But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,
in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

In a week from now representatives of the NCCA member churches and state councils will gather at the 11th NCCA Forum. This event also coincides with the 30th Anniversary of the formation of the NCCA. We are looking forward to the fruits of the gathering and also the experience of us being together. 

I have found myself mulling over how we understand and live out a commitment to unity and how the Forum will assist us all in shaping our understanding of what it means to be connected to each other.  

Recently I was reading a reflection on unity, and was a little surprised, and saddened, to read that a commitment to unity must first be based on a prior agreement as to how some of the particulars of Christian faith are understood. The writer listed what was most important (preconditions for unity) and those matters that were not so critical. Unity becomes problematic when we first must agree with what is included in a list and what is left out.  

There is something powerful when our understanding that the basis of our being in unity is not ‘list based’ but our being relationally and spiritually centred in our common faith.  

The constitution of the NCCA captures this spirit in its opening statement:

The NCCA gathers together in pilgrimage those Churches and Christian communities which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the Scriptures and commit themselves

1. to deepen their relationship with each other in order to express more visibly the unity willed by Christ for his church, and
2. to work together towards the fulfilment of their mission of common witness, proclamation and service,

to the glory of the One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We seek your prayers as we gather for the Forum.

There will be opportunities for listening and sharing. We expect to deepen our relationships with each other and in our working together bring glory to God who calls us into being. This hope is captured in the affirmation and challenge found in 1 Peter 2:9 and reminds us that we are one  - God’s own people.   

Rev John Gilmore

NCCA President