VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS)-General Board members of American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) approved Sunday an addition to the denomination's Standing Rules that will accommodate those churches of the former Pacific Southwest (PSW) region that may choose not to follow that region's impending withdrawal from ABCUSA.
The change allows churches in such a situation to maintain "covenanting relationship" with ABCUSA for up to 24 months during a transition to another region or membership in a new organization affiliated with the national body.
The PSW region's board of directors voted May 11 to leave ABCUSA because of a long-standing disagreement focused mainly on implementation of the national body's stance on homosexuality. Its withdrawal is to become effective November 1, but the region has already changed its name to Transformation Ministries.
ABCUSA General Secretary A. Roy Medley told General Board members that discussions with the region's leaders as recently as two weeks ago have been conducted "in a spirit of not wanting to do each other any harm, in seeking to bless one another even in separation." National and regional officers are engaged in working out details of the separation, including such matters as disposition of property and status of pastors, he said.
"We continue to work for clarity on issues and resolution of them," he said, noting that the American Baptist Churches of Los Angeles (ABCLA) has been helpful in providing "watch care and oversight" for churches that may remain American Baptist.
Associate General Secretary C. Jeff Woods said it is not yet known how many of the former PSW's 272 churches may decide to keep their current national affiliation. Just over half of those churches took part in an April referendum that preceded the May vote by the directors to withdraw.
Woods said a new Association of American Baptists in the Pacific Southwest (ABPSW) is contemplated, with an informational meeting this fall and a formal organizational meeting next spring.
When the PSW withdrawal was announced, Dr. Medley noted that "though the vote was not unanticipated, we had hoped and had made many efforts to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
The ABCUSA General Board, in plenary session Sunday, passed its addition to the standing rules on second reading after a first reading Saturday. The change in effect approves an interpretation of the rules that will allow churches in the withdrawing region to remain linked to ABCUSA without regional approval or affiliation for as long as 24 months.
In another action, earlier in its five-day meeting, the General Board affirmed a short-term plan to address, over the next 24 months, the situation created by a continuing decline in giving by churches to the fund that supports the denomination's national structure. The General Executive Council of ABCUSA is studying longer-term "adaptive changes" in structure and operations.
One short-term change will be to go to one General Board meeting a year, instead of the present two, although a truncated meeting still will be held this November.
During the past week, board members heard reports on planning for its next biennial convention, June 29-July 2, in Washington, D.C., and for the denomination's centennial, which also will be observed then. The biennial's theme will be "Arise and Shine."
The board also:
*Heard first readings of proposals to modify the way delegates are selected for the church's biennial conventions, and to give chaplains and pastoral counselors "voice and vote" representation on the General Board.
*Passed Standing Rules changes reducing the size of General Board committees and reflecting the creation of the denomination's new Mission Resource Development office.
*Received more than $3,270 through its offering in its Sunday worship service to aid Baptist Children's Services of Philadelphia.
*Set the 2009 Biennial convention for June 25-29, 2009, in Pasadena, Calif.
Andrew C. Jayne American Baptist Churches, USA Mission Resource Development http://www.abc-usa.org/