May 10, 2005
Dear Friends and Colleagues in Ministry,
Thank you for registering for the Jerusalem Council on May 13, 2005 in Des Moines at 9:00 a.m. and going until 4:00 p.m. We have over thirty registrations, which means we should have adequate time to listen to one another. Lunch will be provided by “In the Bag” corporate cuisine. A donation is requested toward the cost of the lunch bags.
Our Minister’s Council President, Joe Kutter will be with us to give an overview of the Jerusalem Council process nationally. We are looking forward to having him join our facilitator, Paul Kondy for this event.
The Jerusalem Council is a chance to listen carefully to our colleagues. The objective of the Jerusalem Council is not to come to a conclusion, or consensus of thought. There will be no votes. May 13 will include a time of preparation, engagement with Acts 15 in a form of spiritual reading, personal testimony and witness and time for Jerusalem Council conversation around a set of questions. Come expecting to be able to make a very brief, two to three minute statement of personal testimony or scriptural interpretation.
This is a Minister’s Council sponsored event for clergy. You need not be a member of the minister’s council to attend. Lay people who are not in paid professional ministry, are not eligible to attend.
Again, our Jerusalem Council will be held in the inspiring, Rodholm Room of the Humphrey Center, at Grandview College in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, May 13, 2005 starting at 9:00 a.m. and going until 4:00 p.m. Please try to attend the entire day.
The narrow issue before us is that this year the MC Senate will consider what defines a Senator in good standing. Specifically, can a homosexual person serve as a Senator? (See the attached Proposed By-Law Amendment) The Senators in attendance will be listening in order to give voice to the collective wisdom of our brothers and sisters. The broader issue is this; Can we respect each other’s positions and with integrity continue to live together as American Baptists? Our Theological Conference speaker, Melanie Debaufre Johnson put it another way- “can the center hold together?”
To further prepare for the Jerusalem Council go to: www.ministerscouncil.com Click on the Jerusalem Council process box and go to the suggested readings section. There are several word files that can be downloaded. I recommend that we all read the word documents by Vic Gordon, Mar Imsong and Stephen Jones.
In Christ’s Service,
Cheryl R. Thomas
Mid-ABC MC, President