Bishop Dennis Sullivan participated in a prayer service with bishops and leaders of other Christian denominations June 8 at St. Patrick Church, Holy Angels Parish, Woodbury.
The event was orginally planned for the international celebration of the Week of Chritian Unity in January, but had to be rescheduled when a severe winter storm covered parts of South Jersey in more than a foot of snow.
Coming together on the feast of Pentecost, which commemorates the birth of the church, the leaders reflected on the theme that had been chosen for this year’s Week of Prayer for Chrisitan Unity: “Has Christ Been Divided?” (1 Corinthians 1:13).
Coordinated by the Ecumenical Commission in South Jersey, the day of prayer, song, and celebration gathered the church leaders together as a church to value and receive the gifts of one another and be empowered in their common mission.
“We’re all empowered by the same Holy Spirit,” said Father Joseph Wallace, director of Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs for the Diocese of Camden. “All that we do is in Christ,” he said.
Written by Peter G. Sánchez for the June 13, 2014 Catholic Star Herald
Below, coming together June 8 at St. Patrick Church in Woodbury to celebrate Christian unity were Pat Sandrow, coordinator of Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs of the Diocese of Camden; Father Richard Townley, ecumenical officer for the Episcopalian Diocese of New Jersey; Bishop Dennis Sullivan; Rev. Christine Regan, pastor of St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Woodbury; Father Brian Burgess, pastor of Episcopal Christ Church, Woodbury; Rev. Wayne Zschech, ecumenical officer for the Lutheran Synod of New Jersey; Deacon Leo McBlain, director of the Office of the Diaconate, Diocese of Camden; and Suzanne Billen, member of the Ecumenical Commission of New Jersey. Photo by James A. McBride
