new church life: november/december 2014
yet having both lay men and women
conduct private or family worships,
such as in classrooms or at home. We
also will continue to welcome all lay
men and women to search the Word,
share their insights and participate in
the uses of the Church.
With that said, I have a sincere
hope that we can enhance and find
additional ways for laity – men and
women – to respond to the Word. We
strive for a church that encourages
people to share their perceptions and
be involved in church uses.
I have been perplexed and
saddened that the Theta Alpha Journal,
a wonderful source of feminine
perceptions and wisdom, seems to have fallen into disuse. The unique traits
of the feminine mind bring a warmth and connectedness to church life that
could not exist otherwise, in addition to their perceptions from their loves and
the Word. How might we better recognize distinct masculine and feminine
contributions and promote them?
I am not certain what might come of an exploration along these lines, but
I will be asking Consistory how we might constructively go about it. I am also
encouraging our pastors to engage with the laity in their congregations in how
to better integrate respect for, listening to and honoring of the masculine and
the feminine in the life of their congregations.
Concerns: I have many. One is that the topic of ordination has become
polarized, and many people have their minds made up. Some do not agree with
the doctrinal application of a male-only clergy and are unlikely to support the
decision to continue this policy.
Unfortunately, this is not the only area where there is disagreement. We
face similar challenges when dealing with when to perform remarriages after
divorce, sex prior to marriage, the elements of the Holy Supper, and several
other areas. In these it appears that attempting to follow the Word produces a
“tough” stance that hurts people and discourages some from participating in
the Church.
We do need to come from the Word, which is what makes us a church.
But we also need to accommodate to people in their current states with their
understandings and feelings. We need to reach out to everyone, and even if
we do not agree or cannot do what they want, we need to be sensitive to them
I have a sincere hope
that we can enhance
and find additional
ways for laity – men and
women – to respond to
the Word. We strive for a
church that encourages
people to share their
perceptions and to be
involved in church uses.
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