I was apporached today to write a set of concerns about the Unity Agreement. The initial question was, “How do you feel about the direction of the church?”

I was honest – my only real concern at this point is that we signed the UP. However, I believe the leadership is doing the best they can to take care of folks, find a new minister, and provide direction for the church. It’s why I keep attending and giving contribution when I can – I want to be with these people. I enjoy the community and I want my son to be like the good qualities in the folks I know here. This church also provides spiritual stability for my wife and I’m glad she is beginning to experience community. I’ve been called an adopted son-in-law today, in addition to other nice things like ‘first-time father’. (My wife is the adopted daughter).

We discussed it for awhile. I wish people were not hurt by the decision I made about my membership, but I understand why they would feel that way. I don’t fault them for that. I feel terrible about it myself. I keep praying that I am not doing the right thing so that I can just say, “I’m being pig-headed” and go back to the way things used to be.

There was no condemnation, but a very reasonable and heartfelt exchange. I didn’t get angry, though I did get sad. I do not like seeing a friend hurt. I do not like feeling like I am the cause of it, especially over a piece of paper.

To this end, I was asked to write a list of greivances. That part was pretty easy and we even agreed on a couple of issues. I’ll provide the list sometime soon. Because this is something more or less official, it won’t be of the diary-quality stuff I write here. I record my thoughts at one given point in time here. This will be the serious version and not the I-can’t-believe-we’re-returning-to-our-own-vomit version.

I’ve since learned that one church that recently was recorded as a signing church was nearly split in half over this issue. There appeared to be no neutral ground. The resolution involved at least one Big Name(TM) that isn’t a part of the Gang of Nine. The solution was to sign the UP, but produce a list of caveats and issues. That is, in essence, what I have been asked to write.

I don’t know how that was neutral ground, but if it worked for them, I hope it will work for me. Then again, no one said for me to write this and then reconsider my membership. I hope for the best.