Archive
Author Archives: missionfriends4i
31 Dec 2017 |
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New Year’s Eve Prayer
Oh, God, draw near to us now. This has been a tough week for many of us. Some of us are in shock. Many of us are hurt, angry, and confused. We mourn the loss of a spiritual leader. We mourn the conflict experienced by a beloved institution for generations. We mourn the turmoil swirling […]
Continue Reading29 Dec 2017 |
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ECC sends a message regarding same-sex weddings
At 5:03pm Central Time on Friday, December 29, the ECC sent an email titled “A Pastoral Message on Covenant Clergy and Same-Sex Weddings.” The entire text follows:
Continue Reading29 Dec 2017 |
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What can we do next? #BeTheBetterChurch
Many of you have expressed a desire to do something in response to the news about Rev. Judy Howard Peterson. For those in the Chicago area, stay tuned for information about local events. In the meantime, there are five things you can do now: Pray for all involved and impacted by this decision. Thank God […]
Continue Reading27 Dec 2017 |
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NPU removes Pastor Judy Peterson
By now many of you have heard the news that Rev. Judy Howard Peterson, North Park University’s campus pastor, has been removed from her position for officiating at a same-sex wedding last spring. Numerous people forwarded the following email to MF4i. Pastor Judy is not able to make a public statement at this time, nor […]
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18 Dec 2017 |
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Why should some churches be allowed to decide they are not inclusive?
Covenanters cherish six affirmations that reflect our denominational identity. The sixth affirmation proclaims the reality of freedom in Christ. The book Living Faith: Reflections on Covenant Affirmations, published by the faculty of North Park Theological Seminary in 2010, reminds us, “With a modesty born of confidence in God, ...
Continue Reading11 Dec 2017 |
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How do we define “Inclusion”?
We are companions of all who desire to follow Christ, regardless of age, ethnicity, national origin, physical or mental ability, economic status, education, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or station in life. We believe that LGBTQ individuals are part of the priesthood of believers with God-given gifts to be used ...
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01 Nov 2017 |
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Is marriage a sacrament?
The Covenant recognizes two sacraments: the Lord’s Supper (communion) and baptism. A sacrament is special because it is understood that “God’s grace is present in these acts of the church in a real and powerful way.” (Living Faith). While other denominations suffered divisions over the debate of infant versus believer ...
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26 Oct 2017 |
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Better Together – But Why?
One of our recent Facebook posts, “Better Together,” resonated with many friends. Certainly MF4i’s goal of having churches decide when, if, and how they are inclusive for LGBTQ individuals and couples builds space for us to worship and work together to spread the mission of God’s love and avoids the schism that is dreaded by ...
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20 Oct 2017 |
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What are the goals of MF4i?
We embrace the diversity of the Body of Christ and advocate for freedom of Evangelical Covenant churches to fully include people of all sexual orientations and gender identities and for churches to have thoughtful, respectful, biblically-based conversations about inclusion without fear of reprisal. We also advocate for the place of ...
Continue Reading14 Sep 2016 |
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Nightingale Interview
In July of 2016, Covenanter Matt Nightingale publicly announced that he is gay and that he planned to end his marriage. In the months prior to that announcement, he and his wife, Luanne Tondino Nightingale, found support from Mission Friends 4 Inclusion and worked with Luke Johnson of Fulcrum Media Group, LLC to record this […]
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