April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
OUR NEIGHBORS' FAITH
Ecumenical organization plans for the future
Nearly 50 years ago, the Second Vatican Council recognized that these different walks could lead to the center and began the process of reaching out to Christian bodies, seeking reconciliation to the greatest degree possible, through the ecumenical movement. In the Roman Catholics' discernment to recognize all Christian baptisms, we can now truly say: "one Lord, one faith, one birth."
The Capital Region Ecumenical Organization (CREO) has been a part of the regional ecumenical scene for more than 40 years. Its predecessor, Christians United in Mission (CUM), was founded in the early 1970s as a regional ecumenical outreach agency, composed of eight mainline Christian denominations serving a 20-county region of upstate New York. Its primary directive was to serve the more than 500,000 members of those denominations by demonstrating and promoting the ideal of Christian unity through ecumenism.
CUM was long recognized as a leading advocate for criminal justice in New York State and was instrumental in the establishment of Horizon House, a transitional home for ex-offenders, and in the founding of the Regional Food Bank and support ministries for persons with AIDS. CUM had a budget, supported from denominational mission funds, allowing for paid staff, mission projects, grants to community organizations and media outreach.
But financial support was diminishing by 1990. In that year, CUM, along with fellow ecumenical groups the Capital Area Council of Churches (CACC), Schenectady Inner City Ministries (SICM) and Troy Area United Ministries (TAUM), began exploring the possibility of cooperative efforts.
In 1997, the board of CUM decided to adopt the new name "Capital Region Ecumenical Organization" and expand CREO's membership to regional ecumenical organizations as well as the member judicatories.
A new configuration for CREO's board was established: an ecumenical "umbrella," with representatives from denominations and regional religious organizations, judicatory executives and ecumenical officers.
Since the early years, the ecumenical officers of the eight participant denominations, affectionately known as "the gang of eight," have met for fellowship and sharing. They prepare an annual worship service during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, arrange a bi-annual retreat for CREO's membership and support all of CREO's efforts with prayer and action.
The board meets quarterly to take care of the business of CREO; the judicatory executives meet for prayer and support in areas of mutual concern. They speak to the critical concerns of our day with a common voice as leaders of their respective communities of faith.
This year has been a year of discernment for CREO. Board members, ecumenical officers and judicatory executives are working together to discern the path we will take. We revised our mission statement to reflect who we are today: "The Capital Region Ecumenical Organization works to further communication, community and common mission among the various faith traditions in the Christian faith, for the purpose of promoting the gift of unity offered to us, for the love and sake of the whole world."
We developed a strategic plan based on that statement, are deciding on new mission projects and will be updating our constitution.
It is important to meet people where they are and address what they need to feed their spirit in the midst of 21st-century life and community challenges. That means not just providing food, clothing and shelter for the destitute and those affected by natural disasters - although that is certainly important - but providing a listening ear and a caring heart for the depressed, the lonely and the financially burdened.
We also need to provide time for prayer, worship and sharing the good news of the Christian message. The ecumenical movement can remain strong only as we continue to work together - for we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
As we move into the 21st century, we will continue to evaluate our purpose and strive to expand and energize our membership, so that we might live out our faith and do more together than can be accomplished alone.
(Ms. Phillips is interim coordinator of CREO.)[[In-content Ad]]
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