Co-Moderators of the General Assembly Tony Larson (left) and Cece Armstrong (right) bring greetings at the Ecumenical Dinner on July 1, 2024. Photo by Kristen Gaydos.
Tuesday night’s Ecumenical Dinner, formerly known as the Stated Clerk’s Dinner, was a recognition of the faithfulness of working together with partners across the globe.
Acting Stated Clerk the Rev. Bronwen Boswell gave the opening prayer and greetings, emphasizing the continued commitment of working together. “I think there's an opportunity for us to broaden and bring communities together,” Boswell said. “As society changes, there are ways in which religious communities all over the world are responding to social movements.”
Representatives gathered as Dr. Dianna Wright, director of Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations in the Office of the General Assembly, moderated the evening’s event. This longstanding commitment is provided as a way to recognize the work of the PC(USA)’s relationships with many Christian and interfaith coworkers on behalf of the General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations.
The PC(USA)’s newly elected Co-Moderators, the Rev. CeCe Armstrong and the Rev. Tony Larson, greeted the guests, proclaiming their continued thanks and support for their work and commitment to the calling. When asked why ecumenism is important to the body of Christ, many said it’s related to the prayer Jesus offers in John 17 where Jesus calls for unity.
Dr. Monica Schaap Pierce, executive director of Christian Churches Together and a member of the Reformed Church in America, is deeply dedicated to fostering ecumenical dialogue on a global and national scale as well as within local communities. She said, “I think, because reconciliation is at the heart of God, that we all work in unity. And it was also very central to Jesus before he went to the cross, in John 17, so that our witness can be effective.”
As many partners went around to introduce themselves and offer gratitude, Sipho Joseph Mtetwa, an Ecumenical Advisory Delegate, representing the United Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa, said, “Someone went on a journey with someone else and was asked, was it the journey or the destination? The person responded it was neither— it was the company.” This statement received an emphatic affirmation amongst the dinner guests, a simple reminder that the work of reconciliation in Christ Jesus is better together.
Dr. Dianna Wright, director of Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations, speaks during the Ecumenical dinner on July 1, 2024. Photo by Kristen Gaydos.
This feeling of unity and shared commitments was evident when Francisco Leitie of the United Church of Brazil shared with the help of the Rev. Dr. Marian McClure Taylor’s interpretation that being ecumenical in his country is synonymous with being communist. This was just a reminder that while partnering with different denominations and faiths, there can be danger.
Teaching Elder Scott Purdy, a member of GACEIR, said, “As we see Christianity perhaps waning in our country, being reunited with other denominations makes us more powerful. I'm a firm believer that even small churches can have a lot of vitality by doing more things together.”
The Presbyterian Church of Korea moderator, the Rev. Dr. Eui Sig Kim, presented the PC(USA) a plaque of appreciation honoring dedicated missionaries including Horace Newton Allen, the Rev. Horace Grant Underwood, and Elizabeth Shepping, who proclaimed the Gospel, forged friendships in Christ with the Korean people, and established churches, schools and hospitals.
As the evening came to a close, the Rev. Phillip Woods, Associate Director of Global Strategy and Program in Presbyterian World Mission, presented gifts of appreciation from partners in Palestine. The partners were commissioned to provide handmade crosses to remind recipients of God’s sacrificial and unconditional love through Jesus Christ.