Catiana McKay, Chairperson, Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns

Edgar L. Hiestand Jr., Ecumenical/Interreligious Officer

Add after the words "District Council on Ministries) the words "or their equivalent."

Delete (after the word "Ex-officio") United Methodist who represent Northern Illinois Conference and serve on boards of ecumenical bodies with whom the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church has judicatory affiliation with voice and with vote.

Add the words "With voice and vote, Assistant to the Bishop, Ecumenical/Interreligious Officer, and Director of Connectional Ministries;

and per III-A-7 (p. 282, 007 NIC Journal - "voting members of General Agencies" are ex officio voting members of the corresponding agency or its equivalent structure in the Annual Conference");

and persons from our Conference serving as a United Methodist representative on world, national or Northern Illinois ecumenical or interreligious agencies."

Delete after the words "referred to the denomination by," the words "the Church Federation of Greater Chicago and/or"

Add (after Illinois Conference of Churches") the words, "and/or the Ecumenical Millennium Committee."

The Bishop is The Ecumenical Officer of the United Methodist Church. The Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns functions to strengthen ecumenical and interreligious consciousness and relationships in the mission of our congregations and Conference. Since the structure named "District Council of Ministries" may have a different names, we've added "or their equivalent."

The purpose of these changes is to utilize the rich network of United Methodist persons in our Conference whose roles relate them to the activities of ecumenical and interreligious bodies across the spectrum, locally and nationally. In a unique way the ecumenical and interreligious movements depend on continuity of face to face relationships over time. To bring the consequent insights and resources to our Conference and congregations we need to have the energy and experience of these ex-officio leaders voiced in our CCUIC meetings.

Keeping track of ex-officio requires attention to changes in the movement agencies. To begin with, deletion of "Church Federation of Greater Chicago" eliminates the anachronism of an organization that ceased to exist over 15 years ago.

At present we include on the CCUIC roster

The Assistant to the Bishop, the ecumenical/Interreligious Officer, and the Director of Connectional Ministries;

As well as voting members of General Agencies: a National Council of Churches Assembly Delegate, two members of the World Methodist Council, two members of the Commission on Pan Methodist Cooperation and Union;

Further including persons serving as United Methodist representatives: two representatives on (CUIC) Churches Uniting in Christ task forces, the (ECCO) Ecumenical Colleagues Network president, the Illinois Conference of Churches General Assembly Delegate, and two delegates to the Ecumenical Millennium Committee of Metropolitan Chicago.

Membership: Twenty-four: one clergy and one lay from each district (including district coordinator for Ecumenical Concerns and a member of the District Council on Ministries or their equivalent); eleven members-at-large; and one Cabinet representative.

Ex officio: With voice and vote, Assistant to the Bishop, Ecumenical/Interreligious Officer, and Director of Connectional Ministries;

and per III-A-7 (p. 282, 007 NIC Journal - "voting members of General Agencies" are ex officio voting members of the corresponding agency or its equivalent structure in the Annual Conference"); and persons from our Conference serving as a United Methodist representative on world, national, or Northern Illinois ecumenical or interreligious agencies. United Methodist who represent Northern Illinois Conference and serve on boards of ecumenical bodies with whom the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church has judicatory affiliation with voice and with vote. Responsibilities include empowerment to respond on behalf of the Conference to matters referred to the denomination by the Church Federation of Greater Chicago and/or the Illinois Conference of Churches, and/or the Ecumenical Millennium Committee, such as (a) ecclesiastical endorsement of nomination, (b) other matters not in the jurisdiction of denominational representatives in the governing boards and not in conflict with the Standing Rules of the Conference of The Discipline.