Title: Church planning and plan to end racism highlight board work
Date: August 3, 1998
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: news@cm.disciples.org
98b-46
INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- The General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), meeting July 25-28, engaged in a new process of churchwide planning and endorsed a series of training events aimed at eliminating racism in church structures.
In a series of exercises over nearly two days, the board identified six "vital issues" to be addressed by the church as it works to be faithful to the key tenet of the Mission Imperatives 1996-2000: "We believe God calls us to strengthen congregational life for this mission."
The vital issues are: evangelism and witness; spiritual vitality and faith development; leadership development; congregational hospitality, diversity and inclusiveness; justice, reconciliation, service and public advocacy; and strong worship life.
Moderator Michael Mooty, Lexington, Ky., urged the board to maintain responsibility for the planning process. "We've invested a lot of time, energy and thought in coming to this point," he said. "It will remain our responsibility that these issues be met and dealt with in the lives of our congregations."
Mooty and General Minister and President Richard L. Hamm later named a 12-member "mission council" to carry the planning process forward. The council will appoint "vital issue teams" and explore the formation of "covenantal partnerships" to propose and implement specific programs and ministries related to the issues.
The anti-racism training approved by the board was recommended by the discernment steering committee on racism. It anticipates that in six to eight years all expressions of the church will have trained anti-racism teams. Six to eight teams initially will receive the special training, to begin this fall.
This is a change from the original discernment plan first to focus on racism in North America. "The steering committee decided that before the church could deal with racism in North America, we needed to deal with it inside the church," said the Rev. Lori Adams. She is minister of transformation in the Office of the General Minister and President.
The discernment process wasn't aimed at determining "whether racism is wrong or not," said Hamm. "We know it's wrong. We're trying to discern how it operates in our day-to-day lives" and to move to eliminate it, the GMP said.
The GMP called the proposal "different than anything we've ever done as a church," recommending it for every Disciples member and minister.
Crossroads Ministries, a faith-based consulting firm, will lead the introductory workshops. Crossroads currently is working with eight other U.S. denominations to address racism in their structures, according to Adams.
The board also appointed a steering committee to guide the church's third official process of discernment. This body will address the participation of gay and lesbian persons in the life of the church.
In addition, the board proposed a new commission to carry on from what had been a "process of discernment" on the nature of Biblical authority. Referring the issue to the new panel essentially will close it as a discernment item. In this case, the discernment process is "not the most helpful model to address this issue," Hamm said.
The proposed "Commission on Faith and Understanding" would be available to help research and report Biblical perspectives on difficult issues under discussion within the church. It would stand as a ready resource to consider issues and offer responses in a subsequent General Board meeting or General Assembly.
In other action, the board approved a reelection process for the general minister and president. Current GMP, the Rev. Richard L. Hamm is eligible for another six-year term. If his reelection is approved by two-thirds of the Administrative Committee and two-thirds of the General Board in 1999, the General Assembly will make the decisive reelection vote in October.
During the meeting board members were thanked for Week of Compassion's support of a special camp for children affected by a March 24 school shooting in Jonesboro, Ark.
Contributions from the Disciples relief and development ministry underwrote 10 percent of the camp budget. WOC also arranged transportation for the 69 student participants, four of whom were wounded during the tragedy.
The Rev. David Gill, director, called the effort at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center near Little Rock, "a special ministry that would not exist without your love and caring."
The July 26-31 camp offered music therapy, story telling and other sessions "that are part of a hope-filled and healing curriculum," according to Gill. "What a wonderful witness to bringing ultimate triumph out of tragedy!"
The General Board's offering of $3,383 was designated to the Domingo Rodriguez Scholarship Fund for Hispanic seminary students. The fund is administered by the Central Pastoral Office for Hispanic Ministries.
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