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January 2003 letters Struggling congregations don't need added expense January 30, 2003 I read with interest the letter from the pastor of the Westminster Canton church. He writes about the "hate-filled" communications he received from those who disagreed with the action of the session of Westminster. While I am saddened that the session did what they did, I certainly would not communicate with any other colleague in a way that did not uphold the vows of my ordination. Isn't it interesting, however, that the letters I read on this site before getting to his letter used some of the most hateful, threatening, inflammatory language that I have heard in a long time among Presbyterians? I don't find this kind of conversation going on in other areas of the church – even among those who disagree most strongly with the views found on this site – and, in the end, I tend to feel that such viciousness will not win the day. The response of our denominational leaders was just as I had hoped it would be. Our congregation struggles each day in an attempt to provide a faithful witness in the midst of a community in desperate need. Our resources fall woefully short of meeting those needs. The thought of spending $500,000 on an unnecessary meeting when we have hungry children outside our door each morning makes me question the priorities of those who feel such a meeting necessary. Of course, I understand that the setting in which we are each doing ministry and the ministry we are involved in day-in and day-out has much to do with what we think important and what we think trivial. I hope that the day will come when we welcome all those whom God has called into the ministry of the church. And, until that day, may God save us from developing mean, litigious spirits. Rev. Mary Gene Boteler Brighton Presbyterian Church Zanesville, Ohio Pastor applauded for refusing to attend meeting January 30, 2003 I applaud Pastor William Pawson for refusing to attend the "private meeting." I was invited to a "private meeting" at the request of my PCUSA pastor. I was told the meeting would be "moderated" by an elder. Instead, it was just me, the pastor and two session elders. The moderating elder didn't show. After hearing them out regarding their complaints that I was "too visible" in the church, we agreed to end the meeting. But upon rising to leave, one of the elders suggested that we all agree to say, if asked, that this meeting "never happened." The pastor concurred. Needless to say, I am no longer a member of that church, nor am I a member of the PCUSA. Any member of this denomination willing to speak their minds and share their hearts based upon sola Scriptura should watch their backside. As the man told Elisha, "There is death in the pot." John Ramsey Medina, Ohio To Catholics, Mary is a co-redeemer January 30, 2003 Why should anyone be surprised that a Catholic theologian would say that Mary is a "co-redeemer" with Christ. That is their theology and should be expected when such a speaker is invited to talk to a church group. Keith Curran A response to the De Moines overture January 30, 2003 I am writing in response to the article regarding the Presbytery of Des Moines and their attempt to overturn the fidelity/chastity ordination that is presently in effect. I guess it comes down to Jude 1:4 "For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." Yes, God is a loving and forgiving God, but only when we humbly admit our sins. And if any of us come to Him for forgiveness, God will always forgive anyone with a truly contrite heart. But God did not show his "reconciling love" to the men of Sodom, nor will he to those who go along with permitting sin because it is the fashion of the day. Jesus said in John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" I urge anyone involved with voting against any part of the fidelity/chastity ordination standard to read your Bible and ask, "What do I hear? Barry Bower Mooresburg Presbyterian Church Danville, Pa. Straining at gnats and swallowing camels January 30, 2003 I've been reading and re-reading Matthew 23 because there is a phrase that keeps jumping out at me in Verse 24. Are we perhaps straining at gnats and swallowing camels? Margaret E. McClain Appropriately PHEWA January 30, 2003 At least PHEWA has an appropriate acronym. Pete Simpson Bloomington, Minn. Denomination is beyond reform January 30, 2003 It's time to wake up and smell the coffee! Attempting to work within the system to reform this denomination will not work. The recent special General Assembly flap clearly shows that. The reason it won't work is simple: There aren't enough conservatives left in the denomination to pull it off. If you take the Confessing Church Movement as a guide, it would appear that somewhere between ten and fifteen percent of the denomination is what one could call conservative or evangelical. There's a similar number on the liberal end of the spectrum. The bulk of the denomination is sitting on the fence. They live in Laodicea and are neither hot nor cold. Their commitment is to an institution. They cannot be counted on to do anything towards renewal because their commitment to an institution leads them to defend the status quo. It's time for a gracious, mutual separation and division. It's time for someone of sufficient stature to step forward and say, "Follow me!" and lead us out of the wilderness the PCUSA has become. Joe Cannon Midway, Ga. PCUSA Politburo wins this round January 28, 2003 It looks like the PCUSA Politburo has won this round. As was the case in the Soviet Union, a non-elected and non-responsive bureaucracy is struggling to retain power. However, the winds of perestroika are blowing in the denomination. Thanks to the actions of a few courageous individuals, the corruptness of our denominational bureaucracy is being exposed for all to see. Charles P. Preston Jr. Tappahannock, Va. Denominational leaders make big mistake January 28, 2003 Our denominational leaders made a tragic mistake by subverting this legitimate call to meet. But we will be making an even greater one if we look to polity or organization to heal our wounds. Calling sin what it is, is NOT a mistake. The apostasy of the leftists exceeds even the boundaries of the rule of law. Not content to just violate God's word, they now blatantly violate the agreements made between members of the denomination. They now openly thumb their noses at the Book of Order and the repeated consensus of the denomination as to ordination standards. Failure to hold them accountable to that behavior would allow them to take the next step: outright marriage for homosexuals. We do not look for healing in polity; we look for order and accountability. We also look for a mechanism to excise the lawbreakers from our midst. We look to leverage the behavior of the lawbreakers as a mechanism for motivating the sleepy pew sitters and the timid pastors to "do the right thing." The incredible willingness of the soft "renewal" leaders to take a conciliatory stand with these leftists is how we got here. Even today, I would bet there are those in leadership who wring their hankies and whine: "Can't we all just get along?" One wonders if they were doctors, would they say the same thing about cancerous cells? Once the cancer is cut out of the patient, we can get about the process of restoring our theology. We must not only disinfect our denomination but we must do likewise to our seminaries. I, for one, would not entertain ANY graduates from Union Theological unless they had a statement of faith approaching J.I. Packer! Dan Greenblat San Diego Refusal to call meeting is the end of the line January 28, 2003 Refusal of the Moderator and Stated Clerk to call a Special General Assembly is much more than a snub of cause: It's the end of the line for attempts to administratively correct the Presbyterian Church (USA). The refusal says, "It can't be done this way." Conservatives have been checked by a simple refusal. Will they yield? Now we will see not only who has moral courage but also who is in touch with reality. Gary Starkey Yakima, Wash. |
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