“BELOVED COMMUNITY” OF 22 MILLION PROTESTANTS AND ANGLICANS ANNOUNCES FIRST DIRECTOR

CLEVELAND –  April, 2002 – Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC) is a relationship among nine churches that have pledged to live more closely together in expressing their unity in Christ and to combat racism. Launched on Jan. 20, 2002, CUIC now takes the historic step of appointing the Rev. Bertrice Y. Wood of Cleveland as its first director. The appointment also is a sign of their deepening commitment. These nine churches, or “member communions,” collectively represent more than 22 million Protestant and Anglican Christians in the United States.

CUIC grew out of more than 40 years of discussion by nine communions who, despite differing theological views, share a common vision of worshiping and working together as one in the Body of Jesus Christ. “Bert’s appointment brings new energy to our collective commitment to uniting around common essentials of faith and mission,” says the Rev. Lydia Veliko, ecumenical officer for the United Church of Christ and chair of the search committee. According to Veliko, “She brings significant gifts in the areas of organizational skill, and sensitivity to the needs of individual member communions. She has won the respect of our many ecumenical communities.”

Wood is a seasoned church executive and was the first woman pastor of the 137-year-old, historic and predominantly African-American Mt. Zion Congregational United Church of Christ in Cleveland. She also was associate to the executive vice president, United Church Board for World Ministries, in New York and Cleveland. She has taught at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, Calif., and Lancaster (Pa.) Theological Seminary. She is the author of “Learning a Religious Tradition: Identity by Contrast,” Theological Education, volume 34, 1997, on ecumenical formation. She is also currently vice president at large of the National Council of the Churches, serves on the UCC Council for Ecumenism, the Ohio Conference (UCC) Board of Trustees, the Western Reserve Association (Ohio) Department on Church and Ministry (UCC), the Board of Trustees for Interreligious Partners in Action of Greater Cleveland. She is also a member of United Black Christians, an organization of lay and ordained African-American persons within the UCC.             

"Churches Uniting in Christ is an exciting expression of the fullness of ecumenism, ecumenism that has a vision of the unity of the church and the unity of the human community,” says Wood. “I am excited that the communions of CUIC have made bold commitments to work toward not only cooperative programs, but toward mutual recognition and reconciliation of their ministries, and to overcoming racism, which divides the churches and our communities. I am grateful for the call to this ministry as these nine communions have pledged to live in covenant with each other while on the journey toward the ‘Beloved Community.’  I pray that we will be faithful to each other and to the Gospel which calls us break down the barriers that divide the church and the human family."

The nine member communions include the African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Episcopal Church, International Council of Community Churches, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America also works with CUIC as a Partner in Mission and Dialogue.

• Downloadable photo of Rev. Wood

Editor’s Note: Accompanying photo is available for use by news media. Veliko and Wood may be reached for comment through the UCC national office PR contact, Ron Buford, at 216-407-1470.