Rev. Wes Mullins, Senior Pastor
I am very excited that next Sunday’s worship service will feature one of the most influential people in Colorado: Rev. Dr. Jim Ryan, Executive Director of the Colorado Council of Churches (pictured below). The Colorado Council of Churches (CCC) is made up of 12 different denominations including the American Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopal, and Metropolitan Community Churches. It is one of the most significant organizations working for church unity in our state, giving those 12 denominations many opportunities to partner together on various events and issues.
Rev. Dr. Ryan, or just simply Jim, serves all of those denominations and the Colorado Council of Churches by being a single voice to represent all of the diversity that makes up the CCC. About eight years ago, MCC was first welcomed in the CCC, and Jim was a major player in seeing to our inclusion in this diverse community of Christians. He stood up for us, or as Ezekiel said, he “stood in the gap” for us, advocating on our behalf. A few of you may have met Jim back in those days, but it has been a long time since we have invited him back to our church to share with us.
So, I am very excited that he will not only be preaching next Sunday (on the topic of Christian Unity), but he will also be doing a 30-minute presentation after worship about the work of the Colorado Council of Churches. Currently, the CCC is in the midst of a transition in structure that will allow for more “grassroots” involvement by members of congregations from across our state. This is not a “commercial” to get folks signed up, as that new structure is still months away from forming, but this is a great chance to learn about what is being done “on behalf of MCC” by the Colorado Council of Churches and ways you could get involved if you were interested. Some major areas of ministry and work include education, the environment, healthcare, and immigration.
Finally, I am excited to bring Jim to you because he is an accomplished minister. He is ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the author of several books and articles, and he is a leader in ecumenical and interfaith work. This is a real treat, and I hope you will make time to represent our congregation well and come to hear all Jim has to say!