14 20 857 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous ("I have been an Elder in good standing under appointment in the United Methodist Church for over thirty years. I choose to remain a silent gay man...") Stole Text ANONYMOUS I have been an Elder in good standing under appointment in the United Methodist Church for over thirty years. I choose to remain a silent gay man, for I know that God has called me, challenged me, enabled me to be effective for God's sake (regardless of Church rules). This call has brought many to a new life in Jesus Christ in these three decades. These gifts from God have brought healing, wholeness, and reconciliation within this ministry. The stole is a cherished gift from a gay priest of another denomination. Praise the God who knows, who cares, and who reaches out to love all in Jesus Christ. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This anonymous stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 668 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous ("I have been an Elder in good standing under appointment in the United Methodist Church for over thirty years. I choose to remain a silent gay man...") Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Anonymous Methodist Ohio Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church United States Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Elaine Ely (Dickinson) Stole Text ELAINE ELY (DICKINSON) Lansdale, Pennsylvania Formerly: Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, United Methodist Church Currently: Southeast Conference of the United Church of Christ In 1987, I was a thirty-seven year old wife and mother when I was called to the ministry at a youth retreat lead by a Christian rock group called "Servant." They performed a song called "We are the Light," and as the sang, God said, "You, Elaine, are my light. I need you." That weekend I committed my life to God's work, whatever that might mean. Following all the appropriate channels of prayer, counseling, mentorship and guidance that the church had to offer, I entered seminary and pursued ordination. I had grown up in the (United) Methodist Church and had never considered affiliating with any other denomination. During my education and preparation for ordination, I came to appreciate why the United Methodist Church was so right for me -- the message of and focus on grace, the celebration of our pluralism, and the fact that decisions are based on not just scripture and tradition, but also experience and reason. I was thrilled, humbled, awed and inspired when ordained a deacon in 1991, was appointed to my first church, and accepted my stole, proudly bearing the United Methodist emblem of cross and flame. I loved parish ministry. I went on to be ordained an elder in 1993, a year that became one of transition beyond my wildest imagining. 1993 was the year I came to understand myself more fully, and realized what, in retrospect, has been a part of me all my life. I am a Lesbian. I took a leave of absence from my church in order to spare my congregation the pain of my life struggles. And then, out of fear of losing the privilege of ministry, which was so important to me, I relinquished my credentials in the United Methodist Church. I had to give it up to have a hope of ever being able to do it again. At a time in my life when I most needed a church family, I could not turn to the church I knew and loved without the fear of tragic repercussions. Over these past seven years, I have grieved many losses -- even as I have celebrated a number of gains. I grieve the loss of my UMC, but I celebrate being able to be honest with myself, my family and my church about who I am. I grieve with and for my brothers and sisters in UM ministry who face each day knowing they must live a lie in order to follow God's call. My ministry now is Hospice chaplaincy where I speak freely to colleagues and co-workers of my partner of seven years and our five month old son. I have been granted Privilege of Call in the United Church of Christ, where I do not fear identifying myself as a lesbian. I remind myself that my promise to God (who knew I was gay long before I did) was to dedicate my life not to the UMC but to God. Therefore, I sadly offer my stole, and pray that the day will come when the UMC will find its way clear to understand, recognize and affirm the absolutely vital ministry that can and needs to be done by your gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. There is nothing I would love more than to be able to pastor as a openly gay UM clergywoman. Denomination United Methodist Church United Church of Christ Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 665 Title A name given to the resource Elaine Ely (Dickinson) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Lansdale, Pennsylvania (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Elaine Ely (Dickinson) Clergy Activist Ely, Elaine (Dickinson) Ordination Pennsylvania Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Church of Christ United Methodist Church Women and Religion Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Lisa Osborn Stole Text LISA OSBORN DUMBARTON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WASHINGTON, D.C. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 743 Title A name given to the resource Lisa Osborn Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dumbarton United Methodist Church Clergy Activist Methodist Ordination Osborn, Lisa Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Doug Nelson Stole Text Doug Nelson This stole is submitted for Doug Nelson, a member of Dumbarton UMC in Washington, D.C., who opted not to pursue ministry in 1985 when he came to terms with his gay sexual orientation. Doug currently works as a licensed professional counselor in Fairfax, VA. He served as the Nurture Cluster Chairperson at Dumbarton from 1997-1999 and he currently teaches Sunday school for the high school juniors and seniors. Doug may have been quite a pastor. As a student at Bucknell University, Doug actively participated in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and became president of his chapter his junior year. By his senior year, Doug was acknowledging his sexuality and knew the church's stance against gay persons serving as ministers. Doug opted to pursue his master's degree in counseling rather than attend seminary to pursue ministry. Doug shared Bucknell's University Prize for Men, an award that distinguishes the outstanding graduating senior for his potential to serve the community. The other recipient of the award currently serves as senior pastor of a Presbyterian congregation in West Hartford, CT. Might Doug be serving as a pastor of a Methodist church had the church's policies on gays in the ministry been different? As a counselor, Doug has helped many adolescents and adults with mental health and substance abuse problems. Some clients have discussed issues of faith and spirituality with him in session. In some respects, not wearing a ministerial collar has given Doug the opportunity to help persons who feel quite distant from their church upbringing to reexamine their faith. Doug brings his Spirit-filled gifts to his counseling practice. Yet many of his high school and college friends still wonder why a church would reject Doug's gifts simply because he is an openly gay man. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 725 Title A name given to the resource Doug Nelson Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dumbarton United Methodist Church Clergy Activist Methodist Nelson, Doug Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Nina Boal Stole Text Love is the fulfilling of the law Nina Boal Christ UMC, Columbia, MD previously St. John's UMC, Baltimore, MD choir member scripture reader make and donate crafts for church fundraising This church is important to me because it brings me the Good News of Jesus' teachings. Jesus did not condemn love, He praised and extolled is. Jesus is my salvation. The Bible reading embroidered on my stole (Romans 13:8) illustrates how Scripture praises loving relationships. The Bible is on my stole because I have found it to contain wisdom beyond all belief -- more wisdom than humans who seek to change its meaning can know. Humans can know this true wisdom if they would only open their hearts. God is love. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole arrived with thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 662 Title A name given to the resource Nina Boal Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Columbia, Maryland (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Christ United Methodist Church Boal, Nina Maryland Methodist Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church Women and Religion Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Signature Stole (Wesley United Methodist Church, Washington DC) Stole Text Signed by staff, faculty, students and graduates of Wesley Theological Seminary Washington, D.C. 4-4-00 Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole arrived with thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 661 Title A name given to the resource Signature Stole (Wesley United Methodist Church, Washington DC) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Wesley United Methodist Church Ally Methodist Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. David Shipley Stole Text DAVID SHIPLEY BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON CONFERENCE David Shipley was a member of the Baltimore-Washington Conference who struggled mightily to hold together his call to ministry and the ordination ban of gays and lesbians within the United Methodist Church. When the stress finally became too much, he decided that he needed to withdraw. During his life he gave strong support to various ministries leading a mission trip to Africa. When he was diagnosed with the AIDS virus, he shared his story with many young people before he died. David, you are still missed. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 659 Title A name given to the resource David Shipley Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dumbarton United Methodist Church AIDS Clergy Activist International Human Rights Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Shipley, David United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Colleagues in the Baltimore-Washington Conference Stole Text This stole is for all the wonderfully talented individuals called by God to the ordained ministry who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered whom I have served with in the Baltimore-Washington Conference and who continue to seek to live faithfully their call within the United Methodist Church. May God's prophetic healing work within all our lives. Rev. Mary E. Kraus Dumbarton UMC, Washington, D.C Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 658 Title A name given to the resource Colleagues in the Baltimore-Washington Conference Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Rev. Mary E. Kraus and Dumbarton United Methodist Church Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Judge Jefferson Cleveland Stole Text JUDGE JEFFERSON CLEVELAND In memory of Judge Jefferson Cleveland. His work, as editor of the Songs of Zion hymnbook will be an enduring legacy to the United Methodist Church. His death of AIDS in 1986 was hidden by the Black church community. We honor him and his ministry of music. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 657 Title A name given to the resource Judge Jefferson Cleveland Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Chip Aldridge and Dumbarton United Methodist Church African American AIDS Clergy Activist Cleveland, Jefferson Methodist Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous (Donated by Dumbarton United Methodist Church, Washington DC, on behalf of bisexual woman who served as a "US-2" missionary) Stole Text My story: Anonymous My love for the United Methodist Church runs deep. My faith was nurtured from my baptism in my father's hometown church, through summers at UM church camps, Sunday school classes, conference youth leadership positions and a vibrant college ministry program. Many individuals, both gay and straight have demonstrated the love of God in my life through the steps of my journey. After graduating from college, I chose to spend the next two years in UM mission service as a US-2. My "call" to ministry became undeniable during my time as a US-2. As I worked in an organization serving immigrants and educating local churches, I realized that my love for people and my passions for social justice and spirit-filled life could be united completely in ordained ministry as a UM Deacon in Full Connection. What a wonderful discovery! But because I identify myself as a bisexual woman, I am unable to pursue such a vocation in the United Methodist church at this time. I have completed the first part of the study process for ordination candidates, and I find myself at a crossroads. Should I even go to seminary? Will I pursue my calling and my passion for ministry and social justice in the church, only to be rejected by the very same church that has loved and supported me so strongly until now? My church taught me that I am a beloved child of God who possesses many gifts and skills to share with the world. My church taught me to speak out against injustice and to live in love. To be able to use my gifts, to work for justice and to serve the world through the UM Church would be a great blessing in my life. I believe that my church will change. Until it does, I will live out my ministry in other ways. The Stole: The tree on the right side of this stole symbolizes both the offering of myself in ministry, and the nurture and growth the church has provided in the lives of many GLBT young people. We are like leaves springing forth from this sturdy trunk, offering our gifts, our skills and our youthful enthusiasm to the church and to greater society in love and service. This stole honors LGBT US-2's who have served the UM church through the US-2 young adult mission program and have also been "called" into ministry within the UM church. IN giving two years of our lives to volunteer mission service in the UMC, we have already responded to our call. As a result of our church's exclusionary stance on homosexuality, we are forced to choose between fulfilling our call to ministry in the church in silence, or being open about our God-given gift of sexuality and thus being unable to serve. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 656 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous (Donated by Dumbarton United Methodist Church, Washington DC, on behalf of bisexual woman who served as a "US-2" missionary) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dumbarton United Methodist Church Bisexual activism Methodist Ohio Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church United States Women and Religion Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Donna M. Butts Stole Text Is she or isn't she? They look at my dreadlocks. They make assumptions. Is she or isn't she? Yes! Who am I? I'm a Child of God. Rev. Donna M. Butts Doctor of Ministry Student, 1998-Present Pastoral Intern, Mt. Zion UMC, Baltimore Maryland, 10098-2000 Editor, Wesley Journal, 1999-2000 Sales Associate, Cokesbury Wesley Store 1998-Present Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 655 Title A name given to the resource Donna M. Butts Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dumbarton United Methodist Church Butts, Donna M. Clergy Activist Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. William D. "Chip" Aldridge, Jr. Stole Text In honor of Chip Aldridge and his ministry The Rev. William D. (Chip) Aldridge, Jr. I declared myself as a Candidate for Ministry in the United Methodist Church when I was 16 -- it was not until I was 33 that I was actually ordained. It was a journey I followed diligently and with discernment. I take great joy in my corporate life at Dumbarton UMC and my home life with a partner of more than 15 years. And I find much fulfilling in my ministry at Wesley Theological Seminary. I am haunted by the question of where my ministry might have taken me, what I could have done for God and the UMC -- if there was not always an impending threat that could be used against me or the church-related institution in which I work. My stole was made by three current students at the Wesley Theological Seminary. Purple -- in Mardi Gras traditions is the color for Justice (Gold for power and Green for faith). Purple is also the color in our church season of Lenten "Preparation." It has the logo for the Reconciling Congregation Program -- and acknowledges my ministry at Wesley Theological Seminary. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of the United Methodist Church. Chip Aldridge, Director of Admissions at Wesley Theological Seminary, has been active in the Reconciling movement for many years, both locally and nationally. 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 654 Title A name given to the resource William D. "Chip" Aldridge, Jr. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Students at Wesley Theological Seminary, and Dumbarton United Methodist Church Aldridge, William D. Jr. Clergy Activist Methodist Ohio Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Sacred Worth Group at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington DC Stole Text Sacred Worth at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington D.C. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole arrived along with thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of the United Methodist Church. "Sacred Worth" is a group of LGBT students who took their name from a declaration of the United Methodist Church that "all people are of sacred worth." 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 653 Title A name given to the resource Sacred Worth Group at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington DC Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Sacred Worth Group at Wesley Theological Seminary Clergy Activist Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Signature Stole (Dumbarton United Methodist Church, Washington DC) Stole Text DUMC Dumbarton UMC Washington, DC 3-5-2000 Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. (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".) Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 652 Title A name given to the resource Signature Stole (Dumbarton United Methodist Church, Washington DC) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dumbarton United Methodist Church Ally Methodist Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous ("I came out as a lesbian when I was seventeen -- just a couple of years after I first discussed my sense of call to the ministry with the youth pastor... at my church...") Stole Text ANONYMOUS I came out as a lesbian when I was seventeen -- just a couple of years after I first discussed my sense of call to the ministry with the youth pastor who led the Methodist Youth Fellowship at my church. After coming out, I stayed away from the church for a few years, believing that I would not be fully welcomed and that the church has too often stood on the side of injustice. However, I never felt wholly apart from the church. I returned to active participation in wonderful congregations that welcomed my whole self, whole-heartedly. Still, I set aside my sense of call, exploring other avenues of work, and hope that some other work would answer the call I felt. This whole time, I was open about being lesbian in all areas of my life -- with my family, with all my friends, at my college, and at every job I have held. I have never had to compromise being out -- until now. My sense of call to the ministry never left me, always kept nagging at me, until I finally argued it out with God, and came to accept this calling with real joy. The power of that call and the depth of my roots in the Methodist tradition have led me to where I am today: a United Methodist clergywoman, currently serving my first appointment. I love the church and I love being a pastor, but I wonder all the time how long I will be able to do this. What is the cost to myself -- and to my partner? Do I have integrity if I am not "out?" Will I recognize it when the cost is too high? I know that I hold back some part of my energy from my congregation, from fear of not being safe. The closet robs the church of my full ministry. I am submitting this stole anonymously, because of the United Methodist policy that says that I cannot be ordained nor serve as a pastor in this denomination. I look forward to the day when my name can be attached to this stole. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This anonymous stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 648 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous ("I came out as a lesbian when I was seventeen -- just a couple of years after I first discussed my sense of call to the ministry with the youth pastor... at my church...") Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, -- Unknown (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Anonymous Methodist Ohio Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church United States Women and Religion Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Paul Abels Stole Text Rev. Paul Abels 1937-1992 Rev. Paul Abels, Ohio native and Drew Seminary graduate, was pastor of Washington Square United Methodist Church in New York City from 1973 until his retirement in 1984. In 1977 he announced his homosexuality and also performed several covenant ceremonies for gay and lesbian couples. (He continued performing such ceremonies until his death.) In 1978 he was asked to take a leave of absence by Bishop W. Ralph Ward. Paul refused and the New York annual conference upheld his ministry at Washington Square church. The bishop asked the Judicial Council to review Paul's status and in 1979 the Council ruled that Paul Abels was in "good standing' and in "effective relation" with his congregation and could remain at Washington Square. In 1982 Paul himself entered into a Christian covenant with his life partner, Thom Hunt, at Washington Square UMC in New York City. Paul took an early retirement just before the 1984 General Conference. He died of complications from AIDS in 1992 in Rensselaerville, NY. Paul Abels is greatly missed but he has left us with his sense of compassion and social justice for all God's children, Christian or Jew, black or white, gay or straight. As the pioneer that he was, he understood and lived out in a deep way the hospitality of God. A quote of Paul's was: "I pray that we will experience the liberating love of God as shown through Jesus Christ, and grow more responsible in our love and care. Then our relationships will have the authenticity of the gospel, and our lives shall show forth praise." Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story The Rev. Paul M. Abels, Pastor of Washington Square United Methodist Church in New York City from 1973-1984, was the first openly gay installed parish pastor in a major Christian denomination. He served during a time of cutting-edge social justice work for the church; it was home to the Harvey Milk School of lesbian and gay youth and the Gay Men's Health Crisis Center. Known as the "Peace Church" due to its antiwar activism during the Vietnam War, Washington Square hosted dozens of other activist groups over the years, from the Black Panthers to community housing development organizations and a variety of dance, theater and music groups. (Washington Square has since merged with Church of All Nations and Metropolitan-Duane United Methodist Churches.) This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. 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 Click <a href="https://www.lgbtran.org/Profile.aspx?ID=2">here</a> to read Paul Abels' biographic profile in the LGBTQ Religious Archives Network's Profile Gallery. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 647 Title A name given to the resource Paul Abels Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant New York City, New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Ann Price Freeman Abels, Paul AIDS Clergy Activist Freeman, Ann Price Marriage Equality Methodist New York New York City Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous ("This stole was given to me at my ordination into the Methodist Church... thirty-seven years ago...") Stole Text ANONYMOUS This stole was given to me at my ordination into the Methodist Church (now the United Methodist Church) thirty-seven years ago. I have been an effective pastor and conference leader, respected and admired by most people in the churches that I have served and in the Annual Conference. As a gay man, I have grown weary of having to live in fear that the wrong person may find out the real me that God created, and I am deeply hurt by having the Church to which I have given so much tell me that it does not want me because of who I am. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us along with a second stole (#642) in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 643 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous ("This stole was given to me at my ordination into the Methodist Church... thirty-seven years ago...") Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Anonymous Methodist Ohio Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous ("As a person preparing for ordained ministry, I have submitted a "symbolic" stole in purple, the Church's color of preparation and anticipation...") Stole Text ANONYMOUS As a person preparing for ordained ministry, I have submitted a "symbolic" stole in purple, the Church's color of preparation and anticipation. As a gay man, I struggle frequently to reconcile my sexual identity with the United Methodist Church's current laws that consider me to be "incompatible with Christian teaching." I pray for the day when gay men and lesbians will truly be recognized as "individuals of sacred worth," eligible for full participation in all of the rites, ceremonies, and offices of the Church. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole on behalf of an anonymous candidate for ministry was given to us along with a second stole (#643) in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 642 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous ("As a person preparing for ordained ministry, I have submitted a "symbolic" stole in purple, the Church's color of preparation and anticipation...") Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Anonymous Methodist Ohio Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church United States Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Sterling Rainey Stole Text Music Ministry Sterling Rainey I am organist-choir director at the First United Methodist Church in San Rafael, CA, a position I have held for almost 45 years. I am a gay man, have an 18 year relationship with my partner and am completely open with my sexuality. My church has been totally supportive and affirming of my music ministry. I became a Certified Director of Music in the United Methodist Church over 30 years ago, a recognition by the church of my academic qualifications and continuing study in the field of worship and music. Last year when the church ended the ministries of <a href="https://www.lgbtran.org/Profile.aspx?ID=21">Jimmy Creech</a> and Greg Dell, ministries surely blessed by God, I felt it imperative that I make a statement of support for these servants of God and also the ministers threatened with the same punishment for their dedication to treating all people equal, a position the United Methodist Church does not seem to espouse. I resigned my certification voluntarily in protest of these actions. I am contributing this stole as a symbol of my unity with all those whose orders of one kind or another have been taken away because of who they are and what they stand for. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. It is one of at least two dozen stoles in the Shower of Stoles collection honoring professional church musicians. 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 640 Title A name given to the resource Sterling Rainey Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant San Rafael, California (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Sterling Rainey California Church Trials Clergy Activist Creech, Jimmy Dell, Gregory Methodist Ordination Rainey, Sterling Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Mark Haberman Stole Text Mark Haberman's first home was a seminary apartment at Drew Theological Seminary where his father was studying for ministry in the United Methodist Church. While yet a child, Mark sensed God's call to ministry through the corporate worship of God. Throughout twenty-four years, he served in music and program ministry in three United Methodist churches in Minnesota, Iowa, and Idaho, first as a layperson, later as a diaconal minister and finally as a deacon in full connection. Following the dissolution of his marriage, Mark chose to be "selectively out" for over five years before leaving the church in 2000. He now serves as a non-profit program manager. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story Mark Haberman originally gave us this stole anonymously. After "coming out" and leaving the United Methodist church, Mark wrote us in 2002 and asked that his story be amended to include his name. Mark is one of at least a dozen people represented in this collection who had hoped to follow a parent in the ministry but could not fulfill that calling because of their sexual orientation. This stole in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. 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 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 634 Title A name given to the resource Mark Haberman Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Mark Haberman Clergy Activist Haberman, Mark Idaho Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church