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United Methodists, Lutherans to study draft document

Dec. 1, 2005

NOTE: A photograph is available at http://umns.umc.org.

By Linda Bloom*

NEW YORK (UMNS) - Members of the United Methodist Church and Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America are being encouraged to study a draft
statement of full communion between the two denominations.

A study and discussion guide, which includes the draft of "Confessing
our Faith Together: A Statement toward Full Communion by the ELCA-UMC
Bilateral Dialogue," is now available.

A joint Lutheran-United Methodist dialogue team prepared the statement
and resource guide and will review responses when it meets in October
2006, according to the Rev. W. Douglas Mills, an executive with the
United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious
Concerns.

"We hope that lots of people will read this," he said in a Nov. 29
interview. The commission hopes to identify and target 10 or more local
churches that can partner with ELCA congregations to consider the
document, he said.

"It's especially effective if congregations have partnered to study it
together ... but there's no reason why an individual can't respond,"
Mills added. State or regional ecumenical councils also may want to use
the study guide, he suggested.

An "interim Eucharistic sharing" agreement with the United Methodist
Church was overwhelmingly approved by ELCA representatives at a
churchwide assembly in August. The agreement also had been approved by
the United Methodist Council of Bishops in May.

The terms of the agreement foster "mutual prayer and mutual support,
study together of the Holy Scriptures as well as the histories and
theological traditions of both churches, and joint programs of
theological discussion, evangelical outreach and social ministry
endeavors."

The agreement also encourages joint services of Holy Communion following
guidelines established by both churches and looks forward to "the future
possibility of a relationship of full communion."

In its introduction to the study guide, the joint dialogue team noted
the ties that Lutherans and United Methodists already share.

"Lutherans and United Methodists have been well acquainted with one
another. Our relationship, locally and nationally, has been forged
through friendships, family ties, congregations, ecumenical councils,
colleges and seminaries. We are, in countless places, partners in
ministry."

Over the last three decades, dialogue teams have explored the sacrament
of baptism (1977-79) and issues of episcopacy (1985-87). "Significant
convergence around these topics pointed toward a Third Round in order to
explore the two churches' understandings of Eucharist."

Dialogue resumed in 2001, and team members unanimously voted in August
2004 to submit a proposal for Interim Eucharistic Sharing for
consideration by each church.

"We have discovered a profound convergence in the witness of our two
churches," said the team, led by ELCA Bishop Allan C. Bjornberg and
United Methodist Bishop Melvin G. Talbert. "The Lord's Table, Baptism,
and Word are at the heart of our churches' life, precious gifts and
fundamental means of grace. We hope that in the 71 paragraphs of
'Confessing Our Faith Together' you will be able to trace our joyful
journey of discovery.

"We have learned that ecumenical conversation means giving up the demand
that everyone speak only our language and use only our words," the team
said. "We have also found that ecumenical conversation leads to deeper
understanding of our own faith tradition, while opening our eyes to the
unending riches of the Holy Spirit's work in and through the whole
church."

Although there is no specific timetable for reaching full communion,
Mills said it could be considered by the 2008 United Methodist General
Conference.

For more information, contact Mills at dmills@gccuic-umc.org. The study
and discussion guide also can be found online at
http://tinyurl.com/ahfj8 on the ELCA Web site.

*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.

News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org

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