Etchmiadzin, 27 September 2008

 

Greetings by the WCC General Secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia

delivered by Bishop Ivan Abrahams, Presiding Bishop
of the Methodist Church of South Africa

 

Your Holiness,
Your Eminences and Excellencies,
dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

We rejoice with you at this decisive moment in the life of your church when the Holy Muron is blessed!

As we build the one body of Christ we share this moment of joy in our fellowship, even as we share also the moments of suffering (I Cor. 12:26). It is, indeed, a moment of joy when you, your Holiness, Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, are pouring a remaining portion of the previous blessed chrism into the newly prepared oil - what a strong symbol for the blessing your church and all her faithful, received from generation to generation for more than 1700 years.

Celebrating today with all of you, we trust and pray that God will continue to bless you and all baptized with the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Muron, seals the body of the baptized as the temple of the Holy Spirit. They become the living stones through which Christ wants to build his church on earth (I Peter 2:5).

I deeply regret that I myself cannot be with you. I feel this even more since I still cherish the fond memories of our visit to Armenia with the WCC Executive Committee. The warm hospitality we experienced was overwhelming. Witnessing first hand the love and care of you, Your Holiness, especially for the younger generation in your church was very encouraging.

I am very grateful to Bishop Ivan Abrahams from South Africa for having immediately accepted our request to represent the WCC general secretary so that the fellowship of churches belonging to the World Council of Churches can be celebrating be with you. We all are praying for your church and her leadership that God may continue to pour out his rich blessings upon you!

Sincerely yours in Christ's name,

Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia
WCC General Secretary