What a Difference 400 Years Makes
October 31, 2005
Last night I did something that I consider pretty significant. I voted for my church to affiliate with the United Church of Christ.
Though always feeling it was a smart move for the church, I had to struggle with the idea personally.
One conflict was the Reformed theology heritage of most of the denominations that merged to create the UCC. If you've read this blog for very long, you know my opinion of Reformed theology.
Then there was the family connection. The oldest of the denominations that formed the UCC were the Congregationalists who can trace their roots to the Plymouth Colony. I had eight ancestors on the Mayflower. But, then, also among my ancestors were those who left Massachusettes with Roger Williams to form the colony of Rhode Island and along with it the First Baptist Church. They left the Congregationalists and became Baptists because they were radicals, progressive, and wanted the freedom to practice the religion of their conscience.
Now, around 400 years later, I am making the reverse move. I have taken the first step back into the denomination that my ancestors left because I am a radical, progressive, and want the freedom to practice the religion of my conscience, which means that I am now more welcomed by the UCC than the Baptists.
I hope the merge works well for Cathedral of Hope. I believe you know my personal misgivings about UCC. And just to get a little more mileage, I'll repeat the joke.
Unitarians Considering Christ.
Go with God, Scott. Keep doing the good things you've been doing, with or without a denominational backing you up.
Posted by: marty | October 31, 2005 at 06:45 PM
i posted the picts from saturday night on my blog!
love you
mc
it was awesome to see you
Posted by: mary casey | October 31, 2005 at 07:21 PM
How did the vote come out overall?
Posted by: Meredith | October 31, 2005 at 08:21 PM
Scott is a Puritan! Tee hee hee!
Posted by: Kevin Sinclair | October 31, 2005 at 08:30 PM
No, I'll always be a Baptist, I just might find a home in the UCC.
Meredith, no tally yet. Our ballots got Fed-Exed to Dallas today, so they won't be able to count everything until tomorrow at the earliest.
Posted by: Scott Jones | October 31, 2005 at 09:15 PM
iunno, scooter... I think Kevin's argument was QUITE effective.
Posted by: natalie | October 31, 2005 at 09:28 PM
Since your church in Dallas and OKC might have more members related historically to Baptists than the UCC why not also affiliate with the Alliance of Baptists and/or the American Baptist Convention?
Posted by: Carlos | November 01, 2005 at 05:05 PM
Don't know. I'm not on the affiliation committee.
CoH has been in talks with the UCC for years, even before they disaffiliated with the MCC. Our new pastor is from the UCC, and the UCC has taken strong positions on gay equality.
As to the American Baptists, they actually have not yet done so. Even last week they began to fight over the issue again.
I know the Alliance takes positions we can agree with, and we have worked with Alliance churches. I cannot speak for why we would not affiliate there as well, except to say that our historical background as a church is not baptist, but is mainline Protestant.
Posted by: Scott Jones | November 01, 2005 at 05:47 PM