From Carmen Lau, board chair:
In June, some friends of Spectrum will hike 100 kilometers on St. Cuthbert’s Way. St. Cuthbert was a seventh-century Christian leader. Removed from the 21st-century zeitgeist that features emotional contagion, we will walk in a liminal space, literally in the Borderlands, between Scotland and England. This is an opportunity to recalibrate and untangle some things.
Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to soak in the lovely countryside of the British Isles (hopefully not soaked by the rain) and be refreshed by friendships and conversation about the experience of being a follower of Christ. Blessings on all who journey with you.
Wait. The president of Weimar has been added to the General Conference Executive Committee? Let’s start with this:
“Later that day, Dr. Nedley called Ms. Osadchuck and explained that Dr. Araya confessed to overstepping his boundaries with her and said he would resign from his position as VPAA (Vice-President Academic Affairs). Dr. Nedley also told Ms. Osadchuck that Dr. Araya could potentially stay hired with the Education Department.”
I don’t know if Weimar did keep Dr. Araya on staff. I don’t care. What matters is that Dr. Nedley was willing to entertain the option of keeping him! I don’t need to share here the complete story behind the above quotation. It is easy for any of you to look it up.
“Pull together. Pull together,” is the cry. And that is what the boy’s club is doing.
I spent over 50 years immersed in Adventist approved reading. My own “swept under the rug” Adventist abuse case seemed irrelevant. After all, it was more important for me to be part of the remnant, right?
It has shattered my foundation, the past few years, to delve into educating myself about my denomination and come to the realization that intentionally blinding its members by withholding information (whether about historical discoveries or current affairs) is the norm.
To realize that when “The Holy Spirit was with us today” is another way of saying, “We got our way,” on any given topic at any given meeting…I feel utterly deceived.
I know there are those who are fighting for change from within. I thought it was possible. But I no longer believe that. I believe the iron bands are too strong. Jesus didn’t say the organized institution was the remnant. I am now ready to believe that the remnant will be those who have not only hung out at the margins, but have crossed over the boundaries to live His gospel on the outside. Not any easy decision to make!
Part of the problem is that we have people who have spent decades in administrative positions and who have not experienced a congregational position in recent times. Some administrative positions are needed, others are not. In any case, those who hold administrative positions should be rotated into congregational positions. This would allow them to experience Adventism as it is experienced by our members and their pastors. In addition it would allow more of our congregational pastors to expand their knowledge of the mission and ministry of the denomination.
The typical response to this suggestion might be that it could never happen. Well, Jim Bauer, of the Desert Valley SDA Church in Arizona is an example of such taking place. He has in his professional life rotated between administrative positions and that of a congregational pastor. In each he has been successful and is presently an excellent local pastor.
Personally I think that it might be time for Jim to serve this denomination on a higher level, in an administrative position–perhaps that of GC President. Well, that is unlikely to happen. After all, the typical perception of the local pastor considers that person to be on the bottom rung of the denominational success ladder. In actuality that local pastor is the most important denominational leader that exists.
So, sorry Jim, this denomination is unlikely to consider you for positions in leadership in which you would do well. And, in my personal view of your view on that you will be quite satisfied to remain in the most important denominational position that exists–that of the local pastor.
This might be a good time to take a closer look at the Anglican Church and what they could offer for your spiritual journey.
Error Correction: Jim Brauer has retired from denominational employment and is no longer the lead pastor at the Desert Valley SDA Church. However, he remains a member of that congregation.
Maybe spend some of that time on the walk to realize why stone walls were made, dispose of stones, make boundaries and subdivide the property, and show skill. Maybe not really much different from any other fences and walls. Of course, in the USA we say good fences make good neighbors, so again not really much different. Maybe since they are 200 years old they are more romantic. Then again you can see Hadrian/s wall, which is not a boundary but a defense and way older than the stone walls you will crawl over.
Last time I checked, Douglas E. Batchelor’s name appears among those who receive their ministerial credential from the Northern California Conference.
A Freudian slip? The parallels are blatant. These guys play politics under the veneer of religion and faith.
It’s pathetic. Sand castle building should be done by children at the beach, not by mature adults in the real world.
Frank
Yes…let’s rotate Ted Wilson to the Death Valley Adventist Church. Great idea.
No…he, most likely, got his credentials from the University of Phoenix.
This topic was automatically closed after 14 days. New replies are no longer allowed.
