Churches Uniting in Christ, a dialogue among 10 Protestant faith communions in the U.S., announces the release of new ecumenical resources for local congregations to utilize during Pentecostide services.
“Pentecost is a time for Christian churches to celebrate the very beginning of the church. We are essentially one in Christ by the power of the Spirit who binds, while celebrating the diversity among us,” said Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton, president of Churches Uniting in Christ. “This is also a liturgical season to renew our hearts as followers of Christ by rekindling the fire of life from the Holy Spirit to bring new life to the world.”
Resources to help congregations understand and observe these events can be found on the CUIC’s website: www.churchesuniting.org/teaching-and-preaching.
Resources include a 9-minute introductory video by the Rev. Dr. Claudio Carvalhaes, an associate professor at Union Theological Seminary, and a 6-minute video in which he shares a personal story related to Pentecost. The Rev. Dr. Youngsook Charlene Kang, a pastor of the United Methodist Church, offers her understanding of crossing cultural boundaries and learning to live in the spirit of Pentecost.
Jefferson-Snorton, who is also the ecumenical officer for the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, encourages all U.S. congregations to use any, or all, of these resources as they commemorate this year’s Pentecost season.
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About Churches Uniting in Christ
Formed in 2002, Churches Uniting in Christ is a covenant relationship among 10 Christian communions that have pledged to express their unity in Christ and combat racism together. The member churches include the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, The Episcopal Church, the International Council of Community Churches, the Moravian Church (Northern Province), the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Church of Christ and The United Methodist Church. For more information, go to www.churchesuniting.org.
About The Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church welcomes all as it seeks to follow Jesus Christ into loving, liberating, and life-giving relationship with God, each other, and the earth. Embracing a legacy of inclusion, The Episcopal Church encourages the expression of leadership gifts by all peoples of the church. As a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, the third largest group of Christians in the world, The Episcopal Church includes 109 dioceses in 16 nations, with about 1.8 million members. Learn more at episcopalchurch.org.