Covenant News - Ministerium Approves Human Sexuality Report

Covenant News

Ministerium Approves Human Sexuality Report

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (June 22, 2004) - A recommendation on the subject of human sexuality was approved during Monday afternoon's Covenant Ministerium Annual Meeting for presentation during business sessions of the 119th Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) in progress at the Hyatt Hotel here.

The Ministerium responded to a motion brought by the Covenant Board of the Ordered Ministry, which was directed by last year's ECC Annual Meeting to consider the matter after a delegate to the Rosemont meeting, Jeremy Males, proposed a "Resolution on Sexual Morality" that was referred to the board for consideration.

David Kersten, executive minister of the Department of the Ordered Ministry, led the discussion along with pastor Dwight Nelson of the Libertyville Covenant Church in Libertyville, Illinois, who is a member of the Board of the Ordered Ministry.

The Ministerium voted to bring the Board of the Ordered Ministry's recommendation to delegates of the ECC Annual Meeting during a voice vote. The board had already been exploring resources to help churches deal with the many issues relating to the subject of human sexuality, said Nelson, who serves as board secretary and was a member of the committee that helped shape the document.

"We want the biblical and theological work to be done carefully," said Nelson as he discussed the recommended document. "It was a decision to collect the various statements the church had made and to see it as an adequate foundation for us. I think the work that has to be done is to help pastors with their ministry in today's society. But I think the statement reaffirms who we are and that it is an adequate position for us to take."

Kersten said the current report and the 1996 Resolution on Human Sexuality that it references deals with the reality "that we must use discipline in our sexual lives every day" and provides a proper frame of reference to discuss matters pertaining to the subject of human sexuality.

Doug Bixby of Salem Covenant Church in Washington Depot, Connecticut, suggested the resolution does not go deep enough in addressing how Covenanters can care for others facing difficult issues relating to human sexuality, how to deal with same-sex marriages and how to respond to those engaged in a homosexual lifestyle or who have family members doing so. Philip Rohler of Aberdeen, Washington, stated that the report fails to address specific issues of divorce - whether those who had divorced should remarry and whether divorced people should hold leadership positions in the church.

In other news:

The Ministerium approved those recommended for Ordination to Word and Sacrament and those Ordained to Specialized Ministry. They also approved the commissioning of three individuals and acknowledged the transfer of ordination of a dozen others. An ordination service will be conducted this evening (Tuesday) at First Covenant Church in Minneapolis. A listing of ordinands and those commissioned, as well as their educational credentials, will be found elsewhere in the online Covenant news coverage of this year's annual meeting.
The Ministerium approved that nine ordained pastors be moved from Ordained Active to Ordained Inactive status. They approved that one pastor have his ordination revoked and one other pastor have his ordination restored.
As part of his Department of the Ordered Ministry report, Kersten discussed the recently approved Sustaining Pastoral Excellence (SPE) program being coordinated by the Department of the Ordered Ministry and North Park Theological Seminary. The program received a $1.67 million grant from the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment, Inc., last fall. Daniel Pietrzyk, the newly named director of the program, was introduced. The grant includes a spiritual director training element and various restorative measures to better care for pastors and staff members of Covenant congregations.
The Ministerium approved a proposed 2004 budget of $57,200 and also the increase of dues for pastors from $45 to $75 per year.
Delegates elected Merrie Carson as vice secretary of the Covenant Ministerium, according to Ministerium President Brad Boydston of Cornerstone Covenant Church in Turlock, California.

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