“As an expression of the one holy catholic and apostolic church, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has never been able to live in comfortable detachment from other churches. Instead, we search for diverse patterns of the visible unity of Christ’s church, seeking concord in essential things: faith, sacraments, mission, and ministry. Such forms of communion are both signs of the church’s unity and means by which the church’s unity is achieved… The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), in gratitude for God’s grace and mercy, commits itself to faithful use of God’s gifts in the search for fuller expression of the visible unity to which we
are called.” Among the ways by which the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seeks to express Christian unity are membership in councils of churches such as the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), the World Council of Churches (WCC), the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U. S. (NCCC), relationships of full communion with other churches, mission, partnerships, and ecumenical dialogue. (The Ecumenical Vision Statement of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), adopted at the 212th General Assembly).
In accordance with this commitment, the 212th General Assembly (2000) voted to: “Affirm the intent of the General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical Relations to design a process for review of councils and other ecumenical alliances to which the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) belongs, to be presented to the General Assembly Council at its meeting in February 2001.” (15.015). This was approved by the 213th General Assembly (2001).
Following this mandate the Committee on Ecumenical Relations presents this report as the first in a series of reports. The committee agreed to do its first review on the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Caribbean and North American Area Council (CANAAC). A brochure of WARC, which provides a description of WARC and its areas of ministry, is included as Appendix D.