LAURINBURG – A group of local ministers have formed a movement to bring unity to the county and understanding to local congregations.
Ministers and representatives from 14 local churches met at Westminster Presbyterian Church last week to examine ways that churches could work together. They are attempting to form an organization that will bring together the churches of the county to find and focus on common ground rather than differences.
The idea came about after Pastor Duane Hix, of Laurinburg Presbyterian Church attended the annual Thanksgiving service hosted by several local churches.
“The first time I was here and went to that Thanksgiving service, I decided that it really wasn’t representative enough of all the churches in the area. It was kind of just the mainstream, old stream Protestant churches,” Hix said. “This last year it was our turn here at the Presbyterian church to host it, so I made a concerted effort to have a more representative sampling of churches.”
Hix sat down with Rev. Garland Pierce of Bright Hopewell Baptist Church and brainstormed about how to include churches of all racial makeups and denominations.
“We had a very successful interracial, interclass interdenominational worship service at Thanksgiving. Almost to a person everybody who attended said, ‘We’ve got to do more of this more often.’ We need find a way of presenting unity and cooperation and community to work against the divisive spirit in the country and the divisive election that the town had here,” Hix said.
Three speakers explained the origins of the groups, the importance of creating such an organization and discussed ways that the group might become part of the Scotland County Ministerial which already exists in Scotland County.
Hix and others are concerned that the divisive spirit that seems pervasive in the nation today has reached Scotland County. They also are concerned about race relations and the stereo types that people often hold about those from other religious denominations.
During the meeting those gathered adopted a motto to describe their outlook for the group. Their platform is: In the essentials, unity; in the nonessentials, diversity; in all things charity and cooperation. According to Hix, this was the motto of a national group who formed a few years ago to bring about the change in mentality that local ministers are attempting here in Scotland County. It seemed natural that the local group should adopt the motto.
“We realize that we can demonstrate the unity we have in Christ without there having to be uniformity in what we believe,” Hix said.
The members of the group will compile a list of all the churches in the county and reach out to invite them to participate, Hix said.
After hearing the three speakers, attendees participated in breakout sessions to brainstorm ideas about how to accomplish their goals.
The groups also decided that their missionary efforts should focus on issues where the different denominations could all find common ground, according to Hix. The group will hold occasional events to benefit or focus on homelessness, hunger and education.
They also decided that the first countywide event should be held on the day of Pentecost since its existence is commonly accepted among the denominations although they differ in their interpretation of what it means for the church. The Pentecost service will be held on May 20 at Bright Hopewell Baptist Church at 6 p.m. The goal is to host three or four community services a year.
The next planning meeting will be Apr. 7 at 9 a.m. at Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church.
