wfn.org | Kinnamon to lead Consultation on Church Union

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

Oct. 27, 1999 News media contact: Linda Bloom·(212) 870-3803·New York
10-21-31-71B{571}

By United Methodist News Service

The Consultation on Church Union (COCU) has moved forward in its goal to
establish a new ecumenical relationship by hiring two staff executives and
approving a proposal to send to member communions.

The actions came during COCU's Oct. 18-19 executive committee meeting in
Lake Junaluska, N.C.

The organization's new general secretary, or top staff executive, is the
Rev. Michael Kinnamon. United Methodist Bishop William Boyd Grove, an
executive committee member, called him a "world-class, world-renowned
ecumenist." Kinnamon, who will work part-time, is ordained in the Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ) and teaches at Lexington (Ky.) Theological
Seminary.

Grove added that the Rev. Gordon White, an Episcopal priest based in Lowell,
Mass., would be responsible for much of the administrative work in his new
part-time position as associate general secretary.

"Because of Michael's presence and leadership, there was an excitement about
moving forward," said the Rev. Bruce Robbins, describing the meeting.
Robbins is chief staff executive of the United Methodist Commission on
Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns.

Last January, COCU's nine member communions voted unanimously to enter into
a new relationship, renamed "Churches Uniting in Christ," which would be
publicly celebrated early in 2002. The document adopted at that meeting
offered eight "visible marks" of unity among the communions and noted that
members still needed to clarify "the meaning of reconciliation of ministry."
Hope was expressed that a full reconciliation of ministries among the
communions would occur by 2007.

A proposal based on that document was distributed during the executive
committee meeting and will be forwarded to members for approval. Grove
expects the United Methodist Council of Bishops to act on it in November and
send a related resolution to the 2000 General Conference, the denomination's
highest legislative body, for further action.

The Rev. Kathryn Bannister of Bison, Kan., a United Methodist pastor and
executive committee member, noted a willingness to remain open on the
question of reconciliation of ministries. "I think there's a great
commitment around the table for everyone to go forward in this new
relationship," she said.

Bannister also hopes COCU will make itself "a powerful witness" against
racism by publicly following up on a document adopted last January that
addresses the issue.

Besides the United Methodist Church, COCU members are the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ), United Church of Christ, Presbyterian Church (USA),
Episcopal Church, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME), African
Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ)
Church and the International Council of Community Churches.

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United Methodist News Service
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