Ecumenical movement to hold eucharistic liturgy
Event will adopt aspects from all Christian denominations
Trending
STEUBENVILLE -- An ecumenical movement is seeking to bridge the gaps among Christian denominations through a eucharistic liturgical celebration that will unite city officials, clergy and residents as one people under God, the liturgy's organizer said.
The Steubenville Citywide Eucharistic Liturgy is being hosted by the One Body Covenant Fellowship, an international and multi-denominational ecumenical movement based in Steubenville. The liturgy -- the first of its kind organized by the fellowship -- will be held on Sept. 30 at 11 a.m. in Steubenville's First Westminster Presbyterian Church.
OBCF's founder and presiding prelate, Bishop Jermaine V. Moore Sr., said the liturgy will combine aspects of all Christian denominations "in a day of unity, expressing that, although we have our theological differences, we can recognize that we do serve one God."
The liturgy is open for anyone to attend, Moore said, and it will bring to the table expressions of worship, songs and attire from different denominations. Moore said Catholics will appreciate the OBCF's vestments, orthodox Christians will appreciate the upfront doctrines and protestants will appreciate the liturgy's hymns and energy.
"Instead of ... allowing our differences to keep us divided, here is a platform where we can take those same differences and use them as an opportunity to be united," said Moore, who is the senior pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church. "(We can) show our community, our city, this Ohio Valley, that we are a community of faith."
The liturgy itself will begin with a great procession, for which city officials, clergy, pastors, ministers and senior leaders are invited to participate in. To prepare, Moore said, those individuals should arrive no later than 10:30 a.m. in their ecclesial attire.
Afterward, Moore said, the liturgy will have the eucharist, a communal sharing of bread and juice that commemorates the last supper. Moore said he understands if some attendees do not take the eucharist for theological reasons, and he emphasized that the eucharist is meant to be a symbolic act representing communion in love among mankind.
"Real communion is how we deal with one another," Moore said.
Following the eucharist will be the service, which will include the singing of choir anthems and hymns, courtesy of top shelf musicians, Moore said. The liturgy will be led by the OBCF, but Moore said his arms are "absolutely open" if any other ecclesial attendees want to offer a prayer during the service.
Moore said he is expecting around 300 attendees, and the response from other church leaders and pastors has been great so far. Moore's long list of major players in the conference come from First Westminster, Calvary Pentecostal Church, Wintersville Methodist Church, Mount Carmel Community Baptist Church and St. Peter Catholic Church.
The fellowship itself, Moore said, is an organization made up of senior leaders from various denominations that form an episcopal structure, with Moore being the equivalent of the organization's leader. Moore has been the presiding prelate since the OBCF's founding in 2010. "We celebrate (different denominations), understanding that they're just parts of the body," Moore said, referencing the fellowship's base scripture, Corinthians 12:12. "We need all the different body parts to come together so that the body can actually function as it should."
The eucharistic Lliturgy will follow the OBCF's third-annual Holy Convocation, which Moore described as a "family reunion" and an "opportunity to come together and enjoy each other's presence." The convocation -- also known as the Congress 2023 -- will bring together fellowship members from around the world, as well as any interested individuals from the public, for worship and learning at First Westminster.
Running Thursday and Friday, each of the convocation's two days will begin with prayer at 8:30 a.m., followed by chapel from 9 a.m. to 9:50 a.m., Moore said. After a 10-minute break, attendees will enter "phrontistery" study sessions, led by various senior leaders and covering manhood, women in ministry, music, the Levites and the "ministry of helps" and "the episcopal formation and identity of the bishopric -- that one taught by Moore.
The music sessions will see contribution from various renowned musicians and vocalists, Moore said. Topics will include hymns, praise teams, liturgical dancing and choir music, which Moore said the OBCF would like to see regain popularity.
Each day will have a general session from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., with Thursday's being a presentation on women's health by the Diversity Health Initiative, a breast cancer prevention and breast health program for which Moore's wife, Tikisha Moore, is an assisting nurse practitioner. Dr. Vanessa Palmer, founder of the DHI, said the organization is collaborating with the Ohio Valley Health Center to "promote breast cancer prevention in women."
Initially, Palmer said, the DHI was formed to help Black women, who she said die from breast cancer at a 40-percent higher rate than white women. However, Palmer added, the DHI has the goal of helping women of all races.
"(At the convocation), we will be messaging to the women who are willing to sit and listen how they are able to practice breast cancer prevention," Palmer said. Also, the DHI will have a vendor table available for women to receive more information on Thursday and Friday.
The Friday general session will be led by the Rev. Reginald Perry from St. Croix, an island in the Caribbean Sea. Moore said Perry, who owns multiple coffee shops and rental properties, will speak on "marrying the marketplace with ministry."
With attendees and participants traveling into Steubenville frommany locations, Moore said a music event has been scheduled for people to enjoy the night of Sept. 27, before the convocation begins. "Jazz in the Ville," featuring musicians from the convocation, will take place at 7 p.m. at Froehlich's Classic Corner. Admission is $10 in advance or $15 at the door.
There will be a night worship service at 7 p.m. both days, with Thursday seeing a visit from the Mount Zion Youth Choir. Moore said anyone interested in attending the convocation can simply show up.
Moore said the convocation will bring economic benefits to the city, drawing more people to local businesses and hotels. Furthermore, it will unify individuals of different backgrounds over their common ground and give an opportunity for goodness to "go viral."
Like John the Baptist, Moore said, he considers himself the "first among equals" leading the fellowships community-oriented efforts. To anyone interested in attending the liturgy or convocation, Moore said, "Come and enjoy yourself. Come and see something different. Be open-minded. ... We love God, we love Jesus, and this is an opportunity for us to express that together."