Episcopal Press and News
Episcopal Diocesan Ecumenical Officers Meet
Diocesan Press Service. March 7, 1975 [75093]
SAN DIEGO -- It was more than a decade ago that the Consultation on Church Union (COCU) was established, and in the intervening years it apparently has fallen on hard times.
"The lack of interest reflected in the Episcopal Church is not unique," said the Rev. Gerald Moede, addressing the Second Annual Meeting of the Episcopal Diocesan Ecumenical Officers (EDEO), convened in San Diego prior to the National Workshop on Christian Unity.
Dr. Moede, COCU executive director, believes it is still very much alive, although it needs support.
"Keep your hands out to us also," he said, referring to COCU and reflecting upon renewed interest shown by many Episcopalians in the Anglican-Roman Catholic discussions which currently appear to be more popular.
Dr. Moede noted that since 1925, more than 30 years before the establishment of COCU, 161 Christian denominations in 29 countries had consummated 63 mergers.
Another 34 currently are engaged in discussions, he added.
According to Dr. Moede, COCU still is in its adolescence -- it is only 12 years old -- and still is seeking unity based upon theology and visible, but minimal, church structure.
The COCU report was one of several delivered at the two day meeting. Ecumenical officers from dioceses throughout the country, under the chairmanship of the Rev. John Bonner, also heard reports concerning other ecumenical organizations before attending the national workshop, also held in San Diego.
The Rt. Rev. John H. Burt, Bishop of Ohio and chairman of the Church's Joint Commission on Ecumenical Relations, commended delegates on their individual efforts in ecumenism. Bishop Burt said it was a moment of real ecumenical advance in the Episcopal Church when EDEO was formed.
Peter Day, national Ecumenical Officer of the Episcopal Church, also addressed the EDEO meeting and stressed the need for involvement of individual clergy and laity in relating to other Christians.
" It is within the parish that questions such as 'who am I' are answered," he said. "These are not questions answered in the Executive Council."
Delegates later heard the Rev. Massey Shepherd survey the history of Prayer Book revision in the Episcopal Church and similar revisions taking place in other churches. Dr. Shepherd, an internationally - known authority on liturgics, is professor of Church history at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific.
The annual meeting concluded with the Holy Eucharist celebrated by the Rt. Rev. Robert M. Wolterstorff, bishop of the year-old Diocese of San Diego.
