When the United Church of Christ aired television commercials depicting a church literally ejecting people from a sanctuary there were howls of protests from conservative Christians. No one ejects people from church! No conservative church would ever turn someone away as the UCC commercials suggested! Oh really......
From American Baptist Press:
FLINT, Mich. (ABP) -- On Aug. 29, Woodside Church became the first American Baptist congregation in Michigan to be disaffiliated by its local "sister churches" because of its stance on homosexuality.
The North Area Baptist Association, a 10-county group of Baptist congregations belonging to the American Baptist Churches-USA, voted 18-3 to break ties with the church because of its acceptance of gays.
According to church leaders, Woodside will remain a Baptist congregation, although the 275-member church might have to join with a Baptist association in a different state.
"We believe Jesus, as we know him and understand him through the gospels, teaches us to love everyone just as they are without judgment," Woodside pastor Deborah Kohler said in the story. "There is nothing they can do to keep us from being Baptists. We can find other churches to connect with."
The showdown over homosexuality has been brewing for several months. In May, Woodside Church decided to join the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, a pro-gay organization. That act made some of the convention's more conservative churches begin the process of disassociation.
The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists has 55 member congregations nationwide. Member congregations publicly endorse all church members "without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity, and who have joined together to advocate for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons within Baptist communities of faith," according to the group's website.
Ken Pennings, the executive director of the group, said that by approving the vote to disassociate, the North Area Baptist Association has "severed itself from one of its most vital, healthy, energetic, Christ-centered congregations...."
The church is the city's oldest Baptist church, according to the Journal. It also affiliates with the United Church of Christ.
The next thing you know there will be churches ejecting people for being women...
Naw. That would never happen.
