Bishop Ough and Rev. Dr. Donald Messer helped launch a new book entitled "Celebrating God's Love:  Living Into Christian Unity and Interreligious Relationships” in Berlin, Germany, during the Council of Bishops meeting on May 4.

Photo: Bishop Bruce R. Ough, Dakotas-Minnesota Area and Rev. Dr. Donald Messer share a copy of the book "Celebrating God's Love" that they both contributed to.  Photo courtesy of Dakota Wesleyan University.

Bishop Bruce R. Ough is the resident bishop of the Dakotas-Minnesota Area and Dr. Donald E. Messer, DWU alumnus '63 and former DWU president, Denver, Colorado, both contributed chapters in the book that was edited by Messer.

Messer addressed the Council, warning about schisms threatening a breakup of The United Methodist Church and increasing political pressures in the United States that encourage enmity among Muslims, Jews, and Christians.  

In the study book designed for laity and clergy, Ough joined two other United Methodist episcopal leaders, Bishop Rosemarie Wenner of Germany and Bishop Warner Brown of San Francisco, in emphasizing that it is "obligation, not an option" for Christians  to maintain God's gift of unity and to always work to "enhance interreligious relationships."

Both Ough and Messer champion ways that churches can work in ecumenical and interfaith ways to promote international peace, justice, and health care.   Messer chairs the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund and Ough was elected President of the Council of Bishops, beginning in 2016.  

The book can be purchased in either hard copy or electronically at Amazon or Cokesbury.