2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 

The Church Unity Octave, a forerunner of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, was developed by Father Paul Wattson, SA, at Graymoor in Garrison, New York, and was first observed at Graymoor from January 18-25, 1908. Today, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity invites the whole Christian community throughout the world to pray in communion with the prayer of Jesus “that they all may be one” (John 17:21). 

Today the cooperation between Anglican, Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic churches, parishes and communities in preparing for and celebrating the week of prayer has become a familiar practice. This simple fact is in itself a strong evidence for the effectiveness of prayer for unity.   In the midst of our divisions, Christians of all traditions have prayed with an awareness of their union with the prayer of Christ for the unity of all his disciples. 

The theme for this centennial celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is:  “Pray without ceasing” from 1 Thessalonians 5:12a, 13b-18.  In an introduction written to highlight this year’s theme, the International Preparatory Committee reminds all Christians that in our baptism we commit ourselves to the following of Christ and the fulfillment of his will. This will for his followers was expressed in a prayer for unity so that others would come to believe in him as the one sent by God. Prayer that joins Jesus’ prayer for unity has come to be referred to by some churches as an expression of “spiritual ecumenism”. This prayer is most intense during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity but needs to flow out of this observance into our daily lives. We realize that Christian unity cannot be solely the fruit of human efforts, but is always the work of the Holy Spirit. We cannot as humans make or organize unity. We can only receive unity as a gift of the Spirit when we ourselves are prepared to receive it. 

The teachings of the Second Vatican Council, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI call us to engage in this spiritual ecumenism which calls forth an exchange of spiritual gifts so that what is lacking in each respective Christian tradition finds its needed complement; this enables us to go beyond denominational labels to celebrate a common faith in the Giver of all gifts. The surprising thing about prayer is that its first effect is in us. Our own minds and hearts are shaped by prayer as we seek opportunities to translate that prayer into practice, the true test of its authenticity. Spiritual ecumenism leads us to a healing of our memories. We face those difficult events of the past that give rise to competing interpretations of what happened and why. As a result, we can go beyond those things which have kept us divided. In other words, the goal of spiritual ecumenism is Christian unity that leads us into mission for the glory of God.

If believers are to follow Jesus, they must work and pray for Christian unity. However, the churches have differing visions of the visible unity for which we are praying. The International Preparatory Committee states that for some, full visible unity is the goal, bringing churches together in common confession, worship and sacraments, witness, decision-making and structured life. Others look to a “reconciled diversity”, with the present churches working together to present a coherent witness to the world. For still others unity is found rather in the invisible bonds linking us to Christ and with one another, with an emphasis on personal ways of living one's faith in the world. 

In this context, prayer for Christian unity is a challenging prayer. It is prayer that effects change in our own personal identity as well as in our confessional identity. Ultimately it means that we will give up our way of seeing unity in favor of concentrating on seeing what God wants for his people. However this does not mean that we will divest ourselves of our uniqueness, for unity naturally expresses itself in diversity. It is unity in diversity which reflects the mystery of communion in love, as seen in God's own being.  

 To mark this special week of prayer, an Ecumenical Celebration of God’s Word will be held on Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. in Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Scranton.  The Most Reverend Joseph F. Martino, D.D., Bishop of Scranton will preside.  Clergy, religious and laity from various Christian traditions and ecumenical agencies will be present.  All are invited to attend this centennial celebration.  The Reverend Robert L. Driesen, newly installed bishop of the Upper Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will deliver the message. 

Bishop Robert L. Driesen was born in Baltimore, Maryland where he graduated from the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. He continued his education and is a graduate of Towson University with a bachelor’s degree in the social sciences and history and a Master’s of Education degree with a concentration in curriculum development.  He graduated from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, with a Master of Divinity degree and was ordained on June 17, 1979 and elected bishop of the Upper Susquehanna Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on June 16, 2007.

  His past work experience includes serving as the Social Studies Department Chairman at the Holabird Junior High School in Dundalk, and as a Social Studies teacher in the Baltimore County Schools. From 1979-1986, he served as the pastor of the Sidman-Elton Lutheran Parish in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and most recently served as the Senior Pastor of the Messiah Lutheran Church in South Williamsport (1987-2007).  He has served as Dean of the West Branch Conference and the Ecumenical Officer of the Upper Susquehanna Synod from 1987-2006. He is also a founding member of the Christian Communities Gathering of Northeastern Pennsylvania, representing the Upper Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  On numerous occasions, he has been a voting member of the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which is the legislative body of the national church.  

  Bishop Driesen has had several articles and papers published on the topics of parish nursing and preaching. He is a past president of the United Churches of Lycoming County and received the Ecumenical Service Award in 2000. He was named “Boss of the Year” by the Penn Laurel Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association, in 1992. Currently he serves on the Boards of Directors of Susquehanna University, the Health Improvement Coalition of Lycoming County, and the Lycoming Mediation Project. He was the founding President of AIDS Resource Alliance, now known as AIDS Resource, headquartered in Williamsport, and was instrumental in forming a local chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI).  

          For more information on the 2008 Week of Christian Prayer for Unity or to order resources, visit:  www.geii.org.