No Bev, that's my real name as originally given by my parents. Not a cover for someone else. -:)
Am 100% born and raised in the Philippines and a part product of your CRWM work in that country through Rev. Maas (now deceased) and Elois Vanderbilt. Settled now in SF Bay Area, ordained as Ministry Associate in the CRC, used to be a church planter through CRHM, now stated clerk of Classis Central CA and parttime staff of the CRC Leadership Exchange. There, those credentials are an open book. If there are questions whether I'm a cover for some white person of European ethnicity, anyone can verify with Rev. Larry Fryling at Christ's Community Church in Hayward, CA. Or, you can click my personal info and photo somewhere here on the Network. When I post (rarely) on the Network, I do it earnestly and with the intent to be of help in our online conversations.
Now before I sound dead serious, let me just say how a few of us (on this forum) are truly (and thankfully) looking at this diversity report with good concern and love for Christ's church in the CRC. Example: I just learned this afternoon there's a classis calling for a special meeting next week to decide on an overture asking Synod 2011 to hear their deep concerns around the diversity report. May our delegates be one in honoring the Lord Jesus and strengthening the body's leadership that had regrettably been shaken recently.
Let me end with a thought: I wish to see more of my Southeast Asian and Pacific Islands CRC pastor-friends engaged in discourses like these. I know they are also concerned with the issues CRC faces as a denomination, in addition to their more immediate needs as emerging immigrant congregations. Since many of them may not be engaged here, I'll try to be a voice for them. Did you know that there must be at least 60 such churches in the US and Canada? These very different Asian people groups worship our Triune God just like you do: Cambodians, Chinese, Filipinos, Hmong, Indians, Indonesians, Karen, Koreans, Pakistanis, Samoans, Thais, and Vietnamese (I may have missed others). Their voices are little heard in the discourse but like you, we've been called by the Lord and we're here among you. Still I hope for the day when they will actively speak up. May their voices be heard and acted upon... binationally, multi-culturally, in a spiritual body that does not do things simply in compliance witih quotas or any form of legalized representaiton.
Bev, I was referring to the sudden, unCRC-like resignations of Jerry and Sandy - about which many of us in the trenches don't know the real behind-the-scene reasons/issues. Could it be this 'people of color' issue is aggravating leadership & political dynamics in our spiritual church body? Whatever the issue/s are, it's still regrettable to see these resignations occur so swiftly and so un-spiritually. (not sure if that's a correct adverbial form for it -:)
Am just wondering what's really behind the unCRC-like resignations at 2850 recently. Power play, personality clashes, or irreconcilable (aka, unChrist-like) differences of convictions about racial issues? If I were not thinking and praying properly, I would have ignored whatever it was and moved on elsewhere, that is outside the CRC. But the thing I'm most worried about is how these could be impacting our young adults, the next generation leaders. Instead of being inspired about a Christlike servant-leadership (Phil 2:6-10) among our leaders, they might be saying "so, the CRC is no different from what's happening outside the church, in government and private enterprises!" I still hope that even if this was their perception, they would instead be challenged and accept to focus and follow the pure servant-leadership example of the Lord Jesus. And that they would, instead of leaving the CRC, boldly step up and continue to be the kinds of next gen leaders the Lord wills them to be. Then of course, this should also apply to the adults among us many of whom may now have turned cynical, skeptical, or overly critical to the point of being insidiously destructive while remaining inside the church.
These may sound negative and defeatist. So let me close this by being reminded of what the Lord said, "I will build my church." Our beloved church family is the Lord's and He knows what's good, perfect and acceptable for all of us. I want to believe that our denominational leadership is being tested and purified by the Lord. And so I pray that all would humbly listen and follow the grace-driven voice of Him whose self-sacrifice redeemed us from and still teaching us how to deal with human-caused inequalities, His way.
(the end... before this turns into a 45-minute sermon, or longer -:)
George, if I sounded like playing the race card, then I apologize. That was not my intent, but just the result of wondering aloud what could have happened. If you see my post as not helpful on this forum, please flag and remove it. Perfectly alright with me. Thanks for your caution. Well received.
Posted in: People of Color in Leadership Positions
No Bev, that's my real name as originally given by my parents. Not a cover for someone else. -:)
Am 100% born and raised in the Philippines and a part product of your CRWM work in that country through Rev. Maas (now deceased) and Elois Vanderbilt. Settled now in SF Bay Area, ordained as Ministry Associate in the CRC, used to be a church planter through CRHM, now stated clerk of Classis Central CA and parttime staff of the CRC Leadership Exchange. There, those credentials are an open book. If there are questions whether I'm a cover for some white person of European ethnicity, anyone can verify with Rev. Larry Fryling at Christ's Community Church in Hayward, CA. Or, you can click my personal info and photo somewhere here on the Network. When I post (rarely) on the Network, I do it earnestly and with the intent to be of help in our online conversations.
Now before I sound dead serious, let me just say how a few of us (on this forum) are truly (and thankfully) looking at this diversity report with good concern and love for Christ's church in the CRC. Example: I just learned this afternoon there's a classis calling for a special meeting next week to decide on an overture asking Synod 2011 to hear their deep concerns around the diversity report. May our delegates be one in honoring the Lord Jesus and strengthening the body's leadership that had regrettably been shaken recently.
Let me end with a thought: I wish to see more of my Southeast Asian and Pacific Islands CRC pastor-friends engaged in discourses like these. I know they are also concerned with the issues CRC faces as a denomination, in addition to their more immediate needs as emerging immigrant congregations. Since many of them may not be engaged here, I'll try to be a voice for them. Did you know that there must be at least 60 such churches in the US and Canada? These very different Asian people groups worship our Triune God just like you do: Cambodians, Chinese, Filipinos, Hmong, Indians, Indonesians, Karen, Koreans, Pakistanis, Samoans, Thais, and Vietnamese (I may have missed others). Their voices are little heard in the discourse but like you, we've been called by the Lord and we're here among you. Still I hope for the day when they will actively speak up. May their voices be heard and acted upon... binationally, multi-culturally, in a spiritual body that does not do things simply in compliance witih quotas or any form of legalized representaiton.
Posted in: People of Color in Leadership Positions
Bev, I was referring to the sudden, unCRC-like resignations of Jerry and Sandy - about which many of us in the trenches don't know the real behind-the-scene reasons/issues. Could it be this 'people of color' issue is aggravating leadership & political dynamics in our spiritual church body? Whatever the issue/s are, it's still regrettable to see these resignations occur so swiftly and so un-spiritually. (not sure if that's a correct adverbial form for it -:)
Posted in: People of Color in Leadership Positions
Am just wondering what's really behind the unCRC-like resignations at 2850 recently. Power play, personality clashes, or irreconcilable (aka, unChrist-like) differences of convictions about racial issues? If I were not thinking and praying properly, I would have ignored whatever it was and moved on elsewhere, that is outside the CRC. But the thing I'm most worried about is how these could be impacting our young adults, the next generation leaders. Instead of being inspired about a Christlike servant-leadership (Phil 2:6-10) among our leaders, they might be saying "so, the CRC is no different from what's happening outside the church, in government and private enterprises!" I still hope that even if this was their perception, they would instead be challenged and accept to focus and follow the pure servant-leadership example of the Lord Jesus. And that they would, instead of leaving the CRC, boldly step up and continue to be the kinds of next gen leaders the Lord wills them to be. Then of course, this should also apply to the adults among us many of whom may now have turned cynical, skeptical, or overly critical to the point of being insidiously destructive while remaining inside the church.
These may sound negative and defeatist. So let me close this by being reminded of what the Lord said, "I will build my church." Our beloved church family is the Lord's and He knows what's good, perfect and acceptable for all of us. I want to believe that our denominational leadership is being tested and purified by the Lord. And so I pray that all would humbly listen and follow the grace-driven voice of Him whose self-sacrifice redeemed us from and still teaching us how to deal with human-caused inequalities, His way.
(the end... before this turns into a 45-minute sermon, or longer -:)
Posted in: People of Color in Leadership Positions
George, if I sounded like playing the race card, then I apologize. That was not my intent, but just the result of wondering aloud what could have happened. If you see my post as not helpful on this forum, please flag and remove it. Perfectly alright with me. Thanks for your caution. Well received.