Churches Together in Britain and Ireland

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland

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FROM CHURCHES TOGETHER IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND
PRESS RELEASE
26 AUGUST 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE USE

ENTHUSIASM FOR WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

The general secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, the Revd Bob Fyffe, has called upon Christians to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 2010 with "renewed passion", and said that talk of the search for Christian unity being "becalmed" provides an opportunity for "renewal and rekindled hope".

Churches around the world mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity from 18 to 25 January in the octave between the feasts of St. Peter and St. Paul. Each year, a different country provides worship material, which can be adapted for local use. The 2010 resources are slightly different from previous years in order to appeal to a broad range of Christians, as well as provide more reflective and meditative material.

The global organisers of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity asked Scotland to host the week in 2010 to mark the centenary of the first world mission conference that met in Edinburgh. This gathering is traditionally seen as the beginning of the modern ecumenical movement, which seeks the visible unity of the world's divided churches. Scottish churches are also involved in celebrations for the anniversary of the 1910 conference on the theme, "Witnessing to Christ today". Scotland therefore suggested as the theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2010, "You are witnesses to these things", which is what Jesus told his friends and followers.

Materials made available by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland centre on chapter 24 of St Luke's gospel, where the quotation is found (v.48). The passage begins with the women who were the first witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus, and continues with two travellers who meet a mysterious stranger. Finally, there is the account of Jesus appearing to a wider group, who thus, as Jesus tells them, are also witnesses to the Resurrection.

In an introduction to the CTBI materials, Bob Fyffe, who is from Scotland, and a priest in the Scottish Episcopal (Anglican) Church, says that even though some commentators have described the current state of the search for Christian unity as "becalmed", this situation offers an opportunity for spiritual renewal. He writes:

"The resurrection stories in the Gospel have immense power that touch upon so many different aspects of human experience - dashed hopes, disappointments, grief and loss. But they also speak of a difficulty to accept change and recognise new realities ... The unity in Christ that we seek and pray for implies that we are called to embrace something new, something that will change us and the church from something disunited to a Church that is one in Christ.

"At the present time, some commentators have observed that the ecumenical movement is 'becalmed'. Recently, CTBI has been pondering that metaphor and have related it to another - the desert. In Christian spirituality the desert is not only a lonely, sometimes hostile place but also a place of spiritual renewal and growth, a place where faith is strengthened and deepened. So, if there is a sense that we are 'becalmed' in our ecumenical journey we might see this not as cause for mourning but an opportunity for renewal and rekindled hope."

The 2010 CTBI Week of Prayer for Christian Unity materials contain two services - one liturgical; the other informal - for public worship. The daily study material is more meditative than in previous years, and will be suitable for group and individual use. Each day, there is a poetic reflection followed by a prayer. All the resources are available on the CTBI website - http://www.ctbi.org.uk/weekofprayer - as free downloads.

Hard copies of the CTBI materials are available from Norwich Books and Music, St Mary's Works, St Mary's Plain, Norwich, NR3 3BH; Tel 01603 612914; or email.

For more information: The Revd Peter Colwell, CTBI Director of Programmes; Mobile: 07939 139 881; or email.

The Revd Bob Fyffe is available for interview.
Contact: John Newbury, CTBI consultant; Tel: 01686 440 203; Mobile: 0798 246 4770 or email.

Notes for editors
1. Churches Together in Britain and Ireland helps the Churches to think, work and pray together, and serves them on their shared journey towards full visible unity. It is the official ecumenical body that brings together Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant and Pentecostal traditions, and is the direct successor to the British Council of Churches. Churches Together in Britain and Ireland works closely with the "Churches Together" bodies that focus separately on England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. See www.ctbi.org.uk.

2. This press release is distributed on behalf of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland by The Newburys, Communications Consultants, Hirbrysg, Llangurig, Powys, SY18 6SL; newburys@pc-q.net; Tel: 01686 440 203; Mobile: 0798 246 4770.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2010
© Churches Together in Britain and Ireland - see website for details - www.ctbi.org.uk