Moravian Church Northern Province Synod approves ordination of gay and lesbian pastors

BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA (June 22, 2014) ”“ The 2014 Synod of the Moravian Church, Northern Province has approved a proposal to allow the ordination of gay and lesbian individuals, whether single, married or in covenanted relationships.

By a vote of 181-62, synod delegates approved the proposal, which also includes provisions to revise the Book of Order of the Moravian Church Northern Province to reflect this change, and a call to create a rite for solemnizing covenanted relationships for use in the Northern Province.

The Synod is the highest judicatory of the Moravian Church Northern Province.

As delegates waited to learn the outcome of the vote, they sang hymns and spontaneously stood hand in hand in a circle around the assembly hall. They continued singing in harmony after the results were announced.

"Moravians understand that God’s call to us is to welcome all people, because God’s embrace is far larger than our capacity to imagine,” said the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth D. Miller, president of the Provincial Elders’ Conference of the Moravian Church Northern Province. "The 2014 Synod responded to God’s leading to receive the gifts of gay and lesbian individuals who wish to serve as ordained servants in the Moravian Church Northern Province.”

"This decision came following much prayer and consideration and many differing opinions were expressed during debate,” said Miller. "We know that there are Moravians who deeply love God, who honor the authority of Scripture and love the Moravian Church who do not agree with this resolution. It is my prayer that as Moravians, in relationship with one another, we can continue to walk together in love, even as we acknowledge our differences.”

read more: http://www.moravian.org/northern-province-synod-2014/moravian-church-northern-province-synod-approves-ordination-of-gay-and-lesbian-pastors/

Dear Brother Greg,

The Moravian texts of the days that you post are always such a blessing. One of today's was:

Although our sins testify against us, do something, Lord, for the sake of your name. Jeremiah 14:7 (NIV)

How tragically ironic that the 21st century Moravian, Presbyterian, and Methodist leadership have turned their backs on God's Word as well as their godly heritage.

We pray as Jeremiah did, "Lord, do something, for the sake of your name for our sins testify against us."

Godly sorrow produces repentance. Lord, may your people be grieved with great sorrow over sin.

L

no no no no no!!!

if I didn't know you to be of sober nature, I would think this a sick joke.

The Brethren at Hernhutt, who had the glorious 100 year prayer meeting, of pouring their souls out, starting in 1727......how would that cloud of witnesses vote?

I kind of gave short shrift to the gay clergy thing, but boy this is all gathering steam so much, if you posted that the Baptists agreed to ordain homosexual clergy......WOULD WE BE SURPRISED?!

This is so bad......I believe we should go BACK to "The Way"....no "new" denomination, but PLEAD with Jesus to Pastor us...no signs, no fancy buildings, no stock portfolios......under the "what we believe"?......."The Bible"......a Simple Faith.......the greatest among us shall be servant......We do NOTHING unless led by God the Holy Ghost....pleading to be as holy as a saved sinner can be....Oh, I want to see, God Willing, a simple building, where we can sup the Majesty of God.

this is a knife thru my heart, Zinzendorf, Hernhutt, were the stuff of my dreams in Christ Jesus, their accounts ravished my soul.....and now this?

You want to know who we are in God? Jesus and I made a compilation in 2004 "A Kingdom of Priests"

just listen to it now, I will, to lift my spirit

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=12043

my grief stretches so far beyond this nasty little tidbit, though it affects greatly because I know how Count Zinzendorff would be heartbroken to think that ALL he did in Messiah....would lead to this day, but he would be even more heartbroken knowing that his labors in Christ , LED TO JUST ANOTHER DENOMINATION!

all these "religious institutions"!...with "headquarters", and their "stock portfolio's".....and "ordinations", seminaries, CHURCH IS BUSINESS, "Christian music" is business......

Have they not ate of John 17?!?.....what did Jesus pray?

and in the secular world, if a man or woman, wants to lay with the same sex?......so be it! THEY are the ones accountable to God....not me.....I only feel a bit of grief seeing a once STRONG Move of God, taken over by those who make God in their OWN IMAGE....its NO DIFFERENT than the roman institution, they made God in their own image.....took an IDOL of Messiah and put him on a crucifix....to me, that's just as rank and foul....as this bit of news.

There is NOT ONE "denomination" I would belong to in these days....not one, nor would I feel comfortable in a "Messianic Church", God love them all.......but....i'm SO WEARY of "religion".

what do I mean?

partially, lets just use this forum as an example, the constant fussing over this "ism", or that "ist"....arguing over a word, "doctrine"....that more have been killed over than can be counted..."doctrine"....how many have been burned at the stake, hung, crucified over "doctrine"?

and NOW, we throw the muslims into the mix these days, and the fact that God has them sitting over pools of liquid gold, petroleum, that 1st world nations, whats called "Christendom" COVETS, .....think of all the blood YET TO BE SHED!...just wait till somebody really demonic starts to hurl nuclear weapons around, either in the name of "allah"...or because they want that petroleum to keep their gold aflowing, I speak of our nation, who's hands are soaked in blood, in the lust of power....superpower.

The world has gone mad, its aflame with lust of gold, lust of flesh....its madness. Blessed be God, you and I live in areas where Peace crouches and hides, corn and cattle cultivated, folks still nod and smile, say "hi" outside the market, life is orderly....as orderly can be in this age........but the storm is coming, therefore I grieve, my only Comfort be THE COMFORTER, The Father and The Son, and God The Holy Spirit....or as John wrote in his First Epistle, Chapter Four:

God Is Love

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
I John 4:7-16

amen.