Photos from Prayers for Christian Unity, The Initiative

Posted on by jimvondracek

Last Saturday evening, on a wintry night, Augustana hosted a warming and inspiring prayer service for Christian unity.

Totaling approximately 60 attendees, Catholics, Lutherans, Orthodox, Evangelicals and other Protestants gathered to deepen their shared faith in Christ.

Leaders and organizers included Augustana Pastors Nancy Goede and Matt Stuhlmuller, Father Bob Miller from St. Josephine Bakhita Church, Tom Masters from the Focolare Movement, Dee Dee Borum from St. Moses the Black Parish, Pastor Stacy Allen from Brent House Episcopal Campus Ministry, Pastor Veronica Johnson from Hyde Park Union Church, Deacon Kurt Davis from St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Dr. John Yoon of Hyde Park Church UBF, Augustana musician Seminarian Aaron Musser, and St. Moses the Black Parish musician Mark Nimo.

Pastor Goede and other organizers of the prayer service are a part of The Initiative, a collective of Christians from varied backgrounds and faith traditions who covenant together to live in an intentional initiative, practicing deep and growing friendship with God and others, that the love of Jesus might exceed all divisions.

Members of The Initiative covenant to pray daily for a radical increase of love for the whole body of Christ, to work proactively for missional-ecumenism, and to share their lives with followers of Jesus from traditions other than their own.

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

John 13:34-35, NRSV