In the years leading up to 1832, both Thomas and Alexander Campbell had traveled extensively to connect congregations to their Disciples movement. 1832 became “the year of the great handshake” when the Campbells’ Disciples movement and Barton W. Stone’s Christian movement joined their efforts to call for the unity of all Christians.

Winfred Ernest Garrison in his book An American Religious Movement (CBP, 1945) said that the “union between the Disciples and the Christian churches in Kentucky and the adjacent states west of the Alleghenies was an event of the utmost importance for the whole movement. Since the churches of both groups exercised a high degree of local independence, union could not have been brought about by any binding act of conferences and conventions, even if there had been general conferences or conventions in either party, as there were not. It had to depend upon a contagion of fellowship between their congregations in many communities. But the process was rapid, and the union may be dated as of 1832.”

Note Garrison’s words…everything depended on a contagion of fellowship between their congregations and communities. That is precisely what Great Communion Sunday depends on. Will you help us spread this contagion of fellowship?