Promoting Christian Unity

by Tom Christoffer

I receive an e-mail from my cousin Terry in Indiana last week. He had some great news to share with me. He was getting married! As I read on it was obvious to me that he wanted more from me than just my joy! He went on to explain that the woman he was marrying was a Greek Orthodox Christian. Did his cousin, the ecumenical/Christian Unity church guy and relative, know any information about the Greek Orthodox Church and inter-church marriage prep? Not having been exposed to very many Orthodox people or their teaching I started to research and learn about our Greek Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ.

One of the benefits from this past RENEW 2000 Season 4 groups I have heard is the blessing of learning more about what we have in common with our Christian sisters and brothers. Some of the RENEW groups were ecumenical which proved to be very exciting. One group we had here in Comfrey consisted of seven Lutherans, two Baptists, and seven Catholics. We had some very lively discussions! Our hope would be that Season 5 in the fall will also include ecumenical groups.

Christian Unity and spring gives us the opportunity to grow and renew ourselves in knowledge and respect for other Christians.

As we begin to receive invitations to weddings which have a 50/50 chance of being inter-church, let us make the most of these opportunities to learn more about other denominations. Who knows, maybe someday your cousin will e-mail you and ask you to gather some information too.

A blessed Eastertime to you all.