AME Zion preacher challenges ecumenical group

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

> AME Zion preacher challenges ecumenical group
> Written by Rebecca Bowman Woods
> January 19, 2011
Calling for an emphasis on "conversion, not convenience," the 
<http://www.graceamezionchurch.org/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84&Itemid=127>Rev. 
Staccato Powell challenged participants in an ecumenical meeting to 
make a difference in an indifferent world.
Preaching during the opening worship service of a three-day meeting 
of Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC), Powell turned to 
<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202:42-47&version=NIV>Acts 
2:42-47, a description of the early church. This "supernatural 
church," Powell reminded the gathering, "held all things in common" 
and as a result, accomplished miracles and grew rapidly.
Over the centuries, the church has compromised by becoming "socially 
acceptable" and "politically correct," Powell said. He criticized 
today's churches for focusing on membership, not discipleship, and as 
a result, losing Christ. "What happened to the church?" he asked.
Powell is the pastor of Grace Church, an African Methodist Episcopal 
Zion congregation in Raleigh, North Carolina. The AME Zion Church 
suspended its participation in CUIC several years ago, after 
expressing doubts that the ecumenical organization was making enough 
progress in combating racism. In turn, CUIC committed to taking those 
doubts seriously and reconciling with the AME Zion Church.
During his sermon, Powell urged the group to focus on transformation, 
not just information, in order to make real progress. "It's not about 
what [God] is going to do, but what he's already done," Powell said.
Representatives of CUIC's member communions led the worship service 
at Hollywood Hills United Methodist Church, and were welcomed by its 
pastor, the Rev. Donald Bremer.
Presiding at the Eucharist were Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of 
the Episcopal Church, the Rev. Geoffrey Black of the United Church of 
Christ, the Rev. Sharon E. Watkins of the Christian Church (Disciples 
of Christ), and the Rev. Van Carl Williams of the Christian Methodist 
Episcopal Church.
Choirs from the South Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and from Mount Hermon AME Church in nearby Miami Gardens 
brought worshippers to their feet early in the service. The praise 
band from Hollywood Hills UMC led the congregation in several 
contemporary songs.
Following the sermon, an offering of $1358.00 was received to support 
the work of Church World Service in Haiti's ongoing earthquake 
recovery. The worship service included a litany in response to the 
Haitian earthquake, written by the Rev. William "Chip" Stokes.
Wilton Grannum, a member of the Moravian Church's Northern Province 
from New York who also participated in leading worship, said Powell's 
sermon had a strong impact on him. "We've become so uncaring about 
the need around us, because we're comfortable," he said.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Rev. Robert Welsh of the Christian Church 
(Disciples of Christ), chair of CUIC's Planning Committee, recounted 
the group's history and its commitment to "moving beyond consulting 
about church union, to living it out."
CUIC, which grew out of the work of the Consultation on Church Union 
and was inaugurated in 2002, made two primary commitments, said 
Welsh. One was to combat racism; the other, to achieve mutual 
recognition and mutual reconciliation of ordained ministry among CUIC 
members, so that each group's ordained clergy could serve in each 
member communion's churches and perform all clergy functions.
In 2007, the group came to the conclusion that they were not ready to 
move ahead on reconciling ministries when they had done little to 
combat racism, Welsh noted.
Since then, CUIC has taken steps to identify and address racism in 
each member communion and within its own structures. "We hope to 
continue to move forward from this plenary," Welsh said.
During Wednesday's plenary sessions, CUIC members will spend much of 
their time discussing three case studies on the intersection of race, 
church, and a contemporary issue. On Thursday, they will identify 
concrete actions they could take together as a result of Wednesday's 
discussions.
The Rev. Rebecca Bowman Woods is an ordained Christian Church 
(Disciples of Christ) minister and a regular contributor to United 
Church News and StillSpeaking Magazine. She is providing ongoing 
coverage from the CUIC meeting being held in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., 
Jan 18-20, 2011.
> Written by Rebecca Bowman Woods
> January 19, 2011
The Rev. Staccato Powell of the AME Zion Church. Photo provided.

Calling for an emphasis on "conversion, not convenience," the Rev. 
Staccato Powell challenged participants in an ecumenical meeting to 
make a difference in an indifferent world.
Preaching during the opening worship service of a three-day meeting 
of Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC), Powell turned to Acts 2:42-47, 
a description of the early church. This "supernatural church," Powell 
reminded the gathering, "held all things in common" and as a result, 
accomplished miracles and grew rapidly.
Over the centuries, the church has compromised by becoming "socially 
acceptable" and "politically correct," Powell said. He criticized 
today's churches for focusing on membership, not discipleship, and as 
a result, losing Christ. "What happened to the church?" he asked.
Powell is the pastor of Grace Church, an African Methodist Episcopal 
Zion congregation in Raleigh, North Carolina. The AME Zion Church 
suspended its participation in CUIC several years ago, after 
expressing doubts that the ecumenical organization was making enough 
progress in combating racism. In turn, CUIC committed to taking those 
doubts seriously and reconciling with the AME Zion Church.
During his sermon, Powell urged the group to focus on transformation, 
not just information, in order to make real progress. "It's not about 
what [God] is going to do, but what he's already done," Powell said.
Representatives of CUIC's member communions led the worship service 
at Hollywood Hills United Methodist Church, and were welcomed by its 
pastor, the Rev. Donald Bremer.
Presiding at the Eucharist were Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of 
the Episcopal Church, the Rev. Geoffrey Black of the United Church of 
Christ, the Rev. Sharon E. Watkins of the Christian Church (Disciples 
of Christ), and the Rev. Van Carl Williams of the Christian Methodist 
Episcopal Church.
Choirs from the South Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and from Mount Hermon AME Church in nearby Miami Gardens 
brought worshippers to their feet early in the service. The praise 
band from Hollywood Hills UMC led the congregation in several 
contemporary songs.
Following the sermon, an offering of $1358.00 was received to support 
the work of Church World Service in Haiti's ongoing earthquake 
recovery. The worship service included a litany in response to the 
Haitian earthquake, written by the Rev. William "Chip" Stokes.
Wilton Grannum, a member of the Moravian Church's Northern Province 
from New York who also participated in leading worship, said Powell's 
sermon had a strong impact on him. "We've become so uncaring about 
the need around us, because we're comfortable," he said.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Rev. Robert Welsh of the Christian Church 
(Disciples of Christ), chair of CUIC's Planning Committee, recounted 
the group's history and its commitment to "moving beyond consulting 
about church union, to living it out."
CUIC, which grew out of the work of the Consultation on Church Union 
and was inaugurated in 2002, made two primary commitments, said 
Welsh. One was to combat racism; the other, to achieve mutual 
recognition and mutual reconciliation of ordained ministry among CUIC 
members, so that each group's ordained clergy could serve in each 
member communion's churches and perform all clergy functions.
In 2007, the group came to the conclusion that they were not ready to 
move ahead on reconciling ministries when they had done little to 
combat racism, Welsh noted.
Since then, CUIC has taken steps to identify and address racism in 
each member communion and within its own structures. "We hope to 
continue to move forward from this plenary," Welsh said.
During Wednesday's plenary sessions, CUIC members will spend much of 
their time discussing three case studies on the intersection of race, 
church, and a contemporary issue. On Thursday, they will identify 
concrete actions they could take together as a result of Wednesday's 
discussions.
The Rev. Rebecca Bowman Woods is an ordained Christian Church 
(Disciples of Christ) minister and a regular contributor to United 
Church News and StillSpeaking Magazine. She is providing ongoing 
coverage from the CUIC meeting being held in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., 
Jan 18-20, 2011.