Archives

You are currently viewing archive for July 2007
The Episcopal Church's actions continue to trouble the rest of the world-wide Anglican communion. As posted earlier, the Lambeth conference is coming up. Some English bishops may boycott if their American cousins, the Episcopalians, have not met the demands of the Dar es Salaam Primates' Meeting. The troubles began when the Episcopalians ordained a practicing gay bishop. Story here.
The Anglican Journal has the story. The schism in world-wide Anglicanism continues to be felt following the action of the Episcopal Church (Anglicanism in the U.S.) in consecrating an openly gay bishop.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has invited all bishops in North America, except Gene Robinson, the openly gay bishop of New Hampshire, to the Lambeth Conference of the world’s Anglican bishops scheduled next year in the United Kingdom.

The Lambeth conference is a regular gathering of Anglican bishops world-wide held every ten years. Official Lambeth website.

For Part 1 click here.

The Reformed Church also demonstrated our two-winged character during debates over social issues.

On the one side, we voted
*65% to 35% to urge our congregations and the General Secretary to "sign the Church World Service petition calling for the reversal of the new policy restricting emergency aid through the Cuban Council of Churches, to engage in letter writing campaigns, and to contact their representatives to call for the United States to 1) lift all aspects of the trade embargo, . . . "
*60% to 40% to encourage "members, churches, and staff to extend the welcome and love of Christ to the illegal immigrant populations in the United States and advocate for legislation that will protect and serve them."
*about 60% to 40% "to encourage congregations to join the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign and to visit the website regularly for updates . . ." and "to encourage congregants in RCA churches to contact their state senators, asking they accept the proposed increase in the minimum wage recently passed by the U.S. House . . ." and to "call RCA employers to review the compensation packages they offer their employees with an aim to provide a just living wage."

On the other side, we voted
*down a proposal to "explore strategies for further diversifying the General Synod body, . . ."
*to refer a proposal to the 2008 General Synod to "make the Reformed Church in America a member denomination in "The National Religious Campaign Against Torture" and to make the opposition of all United States policies that allow or encourage torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners a high priority of the denomination."
*down a proposal that our denomination make known to "U.S. President George W. Bush, . . . our support for "1) the propositions that the United States pursue non-military political solutions to the hostilities in and occupation of Iraq, 2) the quick disengagement of military hostilities in that country, 3) the speedy return of American troops, and 4) the United States to direct its efforts toward economic, social, and humanitarian aid toward Iraq and its citizens; . . ." (more below)

» Read More

Last month I was a delegate to the national meeting of my denomination, the Reformed Church in America. Yes, I did speak often from the floor--for the second year in a row I was quoted in our church magazine's coverage of the meeting.

We have a saying in my denomination: we are a bird with two wings--left and right, East Coast and Midwest, evangelical and mainline--yet somehow we fly. Both wings were evident in Pella, Iowa, last month as we met on the campus of one of our schools, Central College.

Fireworks began immediately during our time of opening business. A motion was made from the floor to "dis-invite" the pastor chosen to lead worship during our several days of meeting, The Rev. Jacqui Lewis. Lewis is Senior Pastor of Middle Collegiate Church in New York City. Middle Collegiate is in the forefront within our denomination in pushing for recognition of same-sex marriages, etc. (website here) After debate she was not dis-invited. In our way of doing things our president is elected to serve a one year term as moderator of General Synod and has the privilege of choosing that year's worship leader, so the invitation was not an official denominational action. But, I think it was a bad choice politically. And, a contradiction of our denomination's stated position on same-sex practice. Some of us boycotted the following worship services. Most of us attended. (more below)

» Read More