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              <text>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;RUSTY MOORE&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;Former Member,&lt;br /&gt;Park Slope United Methodist Church&lt;br /&gt;Brooklyn, New York&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I was an active Methodist for twenty years, the last ten of which as a woman of trans-sexual experience.  After the first &lt;a href="https://www.lgbtran.org/Profile.aspx?ID=21"&gt;Creech trial&lt;/a&gt;, I felt I had to choose between joining the long slow process in the Methodist Church of over-turning the rejection of queer people, or resigning from the church.  I chose to resign.  I believe that if all people who accept queer people as full-fledged Christians in the Methodist Church would resign, it would bring home the implications of the issue with the greatest possible impact.  My good wishes go out to those people who are still struggling for queer acceptance within the Methodist Church.  We are allies in the broader struggle.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik.  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of Park Slope and many others, the UMC continues its discriminatory ways.  Rusty is one of thousands of LGBT people and their allies who have grown tired of waiting for justice, and have chosen to leave. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; 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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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              <text>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;CHELSEA GOODWIN&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Former member,&lt;br /&gt;Park Slope UMC&lt;br /&gt;Brooklyn, New York&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Love is universal.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Tolerance is not enough.  We seek justice, we seek equality and we seek human dignity and that is not to be had from the United Methodist Church in general, nor in my experience from PSUMC in particular.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik. With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;br /&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;For all of those who are afraid -- it's okay.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For all of those who never came out -- God Bless Them.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik. With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;br /&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;I am so much more than a lesbian Methodist.  This process of analyzing and justifying my full participation in the UMC is very painful.  I am a child of God.  Nothing more should be said.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik. With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; 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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;I sought this church out because it was a reconciling church -- a church that embraced everyone.  In return, this Methodist community has given me love, support and kindness -- allowing me to serve in various ways.  Currently, I serve as an usher and will be serving as a worship leader.  In the future, as I have only been a part of the church for less than a year, I plan to be more involved in United Methodist Women.  As a woman of color, I also want to make this church a comfortable home for more lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people of color.  I feel strongly that United Methodist churches everywhere should challenge themselves in this way -- personally and politically and spiritually.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik. With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; 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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;I was raised an Episcopalian but largely abandoned the church during college and the years after, because of a sense that there was an opposition between my faith and my sexuality and my politics.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I was politically active in the gay, AIDS, and choice communities for years, but missed out on a religious life.  PSUMC has really changed that for me; I have pledged for two years, attended Social Action committee events, and have brought other lapsed churchgoers to the building to them how it is possible to integrate one's whole life.  I intend to be more active on the worship committee and with the Christmas pageant in the future.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Although perhaps not the ideal some in the church may have in mind, Elise is nevertheless a model evangelist: one who rediscovered faith after drifting away from the church, and now shares her faith journey with others as a means of drawing them back into church as well.  Her evangelistic service to the church has undoubtedly brought a sense of renewal and hope to others -- and could even save the life of someone who has lost hope altogether.  May God bless her ministry!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;br /&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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              <text>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BERT MARRO&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Park Slope UMC&lt;br /&gt;Brooklyn, NY&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I am amazed at how much of a nonissue one's sexual orientation can sometimes be at PSUMC.  The congregation seems so much like a family that very often issues of health, parents, jobs, and current events displace talk of sexuality.  But if I ask for prayers for my life partner, Herb, people know him and join me in praying for him.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We have openly gay and lesbian members in the choir, on family retreats, and teaching Sunday School.  I am presently the chair of the Church Council, a member of the Finance committee, in the Choir, the Men's Support Group, and on the Reconciling Committee.  We have straight members on the Reconciling Committee, marching in Gay Pride parades, joining us at dances, and sharing the pain we all feel at the position the UMC takes on inclusiveness.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I am most amazed by our children:  Chris and John's son asking friends to leave his house because they were denigrating lesbians; Judy and Michael's son standing up for a classmate who was being teased for appearing gay, defending him with a wisdom beyond his age, saying "It's not being gay that's wrong, it's homophobia that's wrong."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I feel the presence of the Spirit in our congregation, and I hear it in the voices of our children.  If only all the members of our denomination could be like these children!&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Bert's description of Park Slope is, in a sense, an image of what LGBT folk pray the whole church will be like some day -- a place where one's sexual orientation and gender identity are no longer an issue, where all families are welcome, and everyone works side by side in service to God.  May that day come soon!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; 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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;I came to PSUMC over eight years ago.  In 1993 Rev. Finley Schaef co-ministered my wedding.  In 1995, my husband and I separated, as I began my personal journey out of the closet.  As our divorce concluded, my ex-husband discontinued worshiping at PSUMC while I remained involved with the children and youth programs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I began teaching Sunday School almost immediately, and in 1998 was hired as the Sunday School coordinator.  I lead this role mostly by example of the many who come before me.  Throughout the years I have received love, friendship, support, nourishment, balance, serenity, growth, pride, acceptance, and most of all, community.  As a somewhat "quiet" lesbian here, I am happy I can tell my friends and family that I belong to a church that accepts and welcomes all people regardless of who we love.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt; 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.&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;I was born in Virginia and have lived in Brooklyn, NY for 8 years.  I attend PSUMC with my partner Claire.  This past Christmas, I especially enjoyed participating in UMW events.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;br /&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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              <text>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;JOYCE&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Park Slope United Methodist Church&lt;br /&gt;Brooklyn, New York&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I am what I call a third generation Methodist.  I have very fond memories of going to a small church in a farming community in the Midwest with my Mother and Grandmother who both enjoyed singing all the various hymns.  They taught me to sing harmony and my Mother and I have always enjoyed singing together when I go home to see her.  My Grandmother was a religious person who practiced what she read in the Bible.  She spent her time simply by reading her Bible and working on her quilts.  My Mother and Grandmother taught me the very basic principles that guide me today.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I have lived in New York for over 30 years and until two years ago I was never able to find a church where a lesbian could worship without discrimination.  I then found my home at the Park Slope UMC, a reconciling congregation that has members who really practices the principles I was taught.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I find it disheartening to now hear that the general board of the UMC does not want to treat people like me the same as any other person.  The way I lead my life is no different than any other Methodist and I can't understand why we shouldn't be treated the same.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;At PSUMC, I am the treasurer, co-president of the UMW, choir member, reconciling committee member, fill in as an usher, and cut the grass and help in our garden in the summer.  I am trying to live my life the same as the generations before me and hope that the delegates at the General Conference will treat us as they would want to be treated; we are no different.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;One passing statement in Joyce's story takes my breath away.  Joyce is the sort of person that church membership committees dream of: a woman of faith with deep roots in the United Methodist church, one who is called to put her faith into action through service in a local United Methodist congregation, a leader who is ready and willing to step into positions of responsibility.  Despite all this, Joyce spent &lt;em&gt;twenty-eight years &lt;/em&gt;searching for a congregation where she would be welcome, simply because she is lesbian.  What a tragedy that one should have to spend so many years wandering in the desert, and what a loss to the church all those years.  And yet, if it weren't for Park Slope, Joyce might be wandering still, because the UMC fails to see the gifts of God before their very eyes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;br /&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;I am a thirty-eight year old, bisexual woman.  During the five and a half years I have attended my church, I have served as president and secretary of our United Methodist Women unit, Church Council recorder, and Trustee.  I have also served from time to time as liturgist and scripture reader.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This stole symbolizes my spiritual journey and the passion I feel for my spiritual community.  It is within the sanctuary of this community, free of fear and full of love, that I have been able to come out, as a whole person before God.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In an environment as hostile as that created by the United Methodist denomination in recent years, it is a breath of fresh air to read a story like Nancy's -- one of reconciliation, spiritual fulfillment, and hope found in the arms of a loving, welcoming congregation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; 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.&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;A good friend to all.&lt;br /&gt;Giving, loving.&lt;br /&gt;The church misses him deeply.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; 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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;br /&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;I serve as a Sunday School teacher, Trustee, and some smattering of other committees.  The congregation to which I belong is a wonderfully diverse group of people.  Most of them are not gay or lesbian, but as a reconciling congregation, they make it possible for me to participate in the Methodist Church -- a privilege which I deeply treasure.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;br /&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;The spirit lives in everyone.  The community of humankind is everyone.  Lesbians and gay men are still part of  community and spirit.  Although others wish and want them not to be.  But they too continue to sit at the table and hold up their bowl to be nourished.  The spirit, the mother and father of souls, boldly feed them the food of life in front of their other children who would deny them.  Teaching them in essence the universal lesson:  the spirit does not discriminate with hate and indifference.  Bottom line:  neither should they because a woman or man is gay!&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;br /&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;I was immediately drawn into the warmth of the ministry of PSUMC and was impressed with the outreach of the Central American festival.  I visited for two years while still at Judson Church.  In the spring of 1988, I adopted Park Slope Methodist as my church.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;My first role in the church was to organize the Central American festival.  This began my sojourn as chair of the social action committee, a position I had for two and a half years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For a period of 6 months thereafter, I created and chaired the Reconciling Task force, an effort to probe any special needs we had, and to inquire into our identity as a distinct group in the congregation.  The response was erratic, and the effort, I felt, insufficiently supported, and I terminated the group.  Before leaving NYC last year, I was serving on the nominating committee, was secretary of United Methodist Women, and was attending Reconciling Committee meetings.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;br /&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;I was born and raised in the Methodist Church and was always proud of it and its stand on social justice and human problems and issues -- until now.  The hatred and vilification directed towards lesbians, gays, and bisexuals (which really includes everyone) is shocking and disgusting, to say the least.  Why should people have to hide their love for another human being?  Have it made fun of, ridiculed, rejected, and despised?  Men have harassed women sexually forever and gotten away with it.  Why does a sexual overture by a gay person result in death -- by horrible means?  Why can't love between gays and lesbians be acknowledged and honored in our church?  If not, is it Christian??&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Jaqueline Skiles expresses the anger and inner conflict felt by many LGBT people who are life-long Methodists -- angry at a denomination that once stood for justice and equality that now perpetuates injustice; struggling over whether to remain a part of an unjust institution that nevertheless remains a part of their spiritual fabric.  If not for places of welcome like Park Slope, Jaqueline and many other LGBT people of faith would be long gone from the United Methodist Church.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; 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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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              <text>&lt;p&gt;The Son loves all His flowers&lt;br /&gt;The Sonshine doesn't ask the daisies to be tulips&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;JEROME WALKER&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;Park Slope United Methodist Church&lt;br /&gt;Brooklyn, NY&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I have been a member of the PSUMC choir for ten years.  I have used my origami art to decorate the church's Christmas tree for ten years.  I have been a Teacher's Assistant in Sunday School for three years.  I have been a liturgist and worship leader for eight years.  I have been HIV+ for thirteen years.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.  It has also been a safe haven, and a place of support and healing for a number of folk like Jerome who are HIV positive.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; 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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;So far I have been a fairly quiet member of the Park Slope Methodist Church -- participating in services and some community events.  But what the church has offered me is a place that can bring together my desire for faith and my need for community with my sexual orientation and belief in equality.  That's rare and precious -- and brought me into the church for the first time in many years.  What I can offer the church may be harder to name -- but I hope it will involve all of me, with no parts hidden.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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&lt;p&gt;This is one of thirty one stoles from Park Slope United Methodist Church included in a display of UM stoles at the 2000 General Conference of the UMC in Cleveland.  All are made from identically sized pieces in turquoise, lavender and purple cotton batik,  With only 200 members, Park Slope has donated the largest number of stoles to the collection from a single United Methodist congregation. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: &lt;em&gt;Hand in hand, we the people of the Park Slope United Methodist Church -- black and white, straight and gay, old and young, rich and poor -- unite as a loving community, in covenant with God and the Creation. Summoned by our faith in Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to the humanization of urban life and to physical and spiritual growth.  &lt;/em&gt;A scrappy congregation utterly committed to putting their faith into action, Park Slope has been unrelenting in its pursuit of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UMC.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Martha Juillerat&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Founder, Shower of Stoles Project&lt;br /&gt;2006&lt;/p&gt;</text>
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