Unity in Colorado

[Gregory Matthews]

Unity Communion Service Brings Together Colorado Springs Churches  »  Church members from Rocky Mountain Conference and Central States Conference came together for a joint communion service March 23. “It was a historic event,” said Mike Maldonado, pastor of the Colorado Springs Central Church.   The gathering took place on the campus of Springs Adventist Academy in Colorado Springs and brought members from four Colorado Spring congregations -- Central Church, South Church, the Colorado Springs Spanish Church, as well as Palace of Peace Church.
   According to Pastor Maldonado, the initiative for the joint worship service came from Pastor Jaden Miller from Palace of Peace who approached Maldonado about the “need for the churches to do more things together and to find an avenue to foster spiritual unity across conference, church and racial lines.”
   Palace of Peace Lead Elder Ronnie Thornburg stated, "The combined worship was a first step in the reunification of God's church."  
   “The communion service was preceded by an agape feast which included beautifully-decorated tables set up in the
shape of a cross with delicious soup and fruit served,” Maldonado explained.
   Ben and Betty Barton, long-time members of the Central Church, shared Maldonado’s comment: "It was wonderful how all the churches came together, and to us, there was no cultural difference; we were all one. We were so blessed by the whole evening. The Holy Spirit was surely felt."
   Retired Pastor Jack Bohannon, a member of the South Church remarked, "I was happy to see people from different churches and different conferences come together in unity at The Lord's Supper."
   The evening was a success with 115 members in attendance. “Many responded that an event like this was long over-due and wanted to make sure this worship services become an important annual event,” Maldonado said. "Long past due! Truly The Spirit of unity was felt", said Sarah Mann, Palace of Peace Church clerk and pianist for the service.
   Pastor Maldonado added that in the future, the churches plan to do a pulpit exchange and a combined men's ministry.
--RMCNews with Mike Maldonado; photos by Ted Bauer

[Gregory Matthews]

Unity in in the news today, in the SDA denomination.  Most of the conversation involves certain doctrinal understandings, the role of women in spiritual life and actions of denominational leadership.

The above post does not address the above.  Rather, it addresses aspects of denominational structure, some of which, in their beginning were tied to issues of discrimination. 

The above post reports on decisions made by local congregations in Colorado to get together and attempt to do what they could to build relationships without waiting for leadership.

Sometimes, people on the lowest level can act more quickly and be more effective than can organizations and structure.  Perhaps, those of us who might like to see change can simply do what we can and take the first steps.  Perhaps we have some responsibility.

Those congregations are to be commended for what they have begun.

 

 

[Gregory Matthews]

Some would suggest that the fact that we have, in some places in the U.S., two separate Conferences, and wonder of this is appropriate at this time in the U.S.

 

[JoeMo]

12 hours ago, Gregory Matthews said:

Some would suggest that the fact that we have, in some places in the U.S., two separate Conferences, and wonder of this is appropriate at this time in the U.S.

When great numbers of whites become members of the black conferences and vice-versa, there will be no need or desire for separate conferences. Different conferences based on race is such an outdated and discriminatory notion!  Just like the Springs churches, when laymen take the matters into their hands rather than wait for the bureaucrats to move - ever so slowly - on it,  Stuff will get done.