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Inaugural Dedication And Programme Configuration

After the arrival of the participants from their different countries, HRD'84 began on the morning of September 11 with worship, dedicating the entire Programme to the Spirit of our Lord Jesus in whose name we had all gathered. The introductory session laid down the logistics and configuration of the HRD Programme. In accordance with the accepted Federation methodology, the HRD'84 was divided into various phases allowing for the input of information and ideas through resource people, the sharing of the participants' own personal and national experiences, and finally, consultation and consolidation amongst the participants themselves enabling them to learn from each other and come to common understandings and commitments in witnessing their Faith. The Programme administration itself was structured in a way to promote the spirit of collective work and responsibility, thereby nurturing the participants' leadership potential. After agreeing on the general Programme schedule, including the sequence of national reports, the participants divided into two "Steering Committees" responsible for the first and second week of the Programme respectively. The Steering Committee had the complete responsibility and autonomy to continuously evaluate the effectiveness of the Programme as it proceeded, and, in consultation with the Staff, to work out improvements for the benefit of the participants. The Committee members rotated as chairperson of the daily sessions. Being responsible for ensuring fruitful discussions and maximum participation, a small group of male participants interested in liturgical experiment formed a committee to conduct the daily worship during the first week, and some female participants formed a worship committee for the second week. The relationship between the sexes, in particular the question of male "sexist" domination, emerged as a major issue of discussion, and HRD'84 broke new ground in the area of group dynamics in Regional programmes. This was in the spontaneous "Men's Caucus" at the same time when the female participants met in "Women's Caucus", now a familiar feature of Federation events in which the women discuss their special problems of participation and leadership. More on this later.

These administrative structures provided the participants with valuable practical experience in non-authoritarian and participatory processes of people's organisation and co-operative work.

The opening worship was led by the Rev.Dr.Satish Cyan, General Secretary of the SCM of India, which was the host Movement. In a simple ritual of a muted, contemplatory nature evocative of traditional Indian worship, Dr. Cyan called on the participants to reflect deeply on their current state of being and the specific