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The National Council of Churches Executive Committee met in Nassau, Bahamas, on February 20-21. The meeting was hosted by Bethel Baptist Church, the oldest Baptist church in the Caribbean. Bethel’s senior pastor, the Rev. Dr. Timothy Stewart, is president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, a member communion of the NCC. Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in the Bahamas welcomed the executive committee for dinner and conversation. Other local Christian leaders also joined for prayer and fellowship.

The Executive Committee members and hosts gather at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Nassau.

Governing Board Chair Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer remarked, “I appreciate the work Jim Winkler is doing to build critical partnerships with the Council, not just in the US about around the globe. I am grateful to our host, the Rev. Dr. Timothy Stewart of Bethel Baptist Church, for giving us a meeting spot, feeding us, and offering good island hospitality. I am as well grateful to Fr. Iraneus at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church who led us in Compline and whose members feted us one evening while we were there.”

Members of the Executive Committee with Rev. Dr. Timothy Stewart

The executive committee considered matters of importance to the Council including the update of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (NRSV-UE), the Council’s interreligious dialogues, its racial justice work, and the forthcoming Christian Unity Gathering, set to take place October 11-13.

“The NCC has a wide-ranging ministry and the executive committee discussed all of our work in great depth,” said NCC President and General Secretary Jim Winkler. “It remains amazing to me just how much we are able to accomplish in this time of limited resources.” 

Dorhauer concluded, “The work we did as an Executive Committee was important, but the relationships we built were invaluable.”