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GC2004 Updates

NIC VOICE General Conference Update (#58) Church Within a Church Movement Sets Course

 

NIC VOICE is a network of laity in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church.

 

If you have links to GC2004 Reports that may be of interest, please send the link to:  nicvoice@nicvoice.org. 

 

If you are unable to read this update, please go to www.nicvoice.org where the reports are being posted on-line.  When posted on-line, this will be the link and description:

 

·        NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 58   (Church Within a Church Movement Sets Course)

 

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NEWS FROM:  CORNET

CORNET stands for COvenant Relationships NETwork. CORNET seeks to continue the tradition of hosting worship services that celebrate and witness to same-gender covenant relationships in United Methodist churches and resists actions that try to withdraw this means of grace from same-gender persons. It also seeks to educate people about this concern; therefore this web site includes links and some materials that do not agree with CORNET's views.

 

From:  "umcornet" <umcornet@y...>

Date:  Fri Oct 22, 2004  10:37 am

Subject:  Church Within a Church Movement Sets Course

October 22, 2004

Church Within a Church decided to press forward in its Christian

mission with a four-pronged strategy.

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Church Within a Church Movement Sets Course

For Immediate Release

October 22, 2004

 

Chicago, Illinois: The progressive grassroots Church Within A Church

Movement in the United Methodist Church, met October 14-16 in Chicago

for its regular semi-annual Coordinating Team Meeting. The agenda

included joining a larger meeting of multiple progressive United

Methodist caucuses to learn more ways to eliminate racism so prevalent

in our society and church.

 

In its own business meeting, Church Within a Church met primarily to

focus on its continuing mission, "To BE church in a fully inclusive

way," in response to legislation of the 2004 United Methodist Church

General Conference. While concluding that the legislation pertaining

to Gay and Lesbian persons constituted a hostile stranglehold of

legalism never before seen in the UMC, and acknowledging the need to

more forthrightly continue the fight against racism, Church Within a

Church decided to press forward in its Christian mission with a

four-pronged strategy:

 

1. Enumerate and embrace anti-racism practices in all that we do in

order to cut through the cultural blindness that fails to see racism

in all its forms present in our church and society.

2. Continue to implement new church/ministry starts as models of

innovation for Christian ministry with integrity.

3. Plan for a process of "irregular" ordinations leading to gainful

employment when qualified persons are denied calls to ministry simply

because they are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender.

4. Develop and distribute inclusive Christian resources for smaller

congregations to use to grow up children who are inclusive themselves.

 

The group celebrated the current new ministries in California, Ohio

and Massachusetts in their ongoing development. Plans to raise funds

to encourage more progressive/inclusive church plants were

established. It was determined that an inductive method of leavening

the general church with new ministries was more feasible for the time

being than creating a parallel bureaucratic institution.

 

In a related action, members of Methodist Federation for Social

Action, Reconciling Ministries Network, Affirmation, Church Within A

Church and individuals from ethnic caucuses who support a more

inclusive, anti-racist church, gathered at the Chicago Temple for an

anti-racism workshop, on Friday, October 15. These groups met with

their respective members before and after the workshop to consider

their own business and the feasibility of establishing a progressive

alliance. As a result of the presentations and dialogue among the

groups, an informal "progressive coalition" was formed and groups were

asked to establish representatives for future meetings.

 

Church Within A Church had one unexpected visitor. A reporter,

traveling from Virginia, from the conservative Institute on Religion

and Democracy's Faith & Freedom publication registered without

divulging his press credentials. Since the meeting was not open to the

press, the reporter, who arrived during the group's evening meal, was

informed of the press restriction, invited to join the group for

supper, and asked to leave the site when finished eating. The reporter

declined the invitation to dine with the group and left immediately.

 

In further business, the coordinating team was reorganized so that

anti-racism work would be an integral part of its mission. Church

Within a Church will now have three Co-Coordinators. The cumulative

experience of these leaders will support well the inclusive mission of

Church Within A Church to BE a church that welcomes all celebrating

race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The geographic

representation of the members of the coordinating team spans coast to

coast:

 

Co-Coordinator / Anti-Racism - Rev. Gilbert Caldwell, Denver, CO

Co-Coordinator / Irregular Ordination - Rev. Greg Dell, Chicago, IL

Co-Coordinator / Progressive Coalition Liaison - Rev. Cheri Holdridge,

Toledo, OH

Secretary - Rev. Karen Mitchell, Lenexa, KS

Progressive Coalition Liaison - Rev. Susan Morrison, Marblehead, MA

Communications - Mr. Michael Shear, Palm Springs, CA

Staff Marketing / Development Director - Ms. Cathy Knight, Chicago, IL

New Church / Ministry Development - Rev. Kevin Johnson, Palm Springs,

CA

Curriculum Resources - Mr. Don Kuntz, Creston, OH

Anti-Racism Liaison - Dr. Patricia Groves, Toledo, OH

 

Organized in February of 2002, Church Within A Church is a grass roots

response to actions of the United Methodist Church General Conference.

Refusing to commit itself to remaining within the United Methodist

denomination or leaving it, the progressive movement declares its

mission: "To BE Church in a fully inclusive way." An 11-member

coordinating team, which meets twice a year, guides the group.

 

Contact Information: Cathy Knight, Marketing/Development Director,

Church Within A Church. 3344 N. Broadway Chicago, IL 60657. Phone:

773.348.2679. Email: cknight72@a...

 

 

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NIC VOICE Reports on GC2004 are on-line with descriptions at:  General Conference Reports.

 

Updated NIC VOICE Report Directory

The following NIC VOICE GC2004 reports link to reports, articles and commentary, including UMNS, Reporter Interactive, Good News, Confessing Movement, Institute for Religion and Democracy, Reconciling Ministries Network national and PNW, Affirmation, CorNet, SoulForce, links to various video, audio and transcripts and more:

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 36 (press reports, Commentary and reports from AC's in the North Central Jurisdiction)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 35 (press reports, Commentary and reports from AC's in the Western Jurisdiction and Illiff Seminary)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 34 (press reports, Commentary:  HOW SHALL WE DEAL WITH UNITED METHODIST HERETICS)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 33 (press reports, Commentary:  IN THE END WHAT DID WE ACCOMPLISH)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 32 (press reports, A Statement of Conscience by Bill Hinson)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 31 (Today at General Conference Newsletter - May 7 and more)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 30 (press reports, Resolution on Church Unity)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 29 (press reports, Statement by Dr. James V. Heidinger II, Good News)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 28 (Today at General Conference Newsletter - May 6 and more)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 27 (UMNS:  Conservatives consider 'separation' of United Methodist Church)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 26 (press reports and reports from various advocacy groups)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 25 (press reports on proposed UMC split)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 24 (IRD Press Release:  An Amicable and Just Separation)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 23 press reports, Commentary:  FUNNY BUT SAD)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 22 (Today at General Conference Newsletter - May 5 and Text for Judicial Council Decision 985)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 21 (IRD Press Release:  Renegade Bishop Participates in "Gay" Church Service) 

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 20 (press reports and reports from various advocacy groups)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 19 (press reports and reports from various advocacy groups, commentary, Judicial Council elections)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 18 (Today at General Conference Newsletter - May 4 and more)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 17 (UMNS Daily Wrap-Up - May 3 and more)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 16 (press reports and reports from various advocacy groups)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 15 (Reports from PNW RMN and from Delegate Mark E. Williams)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 14 (press reports and reports from various advocacy groups)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 13 (Today at General Conference Newsletter - May 3 and more)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 12 (press reports and reports from advocacy groups, Commentary:  THE LANGUAGE OF THE SHEPHERD)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 11 (press reports and reports from advocacy groups, Commentary:  A CERTAIN PEACE) 

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 10 (UMNS Daily Wrap-Up - May 1 and more)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 9 (Judicial Council Decision 984 and UMNS - GC asks court to re-examine acquittal of lesbian pastor)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 8 (UMNS Daily WrapUp - May 1 and more)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 7 (press reports and reports from various advocacy groups)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 6 (UMNS Daily WrapUp - April 29 and more)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 5 (press reports and reports from various advocacy groups)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 4 (UMNS Daily WrapUp - April 29 and more)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 3 (press reports and reports from various advocacy groups)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 2 (Today at General Conference Newsletter - April 27)

·         NIC VOICE - GC2004 Updates 1 (How to Watch/Listen to GC2004, Council of Bishops Pastor Letter, 04/26/2004)

 

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