Mainline ecumenical group supports Williamson The Layman Online Monday, January 26, 2004 The Presbytery of Western North Carolina 114 Silver Creek Road Morgantown, N.C. 28655 Dear Presbyterian Friends: Warm greetings to you in Christ. This letter comes to you to express deep concern about the effort of your Presbytery to challenge the ministerial credentials of Rev. Dr. Parker Williamson, Editor of The Layman. For many years, Parker has been a friend and respected colleague of those of us who have shared in fellowship and ministry with him in the Association for Church Renewal (ACR). The ACR is a fellowship of executives in renewal ministries within mainline denominations in the United States and Canada. As President of Good News, a renewal ministry within the United Methodist Church, I have known Parker and worked with him for many years and have the highest regard for his integrity and fidelity to the historic Christian Faith. The effort you have undertaken appears to many of us to reflect something less than the Spirit of Christ. It seems, rather, to be more a personal, even vindictive, attack that is petty and without substantive foundation. For those of us who are evangelicals in this ecumenical renewal community, it appears this action is really an attempt to muzzle the voice of a very responsible lay constituency within the Presbyterian Church USA by attacking the Editor of that constituency's publication, who happens to be clergy. As we renewalists have observed the Lay Committee, interacted with its leaders and read its publications, we believe the foundational principles undergirding its ministry are Scriptural and solidly rooted in the Ecumenical Creeds that we also share. We are stunned to see such action taken against Dr. Williamson and believe it to be wrong in both motive and in spirit. Those of us who have shared in the ACR with Dr. Williamson and the Lay Committee are much impressed with and thankful for their ministry. Those of us representing most all of the mainline communions in North America – United Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Evangelical Lutheran, American Baptist, United Church of Christ, United Church of Canada, etc. – view this attack upon Parker as something of an attack upon us all. I have shared this letter with our member renewal ministries for their endorsement. Their responses have been univocal in support of Parker. You are undertaking an unholy enterprise, it seems to us. We would strongly urge you to reconsider your proposed action. What you are trying to do is terribly unwise. May God direct you as you rethink the initiative concerning Dr. Williamson. Yours in Christ, James V. Heidinger II President and Publisher, Good News Chairman, Association For Church Renewal P.S. The Association for Church Renewal includes the executives and leaders of the following renewal ministries: Good News – United Methodist Church The Confessing Movement – United Methodist Church RENEW Network for Women – United Methodist UMAction/IRD – United Methodist Transforming Congregations – United Methodist Bristol House, Ltd. – United Methodist Theology Matters – Presbyterian Church Presbyterians Pro-Life – Presbyterian Church WordAlone Network – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Evangelical Lutheran Confessing Fellowship – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America American Baptist Evangelicals – American Baptist Church American Anglican Council – Episcopal Church Anglicans United – Episcopal Church Institute on Religion and Democracy – Ecumenical Touchstone Journal – Ecumenical Biblical Witness Fellowship – United Church of Christ Focus Renewal Ministries – United Church of Christ Community of Concern – United Church of Canada National Alliance of Covenanting Congregations – United Church of Canada

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