Churches Uniting in Christ seeks reconciliation

A UMNS Report
By Linda Bloom*

Members of Churches Uniting in Christ are seeking to bring two of its historically black partner denominations back to the table.

The absence of representatives from the African Methodist Episcopal and African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church during the organization's Jan. 11-14 plenary in St. Louis overshadowed the ecumenical event, according to United Methodist representatives. The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, which is also historically black, was present at the meeting.

United Methodist Bishop Albert "Fritz" Mutti, chairperson of the event's planning committee, said the suspension of participation by the two denominations "dominated our discussion."

Churches Uniting in Christ was inaugurated in early 2002 as an outgrowth of and successor to the Consultation on Church Union. For 40 years, members of the consultation had discussed how to unify across denominational lines. At the 2002 event in Memphis, Tenn., the then-nine members formally agreed to maintain their own identities and structures but engage in tangible acts of cooperation.

Besides The United Methodist Church and the three historically black Methodist denominations, member communions include the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Episcopal Church, International Council of Community Churches, Moravian Church Northern Province, Presbyterian Church (USA) and United Church of Christ. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a "partner in mission and dialogue."

During the group's latest meeting, "the question that was in the room but not on the table was what to do about these who are absent," said Mutti, interim leader of the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns.

The answer agreed upon by about 60 participants in the Churches Uniting in Christ plenary was to seek reconciliation with the two denominations, specifically through a joint effort by the heads of member communions.

Letter sent
A letter was sent on Jan. 16 to the top leaders of the AME and AME Zion churches, with copies sent to the ecumenical officers of both denominations, according to United Methodist Bishop William Oden.

The letter, signed by each head of communion, stressed that "we are incomplete without you," Oden told United Methodist News Service.

Oden, who serves as ecumenical officer for the United Methodist Council of Bishops, said questions of ministry and a lack of progress regarding racism seem to be the two major issues of concern regarding Churches Uniting in Christ for the AME and AME Zion Churches.

Participants at the plenary were very aware the group "has not lived up to its goal of dismantling racism," according to Oden, but believe the AME/AME Zion presence "is essential" to fulfilling that priority.

The first call to action for Churches Uniting in Christ was a pledge to combat racism. On Jan. 21, 2002, participants in the Memphis event marched in support of Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream and signed an appeal to its churches on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, where King was killed in 1968.

United Methodist Bishop Melvin Talbert, the ecumenical officer at that time, said the appeal was the first public step for the new group. "We didn't want to start with something simple, something easy," Talbert said that day. "By making combating racism our No. 1 priority, we're showing that we're serious about responding to God's call."

Jerry Ruth Williams, a member of the Commission on Christian Unity, remembered the Memphis event as "a great experience." As a participant in the St. Louis plenary, she said she is "totally in agreement" about the need for reconciliation. "I think that it is very important that we get our members back into the family," she said.

The idea is to try to work through the concerns "to listen to them and hear what they have to say and hope that they decide to return," she said.

Top priority is reconciliation
The Rev. W. Douglas Mills, an executive with the Commission on Christian Unity, pointed out that although the AME and AME Zion Churches have not officially withdrawn from Churches Uniting in Christ, "the top priority is to seek reconciliation with the CUIC family. There's no moving ahead until we get that reconciliation."

A consultant, Billie Mayo of St. Louis, helped plenary participants focus more closely on priorities around the issue of racism. Rather than just setting goals, "we learned that dealing with racism is dealing with relationships," Mutti explained.

Beyond the racism issue, the overwhelming barrier to moving forward "with any form of unity" is the issue of reconciliation of ministry, Oden said. This issue, especially regarding the role of the episcopacy, was to be resolved by last year but was not.

During the recent plenary, "we looked seriously at whether or not we should continue," he added.

The members of Churches Uniting in Christ agreed to carry on, with the heads of communion vowing to take a more active leadership role.

Members also re-committed themselves to the eight "visible marks" of unity first adopted in 2002. Those marks are: mutual and public recognition of each other as "authentic expressions of the one church of Jesus Christ;" mutual recognition of baptism; mutual recognition of apostolic faith; celebration of the Eucharist together "with intentional regularity;" engagement together in Christ's mission; intentional commitment to promote unity and oppose marginalization and exclusion in church and society; appropriate means for consultation and decision-making; and an ongoing process of theological dialogue.

Worship services during the plenary were designed to honor the "visible mark" of unity regarding celebration of the Eucharist with intentional regularity. The opening service was hosted by the CME Church, with subsequent services following the Reformed, Methodist and Anglican traditions.

*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.

The absence of representatives from the African Methodist Episcopal and African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church during the organization's Jan. 11-14 plenary in St. Louis overshadowed the ecumenical event, according to United Methodist representatives. The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, which is also historically black, was present at the meeting.
United Methodist Bishop Albert "Fritz" Mutti, chairperson of the event's planning committee, said the suspension of participation by the two denominations "dominated our discussion."
Churches Uniting in Christ was inaugurated in early 2002 as an outgrowth of and successor to the Consultation on Church Union. For 40 years, members of the consultation had discussed how to unify across denominational lines. At the 2002 event in Memphis, Tenn., the then-nine members formally agreed to maintain their own identities and structures but engage in tangible acts of cooperation.
Besides The United Methodist Church and the three historically black Methodist denominations, member communions include the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Episcopal Church, International Council of Community Churches, Moravian Church Northern Province, Presbyterian Church (USA) and United Church of Christ. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a "partner in mission and dialogue."
During the group's latest meeting, "the question that was in the room but not on the table was what to do about these who are absent," said Mutti, interim leader of the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns.
The answer agreed upon by about 60 participants in the Churches Uniting in Christ plenary was to seek reconciliation with the two denominations, specifically through a joint effort by the heads of member communions.
Letter sent
A letter was sent on Jan. 16 to the top leaders of the AME and AME Zion churches, with copies sent to the ecumenical officers of both denominations, according to United Methodist Bishop William Oden.
The letter, signed by each head of communion, stressed that "we are incomplete without you," Oden told United Methodist News Service.
Oden, who serves as ecumenical officer for the United Methodist Council of Bishops, said questions of ministry and a lack of progress regarding racism seem to be the two major issues of concern regarding Churches Uniting in Christ for the AME and AME Zion Churches.
Participants at the plenary were very aware the group "has not lived up to its goal of dismantling racism," according to Oden, but believe the AME/AME Zion presence "is essential" to fulfilling that priority.
The first call to action for Churches Uniting in Christ was a pledge to combat racism. On Jan. 21, 2002, participants in the Memphis event marched in support of Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream and signed an appeal to its churches on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, where King was killed in 1968.
United Methodist Bishop Melvin Talbert, the ecumenical officer at that time, said the appeal was the first public step for the new group. "We didn't want to start with something simple, something easy," Talbert said that day. "By making combating racism our No. 1 priority, we're showing that we're serious about responding to God's call."
Jerry Ruth Williams, a member of the Commission on Christian Unity, remembered the Memphis event as "a great experience." As a participant in the St. Louis plenary, she said she is "totally in agreement" about the need for reconciliation. "I think that it is very important that we get our members back into the family," she said.
The idea is to try to work through the concerns "to listen to them and hear what they have to say and hope that they decide to return," she said.
Top priority is reconciliation
The Rev. W. Douglas Mills, an executive with the Commission on Christian Unity, pointed out that although the AME and AME Zion Churches have not officially withdrawn from Churches Uniting in Christ, "the top priority is to seek reconciliation with the CUIC family. There's no moving ahead until we get that reconciliation."
A consultant, Billie Mayo of St. Louis, helped plenary participants focus more closely on priorities around the issue of racism. Rather than just setting goals, "we learned that dealing with racism is dealing with relationships," Mutti explained.
Beyond the racism issue, the overwhelming barrier to moving forward "with any form of unity" is the issue of reconciliation of ministry, Oden said. This issue, especially regarding the role of the episcopacy, was to be resolved by last year but was not.
During the recent plenary, "we looked seriously at whether or not we should continue," he added.
The members of Churches Uniting in Christ agreed to carry on, with the heads of communion vowing to take a more active leadership role.
Members also re-committed themselves to the eight "visible marks" of unity first adopted in 2002. Those marks are: mutual and public recognition of each other as "authentic expressions of the one church of Jesus Christ;" mutual recognition of baptism; mutual recognition of apostolic faith; celebration of the Eucharist together "with intentional regularity;" engagement together in Christ's mission; intentional commitment to promote unity and oppose marginalization and exclusion in church and society; appropriate means for consultation and decision-making; and an ongoing process of theological dialogue.
Worship services during the plenary were designed to honor the "visible mark" of unity regarding celebration of the Eucharist with intentional regularity. The opening service was hosted by the CME Church, with subsequent services following the Reformed, Methodist and Anglican traditions.
*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.