The Louisiana Interchurch Conference grew out of the post-Vatican II ecumenical imperative. 70 participants (like the Septuagint), from a dozen denominations (listed below). 23/70 participants are Roman Catholic in this strong Catholic area.

Above, Pastor Nancy Andrews (ELCA Dean of the Bayou Conference and Pastor at Lutheran Church of Our Saviour) finishing lunch with (L-R) The Rev. Dr. John W. Forbes, The Rev. Kenneth D. York and the Rev. Dr. Ernest Peters, of the AME Zion Church.

ELCA representatives:

  • Pastor Nancy Andrews, Baton Rouge
  • Mr. Joel Hicks, Shreveport
  • Pastor Robin McCullough-Bade, Baton Rouge
  • Bishop Mike Rinehart

This event usually falls during the Spring ELCA Conference of Bishops meeting, so I’m hit and miss. This year things worked out. There’s also a board meeting in the fall that I usually make.

The meeting was led by LIC President, The Rev. Dr. Timothy Jones:

Father Dan Krutz (ECUSA) has served as Executive Director since 1992, 28 years!

Jessica Vermilyea, Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response, gave us a disaster update, along with some reflections on Coronavirus developments:

Keynote Speaker Jim Winkler, President and General Secretary spike in the state of the ecumenical movement and the loss of civil discourse in the U.S:

Jessica Vermilyea (LSS Disaster Response, Roman Catholic Deacon Jeff Chapman from Shreveport, and Joel Hicks, candidate for ministry in the ELCA, serving a congregation in Shreveport, Louisiana:

Joel Hicks, candidate for ministry in the ELCA, serving a congregation in Shreveport, Louisiana hopes to be ordained in June.

Pastor Nancy Andrews and I with Father Winston Rice (Episcopal), Executive Director and Gulf Coast Chaplain of the Maritime Pastoral Institute:

AME Zion Pastor Kenneth York, Faith African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Baker, LA:

Pastor Robin McCullough-Bade, Director of the Interfaith Federation of Greater a Baton Rouge:

Denominations Represented

    African Methodist Episcopal (AME)
    AME Zion
    Baptist State Convention
    Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
    Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME)
    Church if God in Christ (COGIC)
    Episcopal Church USA
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
    Presbyterian Church USA
    Presbyterian (Evangelical)
    Roman Catholic
    United Church of Christ
    United Methodist Church

Louisiana Interchurch Conference Timeline