Committee #1

FIRST PARTIAL REPORT

COMMITTEE ON CHURCH AND SOCIETY

COMMON GROUND

RE:  The Church and Sexual Orientation

Whereas,          We affirm and applaud the Vision Statement, adopted by the 2002 Northern Provincial Synod:  The Moravian Church – Northern Province is a vital agent of reconciliation in a world yearning for the good news of Jesus Christ.  We are an interconnected body of dynamic and growing churches embracing the diversity of God’s creation.  Our mission is listening, discerning and responding to the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of people in the places in which we minister…” and seek to respond to that Vision; and

Whereas,          it is important for the Moravian Church to respect the teaching of the Bible and demonstrate the love of Christ to all, regardless of sexual orientation; and

Whereas,          the struggle to be faithful to the witness of scripture, remain open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and be sensitive to the needs of all of God’s children in the Church continues to challenge us; and

Whereas,          the Synods of the Northern Province in 1974 and 1994 affirmed the concern of the Moravian Church in accepting and ministering to homosexual persons; and

Whereas,          the Northern Provincial Synod of 1994 also acknowledged that the Moravian Church is not agreed on the question of the acceptability of homosexual practice; and

Whereas,          the Interprovincial Faith and Order Commission, after four years of study and discussion was unable to reach a consensus on the acceptability of ordaining homosexual persons; and

Whereas,         at the present time the Moravian Church is not agreed upon the interpretation of the Biblical passages which teach about sexual orientation; therefore, be it

RESOLVED    (1) The 2002 Synod of the Moravian Church, Northern Province shall recommend full participation (membership, activities, and lay leadership) in the congregation for all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, and be it further

RESOLVED    (2) The 2002 Synod of the Moravian Church, Northern Province shall affirm the resolutions of the Synods of 1974 and 1994 concerning homosexual persons, and be it further

RESOLVED    (3) The Human Sexuality Task Force shall be commended for its efforts and the congregations of the Northern Province shall be urged to distribute this guide to their members and use it in their congregational programming; and be it further

RESOLVED    (4) Every member of the Moravian Church shall be urged to pray that the Holy Spirit will guide our understanding of the issues pertaining to sexual orientation and direct us all to our unity in Christ.

June 17, 2002