Mennonite Church USA and Church of God Begin Ecumenical Dialogue
Members of the Mennonite Church USA and the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) recently began a multi-year ecumenical dialogue. The first meeting took place Oct. 16-18 at Lee University. Through the presentation and discussion of papers during the annual meetings, the team members will pursue mutual understanding of each other’s history and theology, seek greater common witness to the gospel, and consider concrete ways that they can share their sense of togetherness in the one body of Christ with other members of their churches.
The theme of this year’s meeting was “The Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit.” Dr. Jamie Pitts presented “The Spirit in Mennonite History.” The Rev. Dr. Gayle Gerber Koontz presented “Some Reflections on Contemporary US Mennonite Theologies of the Holy Spirit.” The Rev. Dr. David G. Roebuck presented “Go Out from This Place: The Holy Spirit in the Early History of the Church of God.” The Rev. Dr. Daniel Tomberlin presented “Pastoral Reflections on Mennonite and Pentecostal Sacramental Spirituality.”
The meeting began on Sunday, Oct. 16, with members of both teams worshipping at North Cleveland Church of God, one of the oldest churches in the denomination, where they were hosted by Pastors Mark L. Williams and Sandra Kay Williams. The afternoon included a tour of local sites of historical significance to the Church of God.
Monday and Tuesday’s meetings began with devotional reflections and prayer led by each team. After formal responses to each paper, all of the participants discussed the papers and raised questions for each other in plenary sessions. Presiding Bishop Timothy M. Hill (CoG) greeted the participants Monday morning.
Special thanks goes to Lee University for making its campus available for the meeting space, Pentecostal Theological Seminary for assisting with accommodations for out-of-town guests, the Church of God International Executive Committee for providing meals and other resources, the MCUSA office of Interchurch Relations for funding, and Lee student Meredith Sheeks for on-site organization and planning.
Members of the MCUSA team were Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Soto Albrecht, of Lancaster Theological Seminary; Dr. Nancy E. Bedford, of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary; and from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Rev. Dr. Gayle Gerber Koontz, Rev. Dr. Alan Kreider, Dr. Jamie Pitts, and Rev. Dr. Gerald Shenk, co-chair.
Members of the Church of God team were Rev. Dr. Daniel Tomberlin, pastor of Vidalia Church of God; from Pentecostal Theological Seminary, Rev. Dr. David Sang-Ehil Han, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Bridges Johns, and Rev. Dr. Jackie D. Johns; and from Lee University, Rev. Dr. David G. Roebuck and Rev. Dr. Christopher A. Stephenson, co-chair.
Future meetings are likely to alternate locations between Cleveland, Tennessee, and Elkhart, Indiana.
(Source: Lee University)
