Commissioners approve continued funding for World Alliance of Reformed Churches By Paula R. Kincaid The Layman Online Thursday, June 20, 2002 214th General Assembly Columbus, Ohio June 15-22, 2002 COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 214th General Assembly has reaffirmed the denomination's relationship and support of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and adopted several recommendations made by the assembly's Committee on Catholicity and Ecumencial Relations. The recommendations included: Approval of a report reviewing the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Caribbean and North American Area Council of WARC. Affirmation of the relationship with WARC and CANAAC and the denomination's intention to remain a part of the "family." Expressing appreciation for all those within the denomination who have served WARC and CANAAC. Commending the WARC for its stewardship of the resources provided by its membership. Commending the generous financial support of the PCUSA. According to the report submitted to the assembly, the PCUSA is the highest contributor of the member churches to the alliance. In 2000, the PCUSA gave $44,409 of the $61,190 total contributions. Other top contributors include the United Church of Christ, at $7,615, and the Presbyterian Church in Canada at $4,465. The WARC budget for fiscal 2000 showed a total income of $1,165,183 and total expenditures of $1,199,732. Jane Dempsey Douglass, a retired professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, was president of the WARC in 1990-1997 and vice president in 1989-1990. A keynote speaker at the Covenant Network's organizational meeting in 1996, she believes that ordaining persons who engage in homosexual behavior is consistent with the Reformed tradition, even though she admitted the Reformers universally condemned such behavior. Douglass and Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick are members of the alliance's executive committee. Their terms end in 2004.

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