Diversity and Evangelical Christians

Friends:

I have just been reading an article "Who Are American Evangelicals" written by Bryant L. Myers a few years ago. Our Chairman Ambassador Taylor gave it to me for my edification. It is very interesting and provides many details.

The keynote is diversity. There are many 'strands' in contemporary American evangelicalism--thus making it necessary for those of us of other traditions to get to know people--as we always should.

Peace,
John

Week of Prayer for Unity

Friends:

The Week of Prayer--whether the Worldwide Week January 18-25th--or the Consortium Week , the first week of February, is a time of great speaking.

This past week I heard Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, give the Hecker Lecture at St. Paul's. Her talk called for increased collaboration of Catholics and Episcopalians on social justice issues both at the local level and internationally in places such as Haiti. Her remarks, which included many other points, will be published for further study.

Pastor Thomas Rodgerson, a Baptist Minister and Director of the M.A. Program in Spiritual and Pastoral Case at Loyola University, Maryland preached at Theological College on January 20th. A point that sticks with me is that if we are to love one another more deeply we must devote ourselves to establishing new practices of thinking and acting--and tear down walls that keep us from loving more deeply.

Of course Bishop Hoyt will be giving the Consortium's Annual Figel Lecture on Wednesday February 2nd at HUSD [5:30 PM]. He is a fine speaker. His Lecture will be part of the Consortium Student Board's Annual Prayer Service for Christian Unity.

Peace,
John

Quiet Prayer for Unity at Shalem

Friends:

I was privilege today to share an hour of Quiet Prayer for Christian Unity with our friends at Shalem Spirituality Center. The Prayer was focused on Christian Unity and the Peace that flows from our prayer and community.

The silence was punctuated with music, scripture and occasional gestures.
Listening for the Spirit is very important--as it was for me today.

Peace,
John

A Ministry of Encouragement

Friends:

As you might have seen on my Facebook posting, I think that encouraging others is an essential part of the ministry of the Executive Director of the Consortium.

There is a lot of critique and criticism in the Washington air these days--but less affirmation or giving thanks for the good that people do.

The 2.3 of us in the Consortium office try to treat everyone gently and with great respect.

The Consortium runs on the participation of the administrators, faculty and students of the member institutions and also on the generosity of our Friends.

Our office, small as it is, facilitates dialogue, discussion, sharing of best practices, etc. among colleagues. We provide encouragement for those who wish to come together--and administrative support as well.

Let us continue to support and encourage one another!!

Peace,
John

Lecturing at Wesley on Salesian Spirituality

Friends:

Dr. Tortorici at Wesley asked me to offer an afternoon lecture on the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal--commonly referred to as Salesian Spirituality--in his Doctor of Ministry course on Spirituality. It is always a please to lecture on the patrons of my religious order--the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. The group was quite attentive--and asked some very good questions.

I also had the opportunity to say hello to some of my friends at Wesley--and to meet with the Doctor of Ministry students in ecumenism over lunch. All in all a fine day.

Peace,
John

New Student Orientation at the Divinity School

Friends:

I spoke yesterday to the second semester new students at HUSD.
They were a very attentive group.

I cannot help but think that a dozen years ago, I first spoke to new students at Howard.
And now my final orientation of new students is also at Howard.

My key ideas--

(1) we have been called to ministry by the Holy Spirit

(2) we never know who God will call us to minister to--so we should be prepared ecumenically

(3) we need to pray--for fellow students, professors, administrators, churches....Prayer is central for us.

Peace,
John

Christian Churches Together

Friends:

Let me call attention to the meeting next week of Christian Churches Together in Birmingham. As you may know CCT is the broad--and administratively lean--gathering of five Christian Families of churches and affiliates. The membership is quite comprehensive-=-the most comprehensive in this country.

In his recent email, Dick Hamm, the Director of CCT says:


Friends, to view the current edition of the newsletter of Christian Churches Together in the USA, please click on this link: www.ChristianChurchesTogether.org/Newsletter; or visit: www.ChristianChurchesTogether.org.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the newsletter and recommend it to you.
In particular the article by Leonard Kishkovsky is well worth the 'read'

Peace,
john

Doctor of Ministry in Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue

Friends:

Last night I had dinner with Russel Meyer, president of the North American Academy of Ecumenists, Director of the Florida Council of Churches--and student in the Doctor of Ministry program at Wesley (with co-sponsorship by the Consortium).

The intense two weeks of classes began this morning at 9:00.

Russell is always a delight to talk too--he is very perceptive of the 'ecumenical state of the question'--and has clear ideas and suggestions about courses of action.

I hope to see all the Doctor of Ministry students sometime while they are here.

Peace,
John