59 20 2479 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/641e1416ef0a223e29e1efac415db317.jpg c6c9b04fed5d1a8444c45c6bb2ba496b https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/a5b6716a60294ebae44135facdb71276.jpg 0321773ad435ab0c9d8f07526861fb98 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/19421b0e8b2e5c69f48d6467ddc61868.jpg a9104bf944325eda27a7d9a400ebf7e5 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. Members of First Presbyterian Church Stole Text Sue Shulina Tom Rokicki More Light Love Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1999 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 146 Title A name given to the resource Members of First Presbyterian Church Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Palo Alto, California (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource First Presbyterian Church California Clergy Activist Henderson, Mitzi More Light Presbyterians for LGBT Concerns Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Theology https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/2c11f13cdd487f77a9cb3338180f16bb.jpg 1089a2fea02330828ed68f80754a89d7 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d483c38088c2498e7e7a2cfa9bc6be38.jpg 5bbce62ae7b112474dfe145eb3050589 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. Members of First Presbyterian Church Stole Text Vida Kenke Dauren Minkel 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 144 Title A name given to the resource Members of First Presbyterian Church Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Palo Alto, California (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource First Presbyterian Church California Clergy Activist Henderson, Mitzi More Light Presbyterians for LGBT Concerns Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Theology https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/58b10e7a3c7b11c641b4b1634a2c7db4.jpg 89b17a5da7035cde032f15b95f24980c 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 Members gathered for a Rosh Hashanah dinner, mid 1970s https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/7e7462ac7f9cb7587b80c025cdae4fdc.jpg db6d2150fed3cdef97f3782f89e28a1a https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/422b58e40a171f79df6427af755eb7e8.jpg 3415009c57f84cf79e00922f1ea0d9c4 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. Member, Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Stole Text From a member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church Rochester, New York Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1996 Contribution Story This is one of about two dozen stoles donated by members of DUPC in early 1996. Most of the stoles arrived without names or narratives. However, we have been told that most of the donors are "out" LGBT persons, unnamed but not necessarily anonymous. DUPC was at the center of a pivotal moment in the history of the Welcoming movement in the Presbyterian Church. In 1978 the General Assembly acted to bar the ordination of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals." However, an exception was added to the action which exempted those ordained before 1978 from future judicial action. This clause allowed DUPC in 1991 to call the Rev. Dr. Jane Adams Spahr to become a co-pastor of the church; Janie had been ordained prior to 1978. However, the church broke its trust and in 1991 the denomination's highest judicial body barred Janie from being installed. In response, DUPC called Janie to be an "Evangelist," and formed That All May Freely Serve to allow Janie to preach, educate and challenge church structures at DUPC and throughout the country. (Note: The decorations on this stole were created with construction paper. The netting was added later to protect this delicate material from damage.) 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 199 Title A name given to the resource Member, Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Rochester, New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church Clergy Activist New York Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Spahr, Jane Adams That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/fdf27731aa6aaff6a7e94c6f001b40f3.jpg 65c482116cdbfe18acced6e7c137220c https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/21fbfd0899cfc8c8cd6290241d75e6c1.jpg 2c7ee262fd42a5cc02f8a8cd6071f89b 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. Member of First Presbyterian Stole Text JESUS LOVES MORE LIGHT From a member of First Presbyterian Church Palo Alto, California 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 147 Title A name given to the resource Member of First Presbyterian 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 California Clergy Activist Henderson, Mitzi More Light Presbyterians for LGBT Concerns Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Theology 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. Member of First Presbyterian 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 141 Title A name given to the resource Member of First Presbyterian 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 California Clergy Activist Henderson, Mitzi More Light Presbyterians for LGBT Concerns Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Theology https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/40a09650c110082fe811301ef2bb943a.jpg 6eb8284e2076ac6c3e30399bf9f9cc9c https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/a0863e28488afa490e9b41aae77fe082.jpg 14c7b6cec6f43702dd0696dc6e91f3e0 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/c71ef46b8f58cceb6ead655b0f3d6aa6.jpg 080bf618ecf5203866fe887fa5d7b513 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. Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Stole Text From a member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church Rochester, New York Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1995 Contribution Story This is one of about two dozen stoles donated by members of DUPC in early 1996. Most of the stoles arrived without names or narratives. However, we have been told that most of the donors are "out" LGBT persons, unnamed but not necessarily anonymous. DUPC was at the center of a pivotal moment in the history of the Welcoming movement in the Presbyterian Church. In 1978 the General Assembly acted to bar the ordination of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals." However, an exception was added to the action which exempted those ordained before 1978 from future judicial action. This clause allowed DUPC in 1991 to call the Rev. Dr. Jane Adams Spahr to become a co-pastor of the church; Janie had been ordained prior to 1978. However, the Presbyterian Church broke its trust and in 1991 the denomination's highest judicial body barred Janie from being installed. In response, DUPC called Janie to be an "Evangelist," and formed That All May Freely Serve to allow Janie to preach, educate and challenge church structures at DUPC and throughout the country. 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 198 Title A name given to the resource Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Rochester, New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Downtown United Presbyterian Church Clergy Activist New York Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Spahr, Jane Adams That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/f3ed6bd27c4d5c33cf61c43d732e0c20.jpg 589d035d88eef87b5cd2ee729ad97343 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/c1a93bca8fed2dbcd9bd14e8c3c1b11b.jpg f5fc4023b6331237f4e1d5cd595f59b3 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. Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Stole Text Truth never damages a cause that is just. -- M. Gandhi The truth shall set you free Speak Truth Live Truth Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1996 Contribution Story This is one of about two dozen stoles donated by members of DUPC in early 1996. Most of the stoles arrived without names or narratives. However, we have been told that most of the donors are "out" LGBT persons, unnamed but not necessarily anonymous. DUPC was at the center of a pivotal moment in the history of the Welcoming movement in the Presbyterian Church. In 1978 the General Assembly acted to bar the ordination of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals." However, an exception was added to the action which exempted those ordained before 1978 from future judicial action. This clause allowed DUPC in 1991 to call the Rev. Dr. Jane Adams Spahr to become a co-pastor of the church; Janie had been ordained prior to 1978. However, the Presbyterian Church broke its trust and in 1991 the denomination's highest judicial body barred Janie from being installed. In response, DUPC called Janie to be an "Evangelist," and formed That All May Freely Serve to allow Janie to preach, educate and challenge church structures at DUPC and throughout the country. 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 189 Title A name given to the resource Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Rochester, New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Downtown United Presbyterian Church Clergy Activist New York Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Spahr, Jane Adams That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/6a88b2a62153c840a8bd8b78f81ac81b.jpg 5acb0bc9b4c4e1331f6e84c68a54e81b https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/3cfdab4d7c812b567304073cc9b713e6.jpg d4e9cb884d8f85c89637a8e4f75851bd 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. Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Stole Text Just As I Am... I Have A Dream... Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1996 Contribution Story This is one of about two dozen stoles donated by members of DUPC in early 1996. Most of the stoles arrived without names or narratives. However, we have been told that most of the donors are "out" LGBT persons, unnamed but not necessarily anonymous. DUPC was at the center of a pivotal moment in the history of the Welcoming movement in the Presbyterian Church. In 1978 the General Assembly acted to bar the ordination of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals." However, an exception was added to the action which exempted those ordained before 1978 from future judicial action. This clause allowed DUPC in 1991 to call the Rev. Dr. Jane Adams Spahr to become a co-pastor of the church; Janie had been ordained prior to 1978. However, the Presbyterian Church broke its trust and in 1991 the denomination's highest judicial body barred Janie from being installed. In response, DUPC called Janie to be an "Evangelist," and formed That All May Freely Serve to allow Janie to preach, educate and challenge church structures at DUPC and throughout the country. 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 185 Title A name given to the resource Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Rochester, New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Downtown United Presbyterian Church Clergy Activist New York Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Spahr, Jane Adams That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/bf96dc9995dbea87e816ab1dde525ca8.jpg ee5472d605912b94f22d07c833443078 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/cacb2ddf5f212df0a3e7e1b9d4bad858.jpg 04a72f99c0dc6ec67521f8e16380d46f 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. Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Stole Text LOVE JOY PEACE Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1996 Contribution Story This is one of about two dozen stoles donated by members of DUPC in early 1996. Most of the stoles arrived without names or narratives. However, we have been told that most of the donors are "out" LGBT persons, unnamed but not necessarily anonymous. DUPC was at the center of a pivotal moment in the history of the Welcoming movement in the Presbyterian Church. In 1978 the General Assembly acted to bar the ordination of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals." However, an exception was added to the action which exempted those ordained before 1978 from future judicial action. This clause allowed DUPC in 1991 to call the Rev. Dr. Jane Adams Spahr to become a co-pastor of the church; Janie had been ordained prior to 1978. However, the Presbyterian Church broke its trust and in 1991 the denomination's highest judicial body barred Janie from being installed. In response, DUPC called Janie to be an "Evangelist," and formed That All May Freely Serve to allow Janie to preach, educate and challenge church structures at DUPC and throughout the country. 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 184 Title A name given to the resource Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Rochester, New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Downtown United Presbyterian Church Clergy Activist New York Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Spahr, Jane Adams That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) 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. Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Stole Text From a Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church Rochester, New York Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1996 Contribution Story This is one of about two dozen stoles donated by members of DUPC in early 1996. Most of the stoles arrived without names or narratives. However, we have been told that most of the donors are "out" LGBT persons, unnamed but not necessarily anonymous. DUPC was at the center of a pivotal moment in the history of the Welcoming movement in the Presbyterian Church. In 1978 the General Assembly acted to bar the ordination of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals." However, an exception was added to the action which exempted those ordained before 1978 from future judicial action. This clause allowed DUPC in 1991 to call the Rev. Dr. Jane Adams Spahr to become a co-pastor of the church; Janie had been ordained prior to 1978. However, the church broke its trust and in 1991 the denomination's highest judicial body barred Janie from being installed. In response, DUPC called Janie to be an "Evangelist," and formed That All May Freely Serve to allow Janie to preach, educate and challenge church structures at DUPC and throughout the country. 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 193 Title A name given to the resource Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Rochester, New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Downtown United Presbyterian Church Clergy Activist New York Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Spahr, Jane Adams That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/7f56ae938f19491b44ae21ea8986c71b.jpg 7b77819ad38cc0b15d9d75a0113c72b6 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/5595ca1ee24f0414379d8699ba76426a.jpg 2b48f0496fdedb51b812a2ea07c77883 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. Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church Stole Text FROM A MEMBER OF DOWNTOWN UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ROCHESTER, NEW YORK Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1996 Contribution Story This is one of about two dozen stoles donated by members of DUPC in early 1996. Most of the stoles arrived without names or narratives. However, we have been told that most of the donors are "out" LGBT persons, unnamed but not necessarily anonymous. DUPC was at the center of a pivotal moment in the history of the Welcoming movement in the Presbyterian Church. In 1978 the General Assembly acted to bar the ordination of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals." However, an exception was added to the action which exempted those ordained before 1978 from future judicial action. This clause allowed DUPC in 1991 to call the Rev. Dr. Jane Adams Spahr to become a co-pastor of the church; Janie had been ordained prior to 1978. However, the Presbyterian Church broke its trust and in 1991 the denomination's highest judicial body barred Janie from being installed. In response, DUPC called Janie to be an "Evangelist," and formed That All May Freely Serve to allow Janie to preach, educate and challenge church structures at DUPC and throughout the country. 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 192 Title A name given to the resource Member of Downtown United Presbyterian Church Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Rochester, New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Downtown United Presbyterian Church Clergy Activist New York Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Spahr, Jane Adams That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/8a30ca91be62457468dd17b7c3729999.jpg 5b3e84b6a21edb9ef219ffc72236734e https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/57027a84911caaa2476ebc58f658d2ab.jpg 7f8f407d637a7643243876379b36f4a1 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d586a0f989cc59f9ddf29a5ff55ab2ee.jpg 66874491dee73be4e3aa5132346fd510 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. Member of Calvary St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Stole Text Calvary St. Andrew's Rochester, NY Our light WILL shine! Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1996 Contribution Story This is one of thirteen stoles donated in 1996 to the Shower of Stoles collection by members of Calvary St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Rochester, NY. CSA is one of three More Light churches in Rochester that are working towards the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of the Presbyterian Church (USA). 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 182 Title A name given to the resource Member of Calvary St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Rochester NY Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Rochester, New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Calvary St. Andrews Presbyterian Church More Light Presbyterians for LGBT Concerns New York Ordination Presbyterian 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/. 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. Melinda McClain Stole Text MELINDA McCLAIN From Marilyn and Sharon Hedges-Hiller Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1995 Contribution Story This stole was one of the original 80 stoles that were on display on Sept. 16, 1995 when I set aside my ordination before Heartland Presbytery (see stole #1 for details). 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 46 Title A name given to the resource Melinda McClain Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Marilyn and Sharon Hedges-Hiller Hedges-Hiller, Marilyn Hedges-Hiller, Sharon McClain, Melinda Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) United States https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/c12576db2f6de4ccd69321a4e3ce5150.jpg 93886d2ad8746f87ed143e41666e44c3 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/8072fe2fc60ba2f0b296a2888c67c146.jpg 3850c8dab2538cb3c1db4a3d752b8095 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/ed379baf97c07dd2f38a25be663f33bf.jpg 8f042bdcc8d18e5c7155fc6ad5b4e16f https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d68a36812917fc789de20ac9f3495b63.jpg 10875786a7a96d6df1c0a0a0850c1827 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. Melany Burrill Stole Text 16 years church leadership in local church and beyond MELANY BURRILL United Methodist Christian Educator Virginia Conference This stole represents my 16 years of full-time educational ministry in one UM congregation in Northern Virginia (metropolitan Washington,D.C.) As a seminary-trained lay person and certified Director of Christian Education, I recruited and trained teachers and youth leaders, resourced the Sunday school and did tons of youth ministry -- including leadership at district and conference levels and representing Virginia at jurisdictional and national youth ministry events. I directed children's and youth handbell choirs along with the scores of tasks needed to sustain a vibrant educational ministry in an 1100 member suburban congregation. At the end of my 16th year, while on a 3-month sabbatical, I received a letter thanking me for my service, inviting my resignation, and telling me I needn't return to my position following my sabbatical. The stated reason for this being "the church sees the need to go another direction with its educational ministries." It soon unfolded that the underlying reason for this was the "discovery" of my participation in the Reconciling Congregation movement-- which was interpreted by the senior minister as being "against the Discipline of the UMC." Although my sexual orientation was not openly at issue, because I have been very private about my personal life, it was certainly an unspoken concern. The UMC's policies and practices around issues of homosexuality contributed to an atmosphere of fear and secrecy where my long and successful ministry of people of many ages could be summarily dismissed with a letter. The most painful part to me was not the differences of opinion that were eventually expressed, but the ways in which both congregation members and myself were treated -- assumptions made, reasons not given, direct conversations avoided. The "rest of the story" is -- after several congregational meetings to air issues and a face-to-face meeting with the personnel committee -- I resigned, was given a touching farewell party, and a severance package. I am now happily a member of Dumbarton United Methodist Church, a reconciling congregation in Washington, D.C. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story The circumstances surrounding Melany Burrill's forced resignation are outrageous. Unfortunately, Melany is one of many church professionals represented in the Shower of Stoles collection that have strikingly similar stories. When the church forces LGBT people to serve in silence, these church professionals are not the only ones driven underground. Colleagues and congregants become a part of this conspiracy of silence. Careers are ended on the basis of suspicion, rumor and innuendo. Lifetimes of service are dismissed with a letter. Congregations are split by the inability of leadership to face their own homophobia, their fear of confrontation and their reticence to debate tough issues openly and fairly. Grief lingers as talented, beloved staff are forced to leave, and the painful issues are driven back into the closet. Too often, the one forced out is remembered as "the problem," rather than the church's own bigotry and dysfunction. These are the stories that underscore the great importance of Reconciling Congregations like Dumbarton, where people can heal and where their gifts for service are celebrated. Melany's stole is one of thirteen stoles donated by LGBT members at Dumbarton in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles.” In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 650 Title A name given to the resource Melany Burrill Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dumbarton United Methodist Church Burrill, Melany Church Trials Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/907992674d4b18f22de03cad9bbea10a.jpg 8966951deff0ca10ea84418e3100c774 Person An individual. 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 Melanie Goulish https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/65d577d23311d201946b95093c18693f.jpg 9a74eb587f895684ae8e1fb4ec2515cc Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Mel Soriano first came to this country as a child in 1969. Raised in a traditional Filipino Roman Catholic home, he was raised in the Chicago area before his family settled in Los Angeles. He is the product of parochial, public and--at the University of Southern California and Oxford University--private education He studied Psychobiology and Business Administration for his two stints at USC and read British History in the UK. In those days, Mel worked at the college yearbook, helped out at the One Institute Archives, did some LGBT young person support sessions in West Hollywood, did research with those who were suffering Alzheimer's and held hands with others dealing with the trauma AIDS. He started working in 1996 with a software firm that specialized in databases and web tools, which now also develops mobile apps. He converted to the Episcopal Church in 2000. He has served in All Saints Episcopal Church of Pasadena, which has the largest congregation west of the Mississippi. He sings for the church's Canterbury and Coventry Choirs, leads the weekly Taize worship services, advises as a Lay Counselor and serves as a Lay Eucharistic Minister and a Lay Visitation Minister. He has served on the Vestry (the parish's governing body), chaired the Pastoral Care and Congregational Development Committees and served on the Growth Committee. He has served as a New Member class leader, Greeter, Coffee host, Congregational Dinner host, and has given several adult education talks. Mel has been elected twice to the Board of Directors of Integrity USA, the LGBTQ group affiliated with the Episcopal Church. There he volunteers as the Communications Director and as Secretary, and helps manage the content on the web and social media. Mel has walked the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain several times. In spring 2016, he walked the 600 miles from Lourdes to Santiago de Compostela, sharing the Lourdes waters with those on the journey seeking healing. In fall 2017, he led a church group on the Camino. If you ever have questions about pilgrimages to Taize, the Camino, or Iona, he'll be glad to share with you his reflections from his blog LetAllWhoAreThirstyCome.com He married his best friend Stephen Mulder, a second grade teacher, in 2014 at All Saints Pasadena. They enjoy world travel, eating, cooking, and both volunteer extensively at Union Station Homeless Services, the largest homeless agency in eastern Los Angeles County. (This biographical statement provided by Mel Soriano.) Biographical Text Mel Soriano first came to this country as a child in 1969. Raised in a traditional Filipino Roman Catholic home, he was raised in the Chicago area before his family settled in Los Angeles. He is the product of parochial, public and--at the University of Southern California and Oxford University--private education He studied Psychobiology and Business Administration for his two stints at USC and read British History in the UK. In those days, Mel worked at the college yearbook, helped out at the One Institute Archives, did some LGBT young person support sessions in West Hollywood, did research with those who were suffering Alzheimer's and held hands with others dealing with the trauma AIDS. He started working in 1996 with a software firm that specialized in databases and web tools, which now also develops mobile apps. He converted to the Episcopal Church in 2000. He has served in All Saints Episcopal Church of Pasadena, which has the largest congregation west of the Mississippi. He sings for the church's Canterbury and Coventry Choirs, leads the weekly Taize worship services, advises as a Lay Counselor and serves as a Lay Eucharistic Minister and a Lay Visitation Minister. He has served on the Vestry (the parish's governing body), chaired the Pastoral Care and Congregational Development Committees and served on the Growth Committee. He has served as a New Member class leader, Greeter, Coffee host, Congregational Dinner host, and has given several adult education talks. Mel has been elected twice to the Board of Directors of Integrity USA, the LGBTQ group affiliated with the Episcopal Church. There he volunteers as the Communications Director and as Secretary, and helps manage the content on the web and social media. Mel has walked the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain several times. In spring 2016, he walked the 600 miles from Lourdes to Santiago de Compostela, sharing the Lourdes waters with those on the journey seeking healing. In fall 2017, he led a church group on the Camino. If you ever have questions about pilgrimages to Taize, the Camino, or Iona, he'll be glad to share with you his reflections from his blog LetAllWhoAreThirstyCome.com He married his best friend Stephen Mulder, a second grade teacher, in 2014 at All Saints Pasadena. They enjoy world travel, eating, cooking, and both volunteer extensively at Union Station Homeless Services, the largest homeless agency in eastern Los Angeles County. (This biographical statement provided by Mel Soriano.) 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 Mel Soriano All Saints Episcopal Church of Pasadena Episcopal Episcopal Church Integrity USA Mel Soriano Roman Catholic RTSA Ecumenical Planning Team Union Station Homeless Services https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/8154a5d335fedfe3bea0b37a38a14efb.jpg b165c1604ffd2eff6089b565eb0fb780 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/ca435187e37c881fbd7b23ea5d9a2cca.jpg 89985ecc297d3f97c526eaf8ac06bf20 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. Meghan (Church of the Covenant, Boston MA) Stole Text MEGHAN 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 771 Title A name given to the resource Meghan (Church of the Covenant, Boston MA) 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 Clergy Activist Feminism Massachusetts More Light Presbyterians for LGBT Concerns Open and Affirming in the UCC (ONA) Ordination Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Theology Women and Religion https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/f8d798748f1d5e7609529a126bf76142.jpg a5b8bd1e64097e33308d989b0054a9d9 Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Rev. Megan M. Rohrer is a transgender and gay pastor, activist, and passionate leader in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  Megan was born April 3, 1980 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Megan’s family was Lutheran and the most important church services for them were in their grandmother’s home. The church Megan’s family attended, St. Paul Lutheran, had a female pastor that the congregation assumed was a lesbian (although she did not openly identify as lesbian publicly). As a young adult in high school, Megan was involved in the church youth group and was strongly encouraged to pursue ministry. Another individual in the church outed Megan as gay to the youth director and the church kicked Megan out of the congregation. In 1998 Megan graduated from high school and enrolled in Augustana College, a private Evangelical Lutheran school in South Dakota, to study religion. In 1999, while serving as president of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Augustana, Megan held a screening of the movie, “Call To Witness,” a documentary that serves to educate the ELCA on the struggles and experiences of LGBT members and leaders.  Megan organized a forum along with the screening that was attended by several people from the documentary, including Pam Walton and Jeff Johnson. In reaction to the screening other students became violent and aggressive towards Megan and the guests of the forum. They said they would hang gay people from the goal posts on the athletic field, and would bang on Megan’s door at night threatening to rape them straight. When Megan went to class other students would sing hymns or throw holy water on Megan to, “heal”, them.  Megan moved off of campus and graduated in 2001. The campus pastor at Augustana encouraged Megan to pursue the candidacy process in the ELCA. The local Synod office offered for Megan to meet several celibate gay and lesbian pastors to discern whether Megan could be celibate and pursue ordination.  Megan did not want to lie in order to pursue candidacy and did not like being coached to navigate questions around sexuality in the candidacy interview. Megan decided to pause the ordination process and worked for a year in social work at a children’s shelter. One child in the shelter who was six years old and had attempted suicide twelve times told Megan that he was trying to kill himself before he became so bad that he would go to hell. In this moment Megan realized that they wanted to become a pastor in the Lutheran church so that kids could hear a different message from the pulpit. In 2002, Megan began seminary at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. Megan also took a position as director of a ministry to homeless persons, Welcome Ministry housed in Old First Presbyterian Church, San Francisco. She continues to serve that ministry. While at PLTS Megan was one of a few openly gay seminarians and witnessed many people being closeted as a result of church policy, social stigma, or intersecting issues such as document and visa status.  Megan decided to transfer to the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California in 2004. At this time 70% of PSR’s student body identified as LGBTQIA which felt like a stronger community for Megan to be studying within. Megan was one of the pastors to participate in the extraordinary candidacy process in the ECLA. Megan was ordained in 2006 and was the first person to openly identify as transgender in this candidacy process. During this time the ECLA expelled and censured several congregations in San Francisco for participating in the extraordinary candidacy process to ordain, affirm, or call LGBTQ pastors. In 2009, Megan attended the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis and slept on the streets to raise awareness of experiences of homelessness. Megan spoke to the Assembly about how many homeless youth had come to San Francisco to escape religious persecution in their towns of origin. Erma Wolf, the founder of Word Alone (an anti-gay organization), approached Megan at the Assembly. Erma told Megan that if the church focused on ministries such as Megan’s, it would be going in the right direction. She asked to pray together and Megan agreed, even though they were both aware that they would be praying for conflicting outcomes on the Assembly’s vote on LGBT issues. Megan recalls that day with because right after the assembly voted to change policy to include LGBTQ pastors by a vote of 66.6 percent, the building was also hit by a tornado. After the Assembly Megan and Erma were invited to collaborate on a blog together and reflect and respond to the changes in the church. The wider church felt that their collaboration would be a prime example of how to relate and stay united through difference and disagreement. In 2010, the Council of U.S Bishops created a Rite of Reconciliation to address the situation of pastors who had been barred prior to the change in policy.  This rite served to receive and reinstall pastors to the ECLA roster.  On July 25, 2010 Megan and six others were officially received and reinstated to the ELCA roster at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco—150 clergy presided, 900 people attended with 700 more on live-stream. Ironically, St. Mark’s had been the site of the 1990 trial that had expelled and censured congregations who had called openly and non-celibate LGBT pastors. From 2010 onward, Megan has helped lead several different ministries and social justice projects. This includes the Urban Share Community Gardening Project, the Free Farm to produce local vegetables to residents in S.F, the Growing Home Community Garden, and the Community of Travelers (a spiritual theological group at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, SF).  She co-edited the book Letters for My Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect (2011) with Zander Keig.  Megan has also helped write and coordinate several services that incorporate contemporary music including Masses centered on the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, and 80’s music. In 2014, Megan was installed as pastor at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of San Francisco.  Megan describes this congregation as a wonderful place to heal and one of the most welcoming communities they have ever been a part of.  Megan intends to continue working with this congregation, as well as begin several projects that address the experiences and needs of transgender seminarians in the ECLA. (This biographical statement written by Sonny Duncan from an interview with Rev. Megan Roher.) Biographical Text Rev. Megan M. Rohrer is a transgender and gay pastor, activist, and passionate leader in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  Megan was born April 3, 1980 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Megan’s family was Lutheran and the most important church services for them were in their grandmother’s home. The church Megan’s family attended, St. Paul Lutheran, had a female pastor that the congregation assumed was a lesbian (although she did not openly identify as lesbian publicly). As a young adult in high school, Megan was involved in the church youth group and was strongly encouraged to pursue ministry. Another individual in the church outed Megan as gay to the youth director and the church kicked Megan out of the congregation. In 1998 Megan graduated from high school and enrolled in Augustana College, a private Evangelical Lutheran school in South Dakota, to study religion. In 1999, while serving as president of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Augustana, Megan held a screening of the movie, “Call To Witness,” a documentary that serves to educate the ELCA on the struggles and experiences of LGBT members and leaders.  Megan organized a forum along with the screening that was attended by several people from the documentary, including Pam Walton and Jeff Johnson. In reaction to the screening other students became violent and aggressive towards Megan and the guests of the forum. They said they would hang gay people from the goal posts on the athletic field, and would bang on Megan’s door at night threatening to rape them straight. When Megan went to class other students would sing hymns or throw holy water on Megan to, “heal”, them.  Megan moved off of campus and graduated in 2001. The campus pastor at Augustana encouraged Megan to pursue the candidacy process in the ELCA. The local Synod office offered for Megan to meet several celibate gay and lesbian pastors to discern whether Megan could be celibate and pursue ordination.  Megan did not want to lie in order to pursue candidacy and did not like being coached to navigate questions around sexuality in the candidacy interview. Megan decided to pause the ordination process and worked for a year in social work at a children’s shelter. One child in the shelter who was six years old and had attempted suicide twelve times told Megan that he was trying to kill himself before he became so bad that he would go to hell. In this moment Megan realized that they wanted to become a pastor in the Lutheran church so that kids could hear a different message from the pulpit. In 2002, Megan began seminary at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. Megan also took a position as director of a ministry to homeless persons, Welcome Ministry housed in Old First Presbyterian Church, San Francisco. She continues to serve that ministry. While at PLTS Megan was one of a few openly gay seminarians and witnessed many people being closeted as a result of church policy, social stigma, or intersecting issues such as document and visa status.  Megan decided to transfer to the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California in 2004. At this time 70% of PSR’s student body identified as LGBTQIA which felt like a stronger community for Megan to be studying within. Megan was one of the pastors to participate in the extraordinary candidacy process in the ECLA. Megan was ordained in 2006 and was the first person to openly identify as transgender in this candidacy process. During this time the ECLA expelled and censured several congregations in San Francisco for participating in the extraordinary candidacy process to ordain, affirm, or call LGBTQ pastors. In 2009, Megan attended the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis and slept on the streets to raise awareness of experiences of homelessness. Megan spoke to the Assembly about how many homeless youth had come to San Francisco to escape religious persecution in their towns of origin. Erma Wolf, the founder of Word Alone (an anti-gay organization), approached Megan at the Assembly. Erma told Megan that if the church focused on ministries such as Megan’s, it would be going in the right direction. She asked to pray together and Megan agreed, even though they were both aware that they would be praying for conflicting outcomes on the Assembly’s vote on LGBT issues. Megan recalls that day with because right after the assembly voted to change policy to include LGBTQ pastors by a vote of 66.6 percent, the building was also hit by a tornado. After the Assembly Megan and Erma were invited to collaborate on a blog together and reflect and respond to the changes in the church. The wider church felt that their collaboration would be a prime example of how to relate and stay united through difference and disagreement. In 2010, the Council of U.S Bishops created a Rite of Reconciliation to address the situation of pastors who had been barred prior to the change in policy.  This rite served to receive and reinstall pastors to the ECLA roster.  On July 25, 2010 Megan and six others were officially received and reinstated to the ELCA roster at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco—150 clergy presided, 900 people attended with 700 more on live-stream. Ironically, St. Mark’s had been the site of the 1990 trial that had expelled and censured congregations who had called openly and non-celibate LGBT pastors. From 2010 onward, Megan has helped lead several different ministries and social justice projects. This includes the Urban Share Community Gardening Project, the Free Farm to produce local vegetables to residents in S.F, the Growing Home Community Garden, and the Community of Travelers (a spiritual theological group at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, SF).  She co-edited the book Letters for My Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect (2011) with Zander Keig.  Megan has also helped write and coordinate several services that incorporate contemporary music including Masses centered on the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, and 80’s music. In 2014, Megan was installed as pastor at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of San Francisco.  Megan describes this congregation as a wonderful place to heal and one of the most welcoming communities they have ever been a part of.  Megan intends to continue working with this congregation, as well as begin several projects that address the experiences and needs of transgender seminarians in the ECLA. (This biographical statement written by Sonny Duncan from an interview with Rev. Megan Roher.) 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 Megan Rohrer Megan Rohrer https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/9f71890287ed9521506cbf9760c55bb2.jpg a5b8bd1e64097e33308d989b0054a9d9 Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Rev. Megan M. Rohrer is a transgender and gay pastor, activist, and passionate leader in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Megan was born April 3, 1980 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Megan’s family was Lutheran and the most important church services for them were in their grandmother’s home. The church Megan’s family attended, St. Paul Lutheran, had a female pastor that the congregation assumed was a lesbian (although she did not openly identify as lesbian publicly). As a young adult in high school, Megan was involved in the church youth group and was strongly encouraged to pursue ministry. Another individual in the church outed Megan as gay to the youth director and the church kicked Megan out of the congregation. In 1998 Megan graduated from high school and enrolled in Augustana College, a private Evangelical Lutheran school in South Dakota, to study religion. In 1999, while serving as president of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Augustana, Megan held a screening of the movie, “Call To Witness,” a documentary that serves to educate the ELCA on the struggles and experiences of LGBT members and leaders. Megan organized a forum along with the screening that was attended by several people from the documentary, including Pam Walton and Jeff Johnson. In reaction to the screening other students became violent and aggressive towards Megan and the guests of the forum. They said they would hang gay people from the goal posts on the athletic field, and would bang on Megan’s door at night threatening to rape them straight. When Megan went to class other students would sing hymns or throw holy water on Megan to, “heal”, them. Megan moved off of campus and graduated in 2001. The campus pastor at Augustana encouraged Megan to pursue the candidacy process in the ELCA. The local Synod office offered for Megan to meet several celibate gay and lesbian pastors to discern whether Megan could be celibate and pursue ordination. Megan did not want to lie in order to pursue candidacy and did not like being coached to navigate questions around sexuality in the candidacy interview. Megan decided to pause the ordination process and worked for a year in social work at a children’s shelter. One child in the shelter who was six years old and had attempted suicide twelve times told Megan that he was trying to kill himself before he became so bad that he would go to hell. In this moment Megan realized that they wanted to become a pastor in the Lutheran church so that kids could hear a different message from the pulpit. In 2002, Megan began seminary at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. Megan also took a position as director of a ministry to homeless persons, Welcome Ministry housed in Old First Presbyterian Church, San Francisco. She continues to serve that ministry. While at PLTS Megan was one of a few openly gay seminarians and witnessed many people being closeted as a result of church policy, social stigma, or intersecting issues such as document and visa status. Megan decided to transfer to the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California in 2004. At this time 70% of PSR’s student body identified as LGBTQIA which felt like a stronger community for Megan to be studying within. Megan was one of the pastors to participate in the extraordinary candidacy process in the ECLA. Megan was ordained in 2006 and was the first person to openly identify as transgender in this candidacy process. During this time the ECLA expelled and censured several congregations in San Francisco for participating in the extraordinary candidacy process to ordain, affirm, or call LGBTQ pastors. In 2009, Megan attended the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis and slept on the streets to raise awareness of experiences of homelessness. Megan spoke to the Assembly about how many homeless youth had come to San Francisco to escape religious persecution in their towns of origin. Erma Wolf, the founder of Word Alone (an anti-gay organization), approached Megan at the Assembly. Erma told Megan that if the church focused on ministries such as Megan’s, it would be going in the right direction. She asked to pray together and Megan agreed, even though they were both aware that they would be praying for conflicting outcomes on the Assembly’s vote on LGBT issues. Megan recalls that day with because right after the assembly voted to change policy to include LGBTQ pastors by a vote of 66.6 percent, the building was also hit by a tornado. After the Assembly Megan and Erma were invited to collaborate on a blog together and reflect and respond to the changes in the church. The wider church felt that their collaboration would be a prime example of how to relate and stay united through difference and disagreement. In 2010, the Council of U.S Bishops created a Rite of Reconciliation to address the situation of pastors who had been barred prior to the change in policy. This rite served to receive and reinstall pastors to the ECLA roster. On July 25, 2010 Megan and six others were officially received and reinstated to the ELCA roster at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco—150 clergy presided, 900 people attended with 700 more on live-stream. Ironically, St. Mark’s had been the site of the 1990 trial that had expelled and censured congregations who had called openly and non-celibate LGBT pastors. From 2010 onward, Megan has helped lead several different ministries and social justice projects. This includes the Urban Share Community Gardening Project, the Free Farm to produce local vegetables to residents in S.F, the Growing Home Community Garden, and the Community of Travelers (a spiritual theological group at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, SF). She co-edited the book Letters for My Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect (2011) with Zander Keig. Megan has also helped write and coordinate several services that incorporate contemporary music including Masses centered on the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, and 80’s music. In 2014, Megan was installed as pastor at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of San Francisco. Megan describes this congregation as a wonderful place to heal and one of the most welcoming communities they have ever been a part of. Megan intends to continue working with this congregation, as well as begin several projects that address the experiences and needs of transgender seminarians in the ECLA. (This biographical statement written by Sonny Duncan from an interview with Rev. Megan Roher.) Biographical Text Rev. Megan M. Rohrer is a transgender and gay pastor, activist, and passionate leader in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Megan was born April 3, 1980 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Megan’s family was Lutheran and the most important church services for them were in their grandmother’s home. The church Megan’s family attended, St. Paul Lutheran, had a female pastor that the congregation assumed was a lesbian (although she did not openly identify as lesbian publicly). As a young adult in high school, Megan was involved in the church youth group and was strongly encouraged to pursue ministry. Another individual in the church outed Megan as gay to the youth director and the church kicked Megan out of the congregation. In 1998 Megan graduated from high school and enrolled in Augustana College, a private Evangelical Lutheran school in South Dakota, to study religion. In 1999, while serving as president of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Augustana, Megan held a screening of the movie, “Call To Witness,” a documentary that serves to educate the ELCA on the struggles and experiences of LGBT members and leaders. Megan organized a forum along with the screening that was attended by several people from the documentary, including Pam Walton and Jeff Johnson. In reaction to the screening other students became violent and aggressive towards Megan and the guests of the forum. They said they would hang gay people from the goal posts on the athletic field, and would bang on Megan’s door at night threatening to rape them straight. When Megan went to class other students would sing hymns or throw holy water on Megan to, “heal”, them. Megan moved off of campus and graduated in 2001. The campus pastor at Augustana encouraged Megan to pursue the candidacy process in the ELCA. The local Synod office offered for Megan to meet several celibate gay and lesbian pastors to discern whether Megan could be celibate and pursue ordination. Megan did not want to lie in order to pursue candidacy and did not like being coached to navigate questions around sexuality in the candidacy interview. Megan decided to pause the ordination process and worked for a year in social work at a children’s shelter. One child in the shelter who was six years old and had attempted suicide twelve times told Megan that he was trying to kill himself before he became so bad that he would go to hell. In this moment Megan realized that they wanted to become a pastor in the Lutheran church so that kids could hear a different message from the pulpit. In 2002, Megan began seminary at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. Megan also took a position as director of a ministry to homeless persons, Welcome Ministry housed in Old First Presbyterian Church, San Francisco. She continues to serve that ministry. While at PLTS Megan was one of a few openly gay seminarians and witnessed many people being closeted as a result of church policy, social stigma, or intersecting issues such as document and visa status. Megan decided to transfer to the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California in 2004. At this time 70% of PSR’s student body identified as LGBTQIA which felt like a stronger community for Megan to be studying within. Megan was one of the pastors to participate in the extraordinary candidacy process in the ECLA. Megan was ordained in 2006 and was the first person to openly identify as transgender in this candidacy process. During this time the ECLA expelled and censured several congregations in San Francisco for participating in the extraordinary candidacy process to ordain, affirm, or call LGBTQ pastors. In 2009, Megan attended the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis and slept on the streets to raise awareness of experiences of homelessness. Megan spoke to the Assembly about how many homeless youth had come to San Francisco to escape religious persecution in their towns of origin. Erma Wolf, the founder of Word Alone (an anti-gay organization), approached Megan at the Assembly. Erma told Megan that if the church focused on ministries such as Megan’s, it would be going in the right direction. She asked to pray together and Megan agreed, even though they were both aware that they would be praying for conflicting outcomes on the Assembly’s vote on LGBT issues. Megan recalls that day with because right after the assembly voted to change policy to include LGBTQ pastors by a vote of 66.6 percent, the building was also hit by a tornado. After the Assembly Megan and Erma were invited to collaborate on a blog together and reflect and respond to the changes in the church. The wider church felt that their collaboration would be a prime example of how to relate and stay united through difference and disagreement. In 2010, the Council of U.S Bishops created a Rite of Reconciliation to address the situation of pastors who had been barred prior to the change in policy. This rite served to receive and reinstall pastors to the ECLA roster. On July 25, 2010 Megan and six others were officially received and reinstated to the ELCA roster at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco—150 clergy presided, 900 people attended with 700 more on live-stream. Ironically, St. Mark’s had been the site of the 1990 trial that had expelled and censured congregations who had called openly and non-celibate LGBT pastors. From 2010 onward, Megan has helped lead several different ministries and social justice projects. This includes the Urban Share Community Gardening Project, the Free Farm to produce local vegetables to residents in S.F, the Growing Home Community Garden, and the Community of Travelers (a spiritual theological group at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, SF). She co-edited the book Letters for My Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect (2011) with Zander Keig. Megan has also helped write and coordinate several services that incorporate contemporary music including Masses centered on the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, and 80’s music. In 2014, Megan was installed as pastor at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of San Francisco. Megan describes this congregation as a wonderful place to heal and one of the most welcoming communities they have ever been a part of. Megan intends to continue working with this congregation, as well as begin several projects that address the experiences and needs of transgender seminarians in the ECLA. (This biographical statement written by Sonny Duncan from an interview with Rev. Megan Roher.) 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 Megan Rhorer ELCA Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of San Francisco. Lutheran Megan Rhorer RTSA Ecumenical Planning Team