Saturday, September 10, 2016

UNITED CHURCH; TRYING TO KICK OUT AN ATHEIST MINISTER.

Unbelievable as it may seem the United Church of Canada has yet another problem.
We know about the national membership falling from over a million ten years ago to a little over four hundred thousand in 2016.
We know about the crisis that ensued when they voted to ordain homosexuals. We know that this crisis was followed by another when they decided to marry men with men and women with women. We know about their decision to adopt inclusive language in their liturgy when God was no longer "Our Father" but "O Supreme Being".
But this week's fiasco tops the lot.  One of their very own, the Reverend Gretta Vosper, from West Hill in Scarborough, has declared her new found faith as an atheist.
She is now preaching love, kindness and human connection without  the interventions of a supernatural God and, unsurprisingly the ruling body of the United Church are not sure what to do with her.
Should they let her stay with her West Hill congregation where she is "respected and loved" or should they defrock her (kick her out).
After a year of dithering H.Q. are asking the lady to leave peacefully. She is refusing to do so. Now it is off to court with her lawyers arguing why should an atheist not be allowed to preach to a christian congregation?
Well, I guess if we wait another ten years the United Church National membership may be reduced to fifty with Gretta leading the flock!
Jubilate.
Ian.

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