Email News Release from the Pacific Southwest Region

NEWS RELEASE!!

TO: The entire ABCPSW Broadcast E-Mail database

FROM: Dr. Dale V. Salico, Executive Minister

DATE: October 27, 2005

SUBJECT: An important resolution passed by the ABCPSW Board of Directors

On September 8, 2005 the Board of Directors of the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest passed a resolution that has made headlines across the United States.

“Because the deep differences of theological convictions and values between the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest and the American Baptist Churches in the USA are understood by the Board of Directors of the ABCPSW as irreconcilable, the Board . . . [will] initiate the process to withdraw from the Covenant of Relationships of the ABCUSA. . .”

The ABCPSW Executive Committee will report to the Board of Directors on the implications of withdrawing from the covenant with the ABCUSA on December 8. Upon approval by the Board of Directors of the ABCPSW, a recommendation regarding withdrawing from the Covenant of Relationships will be sent to the churches for a vote at a specially called meeting of the Region. (We are anticipating that this meeting will take place in early spring 2006.)

Many questions are being asked by pastors, leaders, church members, missionaries, chaplains, and other leaders across our nation and world. We feel it is very important to address your questions in order to avoid confusion and misunderstanding. Initially, we communicated directly to our churches and pastors via specially called meetings and a “Frequently Asked Questions” format. We are now extending these communications to our entire e-mail database. All four FAQs addressing the ABCPSW’s possible withdrawal from the Covenant of Relationships are available on our website at www.abcpsw.com.

If, after reading thru the FAQs, you have a question that has not yet been asked, please send it to me at pswexec@abcpsw.com and I will make every effort to address it in the next FAQ communication. All FAQs will be posted on our website.

If you do not want to receive future electronic News Releases, please reply and ask us to remove you from these communications.

We invite you to join us in fasting and praying the last Friday of every month until the vote is taken…

What to Pray About:

• Pray that our Region listen to the Lord’s leading and avoid anything that does not honor Him.
• Pray for our Executive Minister, Dr. Dale Salico and our Region Board - that the leadership decisions they make will glorify Christ.
• Pray for the upcoming meeting of the Regional Executive Ministers (REMC) and the General Board that will face many of the same issues that we are facing here in PSW.
• Pray for a renewal of ABCUSA across the country.
• Pray that our churches make the right decision regarding withdrawal from the Covenant of Relationships with ABCUSA.
• Pray for our churches to be transformed by a new vision for reaching their world’s for Christ, and pray for the raising up of empowered leaders in all our churches to strengthen our churches.
  
• “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger …. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.” – Phillips Brooks, Minister 1835-1893