There was a time...
when I would've been thrilled about GA and all its proceedings. But that was years ago, before all the battles that have worn me down and have sucked the energy from our denomination.
Caterpillar is not the demon. The demon is ruptured relationships that have been ruptured for centuries. But we need a tangible devil and because corporate America is always suspect - therefore, Caterpillar.
I doubt our denomination would be spending all this time and energy on Cat if the bulldozers in question, would have been Komatsu.
For the last twenty years, we've been hashing around the ordination/marriage issue. Look around and see denominations torn apart by this issue. (Episcopalians and Lutherans)Churches have left their denomination and striking out on their own loosely connected networks.
There are two salient points regarding this issue - 1. Benefits - GLT persons are desiring health care benefits with their partners - like married couples. So, it is about money.
2. Acceptance - that their way of life is acceptable in the eyes of the world and the church, regardless of what Scripture says.
I am tired of being backed into a corner by those driving their own agenda and not caring about the whole church.
At this point, I think I no longer care. It will come to be one day, and I will no longer fight it. I trust God's forgiveness in this. I am tired of the energy drain, of the fighting, of being made to feel wrong, of reinterpreting Scripture to say what we want it to say and not what is does say. I am tired.
I just know, that our denomination will tear apart as have the other two and that saddens me greatly. We can do more and witness better to the love of Christ our Lord together than we can do apart and divided. But then, we have a long history of division. It seems almost inevitable.
So, go on then with your bickering, and changing the BOO one word at a time, one line at a time. My prayers are for a united, vital, loving, faithful, enthusiastic church of Jesus Christ with a Reformed theology and heritage and tradition.
I pray for our churches that are languishing, and trying to find their way into and through the 21st century and struggling to be faithful in new ways while still being Presbyterian.
I hope that you will pray for us all as well.