Huntington Service celebrates
communion and community in Christ

By NICOLE SEIFERTH

Over 120 years ago, the Rev. William Huntington drafted what would eventually become the Chicago-Lambeth Quadriliateral, a foundational document of unity in the Episcopal Church which is still in place today. Five years ago, the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) celebrated “A Call to Common Mission,” which affirmed the full communion between the two denominations. This year, on January 17, church unity was again celebrated and reaffirmed at the annual Huntington sermon and dinner, held at Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in Manhattan.

A truly joint endeavor of the Episcopal and Lutheran communities in New York, the Huntington celebration brought together the presiding bishops of both denominations, as well as area bishops, priests, deacons and laypeople. Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold of the Episcopal Church presided at the service, with Bishop Mark Hanson, ELCA Presiding Bishop, preaching. Bishop Mark Sisk and Bishop E. Don Taylor of the Episcopal Diocese of New York attended the service, as did Bishop Stephen P. Bouman of the ELCA Metropolitan Synod.

“This year’s Huntington sermon exemplifies the ecumenical significance and intent of the Chicago –Lambeth Quadrilateral, which allows Episcopalians and Lutherans to share this historic moment in their ecumenical life,” Bishop Sisk stated.

“It is an absolute joy and delight to join with you this evening,” said Bishop Hanson, “in giving thanks to God for A Call to Common Mission in the five years that the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church being in full communion together.”

Bishop Hanson highlighted several examples of the cooperative work being done between the two churches, including an Episcopal bishop who is teaching at a Lutheran seminary in Phladelphia and the Episcopal-Lutheran Disaster Response of Mississippi that was, according to the bishop, “…born in the moment of [Hurricane] Katrina’s devastation.”

In his sermon, Hanson identified challenges for “all the baptized” living in our current culture. “In a consumer religious culture,” he said. “…let us with clarity proclaim the Gospel of the Incarnate Word, inviting people into life in Christ and the community of faith that bears Christ’s living word to all the world.”