Title: COCU committee meeting reflects struggle and hope
Date: March 31, 1997
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
97b-20
INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- "There is joy in the struggle for Christian unity." Those words by the Rev. Paul A. Crow Jr., chief ecumenical officer of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), reflect the spirit of the March 16-18 meeting of the Consultation on Church Union executive committee in Memphis.
Representatives from the nine COCU churches heard General Secretary Daniell Hamby report on the work of the recently appointed Commission on Theology, chaired by Cynthia Campbell, president of McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago. The Rev. James O. Duke, Fort Worth, is the Disciples' representative on this commission.
In their first meeting the theologians expressed hope in dealing with the theological concerns raised in recent years by the Episcopal Church. One Episcopal theologian said, "All nine COCU communions can affirm 90 percent of what is said in Churches in Covenant Communion. Only on the concept of the episcopacy do we need to do more work."
The executive committee gave special attention to the next COCU plenary at St. Louis in December 1998. The committee voted that each church would send a delegation of 10 leaders including men, women, minorities and youth (under age 35).
"All participating churches should understand that the 1998 plenary is not the final plenary," said Crow. "St. Louis will be a critical way station on the way toward the Church of Christ Uniting in process of formation."
The committee also heard reports on tensions among some Presbyterian Church (USA) and Episcopal Church members. "The tensions are normal in the ecumenical journey and should not be misunderstood," said Hamby. "The Episcopal Church and the Presbyterian Church (USA) are struggling with parts of the covenant communion proposal, especially the office of bishop. Both churches are fully committed to COCU and will have delegations at the 1998 plenary."
In an affirmative statement Bishop Vinton Anderson of the African Methodist Episcopal Church said, "All three of the African American Methodist churches support COCU and have voted to enter into covenant communion."
While in Memphis, the committee met for dialogue with 40 pastors of COCU church congregations in the city. In the session, testimonies were given about the importance of unity through Churches in Covenant Communion for congregations.
The Rev. C. Roy Stauffer, senior minister of Lindenwood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), expressed hope that COCU's process would soon begin to draw these churches together in local communities across the United States. Stauffer also is a member of the Council on Christian Unity board of directors.
Also representing the Disciples at the ecumenical gathering was the Rev. Mildred Slack, executive director of the Five Church Association, St. Louis, Mo.
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