I can't understand why the CRCNA is a "participating member" of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), which appears to be a political advocacy organization that is pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel. CMEP's most recently political advocacy campaign is "#CeasefireNOW" (https://cmep.org/takeaction/action-alerts/), which fairly characterized is a political effort that opposes the government of Israel and favors Hamas (the government of Gaza).
I'm not suggesting the CRCNA should take a different political side, but rather not take a side, nor encourage CRCNA congregations and members to take a side.
Personally, I believe advocating "#CeasefireNOW" ultimately does great injustice and harm to Gazan Palestinians who would greatly benefit -- in a justice kind of way -- from the elimination of Hamas, as well as to the people of the nation of Israel. But that's my political opinion and I would never suggest that the denomination adopt it. But, why should the denomination adopt/support/endorse a contrary political stand, which it does by its "participating membership" in CMEP?
US Churches (most states, perhaps all) can file "Assumed Business Names" (ABN, also known as a DBA) and doing that is a much less involved process than "changing the name". Filing an ABN amounts to having the legal right to use a "nickname," while changing the actual incorporated name involves more than that (filing amended or restated articles).
Now, it may be that the church wants a "name change" (not merely the right to use a nickname/ABN), but filing an ABN involves less than changing the name.
Churches are not required to file 990's and so they generally don't. But if you use the method of "checking the change name box" in a not-required 990 form, that does nothing in terms of changing the name of the church, at least if the church is an incorporated entity. Corporations, including changing their names (and DBA's) are state law matters, not federal law matters. A form 990 is a federal law (IRS) matter.
Posted in: Continued Prayers for Peace in the Middle East
I can't understand why the CRCNA is a "participating member" of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), which appears to be a political advocacy organization that is pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel. CMEP's most recently political advocacy campaign is "#CeasefireNOW" (https://cmep.org/takeaction/action-alerts/), which fairly characterized is a political effort that opposes the government of Israel and favors Hamas (the government of Gaza).
I'm not suggesting the CRCNA should take a different political side, but rather not take a side, nor encourage CRCNA congregations and members to take a side.
Personally, I believe advocating "#CeasefireNOW" ultimately does great injustice and harm to Gazan Palestinians who would greatly benefit -- in a justice kind of way -- from the elimination of Hamas, as well as to the people of the nation of Israel. But that's my political opinion and I would never suggest that the denomination adopt it. But, why should the denomination adopt/support/endorse a contrary political stand, which it does by its "participating membership" in CMEP?
Posted in: Process for Church Name Change?
US Churches (most states, perhaps all) can file "Assumed Business Names" (ABN, also known as a DBA) and doing that is a much less involved process than "changing the name". Filing an ABN amounts to having the legal right to use a "nickname," while changing the actual incorporated name involves more than that (filing amended or restated articles).
Now, it may be that the church wants a "name change" (not merely the right to use a nickname/ABN), but filing an ABN involves less than changing the name.
Posted in: Process for Church Name Change?
Churches are not required to file 990's and so they generally don't. But if you use the method of "checking the change name box" in a not-required 990 form, that does nothing in terms of changing the name of the church, at least if the church is an incorporated entity. Corporations, including changing their names (and DBA's) are state law matters, not federal law matters. A form 990 is a federal law (IRS) matter.