wfn.org | ELCA Presiding Bishop Preaches in Historic Ecumenical Service

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

January 24, 2006  

ELCA Presiding Bishop Preaches in Historic Ecumenical Service
06-009-WH*/JB

     NEW YORK (ELCA) -- In a culture that values consumerism,
fears diversity, seeks unity, demands certainty, shuns ambiguity,
accepts deception and is often defined by arrogance and
dominance, how do churches today work together to live out their
mission? That question was the focus of a sermon by the Rev. Mark
S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA), who addressed more than 200 Lutherans and
Episcopalians here Jan. 18 at Saint Peter's Lutheran Church,
Manhattan.
     Hanson preached during a service that celebrated the
relationship between the churches. It also celebrated the Rev.
William Reed Huntington, a 19th century Episcopal priest who
advocated for early church unity. The service was held during
the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
     Today's times are filled with challenges for Christians,
Hanson said, and they are best embraced by "our understanding of
the authority and interpretation of the Scriptures," Hanson said.
     "With confidence, humility and courage, let us face these
daunting challenges in God's mission for the life of the world,"
he said.
     The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, presiding bishop of the
Episcopal Church, presided at the service.
     "I'm here with joy and delight to give thanks to God for
being 'Called to Common Mission,'" said Hanson, referring to a
five-year-old agreement between the ELCA and Episcopal Church
that established a relationship of full communion.  The agreement
opened the way for cooperative mission efforts between the
churches and mutual recognition of ordained ministers in settings
of cooperative ministry.
     In his sermon Hanson gave examples of cooperative ministry
that developed since "Called to Common Mission" was adopted. The
ELCA and the Episcopal Church are working together in education,
campus ministry, disaster response, social ministry and in
individual congregations among other ministries, Hanson said.
     The ecumenical service was the annual commemoration of
Huntington, who was rector of Grace Episcopal Church, Manhattan,
and author of the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral of 1888, a
document that laid the groundwork for ecumenical dialogue between
the Episcopal Church and other Christian church bodies.
     In addition to Hanson and Griswold, several top leaders of
both church bodies in New York participated in the service,
including the Rev. Stephen P. Bouman, bishop of the ELCA
Metropolitan New York Synod. After the service worshippers
gathered for a question-and-answer session with Hanson.

     *Wendy Healy is director of communication for the
Metropolitan New York Synod.

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