Letter from the Pastor – August 2025
Dear church,
A few weeks ago, from July 12th through the 15th, I was privileged to be able to attend the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), hosted this year in Memphis, TN. The General Assembly is the triennial (meeting once every three years) gathering of our church’s denomination. Clergy and lay people from all over the United States and Canada gather for fellowship, learning, worship, and attending to the business of the church. Throughout the Assembly business sessions are held and resolutions are presented, discussed, and voted on.
This year in Memphis, several resolutions were voted on. Some dealt with procedural matters of the church, and others dealt with how the denomination plans to respond to current events in the world in ways that honor the Disciples of Christ’s stated mission to be a “movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.” I will lift up a few of those resolutions here to give you a sense of our denomination’s commitments in these divisive times.
GA-2513 – Resolution Concerning Disability Justice and Inclusion in all Ministries within the Christian Church. This resolution encourages congregations and other institutions within the Disciples of Christ to seek ways to make involvement in all aspects of our spiritual life together accessible and inclusive for the differently abled.
GA-2568 – An Emergency Resolution Concerning the Moral Crisis of Federal Budget Priorities in the 2025 Reconciliation Bill. This resolution was written in response to the recent federal budget passed on July 4th, 2025. The resolution raises concerns about the defunding of vital government services that help support those most in need of help. It also speaks in opposition to the priority the new budget places on funding detention centers to be used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In that same spirit, GA-2570 – Emergency Resolution Responding to The United States Federal Government’s Attack on Immigrants, Migrants, And Refugees raises concerns and speaks in opposition to the treatment and the systemic persecution of these marginalized, minority communities. Persecution that is too often based on nothing more than one’s country of origin.
Finally, GA-2571 – Affirmation of the World Council of Churches is a resolution in which the Assembly voted to stand with the World Council of Churches in their “Affirmation of the World Council of Churches call to “End Apartheid, Occupation, and Impunity in Palestine and Israel,” and of solidarity with Palestinian people as we struggle for an end to genocide.” This resolution honors the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)’s mission to be an ecumenical movement, one that works with other denominations and faith traditions, especially in working for peace and well being for all God’s children.
You can find more information on what was discussed and voted on at disciples.org. If you wish to know more about the particular resolutions I mentioned here, just follow the links that are embedded and they will take you to the full document.
I did not focus on these resolutions simply because they are “hot button” issues in our world today. Certainly, these resolutions were written and brought to a vote because they deal with important issues facing churches. However, besides that, what they have in common is that they are reminders to the church that it is called to seek the flourishing of God’s creation. We cannot do that when some members of God’s family are excluded or persecuted or killed, no matter the reasons for those actions. To be a movement for wholeness the church must also be an instrument of well-being.
And so, each of these resolutions, and several others, were voted on and approved by the General Assembly. Now, it is up to each congregation to decide how to live into these resolutions. As for Central Woodward Christian Church, I pray that we will be inspired by the belief and the passion of our fellow Disciples in seeking to live God’s realm in the here and now.
Peace on the journey,
Pastor Zach