A new Independence Examiner story spreads false information - Again!

Several times the newspapers have reported that the battle is over. Over and over again they've gotten the facts wrong. Not every story has been altogether false but today's story "Church loses appeal in suit to use RLDS name and logos" certainly is. We've only just filed the appeal, we haven't lost it! But of course, if it's in the newspaper, it must be true.

The story also basically says our claim that the CoC's only communication with us has been legal threats is false because they sent us a letter. The letter that the story refers to was a cease and desist letter. That's what a legal threat is! There has been no negotiation or two-way communication, not because channels have been closed on our end but because channels have been closed on their end. That's the truth, which this story spins and distorts beyond recognition.

The point of this propaganda campaign that the CoC's public relations people have been running since this began is to make sure we can't raise the money to actually mount a defense. People naturally don't want to back a losing cause, so the opposition has done their best to get the newspapers reporting that we've lost every few months which they've been doing since the preliminary injunction.

We're not going to let this stop us. This Saturday, an event is being held to raise money for our legal defense fund. Click here for details.

Also my mom (Holly McLean) has written a piece about why the name of the church is important to us that I hope people will read and consider.

Independence Examiner story & JCRB proposals

Yesterday, on the front page of the Examiner, "World Conference: Converts welcome without rebaptism". Nothing unexpected there, I suppose. I don't subscribe to the Examiner so my apologies for not getting this up till today.

Devon Park has recently elected a new pastor, Paul Sinclair, and has submitted the following resolutions to the Joint Conference of Restoration Branches that will meet next week.

Open Invitation to All Believers of the Original Doctrines of the RLDS Church
Submitted by Devon Park Branch

Whereas, the JCRB is a conference that has an ultimate goal of bringing about the Kingdom of God through the blessings of the Lord and the members of His church, and

Whereas, the JCRB invites all who believe in the doctrines received from God through Joseph Smith, Jr and continued through Joseph Smith III, and

Whereas, the church has been fractured in many places and scattered because of the lack of spiritual instruction, study of the scriptures and church history, and the acceptance of doctrines contrary to the original teachings of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and

Whereas, this conference wishes to continue to re-establish a working relationship with all those who hold to the original doctrines whether they still be participating in the Community of Christ or currently not attending a branch and may have been lost in “the dark and cloudy day” that has recently beset us, and

Whereas, some of these members are still in the Community of Christ and are possibly now seeking a home where they can begin to work toward these like goals and realizing the false doctrines such as women in the priesthood, open communion and other doctrines that have been taught and propagated within the COC, and

Whereas, many of these members have been confused, yet trying to find the way God would have them go and now seek to find like believers who want to worship and build up the Kingdom together with others of like mind,

Therefore be it resolved, that the JCRB publish an open letter on its website and in its magazine publications in the next few months that invites members of the COC who are trying to make or have made a decision to leave it, and are looking for a place to go that teaches and practices the original doctrines of the RLDS church, to come and join with us in unity of purpose.



Letter of Invitation to CRE and POZ
Submitted by Devon Park Branch

Whereas, the Lord has said that, ‘If ye are not one, ye are not mine.” (D&C 38:27) and,

Whereas, one of the main goals of the JCRB is to give voice and vote to all members of the church including all priesthood with authority given through the heritage of angelic ministry and all members with authoritative baptism, and

Whereas, our goal is to unify the branches and individual members who wish to build up the Kingdom of God on earth through the laws and doctrines received from God through Joseph Smith, Jr. and continued through Joseph Smith, III, and

Whereas, there are several groups at this time who claim to have these same goals but in recent years have become distanced from one another and from the JCRB for various reasons, and

Whereas, the only actions this body of saints (the JCRB) can take in meeting our goal of unity is to continually pray and invite our brothers and sisters to join us and request that all saints everywhere be discouraged from rhetoric and actions that cause division among the saints and instead encourage all saints to be unified and of one body,

Therefore be it resolved, that the JCRB extend the hand of fellowship by sending an open letter of invitation from this body to the Pastors of Zion and the Conference of Restoration Elders to join together in unity of purpose, asking them to adopt a policy of unity among the saints and to reject any rhetoric of division, and

Be it further resolved, that this letter be written, sent and published by the end of April 2010, and be updated, published and sent again before the 2011 CRE conference.

"Community of Christ - Finding Peace" video

Using Google's new "Search Stories" tool, I have created a short video of some Google searches related to the story of this lawsuit.

Community of "Peace" Uses Trademark Case to Punish Followers of Traditional RLDS Doctrines

Click here to read the latest Devon Park press release.

It has come to my attention that a small minority of participants in the Joint Conference of Restoration Branches have made proposals hostile to CoC members which will have to be voted on at the upcoming JCRB General Conference. (April 18th-24th) I know that the vast majority of people there, including myself, don't want these hostilities and are glad to welcome any legitimately baptized member of the church including CoC members and I do not believe this will change, ever. The inclusive policy of the JCRB is one of the main things that I believe makes it a legitimate general conference. It is different from any other previous organization of the kind because of it's consistent refusal to stoop to the level of excluding anyone just because we don't like them, don't like some organization they're with or don't agree with their ideas. Every other similar effort has failed to keep this high standard of inclusiveness. We aren't called to be Keeping People Out but instead to be Bringing People In. Too many RLDS folks have forgotten that.

I think what the church ultimately needs is a revival, based on teaching the fundamentals. Of RLDS church doctrine. Which, of course, we can't do publicly at present because of the court order.