ELCA News Blog
August 2, 2006
ELCA offers ecumenical resources about full communion partners
by Katherine R. Hinck*, ELCA News Service
The Office for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA) recently completed a series of downloadable bulletin resources that provide factual information about the ELCA's five full-communion partnerships and one interim eucharistic agreement.
"The new bulletins are simple, concise and easy to use for ... congregations," said Dr. Michael R. Trice, associate director, ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations. "The bulletins educate and inform the readers of ongoing ecumenical relationships. They increase awareness."
Full communion is not a merging of churches but encourages church bodies to work together in a variety of local and international ministries. Full communion supports a mutual recognition of ordained ministers, which allows clergy of one church to serve in congregations of another church body. "Interim Eucharistic Sharing" is an intermediate step leading to full communion. The ELCA is in full communion with The Episcopal Church, Moravian Church in North America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America and United Church of Christ, and it has established Interim Eucharistic Sharing with the United Methodist Church.
*Katherine R. Hinck is a senior journalism and religion major at Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. This summer she is an intern with the ELCA News Service.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog