Dear Pastor Mandy England Cole,
I am a member of McLean Baptist Church in McLean, Va. I am writing you as one Baptist to another and not as a representative of my congregation. That having been established, I have been following with interest the events surrounding the ordination of Mr. Scott McGuire from your church — namely, the decision by the Baptist General Association of Virginia to end their association with Ginter Park as a result of the ordination of Mr. McGuire and recently, the decision of the Richmond Baptist Association to affirm their association with Ginter Park, notwithstanding the ordination of Mr. McGuire.
I wish to commend your congregation for their support of Mr. McGuire in his call to ministry and I admire your courage — and his, of course — in making your decision “public” within the broader Baptist community. It is an ironic comment of our times that courage was required in this case. It would have been preferable to have ordination of anyone whom God has called treated as an event worthy of unconditional acceptance and respect. Thank you and your congregation for honoring Mr. McGuire’s call to service, notwithstanding the unfortunate controversy that has accompanied that decision.
While I was dismayed by the BGAV decision, I do feel more encouraged by the RBA decision in general. I hope that you will share my supporting comments with your congregation and/or its leaders and also with Mr. McGuire to let them know that individuals like me throughout Virginia acknowledge your decision and stand by you. I sincerely regret the storm of divisiveness that has been attached to your decision and hope that we all will begin to heal and to grow from this situation. In particular I appreciate your remarks about binding together in fellowship in spite of our differences.
I wish to extend my best wishes to Mr. McGuire as he begins his special ministry, and I will pray for him and for you and your church as you continue your good work in the Richmond area. If ever I am visiting Richmond, it will be my pleasure to worship with you in your church.
Rita Fagan, McLean, Va.