'We are all called to bear witness to Christ' Reflection on Week of Prayer For Christian Unity

By Alison Rebello

St John the Evangelist CoE Church, Killingworth, Newcastle, hosted this year's Prayer for Christian Unity event.

It is interesting to note that Killingworth town once boasted of a place called Communicare building which had an ecumenical church, the first of its kind in the UK, which was supported by Anglican, Baptist and Presbyterian churches and was also used by Catholics every now and then.

Aptly named the Church of the Holy Family, it served the community between 1974-2004. The Cross from the Church building was then re-erected fronting onto East Bailey between the High School and St John's and rededicated in 2014.

That sums up the theme of this year's Prayer for Christian Unity: One Body, One Spirit. Over 50 individuals gathered from around the NE12 postcode area representing different churches including pastors of the Church who bore witness to that united theme. The ecumenical service prepared this year by the faithful of the Armenian Apostolic Church and focusing on Ephesians 4:4 (One body, one spirit) saw some zealous participation by members of different churches. As the handout pointed out: "This metaphor signifies the Church as a unified entity transcending barriers of geography, nationality, ethnicity and tradition."

Signs of shared unity

The readings for the day were taken from Isaiah 58: 6-11, Ephesians 4:1-13, John 12: 31-36 and Psalm 97. It was followed by the prayers of intercession and the Lord's prayer and a final prayer. The central point was the Marty Haugen hymn 'Here in this place', which fuelled the gathered attendees as they lifted their voices in the 161 year old church nestled in Killingworth Village.

At this point, a candle was lit by the presiding host vicar Sarah Moon from the altar candle and she came around to help light up the candle for the participants which was a sign of the shared unity. While balancing the lit candles everyone recited the Creed, which was difficult at times, owing to slight variations in the translations that people are used to saying of the top of their head and that to me was the unification of transcending barriers of all kinds.

Inter twinned between quiet revival and fading faith life, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity week retunes the way for all of us to take stock and move forward, knowing that we are all called to bear witness to Christ.

'The living water unites'

Speaking to the Vicar of St Andrew's Methodist United Reformed Ecumenical Partnership Church Helen White, she pointed out that "the Lord's prayer requested to be said in different translations and languages was a poignant moment for me."

Benjamin Jarvis, the Vicar of St Bartholomew's and St Mary Magdalene, Longbenton, said: "Despite the Creed written slightly differently, I recall that first and foremost we are all Christians, and so reciting what was handed out was different, yet we did not make a thing about denominations and recited that in unison. Identifying Christ is bigger than all the other things put together."

Glen Fabian, a parishioner from the host church, said: "The ecumenical Church was and is a high point of faith life for the people of Killingworth. Hence this Christian Unity week reminds me, and should remind all of us, of the essence of that shared faith life in Christ."

Sarah Moon concluded by saying: "While members come from varied backgrounds, their unity in faith restores the unifying elements which challenges us to prioritise our shared identity in Christ over our differences, reinforcing the bond that unites all Christians."

"Pilgrims whether we know ourselves as that or not, we have reached the well. And as we test its waters we all will, know it or not, engift its healing, whatever our ailment. Somehow, whenever, wherever, the living water unites."