ELCA NEWS SERVICE
December 21, 2011
Lutheran-Anglican-Episcopal meeting a sign of hope for the church
11-143-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) - Lutheran, Anglican and Episcopal leaders from the
United States and Canada met in December to explore new possibilities for
working together and to deepen their sense of unity for doing God's work
in the world. In a report issued from their meeting, the leaders stated
that their conversation and work together "are hopeful signs for the
church."
"There was truly a spirit of Advent expectant hope as we met to pray
and plan for greater cooperation in ministry and mission," said ELCA
Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson of the meeting.
"There is so much more we can do when working together, whether that
is in military chaplaincy, global mission, campus ministry, planting new
congregations or advocacy. I look forward to our continued shared
leadership and to new possibilities that exist to proclaim the good news
of Jesus, engaging in God's work for the life of the world because of our
full-communion relationship," he said.
Gathered together for their second annual meeting was Hanson; the
Rev. Susan Johnson, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Canada; the Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the
Episcopal Church U.S.A.; and the Rev. Fred Hiltz, archbishop of the
Anglican Church of Canada.
Topics representing their mutual areas of interest and concern
ranged from ecumenical and interfaith issues to immigration reform and
poverty, from relief and development work to Middle East policies. They
reviewed the possibility of producing materials, study guides and
resources that congregations and parishes in all four churches could use
in various seasons of the liturgical year, and they also addressed the
challenges of "church planting" and the need for strategy to do this work
with full-communion partners.
The national leaders formed a subcommittee to further consider how
to make the bilateral full-communion relationships effective among the
four churches.
The group will meet again in 2012, and staff of the four churches
will be invited to provide updates on collaborative work. In February,
the co-chairs of the Lutheran Episcopal Coordinating Committee will
attend a regular session of the Joint Anglican Lutheran Commission.
"The meeting of leaders from our four churches continued to deepen
our sense of unity in the gospel and our sense of being united in
Christ's mission. We look forward to tangible ways in which we do
ministry together that will support our congregations and our witness in
God's world," said the Rev. Donald McCoid, assistant to the presiding
bishop, ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations.
McCoid attended the meeting, along with other representatives of the
four denominations.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United
States, with approximately 4.2 million members in 10,000 congregations
across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church
of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God
through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the
world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church
reformer, Martin Luther.
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