Second Stone #55 - Nov/Dec 1997

Second Stone #55 - Nov/Dec 1997

55

1997

Nov/Dec 1997

SECOND STONE
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lssue#55
For many,
Christmas is
a time of anxiety
and depression -
of grief over lost
loved ones and
estranged family.
While greeting card
scenes of Christmas
may not be a
possibility, peace
and hope can
be found
this season.
Our national directory
of Outreach Partners
begins on Page I I.
UVI NGlNTHEEMBRACEQ:;ALOVINGANDJUSTGOD . November/December 1997
How to renew the joy
and hope of Christmas
AFfER I WAS OUTED in 1981, I
resigned from Bap (i s t College and
moved .to Atlanta. I began to dread the
holidays. I worked for a delivery service
and put myself to work every
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New
Y_ear's Day. I did not want to spe nd a
holida y thinking about and grieving
over m y lost family and children from
who I had been separ ated. I kept as
busy as possible. I even had a hard time
going to church on holid ays.
MCC in Atlanta was a lot of help to
all of us who were lonely and depressed
during the holidays. They had special
eve nt s, meals at church, and a lot of
BY DR. REMBERT S. TRULUCK
plea san t fellowship was available. But I
was still lonely and depressed.
Holidays can be a painful tim e of
remembering lost friends and family and
departed comrades. Separati on · from ou r
parents and · other relatives can hurt more
.than usual during the holidays, espe.
cially when you are told , "You can
come , but don't bring Steve!"
Because I did not want to face the
lon eliness and separation of the holiday
s, I did a lot of holiday drinking.
Once, in 1988, when I first tried to quit
drinking, I went to an AA meeting in
August, took a white chip and becam e
sober. I did okay until Christmas, when
I began to drink ~gain, and soon I was
more nnder tl1e control of alcohol than
before. I learned tl1e hard way tl1at one
drink is too many and a thousand drinks
are not enoug h. I kept drinking until
the next August 8, 1989, when I went
to anotl1er AA meeting and started over
with ano ther white chip, and with God's
help to live "on e day at a time" I
became sober and have staye d sober for
8 years, th re e months and one week
today! I know better than to use alcohol
to try to h andle conflict and stress.
SEE CHRISTMAS, Page 16
Peny among religious leaders invited to White House breakfast
WASHINGTON, be - The Rev . Troy
Perry, founder and moderator of tl1e Universal
Fellowship · of Metropolitan
Community Churches, join e d 120 religious
leaders for a breakfast meeting with
President C linton on Nov . 20.
The event, scheduled lo last t wo
hours, stretched to three hours a s the
President and Vice President took questions
from the assembl ed group.
Threats by religious right groups
turned out to be simply that - threats.
Despite a national media campaign
attacking Perry and the UFMCC, no
picketer s were present as Perry entered
the White Hous e. This was in stark contr
as t to Perry's White Hou se visit earlier
in November when members of Rev.
Fred Phelps group hurled in su lts al
Perry as he entered the White House
Conference on Hate Crimes.
During the breakfast meeting, Perry
had a one-on-one discussion ,vith V ice
President Gore, and commended the Vice
President for his support of the gay.lesbian
, bisexual and transgendered communities
. The Vice President, in turn,
commended Perry for both his spiritual
and civil right s work, and indicated his
familiarity with UFMCC's ministry.
Pe rry said, 'Two weeks ago, I was
invited to the White House as a civil
right s activist for the gay and lesbi a n
communit y. Tod ay, I was inv ited for
my role as a spiritual leader. Bo tl1 roles
are important _ to me, and are vital to furtl1ering
the cause of social and spiritual
justice for all our .people."
Prior to the breakfast, Perry received
call s from two White House aides assuring
him that the President wa·s not
swayed by the protests from the religious
right groups and confirming tl1at the
President was honored to host Perry at
th.is event.
•Prayer •The Bible •Words & Deeds
Finding meaning in prayers
. that go unanswered
BY DAVID BRIGGS
IN STUDY AFTER study, the benefits
of religion: on a person's health are
being increasingly well documented.
Findings reveal that people who pray
and attend church regularly are more
likely .to live longer, recover from surgery
more quickly and handle depression
better .
About 30 medical schools offer
courses on religion and spirituality, and
some doctors even feel comfortable
praying with patients for a favorable
outcome.
This may not be startling news to
many Americans. In national polls,
about 80 percent of respondents say they
believe in the -heali[!g power of prayer.
But what happens when prayer does
not work the way the.petitioner .intends?
When the tumor is malignant, and the
patient dies. Or a marriage fails .
Will the tempiation grow even greater
to ask, as the . disciples did of Jesus in
the Gospel of John when they encountered
a blind man : "Rabbi , who sinned,
this man or his parents, that he was
born blind?"
In the fall issue of the Journal · of
Religion and Health, theologian Paul P .
Parker addresses the mystery surrounding
suffering, prayer and miracles , or
why bad things still happen to good
people.
He finds the answer in Jestis' reply to
his disciples :
"Neither this man nor his parents
sinned; he was bom blind so that God's
works might be revealed in him."
Parker contends that suffering has a
purpose, and that purpose for bystanders
is not to find fault with the person suffering.
·
Rather, he says that religious indi vid,
uals are called by .the travail of others to
repent of their own sins, and to take
responsibility for alleviating the suffering.
"God is good. God does not cause ,
ordain or justify suffering, " says Parker.
"For the sake of human freedom, God
2 NOVEMBER•DECEMB E R 1997
allows suffering that is caused by others
and suffering that is part of the natural
world, and then uses it to call humanity
to repentance, beneficence · and ultimate
reconciliation - voluntarily."
In other words, Parker says, when a
person contracts AIDS, believers should
not raise judgmental questions of drug
■
God uses
suffering
to call humanity
from evil
to good :
■
use or 'irresponsible sexual activity , but
should instead examine their own selfindulgent
behavior.
When the faithful read about the Bosnian-
Serbian war or the fratricide in
Northem Ireland, they would be best
served to "move away from the poten.
tially murderous consequeuces of their
own family bigotry , religious intolerance
and nationalistic loyalties."
God uses suffering to call humanity
from evil to good, according to Parker,
assistant professor of theology and religion
at Elmhurst College in Illinois .
"If individuals and society embrace
their solidarity with and their responsibility
for those who suffer, then much
suffering will come to an end," he
!Yrites. "But so long as human beings
deny their fundamental unity with all
others ; suffering will not only continue
but will grow to unimagined dimensions
. "
Miracles still happen , Parker says,
and they are to be celebrated .
But one cannot expect God to answer
every prayer. J
"Who would be genuinely fre e to love
God or not to love God if faith paid off
in the everyday world?" he asks. (AP)(
'Baking with Brother Boniface'
To renefit abrey, ~year-old monk
reveals lifetime' sreci~ secrets
BY BRUCE SMITH
MONCKS CORNER, S.C. - If bread is
the staff of life, nowhere is that mor e
true than at Mepkin Abbey where for
decades Brother Boniface Schnitzbaucr
. . baked yeast breads, supper bre ads, cakes .
andpastri~s.
Now the recipes collected over 45
years by the diminutive monk w!i.o
turns 90 in .January will be shared with
the world beyond the abbey cloistered
amid ~noss-shrouded oak.s along tJie
Cooper River . .,, ·
The recipes in "Baking with Brothet:
Brother Boniface ·
started out as
Boniface" are as much a part of life rd:,.
the 30 Trappist Cistercian monks as is "
rising in the middle of the · nigJii f9r
worship, prayer, meditation and workiq g ;_: · ·
a barber at
the abbey but
"landed in the
kitchen and got
stuck between
the pots ·
and pans."
on the abbey's poultry farm. · ,:,t,y :
The monks are vegetarians and bread ~is
an important part of their diet. Supper , '
and breakfast are generally breads ; frui ~
andcheese . . ,.,
Royalties from the book, to · ·~e
released in December by Wyrick ·&
Company of Charleston, go to the ,·
abbey. The publisher says Brother Bo1u;
face may be one of the oldest peopldl'i
ever publish a cookbook . ·
"That's what they.are <;!aiming. I d9ti't ·
know that," said Brother Boniface, ·;a .
humble, cordial man with a wry sense ,
of humor.
"I have to bend over. That's not my
hun1ility, that's my arthritis," he says as
he stoops to shake your hand.
BTOther Boniface was born in Germany
and worked as a barber . and coowned
an ice cream parlor in New York
before coming to the abbey in 1952. He
first was a barber there, but got interested
in baking after another brother
sho!Yed him how to make whole wheat
bread
"Gradually I landed in the kitchen and
got stuck between .the -pots and pans,' ·'
he says.
The original recipes came from rela tives,
friends, magazines and cookbooks,
but have evolved during the
years.
"Oh yes, I put my own touch to it,"
Brother Boniface says . "I had to multiply
them . The recipes were small f~ily
size."
Since most people do not cook fo{ a
community of 30 monks, the recipes
had to again be reduced in size and tested
before they could be publislied. ·
Brother Boniface's favorite recipe is
one for pistachio cake . "It would mak~ a
nice thing to cook . A nice cake," he
said. . .
He believes the recipes are good,
. I . . ,
although it i.s hard to tell at an abbey
where conversation, while itot forbidden,
is disco~aged. · . . · ·
"They (the monks) make .. a sign to :
you that the bread was good," Brother
Bo1riface said. "Nobody came and .jctually
complained, unless th_ey kepi it to
.tliemselves. '.' (AP)
Recipe for pistachio cake
from monk's cookbJok
Recipe for pist11cluo .~ake frqin · the
· cookbook "Baking with B~other ,Bo11i.
face' ' ptibHshed in December, ·
Ingredients for batier:
I Dltllcan Hines Butter
Recipe Golden Cake Mjx
1 · cnp vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
I 3 112 oz .. pacJ\age pistachio
instant pudding mix
. 4eggs ·
Ingredients for topping:
i cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Using a wooden spoon, stir and thor- .
oughly mix the dry ingredients with the
.eggs, oil and sour cream . .
Pour. half the -mixture into a greased ·9
by 13-inch baking pan . Sprinkle half
the topping over ilie batter. Pour ·the
remaining batter over the filling and
sprin:kle with remaining topping.
Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60
minutes.
Yield: I rectangular cake .
FAITH IN DAILY LIFE
Are gay ChristiansU ncle Toms?
BYCANDACECHELLEW
GAY CHRISTIAN. It's a phrase any
self-respecting member .of the Religious
Right would immediately identify as an
oxymoron. As the founder and editor of
"Whosoever: An Online Magazine For
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered
Christians," l get letters everyday
from conservati,ves who tell me it's
impossible to be both a practicing
homosexual and. a Christian. The tones
of the messages range from loving to
hateful, but the message is always the
same, "turn or burn."
I've developed a thick skin to these
messages and Jimi hardly ever shocked
or surprised by their content. But I did
receive one message that set me .back on
my heels. It read in part:
"You are weak and terribly interested
in being liked and accepted . You remind meof ih~ patheuc sheep who belonged
. to ihe ·Pep Chib iii high schooL Why
play a game that you can'rwiri?" ·
· The message itself was not as shocking/
is wlfo it was from:· a reader ,'named
. David; who ideniilied himself as a 36-
. year old gay .man.
It was the first time I ha<e!v er been
attacked by a member of the gay community
fqr my religio~s beliefsL To
D'avid, I imi weakfo r wanting to be part
of; a religiot1s systein that obvioils,ly
doesn't want me.
Apparently, David is not alo1ie in his
. criticism of gay; lesbian, bisexual and
transgendered people who ·also wish to
remain Christians. In his essay, "Is Gay
Spirituality. Really Masochism?" gay
·atheist leader Don Sanders portrays
GLBT Christians ·as:traitors to the larger
gay commwtlty:
"Under Christianity, homosexuals
have beell" the niost persecuted of all
minorities for almost 2,000 years. Ii is
witl1 amazement that I look upon gays
who, today, seek accommodation within
the parameters of 'its various institutions.
Is it at all logical for ils to .expect
the church to say it has been wrong all
along? To admit to snch an error would
be to undennine the very authority by
which it holds mitliomr of followers 'n
thrall:"
Sanders even goes so far as to equate
gay Christians with Jewish Nazi's and
black KKK members. To Sanders we are
working · for tile oppressors, becoming
their pawns, and trying to fit into a system
that will' only use and abuse us.
I have an answer for both David: and
Don.
David's accusation is the most stinging,
I believe. Nobody likes to be called
weak and patlletic. It goes right to the
heart of your self-worth. Bui, as Paul
tells us in 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10, our
weakness is power when it _is perfected
tlrrough Christ:
'"My grace is sufficient for you, for
my power is made perfect in weakness.'
I will all the more gladly boast of my
weaknesses, that the power of Christ
may rest upon • me. For the sake of
Christ ; then, I am content witll weak,
uesses, insults, hardships, persecutions,
and calamities; for when I am ·weak,
then I am strong."
Just as tlie old. Sunday School verse
tells us, "We are weak but He is
. strong:'' By ourselves we cannot change
thousands of years of church dogma and
abuses of the Bible and Jesus' message.
For Christ's• sake · we are weak, bombarded
by .insults, hardships, persecutions
and calamities .. . not only from
inside the church, but from within our
own C\)mrnwtlty from people like David
and Don.-But God's grace is sufficient.
· As Paul .assures us in Phillipians 4: 13:
"I can do all tliings . in him · who
str.engtllens me." Through tile grace of
. God we are made strong in our weakness.
Subsequently, GLBT Christians
are becoming a force . to be reckoned
· with within ilie church.
Aside from being weak, David also
accuses GLBT Christians of playing a
futile game by trying to win the acceptance
of tile mainstream churches. He
says it's a game we'll ultimately lose .
Don echoes this criticism, calling it
illogical to expect the church to admit it
is wrong to exclude GLBT Christians
from its fellowship. I don't see why
they're so pessimistic. Everyday more
and more churches open tl1eir doors to
accept GLBT Christians as fuil members.
More and more denominations are
mm'ing toward ·ordination of GLBT
Christians. If it's a game, tllen we seem
to be winning!
However, I don't see our struggles in
the church as a game. It's a very real
battle for the heart of the church . All
GLBT Christians seek is for the church
to truly embrace the teachings of Jesus
that they say ilieir faith is founded upon.
Jesus' ministry was one of inclilsion,
not exclusion. GLBT Christians are here
to remind the church of its origins.
Alone we will not succeed, but witl1 the
grace of God, perfecting our weaknesses, .
we sliall one dayo vercome.
But why do we even want to succeed?
Why be part of a church society that
oppresses our GLBT brotllers and sisters
with such zeal? Are we as GLBT Christians
really Uncle Toms to our commwrity
at large?
I fail to see how working to open tile
doors of a major institution in our
society to GLBT people could be seen
as selling out or working for the opposition.
It's merely an attempt to work
within the existing system. We are no
more Uncle Toms than African Americans
who work to be elected to office so
they can alleviate some of the suffering
of their constituents. By working within
the church structure, GLBT people are
having a profound affect on church doc•
trine . Our victories help alleviate some
of the suffering of our · brothers and
sisters who otherwise would have
walked, if not run full speed, away from
the church and God.
If we stood outside the church .door
and :shouted our demands we'd never be
heard or accepted. By coming into ilie
church, showing our deep faiili-and love
for Christ, we are moving ilie stony
hearts of the congregations . It is
through our genuine love and faith, that
we prove we too are members of God's
eternal family.
There have been many setbacks and
disappointments tllat have forced many
GLBT people out of tile church and subsequently.
out of iheir faith. Some
GLBT people persist in their faith however,
undaunted by the rejection. Why
· do they keep coming back to tile church,
even after _taking untold amounts of
abuse? Is it' a misguided and pathetic
.attempt to be accepted, to ·reel more
"normal?" I. don't believe it is. I think
there is someiliing stronger tllat pulls us
to the churcli. I believe many GLBT
- people see tllemseives in -tile words of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who wrote
in 'The Strengtll To Love:"
"Many continue to knock on the door
of the church at midnight, even after the
church has so bitterly disappointed
tllem, because they know tile bread of
life is tllere."
It's not the acceptance of the Pope,
the priest, the ·preacher or the parishioner
ihat GLBT Christians ultimately
seek. We knock al the door ·of a church
that has abused us over and over again
simply because we know the "bread of
life is there:" We know the bread of life
is for everyone, without exception, and
we seek .that bread from the church.
Often we encounter a church that has
lost tile meaning of the bread, and has
become selfish. The church is blind to
big picture of the all inclusive message
of Christ. In its myopia, the church has
set itself in tile place of God giving tl1e
bread to only ihose who meet its narrow
set of requirements.
Many GLBT don't even see the point
in approaching the door, let alone
knocking on it. "They'll only turn you
away, they'll call you nan1es, they may
even force you to change to come in."
Yes, all of these tirings have happened
to GLBT people who have knocked
upon the church door. Yet, some of the
more persistent GLBT-Christians continue
to knock. We hope against hope
that one day the door will open, and
we'll be welcomed wiili the unconditional
love of Jesus. King says that is
the basis of the faith that keeps the
church's outcasts knocking.
"Faith in the dawn arises from the
faitll that God is good and just. When
one believes this, he knows that the
contradictions of life are neither final
nor ultimate . . He can walk through the
dark night with the radiant conviction
tllat all ihings work together for good
for those who love God. Even the most
starless midnight may herald the dawn
of some great fulfillment."
To the world our attempts may seem
foolish, born of a great weakness to be
liked or accepted . If we look foolish,
then so be it! What better reason to be a
fool than to be a fool for God? Our foolislmess,
our weakness for God, is made
.perfect tlrrough Christ, .and as Paul tells
us in I Corinthians 1:27-31, that foolishness.
equals power.
"But God chose what is foolish in the
world to shame the wise, · God chose
what is weak in the world the shame the
strong, God chose wha! is low and despised
in ilie world, even tl1e things that
are not, to bring to nothing tirings that
are, so that no human being might
boast in the presence of God. He is the
source of your life in Christ Jesus ,
whom God made our wisdom, our
righteousness and sanctification and
redemption; therefore, as it is written,
'Lei those who boasts, boast of the
Lord."'
One day the doors will open. The
weak, low and despised GLBT Christians
will be used to shame the strong.
Our foolish persistence will be used to
shame the wise. When that day comes
my gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans gendered
brothers and sisters, let us not
boast of our own righteousness. Instead,
let us boast only of the Lord and the
great things God has done in and
tlirough our lives.
Candace Chellew is the editor and
founder of Whosoever: An Online Magazine
For Gay. Lesbian. Bisexual and
Tra11Sgendered Christians. The website
is located at: http://www.whosoever.org
and the e-mail is editor@whosoever.org.
SECOND STONE 3
FAITH IN DAILY LIFE
Retired bishop asks, 'Can't we all just get along?'
BY ERIC FRAZIER
CHARLESTON, S.C. - These days, it
almost seems as if people of faith spend
as much time fighting over theology as
they do applying it in prayer.
They argue over how to interpret the
Bible. They fight over homosexuality .
They _ battle over whether the Ten Commandments
should be posted in public
buildings. .
If the Right Rev. Hugh Montefiore
had his way, believers might differ ori
such issues, but they'd never fight over
them.
"Conflict in the church has been there
ever since (the apostle) Paul withstood
(the apostle) Peter to his face because
(Peter) was in lhe wrong over what food
we should eat," he said.
"Conflict can be creative. It can be
J)egative and destructive. And tliat's not
what Christianity is all about. It's about
_· loving one_ another despite . differences,
and finding away through them."
Montefiore, the retired Anglican
bishop of Birmingham, England, visited
Charleston the first week of November.
If anybody knows · about religious
conflict , Montefiore does. His family is
i.·,..,
.......... 1 r.,,., ~·c,,,
un"'! ,,,,,,...., ~~§§~:f;;;;;~:~~, ... --
one of Europe's best-known Jewish
families.
Two of his ancestor s, Claude and Sir
Moses Montefiore, are near-legendary
Jewish tltinker s whosl: biographies can
be found in the Encyclopedia Britamtica.
But none of that stopped him from
converting to Christianity at 16.
He told his family that Jesus had
appeared to him _in a vision and had
given ltim a simple, unavoidable directive:
"Follow me."
His family reeled from tl1e shock.
Other Jews called ltim a traitor. ·
Decades later, rabbis refused to work
with him when he tried to bring a Holocaust
exhibition to Birmingham .
Now 77 , Montefiore has written
rQ!)_ghly two dozen books, and is one of
. the more · prontinent . Christian tltinkers
in Great Britain. Much of his work deals
with the question of reconciling Christian
faith to a deeply secularized modern
cuhnre ruled by science and reason.
He looks at modern scientific findings
such as Darwin 's theory of evolution
and stil_l sees _the imprint of God's hand
on the wiiverse . ·
"Incredible coini;idences take place" in
such t!teories, he .said . "In my view, the
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data of science can't prove tlie existence
of God, but tliey make God probable .
"It's always possible it was random
intellectually speaking but it seems _to
me very improbable" that it all happened
by chance, he said.
He actually seems to apply a scien tist's
thirst for inquiry to his own
approach to questions of faith.
He admires the passion and conviction
of fundamentalist s, but doesn't have
much patience for wha t. he sees as their
narrow view of faith and Ute Bible.
"It's almost as if people arc too frightened
to tltink; therefore, they have to
accept tliings on authority," . he said.
"Blind faith isn't what Christia1tity is
about. ... It 's a leap of trust , leading to a
commitment of the will to follow the
way of Christ."
· He doesn't see why people can't get
along despite their theological differences
.
He believes the time they spend arguing
could be time spent in pilslting a
Christian etltic for saving the environment
or stopping nuclear proliferation.
"It doesn 't worry me if I kneel to
receive Holy Communion next to
someone who holds different views from
me," he said. ''After all, the basic thing
is that we should love one anotlier, not
hate one another because we hold different
vie,vs . That's unchristian _." (The
Charleston Post and Courier)
Study: Going to church is
good for your health!
BY ESTES THOMPSON
A WEEKLY TRIP to religious services
is good for the healtli of older adults,
·according to a new study.
The study of 1,718 older adults in
North Carolina found blood levels of the
undesirable immune system protein
interleukin-6 (IL-6) were lower in people
over age 65 who attended services at
least once a week, according to tl1e study
of 1,718 older adults in North Carolina.
The presehce of high levels of IL-6 in
the body has been linked to a wide array
of age-related diseases.
The study, part of the largest national
survey ever conducted on aging, was
_published in the October issue of the
International Journal of Psycltiatry.
Previous studies used only anecdotes
about the relationship between attending
a religious services and good health, said
Dr. Marcia Ory, chief of social science
research on aging at ilie National Institute
on Aging, wltich helped finance the
Duke U1tiversity study.
"It's incredibly significant, because
it's one of the very first studies that tries
lo look at tl1e biological linkages," Ory
said. "This is really one or"-the pioneering
studies."
The National Institute on Aging has
sponsored research on the com1ection
between the healili of older people a_nd
their religious commitment.
Blood levels of IL-6 were lower in
people over age 65 who attended services
at least once a week, accotding to
the study of 1,718 older adults in North
Carolina . Sixty percent of the adults
attended services regularly and the rest
went rarely or never.
'Those who go to church or synagogue
regularly are physically healtltier ,
· mentall y healthier and they have healthier
immune systems ," said Dr. Harold
Koe1tig, a Duke psychiatri st and ·lead
autl1or of tl1e study. "It certainly appears
that they are healtltier .. "
Not everyon e believes · going to
church can necessarily lower unliealthy
substances in the body.
The Rev. Scott Benhase, rector of St.
Philip's Episcopal Church in Durham,
said he .believes church-going people
simply lead healthier lives. ·
"It' s not a surprising finding ai all,"
"Benhase said. "People who go to church
reguiarly a_re more likely to take carti of
tl1emselves."
" One of the reasons ,ve did this study
was that the findings previously" showed
that people involved in religious activi ties
· cope better with stress and have less
depression and stress and don't drink as
much alcohol and have healtltier live s,"
Koenig said.
. The new findings also can help substantiate
alternate medical ilieories· about
well-being, said Cohen.
"We've got some biological evidence
finally," Koenig said.
'This is a study that looks at an association
," he added. "Frequent church
attender s have healthier immune systems,
but we don't ·know whether the
church attendance is causing the IL-6
levels to drop." (AP)
FAITH IN DAILY LIFE
Minister in disguise tri~ to
understand city's homel~
BY DA YID HOLDEN
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - About 5 p.m.
·every day, homeless men, women and
children straggle into the Downtown
Rescue Mission for their evening meal.
Several times during two weeks in early
October , the Rev. Walter Peavey, disguised
as _a homeless person, has been
among· them.
Choice, ~ot circumstance , drew Peavey
into ihe shelter. An ordained Primitive
Baptist minister, he wanted to
ellperience what homeless people feel
and how people react to them . He
1vouldn't do ·it again because of the pain
and anguish it brought him.
"I learned my lesson, " Peavey said
this week. "Be thankful to God for whatever
you _have ,-no matter how little it
might be." . -
Peavey received pennission from the
Rev. Darwin D. Overholt, director -of
the mission, to hang around with the
residents at the shelter. ;•r wanted to do
something that would put me in touch
with ... how a homeless person really
feels ," he said.
A woman down on her luck sparked
Peavey's interest in the plight of the
homeless . She and her two children were
abandoned by her husband and she
requested help from the Antioch P.B.
Church, where Peavey has been the pastor
for 18 months .
The woman is doing fine now, after
getting food, clothing and other help
from church members, along with a job
and an apartment .
As a homeless man, Peavey wandered
tl1e streets from dusk until dawn seeking
a reaction to his presence.
"People rolled up the windows and
thumb-bolted the locks on their car
doors as I passed ," he said. "Women got
out of the way and hugged their purses a
little tighter."
The hostility and abuse heaped upon
him made him cry, he said. He now
un<lerstands why so many on the street
resort to drugs and alcohol.
"On the street, you are like a man
without a country, and it hurts," he said.
"I was just playing a role . If it had been
for real, I don't think I could live with
that kind of pain ."
Peavey said he was walking across a
hotel parking lot when a man yelled at
him to get away from his car. He was
accosted by an irate storekeeper for look:
ing at magazines.
"It was just the perception that I didn't
have any money that made him angry,"
he said. "H e told me to get out of his
store because I couldn't buy anytlung."
Another night he was walking on Jordan
Lane when four boys in a car threw
empty beer bottles at him . "I could have
been killed," he said.
Those who make up the ranks of the
homeless have changed over the past 30
years, Overholt said. "Thirty years ago,
the average homeless person was a 50-
year--0ld man who was an alcoholic ," he
said. "Now the average age is 28 to 32
years old and the age is steadily decreasing."
Aud the number of women and
children in dire straits is increasing.
Current! y, the mission houses about
75 men and a dozen or so women. Most
of the people who live · in the niission
are transients who will be there a few
days or a few weeks or a few months ,
Overholt said. They leave when arrangements
for permanent homes and supplemental
incomes are made through social
service agencies or they simply move
Oil.
Most of tl1e city's homeless don't live
at tl1e niission, but tl1ey aud others may
stop by at least once a day for a meal.
Many have lost hope tliings will ever
get better . Roger B., 53, is a minister
who at one time was on the staff at the
mission. He and ms wife and children
Ii ved in Scottsboro until things turned
sour. "If you don't know anybody , you
can't get anywhere," he said. "I had a
drinking problem and ended up in a
shelter."
Roger has lived at Downtown for the
past 10 months. He has a job at a mghtech
company in Madison and is getting
ready to rent his own apartment. He
hopes things will go smoothly this
time as he ventures out on ms own .
"I'm going to turn it over to Jesus," he
said.
Peavey said his report to Overholt
will address the food at the mission,
lack of help for the mentally ill and lack
of counselors for people who need help,
residents acting as supervisors and little
safe shelter for women and children .
Overholt concedes he is rull!ling the
shelter with a small staff. But other
agencies help tl!e mentally ill, offer professional
counseling and provide job
training, he said.
Of the nussion's residents, Overholt
said, "I don't think they have lost hope.
Some have been hurt , bruised and broken
. But I think love and caring is all
they need a lot of times to get their
hope back." (The Huntsville Times)
Since 1988, a friend
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BECAME THE CORNERSTONE - Mark 12:10
SECOND STONE 5
MANNA
BY REV. DONNA E. SCHAPER
When times get tough
The grandness of Gcxl' s grace
I TEND TO IMAGINE that other people
are sinners and that I am not. I have
lengthy lists of excuses for why I am
not all I could be. I repeat over and over
again a snippet of poetry, "All that I had
hoped to be / I was not." I don't know
the author anymore .
What I have learned at middle age is
that it is important to give our sins a
name. If we don't, we can't get rid of
them. They remain on the excuse list
rather than the forgiven list.
Before we can confess our sins, we
must know what they are. Before we
can receive God's forgiveness, we 11111st
be prepared torepent. We mnst be sure
that we will stop, or try to stop, our
involvement with our own trouble. If
we don't know what causes our trouble;
we can hardly confess it . I have needed
words for general confession and particular
confession.. r have bad to face the
possibility that some of the trouble I
have faced in my life is my own fault.
The Book of Common Prayer makes
general confession with ihese lilting
words, "We have left undone those
thipgs which we ought to have done;
And we have done those things which
we ought not to have done; And there is
no health in us." St. Paul divides sin
into at least two categories, sins of
·commission and tirings of omission.
He also understands the mriversality of
human cciniplicity with our own trouble
. Neither the common confession or
St. Paul allows us to distance ourself
from our own trouble. Blaming and
whining a.re not allowed. Extentalizing
is · banned. Instead we are ·inviied to
confess our sins, to take our sins upon
ourselves, to be "responsible" for them,
and to ask for and receive confession ..
Some people divide the world in a
much less responsible way. Some people
have a long tally sheet, which has
on one side "my fault" aitd on the other,
"not my fault." People with these
lists are highly tempted to victim status;
they/we understand the world as
beyond our moral control. We place
other people in charge of sin and us in
charge of tallying. For example, we fail
lo raise our own children and blame the
"media" or the "schools" as the fault of
our not being able to raise. them. In the
tally life style, others a.re in charge. We
a.re not. And, if we a.re not in charge,
6 NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 1997
we can hardly be sinning. Tallying is a
sophisticated excuse. _It is not confession.
Nor has it anything to do with
repentance. Here we take the costume
off of some of the excuses we use to
refrain from confession and repentance.
In the very popular book by Stephen
Covey, ''The Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People," the world is divided
into spheres of influence and the territory
outside our spheres of influence . In
the sphere of influence, we place our
families, our jobs, our selves. Outside
of the sphere of influence, we might
place something distant, like peace in
Jerusalem or abolishing racism. Healthy
people, Covey says, work in their
sphere of intluence and don't stray outside
it very often. They work to expand
their sphere of influence but they make
most of their investment inside that
sphere. For example, a father may try
to raise children who understand racism
and who are prepared to make simple
stands against it. He may or may not
write an affinnative action plan for his
town. People who work in their sphere
of influence take small bites out of the
great, global responsibility which surrounds
us all.
I have found useful confession inside
my sphere of influence . I've had to
repent the anger and viole1ice I inherited
from Donald, without blaming Donald.
I've had to repent tl1e lust I have for food
and drink and putting things in my
mouth without blaming Lena's hunger.
I've had ·10 stop compensating with
being a workaltolic goody two shoes for
an emotionally hungry childhood. I've
had to become me and not them. I've
had to figure out where I stop and they
start.
I am not implying enormous levels of
evil, or responsibility, or any other
grandiosity, within my8clf. Rather I an1
preparing for confession within my
sphere of influence, that there I may
repent and do the tirings I should do and
refrain from doing tltose tirings I should
not do.
A lot of people know ''something" is
wrong but we don't know what it is.
We live with a feeling, a foreboding, a
repetition, a shadow in the deep recesses
of our hearts. Here we make friends
with that feeling; we become less afraid
of us. We meditate and confess our way
lo intimacy with our own sin. Here we
prepare for the confession of our sins by
tlrinking about what sin is - and how il
might really be a part of our lives and
not just "those other people's ."
Because of that funny monring I had
with the iced np car, long ago, now I
see the process of sin and confession
with the glare of the ice and the glare of
that Ash Wednesday in my mind. I
drove all the way home that morning
staring at any absolutely gorgeous ice
storm, tree after tree. Nothing was
exempt. The iced made me think of the .
Puritan understanding of sin. They
thought it had the world j1retty well cov ered.
They also thought God's love covered
more.
No matter how serious our sin, God
can still forgive us. No matter how
many of our organs the sin's cancer has
spread to, we can still be saved. God
has a power larger titan sin. It is• love .
It, too, covers, everytlring.
I recall how one of the Tai Chi postures
is about ice becoming water
■
"Sin is
known
by the
pain it
causes."
■
becoming gas in the process of healing.
The stage towards water is when the
sages imagine sickne~s digging in,
unless it melts quickly .
ht my own church, the United Church
of Christ, one of the great controversies
is about the confession. Many other
people, in other churches, have similar
reactions. Half our churches won't even
use one, up here in rock·y New England,
because now we a.re more like the people
of the tally and -less like the Puri•
tans. We don't tlrink sin or ice as everywhere.
The other half of our churches
use a confession but siick to tlte sin part
and forget the melt or absolution.
When the sun came out that Wednesday,
and the ice melted, all I could imag ine
was the- grandness of God's grace.
The way it washes away our sin. The
way it warms us. The way it forgives
us. The way it changes us.
. There was a lot of damage in tlris ice
storm. But as great as tlte damage, even
greater was the healing . As strong as
the ice, even stronger was the sun. I
count on such a melt down for the
church. The Puritans changed from
being a dour people to being a happy
people. Maybe we have become too
happy , now that we deny the possibility
of confessing our sins or just confess
them without receiving, genuinely,
absolution. The Clrinese help us in the
Tai Chi theory: melt quickly, they
warn. Or you will get very sick. The
sickness will dig in.
''.Sin is known by the pain it causes."
So said Julian of Norwich. The first
task in trouble is to find out whose ox
is gored and why. Who won? Who
lost? What pa.rt did we play in it? Have
we sinned? Where does our sphere of
influence stop and where does another
begin?
What if our spouse is beating us?
Whose "fault" is that? What does it
matter whose fault it is? Don't we have
to stop letting ourselves be beaten?
What if our spouse ·is harassing us and
not supporting us? Whose "fault" is
that? What does it matter whose fault it
is? Don't we have to ·stop letting our
spouse do that?
One definition of sin is tliat sin is
when we miss the mark of our true
humanity . Every day we spend outside
of the wannth of the melting winter
sun, and stuck in our ice cubes, we· are
getting more nul1ealtl1y. We are getting
further from the grace of God. Every
day we spend leaning towards the
warmth, like a house plant on a shelf,
we are getting closer to the grace of
God. We are becoming healthy , If we
have difficulties in our marriage, we
may, should and must get help. We
dare not wlrine or blame or externalize.
In tl1ese behaviors, ,we become partners
with the sin. When we get help, we
disassociate with it. Help is an act of
repentance.
Sin is also understood ,as the process
of tunring in on ourselves - "Incurvatus .
-in Se" - and tuming away from God.
The more we avoid our own trouble, the
more we curve in. That is one reason
·for the dark feeling in the ·deep recess of
our hearts. We a.re looking inside. We
·are getting colder and darker by the.
minute.
Sin is also disobedience of God. God
requires that we love Him and each other.
When people love each other, they
don't let each other stay stuck.
God has also told us to love our .enemies.
Sin is our enemy, .We have to
love it and ourselves, and God, if .we
want a melt down.
In tlte great words of the Book of
Common Prayer, we also ask for forgiveness
for our sins in thought, word
and deed. I find tlris holistic understanding
of sin and tlte sinner to be very use ful.
Often it is our attitude that nothing
can be done that is the most sinful
tiring. It shuts God out. Often it is our
sinful thoughts that lead to sinful noninvolvemenl.
Likewise words can carry the sin.
The more time we work on onr tally
CONTINUES Next Page
MANNA
When times get tough
From Previous Page .
sheets, "my fault" and "not my fault,"
the more we use words to curve in on
ourselves. Why not take responsibility
for things for which we don't feel
responsible? Why not take peace in Jerusalem
on to ourselves instead of spending
so much time trying to get rid of it?
Why not do one little thing for peace
every day? Why no.I trust prayer and
trust God's intentions for Jerusalem?
Why not align ourselves with God's
forces in history and personal life, both,
not either? When we use words to protect
ourselves from God's power, we
begin to freeze up, to jam, to turn
inwards. When we use words more
optimistically, in a more "yes" way, or
a more prayerful way, we align ourselves
with God's power.
Thoughts and words come before
deeds. As we prepare for confession, it
is a good idea to explore our thoughts
and words as well as our deeds.
Even confession is complicated. That v
is what middle age is teaching me.
Someone has framed a prayer of confession
using these words: "Forgive us the
things we have doi1e and the things we
have done poorly." Those words are eloquent.
They make good sense . We ·get
only part of the way to confession if we
think we have to deal i.n blacks and
whites instead of grays . We should also
be praised for the bard tilings we have
tried and failed at. Confession is complicated
because we are judged morally
for our excellence in affairs oflove. We
love poorly. That is our confession. It
can also be our s.alvation, to love anyway,
even if poorly. God understands
this and will give us absolutiou for the
poorness in our love · and also give the
encouragement we need to try again.
The way beyond trouble is to move
out of the world it has caused and to
move into ,a new one. Alice went to
Wonderland - not because of sin - but
because "it was there." How did she get
in? She had to shrink. She had to leave
everything outside .. There -is a method -
here for moving beyond -trouble . It is a
form of repentance, to make o.urselves
small, our shame manageable, our
embarrassment a gift lo God.
Mercy, Madeleine L'Engle remembers,
is a Ii ve coal in the sea. TJ1e sea
is God; the sin is the coal . Get that
proportion right-and you can find mercy. -
One of our best pastors said, '1' o
move fast on tllis corner requires standing
still most of the time ." Often
repentance is a slow, daily ac.tion, not a
once and for all thing. It may invofve
therapy and getting over past hurts t)lat
cause us to tally and then tally some
more. It may even involve failing with
three therapi sts only to find one who
can help us! Patient endurance is
repentant. It lasts. It wait s out it s own
trouble.
T. S. Eliot said ;" You bring me news
of a ·door that.opens at the end of a corridor,
sunlight and singing, when I had
felt sure that every corridor only led to
another , or to a blank wall ."
Those who have made friends out of
their own trouble know what he means .
We have come to know the dark places
within us and we have seen tl1eir door s
and windows. I have become intimately
a_cquainted with the bottom of my stomach.
It opens! But not until it is
ready to open . Pain takes its own good
time . But God, who Eliot is addre ssing
here, can be counted on to show up at
tl1e bottom of tl1e bottom of the bottom
of the trouble '. and there to open a door .
Folk wisdom tells us that "God never
shuts a window not to open another." I
remember being in a church once where
all the windows were open and a service
was being conducted. A gusty wind
blew 11p ·on both sides of the church.
The ushers shut all windows all, very
■
of confession, or the open window at
the bottom of trouble; we ·are talking
about movii1g into a certain spiritual
zone. Alhletes speak of being in their
zone when they play well. Repentance
is becoming extra-dependent and able to
"play" again. It is when ive let God
love us. Repentance is when God
accepts our offer to "watch over."
Once we know our sins, and can take
responsibility for them , in thought or
word or deed or all three, we find God
helping us manage their weight. We
don't really hav e so much to carry after
all.
Tllink of a cllild at a park and a mother.
The child circles the mother. The
child goes further and further away from
the mother but touches base as part of
the circle he or she makes .
We. are like that with God. Worship
is · touclling base. Those who don't worship
don't touch base. They die of their
trouble , of the sheer weight of carrying
it.
John Wesley, the famous Methodist,
said the Catholic spirit involves asking
tl1e right questions of each other. We
can avoid trouble by getting to the right
question. Not, said he, "whether in the
The way beyond trouble is to move out of the
world it has caused and to move into a new
one. Alice went to Wonderland ... because "it
was there. How did she get in? She had to
shrink. She had to leave everything outside.
quickly. Air pressure opened one back
up! The whole congregation smiled.
We knew that God uses air pressure to
make a point.
People come to church on Sundays
after they have been in charge of their
week all week. They come looking . for
a door or window to open . They come
looking for "someone to watch over
me." They know they're in trouble, if
not for sin, then for the real weight of
carrying themselves all the time. Religion
exist s to manage "extradependence"
well. Extra-dependence is
the mature part of dependency. h1tradependence
is the area of doing, of work,
of mies well played, of la,li. Extra dependence
is the area of being, of play ,
of essence, of grace. Lloyd Ogilvie
advi .ses such people, "Le t God Love
Yon." Lean on the everlasting anus.
When we talk about the melling ice
■
administration of baptism, you agree
with me · in admitting sureties for the
baptized ; in the manner of administering
it: or the age of tllose to whom it
should be administered? Nay, I ask not
of you , whether you allow baptism and
the Lord's supper at all? Let al l these
things stand by; we wiH talk of tl1em, if
need be, at a more convenient season;
my only question at preseni is tllis, "ls
thine heart right ,. as my heart is with
tl1y heart?"
Repentance is getting our heart back
right. When we sin, our hearts get out
of whack. Reperitanci: restores our
hearts to a good position.
The most difficult tiling about repentance
is knowing that we may sin again.
We may get right back in our own rut
again.
I drove to one of our churches with an
old friend . We came to a dirt road that
was full of .spring mud and rut s. A
farmer came out of his house and said ,
"Do you rea lly want to go down _that
road?" We sa id yes , it was our favorite
back way to the church in Chester.
Carol Ann has a Ii tile cottage deep in
these ,voods; we were on our way "by
it" up to Chester.
We. proce eded down the rutted road as
far as we could go - and we had to tum
back' We had to back out the whole
way missing the ruts we had already
missed . There was no way we were
going to make it through.
We both had quite the laugh . We
realized we had never turned back before
a dangerous road before. We had taken
way too many foolhardy risks together .
(She and I developed the new UCC
Inclusive Language Hymnal long .before
others figured out how wrenching tllis
issue would be.) so · we had a new
experience on the way to Chester . One
that we will both have 10· muse on for a
long time.
Is this age? Or wisdom? Or practice
for a longer season of repentanc e? Or
all three? See what you tllink. At least
we know how to recognize mud season
when we see it.
Repentance is an anvil on which we
are forged to maturity. When · we learn
io be friends with our sin, and our complicity
with sins that are not our fault ,
we place tl1eI11 on an anvil. We ask to
be forged, and reforged, over and over ..
We ask .to be remelted, reshaped, repositioned
for life. We change our shape .
If we can't name our sins, we stay
clear of the meltdown and the reshaping.
We get bent "out of shape" and we .stay
tllat way.
But when we name them, we find a
way to become ourselves. We become
the selves God intended ns to be. We
move towards our true humanity .
Edward Bouverie Pusey tells the story
of bis grandmother putting her tears in a
bottle. She would catch her tears and
seal the m up. But once, as her mother ·
and fatl1er lay dying of yellow fever,
Pusey says, they refused to let her capture
their tears-in her little crystal vial.
"Remember our smiles instead ," my
great grandparents taught t_heirchildren.
One translation of Psalms 56, 57, and
58, speaks of God as the One who has
SEE MANNA,Page lo The
Rev. Danna E. Schaper is Associate
Conference Minister with the
Massachusetts Conferenc.e of the
United Churcli of Christ. Her new
book is "The Sense In Sabbath: A
Way To Have Enough Time, " Innisfree.
SECOND STONE 7
Fmocy University will pennit
some gay ceremonies in ~I
BY STEVE VISSER
ATLANTA - Methodist-affiliated Emory
University will allow gay couples to
say commitment vows in its chapels
under strictly limited circumstances that
effective ly exclude most campus gays
and lesbians, including Methodists.
The policy, approved Nov . 13 by the
board of trustees, requires that a religious
leader from one of the 24 religious
g~oups on campus perform such ceremonies,
chaplain Susan Henry-Crowe said.
Of those groups, only the Reformed
Jewish le.ader and the United Church of
Christ leader now perform ceremonies
for gay couples, she said, acknowledging
that gays of other _faiths who want
to use campus chapels are out of luck.
Lindsey G. Davis, bishop of the
North Georgia United Methodist Conference,
said he was pleased that Emory's
new policy "makes it unlikely that
same-sex ceremonies will be conducted
in !he university chapels."
But Ms. Henry-Crowe, a Methodist
minister, denied the new policy is
designed to dodge a ·church-university
controversy by making the issue largely
moot .
The board, which includes five Methodist
bishops, approved the policy with- ,
out dissent, said board chairmruiBradley
Currey Jr.
"I am a Christian, happen to belong
to the . Episcopal Church, and I believe
the actions thai have been taken by the
board today are completely consistent
with my religious faith," Currey said.
The only gay commitment ceremony
ever performed at an Emory chapel was
in 1995, Ms. Henry-Crowe said.
Emory became !he.center of a controversy
over whether the private university
should permit exchanges of vows
after the dean of Emory's Oxford College,
a satellite campus 30 miles southeast
of Atlanta, denied permission for a
gay ceremony in May.
Oxford dean William Murdy cited
church policy, Georgia law and community
standards when he canceled the
chapel reservation of Chris Hamilton,
who was then director of student development
at Oxford, and his partner, Jack
Hamilton.
University President William M.
Chace said ihe dean violated Emory's
nondiscrimination policy in banning the
ceremony. North Georgia United Methodists
disagreed and asked the school
trustees to study the matter. (AP)
Winans sisters stand behind
anti-gay gospel song.
BY JIM PATTERSON
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - Gospel duo
Angie & Debbie Winans enjoy the
''Ellen" teleyision show, and they know
lots of other people do, too.
That 's why they felt it importrull to
address the April episode where the character
played by comediru1 Ellen DeGeneres
came out as a lesbian .
The way the Winans sd, it, homosexuality
is a sin.
Debbie, 26, and Angie, 29 - the
younger sisters of gospel stars BeBe rutd
CeCe Winruts - decided to respond with
a song called "Not Natural" and are
refusing to back off, despite some criticism.
"It was a holy anger that came,
8 NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 1997
because if your kids only see that,
they're going to mimic that," Angie
WinrutS said Oct. 21.
"Janet Jackson is singing about a
(se,mal relationship with a) yow1g lady
on her riew project ('Free Xone' on the
singer's 'The Velvet Rope' CD). I'm
sure you heard about that.
"Why can she say that and we can't
say anything? Wh11t's up with that?"
The premise of "Bold," the duo's sec- .
ond CD, was to make a gospel album
tltat didn't shririk from issues. The song
"No t Natural' ; from the CD talks about
homosexuality, violence , premarital sex
and using sex to sell products. In each
case, the sisters conclude: "It's not natu-
SEE WINANS, Page 17
Church members adjust
to new, gay pastor
ROY AL OAK, Mich. - Some of the
300 members of St. John's Episcopal
Church welcomed the Rev. Linda Northcraft
when she became the new pastor in
September.
But other parishioners - at least four
families - have left the suburban Detroit
church after learning the 52-year-old,
Yale-educated former schoolteacher is a
lesbirut.
Many Episcopalians, including Northcraft,
believe they have reconciled the
issue of homosexuality within a faith
that_preaches against sex outside of marriage.
"Within the Episcopal faith, what it
affirms is faithful, committed relationships,"
Northcraft told the Detroit Free
Press. "In the Bible, few references
address human sexuality. We liave to
look at it in its historical context.
"In Genesis, everybody looks at
Sodom and Gomorrah and assumes they
were punished for homosexuality, " she
said. "In fact, they were punished for
inhospitality. Paul's references to homosexuals
refer to the cultic prostitutes.
Jesus ·never talked about homosexuality."
Others see things cliff erentl y.
Marion Bririkel, a member for nearly
70 years, said she hasn't decided what to
do about her membership in the church.
"I thirik she's a ·very nice person, even
though I haven't met her personally,"
Bririkel said of Northcraft. "What troubles
me is her lifestyle and being a
leader of the church."
Helen Browne, a member for 40 ;
years, said she doesn't "really like" the
fact that Northcraft is a lesbian.
Still, Nor!hcraft does have supporters.
"She's the best candidate ... and is,
frankly, more of a leader !han I expected
her to be," said Doug Oliver, a member
of the governing board at St. John's.
"I see no reason for her not to. be our
new rector," said Marilyn Barker, a parish
member for 73 years a11d daughter of
founding members.
"I know there's going to be some
major changes taking place in the
church because of her arrival: Bnt Royal
Oak has changed in the last 15 to 20
years. It's · not the small town it used to
be. Everyone has 11 right to their own
opinions and lifestyle. I don't thirik this
is going to change things in the eyes of
!hel..ord."
Bishop R. S~ewart Wood Jr., who
SEE ADJUST, Page 17
q1iscoμtl diocese approves measure
supporting ordination of gays
TACOMA, Wash. - Western Washington
Episcopalians have approved a resolution
that says homosexuality is
"morally neutral," and supports ordaining
gays and lesbians.
The resolution was approved Nov . . 14
by delegates to the annual convention of
the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia by a
244-190 vote. The same measure was
defeated in 1995 and was tabled last
year.
Passage this year is a sign that tl1e
Episcopal Church is moving toward full
inclusion of gays and lesbians, said .the
Very Rev . Frederick Northup, dean of
St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle.
Northup said he was pleased with the
vote, but one of his .own parishioners
said she was disappointed. Dr. Edith
L~wrence said the delegates, by approving
a resolution supporting gay relationships,
were going against biblical teachings.
Before the vote, several evru1gelical
Christian street preachers spoke out
against the measure .outside tlte Tacoma
·Convention Center, where the meeting
took place. About 800 Episcopalians
attended the two-day meeting.
Among the resolution's major points:
"We believe · that some of us are
created heterosexual and some of us are
created homosexual."
"Gay a11d lesbian clergy already are
serving the Episcopal Church .. . with
effectiveness and integrity." Gays and
lesbians in relationships "marked by
faithfulness, love and life-giving holiness"
should not be excluded from
becoming clergy.
Gay a11d lesbian relationships that are
"faithful, monogamous, committed ,
life-giving and holy are to be honored."
The statement offers .«our support, our
pastoral care, our prayers and our recognition"
to committed gay and lesbian
couples , "in whatever form is deemed
appropriate."
At least four other Episcopal dioceses
and 72 bishops have approved tlte resolution,
called the "Statement of Koinonia."
Bishop Vincent Warner, leader of
the 34,000-member Olympia Diocese,
hasn't signed the statement, but he said
he supported ihe measure.
This summer, a measure approving
the blessing of same-sex w1ions was
defeated by one vote at tlte church's General
Convention, the national policymaking
body for the · 2.4 millionmember
den01nination. (AP)
NATIONAL NEWS
Panel at Skidmore says .religion slowly accepting gays
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY -A gradual
acceptance of gays and lesbians by
organized religion is occuning but the
process is slow and varies greatly from
one religion to another, a panel of
experts said Oct. 20 at Skidmore . College.
For example, in the Roman .Catholic
Church the: official edict is that any sex.
ual act that can't be procreative is wrong
and ·homosexual acts are considered
"unlawful," said the Rev. Ronald Boccieri,
Skidmore's Roman Catholic chaplain
.
B.ut in September U.S . Catholic
bishops advised pai:ents of gay children
in a groundbreaking pastoral letter to
put love and_.support for their sons and
daughters before church doctrine that
condemns homose)lual activity, he said.
The •bishpps said homosexual orientation
is not freely chosen and parents
must not reject their gay children i!1 a
society full of rejection and discrimination.
Rabbi _ Linda Motz.kin, ti)e college !s
Jewish chaplain , said Judaism's view of
homosexuality is not as "monolithic" as
the Catholic Church's view . She said
the four main branches of Judaism range
from an acceptance of homosexuality
(the Reformed sect) to condenmation of
. homosexuality as "a horrible, awful sin
(Orthodox Judaism) ."
"There is a spectrum - at one end it 's
an abomination, at the other end celebrates
the riclmess and diversity of all
human life," Rabbi Motzkin said.
. The panel discussion on
"Homosexuality and Religion" also
included members of the Presbyterian
Church and Skidmore fac1ilty members
and a representative of Four Winds, the
.private psychiatric hospital in Saratoga
Springs.
Patricia Ferraioli, assistant professor
of govermnent, started the program in
the college's Wilson Chapel by noting
that in the early part of the 20th century
"homosexuality was considered a crime
against nature" both in and out of the
court system.
She said changes started happening in
the ·mid-1950s when a widely accepted
scientific study concluded that homosexuality
was not a mental disorder.
By the mid-1990s sodomy laws between
consenting adults had been
repealed or declared unconstitutional in
many states. But ·13 states still have
laws that declare sodomy between consenting
adults a felony, Ferraioli said.
Skidmore Chaplain Kathleen Buckley
noted that the Presbyterian Church
(USA) has support groups for gays, Jes- .
bians and bisexuals that are listed on the
Presbyterian Church home page on the
Internet. But she said there is a "serious
gap right now in Protestantism" regarding
acceptance of homosexuals. She said
some Lutheran and Methodist clergy
would be fired if they were to openly
declare they are gay. But things are
changing, becoming more tolerant, she
said.
"It's a change, but a slow kind of
change," she said .
"Human sexuality is an . enonnous
mystery ... There are new vistas opening
that we didn't see before," Boccieri said.
Skidmore English Professor Terence
Diggory said his Presbyterian church in
Saratoga Springs took a stance opposing
a nation.μ ban on gays and lesbians,
preventing them from becoming church
leaders.
"We protested and joined the More
Light movement," Diggory said. He
said his local church feels that "sexi1al
orientation is not an issue for religious
ordination."
Mason Stokes, a visiting Skidmore
assistant English professor, said the
general feeling among young people is
that organized religion says homosexuality
is wrong.
"Religion says 'I'm sick' to a 12-or
13-year-old kid [who is homosexual] ,"
Stokes said .
The panel discussion was sponsored
the Bglad, a student organization at the
college, said Carrie Welt, Bglad's copresident.
(Schenectady Daily Gazette)
E;piscopal traditionalists moving toward separateprovinces
BY JAMESSOLHEIM
TRADITIONALISTS BOTH IN 'the
United States and in England are lllOVing
. towards separate provinces for the
Episcopal Church and The Church of
England ..
· The Episcopal · Synod of America
(ESA) has clarified its goals in the wake
of the 1997 General Convention in
Philadelphia. It will now seek to estab lish
an Orthodox Province of the Anglican
Commumon in North America .
"We will no longer speak of a mission
to be the church within the Episcopal
Church for we have concluded that the
institutional Episc .opal Church has lost
the will to be reformed," said ESA president
Peter Moriarty .
The ESA has made it clear it will minister
to individuals and parishes without
regard for diocesan boundaries or the permission
of diocesan bishops. It bas sent
a Jetter to parishes in what it regards as
"hostile" dioceses where the bishop is
·not of "orthodox conviction," inviting
them to apply for oversight by an ESA
bishop.
In a letter to diocesan bishops October
2, Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning .
said that he bad received phone calls
from bishops alerting him to the packet
sent by ESA to "seuior wardens in 25
dioceses whose bishops had signed the
Statement of Koinonia." (The statement,
presented by Bishop John Spong
of Newark to · ibe HollSe of Bishops dur -
. ing its debate on sexuality in 1994, says
that sexual orientation is "morally
neutral,'.' that "faithful, monogamons,
committed" relationships of gays and
lesbians should be honored and that gay
clergy could serve as "wholesome examples
to the flock of Christ.")
Browning said that theissue "will need
to be dealt with locally by diocesan
bishops as they arise," but he expressed
his · "tremendous support for those
bishops who are in this difficult situation."
Bishop Allen Bartlett, Jr. of Pennsylvania
wrote to his clergy September 18
to warn that snch art invitation from the
ESA "is a clear invitation to schism and
anarchy." If a parish extended an invitation
to another bishop "that parish
would violate the Constitution and Canons
of the Episcopal Church."
In what could be regarded as the first
step in implementing the strategy, Moriarty
and Bishop Edward MacBurney, the
retired bishop of Qnincy, visited St.
Paul's Church in Brockton, Massachusetts,
September 28. According to Moriarty,
the parish separated formally from
the diocese a year ago and was the first
church to respond to the invitation
issued in the Good Shepherd Declaration,
published by the ESA after its
post-General Convention meeting.
Speaking to the congregation, Moriarty
said that the ESA was offering
episcopal oversight "on an interim
basis, until the ESA council meets in
November."
Sources in Massachnsetts said that the
diocese was aware of the "unauthorized
visit." The Rev. Ed Rodman said that it
was_ "a very serions matter," adding that
the bishop and standing committee were
looking into the situation. The rector of
the parish has been convicted of misconduct
and the case has been appealed. in
the meantime, the parish is still under
the care of the diocese .
Moriarty said in August that the synod
was likely to respond to a request from
St. Paul's and added, "We expect that
there will be other such visitations as
appropriate requests from parishes come
in:"
The ESA also expressed the hope that,
by the time its bishops arrive at the
Lambeth Conference of Anglican
bishops ne:i1t summer, it would be clear
ihat ' an orthodox province .in North
America would be a reality . "We will
take our case to the Lambeth Conference
of bishops next sununer and to other
provinces throughout the Communion
who are supportive of our cause," the
ESA said in a statement.
Moriarty said that "we are not sure
. what that province will look like," bnt
.he said that ESA was "working closely"
with English traditionalists because they
share a "general convergence in moving
toward an orthodox objective ."
Five hundred traditionalists met in
London in late September at the fourth
annual Forward in Faith conference and
agreed to work towards an independent
and autonomollS province in the Church
of England by the next century.
E,i;ecutive Director Stephen Parkinson
said that one option would be a nnilateral
declaration of independence, creating
a province that would follow Anglican
rites but seek affiliation with another
confession. Bishop Edwin Barnes, of the
"flying bishops" who now minister to
traditionalists in the Church of England,
suggested that an affiliation with one of
.the Orthodox churches might be a possibility.
A spokesman for the .Church of England
said that a third province (York and
Canterbury are the two provinces now) ·
in the church would need approval of the
General Synod and, since the Church of
England is an established church, it
might need the approval of the British
Parliament.
"A global province might not be
entire! y feasible," Parkinson told Ecumenical
News International. Traditionalists
were more likely to fonn a series of
linked provinces instead, although he
said that the support was strong enough
in England and the U.S. to merit separate
provinces. (ENS)
SECOND STONE 9 ·
NATIONAL NEWS
Cl'eeeh srn~nded with JllY, church members divided
OMAHA, Neb. An Omaha pastor who
performed a lesbian commitment ceremony
in defiance of Methodist church
law has been suspended for two months
with pay.
The Rev. Jimmy Creech safd his suspension
was not punitive, but was taken
to provide a "cooling down" period for
his 1,900-member congregation, many
of whom opposed the ceremony.
Nebraska United Methodist Bishop
Joel Martinez imposed the suspension.
"He (Martinez) said he hopes it would
be a time of prayer, dialogue and reflection
for the congregation," Creech said.
"It's intended · to be a way of facilitating
resolution."
The Rev. Don Bredthauer , the
church's associate pastor, will be acting
senior pastor.
Martinez's 60-day suspension of
Creech started November 10. Creech
said the suspension means he won't perform
any pastoral duties such as sermons
or hospital visits . He will continue
to receive his salary and benefits.
More than 400 members of the congregation
went public in_ their opposition
to the commitment service Creech
performed on Sept. 14.
The ceremony was prohibited by
church rules. Some members of the congregation
have withheld their weekly
financial offerings, and an Ogallala lawyer
has organized a protest movement
within the church in Nebraska.
Factions in the congregation have
already drawn the line in the sand.
"We want to keep the.direction of the
ministry .and our ministerial staff
intact," said Mike McClellan, a leader of
a new group called Supporting the
Vision. · ·
"We think we're at a point where we
United Methodist Church Judicial Council will hear case
can change the ministry and get it back
to what is in accordance with Methodist
beliefs," said Bob Howell, a leader of a
gronp that opposes Creech's actions.
At issue is a mission statement
adopted by the church's congregation at
an all-church meeting in December
1996, six months before Martinez
appointed Creech to the pulpit.
"We welcome and celebrate the diversity
of God's children," it says, in part,
including those associated with all •sexual
orientations. ''An integral aspect of
otir congregation is the mtitual respect
we .have for one another in onr diversity,"
it says.
Creech has said that the ceremony he
performed is consistent with the statement,
even though Martinez ordered li.im
not to perform the ceremony because
church rules forbid it.
In the church newspaper, Creech said
again that those rules, set down by the
national church, discriminates against
gays and lesbians.
McClellan agrees with Creech. He
said that the mission statement sanctions
"inclusivity without conditions"
'and that the congregation gave it its
imprimatur when it approved the mission
statement.
Howell said the congregation was
misled as to the true intent of the statement.
The congregation has always welcomed
gays and lesbians, he said.
Affirming homosexual sexual relations
is another matter.
"To accept that vision statement as a
basis for this action is ridiculous," he
said.
McClellan said his group will work
to ensure that Creech's vision prevails
and that the 53-year-old pastor returns to
the pulpit. (AP)
Pastor's action will test denomination's 'Social Principles'
BY BOB LEAR
PROPELLED I)'ITO PROMINENCE
by a "simple and meaningful" ceremony
in Omaha, Neb., a 20-word sentence
adopted in 1996 by the United Methodist
Church's top legislative assembly arguably
is on its way to benchmark status
in the denomination's continuing debate
on human sexuality.
Approved by a General Conference
vote of 553 to 321, the sentence
declares:
"Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual
unions · shall not be conducted by our
ministers and shall not be conducted in
our churches."
The words seem clear enough . Their
inclusion in the denomination's Social
Principles instead of in the part of the
Book of Discipline that is accepted as
binding church law raises sharp! y questions
of their effectiveness.
First adopted by Methodist bodies
early in this century, the "Social Principles"
today are introduced as "a prayerful
and thoughtful effort on the part of the
General Conference to speak to the
human issues in the contemporary world
from a sound biblical and theological
foundation ... " and are " .. .intended to be
instructive and persuasive in the best of
the prophetic spirit."
The status of the principles so far as
binding church law is concerned never
has been before the Judicial Council, the
<lenomi~ation's high court.
The 20 words were brought sharply
10 NOV EM B ER•DECEMB ER 1997
into focus Sept. 14 w_hen the Rev.
Jimmy Creech, pastor of the 1,900-
member First United ·Methodist Church
of Omaha, Neb., conducted what he
termed "a very simple and very meaningful"
covenanting ceremony for two
lesbian members of the congregation.
He said the occasion was "a very
intimate and worshipful experience."
Several ofthe 10 specific charges for
which a clergy person can be cited deal
with sexual issues ("harassment, misconduct
or abuse,» for example}, bnt
none of the 10 deais directly with samesex
covenanting ceremonies.
There is. a chargeable offense for
"disobedience to the Order and Discipline'
-' of the church, and another for
"dissemination of doctrines contrary to
the established standards of doctrine of
the church." The Social Principles state
the . church considers the practice of
homosexuality _ "incompatible with
Christian teaching."
Although the precise status of the
Social Principles as binding law has not
been determined, there are several Judicial
Council decisions that might be
seen as bearing on the issue.
During debate 011 the _20 words in
1996 the court was asked to rule whether
the principles was an appropriate location
for the -statement. The court
responded that placement was a legisla 0
tive decision outside the court's jurisdiction.
In 1993 the Judicial Council ruled
that an annual conference "has no
authority to alter -the official rites and
rituals" of the church. (The 1996 Gen,
eral Conference refused by a vote of 628
to 190 to authorize same ,sex commitment
ceremonies.) The 1993 court decision
also held that "it is the responsi_bility
of pastors in charge to perform their
duties in compliance with the Discipline
and be obedient to the order and discipline
of the Church."
There is a substantial body of decisions
relating to the issue _ of homosexuality.
Where individuals have been
involved in these cases the court has
gone to considerable length to see that
due process of law is observed and the
individual's rights protected.
A specific part of church law prohi bi
ts the ordination or appointment of
"self-avowed practicing hoiμoi,exuals" as
pastors. When the 20-word statement.on
covenanting ceremonies was introduced
in 1996, the Rev. J. Philip Wogaman,
Washington, said "I doubt there's anybody
in this room who fully agrees with
everything in all <if the Social Principles."
Wogaman said adding the 20
words to the principles was an attempted
juridical action relating to "teaching
tools."
The Rev. Jackson Brewer, a Kentucky
Conference district superiiltendent, .called
the proposed wording "an enhancement" -
of the Social Principles, and an "issue
of great _ concern to lay people in our
churches." The 20-word statement originated
with Grace United Methodist
Church in Newport, Ky., a part of
Brewer's district. More recently a veteran -
pastor and church _ official observed
wryly to a reporter "there are numerous
inconsistencies in practice · where 'the
Social Principles are concerned" on the -
part of bishops, clergy and laity alike.
Reports on the ceremony in Omaha
have sparked substantial -discussion on
various electronic web pages. The ,Rev.
J. Richard Peck of the"lJ~te<J Metlioqist
Publishing House staff said it has been
the liveliest topic so far on the fledgling
-- Newscope web forum with a majority of
the comments siding with the view that
the Social Principles are not binding
church law.
Beyond the ·discussion, some groups
are taking action : Earlier this year, a
Covenant Relationship Network
(CORNET) to support the right _of
United Methodist , clergy to · celebrate
same sex covenant relationships was
formed by Affimiation: United Methodists
for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual -Concerns.
Clergy are invited to sign a state ment
protesting the 19% addition to tl1e
Social Principles.
The Rev. Jeanne Knepper, Portland,
Ore., a co-spokesperson for Affirmation,
said in late September an up-to-date
tally of signers was . not immediately
available.
In contrast to Affirmation's action,
Eastern Pennsylvania's Ladd voiced the
opinion that "the concern of the whole
society will not be resolved by confrontation
and argument, but, hopefully,
with God's overpoweriilg love helping
us solve it."
Alaska
b~~E; fa,,.,,,.n\ P.O. Box 2888, 99645, 746-1WJ. HclNard H.
Bess, pastor. A Welcomirg aoo Afmnirg Ameri:an Baptist Coogegaooo.
Arizona
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ecsocal@aol.oorn. Weef<I/ Bille studes, fun, felawshil.
First Congagatiorlll Clucl\ 464 E. waloot St, 91101. 79S-0696. An
Open andAflirmlngoongegaticilwi1hin 1ne United Churoh of Christ
E-mai: lambdefoc@aol.com.
SAN fRANCISCO BAY AREA (415)
Lu1herano COncorned, 566 Vallejo SL, #25, 94133-4033. 956-2069.
A~I .
SAN JOSE (408)
Calebralion of Faith Praise aoo WOJShi> canter, PO Box 5765,
95126. 345-2319. Sun., 10:308.m. at Toe 8lly Defrank Cents,, 175
Stockton Ave.
First ChristianChUtch, 80 S. 5th St, 95112. 29+2944. Richard K.
~r= aooAffirming~. cloFirslChristianChuroh, 80
So. 5th St , 95112. 29+2944.
SAN LEANDRO {51~
Fai1hfLlf G~I ~~- 15781 MatllertAve., 94578. 481-9933.
ta~hotmai.oorn.
SAN LUIS OIIISPO ca)
MCC of Iha CenltalCoas~ PO Bo< 1117, Gr0\/81 City, S3483-1117.
481-9376. Slnl!y, 10:30am. Rev. Rardf A Lester, pas1a.
WEST HOLLYWOOD (213)
Evargelicals Conoemed, 833·6418. ecsocal@aof.com. Weekly
lli:lle·studes, fur\ 1alowshi>.
WHITTIER (310) ·
Good Samarilan MCC, 11931 E. Washilglon Blvd., 90606-2607.
696-621a Rev. Giro Chapman, pasllf.
Colorado
OENVER('J03)
Evangali:ab Aeconciled, 331-2709.
D1Str1ct of Columbia
DISTRICT OF COLUIIBIA (3)2)
Oiglitf, PO 8a<53001, 20009. 387-4516.
Florid a
FORT MYERS
Al Saints Coogegation (lndeperdent), 2756 McGreg:x Blvl1 Mai:
1830 Marmie Ave., 112, 33901. alsaints@worsh~.com. Rev.
Mi:hael Balfctr, pes1a. .
INTERLACHEN {!IM)
Be1hef Eva~tict.linistries, Inc., POB<Dc 1778, 32148.
KEY WEST ·
MCC, 1215 etraia St, 33040. 29+8912. Sunday, 9:30, 11a.m.,
Wed, 7p.m. Rev. StevenM. Tooenai, pes1a.
~~~i=Cluch of Chris\ 34000.,,,,,, Rd,
33133. -1 . Sun., 10&.m. Ra<i>brolict:aston FM 93.1. AIDS
outreach minisby, memorial Sffiices, holy llions.-All wifc:ome.
www.faeative.oornlpl,moulh.
PANAMA QTY (SO() .
Familf of God WIYShj) Center, 1139 Everitt Ave., Ceder G,ove,
32«l1. 784-4851. Sun., 10~m . scotttgx:tlaol.com.
TAIIPA(813) ·
Pentecos1als of Tampa Bay, 2023 ca111eman Dr., Braooon 33511.
651-1505.
Georgia
ATLANTA(919)
:c=~mod. 286-731◄.
St Ae~d ~rish, Sis. Sergus BOO - Byzantine -.
ECC, PO Bo< 3191, 30031. 31-. Rev. Fr. JoeCirou, aanirisl!
allf.
lllmo,s
CHICAG0(773)
l~P08G<3232,QakPark,IL603tll-3232.34&-6362
:cMax!~n K.t7)ca1hofic Chllrch of lhe Ameri:as, PO Bc,c
1345, 62650-1345 243--1539. S111., 5:30p.m.
Indiana
INllfANAPOLIS (317) .
HolyEtx:haris1Clv.llch,2070E. 54thSt,Ste. 7, 46220.251-4526.
LAPORTE (219) ·
New Life Community Church of Hope, 5257 cameroo Dr., 46350.
778-9332. Fuft gospel, ewngalicaVcharisma1ic. Pastor Rardf o..,.
can.
Iowa
DES MOINES (515)
Word of God Ministries, P.O.'8a< 4396, 50333. 264-1515. Meets at
SL Marl(s EpiscqlalCtlJrch, 3120 E. 24th St, Des Moines.
URBANDALE (515)
Uri1od Churoh of Chris\ 3530 70th St, 50322. 276-0625. Fax, 276-
2451. An Open & Aflrmirg (ONA) Coogegalion.
Kansas
~~~ 1:.31.ns, 66604-0776. 232-6196. SE lndaro A1eat25th
WICll!TA(316)
WIC!Jita Praise aoo Worshjl center, 1807 s. Bloadllay, 67211. 267•
6270. ChtJd< Breclenridge, iJl!Sla.
Kentucky
LOUISVILLE(li02)
Third Lulharan Chu/ch, 1864 Frankfort Ave., 40206. 896-6383. 5..,.
.<lly, 10:304.m. TLCX2<tecunetorg
Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS (504)
Frsl Jesus Name Cliun:h, P.O. Bo< U362, 70158-8362. An Ac1s
~T=~• Calholc Church of the Ameri:as, 717 Pa1ter•
!O\ 70114. 263-5"12.
Massachusetts
CAMBRIDGE (817)
OldCambndge BdslCluoh, 1151 Massacf'<lsetts Ave., 02138.
86+8068. Irving Cummings, pas1or. A Wefcomng aoo Affrmlng
•Amero,n Baptist oongegalion.
WALTHAii (817)
LulharansConcerned, do Rard!N Rice. 1081/2Ches1'1U1SL, 02154-
0«>6. 893-2783.
M1ch1gan
ANNARIIOR{313) . &.":\t':~~ Milislly, eo2 Monroe, 48104 662·5189. Rev.
DETl'lO!T (810)
MCC, PO Bo< 836, R<¥11 Oa~ ~ 48088-0836. (248)399·7741.
Meetsa1DllymP~nClmh, Sun., 108.m., 7p.m.
FLINT(810)
R- MCC, 1665 N. ChlMofel Ave., 48504-316-t 238-6700.
S~1a .m., A5V,m. second aoo w1h sun .. ea month except ~t.g~ro~~~ erflJO(Jl,pas!a.
Al sat/ Ajxlstofi: Catl'dic Cliun:h, 4653 Desmond Beac11 48059.
38W22◄. Ha{Eucharis1Sun.11a.m.
LANSING(517)
Oigity, PO Bt,c 1265, Eastl.llnoirg, 46826. 321-4841.
Mmnesota
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (512)
~2:J.: ~~3=-~~me:i:~·i!t;
affimirgCliristian caJlS8irg fa tanooexuals.
LulharanoConcemed, 100 N. OX!ordSt, St Paul, 55104-6540.1166-
8941. .
Wrg,pan Mirislly, 100N. Ox1ord, St Paij, 55104. 224-3371.
MISSISSIPPI
JACKSON(601)
Safe Harlla Family Cluoh, 2147 Hen,y Hi Or., Ste. 203, 39204-
2000. 961-9500. Rev. James H. Becker, pasllf. Wkday.-359-6604:
Eve:~. Sun.. Sp.m., Ac1JIISundeysctm, 61).m.
Missouri
~ ~-::! t~~tuoh, 5090 NE Chouteau Trafficway,
64119. 452-1222. C8Jlng fa peq,18 aoo aeation. Mary Gert,an, 001>
:f ~A~ r, Cl10Sloongegalion .
The Agape~ 2109Soulh Spring Ave., 6311o-3517. 664-3588.
agapocluOaolcom.
Distribution of Second Stone in some
communities is sponsored by our
Outreach Partners. We invite you to
visit them for worship.
Montana
LIVINGSTON (406)
Affima1ion (lmifadMetfms1s), 529N. 8th St, 59047. 222-4436.
Nevada
LASVEGAS(702)
MCC, 1119S. Main St: 89104-1026. 384'2325.
New Jersey
t;':~{~6.thd~Churohof the Americas, 2191s\St, #1,
07302-286& 333-1094. bepy@aol.com. · ·
NEW BRUNSWICK (9!)8)
PLGC, PO Bo< 38, reoo:l-0038. Plb: More Lig1t
New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE (506) .
MCC, 2404 San Mateo Pf., NE, 87110. 881·9088. Rev. Or. Fred C.
Williams, pastor. Suo., 108.m.
River of Ute Healing Ministries, 134 CltJincy, NE, 87108.
LASCRUCES(506)
Holy Family Parish of Iha Evangelical Aaji::an Church r, Amero,,
1701 E. MisswiAve., 88001. 522-7119. An indusivopenshq,en to
all.
Koinoria, 2162Doraro0r., 88011. 52H490. GayaoolesbiansprituailJ!
Jlll4l.
New York
NEW YORK.CITY AREA
~Y0<1<Cffy1t11{212)
BfessodV<{jn Ma,y Mission, 123 E. 15 SL, 10003. 228--0896. Sun.,
1:15p.m.
ChristianSdeooa Gr014>, clo4443rdAll9., 14, 10016. 532-8379.
Gay, Lesoian & Affirming Oiscl:>les ARiance, clo Allen Hanis, H53A
l.Bl<inglJnAw., 10128-2506. 2119-3019.
ln!Bgi¥New Yoric, PO 8a< 20067, 10011. 891-7181. Gayttesbian
Episocpoians. Meets eve,y Wed, 6:30p.m.
ParxAvenueChristianChurch (Discjllesof Chrisij, 1010 ParxAvo.
a185thSt, 1002a 288-3246.A Ylnnt,aealM!, aooclverseconge, ra~~i-=~-~=,01~ :.:f!~~=88-3246. Fwth Friday, 7p.m.
HAYWARD , CALIFORNIA
Faith
Full Gospel
Fellowship
Worship: Sunday 5p.m:
15781 Maubert Ave.
San Leando, CA 94578
(510)481-9933
E-mail: faith2felfowship@hotmail.com
web site:
http: //www2 . netcom .com/-itsame/faithfel
lowship.html
DAYTON, OHIO
COMMUNIIY
GOSPEL CHURCH
P.O. !OX 1634 • D\YION, 00 45401
DISCOVER YOUR DIST/NY!
AU ARE WELCOME
meeis: 546 XeniaAve.
lliyton, Ohio
Sunday 10am.
. E-MAll; RevSamuelK@aol.m
VISit our Wro Site
hnμ/ /www.h:lireaoLrom/revSllllUelk
937-252-8855
REV. SAMUEL KADER,
PASTOR
SECOND STONE 11
New York
UCCUGC, <:Jo Craig Hoffman, 1453A lex"',l100 Ave., 10128. 289-
3016. '
Queans(718) . ·
;\"~
1
n ~"{i;~'.:~~r9"' 4154, College Point
NIAGARA FALI.S (716)
Oneness Apostol~ Gospel Church, 1646 Niagara Ave., 14305. 284-
4509. Bro. C. Raierts. pas1a.
~J~:,call1olicClmll, POB0< 159, Chazy, 12921.
493-3272 ('IOiceandFAX). Rev. Fr. Micha<!I R Frost
ROCHESTER (716)
PLGC, r/oCartar, 111 Milum St, 14607-2918. 27H6'19.
North Carolina
g~~~;:rt~:::'L.1,/a'< laGay,lesbian E(!Jality, 5945 Reainan
Rd., #205, 28212-1664. 568-6669. Garnett E. Phttls, oontact per.100.
GREENSBORO (910) .
Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensbao, 5603 H1Utop Rd.,
27414: 856-0330. Mee1s at GTCC-Jamestown, Sunday School,
9:30a.m., Service, 1 o:30a.m. Barbara Cooke, pastor.
h~:/hnembers.aol.oom/UUOJ
TRIANGLE AREA (919) . .
Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, 1801 H1llsoorough St, Rale,g,,
27605. 828-0897. M. Mahan Siler, Jr,, pas1a.
Ohio
AKRON(330)
cascade Community ChUrch, 1190/1196 Inman St , 44306. 773-
5296. Sund!y, ,l).m. ?lb: cascacla Newsletter.
CINCINNATI (513)
lnlagity, 4905 ChalelDr., #11, 45217-1445. 242-7297.
~21~u~1~ls'.is"o/J~~19~chR;~ Drw~~a~rt:e;~~:~:
~~M~~cm'll'lion .
Diglity, PO Boe 82001, 43202. 451-6528.
lamb of Goo Argi::an Chu-ch, PO il<>< 164472, 43216.
DAYTON (937)
Community Gospel Church, PO il<>< 1634, 45401. 252-8855. Spint
!lied, Chr~t centered. Meets Thurs .. 5p.m., Su~ 10a.m. at 546
Xenia Ave., Oayt~.Samuel Ka~r. pastor.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
Safe Harbor
Metropo litan Community Church
Pastor: Greg Bullard
Worship: 11:00 AM,
7:00PM
Meets at: 2117 Union Ave.
Join us as we Worship,
Celebrate, Praise and
Serve
Jesus!
POBox41691
Memphis, 1N 38174
Phone: (90 I) 458 - 050 I
safehmcc@aol.com
WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA
BEA VEN'S TABLELAND .
CHURCH
of Williamsburg, Virginia
P.O. Box 2674
Williamsburg, Virginia 23187
(757) 887-3719
Services held: Sunday at 1 :30 P.M.
Williamsburg Regional Libracy
Please call for further information.
ALL ARE WELCOME AT THE
LORD'S TABLE.
l2 NOVEMBER•DECEMBER _l997
OUTREACH PARTNERS
GRANVILLE (614)
Fi"'( Baptisl ChUrch, 115 W. Broadilay, 43023-1179. 587-0336.
Geage Willamson, Jr., pas1or. A Welcomir>;lardAff,mingAmerican
Baptist C,orgeg,tioo.
MANSFIELD (419)
Center 1or Pastoral Care, 3180 German Chu!ch Rd., 44904. 758-
'lfJ77, 774-5377. FAX 774-9805. Suooay Hturg,>, 10:15a.m. Pastoral
oounseliog; retreas.
Oregon
PORTLAND (503)
Evarg,IK:als Cmcemed, 77.5-3386, 281-2764.
Melar«lia PeaceCommunityUMC, 2116 NE 181hAve, 97212-4609.
281-&97.
Pennsylvania
ELWYN (610)
Pilgim Feaa.vs~· ChUrch P.O. Boe 4306, 1.9063. 237-1367. Moels
Sun alPhilada 1aAirpa1Com1ortlm
LEHIGH VA (610)
GraceCovenanJFebshi>, 247 N. 10111 SL, Anenta.vn, 18102. 740-
0247. Sunday, 10:45am. B!)<ll1 RC>Ne, pastor. Thom Ritter, music
minister. Seriing lhe Lehig, Valley.
PHILADELPHIA (215)
Evarg,lalsConcerned, 725-7999.
Unrted. Church CoaHtioo for Lesbian/Gay Concerns, PO il<>< 6315,
19139. 724-1247.
Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE (401)
St. Peters & St. An<tew's Episcopal ChlKch, 25 Panona Ave.,
02909-5255. 272·9649. Rev. Jan Nunley, recta and eo<00veoor of
lnlegitylRhocla Island We are. a 'rairlx>Ycoogeg,tioo" of Christiars
1rom all walks of Ufe, with an active fntegi1y chapter, healing ard
AIDS ministry. Se habla Espanol
South Carolina
COLUMBIA (803)
Gay,tesbian CommunityCenter, 1108 WoocrONSt 771-7713
Lutherans Concerned, Mee1s third F~. 7:30p.m .• at PALM Center.
USC. PO Bo< 8828, 'lfJ202.
MCC Columbia, P.O. Boe 8753, 29202. 258-2154. Mee1s a111'11
Belle...wSt. il2. Sun, 11a.m. Rev. ParoaVcelker. ,.,tor .
PFLAG, Mee.ls 1hird Thurs. every mon1h, 6p.m. al Canmunity
House, St. Martin's•irHhe-F~lds Episcqlal ChUrch, 5220 C~mson
Ave. .
GREENVILLE (864)
MCC, 314Lk>,dSt, 29601-14l8. 233-0919. Sun., 11a.m .. 6p.m. Rev.
Mick Hinson, pasta.
Tennessee
CHATTANOOGA(4Zl)
Joylul Sound Christian Fellowship ChlKch, PO B"' 8506, 37 414.
894-6224. Rev. ChJck. D. T~ pasb". Sun., ~.m. al ttie Unj..
tarian Uni\lefSalist Church, 3224 Navajo Dr.
MEMPHIS (901)
HolyTnnityCanmunityChuroh, 1559 Macison, 38104. 726-9443.
Proctaming Gods love tor all people.
~~.;~Vlo\ittwater. PO il<>< 1312, Madson, TN37116-1312.
865-2679. Sun., 4p.m.
Holy Trinity Community Church, PO Boe 218822, 37221. 327-4551.
='.~~ef:i';n2l1~1~:.~1~
Texas
f~f:.t1
12d Minislries, Inc.; 9401 Grouse Meacb.Y Ln .. 78758-
6348.835-7354.
DALLAS/FORT WORTH AREA (214)
Affirmation (United Melhod•ls) •. PO B"' 191021, Dallas, 75219.
528-4913.
Grace Mllistries, Inc:., 4307-A Hollarxl, 75219.
HolyTrinityCommunityChurch, 4402.Aosel!rdAve .. Dales, 75204.
827-5068. 'A home lor every 11earr servi<lg ~ Dallas leso~n ard
gay community tor 18 yea"'.
Silent Harvest Mnotries, PO Bo< 190511, 75219-0511. 520-6655.
ELPAS0(915)
MCC, 9828 Montana, 79925. 591-4155. Sun., 10:3Da.m., sp.m.,
Wed.,7pm.
Unitarian Universalist Community, 4425 Byron, 79930. 562-4001.
Sun, 10:30a.m.
GALVESTON (400)
Uni1anan Universal•! FelfONtl!), 502 ChlKch St, 77550. 765-8330.
AH 1aiths a<J:epted. Sexual alentatioo respected.
TYLER~ .
St Gabriel CommunityChUrch, 13904 County Rd. 193, 75703. 581·
6923. Pas1or Doona R. Gampbell
Utah
LOGAN(801)
MCC, POB<»<4285,84323. 750-5026. Sun., 11a.m.
SALT LAKE CITY (801)
5acmdl.ig,ldChrist MCC, 623 S. 600 E, 84102·ll07. 596-0052.
Virginia
FALLS CHURCH (703)
Telos Ministries (Baptists), PO Box 3390, 22043. 560-2680.
MANASSAS (703) .
Bull Run Uni1anan Unlversal•1s. PO Boe 2416. 361-6269. A UUA
~e&';;~~~~ .
Foundations of Stone Ministries, 149 Nelson Dr., 23185. 229--0832.
Teaching. seminars, retreats, revivals.
Heaverls Tableland Church, P.O. Bo< 2674, 23187. (757)887-3719.
Rev. Aclal~ L Barr, pastor. Mee1s Sun. Bouldary St lllrary at 1:30
p.m.
Washington
SEATTLE(206)
lnllgily, PO Boe 2Qi63, 98102. 5:15-4668.
UnlversityOrrgeg,lional UnitedChoo:hof Chris\ 4515161hAw.,
NE, 98105. 5:14-2322. Openty99Ypeoplea1aHlovels<illeade"'hi>-
Wisconsin
APPlETON(9211)
Argabo1Hq)eMCC, 110S. locuslSt, 991-0128.Sun., 5p.m. Rev. ~~E~1:~}%20)
Arg,~ of Hq,e MCC, 614 Forest St, Green Bay, 54302. 432-0830.
Sun., 11am.,7p.m. Rev. Ken Hui, pasta.
MILWAUKEE (414)
I.U1heramCm:emed, POilo< 1676, 53201-1676. 481-9663.
St camb HIV/AIDS Ministry, 10101 w. Wiscons~ Ave., 53226.
259-4664. .
Natrona!
ADVANCE CHRISTIAN MiNISTRIES, 4001-C Maple Ave., Dallas,
TX 75219. (2141522-1520. FAX, (214)528-1070. Thomas Hirsch,
arecta.
~il~~\Wt~a"r:ion'.'1t=~(~)~9~-n Ca-cems,
AMERICAN BAPTISTS CONCERNED, 13318 ClairepoinleWay, _
Oakland, CA 94619-3531. (510)465-8652. Vooedlhe Turt~
AMERICAN FRIENDSERVICE COMMITTEE (Ouake0 2249 E.
BumsideSt, Portland, OR97214. (503h230-9427.
~.J;~t~~~:~~~A~~;:: MS~~
81005, Seatle, WA98108-1005. (206)763-2469. apcallch@aol.oom.
h~://merrbers.aol.ccrn/apcattdt ·
ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT.MINISTRIES; PO Box 8506,
~~fflo~~4~~=ti~~:1
BAPTISTS,
P.O. il<>< 2596, A111eboroFal~. MA 02763-0894. V/F (808)226-0945.
WABaptisJs@aol.com. h~Jusers.aol.oom/wabaptists. A network ol
churches, organizations and indvidJals who welcome aOO advocate
tor 1he full perttj)ation of lesolan, gay, and bisexual people wilhin
:tJe~rs~:~:~=~~1. Costa Mesa, CA 92628.
(714)641-8968. Marsha Stevens, singer/song.itriter. Suzanne
~J'il'R~/:t·NONITE PARENTS OF LESBIAN/GAY CHILDREN,
Boe 1708, Lima, OH 45802.
BRETHREN/ MENNONITE COUNCIL FOR LESBIAN AND GAY
CONCERNS, Box 6300, Minooapolis, MN 554-06-0300. (612)722·
6906. BMCooncil@aol.oom. h~:/IMwl.v.ebcorn.oom.txn<:J S,w,rt
for Brethren ard Mennonile g,y, ~sbian, ard bisexual people, ard
tooir paren1s, spooses, rela11ves ard lriends. Piblation: D~logJe
C_HI RHO PRESS • A_ special WOO( of lhe UFMCC MiA::~~ :
CO StWOrtgCJl!l
1or gay and lesbian P.O. Boe 60125,
~~re~~~~ CATHOLIC LESBIANS, P On Boe 436 Planetarum
Stn., NewYort<, NY 10024. (718)921-0463.
CONNECTIONS. SPIRITUAL LINKS. Seminars, workshcps, conlereoo,
s on giel ardbereavement Rev. R~rd B. GitJert, cirecta.
1504 N. CamJbell St, VaiJaraiso, IN 46383. (219)464-8183, voice
ardlax.
DIGNITY/USA, 1500MassachusettsAve., NW, Ste.11, Washingtln.
DC 20005. (202)881-0017, FAX (202)429-9808. Gay ard lesbian
calholcs and 1teir 1riends.
ECUMENICAL CATHOLICHURCH, P.O. Bo< 32, Villa Granda,
CA 95486-0032. (707)887·1020, FAX, (707)887-7003. The Most Rev.
Marks. Shirilau, Ph.D. Ptblication: TmTaliet.
ECUMENICAL ORDER OF CHARITY, PO il<>< 257, Des f,,bines, IA
50301. (515)251-8254. An ecumenical, Inclusive reli!jous 0fclar of
men ard women mnistering on lhe cutting ocg, of 100 gospel Website:
www.cvt,erramp.neV"-Ctlaritv. E-mail: bkinnov@a(;tcom.
EROSPIRff RESEARCH INSTliUTE; P.O. Bo< 3893, Oakland, CA
94609. (510)428-0063. Netwon<ol gay andlesbianecstaocs atenng
classes and videos in erotic spirt!Uality.
EVANGELICAL ANGLICAN CHURCH IN AMERICA, 2401 Artesia
Blvd., Ste. 106-213, Redonoo Beach, CA 90278. (310)798-6720.
EACA2AIACS@aoloom. National office ol aH EACA church oommunilies.
EVANGELICALS CONCERNED, <:Jo Dr. Rapl, Blair, 311 East 72rd
St, NewYort<, NY 10021. (212)517-3171. Pibli::ations: Review and
Record
THE EVANGELICAL NETWORK, Box 16104, Phcent<, AZ 85011.
(602)265-2831. .
FEDERATION OF PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND
GA I'S, INC. P.O. Boe 27605, Wastinglon, DC 20038.(202)638-4200.
Serd$3.001a pad<e1 a inlonnation.
GULF LOl'v£R ATLANTIC DISTRICT of ~ Uriversal FeUO.Shi> o1
~!)~l~~~h~~~ 88~7J.!~~~::n::m~
GLADMCC@aci.com.
Wetstte: h~1/w\wl.geocities.r:om/Westltot,wood'1490.
FRIENDS FOR LESBIAN AND GAY CONCERNS (Cuakers) 143
GamJi,en Aw., Ithaca, NY 14850. (607)272-1024, FAX (607)272•
0001.
GAY AND LESBIAN PARENTS COALITION INTERNATIONA~
P.O. Bae 50380, Wastington, DC20091. (202)583-602S. Pltbtion:
Net,,ak .
GAY, LESBIAN AND AFFIRMING DISCIPLES AWANCE, P.O.
Boe 19223, looanapolis, IN 46219-0223. (319)324-6231. For members
of lhe Christian Ch"ch (Disciples ol Chrisl). Plbicalion:,
Crossbeams.
GAYELLOW PAGES ; P.O. Boe 533, Village Sin, New York, NY
10014-0533. (212)674-0120.
GAEA T LAKES DISTRICT of lhe Unlvernal Felk>Ysh\J ol Metr<μ;f
tan Community ChUrches, 1300 Ambri:ge Dr .. Louisv,lle, KY 40207·
~V/1BfJ:~fs21
6A~t~~~1 ~:~::· ~i":J~ste. 2QO,
Washirgon. DC20005. (202)628-4160. .
INTEGRJTY, INC., P.O. Box 5255, New Yort<, NY 10185-5255.
· (201)868-2485. Ptb/catioo: Too Voce o1 lnl,gify
INTERWEAVE, 25 Beaa,o St, Boston, MA 02108. (617)742-2100.
A lay organizalm of Uni1arian U~versaro1s for ~sbian, bisexual,
gay and transgenclar ooncerns.
LIVING STREAMS, P.O. Boe 178, Coocord, CA 94522-0178. B•
:m~~=~ERNED / NORTH AMERICA, Boe 1~1, Fort
llearllomS1ation, Chicago, IL60610-0461. fllijicatioo: TheConcord
~~~D~s.,1_~~~~~/~~~~§,;;Ji'~~ ~c&f.
1107(718)273-MFSA. PLilliealor1: Social Questions Bulletin.
MERCY OF GOD COMMUNITY, PO Box 41055, Providence, RI
02940-1055. (401)722-3132. Christan, Ecurneni::al and incluslve
community of sisters, brolhers and associates. h~://mg,.orgmlJ).
~rC)Comm@aoL.com.
NATIONAL
Society of the Franciscan
Servants
of the Poor
A Vowed Con1munity-;'·
of Men and W~11 ' .
il\.,,Go!pel Serylce, ::<
.. · ·.· to tlie'J:hurch Univeisal'
Mirli~~t!'" the-P.;_,tif~ed
and .Dis~~frilnchis,~f.j;S~iety
Follo(i1¼)11 !!.,a.Spipf of
Saints fra~i:i,_.~!!J>Pqrf'o( Assisi
For Mor• lnfor~ lipn\c,,;nt~ct
Minister G\/afdi~n. FSP · . ., ·'
t t 3 Pavonia . ..;~~,:3,s
Jeis,y Oty. New Jersey 07310
EMail: CCAI f 96@ AOL.com
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
Come share your ministry with us
at. •••
~
Abiding Peace Lutheran Church
5090 NE Chouteau Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64119
(816) 452-1222
Caring for People and Creation
(Ncr1h of the River)
Sunday Worship: 10:30 am
Sunday School: 9:00 am
http: //www.sound.net/~pickle
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
FIRSf CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 1.t.1
LONG BEACH . +
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST {.(:9)
·-··"'
An Open and Afflrmin9 Con9re9ation
We welcome you to worship in a
nurturin9 environment.
241 Cedar Ave• Long Beach CA 90802
(562) 436-2256 • Fax (562) 436-3018
http:// users .ao!.com / revmek/index. htm 1
OUTREACH PARTNERS
Welcome!
IF YOU FOUND this copy of Second
Stone at a gay pride event, a P-FLAG
meeting, or some other evimt orloca,
lion, there's a Second Stone Outreach
Partner in your area. They are a Christian
church or organization with a specific
outreach to gays and lesbians. We
encourage you to visit them for their
next service or meeting. In the meantime,
you may be asking some questions
like the ones that follow.
After all the _rejection
I got from my church,
why should I even
care about God? ': ·
Your church may have rejected you, but
God never has. God's nature is to draw
you closer to Him, not to reject you.
The church is administered by pastors,
bishops, lay people, committees; people
like you and me - sometimes conuected
with God at work among us, and sometimes
not. Sometimes the people who
run the church, because of fear, selfishness
or other reasons, are not able to
follow as God leads. In the past, the
church failed to speak out against the
Holocaust and slavery. At some point
in the future, the church's present failure
to affirm gay and lesbian people and its
failure to speak out against the homophobia
that leads to discrimination and
violence will be seen as a terrible
wrong.
Does this meant
.shouldn't go to church?
Absolutely not! (It means the church
needs you probably more than you need
the church.) There is a place for you in a
church in your neighborhood. There are
manyChristian churches and organizations
around the country that have a specific
ministry to gay and lesbian people.
Even in the mainstream denominations
gay and lesbian people have prominent,
although someiimes closeted, places in
the church as pastors, youth leaders,
choir masters, lay leaders, and so on . .
Many mainstream churches across the
. country have moved into positions of
. welcoming and affirming gay and lesbian
people.
How do I know that God
doesn't-reject me?
Even if you've never set foot in a
church or thought much about God, you
were created by a loving God who seeks
you out. If there's a barrier between
yourself and God, it is not God's
responsibility. Blackaby and King in
"Experiencing God" say there are seven
realities of a relationship_)Vjth.Q\>(I: I.
God is always at work ar~uiid you. 2. '
God pursues a continuing love relationship
with you that is real and personal.
3. God invites you to become involved
with Him in His work. 4. God speaks
by the Holy Spirit through the Bible,
prayer, circumstances, and the church to
reveal Himself, His purposes, and His
ways. S. God's invitation for you to
work with Him always leads you to a
crisis of belief that requires faith and
action. 6. You must make major adjustments
in your life to join God in what
He.is doing. 7. You come to know God
by experience as you obey Him and He
accomplishes His work through you. .
I would like explore further.
What can I do now?
While there are many good books and
videos available, there's something
National RECONCILING CONGREGATION PROGRAM, 3601 N. Kee~r
MORE LIGHT CHURCHES NETWORK, 600 w. Fullenon Pkw'{.,. ~·&.,~if.r.:li 60641. (77
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7
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AND GAY MINISTRIES, alc!and, CA 94607 . . ·220,1;3. 500-2680. Fax,5000015. telosmin@erds.com.
(510)465-9344. Newsletter nal conference. SILENrHARVEST .MINISTRIES, PO 80< 190511, Dalos, TX
. ="J~a;CIL OF CHURCHES, 47; Riversi:le Dr, New iWiimb1tig'~=s. PO Bae 5204, Deertielc! Beach, Fl
Yori<, NY 10115. AIDS Task Force, Room 572, (212)870-2421. r::.,t~~:r8372 . Deama Jaworsij, singet/songwriter, ~i
:~18~"t~uii'ft·~J~d~Wf7t:;~i~ton Office, 110 SUPPORTIVE CONGREGATIONS NETWORK, Mennonite aoo
Marw,ooAve., NE, Washingoo, DC 20002. (202)544-2350. Brethren, PO Box 6300, Minneapolis, MN 55406-0300.
OPEN & AFFIRMING MINISTRIES, Gay, Lesbian end Affirming SCNetworl<@aot.a,m. A network of Menoonite, General COOfererce
DisciJles.AHiar<e, Rev. Al~n V. Harris, c/o 1010 Parl< Ave., New Mennooite aoo Ch11ch of the Brethren corgegaliors which welcome
Yori<, NY 10028-0991. (212)288-.1246. Nurtureaooedx:alion llrcoo- gay, lesbian aoobisexual members.
i,egalions and other ministries of the Christ~n Church (DisciJ!es ol UNITARIAN UNIVERSAUST OFFICE FOR LESBIAN/GA y CON·
Christ)whichseek to welcome and affirm lesbian, gay, and bisexual CERNS, 258eaoonSt, Boston, MA02108. (617)742-2100.
persons. . UNITED CHURCH COALITION FOR LESBIAN/ GAY CONCERNS.
.OPEN AND AFFIRMING PROGRAM, United Church Coolilion 1or 18 N. College, Athens, OH 45701, (614) 593-7301. Publication:
Lesbian/Gay Concerns, PO Box 403; Hoi:len, MA 0f 520-0403. Waves
(508)656-9316. Plilllcalion: ONA Cornmunkμ!.
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(314)241-2403. E-mail: {jhef?og®aol.a,m. Theological and edJca· ~=?~~t'o/'~~1tww.v.u1ma:..corn.
::!.f"'1' loca~ naliooalo/, and ~tematiooalfy sLllfl(lrting positive THE WITNESS, Plillishe<I by the Episcq)al Church Pltllishing Co.,
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powerful in being "where two or more
are gathered." You may want to check
out a ministry in your area with a specific
outreach to gays and lesbiaJ)S,
including Second Stone's Outreach
Partner. The worship style may not be
what you're used to, but the point is to
connect with gay and lesbian Christians
with whom you can have discussions
about where you are. Or you may want
to try a variety of churches in your
neighborhood, even those of other
denominations. (fhere is no "one true
church.") There are gay and lesbian people
in almost every church and God,
who is always at work around you, will
connect you to the people you need to
know - if you take the first step.
happy, whole and fully integrated may
have to be silent about their sexuality
because of their job or other circumstances,
(The day will come when that
Wouldn't it just be
easier to keep my
sexual life a secret?
is no longer the case) But a gay or lesbian
person who cannot integrate their
sexuality with the rest of their being
faces a difficult struggle indeed. To
deny one's sexuality to oneself while in
church or at work or with straight
friends; and then to engage in periodic
sexual activity is not a self-loving,
esteem-building experience. An inability
to weave your sexuality into the fabric
of your life in a way that makes you
feel good about yourself and allows you
to develop relationships with others is a
cause for concern and should be discussed
with someone skilled in gay and
lesbian issues.
Some gay and lesbian people who are
November/December 1997
Outreach Partner Fund Report
Second Stone's Outreach Partner program helps local ministries make
Christ known in their communities. Participating ministries are
assisted, when needed, by the Outreach Partner fund. As of November
4, 1997, the Outreach Partner fund:
1997 EXPENSES
JANUARY /FEBRUARY ''fl - 308.77
MARCH/ APRJL ''fl - 456.93
MAY /JUNE '97 • 767.38
JUL/AUG ''fl - 466.26
SEF'f/OCT ''l7:
Safe Harbor MCC - 70.26
Community Gospel Church - 39.00
Holy Trinity Church - 36.23
Celebration of Faith - 62.59
Holy Spirit Fellowship - 40.64
Abiding Peace Lutheran Church - 72.47
Faith Full Gospel Fellowship - 42 :52
NOV/DEC''fl:
Heaven's Tableland Church - 60.00
Faith Full Gospel Fellowship . - 60.00
First Congregational UCC - 115.00
Abiding Peace Lutheran Church • 115.00
Franciscan Servants of the Poor - 60.00
Celebration of Faith - 60.00
Community Gospel Church - 60.00
Holy Spirit Fellow s hip - 60.00
Safe Harbor MCC - 60 :00
Total 1997 Expenses - 3013.05
CONTRIBUTIONS
Balance forward - 2035.15•
Safe Harbor Family Church - '1:7.56
Abiding Peace Lutheran Church - 58.14
Community Gospel Church - 35.00
Holy Spirit Fellowship - 50.00
Heaven's Tableland Church - 60.00
Celebration of Faith Praise and Worship Center - 166.91
Society Franciscan . Servants of the Poor - 40.00
Total 1997 Contributions - 2472.76 ·
FUND BALANCE - (540.29)
SECOND STONE 13
NATIONAL NEWS
Church a refuge for gays for a decade
Gay-affinning Mennonite church shrnmed by conference
BY GEORGE HA TZFELD
GERMANTOWN, Penn. - In a meeting
marked by civility, anger, historic significance
and high drama, Franconia
Conference leaders presented the outcome
of the conference's controversial
mail-in vote on sexuality and the position
of Germantown Mennonite Church
to the Germantown congregation on
Tuesday night, October 14.
Before it ended, by their own symbolic
requests, a member of the congregation
would be escorted _ outside by the
conference modemtor, and the pastor of
the congregation would be similariy
removed from the meetinghouse by the
conference pastor .
Franconia Conference .delegates, moderator
Donella Clemens and conference
pastor Jim Lapp told the congregation,
had voted 178-40 to eject Gennan,own
on the basis of its stand on covenanted
gay and lesbian membership, a source of
debate and discussion for the past three
years, effective January I, 1998. Reading
from a letter approved by conference
council, Clemens said the larger body
took this action asking God "to continue
to work among us and raise _new
life out of the ashes of this time."
But members of Germantown pointed ·
out that their real issue this time was
less about sexuality and more about
how conference leadership had submitted
to pressure and agreed to use extraordinary
tactics to avoid bringing up the
issue again at Conference Assembly. A
straw tally taken at last spring's assembly
failed to produce enough votes to
bring the question to the floor, which in
effect kept Germantown in its associate
member status, imposed in 1995.
Since the spring non-decision, conference
leaders said they had heard a "great
deal of dissatisfac .tion»from many congregations
unhappy with the failure to
move Germantown out of the conference.
The ballot-by-mail -approach was
adopted, they said, to "help the conference
move past this issue," and was not
designed to avoid confronting Germantown
delegates in the next assembly. '
The report in Germantown took place
in its 1770 meetinghouse, now part of
the Germantow ·n Mennonite Historic
Trust and site of the oldest continuous
in a secret ballot mailed from the safety
of delegates' homes and offices. They
expressed their dismay and disappoint ment
that a decision of this magnitude
could be made in such a inanner, after a
joint committee of conference and congregation
leaders had worked for two
years to author a "third way." That
way , a proposal to allow individual
churches to decide for themselves on the
issue of membership for covenanted gay
and lesbian persons, was rejected by the
conference council and was not presented
at the spring assembly. Instead , the
straw .vote was taken that resulted in a
hung delegation.
After spirited comments from
throughout the assembled group, a
. member of the congregation, Ken·
White, asked Donella Clemens, as representative
of the conference's action, to
physically escort him from the meeting-
Mennonite congregation in North Amer- house to express "in the only way I
ica, dating to 1683 . There, on hard know how, what the conference is doing
board benches .~fitting the difficult to us." At first Oemens demurred, but
issues at hand gathere4 some 35 mem- finally agreed and led White to the door
hers of the congregation ; old.and yolJ!)g, : as ·many members of the group wept.
Pastor Richard Lichty then asked his
conference supervisor, Jim Lapp. to
conduct him outside as well, noting that
the conference would be sending Lichty's
pastoral credentials to the congrega tion
when the vote takes effect in January.
Lapp also was reluctant to perform
this symbolic act of expulsion, but
finally agreed. Clemens and Lapp then
left the premises . The congregation
continued to process the evening's
events and closed with some hymnsinging.
Lichty rejoined members of the congregation,
but White would not re-enter
the tiny historic sanctuary , preferring a
seat outside near the burial site of a
church pastor from the mid-1800s, and
accepting hugs from exiting · Gennant~
wners.
Some people confessed that they had
wanted to come outside, find the exiled
White and bring him back inside the
meetinghouse . With a free-spirited
wave, he brushed the idea aside. " I like
it out here," White said. "I like it out
here just fine."
straight and gay. After the meeting was . ,,,- . · ,s-;. ..,,..---"-"-=----,---,----------------------- called to order by pastor Richard Lichty, ·" ' • :- ,-.~
Donella Oemens read the letter to the So · ·h '. · h. · 1-,._:_ eddin
congregation . Ji1n_Lapp followed with [t).e C . l.1lC . es l.l1lllllg w . . gs
comments on the conference's ·action and
its interest in moving on.
In quiet but moving statements, what
followed was a dialogue that began with
Germantown members' incredulity that a
three-year open process had been ended
tQ_proreg lxln on·gay ceremonies
BY VICKI BROWN She complies with her bishop's
wishes by conducting gay weddings off
church property .
On Refoonalioo Smlay
Churches nail ninety-five 'Theses of -
Resistance'' to door of Manhattan Church
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Suzanne Prince
married Hunter Allen at a friend's .home.
That.wasn't the plan, but the couple had
no choice . because their <:hurch - &lgehill
United Methodist - doesn't allow
marriage ceremonies.
The Edgehill congregation decided that
until the United Methodist Church
allows gay marriages, no marriage ceremonies
of any kind will be _perfonned in
The National Council of Churches
has no information on how many indi,
vidual churches perform gay marriage
ceremonies, or refuse to allow traditional
marriages to protest bans on gay ·
marriages.
Southern Baptist Convention spokesman
Herb Hollinger said he knows of
no Southern Baptist churches that recognize
gay unions or have refused to allow
traditional weddings. Theology is left to
local churches, but convention principals
prohibit promoting or affirming
homosexuality. he said.
NEW YORK - On October 26, Reformation
Sunday, local clergy and laity
rallied at Jan Hus Presbyterian Church
to reverse a hotly qebated law barring
sexually active but"unmarried persons,
including self-affirming gays and lesbians,
from serving as ordained ministers
or church officers.
The action was taken -in response to
a controversial addition to the Presbyterian
Constitution, enacted at the denomina
tion's General Assembly in June.
that requires all ordained persons to be
married or celibate.
The Rev. Clifford Frasier, advocacy
and outreach associate at Jan Hus Presbyterian
Church, stated that "Almost
half of the 2.5 million members in our
denomination are deeply troubled and
opposed to the measure, as it becomes .
increasingly clear how very painful and
14 NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 1997
divisive it is."
For the Reformation Rally, ordained
clergy and lay leaders · from churches
across New York City, in the spirit of
the great reformer Martin Luther. nailed
their resolutions of dissent to the
church's front door. Presbyterian Welcome,
''a network of New York City
churches . and individuals supporting
those who in good conscience must
resist all efforts to deny God's calling or
·grace," pledged to keep these dissents in
place until the current law is either neutralized
or superseded .
The rally also affirmed the numerous
churches in the Northeast that have
recently passed policies disavowing discrimination
against gays and lesbians
and reaffinning that the church indudes
all people in open and affirming fellowship.
their chapel. . .
"If the United Methodist Church
wasn't going to allow gay people io get
married in the church, I agree that
straight people shouldn't either ," said
Prince, who's been married nine
months .
The Rev. Jan Nunley, rector at St.
Peter's and St. Andrew's Episcopal
Church in Providence, RI ., will preside
over church weddings for straight couples.
But she won't sign marriage
licenses for them .
"l was in considerable anguish over
the fact that I can create a legal relationship
for mixed-gender couples, but
couldn't do that for same-_gender couples
who've lived together for 25 years," she
said. .
The United Church of Christ allows
individual churches to set their doctrines
, so gay marriages can be performed.
But .any church that opposes
such unions may bar them , said Hans
Holznagel, a public relations officer for
the church.
The Roman Catholic Church does not
allow priests to perform gay marriages,
while the Episcopal Church general convention
hasn't clearly spoken on the
issue, so the policy varies from diocese
SEE WEDDINGS, Page 17
NATIONAL NEWS
Resigned after speaking at gay conference ·
Catholic priest's farewell draws emotion, applause
RICHMOND, Ky .• A Catholic priest
who resigned from his parish on the
heels of a controversy urged his congregation
during ·his farewell Mass to have
faith that all will tum out according to
God's plan.
The Rev. Kenneth Waibel had been
pastor of St. Mark Catholic Church and
the Newman Center at Eastern Kentucky
University . He told a crowd of .about
500 people gathered for worship on the
evening of November 8 that he did not
want the parishes to suffer from the controversy
that led to his resignation.
"The di vine director will make it all
work out," Waibel said. "We know that
to be true. We have to hold on to that
truth."
The controversy arose after Waibel
attended a National Association of
Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay
Ministries conference Sept. 5-7 in Long
Beach, Calif.
· Some parishioners read a story in the
Sept. 18 issue of The Wanderer, a
Catholic weekly newspaper based in St.
Paul, Minn. The story said Waibel, during
a session at the conference, "told his
Major Refonn synagogue installs
gay man as seniorabbi
LOS ANGELES . When Temple Judea
of Tanana installed Donald Goor as senior
rabbi, the 900-farnily Reform congregation
will be the largest mainstream
synagogue to have an openly gay man
as its spiritual leader.
"I'm a rabbi· who happens to be .gay,"
said Goor, 39 ,' "but the congregation and
· I have been ;able to.build a relationship .
!Nhere fr isn't the primary issue."
Goor was installed October 13 as senior
rabbi.
Although ihe liberal Reform branch
of Judaism allowed ·gay and lesbian rabbis
seven years ago, few have been chosen
to fill assistant or senior pulpit
posts, rabbinical estimates show .
Goor insists his sexuality is secondary
to his position, yet he . does not
dodge gay issues.
''I'm 9omfortable discussing homosexuality
. There's nothing that's hidden,"
said Goor, who has lived with ' the same
companion for 12 years.
Officials of the Tanana congregation'
said Goor, whose father is a rabbi in
New York, was an easy choi~e to
replace ~utgoing Rabbi Akiva Annes,
who retired July 1.
"He's exactly what clergy should be ·
sensitive · to older congregants and
involved with the youth," said temple
President Michael Rudman. "He is not a
one-dimensional rabbi."
Only two or three out of about 350
people in focus groups involved in the
selection process expressed displeasure
about Goor being chosen, officials said.
More than a year before Annes retired,
Goor had been chosen as the future sen-.
ior rabbi by a unanimous voice vote of
tl1e congregation. ·
'Temple Judea should be commended
for looking beyond prejudice and stereotypes
to keeping an outstanding
rabbi," said Rabbi Janet Marder, the
regional director of Reform Judaism's
Union ofAmerican Hebrew Congregations.
"He's a very, very gifted rabbi
with strong social-justice concerns and
Torah knowledge who happens to be
gay."
,And when .Reform rabbis hold their .
national convention in Anaheim next
year, Goor said he will urge colleagues
to approve commitment ceremonies for
Jewish gay and lesbian couples. The
issue was controversial at last year's
meeting.
Orthodox and other traditional Jewish
leaders say homosexuality violates Jewish
law, and tlius · cannot be 'integrated
into the synagogue. Among these critics
is conservative talk show host Dennis
Prager, .who is .Jewish.
''I would have intellectual respect for
ilie gay movement to .equate homosexual
reiations wiili heterosexual relations
if that movement took ·a different position
on bisexual behavior · • because
bisexuals have a choice," Prager said.
'That the homosexual movement supports
bisexual behavior ... means that
ilieir position is not at all based on the
argument that homosexuals have no
choice.
"Rather, it is an attempt to undo the
3,000-year-old Jewish battle to make
heterosexual, monogamous love the
humanideal."
Some moderate conservatives, however,
have pushed for a more sympathetic
view Of homosexual Jews. At the Valley
Beth Shalom in Encino, for
instance, a support group was formed
five years ago for families of gays and
lesbians. (AP)
.audience he does not believe it is possible
for a 'straight man' to fall in love
with Jesus because of his inherent
homophobia .
"How can they fall in love with
Jesus, who is a man?" the newspaper
quoted Waibel as saying .
The story goes on to say Waibel "also
told of a priest friend of his who, when
he was dying of AIDS; claimed he was
visited by ilie Blessed Virgin Mary. She
affirmed his homosexual lifestyle ."
Waibel tendered his resignation to
Diocese of :Lexington Bishop J. K1:ndrick
Williams on Oct. 31, said Kathy
Schmitt, Newman Center pastoral associate.
"For his own good, he decided it was
best to step aside," Schmi It said. "He
felt that he did not have the strengili to
· fight anymore ."
Waibel took over the parishes in 1994
after serving as an associate pastor at St.
Flizabeth Ann Seton in Lexington.
Waibel said in an Oct. 26 letter to
parishioners iliat "The only truili in ilie
· article was that I attended the confer ence."
He called the story a
"bastardization of my message."
In his letter, Waibel wrote that he was
invited to ilie conference "because I have
a master's degree in Spirituality and iliey
felt iliat I could offer some insight for
those ministering to gays and . lesbians
as to how to · help iliem see Christ in
· ilieir life and know that they are still
welcome in ilie Cailiolic Church."
"Perhaps I should have told you that I
was, going to California to attend this
conference," Waibel wrote. "I didn't
because I was afraid of the repercussions
that fear and prejudice around this subject
often produces. I was· obviously justified
in my fear but feel a need to
apologize to the gays and . lesbians of
our congregation for my lack of courage
on your behalf . ·
"Before I left on my vacation I was
asked to bless dogs, cats, turtles and fish
in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.
Because I was willing to do this I got a
pat on ilie back . Because I went to California
to minister to those ·sisters and
broiliers of ours who feel abandoned by
ilie ·church and God I get stabbed in the
back. I don't see ilie justice in this."
Waibel went on vacation following
ilieconference.
When he returned he found that The
Wanderer's story had been circulating in
his parish and oilier churches, Schmitt
said.
"Because of this article my sexual orientation
has been questioned, I have
been accused of being a sexual pervert
and some members of our assembly
have even removed ilieir sons from ilie
servers list in fear that I may be a 'child
molester,"' Waibel wrote in the letter.
Other parishioners hold an opposite
view.
"We believe Failier Ken," said Richard
Jackson, a deacon at St. Mark.
Schmitt said Bishop Williams will
send Waibel on sabbatical for five or six
months after Waibel leaves Richmond .'
Masses will be covered by guest priests.
Some parishioners cried during Waibel'
s final service. Gifts were piled on a
table, next to a bank with a sign reading
"Going-away money for Fr. Ken." He
used his sermon to make a request of ilie
crowd
"What I'd like you to give me as a
going-away present is a promise iliat
you will not leave this parish," he said.
Many of iliose present responded with
applause and a standing ovation
Waibel, who appeared to wipe away
tears at some points during ilie service, ·
also directed some remarks to the young
men in the room, urging them to consider
entering ilie priesthood.
"Do not be afraid of ilie priesthood," .
Waibel said . "It's the greatest thing I've
ever done, and I can't imagine doing
anything else wiili my life oilier than
being a priest." (AP)
Ecumenical & Inclusive
:,~.,~.·.:,N\~'.t ,·~>'f' ·. :~ • lf\ l~ .::
_,' 'f ~. 'llJi ; ....
. t-).1 ..
,1..: i '11\
'. i m.:,
.. I!,
We are a Christian community of men
and women from various Catholic and
Protestant traditions involved in minstries
of love, compassion and reconcili•
ation. We live and work in the world,
supporting ourselves and our ministries
•and are inspired by the spirit of St.
Francis and St. Clare. We are not
canonically affiliated with any denomination.
·
For more information or a copy of our
newsletter, Fooisteps, please write us: .
Vocation Director
Dept. 55, PO Box 8340
New Orleans, LA 70182 ·
Mercy of God
Community
SECOND STONE 15
- ·--- - - --- . -- -- - -
Churcohf Noiwayb lockasp irinting
of gaysto churcohf fice
OSLO - The Church of Norway General
Synod, which gathered Nov. 9-14 in
Trondheim, said that persons living
together in homosexual cohabitation
cannot hold church positions as consecrated
pastors, deacons or catechists.
The Synod asked the bishops to take
this decisiqn into consideration in their
ministry and asked the church bodies to
follow up on_jt in their _appointments. It
recommended the saine practice when it
comes to other church positions with
mostly preaching, teaching and/or liturgical
functions.
The Synod agreed with the Bishops ,
Conference that appointments can be
MANNA,
FromPage7
kept count of my tossings, the One who
has put my tears in your bottle. Better
to let God count on our tears. That way
they evaporate - and we can go on to
remember better things.
So far we have talked of confession
and repentance as a very fluid, water like
process. We have used words like melt
and ice and warmth and change. Confession
also takes a harder form. It is rock
certain. Repentance is something that.
God accomplishes from strength as well
as in process with us. The forgiveness
of our sins is certain . I think of what
Psalm 31 says, to God: "Be my strong
rock, a castle to keep me safe, for you
are my crag and my stronghold; for the
sake of your Name, lead me and guide
me."
We need 10· be kept safe from our
sins. The world needs to be kept safe
16 NOVEMBER•DECEMBERJ997
looked upon differently depending on
local conditions, questions of confidentiality
and unity or the conditions of a
possible split locally.
At its 1995 meeting in Bergen, the
General Synod stated that it does not
find enough convincing theological reasons
for the Chnrch of Norway to
change its present practice in regard fo
the appointment of individuals who Jive
in hoinosexual cohabitation. Neither did
the Church of Norway find grounds to
suggest any liturgic arrangement for a
church intercessory ceremony for people .
wholive together in a homosexual relationship.
(LWI) ·
from our sins. we · need to keep each
other safe from our sins.
One of my sins is my temper. The
people I love need· fo be kept safe from
it. As part of my ongoing repentance, I
need to collllt on God to keep me safe
from it. I need the crag and the
stronghold. I need to go in there and
stay. I don't necessarily have the
strength on my own to keep myself or
others safe from my · temper. But
through God, I do. I can borrow
strength.
When we sing the words that beg God
to create in us a clean heart, we follow
with "restore llllto us the joys of thy
salvation." How do we know if our sins
are forgiven? We know when we enjoy
the joys of God's salvation. We know
by the lift in our walk. The energy in
our vision. The expansion of our
sphere of influence. The feeling capable
of making peace and justice. The hllllger
for ways to be useful. The grace in
our eyes. Our willingness to refrain
from whining or accusing or tallying.
We are restored to the way God wanted
us to be in the first place.
One of the loveliest old prayers,
author llllknown, called in my life a Pilgrim
Prayer, concludes a day with these
words,
Save me, I pray, for I am still afraid.
When I am afraid, I will trust in you.
In God whose word I praise, in God 1
trust; I will not be afraid .
Yon are my hiding place
Yon will protect me from trouble.
You will surround me with songs of
deliverance.
CHRISTMAS,
From Pagel
How can we handle the conflicts and
stress of the holiday season in constructive
and positive ways? Does Jesus
give us any help? Yes!
Jesus endured his greatest stress and
the ultimate test of.his purpose and mission
in life during a holiday. He was
betrayed, abandoned, tortured and mur.
dered during the holidays! The Passover
was the biggest holiday of the year in
Israel. The population of Jerusalem
swelled to over 2 million people during
the Passover season . People were everywhere,
just like Christmas shopping
mall mob scenes today! In the midst of
the celebration of Passover, Jesus went
apart to be alone . in the Garden and
prayed, "If it is possible, let this cup ·
pass from me . Nevertheless, not my
will, but Your will be done."
Whatever stress you face, Jesus has
already faced it and handled it well. This
is why the presence of the Spirit of
Jesus in you will guide and empower
you to handle your pressures and disappointments.
Holiday time can be a time
of spiritual growth and an opportunity
for outreach in love and ministry for
Jesus in the lives of the people arolllld
you.
Remember that other people are hurting
and rieed you. Reach out to others.
Give yourself"in phone calls, visits,
writing letters, sending e-mail, and giving
your time and your attention to people
who need you. Most of all, share
Jesus with others. If you are prepared to
share your experience with Jesus, God .
will give you the opportunity to give
the greatest gift of all: the ·gospel of the ·
good news of God's love.
Sue was a deacon at · Golden Gate
MCC in San Francisco when I was pastor
there. She met David at a homeless
shelter and encouraged him and became
bis friend. David had AIDS and was
seriously ill. At about midnight one
night, David called Sue from San francisco
General Hospital and told her that
he needed to see her because he was
afraid. Sue went to see David and as
soon as she saw him, she knew that he
did not have long to live.
David said, "Sue, I am afraid that
when I die I will go out somewhere into
limbo or something." Sue told David
that he could have Jesus in bis heart and
life if he just invited Jesus to come into
his life. David asked Sue to help him
pray . She did. David fell back on his
pillow and looked up and smiled and
said, "I think I have my purple angel
wings now!" After a couple of hours,
David asked Sue., "Can I go home now?
I want to go home." Sue said, "Yes,.
David, you can go home." David shut
his eyes and died at 3:00 a.m. David
was 16 years old.
A week later, Sue called David's
mother. for David had given her the
• phone number . David's mother told
Srie, "As far as I am concerned, David
died 6 months ago!" That was when
she had learned that her son was gay and
had AIDS.
Somebody needs you to be the family
that has abandoned them because they
are gay or lesbian. Your greatest gift to
others is to be the loving hands and
voice of Jesus to touch people who are
■
Somebody
needs you to
be the family
that h~s
abandoned
them because
they are gay
or lesbian ...
You may be
someone's
· ·only hope.
wounded and in pain because of the
homophobia and religious abuse and
oppression that prevails in our society .
Yon may be someone's only .hope.
David is still out there. Look for him.
He needs your Jove this holiday season.
Jesus knew what it was like to be
misllllderstood by his own family. He
showed us how we can select the people
who are to be our spiritual family and
how to make good choices about who
we let be close to us. See Mark 3:20-
21 and 31-35, . where Jesus said,
''Whoever does the will of God is my
brother and sister and mother."
I encourage you to look at my web
·site on "Steps to Recovery from Bible
Abuse" at www.truluck.com for information
that will equip you to llllderstand
and help others with the encouragement
and love of Jesus. If you write e-mail
to me at: rembert@slip .net, I will
answer your mail.
Merry Christmas to you and to all a
goodnight!
WINANS
FromPage8
ral. Just because it 's popular, doesn't
mean it's cool. It's not natural. No,
that's not the way God planned ."
The sisters are getting heat about the
song.
"It is objectionable when you try to
compare the gay lifestyle to violence
and murder and general low morality,"
said Maria-Elena Grant, chairperson of
the Lavender Light Gospel Choir, a_ gay
gospel choir in New York City.
WEDDINGS,
FromPage14
to diocese..
The Rev . Robert Warren Cromey of
Trinity Episcopal Church in San Francisco
performs gay weddings, though
his bishop opposes them .
"I don't obey a bad law," he said.
"Allowing an immoral law to dictate
the conscious of the clergy is going
right along with the rest of society in
discriminating against gay people."
The United Methodist Church bars its
ministers from performing gay weddings,
and they can face discipline if
they do not comply.
Edgehill's policy was -drafted when a
pastor in Atlanta was disciplined for
blessing a gay couple's wedding, said .
Kathryn Mitchem, who chaired Edgehill's
Administrative _ Council that
adopted the policy.
"We didn't · feel we were taking
something away, m_ore that we were
making a public witness to the denomination,"
she said.
Deen Thompson, a gay congregant at
Edgehill, said it makes gay members
feel supported by fellow parishioners.
"It's ·a feeling that the church is .making
a statement about a wrong within
the church," he said.
Before 1996, some Methodist ministers
conducted weddings for gay members.
But the 1996 church general con-
ADJUST,
FromPage8
leads the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan,
also said he stands behind Northcraft.
Four families resigned from the parish
but four new families joined the parish
and five families who hadn't attended
recently returned , said the Rev: Catherine
Munz, an assistant minister at St.
John's for the last four years.
"There has been a I ot of pain in the
process," said Alan Giles , a vestry
member. "But what I'm proud of is that
"It's clear they don't have a clue about
or understand the gay lifestyle, if they're
getting their impressions from a television
show. To write a song and attack
a community they don't know, it's tiresome,
and they're not coming up with
anylhing original."
Gospel station WPGC-AM in the
Washington suburb . of Greenbelt, Md.,
has announced it will not play the song
because the station has a policy not to
program anything "that is offensive to
any person or group of people."
ference adopted a prohibition against
ministers conducting same-sex . unions
iii Methodist churches.
"By every standard_ we know, marriage
is a union of male and female, made
valid in the sight of God by blessing in
the name of the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit," said the Rev. Riley Case, pastor
of St. Luke's United Methodist Church
in Kokomo, Ind.
O1Se is a member of the United Methodist
Church Good News, a group that
says it supports "traditional scriptural
views."
"If your primary loyalty is to the gay .
and lesbian agenda and not to the scrip;
ture or the care of persons who want
. marriage ... I would question if they
should call i\iemselves Christians," he
· said. .
The Rev . Jeanne Knepper of Portland,
Ore., a spokesperson for Affirmation, a
United Me.thodist mi1)istry of outreach
to gays and lesbians, disagrees with the
church's policy on gay marriages. But
she does not believe individnal churches
. should bar all marriages as a protest.
"My sense would be not to take from
those who can, but to give to those who
can't," she said.
Prince said she believes a change in
United Methodist Church policy will
come o!)).y if straight people demand it.
"I think it's time for us as straight
people to put our money where our
mouth is," she said. "That sacrifice is
how we're going to change the world."
(AP)
I think, as a group, the movement is
not to condemn those -people that have
left, but to love them."
Part of the struggle reflects a congregation
coming to grips with a difficult
subject.
Said Northcraft: "It appears to me that
part of our call is shedding light on the
issue of human sexuality."
"It is my opinion that all the instruction
in the world cha~ges very . little,"
Northcraft said. "What char1ges people is
when they see you at work . No one ever
asked me when they were dying what
my sexual orientation was." (AP)
In mid-October , a boycott held the
crowd down to 125 people at Greater
Bethany Community Church in Los
Angeles at a service featuring the
sisters . The church normally attracts up
to 2,000 people. .
Angie Winans says a young lesbiari
~rontedher after a recent performance
in Washington .
"She was very angry. She said, 'I
don't appreciate you trying to make
money off of dogging us."'
Winaris said they didn't come to an
agreement with the womari, but did convince
her about their motives for the
song.
"We don't look at our job as a career,"
she said. "It's a ministry."
In other selections of the 12-song
album, the sisters talk about other
,issues. They encourage women to dress
modestly in "Never Gonna" and take a
stand against drugs and alcohol on
"Rebuke the Devil."
The "Bold" CD has been an hnmediate
success, entering the Billboard gospel
chart at No. 4 earlier this month.
"I'm not worried at all about the ~ople
who don't like it," Angie Winans
said. 'They don't hear it, but that little
girl that's 10 years old ihat's confused,
she probably receives it, and it can
change her life. u (AP)
GAYELLOW PAGEr
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SECOND STONE 17
... .. ---- -. -- .....:
Man drives thousands of
miles to help AIDS Jxttients
BY V A:LERIA SKOLD
BEAUMONT, Texas - Vern Mastin .has
missed most of the late-night TV shows
the past seven years.
In bed by 9 p.m. and up by 5 a.m.,
the 62-year-old native Kansan and
former school ·bus driver has been slipping
quietly out of his Port Arthur
home 1vhile ,his wife, Charlott e , lies
asleep inside,
Before the rest of the neighborhood
can get a chance to ha,·e their morning
coffee, Mastin is starting up his old
blue Dodge pickup for his daily 400-
mile journey across several county
lines.
"I go to. places people don't realize I
go," said the silver-haired senior.
It's all part of his job as the "TAN
Van Man'' for the Triangle AIDS Network.
He picks up HIV . and AIDS
patients all over Southeast Texas who
would otherwise have no fiscal or physical
means to get to their health _ care
appointments at the University of Texas
Medical Branch in Galveston.
"It's very _ .critical," Mastin said.
"Some of them don't have any families
or are disowned. It's di s couraging
sometimes for both of us.".
Mastin is known for more than his
early rising and chauffeur duties. He is
the group's first permanent paid driver
since TAN started the transportation
program in 1991. And as such, he has
indirectly become a personal witness to
the changing face of the fatal illness on
the Southeast Texas population.
"There has been a big turmoil in the
last three years and i t's not getting
better," he said. "We've e,ven got babies
and pregnant women with HIV. I transport
them, but it breaks my heart."
When Mastin first started working for
TAN in 1991, the group's white Ford
minibus was brand new with 800 miles
on it. He was traveling only twice a
week to Galveston . And there were only
a few patients on his pickup route.
Now, with 174,000 miles added to the
· odometer, Mastin is traveling three
times a week with a full load of 13
patients . And there are more women and
non-white passengers in his blis titan
before.
Mary Fisher helps launch
'Gospel Against AIDS'
DETROIT - Mary Fisher took her fiveyear
anti-AIDS crusade to an inner city
church, telling worshipers to understand,
not condemn, those witll the illness .
Fisher, daughter of Michigan financier
and philantliropist Max Fisher, began
her anti-AIDS campaign after she was
infected with the HIV virus by her exhusband
.
"At many churches , people learn more
about judgmentalism tllan grace," Fisher
said Oct I 9 at a packed Perfecting
Church in Detroit. "God's children have
not always behaved like God's children."
Fisher was on hand to help launch
"Gospel against AIDS." The program,
scheduled for up to 20 cities across the
country, is a joint effort of Fisher's
Family AIDS Network and Perfecting
Church's gospel choir.
18 NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 1997
Fisher, 49, contracted AIDS from her
ex-husband, who died from the disease
in 1993 . She lives in Nyack, N.Y. ,
with her sons, Max, JO, and Zack, 8,
who are free of tile virus.
She got a rousing welcome from Pastor
Marvin L. Winans.
"People have said I've been courageous
. I just did what I think needed to
be done," he said. "As a church, we
want to help those who are sick . We
want those who are dying to know they
can come here for help, not judgment."
Fisher made an analogy between the
suffering of blacks and the suffering of
AIDS patients - two groups originally
shunned by many churches .
"Men, women and children with
AIDS have been stigmatized ," she said.
"Either we're in this . together or we 're
not in it at all." (AP)
Although Mastin has seen the disease
spread to different segments of tl1e population
, his pa ssenger li st also reflect s
the positive effect s: the increase of
AIDS awareness, early intervention, and
the medical brea k throu gh s tl1at of ten
extend the life of AIDS patient s.
Mastin' s day typically begins around
dawn at 5:45 a.m. He drives 22 miles to
the TAN office in Beaumont where he
find s a blinking light -on an answering
machine notifying him of any cancellation
s. He cross-checks the names
against a list of passengers to pick up
that day. With the day 's itinerary in
hand, he switches over from his Dodge
picl...-up to T AN's Ford.
In the past six to eight montlls ; tile
minibu s has almost always • been full,
~aid Sherridan Tutt, executive director of
tile Triangle AIDS Network.
Mastin , along with volunteers who
drive two minivans on a part -time basis,
try to meet tile transportation needs of
TAN' s 330 clients, but it's not easy ,
said Jock Hinrichs, transportation coordinator.
Not only do they make three trips to
UTMB each .week, but they provide
daily transportation for clients who have
errands to run such as picking up medication
or paying bills , Hinrichs said.
The TAN van is the only free transportation
service exclusively for AIDS
visits to UTMB in Galveston, which
provides everything from primary care
to experimental drug treatnlents under
clinical trials. Jefferson, Liberty and
J aspe r counties also provide transportation
, but tlleir vans quickly fill up witll
non-AIDS cases , Hi1uichs said.
The hardest part of Mastin' s job is not
the driv e. He said he was used to putting
30 ,000 miles on a pickup ever y year
while putting up h ay on his farm in
Kansas. When he wasn't driving his
trusty pickup, he was behind the wheel
of a school bus.
The hardest thing about his daily 400-
mile road tours is he can put in 40-plus
hours in just thre e days. That means
sometimes walking through the door of
his Port Arthur home as late as mid night
after having stayed with a patient
undergoing an infu sion or chemotherapy ·
treatnlent.
Wailing time is ju st part of the job,
Mastin said. He's the only one who
will. The tliree county vans tha t provide
transportation to UTMB for indigent
care patients leave at either 3 or 4 p.m.
on the dot, with or without the patients.
Mastin, on the other hand, rounds up
tile group , taking tllem to the different
floors, · making sure they are where
tlley're supposed to be, and staying until
he has to.
" If you don't get them in, you don't
get them out," Mastin said "The _ county
van would leave them if they're not
done . I only do that if they're goofing
off . You only have to do it once, then
tlleyremember."
"If they'll let me, I'll drive til' I'm
about 65," added the now SocialSecurity
eligible Martin. "I'd miss . it. "
(Beaumont Enterprise)
Christian church leaders need to do
more to fight AIDS, clergy say
BY OLIVER TEVES
MANILA, Philippines - Christian
churches should do more to help the
global fight against the spread of AIDS;
participants in an international conference
on tile disease said Oct. 28.
Speakers at a session on the response
of religious organizations to AIDS said
ordinary members of the clergy are often
lJlOre active tllan high church officialsin
promoting AIDS awareness programs
and the use of condoms, which are
opposed by the Catholic hierarchy and
by some Protestants .
"By and large the response of the
churches has been inadequate and has in
some cases even niade the problem
worse," said Sister Emmy Frances , secretary
· general of the Council of
Churches of Fiji.
Sister Emmy, a member of the
Catholic Sisters of Compassion, was
addr essing the 4th International Congre
ss on AIDS in Asia and t_he Pacific
held during the last week in Oct~ber in
Manila . About 2,500 delegates from 65
countries attended.
Sister Emmy said some churches have
be.en slo,.;, to respond to tile problem of
AIDS because of their "ignorance and
1mease" in discussing human sexuality
and a traditional emphasis on spirituality.
"Through their silence, many
churches share the responsibility of tile
fear that has spread all over the world
more quickly tlian the virus itself ,0 she
said.
Eliza Fung of the AIDS program of
Anglican St. John's Cathedral in Hong
Kong said there has been "no clear direction"
from the leadership of Christian
churches in Hong .Kong on how to
respond to AIDS.
She said a recent survey among Christians
in Hong Kong showed a high
awareness of tlie disease, but found tllat
many believe tha t AIDS is "a punishment
from God ." (AP)
AIDS WARRIORS AND HEROES
BlacksmustcrusadeagainstAIDS, fonnnμnticiμmtsronclude
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK , N.C.
Blacks must mount an all-out crusade
against AIDS, a group of poli ticians,
educators, physicians and others concluded
during an unprecedented forum .
" An alarm needs to be sounded in our
community," said Brenda CrowderGaines,
a North Carolina state HIV prevention
worker. "We as African Americans
live in perilous time s. AIDS
is killing us."
Although blacks make up only 22
percent of this state's population, they
are far more likely than whites in North
Carolina to develop AIDS .
The more than 150 people who
gathered for the forum concluded that
too little is done to stop the spread of
the disease, which can be preveuted.
Forum participants - most of whom
were black - endorsed three preventive
measures that focus · on the need for
change in local schools and the state
legislature :
-School boards should override a state
rule that limits sex education lo lectures
on abstinence. Sexually active teenagers
urgently need explicit information on
how to protect them selves from HIV,
the virus that causes AIDS.
-The state should legalize monitored
needle exchanges - taking HIVcontaminated
needles out of the hands of
illegal drug users by trading dirty hypo dermics
for clean ones. Twenty-five
states already permit such programs .
-Lawmakers should invest $1 million
in community-based intervention programs
to reduce AIDS. The state now
spends only federal money on such
efforts.
Ryf:_ n w_ hite Foundation announces
rec·pients of 1997 angel awards ,
INDIA APOLIS - Miss America 1998 Kurth , who play s Ned Ashto n on Gen-
Kate S hi ndle is among those who will eral Hospital , also will recei ve an award
be pres:ented with an angel aw ard from during the 1997 Ryan's Angels Celebra-
The R an White Foundation for her lion on Dec. 5. ·
efforts in promoting AIDS education , , The band did a four-city concert tour
officials said. to benefit the Ryan White Foundation
Shindle will trave l across the country and a local pediatric AIDS charity in
speaking on HIV /AIDS prevention edu- Boston , San Diego, Cleveland and Chication
.I Her platform is titled, " On th e ca go . The tour raised more than
Wa y to a Cure : preventing HIV Trans- $100,000.
mission in America."
The 20-year-old Northwestern Uni versity
senior has endorsed controversial
AIDS prevention tools such as condom
distribution in schools and providing
clean needles to drug addicts.
White died of AIDS in 1990. While
battliq.g · the disease he contracted
through a transfusion of blood products,
the lncliana teenager kept a guardian
angel night light by his bed as a symbol
of . hope. He would have been 26 in
December.
Kurth & Taylor Band, featuring Wally
Other honorees include "Kurth &
Taylor Tour for Kids " national chairpersons
Anne Bonner and Bien Marie Rossano,
Dick's Last Resort, Kahlua, Phi
Theta Kappa and the DREAM Team
from Shrewsbury High School in
Shrewsbury, Mass. .
Ryan's Angel A wards are presented
annually by the Ryan White Foundation
to recognize those persons or organiza tions
that have been special angels to
the foundation or . its mission of youth
HIV/ AIDS education. (AP)
Trainer of AIDS workers presented
Rosalynn Carter award
AMERICUS, Ga. - Ronald Sunderland,
who devised a plan to train volunteers to
assist people with AIDS, was presented
the Rosalynn Carter Caregiviug Award
on Oct. 30 .
Sunderland, 68, vice president of the
Foundation for Inter -Faitl1 Research and
Ministry in Houston, was honored at
the annual conference of the Rosalynn
Carter Institute for Human Development
at Georgia Southwestern University .
The former first lady presented tlie
award to Swxleiland, a -native of Australia,
who established a program that has
trained more than 3,500 caregivers in
teams . More than 1,700 people ,vith
AIDS have received help.
Sunderland also has iniiiated a griefbereavement
care team .project. (AP)
"W e must turn up th e heat on our
elected official s to get them to face this
and what needs to be done," said state
Rep. Thomas Wright, D-New Hanover .
Wright knows better than anybod y
how delicate that chore could be. In
spite of support from top state health
officials, including health director Ron
Levine, Wright was unable to get a needle-
exchange bill passed during the last
legislative session.
Lavonia Allison, a member of the
politically influential Durham Committee
on the Affairs of Black People, told
forum participants !Bat they must think
like politicians when grappling with
this issue. That means lobbying their
local school board members and all state
legi slators , she said.
"Bected offic ials are the re to represent
your inter es ts," she said . "If you are not
there talking, they don 't know wh a t
your interests are. "
While the numbers of ne w reported
HIV cases dropped slightly in the pasi
three years , thousands of North Carol inian
s are still getting infect ed. Sta te .
publ i c he alth offi cials counted 3 .3 78
new cases between 1994 and 19%, compared
to 3,697 in the previous three
years.
Nationally, blacks make up the largest
singl e ethnic group among new
cases of AIDS . In North Carolina,
blacks make up the majority.
Eighty-three percent of women and 73
percent of men newly diagnosed with
the vjrus are black , according to state
figures .
AIDS is now the most frequent killer
of black men between the ages of 15 and
44 in North Carolina . The vast majority
of HIV-positive women who give birtl1
to infected children are black.
Not all blacks are equally at risk, said
Evelyn Foust , who runs the state's HIV
' prevention unit. The virus spreads fastest
among the poorest , she said.
"Many persons who are minoritie s
live in impoverished conditions," Foust
said. "Thi s virus takes advantage of people
who don' t have strong economic
support ."
T he forum was sponsor ed by the
Washington - b a sed Joint C enter for
Political and Economic Studies, which
a ttempts to increase black involvement
in public issues . (AP)
Do you know the sixth leading cause of death among
15-lll~year-olds in the United \tates?
YOUR CONGREGATION CAN TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE
ABOUT HIV/AIDS ·.
"BROKENNESS TO WHOLINESS"
AN HIV/AIDS PREVENTION CURRICULUM
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 15-18
A Project or the
Luther.111 AIDS
Network supported by
the Centers for Disease
Control .and Prevention
and the AIDS N:irion:il
Interfaith Ner.~ork
Fo r further
infonnnti on about th e
curriculum, call the
Luthcnm AIDS
Network @
415.92 8 .7170 ext. 4
"ITM~l aotntOOllk-•n
f■ wllio:k'OO!!A1)1111 l!lflt GI] m!ffd
ti ~ll!!llli:i rtNtlllll/11(111
dil<lllill ii I li!Hllri, Ilia minlllttt."
Jotll.lllidaf
lil<llilldllw.tl'nlr,III
C.11nlllilillnly-l/llolli1
SE C O N D STONE 19
UFMCC adopts new
mission, vision statements
LOS ANGELES - The Universal Fellowship
of Metropolitan Community
Churches (UFMCC) has announced
adoption of a new mission and vision
statement. The new statemen .t was
adopted during UFMCC's recent General
Conference XVIII in Sydney, Australia.
The new UFMCC mission statement
reads:
''The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan
Community Churches is a
Christian Church founded in and reaching
beyond the Gay and Lesbian communities.
We embody and proclaim
Christian salvation and liberation,
Christian inclusivity and community ,and
Christian social action and justice.
We serve among those seeking and celebrating
the integration of their spirituality
and sexuality."
"With the adoption of this new mission
statement, UFMCC became the
first Christian denomination in history
to proclaim the "intepation of spirituality
and sexuality" as part of its intrinsic
mission," said the Rev. Troy D . Perry ,
• moderator of the denomination .
The new vision statement enacted in
Australia reads:
"The vision of the UFMCC is to
embody the presence of the Divine in
the world, as re ve aled through Jesus
Christ; to challenge the conscience of
the uni versa! Christian Church; and to
celebrate the inherent worth and dignity
of each person. As we move toward
this vision, by 2003 , the UFMCC will
be comprised of at least 70,000 mem -
I· The Erotic Contemplative
Reflections on the Spiritual Journey of the Gay/Lesbian Christian
By Michael B. Kelly .
A SIX VOLUME STIMULUS FOR
LIVING, LOVING ,\ND PRAYER:
1) Our Experience (75 min)
2) Revisioning Sexuality (80 min)
3) Exodus and Awakening (75 min)
4) The Desert and the Dark (88 min)
S) Liberation (84 min)
6) The Road from Emmaus (63 min)
The six volume video
set is $199.00
Order through:
EROSpirit Research Institute
P.O. Box 8340
New Orleans LA 70182
"The Erotic Contemplative is the
most powerful and insightful study of
gay spiritualjty that I know of. I have
watched "The Road -From Emmaus"
(tape 6) three times and still find new
riches ." -- JOHN J;McNEIL, PH.D.,
author of The Church and the
Homosexual.
"In my theology classes, both gay and
straight seminarians benefit from
Kelly's integration of sexuality with
·christian mysticism ." -- RoBERT Goss,
PH.D., author of Jesus Acted-Up.
"An excellent resource ... a worthwhile
investment." -- BONDINGS, a publication
of New Ways Ministry .
"The Erotic Contemplative video course
has helped gay men and lesbians who
grew up as Christians move toward
healing the wounds of the past." -JosEPH
KRAMER, M.D1v., EROSpirit
Research Institute .
"This work should be considered
essential to anyone serious about their
sexuality/spirituality and mandatory for
anyone who in any way acts as a
spiritual director for gay and lesbian
people." -- Mox:e Light Update.
• More detailed informatiori about each video is available upon i-equest. Also available in Pal • the
Europeao/Australlan format. California residents add 8.25% sales tax. U.S. shipping charge: $5.00.
International shipping charge: $35.00. © 1997, EROSpirit Research Institute.
20 NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 1997
bers and adherents who are all called and
equipped to minister with excellence.
This diverse global body will be widely
recognized as a prophetic light and driving
force for an inclusiv e Christian spirituality
which celebrates the integr ation
of spirituality and human sexuality.
Through our strengthened local churches,
we will meet the justice and faith
needs of people in increasing numbers
of countries and cultures."
"Four points in this vision statement
are especially noieworthy," said Perry .
''This new document calls us to. impact
· the universal Christian Church w ith our
message of hope and affirmation for
gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender ed
persons. It calls us to fulfill our vision
to double membership in a decade. It
calls UFMCC to establish spiritual outposts
in addit i onal countries -and cultures.
And it reemphasizes our commitment
to the positive integration of sexuality
and spirituality."
Names Makin News
Sosa confirmed
fourth non-U.S.
UFMCC elder,
first from Mexico
THE REV. JORGE SOSA has been
appointed to the Board of Elders of the
Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan
Community Churches. Sosa has served
as Senior Pastor of l.C.M. Reconciliacion
(Reconciliation MCC) in Mexico
City since 1991, and is UFMCC Area
Coordinator for Mexico and Central
America.
"The Rev . Jorge Sosa has made vain-
Events
Announcements in this section are provided
free of.charge as a service to
Christian organizations . .To have a11
event listed, send information to Seco11d
Stone, P.O. Box 8340, . New Orleans,
LA 70182, FAX to (504)899,4014, email
secsto11e@aol.com.
'
Surfacing Our Souls:
A Study of Families,
Fear, and Faith
NOVEMBER 28-30, A weekend retreat to
e11plore: how we grow and develop in family_
systems; how our faith and spirituality
grow in s.tages; and what the Bible says
about homosexuality. To be held at the
Bishop Booth Conference C~nter in Burlington,
Vennont. Cost is $155 - $195 per
person. For information contact Triangle
Ministries, Rev. Chrfstine S. Leslie,
M.Div., 14 White Birch Lane, Williston
VT 05495, REVCSL@aol.com (802) 860-
7106, http://members.aol.com/revcsl
Weekend Retreat;
"Having The Holy In
Our Holidays"
DECEMBER 19-21, A· weekend·retrea.t for
members and friends of the gay, lesbian,
bisel<ual and transgender community .
Gather ·to explore naming and claiming
The Holy in your Holidays. The Bishop
Booth Conference Center in Burlington.
Vermont, is the setting. Cost per person
$155~$195. For information contact Triable
contributions to the people of Mexico,
and to the larger work of UFMCC,"
· said the Rev . Troy D. Perry, moderator.
"From his work in founding Accion
Humana por la Comunidad (Human
Action for the Community) to his service
in establishing support programs and
home health care training for persons
with AIDS, Jorge .Sosa · has demonstrated
the love of Jesus Christ to the
gay, lesbian and bisexual communities
ofMe,tjco."
Sosa is the first non-elected elder in
the denomination's 29 year history, and
the fourth from outside the United
States . He will fulfill the unexpired
term of the Rev. Wilhelmina Hein.
angle Ministries: A Center For Lesbian &
Gay Spiritual Development. Rev. Christine
· S. Leslie, M.Div., 14 White Birch
Lane Williston , VT 05 .495,
REVCSL@aol.com, (802) 860-7106.
Charismatic Conference
JANUARY 23-25, 1998, Holiday Inn
Long 'Beach Airport, Long Be~ch, is the
setiing as MCC Long Beach hosts this
conference, themed ."Lift up your
heads ... that the Ruler of Glory may come
in. • (Psalm 24:7) Guest Speakers include:
Rev. Elder Troy D. Perry: Rev. Elder Don,
aid Eastman: Rev. Elder Freda Smith, River .
City MCC Cathedral of Promise, Sacra-.
mento, CA: Rev. Pat Bumgardner, MCC
New York, NY; Rev. Bradley Wishon,
Gentle Shepherd MCC, Phoenix, AZ; Rev.
Janet Parker, Maranatha Fellowship MCC,
Houston, TX; Rev. Lee Thompson, Abundanr
Grace Fellowship, Covington, LA;
Rev. Joan Wakeford, Joan Wakeford Min,
istries, Austin, TX: Rev. Sandra Turnbull,
MC<;: Long Beach, CA; and Chadash Ministries,
Riverside,CA. For information or
registration, contact: MCC Long Beach,
3840 Cherry A venue, Long Beach, CA
90807 , (562) 426-0222, Fax, (562) 426-
8321, E-mail: MCCLB@aol.com.
CHRISTIANC OMMUNITYN EWS
Names Makin News
Connecticut woman is
new leader of UCC' s
lesbian/gay coalition
THE REV. MITZI N. EILTS of Guilford,
Conn. has taken office as national
coordinator of the United.Church Coalition
for Lesbian/Gay Concerns.
Eilts, 45, was ·elected to the staff
position at the coalition's annual gathering
this past snmmer in Columbus,
Ohio. The UCCL/GC is one of 20
·national special interest groups in the
1.5-million-member United Church of
Christ.
Eilts sees the coalition as "an essential
and critical ministry for renewal of
the United Church of Christ and within
Protestant Christianity."
"The issues of sexual orientation and
identity require us to become biblically
and theologically literate, not just about
sexuality and spirituality, but more
broadly, to claim our faith critically
both in the context or our covenanted
worship community and with an ear to
the wider circle of those who are
stranger to us, yet one within God's
circle," Eilts said.
For the past five years, Eilts has been
Rev.· Mitzi N. Eilts
coordinator of church-college relations
for the United Church Board for Homeland
Ministries, the U.S. ministries ann
of the UCC.
"My hope and intention is to work
with the membership of th~ coalition,
and with local churches, ecumenisal
partners, and persons active in the gay
and transgender movement to transform
society's and the church's understanding
of how faith and sexnal identity critically
inform each other," she said.
Church&Or anizationNews
New religious
community
dedicated
THE SOCIETY OF the Franciscan
Servants of the Poor was dedicated on
October 4. The non-canonical religions,
charitable, non-profit community of
men and women in service was dedicated
on the Feast of St. Francis as Assisi.
The mission of the new religious community
is "to bring renewal to the
church a.t large by serving all of God's
people, especially the poor, neglected
and disenfranchised from all walks of
life." While the new community is not
affiliated with any denomination, its
members seek to be at peace with all
and draw advisors and mentors from
other Franciscan communities in the
Catholic, Roman and Independent
branches, and the Anglican/Episcopalian
traditions.
The FSP community has a two and a
half year period of inclusion for the individual.
wishing to join the vowed community.
Affiliate options are also available
for meii and women who do not
desire vowed membership. Currently
members minister in the areas of
HIV/AIDS, liturgical/sacramental ministry
and police chaplaincy. For information,
readers may contact: Minister
Guardian, Society of the Franciscan
Servants of the Poor, 113 Pavonia Ave.
#335, Jersey City, NJ 07310.
SECOND STONE 21
'Murphy's Commandments'
pokes good fun at church life
Books
BY DAVID BRIGGS
"LEf SLEEPING dogmas lie."
"If you can't walk on water, don't rock
the boat" ·
"The more a pastor works for change
in a congregation, the more likely the
congregation will change pastors."
You have heard of Murphy's Law: "If
anything can go wrong, it will."
These are "St. Murphy's Commandments,"
observations about church life
collected in a new paperback book by
the Rev . Ron Birk, consulting°editor of
the Joyful Noiseletter in Portage, Mich. ·
Birk, a professional speaker and go11t
rancher who served ·for 20 years as
Lutheran campus pastor at Texas A&M
and Southwest Texas State University,
has been around long enough to know.
things are not always what they seem in•
church life. And sometimes it is easier
to laugh than be frustrated by the foibles
of religious folk.
"It's not the way it ought to . be. · It's
the way it is," ·Birk said in an in_terview.
"We talk about the _ communion of
saints, but it's also the communion Of
sinners . And you've got to accept that
fact."
In the book from LangMarc Publishing
of San Antonio, Texas, illustrations
by David Espurvoa accompany Birk's
humorous advice to remind pastors and
laypeople that everyone falls short of
perfection.
For example, there is "The First
Myth of Organized Religion: Religion
is organized."
And St. Murphy 's Commandment:
"Anything a preacher says that can be
misunderstood will be misunderstood. "
And "The I-Move-We-Adjourn Axiom:
One of the major causes of church
meetings is church problems." Its corollary:
"On~ of the major causes of church
problems is church meetings ."
Birk said he hopes readers laugh and
have a good time , but also use the
humor to reflect on how to avoid or correct
the problems the book satirizes.
"This is a 'ha-ha' book, but it's also
an 'ah-bah' book. It's my own personal
hope people will not only enjoy it, but
people will stop and think why that situation
happens in the church," Birk
said .
"If I have an author's hidden agenda, it
is to make people think ." (AP)
Kennedy CD well foryoursoul
Music
"THERE'S NO PLACE like home,"
says Don Kennedy of his new CD,
"Come Home," a compilation of eclectic
music for the soul. The Dallas resident
has recent! y completed and released
this, his first CD.
Disco, jazz, contemporary gospel ,
classical, folk, simple standard hymns,
one love song and a symphonically
arranged version of "It Is Well" included
on this recording are typical of the range
of the artist's vocal versatility.
Kennedy produced the CD himself
..yi\h most arrangements done by Danny
Ray, also of Dallas.
"I have aspirations of being the first
openly gay Christian gospel singer carried
by a major label," says Kennedy.
though he doubts the label will be from
the gospel music industry itself .
"I think the publicity it would generate
could be beneficial in letting many
gays and le.sbians in our community
hear for the first time churches do exist
22 NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 1997
for the spiritwil welfare of our community,"
Kennedy says.
Kennedy studied music and majored in
Don Kennedy
'Courage to Love' author
recollllts heresy trial
BY DEBBIE WOODELL
RELIGION NEED NOT be the enemy
of the gay community.
Just speak with Barry Stopfel and
Will Leckie - two gentle men of spirit
and grace.
Each is an ordained clergyman -
Stopfel a1J. Episcopal priest; Leckie , his
partnel", in the United Church of Christ.
Both are gay . .
Stopfel's ordination as a deacon in
1990 eventually led to a failed attempt
last year to bring heresy charges against
the bishop who ordained him, Walter
Righter .
Now, they have shared their private
moments from that public ordeal in a
book, "Courage to Love" (Doubleday).
"We had to get our story out - the
whole story - because it was important
that people know the depth of what we
went through and not just what was in
the press," Leckie said in July as the
two visited Philadelphia for ihe Episcopal
Church's General Conference.
The book details their life together
and how their love toward each other and
of ·God withstood the firestorm of controversy
. Their story has toilcbed many.
"I think to the extent that people see .
themselves in our story, the book is a
success," Leckie said. "We get letters
every week from strangers - strangers -
that say. 'Thank you for . writing this
book.'
voice at-the University of Texas in Austin.
His singing actually began at an
early age at the encouragement of his
maternal grandmother. He began singing
solos in church in his early teens.
Not knowing what to pursue upon
entering college, he sang in several
choirs and studied voice for pleasure.
His . introduction · to classical vocal
music hooked him on art song and
opera. The rest is history. His natural
love of gospel music which includes
Black, Bluegrass and Southern expanded
to a larger spectrum of music including
musical theater, pop ·and ballads, which
be continues to love and participate in.
Kennedy bas performed the role of
Tolemeo in "Julius Caesar," Figaro in
''The Barber of Seville" and Sid i11
"Albert Herring." ..
His impetus for the CD was spawned
by request from numerous friends he has
met through Metropolitan Community
Churches and GLBT friendly churches
across the U.S . They have enjoyed his
vocal beauty and innate gift of musical
heartfelt communication. He also felt
"We didn't tltink it was going to be
li\ce that. We were just telling our story.
and I think that's the beauty; when yon
just tell your story and people's lives
get changed."
Stopfel love~ being a parish priest.
but says his congregation at St.
George's Episcopal Church in Maplewood,
NJ., is urging him to keep fighting
for gay people's rights in church.
"I'm really interested in going to
other cathedral churches around the
country and finding other advocates and
begin to speak to people about shifting
the debate from what it is that we all do
with our genitals to 'Where is it that we
place the commitment of our lives; and
what do we find holy?"' he said.
''That really interests · me. This non- .
sense in politics and religion about what
we do with our genitals is a fetish, and
it's a destructive fetish and a polarizing
fetish. It still goes on, when you can go
to a church and heai a priest or a pastor
list the people that God cares about, that
God embraces, and we don't show np.
We don't show up on that list - ever -
and it's one of the ways we've been kept
invisible.
"More and more, our straight advocates
include us on the list of who this
culture needs to think about as
oppressed" (Philadelphia Daily News)
compelled to produce a recording that
would capture the gospel music be loves
so much himself. The resulting product
is a combination of his love for the
songs be chose and his desire to provide
a musical experience that so many of
his friends have expressed a desire to
have permanently for themselves.
Kennedy has been involved with the
UFMCC since · 1980 . He has a keen
interest in communicating to the GLBT ·
community his message of hope and
well-being there is to be found in a
return to the "First Century style" of
Christian philosophy and theology.
His greatest interest is to see the reclamation
of the healthy innate spirituality
of gays and lesbians, the inborn spirituality
that provi .des a healthy choice and
alternative to the destructive habits and
shallow activities Kennedy sees as "so
common among people in the gay and
lesbian community."
For information about "Come Home"
write to Conejo Blessings, P.O. Box
568601, Dallas TX 75356 or call ·
(214)522-7408.
The truth unspoken
is often a lie
created me to be, or the circumstances I
find myself in, is to slowly, but surely
kill the God-given gifts of my integrity,
my sense of wholeness, my covenant
with the Creator. And because I believe
I find it ironic that
in a pacifist tradition,
the church has
adopted the same
attitude as the
armed forces: Don't
ask, don't tell!
this, I am not willing . to stand by
silently while the church expects you to
be silent about who · it is that God
created you to be. In silence, 1 will
die ... the church will die. We will all be
less tl1a11 our Creator intended .
Our silence will not protec t us from
death. Ultimately , however, we find
strength and comfort in that which is far
greater than silence. We firid that we are
beckoned not by silence and death, but.
by tl1e truth and life that could not,' and
cannot , be smothered. The truth will
rise.
BY EVA O'DIAM
JESUS KNEW THE connections between
silence and truth. When teaching,
healing, or performing miracles, he
took time away for reflective silence .
Shortly before his arrest, he went to the
garden to reflect and be alone in the
silence. When he was arrested and
charged, he did not respond to his accusers
but answered in silence, knowing
they would assume his guilt.
There is a button I carry with me on
my backpack (my version of carrying a
briefcase). It states simply the words of
poet Audre Lorde : "Your silence will
not protect you ." It · is true that sHence
may give us the space and lhe time to
know ourselves, so that we ma)' voice
the trnth. Being silent within o~elves
may . allow us to hear the still small
voice of God so that we have the courage
to stand - even aloile if need be.
Silence may allow us to hear God's
message of justice · to be proclaimed.
But .will silence protect us? If silence
SECOND STONE Newspaper, ISSN
No. 1047-3971, is published every
other month· by Bailey Communications,
P.O. Box .8340. New Orleans,
LA 70182, secstone@aol.com. Copyright
I 997 by' Second Stone, .a registered
trademark.
SUBSCRIPTIONS, u.s.A·. $19 per
year. Foreign subscribers add $10 for
postage. All payments U. S. currency
only .
beconies the ending, not only will it
not protect us, it will surely kill us.
Jesus knew the power of reflective
silence, Reflective silence.led to healing,
to disobedience against the unjust
mies of the faith community, to anger
against the religious systems which
tried to stifle the trnth. Reflective
silence led him to act again and again
for justice. If our motivation in keeping
silent is preparation to do justice; then
we should embrace the silence, that we
may step forward to speak and act on
God's simple trnth . But let us remember
that no injustice - not even torture
. and execution - could ultimately silence
Jesus.
Many within the church believe that
if you know yourself as gay, lesbian,
bisexual, or transgendered, you should
simply be quiet and nothing will happen
. I find it ironic that in a pacifist tradition,
the church has adopted the same
attitude as the anned forces: Don't ask,
don't tell! Keep silent! Truth cannot and
will not be silenced . Whether that trnth
concerns gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgendered people in the church , or
people who have suffered sexual abuse,
domestic violence, addictions, or bigotry,
truth - the simple truth -- will have
voice!
Silence will not protect the church as
an organization , Silence will not protect
my integrity or that of my gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgendered sisters ap.d
brothers . Silence will not protect a
position of ordination, or a position in
local church leadership. I believe that to
be silent about who it is that God
Keep silent!
Eva O 'Diam is pastor of the Metropolitan
Community Church of the
Spirit in Harrisburg. She was formerly
ordained in the Church of the Brethren
until her ordination was revoked in
1995. This article first appeared i11
"Dialogue," Summer, 1997.
Biblical. .. but notChristian?
The following letter, on the shunning of
the Germantown Mennonite Church,
appeared in the Hutchinson News,
Hutchinson, Kansas.
Dear Editor:
The story in The Hutchinson News
on the Germantown Mennonite Church
raise s a question: Is it possible to be
biblical and not be Christian? Are the
two ways always the samef
Is there any evidence that Jesus Christ
ever pushed people away or even scolded
them on account of their age, sexual
gender or sexual orientation? Did Jesus
have a right to draw a line between
Himself and the Old Testament? Did He
have a right to say, "You heard it said,
• An eye for an eye,' but I say unto you
... " Is the New Testament necessary, and
are the words of Jesus and His example
of love and caring relevant to our faith?
The .Roman Catholic bishops in their
recent letter urged parenis to love their
gay children, saying, "God does not love
someone any Jess simply because he or
she may be homosexual."
A recent Notre Dame University state- ·
ment says , "We ~elcome all people,
regardless of color, religion, ethnicity,
sexual orientation, social or economic
class and nationality ... precisely
because of Christ's calling to treat others
as we desire to be treated."
Perhaps some of us Mennonites are
too judgmental based on the Old Testament.
We may be biblical, but maybe
(just maybe) not as Christian as we
think we are?
Sincerely,
Harley J. Stucky
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PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey
WE t>ECtQE'[) ooR POt,tt) S~OOL.'t> SE.
A PEACE""~l.r 1<11'1(;.t>O~ WM£RE
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IIIIIIIDIRECT. CONNECTIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
A section of profiles of active subscribers who want to meet other gay
and lesbian C:hrlstlans across town or across the countiy - . To have
your profile published simply send your Information to Second Stone,
P.O. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182, e-mail to secstone@aol.com,
or FAX to (504)899-4014.
1.State,City _________________ _
2. Name-------------------'----
CIRCLE: 3. Single or committed 4.Gay, lesbian, trans, bi, or straight 5. Male or female
6. Age....._ 7. Religiousaffiliatio,.__ _____________ _
8. Occupation_ __________________ _
NOTE: Select TWO of THREE ways to be contacted: Your mailing address, your e-mail
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9: Contact informatio"'-------------'-----~---
10.C ontact information_ ________________ _
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········-------···························································FR !ENDS/RELATIONSHIPS
I_
55 YEARS GWM seel<ss ameb etween4 8-
60. Attractive, 6', 165 lbs., Br/Bl. Living
in Central New York State. Enjoy theater,
music, baseball, gardening, antiques. I'm
Beverly Barbo, 108 N. Main St., Lindsborg
KS 57456. Phone: (785)227-3276.
FAX: (785)227-3360. B
TRAVEL
BERMUDA GUESTHOUSEand Creole Cottage
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classified ad oraer rorm
When? [ ]Jan/Feb [ ]Mar/Apr [ ]May/Jun [ ]Jul/Aug [ ]SepiOct [ ]Nov/Dec
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[ ]Real Estate [ ]Retreats [ ]Roommates [ ]Travel [ ]Videos
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Deadline: 15th of the month prior to cover date. We'll send you a copy of the
issue(s) in which your ad appears. TO ORDER BY FAX OR E-MAIL, SEE THE
INFORMATION ON PAGE 26.
24,NOVEMBER•DECEMBER 1997
HOWTO READ R2R: Listings are
in alphabetical order by state, then
by city. If a mailing address is
given in a listing the zip code
appears in the listing.
NNG = No name given. S=single,
C=committed. G=gay, L=lesbian,
T =transgendered, B=bisexual,
S=straight. M=male, F=female.
Age, religious affiliation, occupation,
contact information.
CALIFORNIAD, OWNEY
THEODOREC RANFORDS,G M,6 7, UFMCC,
RETIREDP,O B OX1 3079, 0240-03075,6 2-928-
4489.
CALIFORNIALY, NVl'OOD
JOSEPHE STRADAS, GM,3 7, HOLYS PIRIT
FELLOWSHIPH,O MECARVEl 'ORKERP, O
BOX1 5049, 0262-15045,6 2-626-177361, 0-638-
4683.
CALIFORNIAP,A SADENA
BARRYD IXONS, GM,4 0, WORLDWIDCEH UR
GOD,T ECHNICAWL RITERd, ec4th@aol.com
FLORIDAP, ANAMAC ITY
ROBBD OYLES, GM,3 8, CHARISMATIACC C,
MEDICALM ESSAGE1, 139E VERITTA VE
32401, mgay4j~us@aol.com
FLORIDAB, RANDON
ROBERTM ORGANS, GM,3 6, PENTECOSTAU
APOSTOLICF, LIGHTA TTENDANT/MINISTER,
2023C ATTLEMADNR .,3 35118. 13-651-1505.
FLORIDAT, AMPA
LANCES, GM,5 0, UNITYS, OCIALS ERVICES,
8311R OYALS ANDC IR# 115,3 36158. 13-249-
4877.
ITALY,N APOLI
PAOLOL ANNI,S GM,3 9, PENTECOSTAL,
PHYSICIANP,O B OX1 1,8 0100N APOLI3, 9-81-
7761534.
LOUISIANAB,A TONR OUGE
PAMG ARRETTSONSL, F,3 1, LUTHERAN,
GRAD STUDENT,
xp2927@LSUVM.SNCC.LSU.EDU
LOUISIANAN, ATCHITOCHES
CAROLANNB RIANC, BF,M ENTALH EALTH
THERAPISTS, PECIALE DT EACHERB, ER·
MUDAG UESTH OUSE1, 259B ERMUDRA D.,
NATCHE7Z1 4563, 18-352-495500, 4-561-101..4
MICHIGANL,A NSING
NNG,S GM,4 6, METHODISTS,E LF
EMPLOYED51, 7-224-2415.
MISSISSIPPJI,A CKSON
ALLENS HIRLEYS, GM,3 2,I NDEPENDENT-AIM,
5136G ERTRUDEA,P TA , 39204
MISSOURKI, ANSASC ITY
JOSEPHS TUCHELS, GM,3 6, CATHOLIC,
COMPUTERP ROGRAMME4R0,0 6 OAKS T.,
#6, 64111j,g stuchel@aol.com ··
NEWH AMPSHIREM, ANCHESTER
ROD,S GM,4 2, INSURANCUEN DERWRITER,
ho1nho9258@aol.com.
NEWY ORKY, ONKERS
JOHNP RATHERS, GM,7 1, EPISCOPALIAN,
COMPUTERSP ECIALIST7, BELLP L, 10701,
914-964-0379.
OREGONF, LORENCE
JOEN OLANC, BM,5 9, EPISCOPALIAGNA, R·
DENE R,P OB OX22635, 41-997-1752
TENNESSEE.CHATTANOOGA
CHUCKT HOMPSONS, GM,N ON·
DENOMINATIONAPLA,S TOR3, 623F OUNTAIN
AVE.#, 1093 74 12,4 23-624-9824
TENNESSEEN,A SHVILLE
MEL,S GM,4 2, PROTESTANPT,U BLISHER,
bnamelman@aol.com ·
JACKD . GREGORYS, GM,5 4, INTERDENOMINATIONALC,
LERK1, 002D OZIERP L, 37216.
615-227-3261.
TEXAS, BEAUMONT
MICHAELD AVIDS, GM,4 2, PAINTERP, ARALEGAL,
6 !1855M8 ARKS TILESR, T.4 BOX1 500,
77705.
TEXASS, ANA NTONIO
Al EISCHS, GM,5 3, CATHOLICS, OCIAL
SERVICESP, O BOX1 27547 8212,
MOCHICA@FLASH.NET
VIRGINIAR, ICHMOND
MICHAELK EITHH ALL,S GM,3 9, BAPTIST,
PROGRAMS UPPORT/SCREENWRIT2E2R01,
FOURTHA VE.,2 3222.
NO LOCATIONG IVEN
NNG,C LF,3 9, BAPTISTg, osep@aol.com