A pastor’s musings on fatherhood, religion, life and everything

     This morning I was reading the April 2006 edition of our denominational magazine, Messenger (http://www.brethren.org/genbd/messenger).  The title for this month was entitled, "Being the Church: What does it mean to be together?"  For the past few months the denomination has been investigating whether or not the church can find a common ground for respectful conversation – even with those with whom we disagree!  My understanding behind this is that our denomination is simply reflecting the polarization of United States society.  Regardless of what terms you prefer to use: liberal and conservative, blue state and red state, so on and so forth, one must admit that there are becoming increasingly, sharp divisions and segments within the population.  The church as it is composed of members of society is simply reflecting what has already been seen within society.  The Church of the Brethren is no exception to this.  There are continually splitting factions within our denomination and unless we can come together then we will cease to be. (for better or worse)

      So it is especially pertinent to our denomination that we find ways in which we can come together rather than divide, or we at least need to see if we are still able to come together or not.  Feeling optimistic that we can still come together regardless of our differences, I opened the magazine for a look.  I felt even more encouraged as I saw an advertisement on the inside cover for the cross cultural luncheon at our denomination's annual conference.  Then on page one was listed the index of articles written with "Being the church," heading the list on page 8.  Things were going well so I flipped to page two and read the publisher's note and on to the next page for "Around the denomination," a page that highlights what has been happening within the church.  My good feelings went away quickly as I read what had happned within the Atlantic Southeast district (Florida and Puerto Rico).  I learned that the district board at a recent meeting had went "on record" that same-sex marriages will not be be performed or blessed in the district's churches or by its pastors.

     How quickly is it that we have moved from all coming to Christ's table to having a guest list for only a selected few – the frozen chosen.  It just really burns me up that we (the church) have worked so hard at excluding our sisters and brothers who may be different than we are.  Why is that we think that we're so right and that they are so wrong?  Or why does there have to be "us" and "them?"  Such contradictory and hypocritical statements are being made within our denomination, and we wonder why our members are leaving like rats on a sinking ship?  More on this later.