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• Saskatoon churches enter into Covenant during Unity Week
• That they may become one in God's hand



Printer-friendly versionSaskatoon churches enter into Covenant during Unity Week

The leaders of seven Saskatoon churches entered into covenant with each other on Sunday, January 25. The Covenant commits the churches to work and pray together for Christian unity, and expresses a continuing commitment to support for the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism.

The Covenant also marks the addition of a new church to the sponsorship of the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism. After many of years of partnership with other churches in the ecumenical community, the Mennonite Church Saskatchewan has joined together with the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon, the Saskatchewan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Presbytery of Northern Saskatchewan in the Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon, and the Riverbend Presbytery of the United Church of Canada.

The Prairie Centre for Ecumenism was established in 1984 by the Roman Catholic diocese, and was re-established under interchurch sponsorship in 1988. In this 25th anniversary year, the PCE is also marking the 50th year of the ecumenical ministry of Fr. Bernard de Margerie, our founder.

Sermon given at the Covenanting service by the Rev. Amanda Currie [33:45]
Signing of the Covenant [8:02]
Fr. Bernard de Margerie - A Life in Ecumenism [20:35]

Prairie Centre for Ecumenism Covenant

Glory be to Jesus Christ!
In the name of God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer

As representatives of the sponsoring denominations of the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, we join in celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary. We give thanks for its accomplishments in the past, and recognize the Centre's ongoing work as an expression of our churches’ desire for growth in unity, love and service with all of Christ's followers.

Giving thanks to God for the substantial growth in love and understanding among our church communities in recent decades, we acknowledge that the goal of Christian unity and reconciliation still lies before us. We recognize the ecumenical task as an important part of our Christian vocation. Therefore:

• We commit ourselves to continue to walk together in love, grace and truth in the future.
• We agree to encourage local action for Christian unity and reconciliation among the Christian communities who look to us for leadership.
• We will strive to raise up new advocates for Christian unity and reconciliation among the emerging generations of God’s people.
• We resolve to support the work of the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism as a vital expression of our call to Christian unity and reconciliation. We will advance its work by our prayers, our personal involvement in its programs, by encouraging our diocese, presbytery or area church to provide members for its Board, and financial support to the best of its ability.

Our prayer is that this covenant will help to advance the full communion of the Church as willed by Jesus Christ. We pray for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit so that we may be faithful to this covenant to the glory of God and the advancement of God's Kingdom.

Dated this 25th day of January, in the year of our Lord 2009, at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Rt. Rev. Rodney Andrews, Bishop
Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon

Most Rev. Bryan Bayda, C.Ss.R., Bishop
Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon

Rev. Cynthia G. Halmarson, Bishop
Saskatchewan Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Renata Klassen, Moderator
Mennonite Church Saskatchewan

Most Rev. Albert LeGatt, Bishop
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon

Rev. Deborah Walker, Chair
Riverbend Presbytery, United Church of Canada

Spencer Hanson, Moderator
Presbytery of Northern Saskatchewan, Presbyterian Church in Canada

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Posted: January 26, 2009 Transmis : 26 janvier 2009



Printer-friendly versionThat they may become one in God's hand

[WCC] Inspired by the witness of churches from a divided country, Christians throughout the world will be praying "that they may become one in God's hand" during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2009.

The materials for the week of prayer 2009 are rooted in the experience of the churches in Korea. In their context of national division they have turned for inspiration to the prophet Ezekiel, who also lived in a tragically divided nation and longed for the unity of his people.

Traditionally celebrated between 18 and 25 January (in the northern hemisphere) or at Pentecost (in the southern hemisphere), the week of prayer mobilizes countless congregations and parishes around the world. During that week, Christians from different confessional families get together and - at least on that occasion - pray together in special ecumenical celebrations.

The production of the liturgical and biblical material for the week of prayer is jointly coordinated since 1968 by the World Council of Churches (Faith and Order Commission) and the Roman Catholic Church (Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity).

For this year's week of prayer, a group of representatives from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea and the National Council of Churches in Korea chose as the basis the vision of Ezekiel (Ezek. 37:15-28) that depicts two pieces of wood, symbolizing the two kingdoms into which Israel had been divided. They found it offered some compelling parallels to their own situation within a divided country and to a divided Christendom.

Resources for the week include an introduction to the theme; a suggested ecumenical celebration which local churches are encouraged to adapt for their own particular liturgical, social and cultural contexts; biblical reflections and prayers for the "eight days"; and additional prayers from, and an overview of, the ecumenical situation in Korea.

• More information on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
• The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on Facebook
• Events are listed on this website for Abbotsford, Edmonton, CFB Petawawa, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg

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Posted: January 8, 2009 Transmis : 8 janvier 2009