Chatting and Worshipping toward Unity

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins on January 18 and goes through January 25. The dates for this "8 Day Week" (also known as an "octave") were proposed in 1908 by The Rev'd Paul Watson, founder of the Graymoor Franciscans. The beginning date of the observance is the Feast of St. Peter and the concluding date is the remembrance of the Conversion of St. Paul. Blessed by Pope Pius X, this week has been observed throughout the Roman Catholic Church for decades as a means of acknowledging Jesus' prayer for his disciples (that we would be "one") and praying that this prayer will one day come to fruition.

For the past several years, I've had the privilege of having conversations with the good folks of Christ King Catholic Church during the octave. I've talked about the characteristics of Anglicanism and its expression within the Episcopal Church. I've talked about the things we share in common with our sisters and brothers who are under the authority of the Bishop of Rome (a.k.a. "The Pope"). I've discussed what Episcopalians mean when we say the line in the Nicene Creed espousing our belief in "one holy catholic and apostolic Church". I've discovered, not surprisingly, that I have more in common with many of my neighbors than we might have thought. These have been great opportunities for learning on my part and, I hope, on the part of those with whom I've spoken. This coming Sunday evening, I will be greeting people from Christ King as they visit Trinity Episcopal to tour our space and learn a bit about our worship style. All politics is local the pundits say -- I suspect all Church cooperation and conversation is, at its best, local too.

And tomorrow (Wednesday) evening, I will begin the week of Christian Unity a tad early as I (along with the deacon assigned to Trinity) travel up to Christ King to share dinner with our Roman Catholic clergy colleagues, other representatives of congregations throughout this community and the new Archbishop of Milwaukee, The Most Reverend Jerome Listecki. I am truly grateful for this invitation from the pastor at Christ King. I'm looking forward to meeting the Archbishop and worshipping at the festival Eucharist that's one of ten such liturgies Archbishop Listecki is celebrating over the next few weeks in order to get to know the people he will be serving. This should be a grand occasion and give overt witness to Christians' desire to affirm our corporate witness to the Good News of God in Christ.

Much work remains to be done before all of those who name Jesus as the Light of the World can acknowledge each other's respective charisms. We are by no means "one" (if by that word we mean, "in unified agreement" about polity, theology, authority, etc.) -- but for a little while tomorrow evening and then again on Sunday evening, some of us will be privileged to catch a glimpse of the possibilities of what Christians working together might accomplish. For now, we can continue to work for the coming of the Kingdom and pray for the unity of the Church that is Christ's Body in this world.

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 100)