National Workshop on Christian Unity
Equipping Church Leaders in the Quest for Christian Unity
Sponsored by the National Ecumenical Officers Association

Highlights of Tuesday Events at NWCU

Tuesday's activities began with a Continental Breakfast hosted by the National Council of Churches in Christ. 

Then, following morning worship, the participants gathered to hear the opening Keynote Address, delivered by Dr. Michael Kinnamon, Executive Secretary of the NCCC.  Again, this year, the Keynote Address was sponsored by the Military & Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem.

Michael KIinamen spoke of the tension between Faith and Order and the search for Justice and Human Rights.  He called upon us to recognize and maintain the balance of these two callings.

He also reminded us that the quest for unity is God's mission and God's gift.  Our work is secondary to what God is already doing.  He reminded us that what God has given to us, must be received.

Morning Seminars:  Following the Keynote address, participants moved to multiple seminar rooms totake part in seminars that continued through the remainder of the morning.  To download the full text of his remarks, click here: Michael Kinnamon Keynote Address

Network Meetings: After lunch the various network groups held events to equip their their members.  Those seminars continued through the afternoon.  One of the Network event speakers was the Rev. Dirk Ficca, of the Parliament of World Religions who address the ECCO network.  Dirk Ficca's photo appears to the right of this paragraph.

Evening Eucharistic Services:  During the evening most of the participants took part in Eucharistic Services.  The Catholic service was held a St. Joseph Ukrainian Catholic Church, and the Episcopal /Luther al/Methodist Eucharist was held at St Mary's Episcopal Church.

On the left is a phot, (taken by David Skidmore) of Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, who brought the messwage at the Tuesday evening Episcopal-Lutheran-Methodist joint Eucharist. Bishop Jung is Bishop of the United Methodist Nothern Illinois Conference.  Additional photos taken at that service, can be seen by clicking here.  To download the text of Bishop Jung's sermon, click here

Highlights of Wednesday Events at NWCU

Following a breakfast, graciously hosting by the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute, the group again gathered for Morning Prayer.

Morning Prayer was then followed by a spirited Bible Study led by Dr. James W. Fleming.  The Bible Study on Wednesday and Thursday was sponsored by the American Bible Society.   

Dr. Fleming opened up the contextual understanding that is needed to fully appreciate the words of and about Jesus.  He helped us to appreciate the relationship of "name" and "character."  With that understanding we understand that we are to pray in the Character or the manner of Jesus, and to not just use his name as a magical formula.  One might well pray in the name (character) of Jesus without ever mentioning his name.   One might pray, using the name of Jesus, a prayer that is totally devoid of the characteristics that we see in the person of Jesus.

Following the Bible Study, the participants had the choice of ten different seminars they could choose to attend.  The workshops covered a wide range of topics (click for full list of seminars)  In the photo on the right, a group of participants are taking part in a seminar on the topic of the Emerging Church led by Dr. Dwight Friesan (who is on the left side of the picture).

After attending the Seminars, participants broke for lunch which were followed by Network Business Meetings.  Below are photos of some of those Network meetings.

NADEO Business Meeting	LERN Business Meeting	EDEIO Business Meeting

Evening Activities

CUIC Eucharistic Service Many of the Workshop participants attended the annual CUIC Eucharistic Service that has become a regular part of the NWCU.  The sermon for the CUIC service was by Bishop Christopher Epting, Ecumenical officer of the Episcopal Church.  The service was held at the historic First Baptist Congregational Church a member church of the United Church of Christ.	Wednesday Evening Cultural Event A significant number of the Workshop participants took part in a visit to the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in downtown Chicago.  The visit included a visit to the Institute's museum, its library, and then dinner with leaders from the Chicago Jewish Community.  The Institute is housed in a new facility that just opened at the end of last year.