FW: Important request for prayer and action

[Quinn Caldwell]

Dear all,

 

See below a letter from a colleague informing us about an unfolding situation in the Church of Scotland.  Let’s give thanks to God for the UCC, where such things no longer happen, and let’s keep Scott Rennie and his partner in our prayers.

 

And FYI, this comes from the pastor of Nancy’s former church in Boise!

 

Blessings,

Quinn

 

 

Dear Colleagues and Friends in Ministry,

I write today to alert you to an important situation requiring prayerful support.  The Church of Scotland, a sister denomination to the UCC in the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, is facing a pivotal moment in her history.  Earlier this year, Queen's Cross Church in the Aberdeen Presbytery, voted to call the Rev. Scott Rennie as their minister.  The call was sustained by the church, and by the Presbytery.  What makes this call unique is that Scott, as well as being a gifted minister and promising young preacher, is also gay, in a committed relationship, and was open about this during the interview process with Queen’s Cross Church.  This was unprecedented in the life of the Church of Scotland, where gay clergy survive in ministry by not being “out.”

Although supported by his church and Presbytery, the reaction of the conservative element in the Church of Scotland was very powerful - so much so that this call to ministry has been challenged and will be brought to the floor of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland later this month, where this highest court in the church will debate and vote on whether Scott will be allowed to serve as the Minister of Queens Cross Church.  They also orchestrated Scott being brought up on disciplinary charges due to his “lifestyle” – which means being an ordained minister who is gay and living in a committed relationship. Their tactics have included intimidation and the publication of lies (which, after the intervention of Scott’s attorney, resulted in a retraction and apology by Forward Together, one of three conservative groups leading the fight to keep Scott for assuming this call and continuing as a Church of Scotland minister).  This has been a horrendous ordeal for Scott and his family.

I've included a link to one of many news stories in the BBC that will allow you to read of this situation in greater detail.  You can read additional articles by going to either the BBC or This Is North Scotland websites and searching under Rev. Scott Rennie.  What these stories do not adequately tell is the level of persecution Scott has endured throughout this ordeal.  Scott has given only one public interview, and that can be found on www.onekirk.org   at the link for the Spring 2009 Journal.  The pressure on Scott and the sheer ugliness of what he is facing is heartbreaking.  The pain felt by lgbt Christians in the Church of Scotland is deeply distressing, for they know that it could easily be any of them going through this…and might be in the future.

I write with three requests:  The first is to ask you to keep Scott and David, Queens Cross Church, Affirmation Scotland (the progressive and lgbt-affirming group within the Church of Scotland) and the Church of Scotland in your prayers as they go through this painful process. 

Secondly, I invite you to send a word of encouragement to Scott and David.    Their contact details are as follows:
The Rev'd Scott Rennie
     email:  mini...@brechincathedral.org
     postal address: Chanonry Wynd, Brechin DD9 6JS Scotland UK

I know that Scott and David hope that the proceedings in May will end with Scott taking up his post in Aberdeen.  Sadly, that may not happen.

Should Scott lose his call to Queens Cross Church, and should Scott and David decide that they must leave Scotland,  my third request and hope is that we can work together to provide sanctuary for Scott and David, and assist Scott in bringing his ministerial gifts to the UCC. They both believe that the UCC would be their spiritual home of choice, should they lose their church home in Scotland, for the UCC upholds the very values for which Scott now fights.

Our blessings here in the UCC are many indeed…

Please feel free to forward this email to anyone who you feel may wish to join in solidarity with Scott and David.

With thanks for your prayerful consideration,
Rev Kim Cran
Senior Pastor, First Congregational UCC of Boise
Former minister, Blairdaff and Chapel of Garioch Parish Church, The Church of Scotland

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/8032852.stm