World Council of Churches Meets
The World Council of Churches Central Committee met last month in Johannesburg, South Africa, focused on the need for a public voice from the churches. Motivated by the Gospel, they sought to address global struggles and pray for the vulnerable. South Africans shared stories of struggle, pain, and hope, emphasizing the importance of collective action and faith in overcoming challenges. “We carry the wounds of those on the margins,” they said, reminding us of the apartheid years. “Yet we also carry the joy of new life. You walked with us in that struggle. Take hope,” they said, “in today’s struggles, as we walk together, with God, who regenerates us from the depths, holding to the promise of a new heaven and earth.”
United Methodist Church-Episcopal Church Dialogue Prepares for Convention Vote
The United Methodist Church-Episcopal Church dialogue met in person in May to begin strategizing the path toward the full-communion vote at the 83rd General Convention of The Episcopal Church. The United Methodist Church approved the full-communion agreement at its most recent General Conference in 2024. The dialogue is chaired by the Rt. Rev. Betsey Monnot, Episcopal bishop of Iowa, and Bishop Sandra K. Olewine of the United Methodist Church. Bishop Gregory Palmer, who is retiring, previously served as the co-chair representing the United Methodist Church. In his retirement, Bishop Palmer will continue to serve on the committee.
The Episcopal Church and the Vatican: ‘Unity Which Does Not Cancel Out Differences.’
Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe attended Pope Leo XIV’s Inauguration Mass in St. Peter’s Square, emphasizing the importance of unity in a divided world. Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, highlighted the need for unity and communion within the church and the world. The Anglican delegation’s presence at the inauguration symbolized their commitment to friendship and partnership with the Catholic Church.
Episcopal and Bavarian Lutheran Churches Sign Full-Communion Agreement
On June 7, following a Pentecost-Eve Eucharist at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Munich, Germany, The Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria signed the Augsburg Agreement, formalizing a decade-long ecumenical dialogue. The agreement establishes full communion, allowing for sacramentalinterchangeability and clergy interchangeability. This partnership, rooted in shared values and a commitment to unity, is seen as a hopeful sign in a fragmented world.
Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta and ELCA’s Southeastern Synod Hold Joint Renewal of Vows
In April, the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta and the Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) held a joint renewal of vows and chrism service at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, attended by about 200 clergy. “Although the ELCA is in full communion with us, this is a tiny but meaningful example of how ecumenical relationships can move from the global level to local expression,” said the Rev. Canon Salmoon Bashir, who works on ecumenical partnerships at the cathedral.
North American Academy of Ecumenists 2025 Annual Conference
The North American Academy of Ecumenists announces a conference to be held at the Hellenic College of the Holy Cross outside of Boston, from November 20-21, 2025. In 2025, the Christian Churches remember the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, along with the 100th anniversary of the World Conference on Life and Work. The last fifty years have seen major ecumenical gains, along with the development of new patterns of Christian division, that as often as not follow political, rather than purely ecclesial boundaries. The churches have long debated what was necessary for unity, while often citing the maxim of “In necessities, unity; in what is doubtful, liberty; in all things, charity.”
Compiled by:
the Rev. Mike Wernick
Ecumenical and Interreligious Officer
the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes