Nurturing United Church of Christ Identity
Most of the work I do at Luther House is ecumenical campus ministry. I organize partnerships with a wide variety of progressive clergy, denominations, ministries, and organizations to serve young adults and community members from a multitude of faith traditions, including those with no religious background. The most common question I get (from churches, not students) is "In your ecumenical approach to ministry, how do you maintain the identity of... the Evangelical Church in America, The United Church of Christ, The Episcopal Church, etc.?"
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It may sound odd, but this is the easiest question for me to answer. The answer begins with our community. The young adults who participate at Luther House come from diverse spiritual, economic, political, racial, and national backgrounds. They are already ecumenical. Our activities at Luther House center around listening to and learning from their multiple perspectives. We highlight and celebrate the differences between our faith traditions and allow space for paradox, tension, and preference.
We embrace a dialogical approach to ministry which nurtures leadership and develops intentional community. I have a Master's Degree in Ecumenical Theological Studies so I am able to teach about UCC values and traditions, as well as point out several similarities and differences between a variety of faith traditions. Our ELCA friends teach us about Lutheran theology, and our Episcopalian members teach about what is important to them. We have Catholic participants who love to share about their values, and lots of seekers and doubters who are encouraged to ask questions, challenge systemical thought (not personal experience), and openly express their concerns.
I facilitate open conversations and remind our participants frequently that we do not all have to believe the same thing, we only have to honor each other's human rights. The sacred irony is that by nurturing ecumenism in our community, I am nurturing UCC identity and unity within the body of Christ.
