wfn.org | Ecumenical group moves toward better cooperation

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March 17, 2003	News media contact: Linda Bloom7(212)870-38037New York
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By United Methodist News Service

Following a "watershed" meeting in Chicago, the ecumenical movement called
Churches Uniting in Christ is progressing toward its goal of better
cooperation and working relations among the nine member denominations,
according to United Methodist Bishop Melvin Talbert.

The bishop is president of CUIC's coordinating council, which met March 7-8
at the Chicago offices of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The
council has one voting member from each denomination, with ecumenical
officers attending as observers.

Talbert told United Methodist News Service that the three task forces that
form the "lifeblood" of CUIC all made recommendations to the council. The
racial justice task force, for example, is organizing a one-day event,
"Eradicating Racism, Liberating Tomorrow's Children," Sept. 15 in Chicago.
Using a "think tank" approach, he added, an invited group of people will help
the churches look at the issue of racism and work on practical models for
congregations to use in overcoming racism in society.

Eliminating racism is the top moral agenda item for Churches Uniting in
Christ, which was formed in January 2002 as a successor to the Consultation
on Church Union.

The local and regional task force plans to promote grassroots implementation
of the organization's goals through new communications resources, including a
video, study pamphlet and brochure. Communications staff members from the
various denominations will be called upon to help with that effort, Talbert
said.

Council members, he said, "spent considerable time" deciding upon a response
to the ministry task force, which wanted to know whether its deadline for
2007 involved achieving reconciliation of ministries among member
communications or having the "foundational directions" for the reconciliation
set in place. Topics to be reconciled include the role of bishops and the
order of ordained ministry.

Noting the need to be intentional but cautious, council members instructed
the task force that the deadline was for setting the foundational directions.
The council believed that if the goal to actually accomplish reconciliation
of ministries was set for 2007, "many of our churches will say it's
impossible and give up," Talbert explained.

During the meeting, Brother Jeff Gros was welcomed as an official observer
from the Roman Catholic Church.

Besides the United Methodist Church, other Churches Uniting in Christ members
are the African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion
Church, Christian Methodist Church, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ),
Episcopal Church, International Council of Community Churches, Presbyterian
Church and United Church of Christ. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America and Moravian Church (Northern Province) are considered "partners in
mission and dialogue."

Executive director of CUIC is the Rev. Bertrice Wood, a United Church of
Christ pastor based in Cleveland. The coordinating council's next meeting
will be in October.

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United Methodist News Service
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