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2002-130a

News Brief

Episcopalians joint ecumenical worship at National Workshop on Christian Unity

     (Christopher Epting for ENS) Episcopalians joined hundreds of their 
ecumenical partners in festive eucharistic liturgies at the National Workshop on 
Christian Unity meeting April 20-23 in Cleveland, Ohio.  On May 21 the Episcopal-
Lutheran liturgy was celebrated at Messiah Lutheran Church with Bishop Marcus 
Miller of the ELCA presiding and Bishop Clark Grew of the Episcopal Diocese of 
Ohio preaching.

     Grew said that, in a post September 11 world,  many people are fearful and 
that fear can shut off our access to the divine fire. However, on the other side 
of Easter, we are challenged to come against that fear with the light of Christ. 
We do that better as we stand united across all those things which seek to divide 
us as churches and as people, he said.

     On the morning of May 22,  many of those same Episcopalians joined their 
partners in Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC, formerly the Consultation on Church 
Union) for eucharistic worship at the Old Stone Presbyterian Church.  All nine 
member communions were represented by ordained clergy leading worship.  In 
addition, a Lutheran pastor, by virtue of the ELCA's new status as a "partner in 
mission and dialogue" with CUIC, joined the liturgical leadership.

     In a powerful and inspiring sermon, Bishop Jonathan Keaton, United Methodist 
bishop of the East Ohio Conference, challenged the congregation to be about the 
task of reconciliation in both world and church.  For, as he said in a haunting 
refrain,  "unity is a fervent hope, but not yet a present reality."   Even early 
in the morning, the church was filled with strong voices singing hymns which 
ranged from the familiar "There's a Sweet, Sweet Spirit in This Place"  to a new 
hymn written for last January's CUIC Inaugural Liturgy entitled "You've Called Us 
Together." The service concluded with "O Holy City Seen of John" from the 
Presbyterian Hymnal.

     Over a continental breakfast following the service, participants (including 
Roman Catholics and other communions not formally a part of CUIC but who had also 
been present for the liturgy) heard from Dr. Bertice Wood, new director of the 
Churches Uniting In Christ.  She commented on the four traditional "marks of the 
church"  (one, holy, catholic, and apostolic), as central guiding principles in 
her leadership of the new organization. She also reminded the participants that, 
if this new relationship is not lived out locally, on the ground, it will not 
succeed in its lofty goals of combating racism and reconciling ministries of the 
partner churches.