[Vision2020] (no subject)

[Michael]

May 4, 2006 
  
Michael Metzler 
P.O. Box 8282 
Moscow, ID 83843 
  
Dear Michael, 
  
The session of Christ Church is interested in bringing some level of closure
to our interaction with you. Humanly speaking, for a long while now, we've
obviously ceased to be any pastoral help to you. You appear to have decided
to cease worshipping and sharing the Lord's Supper with us. We had hoped you
would join us in trusting in the Spirit's work in the Supper because any
attempts at interaction with you only created more tangled layers of
misinterpretations. But now you've stopped communing with us. At the same
time, you have continued to make public accusations and have declined to
submit any of these accusations to us to evaluate in a biblical,
accountable, orderly, and responsible manner. 
  
We, therefore, propose the following options: either (1) repent wholly and
fruitfully, (2) file a charge immediately, or (3) we'll release you from
membership. 
  
 (1) The first option seeks to have you repent immediately for your ongoing
disrespect and disorderliness for the manner in which you have created your
web of accusations in a public and unaccountable way. This option would
include taking down your blog (for your sake), remove yourself from all
Christ Church disputes, seek forgiveness, and begin attending Christ Church
again regularly. Nothing we've seen in your correspondence suggests that you
are in any way inclined in this direction. 
            Your blog should be much more of an embarrassment to you and
your family than to us. A faithful church is supposed to generate this sort
of false accusation, and when we compare its bizarre disconnect from
reality, it only confirms that we're doing something right. When we cease
provoking sentimental men, then we will have failed in our calling. 
            You've created a web of unfalsifiable accusations and
psychological conspiracies in which you are always the victim. With God as
our witness, our consciences are clean in regard to your accusations, and we
unhesitatingly believe that you will be terribly surprised and ashamed of
your claims when we sit as brothers on Judgment Day. You clearly have no
idea how far from reality your vision is, and we clearly lack the means of
persuading you otherwise. 
  
(2) The second option urges you to take responsibility for your accusations,
justify them coherently, and allow them to be evaluated and cross-examined
in an orderly manner before our session immediately. As always, we're far
from perfect and always open to correction. We now lack, however, the
confidence that you are any longer able to discuss these items with us
informally, and so this option asks you to justify your accusations
carefully and precisely. At the same time, this option includes taking down
your blog and removing yourself from other disputes as evidence that you are
willing to pursue these issues in an orderly manner. 
  
(3) Given that you have declined to follow your membership vows to submit to
our government and discipline while pursuing purity and peace, as evidenced
by your refusal to worship with us or heed our counsel, this option has us
confirming your actions by immediately releasing you from your membership
vows and our obligations to you. This is not excommunication or suspension;
we believe those would be of no spiritual benefit to you. We wish we could
release you in good standing. We count you a brother in need of great help
we can't provide. With this option you would be free from us. 
If you wish, please immediately contact the current moderator, Mike Lawyer,
with evidence (e.g.,  letter of repentance, submitted charge form and
justification, your blog down, etc.) that you are pursuing the first or
second options. 
  
Please feel free to circulate or post this correspondence as you see fit
before God. 
  
  
For the elders of Christ Church in session, May 4, 2006, 
  
  
  
  
Doug Jones 
  
 

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