24.02.2021

UEM Council meets online

Read hereafter the Word of greetings by the UEM Moderator, Rev. Dr Willem Simarmat, on the occasion of the UEM Council meeting on February 22^nd, 2021:

Dear my brothers and sisters, the council members and vice moderators,

My beloved colleagues Management Team members and the General Secretary,

We give thanks to God Almighty for His grace to enable us to carry out the first Council meeting in 2021 virtually. As I finished reading the minutes of our last council meeting, I observed that there were no big differences between the outcome of virtual and physical meetings. Therefore, I really support every plan, which enable to conduct any digital meetings during the pandemic and for the future. I think it is wise, that through many online encounters, we could avoid several flight travels and physical meetings for the sake of our financial savings and rescuing our environment. I could sense that during these catastrophes of Covid-19, our earth is able to rest for a while. In this occasion, I would like to ask you to remember our loved ones who are now together with the Lord. We are mourning especially to the deaths of our church leaders: Pastor Agustinus Purba (GBKP Indonesia), Pastor Wilfred Nico Diergaardt (ELCRN Namibia) and Pastor Dickson Moyambo (ELCB Botswana). May God comfort their family members and the churches they served. Let us take a short silent to utter our prayers and remembrance. 

Let me share with you some thoughts, which could inspire our meeting: 

1. I humbly beg us to continue strengthening our spirit of solidarity and empathy for all UEM member churches in three regions. As the infectious rates of Covid-19 have been getting worse in many countries, at the same time unfortunately we had to face series of natural disasters such as floods in Kalimantan, the aircraft accident in Indonesia, mutations of more contagious viruses in Europe as well as political instabilities and security alarms in Africa. We deeply regret on the increasing numbers of human rights violations that have occurred by misusing these pandemic times. We are also bitterly disappointed on the increasing racial acts as well as discrimination in many countries. Therefore, we as UEM must really work hard, harder than before, to assist and accompany our church members who are affected by Covid-19 as well as the innocent people who have suffered from discriminatory and racial injustices.

2. I would like to share my personal view regarding our plan to succeed the General Assembly and celebration of 25 years internationalization of UEM. I appeal to you to focus seriously on the common struggles against the Covid-19 and to raise our empathies toward the affected global populations. Therefore, I personally prefer to postpone the General Assembly into 2022 as the sign of our solidarity for our global friends who are now living in sorrow and deep frustrations. Honest to say, it is not my intention at all to prolong my legislative period as the UEM Moderator by proposing this opinion. However, I don´t dare to celebrate our jubilee by spending high costs, while such funds could be prioritized to our suffering church members. Moreover, there are many sensitive and crucial themes, which we have to decide in the next general assembly including the elections of council members and moderator. These important agendas would be very difficult to discuss virtually as many delegates come from the remote areas, which have no adequate internet access and privacies. I hope that my personal request could be considered properly in this council meeting. 

3. Last but not least, I am so delighted to read two fresh UEM statements regarding discrimination and racism as well as the partnership. This is really, what I want from the UEM as the communion of churches in three regions. These papers are reflecting the dreams of UEM founding parents, which are not yet accomplished in these 25 years of UEM ministries. Despite of the uncountable good works we have done, there are still mentalities, ideologies and communications, which are not yet corresponding truly to our spirit of equality and justice. UEM should be able to accompany and share directions to its member churches on how to interact with one another in solidarity and equality, which are free from any forms of discriminations and racism. 

I wish that this council meeting could be conducted in positive and faithful fellowship. Let us encourage one another in these turbulent times through prayers and motivating communications. Amen.