wfn.org | United Methodists to join in NCC 50th celebration

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

July 26, 1999 News media contact: Linda Bloom*(212) 870-3803*New York
10-71B{389}

By United Methodist News Service

Marking the end of an ecumenical era, the National Council of Churches of
Christ in the USA (NCC) will celebrate its 50th anniversary Nov. 9-12 in
Cleveland.

Besides recognizing past accomplishments, the anniversary will offer "an
opportunity to help shape the quest for Christian unity in the new century,"
according to Betty Thompson, a United Methodist who serves on the
anniversary steering committee. Thompson is retired from the United
Methodist Board of Global Ministries.

United Methodist Bishop Melvin Talbert, of the church's San Francisco Area,
also serves on the  steering committee and is a former NCC president. Among
the United Methodists attending the celebration will be the denomination's
35-member delegation to the NCC General Assembly.

Mia Adjali, a staff executive with the Women's Division, Board of Global
Ministries, has worked with the NCC in a variety of ways. She is chairwoman
of its international justice and human rights program ministry, is a board
member of the Church World Service and Witness unit, and represents that
unit on the NCC's executive committee.

For United Methodists in the United States, the NCC "is the instrument
through which we can act ecumenically on so many issues and concerns,"
Adjali said. She believes that witness has been expressed impressively over
the years, "through thick and thin."

An evening event on Nov. 10, "The Great Conversation," is being called the
centerpiece of the anniversary celebration. It will include input both from
the 35-member communions and religious groups outside the council, as well
as other sectors of society.

A letter from the Rev. Joan Brown Campbell, NCC general secretary; the Rt.
Rev. Craig B. Anderson, president; and the Rev. Andrew Young,
president-elect, states that "this conversation is about the promise and
challenge of a more inclusive ecumenical table that is yet to be - about the
dreams of a new generation of ecumenists."

Thompson pointed out that the U.S. religious landscape has changed
dramatically in the past half-century and noted that multifaith dialogue
during the celebration will include Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish
panelists.

At the same time, the influence of America's mainline denominations has
declined. "The Protestant and Orthodox churches have a far less visible role
in society than they did in the first decades of the council's life,"
Thompson said. "Whether they can work together to make an impact on a vastly
changed world may be determined in the Cleveland meeting."

The Rev. Bruce Robbins, chief staff executive of the United Methodist
Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, also hopes the
NCC will broaden its base in the future by including Roman Catholics,
evangelicals and Pentecostals.

The NCC has been a "vital ecumenical institution," Robbins said.
"Historically, it has led the way in terms of civil rights issues."

"I think it's exciting that the next president of the National Council of
Churches will be Andrew Young," Adjali added. In many ways, she said, the
civil rights activist will illustrate the agency's continuing desire to make
racial justice a top priority. 

Another priority Adjali has been working on is "Pillars of Peace for the
21st Century," which is expected to be adopted by the NCC General Assembly
in November. "It's a document that hopefully will continue to guide the
ecumenical community on the kinds of principles and visions that we see for
the United Nations in the 21st century," she explained.

The seven pillars focus on such issues as increasing political collaboration
and accountability, building an international legal system, improving
economic conditions for all, standing with the vulnerable and marginalized,
building a culture of peace, protecting human rights and making changes to
improve the environment. 

A forum on the Pillars of Peace will be presented in Cleveland as the O.
Frederick Nolde Memorial Lecture on Human Rights. Jan Love, a United
Methodist, will speak about the international work of the World Council of
Churches. Charles Amjad-Ali of Pakistan will focus on human rights and
Islam. Nolde was an author of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
former head of the Office of the Commission of the Churches on International
Affairs.
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