change is coming

Call to Common Ministry

Submitted by David Turney on 3 June 2007 - 2:42pm
in

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. - Ephesians 4:15-16

What a blessing it was to observe the historic Call to Common Ministry meeting held at St. James, Newport Beach Saturday, June 2nd. For those wondering what this is all about, my understanding from yesterday is that an executive committee has now been formed, with the blessing of participating global south primates and bishops, whose job it will be to begin coordinating communications, programs, and initiatives in service to Common Cause Anglican churches throughout Southern California.

As I write this article, the committee is one day old. More will be forthcoming as they roll up sleeves and get to work.

Yesterday's agenda items included three important actions, 1) reception of a theological statement of the common cause partnership (unanimous), 2) review of a core values and vision statement (ongoing discussion), and 3) election and commissioning of an executive council to take forward the work done to date by the interim steering committee.

One is always supposed to remember the saying about the making of sausages at events like these, but both Rich and I left the half-day event tremendously encouraged not only by the outcomes of the day, but by the Godly processes by which those outcomes were arrived at. We watched closely as the mind of the floor was expressed, then pruned, then finalized with prayer and collegiality throughout where one normally expects to see personal ego and agenda.

More information will become available on this web site as appropriate. For now, I commend to your (re-)reading, the Common Cause Theological Statement which was agreed to unanimously by all in attendance yesterday.