2015 Christian Unity Gathering
The 2015 Christian Unity Gathering will be held at the Hilton Washington Dulles in Herndon, VA outside Washington, DC May 7-9. The event will be a celebration of ecumenism and an opportunity to put that spirit in to practice as we continue our work to respond to the mass incarceration crisis and explore our second priority, interfaith relations with a focus on peace.
The program will include ample opportunity for all attendees to engage with one another through group discussion, input from expert resource people to help inform our discussion, and service of remembrance for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide held at Washington National Cathedral. Also importantly, both the Governing Board and Convening Tables will meet as well.
The fee for this year’s gathering remains the same as last year, $295. We encourage you to register early and to book your hotel room early to ensure availability. Plan on arriving Wednesday evening as our work will begin early Thursday morning. Please book your travel prior to registering as we will ask for your flight info if you are flying in.
If you are serving on an NCC body (convening table, Governing Board, committees, ITT, LRE, etc .) or are representing an NCC member communion at CUG, click the blue button to register. For those not serving on an NCC body or not representing an NCC member communion, click the purple button to register.
Questions? Email Verna Sodano-Richards at cug@nationalcouncilofchurches.us
Hotel Details
Hilton Washington Dulles Airport
13869 Park Center Rd. Herndon, VA 20171
703-478-2900
The April 14 deadline for booking rooms has passed. Please contact the hotel directly to see if any rooms remain at the prevailing rate. In addition, there are several hotels within 2-3 miles as an alternative.
Shuttle Information:
Upon arriving at Dulles Airport follow signs for Aerotrain (Concourse A, B, or C) or Shuttle (Concourse D) to Main Terminal. Once at Main Terminal proceed up to the Baggage Claim/Ground Transportation level and use either Door 2 or Door 6 to exit to the stop for the hotel shuttle.
Transportation
Air:
Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) is the closest and hotel provides free shuttle to/from the airport. United is the biggest airline at Dulles however Delta, American, US Airways, Jet Blue, Virgin America, Southwest, and a number of other smaller airlines also serve Dulles.
Washington National Airport is about 30 miles away and is served by US Airways, American, United, Delta, Jet Blue, Southwest, and others. Taxi to the hotel is approximately $60.
Driving:
Link to Google Map of hotel location for driving directions:
http://bit.ly/1lL23A5
Parking is complimentary.
Train:
The closest Amtrak Station is Union Station in Washington, DC. Taxis are readily available and the cost of the trip to the hotel is approximately $60.
Or for public transit options from Union Station to Dulles Airport to use hotel shuttle, visit Metro Trip Planner website at http://www.wmata.com/tripplanner
GENERAL SCHEDULE
Items marked with “*” are open to the public. All other events are for NCC members only.
Wednesday May 6
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Intergenerational Think Tank
3:00 PM - 8:00 PM *Registration Open/Reception
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Executive Committee
5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Dinner for Executive Committee, ITT, and Staff
7:00 PM - 8:15 PM *Film - "Pray the Devil Back to Hell"
Thursday May 7
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM *Registration Open
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM *Breakfast
Membership and Ecclesial Relations Committee meets
9:00 AM - 10:45 AM *Councilwide Priority Session
Singing and Prayer
Keynote by 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowe
Introduced by Bishop Elizabeth Eaton
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM *Break
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM *Integrative Plenary
Panel Discussion on Intersections of
Mass Incarceration and Interfaith Peacemaking
Leymah Gbowee, Jared Feldman, Walter Fortson
Dr. Sayyid Syeed, and Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith
Rev. Charles Robertson, Moderator
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM *Lunch
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Governing Board Lunch, Meeting, Dinner
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Convening Table Sessions
Christian Education, Ecumenical Faith Formation and Leadership Development
Joint Action & Advocacy for Justice & Peace
Interreligious Relations
Theological Dialogue & Matters of Faith & Order
*Parallel Public Workshop
*Interfaith Peacebuidling Through Art: Iraqi Veterans Against the War
Art and Peacebuilding in Faith Communities
Join local activists for a conversation about how faith communities can work
for peace by thinking globally and acting locally. We will share stories and
strategies for how we can use the arts to build peace across different contexts and cultures.
*Dialogue on Countering Extremism
Panelists will explore ways that religion is being exploited and how we as people
of faith can work together against religious extremism.
Panel with Dr. Charles Kimball, Dr. Sathianathan Clark,
and Rev. Dr. Isaac Laudarji
Rev. Dr. Shanta Premawardhana, Moderator
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM *Dinner
5:30 PM *Shuttles leave for WNC
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM *Armenian Genocide Prayer Service
Advance ticket required
9:00 PM *Shuttles return to Hotel
Friday May 8
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM *Breakfast
9:00 AM - 10:45 AM *Councilwide Priority Session
Prayer Service
Panel with Olav Fykse Tveit, Naeem Baig
and Rabbi Gerry Serotta, Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, Moderator
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM *Break
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Convening Table Sessions
Christian Education, Ecumenical Faith Formation and Leadership Development
Joint Action & Advocacy for Justice & Peace
Interreligious Relations
Theological Dialogue & Matters of Faith & Order
*Parallel Public Workshops
Interfaith Cooperation
Viewing of “Mothers of Bedford”
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM *Lunch
2:30 PM - 4:30 PM Convening Table Small Group Sessions
*Parallel Public Workshops
Praying in Color - Theology, Art, and Peacemaking
Art-making is a powerful way of building community. In this workshop,
liturgical artist and activist Mary Button will share ideas and stories for
participatory art projects appropriate for faith communities interested in
using the creative arts for peacemaking. She will also lead participants in
contemplative, justice centered art practices that will enrich the prayer lives of individuals and churches.
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM *Break
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Convening Table Joint Session
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Dinner Banquet with WCC General Secretary Olav Fykse Tveit
Saturday May 9
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM *Breakfast
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Convening Table Sessions
Christian Education, Ecumenical Faith Formation and Leadership Development
Joint Action & Advocacy for Justice & Peace
Interreligious Relations
Theological Dialogue & Matters of Faith & Order
11:00 AM - 11:15 AM *Break
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM *Closing Worship
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Local and Regional Ecumenism Committee