18 20 2500 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/cdfc1955a757824001b9aa9dd8f030a6.jpg 263cab2530210d39247015ecc82426d0 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 The Upstairs Lounge Fire Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Bar Floor Plan Description An account of the resource Floor Plan of bar drawn after the fire, showing the three rooms and escape route along with location of fatalities. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived The Upstairs Lounge Fire by A. Elwood Willey in The National Fire Protection Association Journal (1974). https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/473bb9cdb9f990f53aaf4e30d0e3a234.jpg 97245bb3a4ca009b08bbdc14aebbccbf https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/a9a2df282ae5a0dc2213b1ae1be1a18d.jpg d17b3d8d8b2fb18f03417327d8b12b01 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. Barb (One of a group of eighteen Lutheran college students in New York) Stole Text BARB ELCA NY Denomination Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Contribution Date 2001 Contribution Story This is one of eighteen stoles made by an group of LGBT Lutheran college students in NY; sixteen are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and two belong to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), a far more conservative branch of American Lutheranism. All eighteen stoles have been patterned identically out of rainbow colored felt; each has a first name in block letters on one panel, and either "ELCA" or "LCMS," and "NY" on the second panel. The eighteen students represented by these stoles came to know each other by meeting at an ecumenical event, and they decided to keep meeting together informally. The students were particularly concerned with providing support for one of their two new LCMS friends. Although this young man was not "out" to anyone outside the group, he had been mercilessly abused by his family and his church on the mere suspicion that he was gay, and he feared for his life. Almost all of the other students are "out," but instead of simply trying to push their friend out of the closet, out of his church or away from his family, they chose instead to "sit with him," to be patient, offer their friendship and support, share in Bible study, and provide a listening ear until the young man's fears subsided and he could "find his own way." These stoles were given to me when I directed a display of stoles at the Tang Museum on the campus of Skidmore College in 2001. One of the ELCA students drove to Saratoga Springs, NY to deliver the stoles and tell me their story. As an act of solidarity with their one friend, all eighteen chose to put only their first names on the stoles. The student who delivered the stoles talked with me for quite awhile, but he, too, chose to tell me only his first name and he left no contact information. Although I don't know these students beyond the bit that they chose to share with me, I am touched by their story and impressed with the bond of faith and friendship they have formed. When I asked how their friend was doing, the student smiled and said, "He's getting his spiritual life back." And, he added, "He has changed our lives, too." 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 811 Title A name given to the resource Barb (One of a group of eighteen Lutheran college students in New York) 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 (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource A Group of Lutheran College Students Evangelical Lutherans of America (ELCA) Lutheran New York https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/f777b0aa09587b31581fe085304c4973.jpg f2431cd5b0cded2ecf7cd8270253d6e9 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/4e77b3a3871d8b8a06f61befecdcd9dd.jpg 9efb138d8c8c57c52e0c2161f8025435 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. Barb and Scott Reed Stole Text Barb and Scott Reed First Pres. Palo Alto Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1996 Contribution Story This is one of about thirty stoles donated to the collection by First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto. First Palo Alto, a More Light congregation, has for decades been on the forefront of the movement for full inclusion of LGBT persons into the life and leadership of the church and greater society. Among the many leaders of the movement who have come from this congregation is Mitzi Henderson, former national President of PFLAG and national Co-Moderator of More Light Presbyterians. 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 139 Title A name given to the resource Barb and Scott Reed Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Palo Alto, California (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource First Presbyterian Church Ally California Clergy Activist Henderson, Mitzi More Light Presbyterians for LGBT Concerns Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Reed, Barb Reed, Scott Theology https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/e9e9cfc69992c9eed0289e3347e4b506.jpg a3ed75f08f26946f16bfb5829c16f3ce Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Barbara Crabtree has been a member of MCC for more than 25 years and Director of Operations since June 2009. Prior to joining MCC leadership team, Barb was Vice President and Senior Consultant at a large market research firm, leading global brand management studies for Fortune 100 companies. As Director of Operations, Barb is responsible for MCC General Conferences and events, Financial Operations and corporate business operations. Barb first joined MCC at Open Arms MCC in Rochester, NY. Over the past 25+ years, she has served several MCC churches in the United States as a member of the Board of Directors, served as Assistant District Coordinator in the former Northeast District, and served on MCC’s Board of Administration. She currently lives in Gainesville, Florida, USA with her wife, Rev. Catherine Dearlove. Barb holds a MBA in Operations Management and Marketing from the William Simon Graduate School of Business, University of Rochester (New York) and a BS in Applied Science from Miami University (Ohio). Biographical Text Barbara Crabtree has been a member of MCC for more than 25 years and Director of Operations since June 2009. Prior to joining MCC leadership team, Barb was Vice President and Senior Consultant at a large market research firm, leading global brand management studies for Fortune 100 companies. As Director of Operations, Barb is responsible for MCC General Conferences and events, Financial Operations and corporate business operations. Barb first joined MCC at Open Arms MCC in Rochester, NY. Over the past 25+ years, she has served several MCC churches in the United States as a member of the Board of Directors, served as Assistant District Coordinator in the former Northeast District, and served on MCC’s Board of Administration. She currently lives in Gainesville, Florida, USA with her wife, Rev. Catherine Dearlove. Barb holds a MBA in Operations Management and Marketing from the William Simon Graduate School of Business, University of Rochester (New York) and a BS in Applied Science from Miami University (Ohio). 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 Barbara Crabtree Barbara Crabtree MCC Metropolitan Community Church RTSA Ecumenical Planning Team https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d867b38ab302538502e2f9c2a1e85e50.jpg 6cf3a9ee445ae68f93837e849e0ebc0a https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/84aa43453ac75f0c2308b71a7f8b6a85.jpg 97cb08ffd1870c7117662dbeff970427 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. Barbara Lien Stole Text BARBARA LIEN 1944-1998 Grinnell, Iowa Given by Mike Smith and Sylvia Thorson-Smith Ordained elder and valued church leader at First Presbyterian Church, Grinnell, Iowa, where she was organist/choir director for 21 years. Lecturer in Music, Grinnell College - accompanist, piano teacher, composer, skilled creative artist Passionate lover of justice, four children, students, friends, and life-partner B.G. "Babe" Voertman "Love Matters" Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1998 Contribution Story Barbara Lein, a master of understatement, once said of the flap over ordination of gays and lesbians in the Presbyterian Church, "Well, someday they'll just have to get over it, because we're everywhere -- even out here smack in the middle of Iowa!" A devoted Christian, committed leader in the Presbyterian Church, and extraordinary artist, her early death from cancer left a huge hole in her congregation. This stole was donated by Rev. Mike Smith, her pastor, and his wife, Sylvia, who counted Barbara and her partner, Babe, among their closest friends. 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 27 Title A name given to the resource Barbara Lien Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Grinnell, Iowa (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Rev. Mike Smith and Sylvia Thorson-Smith Iowa Lien, Barbara Ordination Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Smith, Mike Smith, Sylvia Voertman, B.G. https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/ab5fcaa8083f09d44c137a1fcde0f320.jpg 329b92c7089775447ca59456a4753b5c Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Barbara Satin, a transgender activist around issues of aging, faith and gender justice, was born in 1934 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her father died a year-and-a-half later, leaving her mother to raise four children with the help of supportive relatives. Roman Catholicism was deeply engrained in the family; all children went to Catholic schools and the church was an important part of their daily lives. Raised as a boy, Barbara was aware of her gender difference at an early age but had no vocabulary or ideas with which to understand and address it. She only knew that she needed to hide her differences in order to survive. After two years living away from home as a young teenage seminarian, Barbara realized a call to priestly ministry wasn’t going to work because of her gender issues, so she left the seminary and finished up at a local Catholic high school. After high school, Barbara studied at a local Catholic college, focusing first on philosophy, then graduating with a degree in sociology. One vivid memory of those college years was the national media attention in late 1952 around Christine Jorgensen who had sexual reassignment surgery in Denmark. This was Barbara’s first awareness that there were other people like her. When Barbara graduated from college, she received a commission as an officer in the U. S. Air Force. It was a macho way of distracting any attention from her gender dilemma. She was in pilot training in Texas for a year before a kidney infection ended her flying career and she was given a medical discharge. When she returned to St. Paul, where she fell in love and hoped that marriage would bring an end to her gender issues. The marriage was blessed with three wonderful children. Barbara (still living as a man) had a successful business career as director of public relations for a major international firm and was also a prominent leader in the Roman Catholic Diocese as well as a well-respected civic activist. While issues of gender identity were present throughout these years, Barbara was committed to the responsibilities of raising a family as well as being a successful provider. At age 54, Barbara took early retirement and then began to explore more fully her transgender identity. With the support of her children and a knowledgeable therapist, Barbara came to understand that her transgender identity was how God had made her and rather than being a curse it could be a blessing in her life. As a way to more fully explore her identity, she moved out of the family home to live full-time as Barbara. (she since has returned). She also left the Catholic Church at that time, feeling that there was no place for a trans women to be of service in that denomination. After a period of trying to be spiritual on her own, Barbara found that she missed being part of a faith community, so she decided to visit Spirit of the Lakes Church in Minneapolis. The congregation was made up primarily of LGBT persons and was the first LGBT church in a major Christian denomination. Barbara quickly found a spiritual home there and became a leader in the congregation. Through Spirit of the Lakes she became part of the United Church Coalition for LGBT Concerns (now the Open and Affirming Coalition of the UCC). As an active member of the United Church of Christ and the leader of the Coalition, she served on the denomination’s Executive Council as its first openly transgender member; she was involved in the church’s 2003 decision to affirm the inclusion of transgender people in the full life and ministry of the church. Barbara also provided leadership for the development of Spirit on Lake, a LGBTQ senior housing project in Minneapolis. The housing project had its genesis in the work on LGBTQ aging issues started by Barbara and members and pastoral leadership of Spirit of the Lakes Church. The 46-unit, affordable rental facility opened in September 2013. At the time it was only the second such project in the U.S. In February 2015, Barbara was invited to the White House to talk to the Administration about housing concerns for LGBTQ seniors and in July 2015 she was one of three LGBTQ people invited to participate for the first time in the White House Conference on Aging. Barbara also sits on the boards of a number of non-profits that serve LGBTQ people in the areas of philanthropy, training of senior care providers and HIV/AIDS services. Barbara serves as Assistant Faith Work Director for The National LGBTQ Task Force where her responsibilities include working for the full inclusion of trans persons in communities of faith. (This biographical statement drafted by Mark Bowman from an interview with Barbara Satin and edited by Barbara.) Biographical Text Barbara Satin, a transgender activist around issues of aging, faith and gender justice, was born in 1934 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her father died a year-and-a-half later, leaving her mother to raise four children with the help of supportive relatives. Roman Catholicism was deeply engrained in the family; all children went to Catholic schools and the church was an important part of their daily lives. Raised as a boy, Barbara was aware of her gender difference at an early age but had no vocabulary or ideas with which to understand and address it. She only knew that she needed to hide her differences in order to survive. After two years living away from home as a young teenage seminarian, Barbara realized a call to priestly ministry wasn’t going to work because of her gender issues, so she left the seminary and finished up at a local Catholic high school. After high school, Barbara studied at a local Catholic college, focusing first on philosophy, then graduating with a degree in sociology. One vivid memory of those college years was the national media attention in late 1952 around Christine Jorgensen who had sexual reassignment surgery in Denmark. This was Barbara’s first awareness that there were other people like her. When Barbara graduated from college, she received a commission as an officer in the U. S. Air Force. It was a macho way of distracting any attention from her gender dilemma. She was in pilot training in Texas for a year before a kidney infection ended her flying career and she was given a medical discharge. When she returned to St. Paul, where she fell in love and hoped that marriage would bring an end to her gender issues. The marriage was blessed with three wonderful children. Barbara (still living as a man) had a successful business career as director of public relations for a major international firm and was also a prominent leader in the Roman Catholic Diocese as well as a well-respected civic activist. While issues of gender identity were present throughout these years, Barbara was committed to the responsibilities of raising a family as well as being a successful provider. At age 54, Barbara took early retirement and then began to explore more fully her transgender identity. With the support of her children and a knowledgeable therapist, Barbara came to understand that her transgender identity was how God had made her and rather than being a curse it could be a blessing in her life. As a way to more fully explore her identity, she moved out of the family home to live full-time as Barbara. (she since has returned). She also left the Catholic Church at that time, feeling that there was no place for a trans women to be of service in that denomination. After a period of trying to be spiritual on her own, Barbara found that she missed being part of a faith community, so she decided to visit Spirit of the Lakes Church in Minneapolis. The congregation was made up primarily of LGBT persons and was the first LGBT church in a major Christian denomination. Barbara quickly found a spiritual home there and became a leader in the congregation. Through Spirit of the Lakes she became part of the United Church Coalition for LGBT Concerns (now the Open and Affirming Coalition of the UCC). As an active member of the United Church of Christ and the leader of the Coalition, she served on the denomination’s Executive Council as its first openly transgender member; she was involved in the church’s 2003 decision to affirm the inclusion of transgender people in the full life and ministry of the church. Barbara also provided leadership for the development of Spirit on Lake, a LGBTQ senior housing project in Minneapolis. The housing project had its genesis in the work on LGBTQ aging issues started by Barbara and members and pastoral leadership of Spirit of the Lakes Church. The 46-unit, affordable rental facility opened in September 2013. At the time it was only the second such project in the U.S. In February 2015, Barbara was invited to the White House to talk to the Administration about housing concerns for LGBTQ seniors and in July 2015 she was one of three LGBTQ people invited to participate for the first time in the White House Conference on Aging. Barbara also sits on the boards of a number of non-profits that serve LGBTQ people in the areas of philanthropy, training of senior care providers and HIV/AIDS services. Barbara serves as Assistant Faith Work Director for The National LGBTQ Task Force where her responsibilities include working for the full inclusion of trans persons in communities of faith. (This biographical statement drafted by Mark Bowman from an interview with Barbara Satin and edited by Barbara.) 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 Barbara Satin Barbara Satin Catholic ONA Open and Affirming in the UCC Roman Catholic UCC United Church of Christ https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d6dc00ca1a797b5ab8bc74eeff977096.jpg 4b503d3e792efb24f585a711affb7cd4 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/9356dcbeeb8871fd546b71df21be56b0.jpg c62d8f23a30c9b95f53d93a6ca0a5f30 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. Barbara Werner Stole Text BARBARA WERNER ELDER Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) United Church of Christ Contribution Date 2001 Contribution Story This is one of 52 stoles donated to the Shower of Stoles collection by members and staff of Church of the Covenant. Although each of the stoles is unique, all of them are tied together by the inclusion of a piece cloth from a common bolt of blue and ivory material somewhere in the stole. Covenant is both a More Light and Open and Affirming Congregation. Their strong and public advocacy on behalf of LGBT persons in the life and leadership of the church has drawn many LBGT persons to become a part of the Covenant church family. Their 52 stoles represent the largest subset of stoles given to the collection by any one congregation. Church of the Covenant, a federated United Church of Christ and Presbyterian Church, is steeped in history. Located just off the Boston Commons, the Gothic revival building erected in the mid-1800's was one of the first churches built in the Back Bay area. In the 1890's the sanctuary was completely redecorated by Tiffany Glass and Decorating Co., including the creation of an extraordinary set of Tiffany stained-glass windows and a chandelier that is said to be the first electrified light installed in a public building by Thomas Edison. Covenant's history of social justice and human rights work is equally rich. When I visited Covenant, I was intrigued to learn that the church was a designated stop along the "Boston Women's Heritage Trail." One of Covenant's members, Abbie Child, was the head of the Women's Board of Missions of the Congregational Church in the late 1800's. Another member, Dr. Elsa Meder, was one of the first women ordained as an elder in the Presbyterian Church. Elizabeth Rice and Alice Hageman, ordained in 1974 and 1975 respectively, were the first women to serve as pastors at a Back Bay church. When they were joined by Donna Day Lower, the church became the only one in the United States with three women clergy. Since opening the "Women's Lunch Place" in 1982, the church has served as a haven for poor women and their children. It is fitting, then, that one of the Tiffany windows is "Four Women of the Bible," including Miriam, Deborah, Mary of Bethany, and Dorcas. Covenant remains on the forefront of work for equality and justice, and is active in the LGBT Welcoming movement in the Boston area and beyond. 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 750 Title A name given to the resource Barbara Werner Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachusetts (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Church of the Covenant Boston Feminism Massachusetts More Light Presbyterians for LGBT Concerns Open and Affirming in the UCC (ONA) Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Theology United Church of Christ Werner, Barbara Women and Religion https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/0bd2dcba8dc8db9bab6f37dc7b073432.pdf 06ccd3628290340aead997179144440d Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document 15th March 1963 Canon R. Mackay, Religious Broadcasting Department, Broadcasting House, London, W.1. Dear Canon Mackay, I was very grateful for your letter about the broadcast. On the whole the correspondence that I received here was encouraging, there being rather more approval than disapproval. One thing that worries me is that I tend to get an reputation for being an "authority on sex"--almost on that only, and the fact that I'm to give a further broadcast--with Professor Carstairs--will tend further to establish this idea. In fact my interests are primarily and broadly education--especially in the area where Christianity impinges on education. I'm wondering whether the B.B.C. would consider the idea of a broadcast--perhaps more than one--to put a point of view about education and the future of Britain considerably different from what is usually said. (I haven't much to time to listen to broadcasts, so I may be wrong about this). One get's sick of the continual harping on education as a means of "survival"--of continual pushing forward in the technological and business sense as though our future as people really depended on this, as though this were the only way to retain or regain our greatness, the only way we can continue to be a "power" in the world. What I would like to say--in terms that both the Christian and humanist would accept--would be to encourage an entirely different idea of national significance and power: education away from the rat-race and a yet, more affluent society, towards quality of life and relationship, towards depth and imagination in thinking--an education that might make possible the beginning of a break-through to the new world that every intelligent person seems to want yet is obstinately unwilling to prepare for. Perhaps this is a proposition that should be directed to a different department, but I'm sure it is one that is near to your heart--and that's why I am first putting it to you. A lecture that I gave to the Leeds Institute of Education has some of the ideas that I would want to present and develop, so I'm sending it with this letter--with apologies for landing you with such a massive-looking document. Yours sincerely, Kenneth Barnes 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 Barnes Letter to BBC, 15 March 1963 Description An account of the resource Barnes wrote to Canon Mackay in the BBC Religion Department a few days later and mentioned that he has received more positive than negative responses to the February 17 Meeting Point programme. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Kenneth Barnes Collection, PETT Archive & Study Centre, Cheltenham https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/7520c40d47f7f2886c25914e2a62fc73.pdf 10cd69bff096c6924a38b3e94d3255d7 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/fcd7c0569853469c4ed0990b9a663701.pdf 06ccd3628290340aead997179144440d Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document 6th March 1963 Miss Jocelyn Fergusson, The British Broadcasting Corporation, Broadcasting House, London, W.1. Dear Miss Ferguson, Your telephone call has been reported to me and I understand that you have asked whether I could come to London for a discussion with Professor Carstairs on April 3rd. It is not clear whether this is for sound radio or television. I think I can say yes, but conditionally. Since the television broadcast of February 17th I have become more and more aware of the great danger of misunderstanding that arises when one's statements have to be responses to what one might call "journalistic poking"; when one has made and statement and is about to develop or qualify it in a necessary way another question is pushed in and the statement remains open to misunderstanding. The emotional condition created in the listener is that he simply cannot hear--if he has been shocked--anything positive that one says subsequently. I should be prepared to be involved in another broadcast only if this danger could be avoided. If there were sufficient time for us to give a lot of time to the fundamentals and make it very clear indeed that one is not being permissive. I would want an opportunity to put forward some fundamental moral principles and to show how it is the hypocrisy and irresponsibility of society (the way society does nothing effective to counter the corruptive influences at work on the teen-ager) that constitute the real enemy to creative sex relationships. What this amounts to is that the discussion would have to be far deeper than the subject "Charity or Chastity Before Marriage" would imply. I know a good deal about what young people go through when they leave school and I want to suggest that the alternative to a superficial insistence on chastity cannot be summarised under the word "charity" but is a new kind of moral education. Does this come within the scope of what you envisage? If you ant to ring me to discuss the matter, any time tomorrow morning (Thursday) would do, but I should be less likely to be in during the afternoon. Yours sincerely, Kenneth Barnes 15th March 1963 Canon R. Mackay, Religious Broadcasting Department, Broadcasting House, London, W.1. Dear Canon Mackay, I was very grateful for your letter about the broadcast. On the whole the correspondence that I received here was encouraging, there being rather more approval than disapproval. One thing that worries me is that I tend to get an reputation for being an "authority on sex"--almost on that only, and the fact that I'm to give a further broadcast--with Professor Carstairs--will tend further to establish this idea. In fact my interests are primarily and broadly education--especially in the area where Christianity impinges on education. I'm wondering whether the B.B.C. would consider the idea of a broadcast--perhaps more than one--to put a point of view about education and the future of Britain considerably different from what is usually said. (I haven't much to time to listen to broadcasts, so I may be wrong about this). One get's sick of the continual harping on education as a means of "survival"--of continual pushing forward in the technological and business sense as though our future as people really depended on this, as though this were the only way to retain or regain our greatness, the only way we can continue to be a "power" in the world. What I would like to say--in terms that both the Christian and humanist would accept--would be to encourage an entirely different idea of national significance and power: education away from the rat-race and a yet, more affluent society, towards quality of life and relationship, towards depth and imagination in thinking--an education that might make possible the beginning of a break-through to the new world that every intelligent person seems to want yet is obstinately unwilling to prepare for. Perhaps this is a proposition that should be directed to a different department, but I'm sure it is one that is near to your heart--and that's why I am first putting it to you. A lecture that I gave to the Leeds Institute of Education has some of the ideas that I would want to present and develop, so I'm sending it with this letter--with apologies for landing you with such a massive-looking document. Yours sincerely, Kenneth Barnes 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 Barnes Letters to BBC, March 1963 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Kenneth Barnes Collection, PETT Archive & Study Centre, Cheltenham Description An account of the resource Barnes was invited to appear in another BBC broadcast soon thereafter and--in this response--raised concerns about misunderstandings from the appearance of him and Bidder on the February 17th Meeting Point programme. In another letter a few days later Barnes indicates that he has received from positive than negative response to the broadcast. https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/8f4256ce1fd22e84a55e5cfafe11119f.jpg f14280431664919e45f34b9b97ae97d0 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Barnes Memo 1959 Description An account of the resource Notes from Kenneth Barnes in response to request for each person to write her/his personal perspectives on society's sexual code. See <a href="http://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/towards-a-quaker-view-of-sex/item/180">Meeting Minutes 1 March 1959</a>. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Keith Wedmore Papers https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/dd4d6f5a4484b0ce382be223d4ed505c.pdf 961325bf34b301784c12c54a93405585 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Swarthmore Lecture The Creative Imagination Two years ago a small group of Friends met to consider the problems brought into prominence by the Wolfenden Report--problems first of homosexuality and later those of sexual conduct in general. All but two of us were trained in scientific method--teachers, psychiatrists, research workers. We knew that we had to deal with actions and evidence that to most people were repulsive, and that even in ourselves, who had come voluntarily to investigate these matters, there were disgusts and inhibitions that made it difficult for us to understand the predicament of the offenders against law and convention. We know that we had to do as Jesus did, to reach out imaginatively to understand. To do this we had to set aside all pre-judgments. We could not know these people if we first of all thought of them as sinners. We had to abandon all those fierce certainties and categorical judgments that people have in the past believed to be inseparable from Christianity, relying only on its revelation of the need of love and of the quality of love that Jesus offered. Casting aside so much, what were we left with? A faith that in the honest search for truth--in so far as it was honest--we could not depart from the way of God. But we had to prepare ourselves, for the investigation and judgment of sexual conduct can be deeply coloured by unconscious impulses, and clear-sightedness is difficult to achieve. So our conferences have been preceded by a full-length meeting for worship in which we have been encouraged to face everything in ourselves as well as in the world. Those meetings for worship have been sometimes completely silent yet time of intense activity. I think I can say that of all the specific group-work I have experienced in the Society of Friends, this has been the most moving, and most convincing in its effect. By abandoning certainty of judgment in an aspect of life where the Church has in the past been most vehemently certain and uncompromising, we reached a deeper certainty and a more creative one. It could not be said that we have reached solutions to what are among the most intractable problems of our time. Indeed we have had to recognize that there are conditions for which one is responsible and which we can do little to remedy; and that we must all, at least in spirit and imagination, share as Jesus did in body and apparently in defeat, the suffering of our fellows. More than anything else the experience of this work has brought us an understanding of compassion, the need to enter into the lives of others and know how life feels to them. This experience has been one of growing unity, of intimacy of spirit, of liveliness as well as gravity. It has been to us a revelation. The moment I use this word I think of the way in which the slowly accumulated truths of science are sometimes contrasted, with the "revealed" truths of religion. But is there any difference? Only if we are committing ourselves to a dualism and thinking in terms of ideas, or if we are dressing up primitive magic in respectable clothes. There is no fundamental difference if we see supremely in Jesus, as we sometimes almost equally clearly in the friends we love, the living truth--truth as a movement, a process, a continuing action--in a person. I am often sorry that we were ever called Quakers. Too often the term Quaker--originally a jibe,and meaningless in the modern world--obscures the deeply significant origin of our true name, a name that should inspire and humble us. I do not speak of you any more as my servants; a servant is one who does not understand what his master is about, whereas I have made known to you all that my Father has told me; and so I have called you my friends.* Jesus may not actually have used these words, for the Gospel of John is interpretive rather than a factual record. That does not make them any less significant, for even so they indicate what Jesus had become to his followers. Is the Christian Church outgrowing the attitude of ecstatic adoration and near-idolatry, and will it increasingly recognize what it means to be the companion of Christ in discovery? Friends have in their very name accepted this relationship; we have little excuse for failing to recognize the implications; we have nothing to lose. 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 Barnes Swarthmore Lecture 1960 Description An account of the resource Excerpt from the 1960 Swarthmore Lecture in which Barnes reflects on the creative process by which the group has worked together. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived The Creative Imagination, Kenneth Barnes. Swarthmore Lecture 1960, George Allen and Unwin, London, 1960. Reproduced by permission of the Religious Society of Friends. 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. Barry Smith Stole Text Dear Barry, Thank you for your courageous declaration and helping us to see the Light! -- LPPC Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church Chicago The Spirit of the Lord is on me, for s/he has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted. I bring the Word. Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) 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 324 Title A name given to the resource Barry Smith Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Chicago, Illinois (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Barry Smith https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/e4532f1fbf6c0b644ecdf8fc31954f67.JPG 0a8efc79bb17e87897e79e65fd582584 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/773b398fa0056986047dec9b8ac96339.JPG 7149ac7c3b478b325220c38130fb799a 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 The Upstairs Lounge Fire Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Bartender Buddy Rasmussen Description An account of the resource Bartender Buddy Rasmussen and the interior bar area of the Upstairs Lounge, Mardi Gras 1973. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Johnny Townsend collection https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/a518950593f635af32498542ae03f0ee.png 878397f7e0b69e453d590199eb0dfda5 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 The Historical Development of BIPOC Trans-spiritual Leadership Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Beit Simchat Torah, established in 1973, has been a synagogue for 50 years. Subject The topic of the resource Sharon Kleinbaum, DD has been CBST's Senior Rabbi for more than thirty years. The synagogue is now in the process called rabbinical transition. On December 16, 2022, Rabbi Kleinbaum annouched that she is stepping down as of July 31, 2024. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Beit Simchat Torah Congregation https://cbst.org/rabbinic-transition https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/7a9d84d0abdc2b49e3f6d20bff70aa28.jpg a10b2dfdd1a48a5cb59cade9e051561d https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/a9cfbc486f912fe2398b3443ec600368.jpg 11528739d5ac87416936a508893d6522 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. Ben Guess Stole Text THE REV. BEN GUESS PASTOR, ZION UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST (1992 TO PRESENT) HENDERSON, KENTUCKY I was baptized, confirmed and ordained in the United Methodist Church. A lifetime member of First United Methodist Church in Henderson, Kentucky, I came out as a gay man while a student at Vanderbilt Divinity School. While at Vanderbilt, I placed my hope in the 1992 General Conference which was supposed to hear/act on a four-year study and recommendation that affirmed the gifts of lesbian and gay people in the church. However, when this report was not even heard by the General Conference, I knew that any ministry I would possibly have in the UMC would always be filled with secrets and fear. After serving rural parishes during seminary and one year after graduation, I decided that - in order to be the best minister I could be - it was necessary for me to find a congregation and denomination that wanted all of me. I transferred my credentials to the United Church of Christ, finding a loving and accepting atmosphere for my successful parish ministry, now going on 8 years. When I left the UMC, many many in my home church were surprised and frustrated and even angry with me for leaving the UMC as if I had any choice. They felt like I had left them but I saw it the other way around. Very few realized that, yes, this fear-based, flawed, and sinful policy in the Book of Discipline was impacting the whole church even our congregation in Henderson. The time has come for a change. Denomination United Church of Christ United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole from Rev. Ben Guess was the first one we received honoring someone in the United Church of Christ. Although the United Church of Christ welcomes LGBT persons fully into its life and leadership at all levels, UCC stoles now count as the third largest denominational subset of stoles in the collection. The reason for this is reflected in Ben's story: the UCC has become a magnet for gifted, capable, faithful pastors who have left other denominations in search of a place that would welcome their service to God and the church. The majority of the UCC stoles in this collection tell the larger story of a people in exile, searching for a place to call home that will honor their lives and their callings, bless their relationships, and embrace their families. Once again, the UMC's loss is truly the UCC's gain. Ben Guess is now the editor of United Church News, the largest news organization of the United Church of Christ. 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 608 Title A name given to the resource Ben Guess Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Henderson, Kentucky (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Ben Guess Guess, Ben Kentucky Methodist Ordination Theology United Church of Christ United Methodist Church https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/b185ae710e70b3e5659dc76fd7f38749.jpg fd9c8af8f9d4e45703aef9c565ef5469 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 The Historical Development of BIPOC Trans-spiritual Leadership Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Bernal Díaz del Castillo Subject The topic of the resource Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lapham's Quarterly https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/contributors/diaz-del-castillo https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/ff644decee49e93ab09efc5e73d1ca30.jpg 1eb28eb08b0f1a7fe7b95d5e0deafdb6 Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Bernard Schlager, PhD, is Executive Director at The Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies (CLGS) at Pacific School of Religion (PSR) and Associate Professor of Historical & Cultural Studies at PSR and a member of the Historical and Cultural Studies of Religion Core Faculty at The Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. From 2000 to 2003 Dr. Schlager served as Program Director at CLGS; he directed the Center’s OutFront Conference Series from 2005 to 2008; and, since 2009, has served as its Executive Director. At CLGS he currently works with the Center’s Roundtable Projects; the Historical Archives Project; the LGBT-Religious Archives Network (LGBT-RAN) and coordinates all national and local programming. The co-author of Ministry Among God’s Queer Folk: LGBTQ Pastoral Care (2007; revised edition expected in 2018), Schlager has published articles in the areas of history and queer studies in the journals Theology & Sexuality, Viator, and the Greek Orthodox Theological Review as well as in several print collections of essays. He is currently working on a book-length study of the cult of Saint Sebastian from the Black Death to the AIDS Pandemic. Former Academic Dean and Interim President at PSR, Dr. Schlager currently serves as a board member of the Hispanic Summer Program. Dr. Schlager has earned bachelor degrees in Philosophy (St. John’s University, 1981) and Music (St. Louis University, 1985); an MA degree in Philosophy (Boston College, 1987) and MA, MPhil, and PhD degrees in medieval and colonial Latin American history from Yale University (1996). In addition, he has pursued graduate studies in theology and ministry at The Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri. He has taught at The University of New Hampshire, Trinity College, Yale University, and Middlebury College. (This biographical statement provided by Bernard Schlager.) Biographical Text Bernard Schlager, PhD, is Executive Director at The Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies (CLGS) at Pacific School of Religion (PSR) and Associate Professor of Historical & Cultural Studies at PSR and a member of the Historical and Cultural Studies of Religion Core Faculty at The Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. From 2000 to 2003 Dr. Schlager served as Program Director at CLGS; he directed the Center’s OutFront Conference Series from 2005 to 2008; and, since 2009, has served as its Executive Director. At CLGS he currently works with the Center’s Roundtable Projects; the Historical Archives Project; the LGBT-Religious Archives Network (LGBT-RAN) and coordinates all national and local programming. The co-author of Ministry Among God’s Queer Folk: LGBTQ Pastoral Care (2007; revised edition expected in 2018), Schlager has published articles in the areas of history and queer studies in the journals Theology & Sexuality, Viator, and the Greek Orthodox Theological Review as well as in several print collections of essays. He is currently working on a book-length study of the cult of Saint Sebastian from the Black Death to the AIDS Pandemic. Former Academic Dean and Interim President at PSR, Dr. Schlager currently serves as a board member of the Hispanic Summer Program. Dr. Schlager has earned bachelor degrees in Philosophy (St. John’s University, 1981) and Music (St. Louis University, 1985); an MA degree in Philosophy (Boston College, 1987) and MA, MPhil, and PhD degrees in medieval and colonial Latin American history from Yale University (1996). In addition, he has pursued graduate studies in theology and ministry at The Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri. He has taught at The University of New Hampshire, Trinity College, Yale University, and Middlebury College. (This biographical statement provided by Bernard Schlager.) 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 Bernie Schlager Bernard Schlager Bernie Schlager Catholic Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies CLGS Pacific School of Religion PSR Roman Catholic RTSA Ecumenical Planning Team 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. Bert All Stole Text In Memory of THE REV. BERT ALL California - Pacific Conference United Methodist Church A gift from Ed Hansen, Pastor, Hollywood United Methodist Church, California Bert was a creative and dedicated pastor who served local churches and as a leader in the Conference Camping Program. For the Southern California region he founded the Strength for the Journey retreats for persons living with HIV/AIDS and continued to guide these retreats until his own failing health prevented him. Because of his fear of losing his ordination status if he revealed that he was gay, Bert kept this part of his life very hidden. Only his best friends knew this dimension of his life. Along with other friends I am honored to dedicate this stole in Bert's memory. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the UnitedMethodistChurch in Cleveland, OH. Although he remained closeted throughout his career in the ministry, Bert allowed for the possibility to tell his story to the church following his death. This is one of two stoles given to the collection by Ed Hansen (#716 & 719). 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 719 Title A name given to the resource Bert All Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant California (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Rev. Ed Hansen AIDS All, Bert California Clergy Activist Hansen, Ed Methodist Ohio Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/2ef5f65aa86fc7e82a1c028f1bd34f74.jpg 4aabdac98c1dc1655449eed08a15f54e https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/49e55f59f99d852df8df2bcfcd85cc19.jpg b2ccd739549c23245ae18214e6ec9798 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/54fdd5d07fe09736ad0ddb1d4fa02bee.jpg b77d2b265955fd765b5b91d69a35bd68 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. Bert Marro Stole Text BERT MARRO Park Slope UMC Brooklyn, NY 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. 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. 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." 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! Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story 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. A diverse community, Park Slope's creed is: 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. 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. 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! 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 553 Title A name given to the resource Bert Marro Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Brooklyn, New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Park Slope United Methodist Church Ally Clergy Activist Marro, Bert Methodist New York New York City 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. Bert Menninga Stole Text BERT This stole is given in recognition of the Christian ministry of our oldest son, Bert Menninga, who is a member of the vestry at St. Thomas Episcopal in Washington, D.C. Denomination Episcopal Church Presbyterian Church (USA) 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 364 Title A name given to the resource Bert Menninga 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 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Gysbert and Sylvia Menninga