tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200761395363260502.post8256526274337289480..comments2023-05-11T14:01:56.018-07:00Comments on His Scribbler - 2017: Grace Grieving 4: Members denied the right to voteJessica Renshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06772797916085422429noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200761395363260502.post-7733561532683653162012-02-15T21:20:34.331-08:002012-02-15T21:20:34.331-08:00Um, your church has never had voting freedom.
I...Um, your church has never had voting freedom. <br /><br />I was shocked beyond belief when i was there in the mid-80s for the vote for your senior pastor. The church had been without a senior pastor for some time, and in my opinion, was quite desperate. The search committee had made their decision, and then the elders met with him and made their decision. They presented that man to the congregation and asked for a rubber stamp approval. I was one of the few (6 ?) who was opposed. But the way the presentation and voting was done, i'm sorry, i saw no choice given to the congregation. <br /><br />It has evidently been done that way for years. The elders decide and so the congregation says "Yes" with no other option presented. There you have your 90% majority. But currently there is a large faction in your church that can't agree with the elders and so there are huge problems because there is no precedent for working out such problems. The congregation followed before.<br /><br />I'm not meaning to be unsympathetic at all. I am so sorry this is happening. But i don't find it a surprise. <br /><br />The way leadership has been run made this an inevitable problem eventually. You also need to remember that the way church - any church - is run currently is a business, and not much more. THE Church of Christ (not the denomination) is what each of the people of the universal, catholic Church do in their every day lives. That is a huge discussion for another place, but it means that decisions are made that are for the business, not for God or the people of God.<br /><br />I love attending corporate worship and feeling part of the whole in that attendance. But i never mistake any church i attend for THE Church. A building and the way the congregation runs it is a business.Kathrynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03272307621143522274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200761395363260502.post-60809159896074405532012-02-15T12:16:46.357-08:002012-02-15T12:16:46.357-08:00If I had been a member when I attended Grace, I wo...If I had been a member when I attended Grace, I would no longer be one now. I don't attend regularly, but every now and then I like to go for nostalgia and to hear Lou speak. But even if I had been a member, I wouldn't have gone to vote. I love Grace Brethren and all of the people who go there, but my absence from the church negates my ability to vote. If I'm not there to really know what is going on, then I should not have a right to vote. The majority of the people involved in all of this stupid arguing are involved based on hearsay. They don't attend regularly, but they did at one point, and so they take the word of their friends and stand on one side or the other condemning the side that they are not on. I can say that I have been one of these people..but the more I look at the situation, the more my heart breaks for my old church. The problem here is not who is right and who isn't. Look around and see the division that this is causing. Are the elders really the problem? Are the watchmen really the problem? Satan is dividing you all and everyone is letting him do it. No matter who wins in the end, relationships and people will be broken. Is that really winning at all?Jannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10716244422072195474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200761395363260502.post-60925487556961907342012-02-14T20:25:53.703-08:002012-02-14T20:25:53.703-08:00I was also turned away from the meeting. When I t...I was also turned away from the meeting. When I told the gentleman at the back door of the fellowship hall that I believed that I met the criteria to vote but had no packet, he instructed me to go outside to a table for "people with your problem." (not kidding, exact quote). I would like to see the bylaws but they are not on the church's website.DJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14634901157011034007noreply@blogger.com