The International Congregational Fellowship

The ICF Theological Commission had an excellent series of meetings in South Africa, as part of their program of meetings and seminars with ICF churches in different parts of the world.

We started in Johannesburg, where we met the Ministries Committee of the Region, and had lunch with the General Secretary of the United Congregational Church of South Africa, Rev Steve Titus, with whom we hope to maintain a regular contact now.

Of course, we spoke about the conference in Corfu, and the ICF Youth, as well as discussing matters specific to the Theological Commission, such as the International Congregational Journal and co-operation in issues of training and education.

Pietermaritzburg was next, an exciting propeller plane ride, and an introduction to Biltong, a tooth-strength testing dried meat, served on the plane. We stayed at a retreat and training centre run by Christian Enterprise, a beautiful campus, with stunning views and pesky monkeys. The latter sneaked into our meeting room when we foolishly left a door ajar, and stole all the sweets that had been left there for us!

The main purpose of this part of the trip was a visit to the School of Theology, where a former Theological Commissioner, Dr Steve de Gruchy, teaches. We met local pastors, and held a panel discussion on a topic of importance in local ecumenical discussions: ‘No Bishops?’. Three commission members: Steve Peay (USA), Geraint Tudur (Wales) and Janet Wootton (England) spoke about issues of oversight in their own countries.

One local Methodist minister said, rather plaintively, ‘First you came and gave us Bishops and now you tell us we shouldn’t have them!’ Not quite, but you could see what he meant.

There were wonderful opportunities. Geraint Tudur had the chance to meet the Principal of the School, and set up some conversations on behalf of the University of Wales, Bangor. Janet met with a group of women theologians, including Isabel Phirii, an eminent Feminist Theologian.

We visited Soweto, with its extremely challenging interpretive centre, and, one evening, drove up into the mountains above Pietermaritzburg, through thick mist and thunderstorms to have a meal with a village family. Perhaps the most moving moment of the visit was at the end of the evening. We and the family shared not a word of any common language, and were dependent on an interpreter. As we were leaving, Sue Lee (Korean Commission member) began to sing, ‘Thuma Mina’, a South African song which has become well known in Christian communities around the world. Quietly, we all joined in, commission members and the family, standing with our heads bowed, in the round hut where we had been eating, with the rain pelting down in the darkness outside. The mother of the family lifted her voice, and led us through the other verses of this wonderful international hymn.

The trip incorporated a Commission Meeting, during which we worked very hard – meeting for more than 12 hours on one day. We had important matters to discuss. The International Congregational Journal was to change its publisher, from Continuum, which had become too commercial an enterprise. We had explored several options, including publishing in South Africa, Wales, England and the USA. The best option was to work with the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches in the USA.

Subscribers will notice that we have missed one issue (February 2004), but we will be back on track from August/September. The new arrangement will give us considerable freedom to develop the Journal as we wish, and we hope to build up a good base of subscribers.

The Commission has sadly said goodbye to Michael Durber as coordinating secretary, following his accident. He was one of the founder members of the Commission and we miss him very much. Two people have replaced him: Geraint Tudur in the UK and Steve Peay in the USA. This is partly because Michael did the work of two! But also because there will now be more work, as we are editing the journal and running the data base and . . .

We had lots of new ideas. We think that the work of the Commission is so exciting that people will want to be involved in our own countries. We hope to develop a group of friends and supporters in each country in which ICF operates. These will help to plan seminars and events when the Commission visits a country, and will help to promote the Journal and the work of the Commission. We will also be looking for a group of academics and practitioners to help with developments in training and publication.

Because there is a great need for what we are doing. Congregational churches are beginning to come to us for help. One part of the world is finding its churches split by the ‘Toronto Blessing’ and wants support in meeting this challenge. Several churches are struggling with issues surrounding baptism. Growing churches in the far east are desperate for teachers in their seminaries. We want to be able to offer support in all these areas, which will need the Commission itself to develop and grow.

We were delighted to have a South African pastor willing to offer his name in place of Steve de Gruchy on the Commission. Sue Lee from Korea was a welcome new member last year. And we are holding conversations with theologians in other parts of the world. This is a wonderful area to be working in, and we should warmly thank our commission members: Manfred, Janet, Steve, Geraint, Patrick and Sue, for the dedicated work they have done in the past, and their commitment to the vision for the future.