RECENT NEWS:.jpg) "Celebrating Life: Liturgy That Transforms" A New Progressive resource from CWAC is flying off the shelves! Heading into second printing! One Reader commented, "Thanks so much for Celebrating Life - it is an amazing resource - beautifully written, rich with wisdom and practicality. I am savoring it." Get Yours HERE!
5 clergy accepted for Dual Covenant with the Church Within A Church Movement. From Rev. Susan Morrison, CWAC Extraordinary Ordination Work Area Leader: The Church Within A Church Movement voted at its September gathering to award Dual Covenant to five ordained clergy. This status of Dual Covenant signifies that clergy desire to align themselves with Church Within A Church Movement's Mission Statement, Working Strategies and Theological Statement and support the Movement with their prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. In return, the Church Within A Church Movement recognizes the credentials held by the clergy in their own denomination while honoring their desire to be one with a progressive Methodist movement dedicated to BEing the fully inclusive church. Dual Covenant was awarded to The Rev. William C. Coleman, retired United Methodist pastor, Chatham, Massachusetts; The Rev. Susan M. Davenport, United Methodist pastor, Oakland--Sidney UMC, Oakland, Maine; The Rev. Wendell D. Luke, Jr., retired United Methodist pastor, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; The Rev. Susan J. Morrison, United Methodist pastor, Holy Trinity UMC, Danvers, Massachusetts; and The Rev, Vernice Thorn, African Methodist Episcopal pastor, Broadway UMC, Chicago, Illinois. Appllication for Dual Covenant may be obtained from Rev. Marilyn Robb, Church Within A Church Registrar, by emailing mrobb5 at maine.rr.com
The Church Within A Church Movement presents its Justice Ministry Award to
Rev. Gregory Dell as an apology is read from Bishop Jack Tuell New Release from the Church Within A Church Movement Bishop Tuell's letter Letter of Tribute from Donald E. Messer, President Emeritus, The Iliff School of Theology, Denver Executive Director, Center for the Church and Global AIDS LT.JPG)
A thank you doesn't begin to say it. Receiving the Gilbert H. Caldwell justice ministry award was a humbling, affirming, energizing event of extraordinary power. Everything from the Friday night reception through the Saturday morning worship service, to the Saturday night banquet created for Jade and me was one of the most powerful experiences of our lives. For that experience to take place in the midst of The Church Within A Church annual visioning, challenging, and celebration gathering only heightened the honor. The whole weekend felt like "church". To be in the midst of a community of the faithful who are committed to the vision of a truly inclusive, justice committed church was an inspiration beyond any of our expectations. The power of life and resurrection, overcoming the blasphemy of bigotry and injustice was in every moment. To be "inspired" is literally to be filled with the Spirit. That Spirit was present in every note of music, every tribute, every workshop, every discussion, and every person who was present or who had sent greetings and commitments of prayer and support. It was almost impossible not to be inspired! I said at the beginning of these paragraphs that "a thank you doesn't begin to say it." But that doesn't relieve me of the desire to thank every one of those who planned, facilitated, or served in the design or actuating of the weekend. The shortcoming of trying to list those persons by name is the possibility that someone's name would inadvertently be absent from the list. Nevertheless, I would be remiss if I didn't offer a word of special thanks to Cathy Knight our Executive Director for her inspired leadership, to Kevin Johnson and Vernice Thorn our national co-convener's for their patience, vision, faithfulness, and strength, and to Gil Caldwell, whose name identifies the award and who has served for me personally as mentor, colleague, friend, and even playmate! May Church Within A Church continue to thrive and give witness to a gospel of blessing and good news for all the world. Thank you for the honor, and for giving me the opportunity to put my very fallible self to service in such a grand adventure! More news from "Living in the Now: The Journey to Justice" coming soon!
A Statement of Community Values was approved by the Coordinating Team at the recent White Plains national meeting. Read it here.
CWAC was invited to speak and present a workshop on the Inclusive Church at Black Methodists for Church Renewal's 42nd Annual Meeting! This is the first time a mostly White (and working to change that) organization has been invited to present at BMCR. Last year we had a display table. This year a workshop!
~ Reflections from Cathy Knight Here!
~ Rev. Kevin A. Johnson, Co-Convener of national Coordinating Team offers sermon given on 3 29 09 which reflects on CWAC at BMCR. Here!
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An Ecumenical Ordination in a Methodist Tradition Minus the Closet!
"Living Tomorrow Today"
Rev. Annie Britton and Rev. Jenna Zirbel
were ordained to Christian ministry by the Church Within A Church Movement Sunday October 19, 2008 at Mount Vernon Place UMC in Baltimore, Maryland!
Church Within A Church Movement Press Release
Thanks to our Ecumenical Participants
~ Rev. Patricia Barth, Interim Associate Conference Minister for the Chesapeake Association, Central Atlantic Conference, United Church of Christ.
~ Rev. Erik Christensen was extraordinarily ordained and called to serve as pastor of St. Luke's Lutheran Church of Logan Square (Chicago, IL) in October, 2006.
~ Mary E. Hunt, Ph.D., is a feminist theologian who is co-founder and co-director of the Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER) in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. A Roman Catholic active in the women-church movement, she lectures and writes on theology and ethics with particular attention to liberation issues.
~ The Rev. Dr. Herbert D. Valentine: Moderator of the 203rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Executive Presbyter of Baltimore Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (USA) 1957-2000, Urban Pastor.
Rev. Jenna Zirbel and husband Rev. Andy Little serving communion to Bishop Jesse DeWitt with Bishop Susan Morrison and Rev. Dr. Traci West looking on
Rev. Annie Britton
 Rev. Dr. Traci West preaching
Sermon title: "Today this scripture is fulfilled" based on Luke 4:18-19, 21
Worship Media Images Here!
"Calling Us to Worship" audio and images Here!
More Photos Here! In the News:
10/10/08 United Methodist Reporter article,
"Activists prepare for Extraordinary Ordination" Here
10/20/08 Baltimore Sun article,
"Two Methodist Women get 'extraordinary ordination'" Here10/31/08 United Methodist News Service article,
“Rejected pastors receive 'extraordinary ordination'” Here
11/10/08 United Methodist News Service article,
“Extraordinary ordination” has no United Methodist status,
bishops say. Here
11/13/08 Response to United Methodist Council of Bishops Statement
from executive director Cathy Knight Here
The "Living Tomorrow Today" keepsake program book is a cherished momento of this historic day. The book includes welcome letters from retired UMC Bishops Leontine Kelly and Judith Craig and Bishop Yvette Flunders, ordination and communion liturgies and ads of celebration and community.
To order your own hard copy of the 38 page program book email JustChurch@cwac.us
Cost is $8/copy which includes shipping and handling.
Copyright of all liturgies by Church Within A Church Movement. We encourage usage with proper accreditation to CWAC. Please let us know where and how they are used. __________________________________________________________________
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