LUTHERAN - ANGLICAN - ROMAN CATHOLIC (LARC)
CELEBRATION OF OUR COMMON BAPTISM

Pastoral Letter from the Bishops

(To be read before the Renewal of Baptism Promises in the Lutheran, Anglican, and Roman Catholic parishes on the weekend of February 24-25, 2001) (March 3-4 in the Diocese of Hamilton)

Grace and Peace to you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
We write to you with great joy as we celebrate this day the unity we share in Baptism. As proclaimed in the Letter to the Ephesians (4: 4-6), "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all."
Together we give thanks for the working of the Holy Spirit in and among our churches and for the steps that our churches have taken towards unity. We are blessed by the gifts that we bring to one another.

As we begin our Lenten journey, we recommit ourselves to walking together on the path towards unity. As bishops, we encourage each of you to work and pray for the unity tha Christ wills for the Church.
We now invite you to renew your Baptismal prises, recalling and celebrating that we share a common baptism.

United in Christ,

Bishop Bruce Howe
- Huron Diocese of the Anglica Church of Canada

Bishop Michael Pryse
- Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Bishop Ralph Spence
- Niagara Diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada

Bishop Anthony Tonnos
- Hamilton Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Canada