Thanks, Neil, for sticking your neck out. It is a big step from where synod left us. We, at Eastern Ave. CRC have been trying to start this conversation over the last 2 years - ever since we prepared a new strategic plan for the church. We included a goal stating:
Objective 3: to deepen passion for justice and sustained advocacy with regard to those living on the social margins in local and global contexts
Strategy 2: to create conversational spaces and friendship-building opportunities with those in the gay community for the sake of long term, meaningful participation in the Eastern community of faith
· identify a leader and participants for a dialogical/support ministry
· contact others who are involved in ministries of inclusion and learn from or partner with them as appropriate
· create a “pilot” group/community experience to build relationships and promote experiential learning/awareness for all participants
· enlist the help of the senior pastor and resident theologians to summarize issues-challenges-opportunities related to biblical-theological interpretation in the context of current biological and social science research
· present an inclusion approach/strategy for council and congregational consideration
· engage denominational systems as needed/appropriate
The council now is intentionally working on this goal and your article will definitely lead in the discussion.
It is a long over-due discussion and I am heartened by people like you who are willing to get the ball rolling.
We get all uptight when our stand on homosexuality is exposed, yet we turn down the opportunity to revisit the stand and rethink how we should treat the GBLT person in our midst. Hmm...
Joel Boot writes a blustering article in defense but we dare not actually make a move to change anything. I think it is alot of ado about nothing.
Why doesn't Joel Boot write to the Florida Family Association about their nasty boycott of the the Muslim T.V show "All-American Muslim"? I think that would say more to the outside community who is looking at the CRC.
I work with kids with learning disabilities daily and see that social disabilities often accompany learning disabilities. Hand in hand with these disabilities is bullying. These two topics currently on this site fit together. We do a lot of educating in our churches but the people doing the educating are not always aware of the learning/ social struggles of their students. We should do more educating and have a good method of communicating the needs of our children to the teachers and youth leaders who spend time with them. This is a great forum for such discussion.
Posted in: Pastoral Care, Homosexuality and the Elder
Thanks, Neil, for sticking your neck out. It is a big step from where synod left us. We, at Eastern Ave. CRC have been trying to start this conversation over the last 2 years - ever since we prepared a new strategic plan for the church. We included a goal stating:
Objective 3: to deepen passion for justice and sustained advocacy with regard to those living on the social margins in local and global contexts
Strategy 2: to create conversational spaces and friendship-building opportunities with those in the gay community for the sake of long term, meaningful participation in the Eastern community of faith
· identify a leader and participants for a dialogical/support ministry
· contact others who are involved in ministries of inclusion and learn from or partner with them as appropriate
· create a “pilot” group/community experience to build relationships and promote experiential learning/awareness for all participants
· enlist the help of the senior pastor and resident theologians to summarize issues-challenges-opportunities related to biblical-theological interpretation in the context of current biological and social science research
· present an inclusion approach/strategy for council and congregational consideration
· engage denominational systems as needed/appropriate
The council now is intentionally working on this goal and your article will definitely lead in the discussion.
It is a long over-due discussion and I am heartened by people like you who are willing to get the ball rolling.
Thanks again.
Grace Joldersma
Posted in: The CRC Mentioned on Prime-Time TV
We get all uptight when our stand on homosexuality is exposed, yet we turn down the opportunity to revisit the stand and rethink how we should treat the GBLT person in our midst. Hmm...
Joel Boot writes a blustering article in defense but we dare not actually make a move to change anything. I think it is alot of ado about nothing.
Why doesn't Joel Boot write to the Florida Family Association about their nasty boycott of the the Muslim T.V show "All-American Muslim"? I think that would say more to the outside community who is looking at the CRC.
Posted in: A Virtual Misfits Club for Parents of Children with Disabilities?
I work with kids with learning disabilities daily and see that social disabilities often accompany learning disabilities. Hand in hand with these disabilities is bullying. These two topics currently on this site fit together. We do a lot of educating in our churches but the people doing the educating are not always aware of the learning/ social struggles of their students. We should do more educating and have a good method of communicating the needs of our children to the teachers and youth leaders who spend time with them. This is a great forum for such discussion.