leading the PC(USA) delegation at the 27^th General Council of the WCRC. Read additional reporting here or here.