LEANER NORTH PACIFIC UNION CONFERENCE Church Could Not Convince the State in Such an Instance, It Would Obey the Law
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LEANER NORTH PACIFIC UNION CONFERENCE church could not convince the state in such an instance, it would obey the law. Target 81 Report The last illustration would be in areas where the church feels it has a non- constitutional right under legislation or M. C. Torkelsen executive rules and regulations. If re- buffed in this area, the church would Annual Council Report. Feeling that ca, feel that we are not ready to make obey the law. members of the North Pacific Union this move." Home Education. As an example of might be interested in some of the more Sustentation Name Change. The sus- the wide range of subjects which the important council actions, a brief tentation fund of the General Confer- Annual Council has to consider, home résumé of some of these proceedings ence provides benefits for retired em- education is a typical one. Many follows. Some 317 delegates, including ployees of the church. From now on the Adventists have deep convictions on leaders from the 10 world divisions, at- official name will be the Seventh-day this subject, but have come in conflict tended the council held recently in Adventist Retirement Plan. Much is with state regulations which set ages for Takoma Park, Md. being written these days about the fi- compulsory school attendance. A care- Record Budget Voted. One of the high- nancial difficulties of Social Security, fully defined program for such parents lights of the session each year is the but I am happy to report that the retire- was studied and approved. consideration of the budget for the fol- ment plan is in excellent financial condi- Adventist Approach to Psychology. A lowing year which provides support for tion. carefully prepared statement on this the world work of the denomination. Divorce and Remarriage. In the past, subject was adopted. Delegates noted The budget voted for 1978 totaled adultery has been considered the prime that the rationale for teaching psychol- reason for divorce without too much ogy in Adventist schools includes, consideration of fornication. Recogniz- among others, that it would aid each ing that the New Testament word for student in discovering the principles of fornication also includes other sexual psychology found in the Bible and the irregularities, the council said, "Gross writings of Ellen White. A special sec- sexual perversions, including homo- tion on mind control and manipulation sexual practices, are recognized as a cautions against any "practice or mo- dality that would lessen man's capacity M. C. Torkelsen misuse of sexual powers and a violation of the divine intention in marriage. As for self-determination." such they are just cause for divorce." Missionaries Sent. The emphasis of Also on the same theme, the council the church on world missions con- noted that "lustful thoughts which do tinues. Last year 1,147 overseas mis- not result in overt acts of unfaithfulness, sionaries traveled to their fields of $144,482,410, a nine percent increase should not be considered as grounds for work. In 1903 only 60 were sent out. At over the previous year's total. divorce." However, a persistent in- that time about 25 percent of the Financing Education. Delegates voted dulgence in an intimate relationship church's membership lived outside of an overall policy that will help finance with a partner other than the spouse, North America. Now the total is 80 per- Adventist education from kindergarten even though not culminating in adul- cent. through grade 16. In practical terms the tery, is unfaithfulness which would call Church Membership. The total world new policy will help to ease the financial for church discipline. membership of the church as of June 30, strain for parents of academy students The Duty of the Church to Civil Law. 1977, is 2,866,902. Of this total, 542,763 in grades 9 and 10 who do not have these Much has appeared in print about the are members in North America. The grades in a nearby school. The action church's relationship to the govern- four fastest-growing divisions in the also gives conference superintendents ment. Three possible areas where the world field in 1976 were the Inter- of education more direct-line authority church could be in violation of the law American, Afro-Mideast, Far Eastern in running their schools within a set were considered. and Trans-Africa. Over the past five budget. More details on this important The first would be where the govern- years the Inter-American Division has policy will appear later in the ment demanded a violation of "Thus had a membership gain of nearly 10 per- GLEANER. saith the Lord." In such cases the cent each year. Its membership is now Ordination of Women. In commenting church would pursue civil remedies to 502,157, and it will soon pass North on this subject, Elder Robert H. Pier- the fullest extent. If such relief is de- America as the division with the largest son, president of the General Confer- nied, the church would either cease the membership. ence, said, "For several years this sub- challenged function or it would be A full, detailed explanation of these ject has been under review by church civilly disobedient. An illustration of actions will appear in the Review and leaders and theologians from most this might be where the church was for- Herald. lands, both male and female. Currently bidden to baptize by immersion. In this we fmd no inspired evidence supporting case it would continue to be disobedient the ordination of women to the gospel to the law. ministry. As a church we must move A second case is where the church forward unitedly on such an important feels it has a right under the Constitu- matter. Thus far all divisions of the tion, and where government would seek world church, including North Ameri- to violate the establishment, free exer- cise, due process, equal protection or M.C. Torkelsen is president of the North some other constitutional clause. If the Pacific Union Conference. GLEANER November 21 1977 page 2 think of, of the dozens of people working that [school improvement] projects are local first Sunday of school, was going to have any people already heavily saddled with school LETTERS boys of their own living in them. tuition. It would be great if somehow those Letters on nontheological topics are welcomed It looked for awhile as though the volun- who no longer have kids in school could give by the editors. Right is reserved to edit for teer workers were going to have to also do- a lift financially even though they can't be continuity and space limitations. Your name, nate the first $15,000 when the bills started involved otherwise. address and name of home church are re- coming in! The conference was to provide I save my GLEANERS and I have begun quired, but will not be published if you request only matching funds. Some of the volunteers to make an issue-by-issue count of column anonymity. did donate money, and some furnished their inches from each school in the union. We employees to work on the dorm in order to don't hear much from Mount Ellis, at least beat the school opening deadline. At this not since January of this year. But I'll keep writing the school is still short on funds to reading. I was interested in the comments made by pay for the materials used. Marjorie Cate Mel Phillips in the Aug. 15 issue of the But publicity is hard to come by. Gaston, Ore. GLEANER. Allow me to show the other side GLEANER pages are already full, alumni of the coin. letters go to only a tiny segment of Oregon's I was disappointed when I read the article people, churches with their own projects In regard to the article written in the Oct. 3 in the GLEANER of July 4 about Laurel- don't want bulletin inserts. issue of the GLEANER that referred to the wood's strawberries. You see, this story was There are people who are vitally interested growth of the black work in the NPUC, I a year old. I have no way of knowing who in our schools—not just Laurelwood. They would like to make a few comments. was responsible for putting that story in, but, support programs that they know about, but I believe the article was grossly in error, except for giving Mr. Vipond recognition for somebody must tell them. Recently one par- putting the blame on the limited number of his efforts, I don't think that last year's ent donated two substantial amounts of black Adventists in the area for the slow strawberry crop is what GLEANER readers money to the girls' dorm, which is in pretty work going on in black evangelism. It is not are interested in. good shape, probably not realizing that the the blacks' fault the work is slow, but [that There have been more pertinent things greatest need of the school right then was for of] our religious leaders who have inces- happening at Laurelwood in the last few the boys' dorm project. santly kept a lid on the endeavors of blacks in weeks, but no one really hears very much I hope the GLEANER can find a place in the church to advance the work. about it. There may be things happening at its agenda to tell people of needs, even Let me give some examples: 1. We have the other Oregon schools also, but I know though strawberry jam sounds much better. three, only three, black churches in the more about the school that I live close to.