[Episcopal News Service] Members of the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are being urged to remember in their prayers the first 10 years of the denominations’ full-communion agreement. Suggested Prayers of the People for use by congregations in both denominations are available here.
The Episcopal Church and the ELCA formally entered into a relationship of full communion through the Called to Common Mission agreement on Jan. 6, 2001 during a Eucharist at Washington National Cathedral. A 2011 commemoration is being planned for later this year.
"Prayers have been prepared to honor the past decade of our mission together, and for our ministry together in the future," the Rev. Tom Ferguson, Episcopal Church ecumenical and interreligious relations officer, said in a press releasefrom the church’s Office of Public Affairs.
The Rev. Donald J. McCoid, executive director of ELCA’s ecumenical and interreligious relations, told ENS that the anniversary is a time when both denominations "are able to celebrate the shared mission and shared ministries that have enriched our church bodies."
"From shared local ministries and shared ordained clergy to campus ministries, disaster relief, ministry education, global mission training, advocacy work, and many daily ministries in and with our full communion partners, we give thanks to God for the many ways that CCM has blessed our churches," he said.