Signature Stole (Cove United Methodist Church, Lakewood OH)

A DIVERSE CONGREGATION ANCHORED IN THE LOVE OF GOD FOR ALL PEOPLE

Cove United Methodist Church, located in Lakewood, OH was dedicated on June 24, 1900.  The Reconciling Congregation came into being by vote of the parishioners.

The church motto, "A diversified congregation, anchored in the love of God for all people," reflects the inclusive spirit, which binds Cove's members.  The intrinsic sacred worth of every human being, the right to love and be loved equally without fear under God; these are beliefs that have flourished under the courageous and nurturing ministry at Cove United.  Cove parishioners are living disciples of the belief:  "There is no life until you have loved and been loved, then there is no death."

(Note: A signature stole is one that is covered with the signatures of both gay and straight members of a congregation, denominational governing body, or other organization.  These stoles serve the dual purpose of showing support for LGBT persons, while also protecting their anonymity by including their names as "one among many.")

This stole from Cove UMC was donated to the collection just before the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH.  The whimsical artwork surrounding their motto speaks directly to the loving spirit of welcome in this diverse Reconciling church.

Mary Ann Carlson, who arranged for the donation of this stole, was one of the key volunteer staff working on behalf of the Reconciling Ministries Network at the 2000 General Conference.  It would be difficult to find a more hard working -- or remarkably well organized -- volunteer than Mary Ann.  Her stamina is exceeded only by her faith in God and hope for justice in the United Methodist Church.

 In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April.  At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection.  We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend.  Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves.  In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference.  Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland.  Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240.

 Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested.  As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles.  Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth.  A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles."  In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide.

 Martha Juillerat

Founder, Shower of Stoles Project

2006