CHRIST, THE ONE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH.
MAKING IT ALL HAPPEN
LOCAL ECUMENISM IN CUMBRIA
CHURCH UNITY SINCE VATICAN II
SPIRITUALITY NOT DIPLOMACY
BEING THE CHRISTIAN PRESENCE IN A RURAL COMMUNITY
BUILDING COMMUNITY
UNIVERSITY ECUMENICAL CHAPLAINCY
ENCOUNTERS WITH OTHER FAITHS - The Five Pillars of Islam
MEMBERS OF OUR DIOCESAN COMMISSION FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

CHRIST, THE ONE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH.
1 Corinthians 3.10-11

The material for the week of prayer this year has been prepared by members of the Vatican Commission and representatives of the World Council of Churches: That’s unity in practice!

They met in Slovakia, where 1989 Christians ‘came out of the catacombs’ and faced the challenges of working together. They wish to serve the Lord, who wants unity. They recognise in themselves jealousy, the desire for power, the wish to be the biggest and best church. This holds them back. They see themselves described in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians: “What are all these quarrels among you?” They hear his call to focus again on Christ. How do we serve Him, and not ourselves? This is the way to unity. This is the theme they have chosen for the week of prayer 2005.

MAKING IT ALL HAPPEN
Rev Bob Wordworth

In Liverpool in 1982, Pope John Paul II said that "restoration of unity among Christians is one of the main concerns of the Church in the last part of the twentieth century. And this task is for all of us.” Thirteen years later in 1995m in his encyclical “Ut Unam Sint” he again insisted that promoting Christian unity was not an optional extra. Many parishes have responded to the Pope's appeals; and for some this has led to an actual commitment to work together with other local churches. This “working together,” known officially as Local Ecumenical Partnerships (LEP) is a formal written agreement, recognised in our case by the Bishop. It can take several forms.

• A Single Congregational Partnership is one in which ministry is shared by an ecumenical ministry team, and the congregations of several denominations. Because we are not in full Eucharistic communion with other denominations it is not possible for a Catholic parish or group to be a full member of such an LEP but we could still find ways to work with such a group.
• Shared Building Partnerships, where the church is shared by two or more denominations.
• Chaplaincy Partnerships in universities, prisons, hospitals, etc., usually find that working together as an ecumenical team is a more effective form of ministry. If there is a formal agreement, this can be an LEP
• Mission Partnerships. Industrial missions, social responsibilities, broadcasting, etc. May be more effective when done within the formal auspices of an LEP. Educational Partnerships. The sharing of schools, of ministerial formation, or of lay training and formation may often be best undertaken through a formal LEP agreement.

LOCAL ECUMENISM IN CUMBRIA
Rev Andrew Dodd – County Ecumenical Officer

Take a cycle wheel, rim, spokes, but remove the hub and you have the picture of Cumbria geographically and sociologically, the major population around the rim, a scattered community within. Major ecumenical events drawing people from a wide area are not practical, but local worshipping communities of churches regularly worship and act together.
From city to village events are initiated by Churches Together Groups. In Carlisle an annual celebration in ‘The Sands’ attracts a wide constituency of local churches.
Go then to the small town of Kirkby Lonsdale and we find a small ecumenical prayer group to which prayers for the town are brought; a situation replicated in a number of places.
Increasing numbers of churches meet together for joint services, with a move to occasional Sunday morning events achieving a significant change in atmosphere between churches.
Churches together groups are increasingly seen as a lead organization in “fronting” local events, such as village or town festivals, employing musical and organizational skills they add much to local culture.
They cooperate in local and international social action, initiating local projects such as ‘Nightstop’ in Carlisle, and ‘The Millenium Water Project ‘ in Keswick .
Structurally however, local groups increasingly struggle to maintain the administration associated with a formal group .We are seeing a move to a more ‘forum’ style of meeting eschewing levels of administration in favour of relationship and ad hoc initiatives.
Challenges in the future come from isolationism due to pressures on individual denominations and what may be described as ‘Ecumenism within Ecumenism‘, where groups of churches of different theological or traditional persuasion choose to relate within their own similarity and are unwilling to engage with the diversity within the Christian church. This can create tensions within relatively small communities.

CHURCH UNITY SINCE VATICAN II
Tony Parrini - Carlisle

In his opening address to the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII said, “It is a triple sort of unity that we seek”. “Unity among Catholics themselves”, “Unity of prayer and desire among those other Christians now separated from Rome” and a “Unity of esteem and respect for those who follow non-Christian religions”. At the opening ceremony, the Pope spoke of the living sign of the Catholic Church’s break with the unholy tradition of ecclesial exclusivism. So far as Catholics are concerned, the era of ecumenical openness began on that day.
Vatican II did not develop clear theological positions on other religions, but opened up interfaith dialogue, marking a new phase in the relationships of the Roman Catholic Church, in all parts of the world. As a result of Vatican II, salvation was seen as a free gift of God offered in Christ to one who has faith in Christ. This faith is expressed by being baptized and becoming part of the church, which was instituted by Christ to carry on his saving work.

INTER-FAITH DIALOGUE
The Vatican Secretariat for Non-Christians and the World Council of Churches (WCC) have heightened the visibility of interfaith dialogue in the life of the churches. Materials promoting interfaith dialogue and encouraging closer collaboration between Christians and others in local situations are commonplace. The WCC organizes bilateral dialogue meetings with Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists and seeks to develop interfaith dialogue.
Basically, interfaith dialogue is an encounter between people who live by different faith traditions, in an atmosphere of mutual trust and acceptance. This dialogue does not require giving up, hiding or seeking to validate, one’s own religious conviction. In fact, we are encouraged to be rooted in our own tradition, if we are to engage in a meaningful dialogue, and search for community in a divided world. Dialogue is seen not only as a way of informing about the faiths of others, but also of rediscovering essential dimensions of our own faith tradition. The benefits of removing historical prejudices and enmities as well as the new possibilities for working together for common good are recognised and affirmed.

HAS ANYTHING REALLY CHANGED?
In his address at the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January 2000, Pope John Paul II stated - “Each of us must have a greater awareness of his own personal responsibility regarding the breaches that have marked the history of Christ's Mystical Body. This awareness is indispensable if we are to advance towards that goal which the Council described as the restoration of our unity.
There is evidence that the various Catholic Churches are in closer dialogue now than they were 40 years ago. There is some evidence that Christian Churches, are in greater communion with each other. There is more active involvement of the Roman Catholic Church in the World Council of Churches and, at a local level, ecumenical interaction through various “Churches Together” organisations. Perhaps the recognition of unity with non-Christian religions can be expressed in the acceptance of the idea of “implicit faith” or “faith by intention”, for those who do not have access to the teachings of Christianity.
Now, in the 21st Century, there’s a greater need than ever for tolerance, understanding, acceptance and reconciliation between all Faith Communities. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity gives us all the opportunity to meet the challenges of today’s divided and troubled world.

SPIRITUALITY NOT DIPLOMACY
On October 11th, German Cardinal Walter Kasper, the head of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, told journalists that enthusiasm for "full and visible" unity between Catholics and members of other Christian churches had waned.
"It's obvious that we have not reached our stated goal: full and visible communion" between the Christian Churches. The initial enthusiasm is no longer there." The road ahead would probably be long and laborious, with disappointments, occasional incidents and even resistance, in some quarters. But ecumenism was not a form of ecclesiastical diplomacy," rather a "spiritual process, and a spiritual adventure".

BEING THE CHRISTIAN PRESENCE IN A RURAL COMMUNITY
For many years the Catholics in the rural areas of west Carlisle have accepted the hospitality of the Anglicans at Burgh-by-Sands and celebrated a vigil Mass in the 12th century church of St Michael there. However, due to reorganisation of priests, a move towards clustering of local parishes and the encouragement of Bishop Patrick that parishes move from Sunday “Masses of convenience” to “Masses of community”, the regular Mass at Burgh has now stopped.

Some have been concerned at the extra distance to travel for Mass at Wigton, St Edmund’s or St Bede’s. Still others were surprised to discover how many people in the larger parish community they did not know. However, many of those who live in the country areas expressed a wider concern that an obvious Christian presence in the rural areas should not neglected.

And so, at the end of a period of using the church at Burgh for “our Mass”, a number of local Catholics and Anglicans expressed a commitment to begin to work together more closely and to discover the special needs of rural areas. A gathering of 15 people, from both communities, met for prayer and discussion at the end of November to begin to get to know each other better, share faith and to look for opportunities to be the Christian presence in the countryside. The group is basing its initial work on a recent document published by the Methodist Church called “Presence” which was written in the rural north of England for country church communities. Thanks to the enthusiasm of the local Anglican vicar (Who ministers to five rural church communities!) and parishioners from Burgh Parish some important sharing and suggestions for future development were aired. The next meeting is on Tuesday 25th January if you are free – details from Rev Gill Hart, Rev Deacon Frank Bell, or Fr David Burns.

BUILDING COMMUNITY
Terry Garley

How To build community? This question is often asked today, especially in areas of new housing. The churches have much experience to offer. English, uses many words to try to describe the community life among the followers of Jesus. “Community, Communion, Sharing, are just some of them. But in the New Testament ONE word says it all, a Greek word, – koinonia. And the word is no stranger to us. It’s there in that prayer well-known among all Christians: “May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship (koinonia) of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and ever more”.

The theme of this year’s week of prayer for Christian Unity, Christ the one Foundation of the Church, focuses our thoughts on foundations, building, growth, maturity and belonging. They also focus on identity, accountability and wisdom (or its lack) and the sacredness of human life. So now let’s ask again, “How do we build community?” Once we ask that question we find ourselves facing many others. Here are some of them.

• How do we find out and remain alert to what is happening?
• How do we become involved early on?
• Who are our partners in building neighbourhood and belonging?
• How do we establish a Christian presence?
• How do we respond to mission opportunities?
• How do we prepare for long-term commitment?
• What are our reflections on new ways of being church in new situations?
• How do we develop good practice?

“Churches Together in Lancashire” has first hand experience in these matters. In Cottam and north Preston for example, they have been active for many years in responding to a major new housing development in their area. Most of us face the same questions in our own areas, questions about the need for affordable housing or the needs of an ageing population. Who takes note of market problems encountered by developers in putting ‘quality’ housing alongside ‘social’ housing and asks, “Does it work to balance market and social forces to build community?” Who influences the design of new housing areas? Who is involved in the planning processes? It’s all building community, it’s all that little word, koinonia – FELLOWSHIP.

UNIVERSITY ECUMENICAL CHAPLAINCY
Fr Steve Pearson

The Chaplaincy at Lancaster University is very special. Even though it's housed in an award-winning and dramatic building, what makes this Chaplaincy special is the Spirit at work within the people who use the building and who make up it's community. I was a Catholic Chaplain at Lancaster University for 6 years (1997-2002) and I was privileged to be a part of this unique institution. At times it was a deeply moving experience. Other Universities have very good chaplaincies, but the Chaplaincy at Lancaster University is a beacon for Ecumenism, possibly because Ecumenism and Inter-Faith matters have been it's "Bread and Butter" since 1969.

What Lancaster showed me is that Ecumenism is to be lived and experienced and "worked out" in every-day life, not just something to remember once a year. To work, pray, and "live" together gives the Christian identity a deeper meaning. Chaplaincy at Lancaster didn't remove the genuine differences between Christians, but it did mean that we appreciated each other, even loved each other, with the differences intact. We were able to be a ministry to the university, together!

This was appreciated, even demanded, by the people of the University. No one was surprised to see Catholics involved in a funeral service for an Anglican, or Methodists involved in activities for Catholics. It was matter of fact, and all the more remarkable for that. The Chaplaincy at Lancaster University taught me to be ambitious when it comes to Ecumenical collaboration.

ENCOUNTERS WITH OTHER FAITHS - The Five Pillars of Islam
Sue Doherty

Although I converted to Catholicism at the age of 30, my first encounter with monotheism was through Islam. For 10 years I lived as part of a Muslim family, in a Muslim country. I learned of the common heritage shared by Islam, Christianity and Judaism from the Quran, Islam’s sacred scripture revealed by God through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Mohammed and the Hadith, the recorded sayings and deeds of Mohammed.

My spirituality was awakened through the 5 daily prayers that introduced me to the Oneness of God (Allah). I learned of God’s merciful nature, the need to constantly seek peace in the world and practice forgiveness; to be non judgemental; to be aware of the power of evil and renounce it and to approach God with humility and faith.

During the fasting month of Ramadan, I became aware of my innate greed and selfishness. At the end of the fasting, when I donated Zakat – a proportion of my earnings to the poor, my sense of social responsibility and care for the needy was awakened.

At the time of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, I saw millions of people from across the world descend on Saudi Arabia, all wearing the humble attire that sets no one apart from the other as they visit the holy site associated with the Prophet Abraham.

And finally, when I heard the Shahada or Islamic Creed, “There is only one God and Mohammed is His Prophet” recited five times a day, I realised that Muslims, Jews and Christians equally believe in the same God as described in the Quran.

As such, Islam has never contradicted my Christian identity and continues to be for me a great source of spiritual guidance. I have the privilege of working with young Muslim people and communities and have therefore been able to sustain my close encounter with Islam which continues to encourage me to journey along the right path that keeps me close to my faith in God and my religion.

MEMBERS OF OUR DIOCESAN COMMISSION FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
Chairman: Rev. A. Turner M.A. Revv M Lakeland; C Cousens; Mrs S Doherty; Dr D Sawyer; Mgr Canon M Molyneux; Rev S Pearson; Mrs B McGlone; Dr Michael Mullett; Rev. Deacon J. Stanning; Rev. Deacon R. Wordsworth; Mr. Tony Parrini (Secretary); Mr G Stappard. The County Ecumenical Officers are: Cumbria: Rev Andrew Dodd. Lancashire: Rev. Terry Garley.