Baptist leaders say WMU can use TBA building

Scotts Creek's congregation votes to suspend ties to TBA

By Lynn Hotaling and Rose Hooper

During a Monday night (Dec. 9) meeting of the TBA executive committee, association leaders approved a resolution affirming the WMU's mission work and stating that the WMU is "most welcome to use the associational building for future meetings." The resolution also states that the women's organization could use the TBA newsletter "to promote the work of the WMU."

Passage of the resolution marks a departure from the association's position of several weeks ago. The Rev. Claude Conard, TBA interim director of missions, said then that the WMU would have to change its leadership before it could hold meetings at TBA headquarters.

In a related development, it appears that Conard offered his resignation during Monday night's executive committee meeting. According to several present, Conard left the meeting following the vote on the WMU resolution after saying he would not be back.

TBA Moderator Art Fowler of Cashiers Baptist confirmed that Conard proffered his resignation at the executive committee meeting, but that the resignaton was not accepted at that time.

"As moderator, I did not accept it," Fowler said. "(A resignation) needs to come through other channels."

Conard declined to accept a Wednesday phone call from The Herald. His secretary told the newspaper that Conard was retiring and had no further comment.

The association's WMU became a focus of an ongoing TBA controversy because some of its members and its co-leaders belong to churches that are no longer part of the association.

After several local churches left the TBA in August and September, the association's WMU voted to retain open membership and continue to welcome members from all churches. WMU co-leaders Sarah Davis (First Baptist) and Nelda Reid (East Sylva Baptist) are both members of churches that have withdrawn from the TBA. Guidelines for use of the association building, adopted in October, specify that only groups with leaders who were members of churches that were still a part of the association could meet there.

Davis said she and Reid offered to step down as leaders so the WMU could continue to use the association building but were asked by the group to continue in their positions.

Monday's action came during a called meeting. The initial WMU resolution, drafted by Fowler, indicated that the WMU would be welcome at the TBA building only if it was "led by and composed of members of churches in the Tuckaseigee Baptist Association."

However, the resolution was amended, and the limiting language "led by and composed of members of churches in the Tuckaseigee Baptist Association" was removed before action was taken.

Fowler said Tuesday that the purpose of the initial resolution was to clarify the association's position to determine if the executive committee wanted to affirm that stance or change it.

"I'm really happy about their decision," Davis said. "I think it's a real positive step for the association.

"Nelda and I would like to express our appreciation on behalf of the WMU for the executive committee's show of support," Davis said.

Monday's action came too late to influence Scotts Creek Baptist, whose members Sunday voted to accept the recommendation of its deacons and suspend participation in the 173-year-old TBA.

"This action occurred because it is felt that the conduct of the association has not been in keeping with the character of Christ and because it is felt that this present turmoil does not further the work of the Lord in this community," said a statement prepared by the Rev. Rich Peoples, pastor.

"Suspension of participation does not mean that the church has severed its relationship with the association but does mean that the church will not provide financial support to the association and its members will not participate in the work of the association. This suspension will remain in effect until such time as the deacons affirm that sufficient changes have occurred to warrant reappraisal," the statement continued.

"It should be noted that Scotts Creek Baptist Church takes no pleasure in this difficult decision and regrets the present lack of harmony among our Baptist brothers and sisters, as well as the lack of harmony within the larger Christian community. This decision should not be interpreted as support for the theological positions of any parties to the present dispute but rather as a statement of affirmation for Christian conduct in all of our relationships," Peoples said.

Scotts Creek deacons recommended the suspension of their church's ties with the association after the TBA barred the WMU from the association building unless the women's group changed its leadership.

The "present turmoil" in the association is apparently a reference both to the WMU issue and events that have led six churches to break ties with the TBA in recent months.

Controversy has simmered within the association since an April decision by the TBA credentials committee to recommend that delegates from Cullowhee Baptist not be seated at the association's annual meeting because it had called a woman as co-pastor. Sylva First Baptist then passed a resolution in support of Cullowhee and stating that "Jesus -not the Bible -is the final authority on faith and practice."

Dissension intensified in July after the TBA executive committee affirmed the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. A platform adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message says among other things that women cannot be pastors.

"While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men by scripture," states Article VI of the document.

Both Cullowhee and First Baptist withdrew from the association in August after the credentials committee's July recommendation that neither church's delegates be seated at the TBA annual meeting.

The credentials committee criticized Cullowhee for calling a woman, Tonya Vickery, as co-pastor. Sylva First was targeted for passing the resolution supporting Cullowhee.

Tuckasegee, East Sylva, Black Mountain and Deitz Memorial withdrew soon after. Among the reasons given by their pastors were the autonomy of local churches and being tired of the fighting within the association.

Back to Archive: 12/12/02.