Monday, April 1, 2024
Connected in story, connected in christ
Finding a Voice, Speaking the Truth from Robin Burdick
When my husband & I moved to Maine we found and attended a church that was the same denomination where we previously worshiped. A young missionary couple, who were raised in our church, returned from the mission field to seek financial support. The congregation voted unanimously to support them.
Two weeks later it was announced there would be a church meeting that evening. Although I was on the diaconate (which is similar to our vestry), I wasn’t aware of any business to come before the church. When I entered the meeting the six male members of the diaconate were seated up front, while the six female members remained in the congregation. The men said they had received a letter from the missionary couple stating that while the couple agreed with our church’s covenant, they wanted to make 3 points of clarification.
Creation took 7 days, but those days may not be 24-hour days because God’s time is different than our time.
Baptism by immersion is preferable, but there may be extenuating circumstances where one might be fully baptized by other means.
At this point I was no longer listening, but it had something to do with the Trinity.
The male deacons recommended that the church withdraw financial support from the missionaries. I stated that I thought the purpose of the church’s covenant was to ensure that the people we were supporting had beliefs similar to ours, not exactly like ours. In this case we raised the missionaries, we prayed for them, we loved them, and we knew them. I believed we were supposed to follow the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law. When the vote was taken, I was the lone dissenter, and I quietly left the church meeting in tears.
Our family could not continue attending a church where, at times, the literal interpretation of scripture overshadowed the teachings of Jesus. We also did not want to raise our daughter and son in a place where a woman's voice was not heard, honored, or respected in significant matters.
I was reminded of this incident when I heard the “Jesus beside me when I am hungry” sermon. In that sermon a 12-year-old girl who is hungry found her voice and spoke her truth. When she was misunderstood, she spoke it again with authority and all who heard her were astonished and amazed. At that old church meeting I, a 35-year-old woman, spoke with passion but not with authority and none who heard me were astonished or amazed. I did not want to cause controversy, I did not request a meeting with the pastor, nor did I request a meeting with the diaconate. My family simply left that church.
In the 42 years since then, I have found my voice and speak the truth more frequently. I try to focus on the principle or decision to be made and not on people who have different viewpoints. Like Peter, in my exuberance, I sometimes speak without thinking and apologize to others while worrying that I might have unintentionally embarrassed, shamed or hurt them.
Now, as members of a beloved community, I believe God is calling us to help others find their voice and to stand with them. At the same time, we need to be open and vulnerable and share our own wounds. It is in this reciprocal nature where love grows.
What practices, habits or disciplines do you have that help you feel connected to God? Share the story of your practice, in word, image, or art, via email to the Pastor Aaron at associate@stjohnsnh.org.