Moving clockwise from top left, the images are 1: Nicaragua, 1986: Mothers of the martyrs demonstrate (Peter Williams/WCC); 2: Chile, 1983: Pinochet struggles for control (Juan Manuel Donoso/Camera Press/London); 3: Mozambique, 1993: Methodist Worship, Inhambane province (Peter Williams/WCC); 4: Dominican Republic: Immigrant’s house (André Jacques/WCC).
The
Through the Urban Rural Mission programme, the WCC gave financial and other support to many church-related community groups helping the poor to organize themselves.
The world conference on mission and evangelism in Melbourne in 1980 described the poor as the
criterion for contemporary mission work. The participants noted the link Jesus had made in his own ministry between the coming of the kingdom of God and the proclamation of good news to the poor.
The message from Melbourne spelled out the implications of the conference theme, "Your Kingdom Come":
announcement
of the
kingdom of
God
"The church of the poor" became a major theme for the WCC. The Council intensified its study of global economic systems and consulted widely regarding the elements of a vision of society which would be "just, participatory and sustainable".
Our prayer, "Your kingdom come", must be prayed in solidarity with the cry of millions who are living in poverty and injustice. In such a world the announcement of the kingdom of God comes to all. It comes to the poor and in them generates the power to affirm their human dignity, liberation and hope. To the oppressor it comes as judgment, challenge and a call for repentance.