merger that called for "creation and ratification of a union plan within 13 years, followed by some 30 years of federation during which a constitution will be prepared." Among delegates from the eight churches then involved were Methodist theologian Albert Outler, Episcopal bishop Robert Gibson of Virginia, and United Church of Christ minister David Colwell. By 1967, ten churches (including two pairs, Presbyterian and Methodist, which later merged) were members of the consultation: African Methodist Episcopal Church African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Episcopal Church Evangelical United Brethren Church Methodist Church Presbyterian Church in the U.S. United Church of Christ United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. The 1970 Plan of Union Despite intense negotiations, membership of the denominations overwhelmingly rejected the "Plan of Union" when it was proposed in 1970. Much agreement was reached on the first six and a half chapters of the proposal ("From Unity to Union", "What it Means to be God's People", "To Be Members in This Community", "The Living Faith", "This People at Worship", and the first half of "To Be Ministers of Christ"), but when specifics of ministry came up, there was significant disagreement. In 1972 after the devastation caused by Hurricane Agnes in the Wilkes-Barre/Kingston, Pennsylvania, area, the Methodist Church and Presbyterian Church, one block apart in Kingston, considered the wisdom of spending so much money to reconstitute two expensive buildings. Quickly the discussion moved from "Should we merge?" to a discussion of "Is there any reason we should NOT merge?" The pastors talked with denominational leaders and worked on a plan after chatting extensively with COCU in Princeton, NJ, and receiving excellent direction for their idea. In October 1973, the new entity came into existence: The Church of Christ Uniting in Kingston, PA. More information can be obtained from The Church of Christ Uniting, Market Street, Kingston, PA, 18704. Intercommunion A key phrase associated with COCU was “catholic and reformed” (later, “catholic, evangelical, and reformed”). With the failure of the Plan of Union that had become clear by 1972, COCU turned in 1973 to negotiating "intercommunion", whereby each member church would retain its own autonomy and identity, while recognizing the validity of the rites, membership, and ministry of the others and accepting them as true churches. This proposal, submitted to the churches in 1979, was titled "The COCU Consensus: In Quest of a Church