Thoughts from the Recent Synod of the Evangelical Waldensian Church in the Rio de la Plata
“We are a body that walks in the salvation of God” says a song that has recently been spreading among the Waldensian youth in the Río de la Plata. And, in fact, there is a profound relationship between the act of walking and the 850-year history of the Waldensian movement. The theme of this recent 61st Synod Assembly of the Evangelical Waldensian Church in the Rio de la Plata is itself an expression of that relationship.
That theme, “With our gaze in Christ, we run with perseverance,” inspired by Luke 9:62 and Hebrews 12:2, was the focus of Pastor Carola Tron’s opening sermon. Carola, a former moderator of the Mesa Valdense, explained the theme. It’s really a recommendation on where to keep one’s gaze fixed: not on the horizon, with the concomitant risk of stumbling over an obstacle; not on one’s feet, so as not to deprive oneself of the perspective towards the future; not even with one eye on the present and one on the future, and thereby lose one’s ability to focus; but instead on Jesus Christ and on his message of peace, hope, and love.
These words – with our gaze on Christ, we run with perseverance – resounded through the entire four days of the synod’s work in the Parque 17 de Febrero in the Department of Colonia in Uruguay. They hovered as concepts in numerous moments of sharing among the one hundred participants in the synod. They were felt in the serene nights as people listened to the sounds of local fauna. They were in people’s thoughts as they pondered the thematic areas of the synod’s work.
In brief, the reflection on community life mainly concerned various particular ministries, involving both lay men and women as well as youth.
The discussion about youth involvement revealed the need for a new working group to ensure a more comprehensive geographic representation.
The discussions about institutional development focused on theological formation and urban pastoral care and communication.
The working group on diakonia brought forward proposals to continue and improve ongoing projects, most of which had already been reflected upon in a previous meeting between representatives of areas of diaconal service.
Finally, the financial feasibility of all the proposals was evaluated.
The desire for social and global peace was also very much alive and felt especially in a discussion in synod on Saturday evening. That discussion, which would have happened in any case, was given added inspiration by a march earlier that day in Argentina against hatred, fascism, and racism.
Faced with the disappointment of not seeing all the Waldensian congregations in the Rio de la Plata represented at the meeting, the delegates made a commitment to work together to guarantee that every congregation will send a representative to next year’s Synod meeting. The fact that so many young people were present at synod gave hope to many that next year representatives from every congregation will be present at synod.
Finally, love. That great strength that comes from God held everyone present in a thousand hugs. Particularly. there were expressions of profound gratitude and many tears when Pastor Claudia Tron’s retirement was announced.
To the tune of the many songs that accompanied them in the four days of the synod assembly, those present were able to meet brothers and sisters and to recognize that, despite whatever differences they sometimes have, they are all part of a community that has existed on both sides of the Atlantic for more than eight centuries and that continues its journey with perseverance as a single body in motion.
This report was written by Emanuele De Bettini (pictured) and was originally published in Riforma. Emanuele is an active Waldensian young person as well as a graduate student in history at the University of Turin.
Multicultural and international experiences, known in American Waldensian Society parlance as ‘crossings’ are a great source of learning not only for those who make a ‘crossing’ but for everyone with whom they come in contact. The Waldensian Church in Italy, the Evangelical Waldensian Church in the Rio de la Plata, the American Waldensian Society, and Waldensians and their friends everywhere all do their best to support such crossings.
