North Pacific Union Conference Issues Call to Prayer for Annual Council

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Spectrum Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the North Pacific Union Conference GleanerNow website. It is reprinted here in its entirety:

Call to Prayer for Annual Council 2018

GLEANER EDITOR’S NOTE: Many Northwest members are concerned over specific efforts by the General Conference administrative committee to encourage worldwide unity through measures of compliance. There are legitimate questions on differing sides of the discussion on what these plans are designed to accomplish. While some applaud efforts to achieve consistent compliance in global church practices, others worry that recent and proposed actions are in opposition to the church’s long-standing democratic governance structure.

In preparation for the Oct. 11–17, 2018 Annual Council meetings, when the General Conference executive committee will more formally act upon these issue, where does the North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) stand? The short answer is: We stand in the need of prayer. It seems clear to us that decisions made in this year’s meetings may indeed affect the nature of our church and its mission for years to come.

At this time, there has been no NPUC executive committee action on an official position statement regarding issues of unity and compliance.

However, NPUC leaders are issuing a clear call to prayer, with specific principles and values of our church in mind. These values include honoring the wisdom of representative governance, where local churches, conferences and unions are trusted to adapt methods of our corporate mission appropriate to their own communities and territories. They include a time-honored principle that the strength of our world church flows up from the grassroots, not from the top down. Our unity as a people is not centered on committee action. Unity is found in our collective connection to Jesus, God’s Word and the Spirit’s call upon our hearts.

Therefore, Sabbath, October 13, is designated as a Day of Fasting and Prayer. We encourage Northwest members to join others around the world field then and throughout the Annual Council meetings, asking the Spirit to move the hearts of those who will vote to determine future directions for our church.

Below find the four Call to Prayer messages that will be issued online and via our social media each week leading up the Annual Council.

To be informed, read more on the actions of the General Conference administrative committee, including additional perspectives and responses in this critical discussion leading up to Annual Council. Several links are provided below.

SEPT. 20 … Unity in Mission

Our North Pacific Union Conference mission is to share hope and wholeness in Jesus — the essence of the Three Angels’ Messages. Unity in our church is found when we respect each other, even in our differences, to follow our Christ-centered beliefs and mission. Ellen White had it right: “Nothing can perfect unity in the church but the spirit of Christ-like forbearance.” We draw closer together when we draw closer to Jesus and truly become brothers and sisters as the body of Christ.

Please pray with us that decisions made in this year’s Annual Council (Oct. 11–17, 2018) will embrace unity in mission by exhibiting respect for one another in the spirit of Christ-like forbearance.

SEPT. 27 … Representative Governance

Our world church’s representative form of governance, affirmed by Ellen White, enables every level of the church to adapt appropriate methods of mission to their territories. Inflexible policies or procedures can too often be counterproductive, creating roadblocks for mission. Different levels of the world church are more effective when they can adapt methods to carry out mission within their unique cultures.

Please pray with us that this year’s Annual Council meetings (Oct. 11–17) will trust God’s Spirit to empower every level of our world church to appropriately apply the mission to their unique territories.

OCT. 4 … Trust in Jesus

The disciples learned it on that wild and windy night on the lake. It’s a lesson we must also learn — to trust Jesus, even in the midst of storms. Our trust in Jesus calls us to look to Him for solutions, both in our personal lives and for the mission of our world church. We look away from human politics, and turn to steadfastly focus on Him. As the body of Christ, we are called to move forward together on a journey of faith as He provides the strength and wisdom.

Please pray with us that those who cast their votes at this year’s Annual Council meetings (Oct. 11–17) will trust Jesus for divine solutions. May God’s Spirit be the source of all that is done and said.

OCT. 11 … May God’s Love Prevail

Annual Council meetings begin today and continue through Oct. 17. Northwest church leaders have joined others from around the world in Battle Creek, Mich., where so much of our church’s history is centered. May each member of our world church executive committee recall the wisdom of our early pioneers on church governance balanced with Scripture and the Spirit’s leading. May they heed Ellen White’s warnings against human effort supplanting God’s Spirit.

Please pray with us that we will allow Jesus to be the center of every discussion and every decision. Pray that each world church leader will be inspired by God’s Spirit, God’s Word, God’s wisdom, God’s love, God’s power and God’s solutions.

Read More

This article by the Gleaner Editors was originally published by North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) Gleaner/GleanerNow.com and is reprinted here with permission.

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at http://spectrummagazine.org/node/9037
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Although for twelve years I have owned a home in Portland Oregon, I have chosen to never transfer my church membership from the Pacific Union Conference to the NPUC.

Why ?

Because I did not want to affiliate myself with an entity that does not practice gender equality and egalitarianism.

Conferences in the PUC have appropriately honored their women pastors by ordaining them.

The Pacific Northwest is one of the most liberal / progressive / enlightened regions in the United States, if not in the world. Both US senators from Washington State, have for decades been women. The current governor of Oregon is a woman. Alaska has a long term woman senator, not forgetting Sarah Palin, former governor.

However, the Adventist membership in that area does not reflect the values of the broader community when it comes to women’s rights and women’s equality…

“Compliance “ and “unity” are code words / camouflage / cover ups meant to distract from the real underlying issue, a widespread misogyny in the Adventist church typified by the heinous heretical, headship dogma.

Like the Catholics, NPUC Adventists want to keep women in their place, that is cleaning up after the Sabbath potluck, rather than preaching from the pulpit.

Like the National Rifle Association’s response to gun violence, “thoughts and prayers “ are despicably inadequate when broader more définitive action is required : restoring basic equality to our NPUC women pastors.

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Prayers are not enough, Brethren and Sisters: We are all equipped with mind and conscience. Most of our seriously shocked church members recognize the danger of the proposal and see the misfurtune. There is no other way to refuse and reject the document. Everything else – I would state - is a kind of "divine temptation".

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Who,was the first to spread the Good New? Graham Maxwell used to tell this story…at times he and his department chair would disagree. The chair would suggest that they prayer over the matter…Graham would agree… As they got up off theirs knees the chair would ask now do you agree and Graham would say with all do respect NO.

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I am done with praying for those people who are determined to perpetuate the shameful discrimination of women.

Those are the same people who are now working hard at a higher level, trying to assault the Unions’, stealing the Unions’ authority as traditionally exercised by the Church.

If I ever prayed for anything in this shameful process it would be for the ousting of the whole GC group that is manipulating everything possible to subvert the established power of the Unions.

OUT with those people!

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If the prayer is in order it should include, Thy will be done. I personally think that God will like the false assumptions of a perfect final generation et al play out to its final folly. Certainly Ted is playing his role perfectly.

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…including all other church members!
Dans le contexte de la proposition ADCOM cette citation est une pure moquerie : "L’Église adventiste du septième jour a eu une longue et distinguée tradition de défense de la liberté religieuse pour tous, pas seulement pour les membres de l’Église,“ – Dwaine Leslie, Directeur des Affaires Législatives del’Église adventiste et agent de liaison avec le Congrès des États-Unis. That’s simply Fake News in regard of the planned suppression of religious freedom and control of conscience of the church members, including penal measures against church leaders. That’s simply enough, I can‘t digest this!

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LOL… Maybe they think nobody can read/understand French…
Yes, “pure moquerie” indeed. It seems that they believe everyone but them are complete imbeciles.
Well…, regarding those in the “Congrès des États-Unis”…, maybe it applies to them, and they may believe him… The majority in the Congress believes and supports Trump. Therefore… :wink: :roll_eyes:

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Ellen White was at Elmshaven.
The SDA president was in Battle Creek, MI.
Ellen White has written a number of letters to Headquarters there at the time.
The president was in confusion as to know what to do.
He spent days on a train with coal fired locomotive to California. And took the
wagon ride to Ellen’s home.
He knocked on her door a LONG TIME.
Finally someone came to the door. He stated he needed to see Ellen to get a
MESSAGE from the Lord.
She sent a message [refused to even come to the door and say “hello”.
Her message was – the Lord has NO MESSAGE for you. You ignore what I
advised you to do in my letters and refused to act on them. I will not see you.
The president had to take the ride back to the train station. Catch the train and
return to Battle Creek.
++++++ Moral of the story is this – Asking God what to do when one KNOWS what
to do is an act of futility and an AFFRONT to God and to the Holy Spirit.

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The first reason for fasting & prayer–is for God to impress on our hearts the value of keeping our organizational Status Quo. To feel very thankful that God has given our leaders wisdom to make the right choices for everyone else. Then to support their decisions, even if we don’t agree. For this is what God wishes. Prayer will open our eyes this.

The second reason for prayer & fasting–is our members to know that we are a “grassroots” not “top-down” in church management. I wonder how do we have “time-honored representative governance” where decisions are made by a chosen few miles away from membership and still at the same time be “grassroots”? We can’t have it both ways? Can we? If we were really are “grassroots” driven congregation we would invite an open townhouse meeting where all who wished could have a voice and a vote.

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Are you saying that members should violate their consciences to support anti-Trinitarian heresies, headship heresies, and to reject the Priesthood of ALL Believers?

Are you also saying that at every level in the church (local, conference, union, division, etc.) we need to activate compliance committees and invite members to begin reporting their fellow members/brothers/sisters for discipline?

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Sorry, this never entered my mind. I feel all top-down management is troubling in its king-making policies.

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Thinking of forming a “compliance committee” to investigate all members of my family living in our home. I will be on the committee, and my wife will be investigated person since nobody else lives in our home now.
Fair?.. :roll_eyes::innocent:

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‘Prayer’ . . . without first taking action ?

This quote from Ellen speaks for itself:

"All are doubtless familiar with Achan’s case. It is recorded in sacred history for all generations, but more especially for those upon whom the ends of the world are come. Joshua lay moaning upon his face before God because the people were obliged to make a disgraceful retreat before their enemies. The Lord bade Joshua arise: “Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?” Have I humbled without cause by removing My presence from thee? Does God forsake His people without a cause? No; He tells Joshua that there is a work for him to do before his prayer can be answered. “Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also.” He declares: “Neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.” {3T 520.1}

“Here in this example we have some idea of the responsibility resting upon the church and the work that God requires them to do in order to have His presence. It is a sin in any church not to search for the cause of their darkness and of the afflictions which have been in the midst of them. The church in ----- cannot be a living, prosperous church until they are more awake to the wrongs among them, which hinder the blessing of God from coming upon them. . . .” 3T 520

I believe the general principle being applied to a specific case by Ellen, now applies specifically to the Achan-like, over-reaching GC power-grab. Pray on your feet !

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