Our diocesan ecumenical and interfaith office serves to bring the national church's expression of its ecumenical and interfaith efforts back to the local church and to send the fruit of our local expressions of these dialogues out to the wider Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Church is a founding denomination in the ecumenical movement. Church unity, formal and otherwise, is an important message to bring a divided world. The challenges to this are significant but the work is worthy. The formal work of dialogues on the denominational level have born fruit in areas of prayer, missions, worship and sacramental living.These dialogues and agreements have lead to local expressions that are bearing fruit in our own diocese, though the great work being done in individual parishes and especially through the life of our ecumenical parishes: Trinity Moneta, and Good Shepherd, Galax.

• Trinity, Moneta: Presbyterian - Lutheran-Episcopal -- is a grass-roots born parish whose very own creation challenged those who participate in ecumenical dialogues to "walk the walk." This parish lives and breathes John 17:21 "That they all may be one". Their commitment to living and worshipping faithfully together bears great fruit in mission and care to their surrounding community.

• Good Shepherd, Galax: Lutheran-Episcopal -- also calls us more deeply into the ecumenical walk. The members of this parish describe themselves as a seamless, loving union. They fully embrace their faith as mission in their local community and to the world and proudly claim to continue doing the unexpected!

The interfaith initiatives of our Church are slowly bearing fruit as well, especially in the areas of justice and peace. The way in which we can come to some common understandings about our faith and about doing God's work in the world is a vital discussion for us. How can we recognize God's grace among the different faith traditions? How can we, who claim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, listen to the way God is expressed in other faith traditions? What can we learn from these other faith traditions? These are crucial questions for us to consider at this time and for us to bring to the world.

Ecumenical and interfaith work is the work of building bridges and living fully into our Baptismal Covenant.

2008 Diocesan Ecumenical Officer: The Rev. Becky Crites, St. John's, Glasgow and St. Thomas, Bedford