June 6, 2005

Sixty-seven national Christian leaders from five Christian families – evangelical/Pentecostal, historic Protestant, historic racial/ethnic, Orthodox and Roman Catholic – met in their fifth and largest gathering to pray and dialogue together at the Jesuit Conference Center in Los Altos, California, from June 1ñ3, 2005.

Since its initial gathering in 2001, Christian Churches Together has sought to form a fellowship of the broadest spectrum of Christian churches and traditions in the USA. The gathering at Los Altos brought together a wider, more diverse circle of Christian church leaders than at any of the previous four meetings.

Thirty-one churches and national Christian organizations have already formally decided to join Christian Churches Together. Twenty additional church leaders attended as observers from denominations that are actively considering joining. Through two and a half days of sharing, prayer and worship, the participants wrestled with difficult and complex issues in a spirit of love and good will. Relationships with the historic Black churches were deepened through intensive dialogue and sharing. Participants received a report about the Global Christian Forum, a global initiative to bring together the wide diversity of Christian traditions into fellowship and cooperation.

The group agreed that the next meeting would continue common activities of prayer, biblical reflection, worship and relationship building as well as wrestle in depth with the issue of poverty in the United States. The Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson was unanimously reelected as moderator to lead an expanded Steering Committee.

The decision was made to delay a formal launch planned for this fall in order to continue the productive and positive conversation with churches and organizations actively considering joining. Participants enthusiastically reaffirmed their commitment to "grow closer together in Christ in order to strengthen our Christian witness in the world."

"This important attempt to ‘broaden the ecumenical table' has been strengthened, I think, by our consensus decision to be sure that we have significant representation from all five Christian families before we officially ‘launch' CCT-USA," said Bishop Christopher Epting, ecumenical officer for the Episcopal Church. "Every time we meet we bring a few more communions on board. And every group brings such important perspectives into the mix. I remain convinced that this is a work of the Holy Spirit and that we are being guided every step of the way."

Episcopal News Service