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Signed articles do not necessarily represent the opinions of "Ecumenism in Canada" or the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism.
Les articles signés ne représentent pas nécessairement les avis de "Oecuménisme au Canada" ou le Prairie Centre for Ecumenism.
The United Church of Canada is engaged in a study process towards the adoption of a new statement of faith. The proposed statement would not replace any existing document -- the Basis of Union, the 1940 Statement of Faith, or A New Creed (1968) -- but would supplement the existing statements.
The study process, entitled Faith Talk II: A draft statement of faith for discussion and response, seeks responses from congregations, groups, and individuals by October 2005. In 2000, the 37th General Council described the proposed draft statement as "honouring the diversity of our church and acknowledging our place in a pluralistic world and in an ongoing and developing tradition of faith." They further instructed the Committee on Theology and Faith to "give priority to engaging the church in conversation on the nature of the church (ecclesiology), ministry and sacrament." The committee intends to revise the current draft in light of responses from the wider church, and to submit the proposed new statement of faith to the 39th General Council in 2006.
An official application for membership in the Canadian Council of Churches from the Mennonite Church Canada has been enthusiastically received and unanimously approved by the other member churches of the CCC. This brings the membership of the Canadian Council of Churches up to twenty traditions, including Anglican, Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches. Mennonite Church Canada will enrich the Canadian Council of Churches' forum with its long history as a peace church, its depth of theology, its commitment to Scripture and its passion for social justice, as CCC member churches continue to witness together in such areas as health care, opposition to Ballistic Missile Defence, the theology of hope and suffering, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, theological anthropology, inter-faith dialogue, ecumenism, etc.
The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) and the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC) have begun a "bilateral conversation" at the invitation of the CRC. The PCC Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations committee reported to this summer's General Assembly that the CRC have issued an invitation to "bilateral conversation, or dialogue, about issues of common interest, ministry and concern." The conversations have begun over the past year and could lead to a more formal ecumenical partnership which the CRC calls an "ecclesiastical fellowship" between the two denominations. The General Assembly of the PCC received the report and approved a recommendation to continue this dialogue.
The PCC/CRC conversations are in addition to a broader multilateral dialogue involving the two churches, together with the United Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. The multilateral dialogue is characterized more as a "checking in" without a specific agenda to move towards a more formal relationship.
En vue de reconnaître et de promouvoir l'animation oecuménique tant au plan local qu'au plan régional, le Centre canadien d'oecuménisme décerne annuellement l'Ordre du Mérite oecuménique canadien. Le nom du récipiendaire sera dévoilé dans notre numéro de décembre 2005. Nous vous invitons donc à soumettre des candidatures accompagnées d'une courte description de leurs réalisations oecuméniques.
Prière d'envoyer les candidatures à :
Ordre du Mérite oecuménique
Centre canadien d'oecuménisme, 2065, rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal QC H3H 1G6.
Courriel :
Date limite : 23 septembre 2005.
To promote and recognize Grass-roots Ecumenical Leadership on the local or regional level, the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism confers an annual Ecumenical Leadership Award. The recipient will be announced in the December 2005 issue of Ecumenism. We invite our readers to submit the names of the candidates with a brief description of why they are being named for recognition.
Send nominations to:
2005 Ecumenical Leadership Award
Canadian Centre for Ecumenism, 2065 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal QC H3H 1G6
email: with "Ecumenical Leadership Award" in the subject line.
Deadline: September 23, 2005.
The full text of Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ has been published on our website with the permission of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
A print edition of Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ was published in Britain by Continuum (£7.99); ISBN 0-8192-8132-8. It is available in Canada for $19.95 from Novalis at 49 Front St. East, Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1B3. Phone 416-363-3303 or toll free 877-702-7773. Email: .
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Nature and Mission of the Church: A Stage on the Way to a Common Statement
