To Return or not?

Tonight my mother called, she needed my opinion. She informed me of how the business meeting at my home church went last week. Up for a vote were the proposed changes to the constitution, one of which was including females as deacons. The church had a talk-back session two weeks prior to the business meeting in order to allow for discussion.

The business meeting happened last Sunday. When it came time to vote for the constitution, a man stood up and said he wanted to talk. Technically, he wasn't supposed to because the dicussion had taken place earlier. He demanded that he be able to talk and wouldn't sit down. He said that he couldn't believe the subject of women as deacons or ministers had gotten this far. He stated that it was not biblical for women to be leaders and basically bullied everyone present for 10 minutes. He told the people that the subject of women as leaders, deacons, ministers, etc. should have never been brought up and since it had the leadership of the church was wrong, and doomed for hell.

To make it better, the FEMALE youth minister stood and talked about all the reasons that people should not vote for female deacons. How ironic?

Needless to say, the vote occurred and it wasn't passed. I believe that many people will leave the church.

Mom called to ask for my opinion. She feels like she and my father should leave the church. My father doesn't want to because he feels they have been members for 30 years and haven't been a part of the "business" of the church for some time. Mom feels torn. I told her I wasn't going back there and that on Christmas Eve, if they go I will stay home.

If you'd like to know why I haven't been going to church for some time, it's for reasons like this. Whose a man to tell me that women can't be spoken to by God? I just don't understand. You can use the Bible all you want as your reasoning, but if you study the Bible you would know that what you are using was not meant to exclude women for all these years afterward. Good grief.

I'm free because...

Today is Veteran's Day. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 12, 1918. The U.S. Congress passed a concurrent resolution 7 years later. Veteran's Day was officially made a federal and state holiday on May 13, 1938. The law stated that it would be on the 11th day of the 11th month. It was created to be a day dedicated to the cause of world peace.

As I think about Veteran's, I am quickly reminded of those whom I'm close to that have served in some branch of the military. My grandfather, whom I was very close to served in WWII. He wouldn't tell me much about it when I was young, only that he served, loved his men and was disturbed by many of the sights.

As I drove around freely today, worshiped in chapel, went to work, ate dinner out I remember those who have fought for my freedom.

Whether or not we agree with the war, we should all agree to support our troops.

So on this Veteran's Day, let us remember those who have fought for us. This is the day we can honor the 24.9 million military veterans.