Crisis in the UCC

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Crisis in the UCC
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PresenterRev. Dr. Bob Thompson

• President, Faithful and Welcoming Churches
• Pastor, Corinth Reformed Church
• (A UCC congregation in Hickory, North Carolina)
• president_at_faithfulandwelcoming.org

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This Gathering

• Presenting Faithful and Welcoming Churches (FWC),
  a grassroots UCC renewal movement
• Open to everyone
• Overview
• Introduction (15 minutes)
• Presentation (45 minutes)
• Questions from FWC supporters (30 minutes)
• Open questions and comments (30 minutes)
• Whos here

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Andover, NH March 6


Georgetown, MA March 7

Whitehall, PA March 8
Halifax, PA March 10


Bechtelsville, PA March 9

Youngstown, OH March 11
Elmore, OH March 11

Bloomingdale, IL March 14


Woodbridge, NJ March 5

Boonville, IN March 13

Dayton, OH March 12
Portsmouth, VA March 4


Browns Summit, NC March 11

Little River, KS March 15
St. Louis, MO March 16


Hickory, NC March 3
Hawaii March 21, 22
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Prayer Partners

• office_at_faithfulandwelcoming.org

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Objectives for this Gathering

• Overview the crisis in the UCC
• Connect with others who share concerns
• Identify possible responses to the crisis
• Hear your ideas, concerns, and questions
• Introduce a fresh grassroots response

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The Crisis
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History of the Crisis

• Development of the UCC
• Envisioned by ecumenical movement
• Founded on Christian consensus
• That they all may be one. (Jesus)
• In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty,
  in all things charity. (Petrus Meiderlinus,
  1627)
• Shaped during a decade of turmoil
• More-than-Christian ecumenism
• Willingness to legitimize radically progressive
  ideas (Jennings, Schneider)

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(No Transcript)
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A New Idea

• Judgmentalism disdain exclusion
• Welcome acceptance of person
• Tolerance legitimacy of position
• Affirmation adoption of new understanding
• Advocacy use of resources to promote
• Intolerance directed now to traditional view
• Condescension dissenters maligned
• Punishment use of power to censure

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History of the Crisis

• UCC turning points in human sexuality
• 1972 Ordination of openly gay UCC man
• 1985 General Synod affirms Open and Affirming
  (ONA) position toward gays and lesbians
• 1993 General Synod adds Bisexual
• 2004 God Is Still Speaking (GISS) Advent
  Commercials
• 2005 General Synod 25s equal marriage rights
  (EMR)

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History of the Crisis

• Losses
• Churches and members
• Funding
• Unity and mission

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Contrast

• What we are hearing
• EMR, ONA, GISS are about justice and welcome
• ONA is right, Spirit-driven, and it is the future
• ONA is essential and historic for the UCC
• We may lose some churches funds
• We will compensate for those losses

• What we are saying
• EMR, ONA, GISS are about radical advocacy
• ONA is wrong, unbiblical, a generational blind
  spot
• ONA is at best divisive within and beyond UCC
• The current UCC direction is self-destructive
• We should not have to abandon our roots and
  historic ties

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For many of us, its personal.

• Years or a lifetime of belonging and ministry
• Assault on personal faith and foundation
• Clergy pensions and health insurance
• Church property insurance and mortgages
• Denominational investments and institutions
• Reality or possibility of irreversible separation
• Unattractive alternatives

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Corinth Reformed Church1869-1934
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Corinth Evangelical Reformed Church1934-1970

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Corinth United Church of Christ1970-1992
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Corinth Reformed UCC1992-2005
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Corinth Reformed Church2005-present
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Many UCC Churches Follow a Pattern
Conflict
Each new step usually prompted by action on
national or regional level.

• Awareness
• Protest
• Distance
• Action
• Withdrawal

We do because we can.
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UCC Constitution, Article V, Par. 18

• "The autonomy of the Local Church is inherent and
  modifiable only by its own action. (including)
• Worship
• Name
• Confessions of faith
• Calling of pastor
• Benevolences
• (the right) to withdraw by its own decision
  from the United Church of Christ at any time
  without forfeiture of ownership or control of any
  real or personal property owned by it.

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Summary of the Crisis
Many UCC leaders seem determined to articulate
and market the identity of the UCC as a radically
progressive denomination, especially but not
exclusively on matters of human sexuality.

• without respect for Scripture or historic and
  ecumenical consensus,
• without regard for non-ONA churches (90),
• and without concern for our unity.

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The Response
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FWC aims to give churches a reason to stay.

• Networking
• Visibility
• Advocacy

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FWC SuggestsAlternatives to Withdrawal

• Give FWC time to develop and network
• Connect with others who share your concerns
• Increase activity in Association, Conference
• Change your church name
• Change your church bylaws
• Withhold or designate funds

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FWC Principles

• Faithful and Welcoming Churches seek to be...
• Faithful... to God our Father and Creator, to
  Jesus Christ, our Lord and only Savior, and to
  the Holy Spirit
• Faithful... to the Bible as our ultimate
  authority for faith and practice
• Faithful... to the apostolic faith declared by
  the Church across the years and around the world
  and reaffirmed in our historic traditions
• Faithful... to the preservation of the family,
  and to the practice and proclamation of human
  sexuality as God's gift for marriage between a
  man and a woman

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FWC Principles

• Faithful and Welcoming Churches seek to be...
• Welcoming... to all, as we seek through
  repentance and faith to do the will of God
• Welcoming... to fresh insight from the Scriptures
  that is consistent with our commitment to
  biblical authority
• Welcoming... to new ideas of how our
  congregations may experience health and growth to
  transform our world through the gospel of Jesus
  Christ

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FWC Testimonies of Faith

• Basis of Union (1943) with Interpretations (1957)
• Preamble to the UCC Constitution (1961)
• Lexington Confession (2005)

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Why is FWC fresh?

• Our moment
• Crisis provoked and illustrated by GS 25
• Still Speaking Campaign
• The Rebirth of Orthodoxy, by Thomas Oden
• Internet
• Our strategy
• Prayer
• Presence
• Persistence
• Persuasion

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Why is FWC fresh?

• Our embrace an intentional shift
• From He who is not with me is against me.
  (Matthew 1230)
• To Whoever is not against us is for us. (Mark
  940)
• Our inclusion

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Labels
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What do we have in common?
Incarnation
Transformation
Resurrection
Revelation
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FWChurches(if congregational consensus)

• Maintain unity and mission in the local church
• Register on our web site after official church
  action
• Express a positive, alternate identity
• Help relocating and traveling UCC members find
  you
• Enable FWC pastors and churches to find one
  another
• Increase impact on the regional and wider church

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FWClusters(if congregation does not join)

• Small group in any UCC congregation
• Register on our web site
• Meet regularly and stay informed
• Pray trust in God
• Respect the pastor and church leaders
• Speak out lovingly but openly
• Stay active, support what you can

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FWClergy(pastors other clergy)

• Express your identity and support of FWC
• Register on our web site
• Connect with other FWClergy for support
• Find support if treated unfairly
• Help recruit and encourage new pastors
• Gain insight and support from colleagues

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FWLaity(FWC non-FWC churches)

• Express your identity and support of FWC
• Register on our web site
• Chat on line with other FWCLaity
• Gain discernment and news
• Support the FWC prayer movement
• Help contact other congregations
• Assist with publications and gatherings

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FWChapters(Associations or Conferences)

• For FWChurches, FWClusters, FWClergy, and
  FWCLaity
• Register on our web site
• Meet occasionally for prayer, support, and
  strategy
• Discuss issues of local and regional concern
• Distribute regional e-mail newsletter
• Raise awareness of FWC on regional level

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Faithful and Welcoming

• Faithful and Welcoming Churches by vote of
  congregation or board
• Faithful and Welcoming Clusters if entire
  church or pastor is not supportive of FWC
• Faithful and Welcoming Clergy FWC and non-FWC
  churches, pastors and other clergy
• Faithful and Welcoming Laity whether or not
  church supports FWC
• Faithful and Welcoming Chapters across
  Association or Conference

www.faithfulandwelcoming.org
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Short Term Objectives

• Increase connections
• Join efforts
• Raise awareness and increase respect
• Spread courage to speak out
• Slow exodus of churches
• Address unfair treatment of pastors

www.faithfulandwelcoming.org
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Longer Term Objectives

• Restore the UCCs founding vision of unity around
  Christian consensus
• Reclaim our great heritage
• Recover commitment to Christ and Scripture
• Provide a network for those who stay

www.faithfulandwelcoming.org
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You can help

• Turn in response sheet tonight
• Contribute to FWC individual or church
• Ask your church to wait if considering withdrawal
  and to join FWChurches
• Pay attention to who represents your church at
  Association/Conference
• Consider FWClergy, FWCLaity, FWCluster
• Attend the FWC national gathering July 2-4

www.faithfulandwelcoming.org
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First FWC National Gathering

• July 2-4, 2006
• Grove City, OH (near Columbus)
• For Clergy and Laity
• Inspiring Worship and Keynote Speakers
• Practical Workshops
• FWChapters will meet and organize
• Details on our web site

www.faithfulandwelcoming.org
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A Desperate Plea
www.faithfulandwelcoming.org
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(No Transcript)
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Your Questions Comments(State your name and
church)First, FWC SupportersFinally, Open QA
www.faithfulandwelcoming.org
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Closing Prayer
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Bob Thompson

• Corinth Reformed Church
• 150 Sixteenth Avenue NW
• Hickory, NC 28601
• president_at_faithfulandwelcoming.org