| Activities
and Purpose
What does the Gathering
of Baptists do?
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Support one another
in prayer
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Fully accept one
another as God's people
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Value diversity,
inclusive governance and the democratic process
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Be collegial in
our activities, and through Christian love, seek a spirit of tolerance
and mutual respect
-
With integrity,
apply our faith to our lives
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Meet twice per
year (the last Saturday in April and October). All are welcome.
What is the Purpose of the
Gathering of Baptists?
Based on these
values, members of The Gathering share a mission to seek, provide, protect
and foster:
DISCERNMENT
- under the leadership of God's spirit.
JUSTICE
FOR ALL - which is the foundation of peace.
AN EVANGELICAL
PEOPLE - sharing our faith stories.
A NON-JUDGMENTAL
FORUM - promoting discussion of doctrinal and ethical questions and
social issues.
AFFIRMATION
AND PROMOTION OF EQUALITY - which includes gender equality, in all
aspects of our lives.
AN ECUMENICAL
SPIRIT - and its prosperity.
ENCOURAGEMENT
OF THE BCOQ AND CBM - so that the Baptist Convention of Ontario and
Quebec and Canadian Baptist Ministries strive for the same values and mission.
What Makes The Gathering
of Baptists Different?
If you honour
these values, you will feel at home with the Gathering. As a community
of Christians we endorse and uphold such historic Baptist principles as:
PROCLAMATION
OF JESUS' GOOD NEWS - God calls all people to repentance and faith,
reconciliation and hope, healing and wholeness, social and economic justice.
SERVANT
LEADERSHIP - Following our Servant Lord.
SPIRIT
OF CO-OPERATION - Freely working with other believers who might express
the Gospel differently.
FREEDOM
OF INTERPRETATION - Led by God's Spirit, each one is free to interpret
the Scriptures.
RESPONSIBLE
THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION - Learning characterized by reverence for Biblical
authority, and which respects open inquiry and responsible scholarship.
AUTONOMY
OF THE LOCAL CONGREGATION - Under Christ's authority, each local congregation
shapes its own life and mission.
SEPARATION
OF CHURCH AND STATE - Opposing efforts by either to use the other for
its own purpose.
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