wfn.org | CUIC names director

[powellb@ucc.org]

Churches Uniting in Christ names UCC minister as director
April 23, 2002
Communication Ministry
United Church of Christ
Ron Buford, press contact
216-736-2180
<bufordr@ucc.org>
<http://www.ucc.org>

CLEVELAND -- Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC) is a relationship among nine
churches that have pledged to live more closely together in expressing
their unity in Christ and to combat racism. Launched on Jan. 20, 2002, CUIC
now takes the historic step of appointing the Rev. Bertrice Y. Wood of
Cleveland as its first director. The appointment also is a sign of their
deepening commitment. These nine churches, or 
member communions,
collectively represent more than 22 million Protestant and Anglican
Christians in the United States.

CUIC grew out of more than 40 years of discussion by nine denominations
who, despite differing theological views, share a common vision of
worshiping and working together as one in the Body of Jesus Christ. Berts
appointment brings new energy to our collective commitment to uniting
around common essentials of faith and mission, says the Rev. Lydia Veliko,
ecumenical officer for the United Church of Christ and chair of the search
committee. According to Veliko, She brings significant gifts in the areas
of organizational skill, and sensitivity to the needs of individual member
communions. She has won the respect of our many ecumenical communities.

Wood is a seasoned church executive and was the first woman pastor of the
137-year-old, historic and predominantly African-American Mt. Zion
Congregational United Church of Christ in Cleveland. She also was associate
to the executive vice president, United Church Board for World Ministries,
in New York and Cleveland. She has taught at Pacific School of Religion in
Berkeley, Calif., and Lancaster (Pa.) Theological Seminary. She is the
author of Learning a Religious Tradition: Identity by Contrast,
Theological Education, volume 34, 1997, on ecumenical formation. She is
also currently vice president at large of the National Council of the
Churches, serves on the UCC Council for Ecumenism, the Ohio Conference
(UCC) Board of Trustees, the Western Reserve Association (Ohio) Department
on Church and Ministry (UCC), the Board of Trustees for Interreligious
Partners in Action of Greater Cleveland. She is also a member of United
Black Christians, an organization of lay and ordained African-American
persons within the UCC.

"Churches Uniting in Christ is an exciting expression of the fullness of
ecumenism, ecumenism that has a vision of the unity of the church and the
unity of the human community, says Wood. I am excited that the communions
of CUIC have made bold commitments to work toward not only cooperative
programs, but toward mutual recognition and reconciliation of their
ministries, and to overcoming racism, which divides the churches and our
communities. I am grateful for the call to this ministry as these nine
communions have pledged to live in covenant with each other while on the
journey toward the Beloved Community.  I pray that we will be faithful to
each other and to the Gospel which calls us break down the barriers that
divide the church and the human family."

The nine member communions include the African Methodist Episcopal Church,
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ), Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Episcopal Church,
International Council of Community Churches, Presbyterian Church (USA),
United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church. The Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America also works with CUIC as a Partner in Mission and
Dialogue.

The Cleveland-based United Church of Christ (UCC) has 1.4 million members
and almost 6,000 local congregations in the United States and Puerto Rico.
Its formation in 1957 was first and only union of two mainline faith
groups from different roots, the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the
Congregational and Christian Churches. Inscribed on the UCC logo is its
motto, That they may all be one. Participating in the CUICs beloved
community is consistent with UCC aims and its historic legacy. Its
national offices and officers speak to but not for its congregations.
Veliko and Wood may be reached for comment through the UCC national office
PR contact, Ron Buford, at 216-407-1470.

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