----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006
7:31 AM
Subject: Important - Please Join
Me
I know that
all of you on this list are
very busy during this season of Lent, but I
am asking that you (and hopefully a lay
person or two) re-arrange your schedules to
attend a meeting with me on MARCH 7th at
7:00 PM at the Byfield Parish Church in
Georgetown, MA.
The meeting is
being sponsored by a group within the UCC
called Faithful and Welcoming Congregations
- please visit their website:
www.faithfulandwelcoming,org
The stated
purpose of the meeting is to give
disaffected churches reasons to 'stay within
the UCC.' We have heard from other
Conferences that this group is encouraging
churches to stay AND withhold all Fellowship
Dues and OCWM Contributions and that they
are seeking churches to sign on to the
Lexington Confession and stay until there is
a critical mass of congregations to withdraw
en masse and form a separate denomination. I
hope these things are not true and that
their purpose is to encourage the full
participation of churches that do not
support the Mariage Equality Resolution.
My experience is
that people behave differently, when there
is a diversity of thought and opinion in the
room, so I believe that it is crucial for
many of us who truly love the UCC and who
also disagree at times and hold very
different theological and social positions
attend this gathering. Please take the time
and effort to stand together as an
Association of UCC Churches and to be
proactive with this group, supporting their
agenda where we can and differing, if
necessary.
Please let me
know by e-mail if you will be able to attend
(their website says that advanced
registration isn't necessary). AND
directions to the Byfield Church are
included below. Blessings - LL
Directions to
the Byfield Parish Church:
Take Route 495
to the Route 97 Exit in Haverhill (the next
exit after Route 110). Follow route 97
through Haverhill and Groveland into
Georgetown. Bear left on North Street, then
right onto Jewett St, then right again onto
Jackman Street. The church is 132 Jackman
Street.
