Calvin Synod Herald, 2005 (106. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2005-09-01 / 9-10. szám
8 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Unity (Continued from page 7) at Hedricks Grove United Church of Christ in Lexington, North Carolina to declare our confession on this seventh day of July in the year of our Lord two thousand five. 1) We affirm the faith set forth in the Basis of Union of the United Church of Christ: “The faith which unites us and to which we bear witness is that faith in God which the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments set forth, which the ancient Church expressed in the ecumenical creeds, to which our own spiritual fathers gave utterance in the evangelical confessions of the Reformation, which we are duty bound to express in the words of our time as God Himself gives us light. In all our expressions of that faith we seek to preserve the unity of heart and spirit with those who have gone before us as well as those who now labor with us.” We dissent with all who have abandoned or altered this faith or who believe that our covenantal unity can be renewed or sustained apart from the historic and apostolic faith contained in the Old and New Testament and in the Ecumenical Creeds and Reformation Confessions. 2) We affirm with General Synod 25 our “faith in Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, whose true humanity and divinity are declared in our constitution, our liturgies, our hymnals, and our ecumenical confessions.” We further affirm our belief that that the confession of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is essential for Christian profession, church membership, and ecclesiastical leadership. We dissent with all who reject the divinity, centrality, and Lordship of Jesus Christ, the teachings of Holy Scripture, the Ecumenical Creeds, and Reformation Confessions, or who re-interpret them in manners that violate the historic understanding of these Scriptures, Creeds and Confessions of the truly apostolic and catholic faith. 3) We affirm the overwhelming witness of Holy Scripture, church tradition, the UCC Book of Worship, and the ecumenical church that marriage is between a man and a woman. We urge continuation and strengthening of ecclesiastical, legal, and political protection for the institution of traditional marriage. We dissent with the action of General Synod 25 to support equal marriage rights for same sex couples. 4) We affirm that God is still speaking to the church and the world in our time. We dissent with all who imply that God is asking us to abandon the teachings of Holy Scripture as affirmed by the historic and ecumenical church. 5) We appeal to clergy and congregations of the United Church of Christ who choose to remain in the denomination to affirm the faith set forth in the founding documents of the United Church of Christ and to remain active, vocal members of their Associations, Conferences, and the United Church of Christ as a continuing witness to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the place where God has called them. Apology to Our Jewish Friends and Neighbors For the Action of the United Church of Christ CANDIA, NH — On behalf of the many thousands of United Church of Christ members who opposed any action by the United Church of Christ against Israel at the 25th General Synod in Atlanta, we apologize to our Jewish friends and neighbors both here and in Israel for the action of our Synod and leaders. We recognize that the two resolutions passed by the Synod, one calling for divestment and the other for Israel to “Tear Down the Wall,” create a deepened liability to the safety of our Jewish friends. The resolutions as they were proposed and debated openly equated the only democracy in the mid-east region with the apartheid regime in South Africa and the murderous, enslaving tyranny of Soviet communism. Such comparisons can only serve to encourage anti-Semitism and give comfort to those terrorists who have criminally murdered over 1000 Israeli citizens and maimed over 7000 using teenagers and women as homicide bombers. We recognize with sorrow and deep concern that these misguided actions by The United Church of Christ in General Synod 25 violate our commitment to peace and justice. Indeed they seriously threaten the relationship between Christians and Jews that has evolved since the horror of the holocaust. We must never forget that some of our theological as well as historic roots are in the liberal church of Germany that abdicated responsibility when faced with history once before. By: The Bible Witness Fellowship (BFW) Grant Me Just One Day Again Every day is your gift, my Lord. Forgive it, if I receive that one day without being satisfied. In my greed I want the guaranteeing of not just one day but of years. Grant that I be satisfied with the one day that you have given me, so that I may live that in the way you wanted. Grant me wisdom for utilizing my time. Help me that I may not think of myself or of my loved ones, but of my enemies also. Grant, that I may not carry the sin of unforgiveness within my heart, rather untie me graciously from the bindings of my own sins that I may forgive others to the same extent, as I know that your mercy is mine. Lead me on this day as if this were my last which I consider mine with inner peace and serenity, and which I can make use of as it pleases you. Seeking your will I might stumble and even wound myself as I pass on toward my day’s end. May your Spirit’s guiding power remain with me on this day also. I know well, my Lord, I do not deserve the blessings of your renewed love and goodness upon me. I want to remain near to you; please do not abandon me. Rev. Dr. Zoltán Király Lakeland, Florida
