Gay Straight Christian Alliance

Gay Straight Christian <?xml:namespace prefix = ns0 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Alliance<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Composed of Baptists, United Methodists, Presbyterians, Unitarian Universalists, & Episcopalians

Delaware, OH

This stole is from the Gay Straight Christian Alliance of Delaware, Ohio. We exist to provide spiritual sanctuary to all of God’s diverse creation. Yet at the same time we also bear witness to the churches in our surrounding community and larger world that God’s love is for all and that no church need ever be closed to those seeking to find communion with God there.

We created this signature stole during an ecumenical worship service to honor our GLBT sisters and brothers who have been gravely wounded by the church in their striving to live out their call to ministry. Some of them are among us here in central Ohio. We pray for the day when our GLBT pastors will weep no more.

April 7, 2007<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

To the curator of the stoles:

On behalf of the Delaware (OH) Gay Straight Christian Alliance and with great joy, I send you this signature stole which we crated during an ecumenical worship service. We hosted a portion of the SOS collection during the afternoon as an open, public showing and then followed with a worship service to honor all of our GLBT siblings who have been wounded in the course of living out their calls to ministry. At the conclusion of the service, all who wished to participate signed this stole, which was hand-made by a member of our group. Please know that there were many tears shed over this stole, both by those who signed and by those who could not yet, for their pain is still too fresh and intense.

We are honored to be part of this tremendously powerful and important project. Thank you for keeping this witness alive as a reminder that our work is not yet done and as a sign of hope that God still moves among us.

Sincerely

The Rev. Heather Rittenhouse
Ordained lesbian clergy – American Baptist Churches/USA