Greetings all. I wonder how many others have read Tony & Peggy's story. I think it is an excellent coverage of the situation and comes from an evangelical's experience.
But I do wonder whether or not their personal differences can be applied to UCA members today. Clearly their differences are very small compared with the differences we are trying to hold together in our church. Really, they differ only on the subject of homosexual ordination. They agree on such things as homosexuality not normally being something that is chosen. They agree that it is not "evil" or something that can be normally be "cured". They both have a great affinity with the homosexual community. I don't think it is difficult to live within a relationship and have discussion when there are so many points of common agreement. I think the situation in the UCA is very different to this and it is much harder to live together in community when we have people decrying homosexual sex as evil and sinful on one hand and on the other are people saying that for some people it is natural and we need to understand that. Can we continue to live with this sort of tension? I don't know. I know we seem to be able to manage as long as nobody brings the subject up but of course that only works until a Gay or Lesbian wants to join the church or become a leader. What do others think? Allan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Webb" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "insights-l" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, September 01, 2003 5:55 PM Subject: is there anybody out there ... > > who is in or knows of a congregation that recognises there are > differences within (over the proposal 84 issue) but is adamant about > living with the tension and getting on with business; to stay together > for the sake of the community; because they recognise without each other > their ministry is depleted ... that sort of thing; something like what > is demonstrated by these folks > (http://www.bridges-across.org/ba/campolo.htm) > > the sort of thing Terence Corkin is trying to identify in this month's > assembly update (see later emails) > > it would be good for the rest of the church (and wider community) if > there were such a congregation that was prepared to reveal its secrets > > you know where i am > > cheers > > from stephen and marjorie at the hard copy insights > > -- > > > Stephen Webb > Media Officer > Communications Unit > NSW Synod, Uniting Church in Australia > Box A2178, Sydney South, NSW 1235, Australia > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Phone: +61 2 82674308; Fax: 92674716; Web: nsw.uca.org.au/cu/ & > insights.uca.org.au/ > ------------------ > The Communications Unit publishes the monthly magazine Insights, > conducts public relations for the NSW Synod of the Uniting Church, and > provides a variety of communications services. These include writing, > editing, web consultation and development, desktop publishing and > graphic design, public relations and advertising. > For a consultation or free estimate on your project call the > Communications Unit at (02) 8267 4307. > > > ------------------------------------------------------ > - You are subscribed to the mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] > - To unsubscribe, email [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put in the message body 'unsubscribe insights-l' (ell, not one (1)) > See: http://nsw.uca.org.au/lists.htm > ------------------------------------------------------ > ------------------------------------------------------ - You are subscribed to the mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe, email [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put in the message body 'unsubscribe insights-l' (ell, not one (1)) See: http://nsw.uca.org.au/lists.htm ------------------------------------------------------
