Summary of May 2010 60.12 meeting

Dear Friends,

On Thursday, May 20, about 50 church leaders from around the region gathered for the second 60.12 meeting, intersecting with the Ten Days of Prayer, Rutland. Friends were delighted to see one another again.

People needed little prodding and entered right in with their own chorus of prayers. Prayer time ended with a presentation by Paul Jehle on Lemuel Haynes, a famous African-American pastor in Rutland VT. Lemuel Haynes pastored an all-white congregation and was known for his strong stand for the Gospel, his patriotism during the Revolutionary War and his defense of the equality of all people before God. This led into a memorable time of prayer for the Vermont leaders.

At this point, we realized it was already 1pm. The flexible kitchen staff held our meal for an extra hour. We wrapped up our corporate time with a conversation about the role of structures in bringing unity to the Body of Christ. Key insights were:

• Relationships precede structures.
• The work of unity has already been accomplished in Christ.
• Unity can only be found in Christ. A strong stand for the truth in primary issues is essential for real unity to be possible.

David Rosen shared about the role of forgiveness and covenant-making in the reconciliation and sealing of native peoples in Canada.

We concluded with a fantastic meal accompanied by lively conversations and new-found friendships.