WHEREAS the Christian faith is centered in the person of Jesus Christ;

WHEREAS for American Baptists, the quest for Christian unity is a response to the Gospel of Christ;

WHEREAS the ABCRM is a supportive relational community of churches and spiritual leaders, committed to Jesus Christ, collaborating to motivate, stimulate, and encourage each other to discern, discover, and obey the call of God in their sphere of influence;

WHEREAS the purpose of the Colorado Council of Churches (hereafter referred to as "Council") is to live out the unity and mission of Christ’s Church in Colorado even though significant differences may and do exist in our various faith communities as to beliefs and practices, the inference should not be made that this resolution supports any position on homosexuality;

WHEREAS the Region, through the exercising of its veto on substantial issues within the Council, can influence the Christian message to society;

WHEREAS Jesus prayed, "The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (John 17:22-23 NRSV);

THEREFORE, it is vital that the American Baptist Churches of the Rocky Mountain Region be involved in the wider Christian community in order to help shape and influence the Christian witness. While we are a member of the Council, we have not previously taken advantage of the power of our voice, nor have we been sufficiently involved. To be an effective member, we must invest human resources to make our Baptist witness known.

We encourage our continued involvement as a full member for three years to discern whether our membership enhances our vision for ministry. During this time, we will work to have proper representation at Council functions. In addition, the Council’s activities and decisions will intentionally be communicated to the ABCRM constituency. At the end of three years, the relationship will be evaluated by the ABCRM Region Board.

In addition, we will commit ourselves to entering into dialogue with and possible membership in other interdenominational organizations that mesh with our purpose and vision for the context in which we carry out our ministry.