Malta Ecumenical Council
Fr Jeff Williams SSC - Anglican Chaplain based at Holy Trinity Church, Sliema.
The Anglican Church in Malta and Gozo
Church of Scotland
Evangelical Church of Germany
Methodist Church
Roman Catholic Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
All are welcome to a service that will be held at
St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Church,
Old Bakery Street, Valletta, at 6pm on Thursday 27th May 2010.
The Preacher will be –
Reverend Doug McRoberts of St Andrews Scott's Church.
The Theme is "THE STORY THAT LIVES."
SERVICES 2010
SERVICES 2008-2009
Theme for 2010:'You Are Witnesses of These Things.' Luke 24:48.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
A Unity Service for young people TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 7.30 pm
AT THE MILLENNIUM CHAPEL
Wednesday 20 January 6 pm
at The Old Parish Church, Ghajnsielem, GOZO
Thursday 21 January 6.30 pm
at St Andrew's Church, South Street, Valletta
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
JANUARY 18TH TO 25TH
The theme for the 2009 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was from Ezekiel 37:15-19, 22-24a. The theme was “That they may become one in your hand.”
The regular Ecumenical event marking the week was held on Thursday 22nd January 2009. It started (as this was the year of Paul) from St Paul's Shipwreck Church in Triq San Pawl Valletta with some prayers and a hymn. We then walked to the Greek Catholic Church in Archbishop's Street for some prayers outside. Then walked to St Paul's Pro-Cathedral where the bulk of the Service took place. It has been the custom that when a non-Roman church is used then the preacher would be a Roman Catholic, The Papal Nuncio preached as Archbishop Pawl was unavailable.
Refreshments were provided for the congregation afterwards.
PENTECOST TOGETHER
A meeting took place at St Francis of Assisi Church, Republic Street, Valletta on Wednesday 3 June 2009.
The preacher was the Bishop of Gozo Mario Grech.
An open meeting was held in the Church Hall of Holy Trinity Anglican Church Sliema on Tuesday 17 September 2009
The meeting with prayers, poetry and Bible readings was a time of harmony.
The Blessing was given by Pastor Ferraro and was followed by refreshments and fellowship in the garden of Bishop's House.
HISTORY
Until that date the only ecumenical forum existing in Malta was the Malta Ecumenical Commission established by the Archdiocese of Malta. Although the aims of this Commission were only those of discussing the Catholic Church’s teachings on ecumenism and of organizing the annual January day of prayer for Christian Unity in conjunction with representatives of other Christian Churches operating in Malta, it was felt that the time had come for a stronger united effort between all the Churches in this regard. Here credit must be given to the Reverend Colin Westmarland, of St. Andrew’s Scots Church, who came out with the idea of setting up the present Council, which would make it possible for all Christian Churches to share in organizing the annual Day of Prayer, but also to meet and discuss relevant ecumenical topics, and possibly to organize any other ecumenical activity which might be deemed useful to enhance ecumenical aims. The basic common denominator required for membership in the proposed Council was to be the following: Belief in the Holy Trinity and in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
The first meeting of MEC, presided by Rev. Prof. Maurice Eminyan, S.J., was attended by two or three representatives of each of the following Churches operating in Malta: the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, the Evangelical Church of Germany, and the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches. At this meeting the proposed Statutes were discussed and unanimously approved by those present. An executive committee, renewable every three years, was set up consisting of Rev. Prof. M. Eminyan (Roman Catholic Church) as Chairman, Rev. Colin Westmarland (Church of Scotland and Methodist Union Congregation) as secretary, Pastor Ivo Huber (Evangelical Church of Germany) as Treasurer, Miss Anna Caruana Colombo (Roman Catholic Church) as P.R.O. Besides the Council meetings held every two months or so, other meeting, called ‘Dialogues’, are being held in different parts of the country. At these meetings, which are open to the general public, some particular doctrinal aspect is discussed and questions from those attending are answered. As everyone knows, most people here in Malta had not been quite aware of the ecumenical dimension until the Second Vatican Council had placed the attainment of Christian Unity as one of its main aims. Over 90% of the population had been Roman Catholics from time immemorial and, what is more, had been far from encouraged to have contacts with Christians of other denominations. For most of them, being a Christian could only mean being a member of the Roman Catholic Church. This mentality has now been gradually changing, and we can say with gratitude that the MEC is contributing its small share in this regard.
Prof. Dr. Maurice Eminyan S.J. (2003)
LINKS
