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Griswold joins church leaders in welcoming Churches Uniting in Christ
By James Solheim
2002-008
1/15/2002
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[Episcopal News Service]
Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold joined the top elected leaders of eight other churches in welcoming a new milestone on the search for Christian unity. After 40 years of dialogue in the Consultation on Church Unity (COCU), the churches will form a new relationship called Churches Uniting in Christ CUIC) during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January. As 'the first step in this journey toward unity,' the church leaders issued an appeal to work 'to overcome both the sin of disunity, including the sin of racism.'
Besides the Episcopal Church, CUIC includes the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church and the International Council of Community Churches.
In a covering letter to bishops of the Episcopal Church, Bishop Christopher Epting, deputy for ecumenical and interfaith relations, said that 'one of the reasons we have been so supportive of COCU over the years has been the participation of the historic black churches in the conversation.' Epting urged wide distribution of the appeal among congregations, encouraging them to study and sign the document as 'one more way to 'incarnate the vision' of racial justice in our land.''
The appeal offered a vision of God's Beloved Community where 'all people and their particular gifts are included, respected and valued; a community that seeks alternatives to violence to settle its differences,' as well as a community 'committed to eradicating racism and making no peace with oppression.'
'It is fitting, therefore, that this Appeal calls us to begin our new life as Churches United Christ on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2002.'
The Appeal said that, 'emboldened by this vision,' the churches would 'seek to demolish the institutional barriers which keep us from being a united Christian community that is truly catholic, truly reformed, and truly evangelical.' It added, 'We believe that God is calling us to this vision and to this task, and we know there is a balm in Gilead that heals the sin-sick soul.'
In another example of symbolism, the Inaugural Celebration for CUIC will be held January 18-21, in Memphis, Tennessee, where King was murdered. COCU will hold a final plenary session and the Inaugural Worship Service for CUIC will be held on January 20.
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