The ECC:I
'Proclaim and teach the Gospel to all the world. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come to you and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.' Acts 1:8
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A warm welcome to The Ecumenical Catholic Church International
 

 
  
 The Vision of the ECC:International is to make relevant the teachings of Jesus the Christ: the Word of God, within a modern world; and promote the healing, joy, and beauty of a Christian life within current generations and beyond. We are a contemporary body of Christ's faithful holding fast to early Christianity. We are a part of The One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. The Ecumenical Catholic Church International and the Ecumenical Catholic Communities of Christ UK  have a contemporary ethos, but within a universal catholic tradition that reaches back to the teachings of Jesus and the first century Church.  As we come from so many mainstream denominational backgrounds from Roman Catholic and  Reform to Pentecostal, we proclaim our Ecumenical status.

Epiphany and The "Season" of Call

 

The Gospel lessons for this time are about Jesus calling the apostles. Remember, they were the least likely to be called. Yet, they were the very ones to whom Jesus went.

 

How did it first happen for you- the time you knew God was calling you? For some it is a burning bush experience. For others it is a nagging idea that won’t go away. Still others stumble into the realization, totally confused, but willing. This writer knows one woman who, though she did not believe it, was told by others that she was called. As she acted on it, the call materialized so miraculously and concretely that even she had to admit it.


Jesus is very clear about it in the parable of the man throwing a feast. In the end everyone from all around was invited to the wedding feast.  The tricky part about Call though, is that at some point we have to answer. Basically we have to answer yes or no. Some of us don’t want to answer yes because we feel unworthy and that’s bunk. Some of us don’t want to answer yes because we are afraid to give up our lives the way they are. Some of us don’t want to answer yes because we are afraid of the unknown life that would follow.

 

This writer offers some reasons for yes to you.

 

For those who feel unworthy: who did Jesus call? Did he call the religious leaders who were worthy? No!  He called the unworthy to be his disciples. The big mouth braggarts, the creepy-cheating tax collectors, the cowards, the prostitutes, in a word, the sinners are who he called. In answering yes these people became saints.

 

For those who are afraid to give up their lives the way they are; we suggest that folks just  let God in God’s time mold their lives. If nothing changes then there is nothing in the way of a relationship between the Divine and those people. If there are changes those changes will bring joy where continuing on would bring grief.

 

Fear of the unknown life is not a problem, because we know the result of self will run riot. It has brought the world to the brink of destruction. Actually it has crossed the brink and has already begun to slide in that direction, and if we don’t give up on self will and turn to God’s will we KNOW what will happen. The future for us is not unknown.

 

This writer is happy with Bishop Jack’s call to help God minister to Creation as well as each other. Green Faith is a great way to begin saying yes to God's call.