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CCT in Facebook
In the CCT Facebook Page you can receive regular updates on news and events related to church unity, reconciliation, racial justice, poverty and more. Just click on the icon above.
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Brother Jeffrey Gros, a champion of church unity joins the Church Triumphal.
Brother Jeffrey Gros, 75, died in Chicago, IL on August 12, 2013. A De La Salle Christian Brother for 58 years, he was born John Jefferson in Memphis, TN, the son of Jeff and Faye (Dickinson) Gros. He graduated from Price College in Amarillo, TX, entered the novitiate of the Brothers in Glencoe, MO, in 1955, and professed his final vows in 1963. He received a BA and a MEd from St. Mary's University of Minnesota. Brother Jeffrey earned an MA in Theology from Marquette University and a PhD in Theology from Fordham University. During his years as an educator, he taught in Evanston and Romeoville, IL, Glencoe and St. Louis, MO, and Memphis, TN.
 He was well known in the ecumenical movement for broadening its scope, published widely in theological journals and periodicals, edited numerous books on ecumenism, and spoke to various religious and educational groups throughout the world. Brother Jeffrey served ten years as Director of Faith and Order for the National Council of Churches and also for fourteen years as Associate Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
More recently, he was the Distinguished Professor of Ecumenical and Historical Theology at Memphis Theological Seminary. In the fall of 2011 Brother Jeffrey returned to Lewis University in Romeoville, IL, as the Catholic Studies Scholar in Residence. He was president of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, consultant to the Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the Archdiocese of Chicago, adjunct professor at Catholic Theological Union, and Dean of the Institute for Catholic Ecumenical Leadership.
Survivors include his sister, Sister Joye Gros, OP, of St. Louis, and the De La Salle Christian Brothers. Visitation will be on Saturday, August 17, 2013 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at Sancta Alberta Chapel on the campus of Lewis University in Romeoville, IL, followed immediately by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am. Interment will be at Resurrection Cemetery in Romeoville on Monday, August 19, at 9:30 am. Memorials may be made to the De La Salle Christian Brothers Retirement Fund, 7650 S. County Line Rd., Burr Ridge, IL 60527.
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 Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Guide to Creating an "Offering of Letters" Service for Gun Violence Prevention
It can be difficult to introduce an issue of social concern in any one congregation, but in any given presbytery or community, there are people who support sensible gun reform. What if these people got together for worship, education, and an offering of their time and voices? We propose that interested clergy and laity hold a service writing and offering letters to their congressional representatives within the service itself. The worship could be preceded by a brief educational presentation and followed by an opportunity to commit to further study and action. PPF hopes you will consider using this model, taking a cue from Bread for the World's annual "Offering of Letters" services, as a way of engaging your community of faith around this important and timely issue. Here we present a PDF of our guide with options for moving forward, a worship outline, a sample letter, and educational resources. Click HERE for file download. |
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Wes Granberg-Michaelson, friend of CCT writes a New Book
 From Times Square to Timbuktu: The Post-Christian West Meets the Non-Western Church
Granberg-Michaelson says the 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act, which reformed immigration law in America, has had far-reaching spiritual impact on the world. He examines it as one of several examples of geopolitical events that he argues have unleashed a wave of non-Western migration in which every Christian migrant is a potential missionary. He says modern Western cultures are witnessing a major "non-Western missionary movement in the world . . . as the West becomes post-Christian, non-Western Christianity is coming to the West." He reviews statistics on world migration and puts these movements in the context of Christian witness, with implications for worldwide Christianity, unity, and practice.
Calling for ethnic unity, he gives examples of successful multi-ethnic churches. Also prescribes action steps for churches to live out the mercy and justice of God that will leads to more multi-ethnic churches. His ecumenism will ultimately include not only diverse denominations but all ethnicities. With 40,000 Christian sects and thousands of them claiming to be the "true and pure church," such religious chauvinism "makes an utter and ludicrous mockery" of Christian witness. Granberg-Michaelson, former general secretary of the Reformed Church in America and a former official with the World Council of Churches, leaves no doubt that he believes the world is changing radically, backing it with research, church council opinions, personal experiences, and case studies. Churches will either wake up to this reality or be out of touch as the new Non-Western church meets the Post-Christian West. (Aug.)
You can buy the book at your favorite bookstore.
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CCT Response to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail"
Keynote Addresses Now Available on Youtube
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Call to Unity E-Journal
Resourcing the Church for Ecumenical Ministry
Call to Unity has been a journal published by the Council on Christian Unity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) since 2003. It has offered articles and documents related to the ecumenical life and witness of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), along with major articles from the wider ecumenical movement.
With the publication of its last printed issue in 2011, the CCU is now moving to an "e-journal" format that will offer significant ecumenical articles, statements and documents online - with email "alerts" being sent to those on the CCU's distribution list when new articles are posted. (You are invited to sign up to receive the email alerts.)
Past issues of the journal (2003-2011) are now posted below and may be accessed online.
For full list of articles: Click Here
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For more information on Christian Churches Together in the USA
contact our Executive Director, Rev. Carlos L. Malavé at
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