The Ecumenical Mission of Churches Together in Norfolk and Waveney
The commitment to ecumenism comes directly from Scripture. Striving for Church Unity is a duty to offer the world a united witness and a shared service. County Ecumenical Officer for NWCT Dr Ian Watson explains.
For NWCT, church unity means walking together in the spirit of solidarity of faith and exchange of gifts to fulfil the wish of our Lord Jesus who prayed “May they be one … so that the world will believe that you have sent me” (Jn 17:21).
Christ contains in himself God’s love for the world. That is why ecumenism itself is an actualisation of God’s love for the world. NWCT believes that what unites us is greater than what divides us, for in common we have “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, among all and in all” (Eph 4:5-6).
Our Ecumenical Mission
Together in Christ, Bound by Love, Serving as One
Inspired by the prayer of Christ for Unity, we, as Churches Together in Norfolk and Waveney, strive to embody the spirit of ecumenism.
Together in Christ
With open hearts and minds, we share a commitment to foster a harmonious and loving Christian Community that transcends denominational boundaries.
Bound by Love
By respecting and valuing each other’s traditions and beliefs, we seek to foster a spirit of collaboration in spreading the message of God’s love to all.
Serving as One
In this spirit of togetherness, we are living out the Gospel’s call to serve, uplift and support all who live, work and visit Norfolk and Waveney. As fellow pilgrims we support one another as we journey together in faith and prayer.
Our Priorities
In Norfolk and Waveney good progress has been made towards greater Church Unity.
To continue this progress ecumenism has to be practised first and foremost in daily life. This requires the continuation of patient building of mutual understanding in an atmosphere of growing trust and openness.
There are five main priorities to achieve our ecumenical mission:
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Sharing friendship and understanding.
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Sharing prayer, deepening our communion with Christ and proclaiming the Gospel.
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Helping the lost and vulnerable, and serving those who suffer poverty and disadvantage.
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Speaking with one voice in common witness whenever we are able to do so.
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As an intermediate body of Churches Together in England, play a full part in supporting its aims and objectives.
NWCT rejoices in the partnership of trust and cooperation that has grown between us since it was first established in 1991. We believe we are called by God to continue sharing our life more deeply, and to offer to the world a united witness and a shared service.
For a copy of NWCT’s ecumenical mission statement click here
Picture above shows Pope Francis and other Christian leaders giving their blessing at the end of an ecumenical prayer vigil in St. Peter's Square Sept. 30, 2023, ahead of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops. From the left are the Rev Ann Burghardt, general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, and Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury. To the right of the pope are Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)