[ed note: this article was originally written by Rebecca Zelensky for the Indiana Christian.]
On Sunday, June 25, 2006, Central Christian Church (DOC) in Terre Haute, IN passed a motion to officially join the list of Open and Affirming churches. The journey that led to this momentous decision has been a long one filled with many struggles and even more Spirit-filled rewards.
Many at Central credit the beginning of this process to Phil Ewoldsen who joined the congregation in 1988. Ewoldsen, who left a successful and much-loved career as a Disciples minister, was very forthcoming with the congregation about his sexual orientation and his relationship with his life partner. He quickly became an active member of the church. In 1991, Ewoldsen was asked if he felt called to be an Elder. Although Ewoldsen was eager to serve in this spiritual role, at that time other Elders and members of the congregation were not ready to accept an openly gay man as one of their elders. Ewoldsen continued, however, serving in other areas of ministry at Central as well as working on a regional level with clusters and CYF events. Approximately three years later, Ewoldsen was again asked to serve as Elder, and this time he was widely accepted by others in the church.
Another critical event for Central occurred when the congregation was in the search process for a new Senior Minister in 1995-97. Ewoldsen expressed his deep desire to once more pastor a congregation and asked Central to consider calling him as their new minister. When the congregation voted, those in favor of calling Ewoldsen were in the majority, but it was still not enough to call a new pastor. Although heartbreaking for Ewoldsen, he stayed at Central and his dedication to Christ and to the congregation has never wavered.
In 1999, Ewoldsen and others at Central chartered a local chapter of GLAD (Gay, Lesbian, and Affirming Disciples). Within a year the group grew from six participants to thirty-two, including several children who attended with their parents and five college students from Terre Haute institutes of higher education. Many of the people who attended GLAD meetings and events also became active members of the congregation.
At the same time, the then pastor of Central, Rev. Verity Jones, invited Rev. Linda Patrick-Rosebrock, former pastor of Augusta Christian Church in Indianapolis and a registered nurse, to lead a study on the issue of homosexuality and the book that Patrick-Rosebrock has written. The average number of those in the congregation who attended the ten-week small group study/discussions was fifty (50). Conversations were lively and positive even though people disagreed on the issue. In 2002, the Elders and Rev. Jones organized another study using materials from Listening to the Spirit: A Handbook for Discernment, published by Chalice Press. Again, the study was well received and the possibility of becoming an Open & Affirming congregation was discussed, but no decision was made.
A Diversity ministry was created at Central in 2003 to name the areas of diversity within the congregation, to find ways to celebrate this diversity, and to identify those in the larger community who may need an intentional invitation to be part of the faith community. The Diversity ministry is not limited to addressing the issue of sexual orientation, but certainly keeps it in mind as part of life at Central.
In December 2004, after a great deal of time and discernment, the congregation adopted as its Vision Statement: God calls Central Christian Church to be a welcoming and open faith community where Christian love, action, and discipleship unite. Following the adoption of this vision, questions continued to be raised about how the congregation could grow in its inclusiveness of all people. It was becoming obvious to many, however, that we were an Open & Affirming church in practice if not “officially.”
Then in Spring 2006, after several newer members realized that Central was not on the list of O & A churches, they attended the March Board meeting to make the motion to bring the issue to the congregation. Much thoughtful discussion ensued and the Board members unanimously agreed it was time for the congregation to consider becoming Open & Affirming at its June meeting. They also thought it was imperative to allow members time for prayer and further discussion.
To guide everyone through the process, certain key elements were addressed and plans were made to involve the entire congregation in the next step of this journey. Communication was a top priority and information was shared during worship announcements every week as well as in the monthly newsletter. The Elders discussed the motion and its impact at their monthly meetings. The Diversity ministry organized two Open Forums, both in April, one held immediately after worship and one held on a Sunday afternoon. The forums opened with prayer and then attendants were asked to write questions or comments (anonymously) on slips of paper. All the questions were read and discussed, and anyone who wanted to speak was invited to come to a microphone. The forums ended with prayer and singing.
Rev. Rebecca Zelensky, current Senior Minster, preached a sermon early in the process that lifted up the desires of all involved to be faithful, regardless of how one understands homosexuality and the church. She acknowledged the pain and loss of friends and beloved members of the church who had left over the years because of the issue of homosexuality and inclusiveness. She encouraged the congregation to officially claim what they have been practicing for a long time, but also added, “The true test of our faithfulness in God and in each other is not whether we become Open & Affirming at this time; the true test of our faithfulness, the true test of our witness in Christ, is how we go about this process. Living and sharing Christian love is about being respectful of each other and caring for one another especially when we don’t agree or when we are challenged to go the next step in the journey together.” Rev. Zelensky also invited members to talk with her directly if they were uncomfortable talking in front of everyone at the Open Forums.
Concerns and questions included:
Long time member Paul Myers also expressed the discomfort of some at “voting” on the issue. “When there is a vote, there are winners and there are losers,” said Myers. Many others agreed, and as a compromise the congregation decided it would require at least 80% of its members to agree to the motion before adding our name to the list of O & A churches.
Worship on June 25 was a joyous occasion and the mood of the congregation was one of positive anticipation as the meeting began. After votes were collected and other business addressed, everyone spent time in fellowship as results were tallied. The votes to become Open and Affirming were more than 80%. After the decision was announced, out of respect for those still struggling with the issue, the congregation refrained from applause and closed the meeting by singing And They’ll Know We are Christians as a sign of their unity in Christ.
Rev. Zelensky said, “I think this is one more step for us as we strive to fulfill the vision we believe God is calling us to. We are formally claiming on paper what we have lived for a long time. I give thanks to God for the hard work of leaders like Sara Ritter, Moderator, and Judy Vasbinder, Diversity Chair, and I am very proud of the loving, respectful manner in which everyone conducted themselves. Of course, now we need to start praying and discerning what God wants us to tackle next!”
| GLAD Alliance Inc. P.O. Box 44400 Indianapolis, IN 46244-0400 |
glad@gladalliance.org | return to www.gladalliance.org |