Document
Geneva, 28 December 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings in the name of our God who creates, sustains and gives us life.
I write with sadness to offer my condolences on the passing of Papa John Doom, someone dear to us within the ecumenical family. His leadership and vision continue to guide our work at the World Council of Churches, and will do for a long time. Papa John’s passionate commitment and dedication to the ecumenical movement and our Lord’s call to unity was and continues to be a source of inspiration for the many blessed enough to have known him and to work with him, including colleagues here in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva.
Papa John’s life and witness as a faithful disciple of Jesus truly exemplify one who lived in assured hope and in readiness for Christ’s coming in his daily walk by faith. This is how he lived and served God’s mission in the ecumenical family, as a highly respected staff of the WCC from 1989 to 2000, member of central committee and WCC President for the Pacific Region from 2006 until 2013. I experienced his role of leadership through his raising awareness in the world to address the enormous damage for his peoples and region after the nuclear testing going on in the Pacific, and his role as church leader during my visit to the 50th Anniversary of the Pacific Conference of Churches in Samoa in 2012.
I know that the loss of John will be felt keenly within your church and indeed all the churches of the Pacific region which he served with wisdom, vision, and unfailing commitment. Please convey our condolences to his family also and assure them of our prayers and solidarity. We stand with you in your sorrow and give thanks for a man whose spirit encouraged unity in our faith and participation in God’s mission.
Your brother in Christ,
Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit General Secretary
