Join in Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.!
November 9-12, 1999, Cleveland, Ohio

Click here for 50th Anniversary "Calendar of Events"
Click here for List of NCC Committee Meetings During the 50th Anniversary Week

Participate in a unique opportunity! Join others in exploring the fresh challenges that face the Church on the eve of a new millennium. Help celebrate the National Council of Churches’ 50^th anniversary—to be held November 9-12, 1999, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Plan now to be part of this event, as the NCC returns to its birthplace in Cleveland’s historic Convention Center for a time of renewal and rededication. Coinciding with a global millennial moment, it is a time of Jubilee for the NCC and the ecumenical movement.

Some 2,000 church leaders will gather there under the banner of Unity in Christ: Gift and Calling. Developing the theme, varied activities at the anniversary event focus on tangible efforts to make our unity in Christ ever more visible in our lives and ever more apparent to the world. Both a gift and a goal, Christian unity is a magnet drawing us into the future for which we now prepare.

Some highlights will include the following:

• Participants will take a step into the NCC’s future with the installation of incoming president, Ambassador Andrew Young, November 11 at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, followed by a festive banquet. Featured speaker is United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
• His Honor Michael R. White, mayor of Cleveland, will greet us at an opening luncheon, November 9.
• A November 10 evening event will include thought-provoking perspectives on pace-setting visions for the work of Christian unity in the 21^st century. The Great Conversation will include voices from the past, wisdom from the present and hopes for the future, and will lead to a Millennium committee to explore an ecumenical vessel that more fully expresses our unity in Christ.
• The Cleveland Orchestra will help us mark the occasion with a concert, November 9, invoking the spiritual quest for unity through music. Other musical highlights include new music commissioned by NCC member communions for the anniversary.

Highlights of the four-day event also include more than a dozen exciting forums featuring nationally and internationally recognized participants. Children’s Defense Fund President Marian Wright Edelman, former Ohio Congressman the Honorable Louis Stokes, Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Philadelphia School Superintendent David Hornbeck, and Harvard Memorial Church minister the Rev. Prof. Peter J. Gomes are among the distinguished guests scheduled. Gospel, Culture and Music will be explored at Cleveland’s nearby lakefront architectural gem, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. An array of forums on other contemporary and urgent topics—such as environment, health care, police brutality, race, national politics, and international peace—offers alternative perspectives on exploring faith, transforming society, shaping culture and celebrating unity.

Mark your calendar today and contact us for more information. Be a witness for unity in Christ. Experience the rich gifts given to us and help renew our calling for 2000 and beyond!

Please contact us at:
National Council of Churches—50^th Anniversary
475 Riverside Drive, Room 630
New York, NY 10115-0050
Phone: 1-800-328-NCCC (Code: 1999)
Fax: 212-870-3454
E-mail: 50th@ncccusa.org

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