Sr. Dr. Teresa Joseph fma –
This is an Indian tribute to late Rev. Dr. Peter Cruchley, Director of the Commission for World Mission and Evangelism World Council of Churches. Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” – John 11: 25. Dear Peter, you continue to live in our hearts. How can we ever forget your spontaneity, openness and your ability to make everyone feel at home? Where mission is concerned you were so zealous and enthusiastic. God blessed you with gifts and talents to win the hearts of people and let your message to speak to their heart. You are indeed a charismatic leader. Your dream for inclusiveness and transformational discipleship will gradually become a reality.
The Nairobi meet
The World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission for World Mission and Evangelism (CWME) Meeting was held at Desmond Tutu Conference Centre in Nairobi-Kenya. July 5-11 2024 with the theme: ‘Preparing the Way’ … Mission as Counter Creating. The meet was very enriching and it did give many of the participants, a great opportunity to get to know the Spirit of CWME. Cruchley’s openness and spontaneity are worth mentioning. His great zeal for the mission, a unique gift, he inherited from his missionary parents was evident throughout the meeting. Prior to the meeting, he shared the documents in one email that supported our meeting.
Two reports from our meeting in Nairobi was forwarded to us by Peter with a request to offer any comments we have. There was a summary report which included ‘recommendations’ aimed at the internal processes of the WCC. There was also the full report. Our director, was ever ready to walk that extra mile with those commissioners who were not able to join in person for the Nairobi meet: “please let me know if you would find it useful to meet with me and others to share what took place.” How amazing is this kind of missionary availability!
Well aware of colleagues
Cruchley’s mindfulness of his colleagues and their workloads always stood out: “I know my colleagues are busy arranging the meetings of the working groups so this will be our task in the remainder of 2024.The Planning group will also meet and map out the dates and tasks for 2025 and we will share these as soon as possible.” It was heart-warming to get to know that he had drafted a book chapter on the mission theology we began to discuss in Nairobi and have attached the file to gather “input as we further refine, review, re-name as needed.” Our last day in Nairobi as Cruchley potted it eloquently: “we began to summarise this in terms of what occurs when we prepare the ways by which life can counter death, peace counter pain, hope counter despair, when the first are put last, and realise the many ways God’s coming creation is already amongst us. This seems all the more urgent in the midst of all the worsening situations around us. I look forward to meeting soon and taking all this further in our work together.”
Tremendous spirit of adherence to WCC
Cruchley manifested in word and deed a tremendous spirit of loyalty to WCC. This was evident in the online meetings and at the offline one in Nairobi. The first face to face meeting of the Commission took place in an atmosphere of friendship, spontaneity and mutual respect bearing in mind the Code of Conduct for WCC Meetings and Events (Approved by the WCC executive committee, May 2022). In Nairobi, during deepening our engagement with the WCC programme plan and EDAN 25 celebration event, Cruchley spoke vibrantly on how open and inclusive The WCC is to Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network which is indeed a style of living to declare the Way, Repair the way, Walk the way …
Delighted to follow up with dialogue
More than twice Cruchley spoke to Sr, Teresa Joseph fma, expressing his eagerness to dialogue with colleagues in the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity. Once he wrote to Teresa: “Thank you so much for sharing this report Prepare The Way: World Council of Churches Meet to Empower Change. I would be delighted to follow up in any conversation with colleagues in the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity if desired, and I hope it encourages Monsignor Balagapo to participate also.”
Building and co-creating the community
Peter Cruchley – CWME Director and Michael Blair, Moderator in the invitation letter to the participants wrote: “It will be great to continue our journey of relationship building and co-creating the community for our ministry together.” It was wonderful to observe how throughout the Nairobi meet, Cruchley personally approached each participant; listened attentively, and got interested in the mission of each one. With his motivating words, candid proposals and warm invitations, he opened new paths towards our ministry together. He had a remarkable spirit of sensitivity towards those in pain and suffering and requested prayers for them.
A dream yet to take wings
An email from Cruchley with an expressed desire reached a few of us including Monsignor Erwin Balagapo, Undersecretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization.
Dear Monsignor Balagapo and friends:
Warm greetings from Geneva. I hope you are doing well.
I wondered if we might find a time to meet to discuss an idea which is still at a very preliminary stage in my mind. I shared with the CWME planning group an idea that we try to initiate a ‘mission event’ across our different communities and constituencies as a moment of common witness. We have the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the Women’s World Day of prayer as a piece in the spiritual and worship life of the ecumenical movement. But we don’t have a moment like it in the mission and evangelism life of the churches together.
I would like to see if we could invite a time of common witness in our local communities, looking ahead to 2026 perhaps It would be good if we can draw together CWME, the Vatican, the CWME affiliated bodies and perhaps also the Pentecostal World Fellowship to see if we can imagine and enable such a thing. I am mindful of the emphasis Pope Francis has placed on missionary discipleship and hoped we might learn from it and also see if this moment of witness could speak to the crisis of hope around us given climate crisis, political upheaval and economic inequity. I have asked colleagues in the WEA to consider this matter. But perhaps we could meet to discuss how and if you think the Vatican could be a partner in this. Do let me know if this is something we can explore further and then we can seek a date.
Every blessing.
Peter
A Christmas greeting with a unique Flavour
Cruchley’s Christmas greeting had a special flavour. He wrote:
Dear Friends, This is just to share with you the WCC Christmas greetings and to thank you for all the work and commitment to CWME in 2024.
Our in person Commission meeting and the beginnings of the working groups have given us a great start for all that lies ahead.
I will be in contact early in 2025 with ideas for our meeting in February and our plans for the 2028 World Mission Conference.
I have been grateful for your support of me in personally in a difficult year and of the whole CWME team.
Blessings for Christmas as and when you celebrate and as we together the new world God seeks to bring to birth amongst us like his precious son
Peter
23 Dec 2024, 16:42
An Awesome dance that shuddered the entire congregation
On Sunday July 7th Daily theme: Preparing the Way: A mission model, Key aims to the programme for the day: Experiencing worship and reflecting on a mission theology to accompany us. The Worship in communities in Nairobi was hosted by Anglican Presbyterian and Orthodox churches with fraternal sharing of meal together did enrich the participants.
Cruchley lead Group 2 for the Church Service to Arch Angel Michael Orthodox Church in the Kinoo area in the west of Nairobi. (For photos, please click here).
There was a very communicative and spirit-filled moment: the congregation expressed words of welcome and appreciation, they sang and danced for us. When our turn came to reciprocate; unanimously our little group intoned: I have decided to follow Jesus. Cruchley quickly got up and danced joyfully stretching his hands and warmly inviting one and all to join the dance. He went around in the entire Church assisted by the small group. The climax of it was every one joining in the dance. There was truly an outburst of spontaneity and joy. Dear Peter, in the spirit of that joyful heaven of dance and celebration, we want to continue to remember you. Let the comforting words of Harriet Beecher Stowe, linger on in our hearts: “No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away.”
In brightly coloured floral clothing to the memorial service
We received the announcement from Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, General Secretary WCC “for the memorial service of Rev. Dr Peter C. Cruchley on 09th September 2025; with the recommendation to “wear brightly coloured floral clothing, in celebration of Peter’s bright and colourful life.”
Yes, we join “in prayerful solidarity to celebrate the life of Peter.”
Together with your wife Lena, daughters Enfys and Eleri, grandson Dylan, brothers, and all your family, we thank God for your life, your witness and your enriching ecumenical contributions. How true and comforting are the words of Thomas Campbell: “To live in the hearts of those we love is not to die.”
Photo reference
Photo reference: World Council of Churches (WCC)
2024Commission on World Mission and Evangelism in KenyaMeeting sessions
www.oikoumene.photoshelter.com
Church Service – Orthodox Church