Great Communion -- 2009
In 1809 Thomas Campbell, a minister of the Anti-Burgher Seceder Sect Presbyterians, having been disciplined for inviting Presbyterians not of his sect to the Lord's Table, issued a document called the Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington Pennsylvania. That document is considered to be one of the founding documents, if not the founding document of the Stone-Campbell Movement, a movement of reform born on the American Frontier.
That movement, which was born with a commitment to Christian unity, has unfortunately experienced its own divisions. As a result there are at least three major divisions -- Churches of Christ (Acapella), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ (Independent), and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the last of which I'm a member. Despite our differences, an effort is being made to draw us together, to celebrate our heritage and hopefully bridge the gaps that have emerged over the last century.
It is called the Great Communion. Across the country, indeed, across the world, churches from across the movement are planning to gather together for communion on October 4, 2009. I have already been in conversation with the staff at Rochester Church of Christ, and on Sunday afternoon on October 4, there will be a service of communion at their church site that will involve Central Woodward Christian Church and RCC. We're hoping to gather others from across Southeast Michigan to gather with us at that table. I invite you to watch this video featuring Church of Christ historian Doug Foster explain what we'll be trying to accomplish!
That movement, which was born with a commitment to Christian unity, has unfortunately experienced its own divisions. As a result there are at least three major divisions -- Churches of Christ (Acapella), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ (Independent), and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the last of which I'm a member. Despite our differences, an effort is being made to draw us together, to celebrate our heritage and hopefully bridge the gaps that have emerged over the last century.
It is called the Great Communion. Across the country, indeed, across the world, churches from across the movement are planning to gather together for communion on October 4, 2009. I have already been in conversation with the staff at Rochester Church of Christ, and on Sunday afternoon on October 4, there will be a service of communion at their church site that will involve Central Woodward Christian Church and RCC. We're hoping to gather others from across Southeast Michigan to gather with us at that table. I invite you to watch this video featuring Church of Christ historian Doug Foster explain what we'll be trying to accomplish!
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