Jesus prayed "that they may all be one . . . so that the world may believe." (John 17:21)
Coming Events
Peace and Justice
Idea Exchange
Define Ecumenical
Unity/Diversity Debate
Ecumenical Studies
Religious Conversion -Pluralism/Secularism Issues
Ecumenical Formation of youth
Methodist Links
Ecumenical Links
Interreligious Links
Archive Articles
Welcome to the Ecumenical / Interreligious page for Northern Illinois Conference. The United Methodist Church is committed to the ecumenical movement which seeks unity among the churches in Jesus Christ, and interreligious dialogue and cooperation which promotes understanding and shalom among all peoples and cultures. The United Methodist Church is a connectional church. This connectional dimension is part and parcel of the gift of diversity and unity expressed in Christian koinonia and the interreligious linkage. CCUIC -- COMMISSION ON CHRISTIAN UNITY AND INTERRELIGIOUS CONCERNS Chairperson: Rev. Charles Emery 630-530-8200, Fax 630-530-8203, email charlese@ameritech.net Calvary UMC 136 E. Highland Ave., Villa Park, IL 60181 NIC Ecumenical/Interreligious Officer: Rev. Edgar L. Hiestand Jr. Phone/Fax 708-660-9168, email ehiest@mc.net Click for E/I O speaker topics Program topics Click for a parable to keep in the back of your ecumenical mind parable
CCUIC RESOURCES AND SPEAKERS ARE AVAILABLE FROM Resources See also NIC Media Library 847-931-0710 or Rosalee Blake or the Northern Illinois Conference Web link below
Northern Illinois Conference UMC Links Resources and responses FAITH-BASED PEACE RESPONSE -- GROUPS OPPOSING WAR WITH IRAQ --VIEWPOINTS -- JEWISH, MUSLIM, CHRISTIAN GROUPS ON MIDEAST PEACE IN ISRAEL/PALESTINE -- DENOMINATIONAL STATEMENTS -- RESOURCES -- ARCHIVE EVENTS AND STATEMENTS -- REMEMBERING 9/11 -- OAK PARK
United Methodist Church Peace Pages http://www.umc.org and http://www.gbgm-umc.org/nillconf/peace.htm
United for Peace: Faithful Citizenship Public Interfaith Effort toward a Peaceful Solution in Iraq This faith based group of religious leaders includes the support of the Northern Illinois United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns and the Conference Board of Church and Society. Other participants include Lutheran, Episcopalian, Roman Catholics, United Church of Christ, Jews and Muslims and other faith groups and organizations. United for Peace online at http://www.grassrootsvoices.org/ and http://www.peacechicago.org
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CALENDAR AWARENESS OPPORTUNITIES - 2003-04 (Scroll down for details )
2003-2004 Creating Interfaith Community -Local Church Mission Study 2003-2004 May 10 - 13 National Workshop on Christian Unity - Omaha Nebraska 2002-2004 The World in Our Backyard - Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions visits in metro houses of worship July 7-13, 2004 Council for a Parliament of World's Religions meeting Barcelona, Spain 2005 World Methodist Council, Seoul Korea 2001 to 2010-World Council of Churches Decade to Overcome Violence.
Creating Interfaith Community - Local Church Mission Study 2003-2004 Study book by R. Marston Speight $4.65, available from General Board of global Ministries, Service Center 1-800-305-9857 maito:SCorders@gbgm-umc.org See also below (under "Religious Conversion" discussion) World Outlook Magazine special issue. Also NIC Media Center resources, http://www.gbgm-umc.org/nillconf/stindexW.html# Religions and World Pluralism Project of Harvard University Pluralism Project Harvard researcher Diane Eck CD "On Common Ground: World Religions in America".
National Workshop on Christian Unity 2004 Omaha Nebraska May 10-13 Theme: My Peace I give to you... (John 14:27)
Council for a Parliament of World’s Religions program World in our Backyard promotes visits to worship sites of various religions in the Chicago area. Sites include: Hindu Nov. 9, 2003, Jain March 21, 2004, Buddhist May 9, 2004, Christian, Sept. 12, 2004, and Baha’i Nov. 14, 2004. For more details go to World in Backyard sites 2002-2004
2004 Parliament of the World's Religions Barcelona, Spain July 7-13, 2004 Pathways to Peace: The Wisdom of Listening, The Power of Commitment http://www.cpwr.org/what/events/barcelona/barcelona.htm and Barcelona 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures with 40 congresses and dialogues considering themes of peace, cultural diversity and sustainable development www.barcelona2004.org More information from Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions (CPWR) 70 E. Lake, Suite 205, Chicago, IL 60601 312-629-2990
19th World Methodist Conference 2006 Seoul, Korea Theme: God in Christ Reconciling
Religious Conversion - Issues of pluralism & secularism The scriptures of both Christianity and Islam call for believers to spread the faith. In Islam it is called Da'wah and in Christianity it is called evangelism. United Methodists and Muslims are neighbors. Have members of your confirmation class, your youth group, ACYM, college students and others organized their thoughts? (also see below: Ecumenical/Interreligious Formation ) Time Magazine, June 30, 2003 Should Christians convert Muslims http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101030630/ [small cost for download] Muslim view of obligation to practice Da'Wah [do a Google search on Da'Wah - like in Christianity there is a range of views] Discussion on NPR Religious conversion is a private matter, right? Then why does it have social and political consequences? Gretchen Helfrich and guests discuss religious conversion. Guests: Jean Comaroff Anthropologist at the University of Chicago, Gauri Viswanathan Director of the Southern Asian Institute at Columbia University in New York City, Danilyn Rutherford Anthropologist at the University of Chicago. Listen to the Entire Program February 11, 2003 WBEZ-FM NPR www.wbez.org/
World Outlook Magazine Creating Interfaith Community - March/April 2003 Special Issue devoted to interreligious context for mission, relationship with other religions nwo-new.html Sermon by Rev. Kenneth Crooks 7/20/03 Sermon1pdf Sermon2pdf Sermon3pdf
Article on Pluralism and Christian Commitment in Theology Today by Lamin Sanneh. Volume 45
Muslim-Christian Encounters: Governments under God by Lamin Sanneh who teaches missions and world Christianity and history at Yale Divinity School. He is an editor-at-large of The Christian Century. This article appeared in The Christian Century, December 2, 1992,Muslim-Christian Encounters Governments under God.htm
PROGRESSIVE MUSLIM GROUPS were discussed in a Christian Century article 11/15/03 MPAC sponsored program "Progressive Islamic Thought and Human Rights,” Dec 2003 Muslim Public Affairs Council http://www.mpac.org/default.aspx
Ecumenical/Interreligious Formation of youth in our local church An idea for confirmation class
Youth as well as adults in the 21st century are going to live their lives in a religiously diverse culture. Defining one's own faith, and contributing to the common good with persons of other denominations and religious faiths, will be in the context of a pluralistic American culture. Christian pedagogy recognizes that becoming a follower of Christ is more than just knowledge; it is formation of identity. Along with spiritual and ethical formation is ecumenical/interreligious formation. See also the series "Calliope World History for Young People" - small books about 50 pages each, on Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, written about older elementary level. They are written by an historical perspective. Address is 7 School St., Peterborough, NH 03458. CPWR may have info. Confirmation classes, or units in Sunday School or youth meetings suggest themselves as ideal places for this to take place. The NIC Media Center has a video: Faith and Belief: Five Major World Religions (V554) that gives an overview of the nature and origins of five world religions - Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. The video looks at the ways the religions seek to explain some of the mysteries of human existence. There is a four-session workbook with discussion guides, activities and outside assignments. Guides Age: Middle School/Junior/Senior High. If you want to organize youth in your area across religious lines, to meet and do action projects together look into IFYC. A church, or a ministerial association could connect with IFYC Interfaith Youth Corps, an outgrowth of URI - United Religions Initiatives (see link below). Get information about this model in the Chicago Metropolitan area from Kevin Coval or April@ifyc.org
GCCUIC General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns This link provides a wealth of United Methodist information and resources as well as a complete set of links to ecumenical and interreligious web sites. Related documents of the General Conference are: "On the Ecumenical Road" - 1968, "Our Muslim Neighbors" - 1992, and "Building New Bridges in Hope" - 1996 (Jewish/Christians relations). Pan Methodist Negotiations for unity continue among The United Methodist Church and the historic Afro-American Churches: AME (African Methodist Episcopal), AMEZ (African Methodist Episcopal Zion), and CME (Christian Methodist Episcopal). Pan Methodist information
African Methodist Episcopal Church
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church The United Methodist Church has joined in a friend of the court on behalf of the AME church. See the UM News Service article concerning retention of church assets UMNS article
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
More Methodist World Links
World Methodist Council
World Methodist Council - World Methodist Evangelism World Methodist Evangelism
India Re-Connect to Methodist Church of India List of projects
Rockford Urban Ministries 623 7th St Rockford, IL 61104-1303 (815) 964-7111 Fax 815-965-8903 http://www.gbgm-umc.org/urbanmin/ Primary Contact Stanley Campbell, Executive Director peaceman50@aol.com Rockford Peace & Justice Action Committee Garrett-Evangelical Library links to denominations
Both the United Methodist Reporter and United Methodist News Service have many reports on ecumenical and inter religious events and issues. The United Methodist Reporter United Methodist News Service
Check out the new Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC) NIC CCUIC URGES UM CONGREGATIONS TO ACT ECUMENICALLY LOCALLY
DECEMBER 2003 CUIC NEWSLETTER CUIC newsletter Word Document Resources CCUIC ideas Congregation Idea Sheet and Council of Bishops' Pastoral Appeal to the Churches about connection with ending racism, commitment signup sheet, and bulletin inserts describing CUIC. Appeal and Flyer . The culmination of the 40 years of the Consultation on Church Union (COCU) took place when the new CUIC was formed at a ceremony in Memphis January 20, 2002. ICC news release On that day the United Methodist Church, along with 8 other denominations, marked the end of the beginning of this process toward ecumenical fellowship with these churches. NEW CUIC website For interpretation click Michael Kinnemon article more information CUIC
African Methodist Episcopal Church African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Chicago http://www.cmaucc.org/ email cud.uma@attbi.com. Christian Methodist Episcopal Church USA The Episcopal Church Chicago Episcopal Chicago International Council of Community Churches The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. Chicago Chicago Presbytery USA United Church of Christ UCC Northern Illinois lllinois Conference - United Church of Christ Chicago Chicago Metropolitan Assoication
Illinois Conference of Churches Web Site Illinois Conference of Churches Northern Illinois Conference UMC is a member of the ICC Illinois Conference of Churches Office 522 East Monroe Suite 208. Springfield, IL 62701 217-522-7099 Fax 217-522-7105 Executive Director David Anderson Email Illinois Conference of Churches
The ICC, comprising 31 judicatories, is organized with two commissions: Unity and Relationships and Church and Society, a task force on racism, and has a General Board and Council of Judicatory Executives. The ICC is one of the NIC's major ecumenical memberships. ICC 2000 Annual Report
Photo: Executive Director, David Anderson with NIC United Methodist delegates, Maureen Cribbs, Edgar Hiestand, and Charles Emery at Triennial Assembly, Nov. 22-23, 2002 in Bloomington.
Act for Justice - PPEN - Public Policy Ecumenical Network of Illinois Conference of Churches The ICC publishes PPEN (Public Policy Ecumenical Network) Alert (timely urgent action needed on legislation), and Profiles (background educational resource on current issues in Illinois and Washington). PPEN information Latest Legislative . Summary.doc
ILLINOIS LEGISLATIVE ISSUES – Illinois Public Policy PROFILES and ALERTS on e.g. health care, racism, other justice issues. Further information on PPEN issues is available from, 217-698-3440 or email Illinois Conference of Churches
INSTANT UPDATE PROCEDURE From ICC web page click on "My Legislation" and enter ICC e-mail address Legislative@ilconfchurches.org Enter password: Illinois; click on boxes: "Sign In," "view," "Preview
Ecumenical Millennium Committee is a Chicago network for promoting relationships EMC information Sponsored by the Ecumenical Millennium Committee - American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago, Armenian Orthodox Church, Church of God in Christ, Church of the Brethren, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Chicago District, Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Metro Chicago Synod, Greek Orthodox Diocese of Chicago, Orthodox Church in America Diocese of the Midwest, Polish National Catholic Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), The Roman Catholic Church Archdiocese of Chicago, The Salvation Army, Ukrainian Orthodox Church, United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church Northern Illinois Conference, Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago, Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries
PHOTO: On behalf of the Ecumenical Millennium Committee, Deacon Aren Jebejian accepts the Local Ecumenism Award from the Illinois Conference of Churches at the Triennial ICC Assembly in Bloomington, November 2002.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity The Franciscan Friars of the Atonement website for Christian Unity Atonement Friars contains the resources Resources html for the annual January Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Full text documents of the World Methodist/Roman Catholic dialogues, as well as all other denominations' bi-laterals are also available at Pro Urbe Unione and Vatican site Liturgy and information Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute publishes Ecumenical Trends for $18 per year. PO Box 306, Garrison, NY 10524 Tel 845-424-2109. Jan. 2002 had article by Methodist David Carter: "Can the Roman Catholic and Methodist Churches be Reconciled?
World Council of Churches 2001-2010 is the WCC Decade to Overcome Violence.
National Council of Churches
Church Women United
Links to web pages of many denominations
Worldwide orthodoxy Orthodox Links Chicago Greek Orthodox Chicago Diocese Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA http://www.uocofusa.org/directory/ uocofusa The Vatican Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago Contains also the April 2001 statement on racism, "Dwelling in My Love" Common Ground Initiative - inaugurated by Cardinal Bernadin with document: "Called to be Catholic: Church in a Time of Peril" which calls for a process for unity and diversity http://www.nplc.org/commonground.htm Christus Rex contains many links to classic Christian and ecumenical documents
American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago
ELCA - Evangelical Lutheran Church of America World Evangelical Fellowship Salvation Army Chicago Church of God in Christ - Chicago/Illinois Westside Ministers Coalition Various denominations on Chicago West Side Evanston Ecumenical Action Council EEAC Community Renewal Society (UCC)
Rainbow/P.U.S.H. Coalition http://www.rainbowpush.org/ Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS) CrossCurrents An Intellectual dialogues journal web page CrossCurrents The Liturgical Conference, an ecumenical collaboration centered on the liturgical renewal. It includes members from Baptist, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Orthodox, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, United Church of Christ and United Methodist traditions. http://www.litconf.org/us.html. World Conference on Religion and Peace Taize Services bring worshippers from many churches into ecumenical spirituality. Chicago Taize locations See Tribune about Taize Taize article Protestants for the Common Good SEE NEW PFCG statement for local church consideration about becoming more involved in civil society: "Public Faith--Public Church." PFCG will also come to give local church presentation on this decision. PFCG is organizing an ongoing program for congregations and inclusive communities. This UMC supported organization has a many-faceted approach to justice in the metropolitan area affordable housing, police accountability and campaign finance reform. peace vigils, and what is just war, are reported in their newsletter. Campaigns include Welfare Justice Now, and Interfaith Open Communities in cooperation with the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, and the Council of Islamic Organizations. To be on their email list Request list
Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries Through GCBM the UMC joins with other Chicago Protestant, Orthodox and Episcopal denominations to produce shows on Chicago's major television stations. 312-988-9001 Also think VCR to share with others Sanctuary (ABC Channel 7 at 11:30 p.m. Sundays of March, June, September and December); Chicago Sunday Evening Club's 30 Good Minutes (WTTW Channel 11 at 5 p.m. Sunday); Different Drummers (CBS Channel 2 at 5 p.m. Saturday, & on Odyssey Channel 79 at 10 p.m. Mondays). Youth groups can attend.
Parliament of the World's Religions The CPWR has met three times--1893 and 1993 in Chicago, 1999 in Capetown. S.A. It will meet in Barcelona in 2004. It coordinates World in our Backyard visits at worship sites of various religions in the Chicago area. World in Backyard sites 2002-2004
NCCJ - The National Conference for Community and Justice - Chicago Chapter NCCJ 312-236-9272 The National Conference calendar for 2003 (very useful) may be ordered @ $18 each. Fill out check to National Conference for Community and Justice and send to NCCJ 27 E. Monroe, Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60603-5600 or call 800-311-9823, or fax 312-236-0029 with credit card order.
World Pluralism Project of Harvard University Pluralism Project Harvard researcher Diane Eck has just written A NEW RELIGIOUS AMERICA: How a "Christian Country" Has Become The World's Most Religiously Diverse Nation. The relation of religion to civic life in American is a central interreligious issue. The two clauses of the Constitution's first amendment portend the wrestling and balancing that have and will take place in a religiously diverse society. A three-day symposium sponsored by The American Assembly explored the gifts and struggle of diversity and unity in our nation. Matters of Faith: Religion in American Public Life
Web site of International Council of Christians and Jews. The ICCJ has 33 Christian-Jewish member organizations in 31 countries. Find documents, events, articles related to dialogue and relationships Link to ICCJ
This web site has numerous links to information about Jewish faith, culture, Jewish organizations, information about current events, topics to deepen understanding of Jewish life. Jewish Links
Chicago Board of Rabbis One S. Franklin Chicago, IL 60606-4694 Rabbi Ira S. Youdovin - Executive V.P. Rabbi Ellen Dreyfus - President Phone: (312) 444-2896 Fax: (312) 855-3757 Email: cbrabbis@aol.com Inter-denominational rabbinic organization which serves as a collective rabbinic voice in relationship to the organized Jewish community and the non-Jewish world
Chicago Rabinical Council (Orthodox) http://www.crcweb.org/
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation http://www.jrf.org/
Union of American Hebrew Congregations (Reform) http://uahc.org/
United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism http://www.uscj.org/
American Jewish Committee national office AJC Chicago office
Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel - working with Jews, Christians, Muslims http://www.icci.co.il/
Views from Jewish progressive standpoint Tikkun Magazine Rabbi Michael Lerner's insights in this magazine and website about "tikkun"= "to mend, repair and restore the world" speak to the justice issues of the Mideast, Israel and Palestine, ecology, and many other issues. One proposal is to build Tikkun Communities which can be Jewish or interfaith. For example he invites students and faculty of colleges to build a national network to end the Occupation. He invites people to gather friends and others to meet once a week in a Havurah or Tikkun Community Salon to support each other's social change activities and discuss Tikkun magazine and website articles.
The Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies brings scholars to the interface of Christianity and Judaism, in scripture, history and current dialogue. In 2000 the Jewish Scholars project published in the New York Times a statement, Dabru Emet, "A Jewish Statement on Christians and Christianity" Dabru Emet
Christian Century, August 15, 2001, had articles on Jewish Engagement with Christianity by Scott Bader-Saye; and a book review of Zionism and the State of Israel: a Moral Inquiry, by Michael Prior.
See the topics on which UMC/AJC have had dialogues. Let us know by email if you are interested in having similar dialogues. Dialogue Topics The AJC has sponsored Holy Land ecumenical seminars in which numbers of United Methodist leaders have participated.
The DuPage Interfaith Resource Network. Rabbi Steven Bob 630-858-1561
Faith-based organizing to build moral barriers against hate Center for New Community Oak Park, IL
United Religions Initiative A Global Charter Signing Ceremony took place in Pittsburgh, PA, June 26, 2000. From 39 spiritual traditions from 44 countries, people gathered to charter to work to end religiously-motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for all. 100 Cooperation Circles have been formed. In addition there is a global site URI Global
Interfaith News Net December 2003 United Religions Initiative News
The Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) is a Chicago based organization related to URI whose mission is to strengthen the relation of young people to community sharing the spiritual role of religion to motivate and sustain social action and service and reduce conflict among religions. http://www.ifyc.org/
Common Ground Center of Deerfield Illinois (815 Rosemary Terrace, 847-940-7870).Common Ground CG focuses on the world's great cultural, philosophical, religious, and spiritual traditions and their implications for every dimension of human experience.
Interfaith Alliance Mainstream faith-based agenda for religion as positive healing role in America
Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Ministries http://www.irim.org/
Meeting Place of the World's Religions
How interfaith relations work in Britain
Islamic Society of North America
Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago
Chicago Muslims
Islamic information and products Sound Vision
Michigan Ashram
Interfaith Climate Change Campaign of Illinois
Resources for Inquiry and Dialogue A comprehensive list of questions that arise in interreligious study, with resources.
Guidelines for Religion and Public Discourse from The Park Ridge Center for the Study of Health, Faith and Ethics
Archive articles
WHAT IS THE REAL PRESENCE IN THE EUCHARIST - Rev. Philip Dripps sermon at a Retired Clergy meeting, October 2003, challenges United Methodists to wrestle with current Roman Catholic understandings. Oh taste the goodness of the Lord
RECOMENDED Harvard researcher Diane Eck says the U.S. has become the most religiously diverse nation in the world. Muslims here now number 6 million, outnumbering Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and possibly Jews. Only 25 percent of U.S. immigrants since 1965 have been Protestant. Forty-four percent are Catholic and 35 percent are Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and of other non-Christian faiths. See PBS video "America's New Religious Landscape available from NIC Media Library. World Pluralism Project of Harvard University Pluralism Project Diane Eck has just written A NEW RELIGIOUS AMERICA: How a "Christian Country" Has Become The World's Most Religiously Diverse Nation.
Interfaith Prayer given September 11, 2002 in Chicago, Daly Plaza NCCJ link. http://www.nccj-chicago.org/remembrance.htm
The connection between unity and justice impels ecumenical and interreligious organizations to collaborate. On Yom Kippur the scripture is Isaiah 58:3-9 that fasting and ritual is bound to justice for the other; and Deuteronomy 16:20 where the words "justice, justice" are repeated to highlight the priority of doing justice, both the end and the means. Here are some links to a concern about justice in medical care, and for children's insurance health coverage. Illinois Campaign for Better Health Care and for Kidcare state subsidized insurance for children Kidcare insurance information see also Illinois Maternal & Child Health Coalition 773-384-8828.
The Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns presented four resolutions at the 2001 Annual Conference 1. 700-18 Steps Toward Wholeness --Pan Methodism - six session local church study on racism and relations with AME (African 2. 700-19 Celebrating the Birth of Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC) NIC & local church services January 20, 2002 3. 700-20 Dialogue on Scriptural Authority for NIC during 2002 4. 700-21 Yom HaShoah - Encourage churches to observe on April 19, 2002 Also passed: 700-28 Ecumenical Cooperation expanding cooperation with Catholics, Evangelicals, Pentecostals and others.
CONGRATULATIONS to the 2003 BISHOP'S AWARD for ECUMENICAL SHARED MINISTRY CONGREGATIONS Cosmopolitan, Melrose Park; Church of the Three Crosses Chicago; Amboy United First Church Wilton Center; Federated Church, Manhattan; Hanover UMC and Hanover Presbyterian Church; United Protestant Church, Grayslake; The Federated Church of Wauconda; United Church of Rogers Park; Grace United, Park Forest; United Church of Hyde Park; and University Park Pilgrimage Protestant Church. Each year at Annual Conference the Bishop gives the Bishop's Ecumenical/Interreligious Award in recognition of a person or ministry who has witnessed by word and action to God's purpose for the unity of the human community in ecumenical or interreligious settings. The Bishop gives the award on recommendation of the Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns. Ecumenical Shared Ministries United Methodist Discipline ¶ 208. are ecumenical congregations formed by a local United Methodist church and one or more local congregations of other Christian tradition
General Conference 2000 ecumenical legislation Types of legislation General Conference 2000 urges UMC to join Yom HaShoah (Holocaust) observances Yom HaShoah General Conference 2000 counsels caution in using anti-Catholic polemical Articles of Religion Articles caution
Information on inclusive housing in our metropolitan area Congregations Building CommUNITY
United Action for Power and Justice Chicago Area faith-based community action.
Official United Methodist Statements on ecumenicity and interreligious dialogues
Commentary by Rev. Bruce Robbins of GCCUIC and Rabbi Leon Klenicki of the Anti-Defamation League on the UMC document "Building New Bridges in Hope" on Jewish Christian Relations (includes text of document). Commentary.pdf A discussion of the ethics of "Hebrew/Christians proselytizing Jews. HebrewChristians Called to Be Neighbors and Witnesses This is the official statement concerning Interreligious relationships made by the 2000 General Conference
World Council of Churches guidelines for theological growth in interreligious dialogue My Neighbors Faith and Mine
Ecumenical Millennial Prayer 1999 Prepared by Protestants, Roman Catholics and Orthodox for the Chicago metropolitan area. Full text documents of the World Methodist/Roman Catholic dialogues, as well as all other denominations' bi-laterals are also available at Pro Urbe Unione .
World Methodist Council Bethlehem Candles 1999 - Bethlehem, Houston and NIC
18th World Methodist Conference July 25-31, Brighton, Great Britain Report Reporter article on gift (photo), Reporter Vatican Interreligious Assembly Message 1999 by 200 representatives of different religions with observers from Christian ecumenical bodies such as the World Methodist Council which affirmed it July 2001.
CCUIC Historical Report for NIC Journal 2000
CCUCU Historical report 2002 to NIC
World Council of Churches 8th Assembly 1998 In Zimbabwe
Mission Statement of the NIC - CCUIC 1996
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Interreligious Bulletin Insert Information and questions stimulated by 1993 Parliament of World's Religions in Chicago
Cuba Issues need Illinois Churches' Response
Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN) with UMC support urges an end of the embargo on food and medicine. Cuba Report and Suggestions At the invitation of the Cuban Council of Churches, the Illinois Conference of Churches and Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America organized a February 9-18, 2002 an opportunity for Illinois health care people to share experiences with counterparts in Cuba. A pioneering visit was made to Cuba in 2000 by Christian churches in Illinois to strengthen relationships with the Christian community in Cuba. Mission Trip details More details
Information on action to cancel Third World Debt Jubilee 2000/USA
January 2000 to December 2002-Local congregations are to prepare for Pan Methodist reconciliation using study guide "Steps Toward Wholeness." (Downloadable from GCCUIC link above). Holy Thursday Lord's Supper and the Passover Seder A Passover Seder Service
Bishop C. Joseph Sprague Unity sermon, Week of Prayer for Christian Jan. 18, 2001 Sermon
Archdiocese ecumenical information and sermon of Cardinal Francis George Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Jan. 18, 2002. Sermon
Conference on the Religious Significance of Jerusalem at CTU, Jan. 23, 2001 Summary of speakers
Letter from CCUIC chairperson to AJC concerning B.C. cartoon Letter text
Interfaith campaign to increase the welfare cash grant The Illinois Conference of Churches and Protestants for the Common Good seek petitions to Governor George Ryan and the Illinois General Assembly to increase the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) cash grant by 30%. Petitions available by contacting ICC or PFCG (links below) are to be mailed to Interfaith Campaign, c/o Protestants for the Common Good, 200 N. Michigan - Suite 502, Chicago, IL 60601.
May Response (UM Women magazine) for several interfaith articles. Calendar
Death Sentence 2000 - 2001 Death Sentence 2000, an Interfaith Forum for Humanity calls for support to end the death penalty in Illinois. Information, resolutions, petitions and sign-ups to volunteer can be obtained from from Campaign to End the Death Penalty
at First Baptist Congregational Church Chicago - Sponsored by the Ecumenical Millennium Committee: Sermon of Archbishop Vsevolod of Ukrainian Orthodox Church Vsevolod on Immigration.doc
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Comment by Editor about this CCUIC web page. As it has evolved, almost everything is connected to ecumenical and interreligious concerns. The world oikos of God's household impacts not only unity and dialogue, but every relationship -culture, , how we witness and seek justice, do ministry mission and discipleship, and replace war with peace/shalom/salaam. The mandate is all encompassing - it is a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth Ephesians 1:10.
Send comments to this Ecumenical/Interreligious web page of the Northern Illinois Conference United Methodist Church to eioffice@gbgmchurches.gbgm-umc.org
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