In 1963, a group of Roman Catholics, in the context of Vatican II, saw a need to equip local leadership for the task of ecumenical ministry. In 1969, they invited leaders of other Christian communions to join, and today the national ecumenical officers of the churches continue their oversight of the workshop, which is planned by national and local committees. There are both denominational and ecumenical sessions during the workshop. This is the 37th year of the National Workshop, which celebrates the spirit of ecumenism by:

· providing meeting seminars for all who are
concerned with the ministry of Christian unity:
laity, clergy, ecumenical officers, theologians,
staff of ecumenical organizations;

· stimulating an exchange of ideas and experiences
among people concerned with Christian unity and
the bodies they represent;

· being a resource and balance between national
planning and local responsibility, general
ecumenical discussions and particular interchurch
conversations, and regional leadership efforts and
local realities;

· encouraging denominational networks to develop
and serve as a framework within which they can
interact;

· celebrating the unity which already exists among
Christians and searching for ways to overcome the
divisions that remain.

The sponsor for the National Workshop on Christian Unity is the National Ecumenical Officers Association. The invitation to Louisville was initiated by the Kentucky Council of Churches, the Kentuckiana Interfaith Community and the Archdiocese of Louisville.