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American
Baptist Churches of the Northwest Fail to Expel Two Seattle Welcoming &
Affirming Congregations
SALT LAKE CITY, UT-- An attempt to
change the bylaws to expel churches that are members of the Association of
Welcoming & Affirming Baptists failed by eight votes at the Biennial
Convention of the American Baptist Churches of the Northwest in Salt Lake City,
May 18-21. It was the second attempt in three years to make change to force
Seattle First Baptist Church and University Baptist Church in Seattle, out of
the Region. The vote of 161 in favor and 92 against was short of the two thirds
needed.
The proposed change in the bylaws of the Region would have added the following
criteria for dismissing a church:
"If the member congregation joins or maintains membership in any
organization which affirms the practice of homosexuality as being consistent
with Christian teaching, (e.g. The Association of Welcoming & Affirming
Baptists), thus disrupting the unity of the Region. The Region Board shall
notify the congregation that it must resign from membership in such organization
or resign from membership in the American Baptist Churches of the Northwest. If
within six months the church has not resigned from membership in such
organization, the Region Board shall notify the church that membership in the
American Baptist Churches of the Northwest is terminated."
Seattle First Baptist and University Baptist were accused of "disrupting
the unity of the region" in the failed proposal, however, it is a handful
of conservative churches in Idaho, eastern Washington and Montana that have
sought to be divisive. Seattle First and University Baptist are churches that
have a divers and inclusive ministry that includes people of different ages,
races and backgrounds. The churches welcome and affirm lesbian and gay
Christians but that is only part of the divers ministries of the two churches.
Yet, because of their membership in an organization that some conservative
churches do not like, they have repeatedly sought to find ways to expel two fine
and historic American Baptist churches.
Following the failure of the proposed bylaw changes, and deciding that the
Region was not able to address the issue of homosexuality, a vote was taken find
a way to restructure the Region. Apparently if they can’t get rid of the
Welcoming & Affirming churches, there are those within the Region that are
prepared to divide it, thus eliminating that which they see as undesirable. The
vote to institute such a restructuring was 184 in favor and 46 against. The
recommendation of a study panel for restructuring will be brought to the Region
for a vote at its next biennial convention in 2002.
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