*As a means of staying connected
with folks across the Presbytery in my capacity as Moderator this year, I plan to
regularly post “letters” to the Presbytery.
Your responses are not only welcomed but encouraged via phone, email,
letter, and Facebook!
March 15, 2012
Dear Friends,
As we gathered for Sunday School at
the Ronceverte Church this past week, someone asked our elder commissioner how
Saturday’s Presbytery meeting went? She
said, “Good…bad…and good.” I think that
sums it up fairly.
The morning hours featured a
powerful worship service and an educational training session. “Good!”
After lunch there was a period of significant debate surrounding
three Committee on Ministry (COM) recommendations, relating to a few churches
who are leaving the denomination. “Bad.”
Finally, we heard good news from the pews and an inspiring testimonial
on Bluestone. “Good!” (By the way, this was the first time we tried
the new meeting format approved overwhelmingly in December by the Presbytery
based on the Jeremiah 29:11 report, which worked very well!)
But I admit that the afternoon
controversy captured much of my attention.
I woke up at 4:30am Sunday morning troubled, not by the debate itself,
but by its tenor. My soul ached as the
debate replayed in my head. Ached.
Throughout this week, I’ve
wondered: Where do we go from here? As
much as I would like for the entire family to be united in our relationship
with Christ despite our theological differences, the chances for our family to
remain fully together right now seem slim.
A few churches will probably petition the Presbytery to leave under the
policy we adopted in December.
If those few churches do so, for
goodness sake, let’s conduct ourselves honorably and gracefully. Let’s treat each other with the dignity we
all deserve as children of God and members of the Christian family. For the sake of tender believers. For the sake of our children. For God’s sake, since this is God’s church,
not ours.
Presbytery of West Virginia, I
implore you to join me in prayer for our Presbytery as Paul instructs the
church in Colossae (Col. 1:11-12): May
you be made strong with all the strength that comes from God’s glorious power,
and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully
giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of
the saints in the light.
Please also know that our
Presbytery leadership is prayerfully acting in response to last weekend’s
meeting. I’ve been in touch with the
Chair of the Committee on Ministry, the Interim Executive Presbyter, the Acting
Stated Clerk, and the Chair of Council.
We all are working to ensure that the Presbytery learns from the past so
that we are better prepared for the future.
May God bless you, your family,
your church, and your Presbytery of West Virginia.
Grace & peace,
Rev. Stephen Baldwin, Moderator of the PWV
1 comment:
I just realized that I am a follower of your blog. That was a nice, thoughtful letter. It was a hard discussion, both in subject matter and in confusion. One thing that was good about it from the standpoint of the pews: we were all glad it wasn't our first time moderating a Presbytery meeting.
nellie
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