Bishops from four churches announced the opening of the annual National Workshop of Christian Unity from the steps of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (Roman Catholic) April 21 in Sacramento, Calif. They welcomed more than 400 participants from 20 churches and 18 bishops from across the country to the four-day workshop.

The Rt. Rev. Jerry Lamb, Bishop of Northern California, was among the speakers, making a presentation on the proposed Concordat of Agreement between the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Bishop Melvin Talbert, leader of Methodists and president of the national Council of Churches of Christ, covered highlights of the workshop; Roman Catholic Bishop William Weigand described the proposal from Lutherans and Roman Catholics to lift 16th-century mutual condemnations, and Lutheran Bishop Robert Mathheis reviewed the proposal from the Lutheran and Reformed churches for full communion.

Episcopalians speaking at the workshop included the Rev. Diana Akiyama of Los Angeles, who led a seminar titled "Unclean Women and Gentile Dogs: Breaking Bread With Strangers," and the Rev. Bert Breiner, co-director for interfaith relations of the National Council of Churches

More than 100 Episcopal Diocesan Ecumenical Officers (EDEO), at their annual meeting held concomitantly with the workshop, heard addresses on the Concordat of Agreement from the Rt. Rev. Rustin Kimsey, Bishop of Eastern Oregon, the Rt. Rev. Edward W. Jones, Bishop of Indianapolis, and Lutheran Bishops Ralph Kempski and Richard Jeske. The Rt. Rev. Frank Griswold, Bishop of Chicago, co-chair of Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue in the U.S., spoke to a luncheon gathering about the recent papal encyclical.