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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodists together |
March 2007 |
Ecumenist invites unity prayer service to put away labels, reach out to all Christians
By Louisa J. Reese
"… consistently be open to all opportunities for service in the cause of Christian unity." - Donald Lacy |
MUNCIE, Ind. - Dr. Donald Lacy, a retired United Methodist pastor of the North Indiana Conference and nationally know ecumenist, preached during a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity worship service on Jan. 21 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Muncie.
Other denominations participating included: Baptist, Catholic, Episcopal and United Methodist.
"I have a dream that those who call Jesus Christ, Savior Lord, will put away all labels, will study together with regularity, will worship together with sincerity, will share together even to the point of hilarity, will work together with charity, will witness together for the sake of posterity, and will die if-need-be with solidarity," Lacy said. He has had that dream most of his life.
Responding to this call, Lacy suggested Christians make three promises to God, in light of their need for healing. The first is to pray persistently that the Lord's will be done. Additionally they need to develop "an inner discipline, an ecumenical discipleship where they reach out and they touch other people and they pray for them and pray for them and pray for them."
The second promise is to "consistently be open to all opportunities for service in the cause of Christian unity where you can relate to and touch other people. Let the Holy Spirit lead you, so you can spontaneously listen and share."
The third promise is to "resistantly handle the attempts of Satan, obvious or subtle, to destroy the ministry of Christian Unity."
To fulfill the dream of unity, "we must be healed," Lacy said. "Christendom must be healed. We must learn to wrap our arms around one another and stop the stereotypical kinds of labels we put on people."
In his closing, Lacy said, "I have a dream that with the Father, all the boys and girls along with the Son Jesus will walk hand in hand. Why? So that the world will believe."
This story in part first appeared in The Catholic Moment, a Muncie, Ind. publication.
Last updated on 25 Apr 2008