Photo commentary: outside the Theatre building. It was one of those days that people just can't stop talking about. I sat and read for not nearly long enough, trying to get some research done for a paper that's been attempting asphyxiation for several weeks now. No headway made.
The United Church of Christ ran a full page ad in the New York Times in response to all the Pastor Wright hullabaloo. It costs $120,000. Here is what it said:
Much has been said about the United Church of Christ in recent weeks, much of it hurtful for many in our country, including members of Trinity UCC in Chicago. That is why we are eager to share the broad and diverse story of
the United Church of Christ, one that we celebrate.
With all Christians, we rest in God’s amazing grace and hear God’s voice in the words of Scripture. Yet, the UCC is unique to some because we do not require uniformity of belief. We are a church of open ideas, extravagant welcome and evangelical courage. Our passion for democracy extends to both government and church, where decision-making rests within each congregation. We support liberty in our pulpits, just as we affirm the individual conscience of our 1.2-million members to agree, disagree and wrestle with life’s biggest questions in a spirit of love.
Our story is this nation’s story. We are the people of the Mayflower. More than 600 of our 5,700 congregations were formed before 1776. Eleven signers of the Declaration of Independence were members of UCC predecessor bodies.
As early abolitionists, we came to the aid of the Amistad captives and founded hundreds of schools across the South after the Civil War. We were the first mainline church to ordain an African-American (1785), a woman (1853) and an openly gay pastor (1972). We were also the first to form a foreign mission society (1810). Our multi-ethnic membership includes persons from every immigrant group, as well as native peoples and descendants of freed slaves.
Our unity is not dependent upon uniform agreement, but in our shared allegiance to Jesus Christ. Ours is a risk-taking church, because ours is a risk-taking God.
God is still speaking.
I feel that the ad was a good one, and that it was money well spent. They took no funds from mission projects; it was mainly paid for through donations from individuals and congregations. It saddens me to think how people will stop at nothing to win. This pastor's words were taken out of context and flashed all over 24 hour news networks in order to discredit a presidential candidate. No care was taken whatsoever for those who are members of his church, for his denomination's reputation, and certainly not his own.I wonder what punishment will befall these people.
