I am still trying to catch my breath after a rollercoaster month!
We held our Steering Committee Meeting in Rome, celebrated the Golden Jubilee of dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church and had an audience with Pope Francis. A few days later I was privileged to celebrate 40 years of ministry with family and friends followed by my mother-in- law’s 95th Birthday. The month ended with a service and symposium in Westminster Abbey, London to commemorate the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation.
There is a connection between the Reformation and the printing press, and it can be argued that in Luther’s search for truth and authentic Christianity, he lit a candle to illuminate God’s word. This month saw a plethora of articles on Luther and the Reformation. I encourage you to read the article by Rev. Dr. David Chapman. Please download reports of the Methodist-Catholic Dialogues to gain deeper insight into the areas where there is theological agreement.
The World Methodist Council is committed to ecumenism. The challenge is to translate our dialogues into action at the local level. Our understanding of ecumenism goes beyond working with other Christian denominations to interaction with faith communities and all people of goodwill to transform our world, our only planetary home; we have no other.
In this issue, you will find articles on the intersection of spirituality and science as it relates to climate change, the power of prayer in sustaining churches in Honduras and Guatemala, celebrations of new ministries, and a call to action to help end a humanitarian crisis.
With Christmas decorations in the shops and songs heralding the festive season, we anticipate the Advent season. The December edition will carry resource material.
Blessings and thank you for your continued support.
Ivan
