76 20 2479 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/62fdeaf23b965894b79789dcfcae84a1.pdf 9619ab2ebe8d203976b9b2d3369f372c Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Volume Number The volume number of the issue 7 Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 2 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1991 Publication Date The date the issue was published Fall 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 Open Hands Vol 7 No 2 - Bisexuality: Perceptions & Realities https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/0192271ad7172b13d97048227d1fb72b.pdf e6cbbf6715648b7e20720355b49efd2d Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Volume Number The volume number of the issue 7 Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 3 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1992 Publication Date The date the issue was published Winter 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 Open Hands Vol 7 No 3 - Creating Alliances: Lesbian/Gay, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Persons Working Together For Change https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/35ce9a53491a51d7e65e5910cf29fe12.pdf 3fca62949b33266fa8c4953ed0c1bbde Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Volume Number The volume number of the issue 7 Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 4 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1992 Publication Date The date the issue was published Spring 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 Open Hands Vol 7 No 4 - Living God's Call: Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals in Ministry https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/9fef1933208433099586fdc565f61517.pdf eb250298446935c44b789ae57f1eebf3 Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Volume Number The volume number of the issue 8 Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 1 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1992 Publication Date The date the issue was published Summer Text Any textual data included in the document "Is your heart true to my heart as mine . ? Ilf' lS to yours. ... tt lS, gwe me your hand. " 2 Kings 10:15 __ --~ --Reconciling Ministries with Lesbians and Gay Men Vol. 8 No. 1 Summer 1992 , ' ..... / /~~/"-~" ~ , '\ \. / / /"// -----",~"\"'" '\ Our Spirituality: f (I / ( ;,. ::----:,"', \\ ,\\ \ \ .How Sexual Expression f ( ( I '0 \\\ \\and Sexual Oppression , Sh I , , ')' \\ J I \ \ \ \ \ \ \ /; ), I' I • • ,. ape t \ \. ~ '--/ \ \ \..'" '-----, ~'--.-" \. $5.00 . Summer 1992 Open Hands is published quarterly · by the Reconciling Congregation : Program, Inc., as a resource for · congregations and individuals seeking · to be in ministry with lesbians and · gay men. Each issue of Open Hands · focuses on a particular area of · concern related to gay men and : lesbians within the church. The Reconciling Congregation · Program is a network of United · Methodist local churches that publicly · affirm their ministry with the whole · family of God and welcome lesbians : and gay men into their community of · faith. In this network, Reconciling · Congregations find strength and support as they strive to overcome · the divisions caused by prejudice and · homophobia in our church and in our society. Reconciling Congregations · along with their kindred More Light (Presbyterian), Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ/Disciples of Christ), Reconciled-in-Christ (Lutheran), and Welcoming (Unitarian : Universalist) congregations-offer · hope that the church can be a · reconciled community. To enable local churches to engage · in these ministries, the Reconciling · Congregation Program provides : resource materials, including Open · Hands. Informatitm about the · program and these resources can be · obtained from: Reconciling Congregation Program 3801 N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 Phone: 312 / 736-5526 Fax: 312 / 736-5475 · 2 · Our Spirituality: How Sexual Expression and Sexual Oppression Shape It · An Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 4 Chris Glaser · INTEGRATING SPIRITUALITY AND SEXUALITY: PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES I Don't Get Baptized Anymore ........................................... 6 Mark King Mending the Split. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6 Anonymous Touching God, Touching Yourself, Being Touched ......................... 8 George Wilson · Death and Incest ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9 Melinda Valiant McLain : A Spirituality of Creative Marginality ................... ... . . .. . ........... 10 Eric H. F. Law · Learning to Love the Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12 Howard Rice · Love Between Monastic Women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12 E. Ann Matter SEXUALITY AND WORSHIP The Body in Worship ................................................... 14 Zalmon O. Sherwood The Dangerous Song of the Wild Geese: Sexuality and Liturgy. . . . . . . . . . .. 15 Elizabeth Stuart The Worship Process and Word Processing ............................... 17 John S. Rice Sustaining the Spirit ...................................................... 18 We Sing to Live Jon Bailey · Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 19 · A Closing Co-Editor's Note ................................................ 20 It's Time to Say Good-bye and Be On My Journey Bradley Rymph · Letters ........................ ............ ................................ 21 · RCP Report ......... .... ................ .. .............. .. ................ 22 Open Hands I Our Spirituality: How Sexual Expression and Sexual Oppression Shape It :\ this issue of OpenHands, people from various embodiments describe their ;pirituality with specific reference to how sexual oppression and sexual expressIOn. h h d 't I. Thi'S Issue,s coord'mator, Ch'ns Gl . . 11 h ave s ape aser, mtentiona y as selected people with different sexualities, spiritualities, and embodiments because, to more fully know the Body of Christ (as Paul conceptualized the church), we must know more about members of that body. Our experience of God is incomplete without that knowledge. Ironically, the only prospective authors who declined Chris's invitation out of fear of the church's political climate were heterosexual! We open with Chris providing a theological and personal context by framing this issue's central question-how do sexual expression and sexual oppression shape our spirituality? In the personal stories that follow, we hear the plaintive cry of a gay man living with HIV without the support of religious belief, the quandary of a bisexual campus pastor trying to live out ''both-and,'' and the difficult discovery of a heterosexual pastor that spiritual quest and sexual embodiment go together. We hear the voices of a survivor of incest no longer afraid of death, of a Chinese American who desperately tried to fit into American society, and of a differently abled professor trying to learn to love his body. From a more generalized, analytical viewpoint, we read of the lesbian and gay experience in history, the body in worship, worship that is unique to us, and worship as an agent of social change. As a closing feature, this issue's "Sustaining the Spirit" tells us of the singing witness of the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles as it confronts AIDS-reminding us that much of the spirituality of the lesbian and gay community is "nonspecific" yet is possibly more vital and accessible than anything the church has to offer. Chris Glaser dedicates his work on this issue of Open Hands in memory and thanksgiving for: • A loving couple who helped shape our spirituality through different communities: Lyle Loder through Affirmation and Jack Frost through the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles; and • An individual whose life embodied the gentleness of Jesus and whose writing and editing reflected God's creativity: David Jessup. Next Issue's Theme: Age-Related Issues in the Lesbian / Gay Community Summer 1992 · Reconciling Congregation · ProgramCoordinator · Mark Bowman . . Open Hands Co-Editors . Betsy 1. Halsey . B dl R h . ra ey ymp . This Issue's Coordinator . Chris Glaser · Editorial Assistant Van Dixon · Graphic Design/Cover Illustration · Brenda Roth Open Hands is published four times a year. Subscription is $16 for four issues ($20 outside the United States). Single copies, including back issues, are available for $5 each; quantities of 10 or more are $3 each. Permission to reprint is granted upon request. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcomed and will be acknowledged if they are scheduled to be published. Subscriptions, letters to the editors, manuscripts, requests for advertising rates and information, and other correspondence should be sent to: Open Hands 3801 N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 Phone: 312 / 736-5526 Fax: 312 / 736-5475 Copyright © 1992 by the Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. Open Hands is a registered trademark. Winner, 1992 Award of Merit for "General Excellence," The Associated Church Press. · ISSN 0888-8833 *Printed on recycled paper. 3 Our Spirituality: · How Sexual Expression and Sexual Oppression Shape It-An Introduction · by Chris Glaser · 4 · W hen asked to serve as coordinator for an issue of . Open Hands that focused on · sexuality and spirituality, I was hon· ored. I have read, contemplated, · spoken, and written about the rela· tionship of spirituality and sexuality · for 20 years-this summer marks my · . 20th anniversary out of the closet, as .' well as the 15th anniversary of the · Lazarus Project,1 which I directed for · 10 years. Both events required an · understanding and an explanation of · the integrity of sexuality and spirituality. Coming out of the closet, I under· stood myself as a gay Christian, a term that many Christians still con· sider an oxymoron. Initiating a minis· try for gay and lesbian Christians · involved explaining the juxtaposition · of sexuality and spirituality not only to the church but also to the lesbian and gay community, many of whom · believed they needed to make a choice · between their sexuality and their faith. To be quite honest, I have become · a little tired and a little bored by this · topic. As I try to put my finger on the · reason why, I have come to the con· clusion that it is because of the apolo· getic way in which those of us who · do this type of work need to broach · the subject in a earth-and-body-deny· ing Christian church. Despite the · earthiness of Yahweh, forming the · first human out of earth, despite the · sensual touch of Jesus' miracles, from · turning water to wine to placing mud · made from spit on a blind man's eyes, · and despite the emphasis of the early · church on baptism by immersion, · communion by ingestion, and resur· rection of the body, the early church · fathers whored after the false god of a · spirit and body duality derived from · Hellenistic and Persian thought. In presentations, I have spoken of "the dance of spirituality and sexual· ity," and sometimes have been ques· tioned about whether the image · doesn't conjure up yet another dual· ity. I believe it does, and reveals our · limitation in how we usually frame the discussion. A cynical gay friend · of mine may have been closer to the · truth when he once quipped sarcastically, "To you, sexuality is spirituality." He might conclude the same of those Open Hands who write in the field, such as theologians Carter Heyward and James B. Nelson. To even talk or write about sexuality and spirituality suggests a duality that we are all trying to overcome by speaking of their integrity. Their integrity is, in one sense, inherent, not simply a product of integration. For erotic power drives them both. Eros, that passion for communion with the other, is as integral to the spiritual quest as to the sexual quest. Yet the discussion of sexuality and spirituality is only one door, I believe, into the broader discussion of body and spirit. Unconsciously for me, the valuing of embodiment led me first to concerns of social justice: equality regardless of embodiment. Hunger, war, racism, sexism, domination, exploitation, control, pollution, etc.: virtually all evils-political and personal-arise from a devaluing of someone's or some group's or earth's embodiment. As I reacted against this denial of the body in other areas, I became aware of the denial of my own embodied experience: my sexuality. But though the Body of Christ, the church, served relatively well in challenging other forms of what might be called embodiment injustice, it became the opposition in matters of sexual justice for women, gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals. Patriarchy largely accounts for this. The images of a celibate Christ and a misogynist Paul don't counter this oppositionthough Jesus' behavior toward women and Paul's liberating ideas do, and could lead the church beyond patriarchy and sexual injustice. The central theological assertion of Christianity is that God became flesh in Jesus Christ. Implicit in this understanding is that the divine and the human can come together, and that the body is as hallowed as the spirit, and that embodiment is how we come to know God. Even when the body of Jesus of Nazareth left us, we were not left without an embodiment, as Paul conceptualized the church as the Body of Christ. We know God through our bodies and through God's body, or we do not know God at all. That means we know God through our sexuality as well. Summer 1992 In the process of thinking about how sexual oppression and sexual expression have shaped our spirituality, we each might re-view our individual spiritual development. For example, as a youth, sexual oppression prompted my long talks with God, the foundation of a personal · prayer life in which I also learned to listen for God in my embodied experience. The negative signals about sexuality and homosexuality that all · children receive made me seek out God's unconditionally loving presence. Homophobia that drove a homosexual member from my childhood church helped me to identify the injustice he experienced in the guise of "Christian concern" and called me into the "body politic" -the political life of both church and society. Acceptance of my sexuality, on the other hand, led me to recognize and to enjoy my gay love as a gift from God, causing me to theologize anew and interpret scripture afresh in college. It also helped me to believe in God in times of doubt, since, as I recently heard · Jim Nelson say, "Pleasure is the strongest argument for the existence of God." Integration of my being gay and Christian created within me a passion for a ministry of reconciliation between the church and the les · bian, gay, and bisexual communities. · Now, the church's long delay in acceptance and my community's experience of AIDS reveals to me a necessary · eternal perspective-of God's even · tual vindication of our just cause, as well as of God's everlasting embrace of each one of us-and an expansive perspective-of spirituality unconfined to closets of particular dogmas and creeds and communities. Prayer, justice, theology, scripture, pleasure, passion, and vision characterize the spirituality God has graciously shaped within me by experiences of sexual oppression and sexual expression. Yet I could not have put seemingly random events into a context of · meaning were it not for the body of · Jesus who touched the Body of · Christ, which then embraced me. I · had never realized before that through embodiment-with all of its suffering and all of its glory-God --0-We know God through our bodies and through God's body, or we do not know God at all. That means we know God through our sexuality as well. ------10'----could call forth a well-rounded spirituality. God's Word did and can . become flesh. For the church, for us, to embrace a well-rounded spirituality means reaching out with open hands to embrace the Incarnation and the incarnation, God-with-us and God-withinus. We need one another's embodiments to expand our experience and enjoyment of God . .... REFERENCE 1 The Lazarus Project-based at the West Hollywood Presbyterian Church in California- is a ministry that works to reconcile the church with the lesbian/gay community. Chris Glaser is the coordinator for this issue of Open Hands and is the author of three books: Uncommon Calling: A Gay Man's Struggle to Serve the Church; Come Home! Reclaiming Spirituality and Ministry as Gay Men and Lesbians; and Coming Out to God: Prayers for Lesbians, Gay Men, Their Families and Friends. 5 INTEGRATING SPIRITUALITY AND SEXUALITY o I Don't Get Baptized Anymore o by Mark King At a Methodist summer camp ished me from ever worshipping o o o o o when I was a young teenager, I there again. o enjoyed the guilty pleasure of youth-I don't get baptized anymore. o o ful, experimental sex with another o boy in our secluded cabin in the That was all a lifetime ago. Now, o o o o woods. We never discussed it after-at 31, I've grown weary of search- wards, never tried it with each other ing for an undefinable God. I say this o oo again, and probably prayed with after many tears, because I would like o oo equal fervor that the act be erased nothing more than to believe in some- o oo from our hearts and souls. thing good out there. When my friends o oo o o H would not be the first time that are dying of AIDS, it would be comreligion and my sexuality would forting to know that they were being o o directly square off in a fight for my taken to a loving and accepting God. I o o o o o o loyalties. Just as that summer was could use that assurance myself. oo both a spiritual and sexual awakening When my best friend lay dying of o oo for me, so the next 10 years became a AIDS, hopelessly disbelieving of any search for a resolution between the spiritual afterlife, I watched with soro oo o o two. The search has been a sincere, row mixed with intense interest. I exhausting, and fruitless one. looked for God in the room when he o o I used to get baptized at the thump drew his final breath, for the curtains o of a Bible. In my teenage years follow-to move, for a spirit to pass. There was o o ing camp, I saw each baptism as a no one, and I believe my friend, my o o new chance to wash clean the homo-dear brother, died ultimately alone. o o o sexual thoughts and acts I had experi-I haven't stopped looking for God, o o enced. My parents weren't especially although I've stopped looking in religious, and I would secretly attend church. I try to see God in a beautiful o o o revivals and Christian youth meetings o of every kind. I was baptized Metho odist, Catholic, and Baptist (a number Mending the Split o of times-they love to dunk). Anonymous As I came to terms with my homo-o o o sexuality, though, it became harder to E verything I learned about sexual- o o o accept these religions and their ver-ity I learned by observing my o o o sion of God on their own terms. I was own unfolding. Yet my coming out o o o trying very hard to accept my sexual-took years because of polarization in o o o ity and be proud of it, but there was the spiritual-sexual world I inhabited. o o o no religious doctrine to back me up. I knew mother and father, women o o o By 17, I hid being gay entirely, got and men, hetero-and homo-sexualities-o o o baptized again, and joined the Mor-and the twain never met. As I grew, o o o mon Church. I sincerely liked the the external splittings I observed were o o o people there because they had strong gradually mirrored within; and once _ o o o families and the young people my age internalized, took on a life of their o o o really seemed to take an interest in own. Only much later could I feel the o o o their religious culture. I finally opened urge to connection within myself that o o o up to a church member about my had long been submerged. But that is o sexuality and was immediately ex-o getting ahead of the story. : o communicated. The very family val-I think I first discovered the split o o o ues I admired about the church ban-linguistically. As woman-child trying : 6 day or the eyes of a loved one, but in nothing much more religious. I am HIV positive, and can't help but think my time here is limited. I am not looking forward to the pain of illness, but what terrifies me is dying without the comfort of believing I am going to that ''better place" I've heard so much about. I feel there is still time for me to come to some sort of belief, but I feel so burned from years of trial and failure. I know I'm a good person. I know I've conducted a thorough and sincere search for God, taking many years and trying many religions. My question is this. If I have taken half my life trying to find God, why won't God take just a moment to find me? Mark King is the director of public relations for the Los Angeles Shanti Foundation, which provides counseling and education to those affected by HIV and AIDS. "Shanti" is Sanskrit for "inner peace." to frame my own reality in speech, I was silenced and unable to describe myself to those "in charge." I experimen ted with other languages-those of different countries and cultures; those of art, music, and poetry. I became bilingual in French and English. But, more interestingly, I became bilingual in the languages of male-and femaleness, of power and submission, separation and relation. I learned to speak them well and became an academic success. Although true integration did not, perhaps could not, occur, it was a start. I became fascinated with speech and began taking voice lessons. One Open Hands INTEGRATING SPIRITUALITY AND SEXUALITY .fgving (jod, :Your lieaUng embrace is sealed in our Iiearts; Waters cannot quencli tfr.e streams ofyour fove, nor can tlie risingffootfs arO'Uln it. rrotfay be witli tliose wlio tnow twin rivers in ourfoving, wlio sing 'tlie wliofe ofyour song in one breatli. (jemini, we tliriflto tlie auai toucli ofwomen anamen in your Iiofy creation; We see you in images retfoubfetl anafoulyour sfiafom in fove sjuffness. ~totliers, misuntlerstooaanafearful, woultl spfit usfrom our se[ves anaaiminisli us by liafj, forcing clioices. rroucli our liearts anacreate us anew, 0 (jod, tliat we may a£[ freefy anafaitlijuffy imagine tliegforious realm ofyour foving. 'Dearest Jesus, We remember tlie fJJefovetl1Jiscipfe sIieatl on your breast, anatlie [ift-giving toucliing between you anawomen. We tnowyou openetl to fove freefy,giving witliout stereotyping anawitliout counting tlie cost. rreacli us anatoucIi us as we cross oft{boundaries, rewriting tlie maps ofLove s journey in our fives. 'BefoveaLover anaSpiritfrientl, Jfelp us tnow in ourse{ves anawelCome in otliers tlie ricIi possi6i[ities fqr foving you in tlie Wqrft£. May we arinkJrom your fiving waters, anatnow tlie ever/lowing streams of your fove in our 0'UIn foving, witli eacIi otlier anawitli you. In yourstrong name we pray. .9lmen. -f}Jise~woman offaitli Reprinted from The Healing Touch-Embodying Christianity, the 1992 More Light Prayer Book (January issue of the newsletter of Presbyterians for Lesbian &Gay Concerns). day, I stopped dead in my tentative tracks when I read the title of my teacher's text: Freeing the Natural Voice. I realized that, although I had learned many languages and sung many songs, my natural voice still eluded me. From then on, my journey was intensely spiritual and sexual. I was born "holy," as we all are; yet as child and woman drawn to God, I found only walls, outdated maps. Liturgy's language for humans and God loomed an insurmountable barrier. Doors to ordination were shut tight. And God, who was clearly sexual, was also clearly heterosexual and male. Summer 1992 "What was a girl to do?" Like · many of my sisters, I married a per · son I wanted to be. Not recognizing · the need for reunion within myself, I · tried forced complementarity with · out. Of course, it was as untenable a · resolution to the splittings I experi · enced as was bilingualism: it was arti · ficial at the core. Yet, as I experienced • the limping oneness of the two of us, · I continued to observe myself and God, and to grow. The necessary missing piece for · me fell in the field of inclusive lan· guage, and especially God-language. · Talking about it in "secular feminist" · circles didn't resolve my dilemma, nor did reading about it in the feminist theological tomes I devoured. The practice of worship was necessary for me: repeated worship in which the image of God was re-presented in a multiplicity of ways: feminine, masculine, and more. I needed to worship . in order to imagine and experience the fullness of God's sexuality. I had eons of dualistic thinking to erase before arriving at a fully erotic Godimage and, of course, a fully lovable and loving self. Mending the split began when I was able to "experience my own experience" of loving both women and men. It began with learning to love the me that had been declared unacceptable, whose erotic energies fit no one's definitions. It began with learning that healthy connection with women and men lovers rested on connection within myself of my sundered selves. When God's sexuality was liberated from reductionist divisions, so was my own; and in God's lovely wholeness my own reunion became possible. My personal journey even makes language of ambi/bisexuality seem restrictive. I love God/others/myself. I experience relationships with one/ more/none at a given time. I know man and woman; celibacy; auto-eroticism; and in seconds, over time, at once, in stages. I have friends/lovers (present and past) / alone time. I know a spilling-over of Love's possibilities, and they are all good. To the world, of course, I am bisexual. I unabashedly love men and women, and I live alone. I socialize with one or another; I am invited out alone-and in the latter case I am called to play many roles, both those stereotypically feminine and masculine, from my wholeness. There are no longer barriers on my self-expression or the exercising of my being. And I understand Godlikeness far more fully as I freely know God and others. 7 1 N T E G RAT 1 N G S P 1 R 1 T U ALI T Y AND SEX U A L °1 T Y learn that I am not, after all, so discontinuous with myself in my sexual! spiritual pilgrimage. That I should "feel after" and now and then "find" some space where wholeness and release are both spiritual and sexual with Ann (neither over or upon or by her) is an experience of grace. Such discoveries and gifts have encouraged me enough to share with a few of my male friends some of the pain, loneliness, and blessing of my closeted and recently more open journey to be one person. This sharing has added to my blessing. I wonder if the communion of the Holy Spirit does not mean in some large degree the deliverance of usmale, female, gay, heterosexual, les · bian-from the bondage of being sexual! spiritual victims. That most of us have been victimized to some extent-closeted-by our victimized families and society at large is obvious. Healing is in order, and that is always a communal reality, something which breaks open, washes, · joins together. When Peter refuses to let Jesus wash his feet, Jesus says, "If I do not wash you, you can have nothing in common with me" (John 13:8, The Jerusalem Bible). The response is "not only my feet, but my hands · and my head as well." Peter was right. Those holy waters are for the whole of him and the whole of me and everyone: feet, hands, head, and everything between. The passage is not about cleanliness, but acceptance, community, and the ministry of wholeness-the coming together of the whole of us in the presence of each other and of God. We were · made for a household, God's household (oikomenos), not for closets. ~ George M. Wilson is a retired Presbyterian clergyman who lives on the Monterey Pen in• sula in California. He is married, and together, : Ann and he have eight children and nine • grandchildren who, he says, "fill us with hope • and, occasionally, some fear-as does the world in general." Open Hands My experience is just that; I do not · believe it to be better or more mature than the sexualized lives of my gay, les · bian, or straight friends. I merely claim its truth, its legitimacy, and its common location with all sexuality in God's great heart. I don't think that the politics or responsibilities, pains or joys, of · bisexuality are substantially different from those of all God's lovers, in the end. We do not yet live in a world that can bear Love's truth, although we must live as if we do. For now, it is enough that the truth is coming out; that despite the power of denial, we will be known. So for now, I am content. Whole and holy, lover and loved, many yet one, I am at home. ~ The author describes herself first as a woman of faith . She is "a bisexual campus · pastor in a denomination still tied in knots • over the issue of homosexuality." Being Touched by Geo1'8e M. Wilson In my seventh decade I believe I have discovered that when I was very young, under five, I was severely punished for either saying sexual words or "touching myself" (as was said in those days, assuming it was · bad of course), or for saying theologi · calor scatological words, like "hell," "damn," "shit," etc. Part of my punishment was sitting in a dark closet somewhat like the entrance to Narnia in C. S. Lewis's tales, contemplating my sins and seeking God's forgiveness. For decades I have wondered about the unnamed sins upon which I meditated in those early years of · theological and pyschological conditioning. All I could remember until recently was that I learned to ca1cu · late what was an acceptable passage of time (in the eyes of the authority under which I lived) for a reasonable meditation and repentance. Perhaps I have been meditating and repenting in that closet for six decades, though such a spiritual exercise would seem excessive, I should think, even to my grandmother who so ensconced me. But with the help of all sorts of people, especially my wife · Ann, some light has dawned. I believe Touching God, Touching Yourself, I know the "sins" .now, but even more than their specificity, I am relieved to know their conjunction. Grandmother was right: theology, or · better, spiritual quest and sexual embodiment do go together. Reach · ing out to God and touching yourself or being touched are related. But · grandmother, victim as she was, put a painful and burdensome "spin" on my early searching for God and searching for myself. The image of the closet, which I · believe could have as much significance for heterosexual as gay males, has been very real in my life. If I sub · merged the content and connected · ness of those early theological and sexual meditations, I never forgot the setting. But then, of course, I had to forget the connections in order to survive in my grandmother'S, my · parents', and even my own world: a world where heterosexual males · rarely if ever permit themselves to discuss, let alone deal with, their · conjoined sexual-spiritual selves. · Women and therapists are the exclusive confidants or spiritual masters for those infrequent .times. How fortunate I have been to be · with Ann, and with her to begin to 8 o£).~r}-I )."'10 1~IC£S~r can honestly say I have never been afraid of death. As a religious woman, I wish I could say my fearlessness is / was the result of faith in the mold of Joan of Arc, but truth be told, I do not fear death because I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. A dear lesbian feminist friend of mine recently admitted to me she was growing quite obsessed and terrified of death. "You know," she said to me, "after burying friend after friend who has died from AIDS, I am dreaming about death and am very afraid I will die soon. I am frightened because I believe that my death will truly be the end." She was astonished when I said to her quite honestly I am not and never have been afraid of death. "Oh come on, Melinda, you're not going to give me some pat Christian answer, are you?" Her question put my mind in a whirl. No, the "pat" answers do not immediately come to mind. Why am I not afraid of death? Where have I acquired this uncommon calm? Oh. ~aybe it's the .... The reason began to become clear. What in my experience has given me the sure knowledge that my spirit will go on beyond my bodily existence? any survivors of incest/childhood sexual abuse develop some very special coping skills in order to endure their trauma. We learn to "dissociate," to "go away." In my experience this felt / feels like complete separation from my body, splitting, an "out of body" experience. And like many of those who have been clinically dead and have had an "out of body" experience, I no longer fear death. The logic is easy. If you know and know that you know that your "soul" or "consciousness" can exist separate from your body, it is easy to conclude that body and soul are only temporarily connected. In death, only the connection with the body is ended. As a child in trauma, this ability to dissociate comes naturally and in self- Summer 1992 by Melinda Valliant McLain : defense. It is a gift which allows the · child to survive the trauma. When the · adult begins to remember the abuse · and begins the healing process, this "coping skill" often returns. And · sometimes at the most inopportune · moments. Sally (fictional name), a survivor · of ritual sexual abuse, was walking · through a ..park with her lover, Susan, · in a city which was unfamiliar to : them. A group of strange men began · to follow them. Susan became con· cerned and picked up the pace of · their walking. Sally looked glazed · and sort of blithely walked alongside : her lover, who practically had to drag : her along. After they had reached the : home where they were staying, Sally : was quite normally chatty and inquired · of her lover if she wanted to go out · for dinner. Susan, still shaken from · their experience in the park, stared at · her in disbelief and asked if she had · realized how dangerous their walk · through the park had been. Sally · calmly asked her lover, "When did · we walk through a park?" Later the two discovered that the · particular park they had stumbled · upon was notorious for the number : of rapes which have been perpetrated · there. Whether the men were consid· ering rape is unimportant. The two · women reacted differently to a situa: tion in which both feared sexual vio· lence. The nonabused woman was · fearful and used her fear to take pro· tective action. The survivor simply "checked out" to the point of amnesia · of the event. Never as an adult have I dissoci· ated in a dangerous situation. Only in : the safety of a therapeutic massage · session have I re-experienced the dis· sociation which helped me survive · the childhood sexual abuse. In heal: ing from sexual abuse, many thera· pists quote the phrase, "The mind for· gets, but the body remembers." Indeed, · my healing was stymied as long as I · stayed "in my head." On the massage · table, recalling the abuse experience : while being safely touched brought : back the dissociation. The therapist I · worked with was very skilled, and she : saw me "leave." She immediately · talked me back by asking me direct · questions about objects in the room, : what I had eaten for breakfast, and · other items which forced me back to "reality." This power to dissociate, which I : imagine most yogis would envy, is a · difficult hurdle in the pathway to : healing from childhood sexual abuse. · For many survivors, dissociation often : occurs during consensual sexual · activity, even light kissing or hugging · may trigger the coping response. · When this happens, the results are · often painful and the strains on the relationship complex and difficult to · deal with. Most survivors I have met : have at some point had to be celibate for a significant period of time in · order to heal. In the past year or so since my friend asked me about death, I have : begun to reflect theologically upon : the ways in which childhood sexual · abuse has shaped my ideas about sexu: ality, spirituality, and God/ess. I have · come to make a few connections. 1. The Presbyterian human sexuality report came out with the wonderful title, "Keeping Body and Soul Together." For the sexual abuse survivor, this is a joyous call to healing because we are intimately aware of the high price splitting the two apart exacts from our wholeness. • 2. Though I was raised in the church and have been active most of my life in traditional protestant spiritual practices such as prayer, Bible study, and worship, I have only recently been able to really "feel" the power of the Holy Spirit in my life on a regular basis. It has become clear to me that my ability to connect with God/ess has grown in direct proportion to my healing 9 process of "keeping body and soul together." 3. As I learn to image God/ess in ways which are not reminiscent of the abusive relationship, my contact with the Divine One increases. In this way, inclusive language is not simply about affirming my identity with the image of God/ ess, but is an essential part of my healing from sexual abuse perpetrated by a male authority figure. Exclusively male, authoritarian, warrior images do not enhance my sense of right relatedness with God/ess, but in fact create distance, a spiritual dissociation. These images continue to model the relationship which created deep hurt and brokenness in my life. And my perpetrator was not my father. Imagine how those who were raped by their fathers feel when "He" is exalted in the liturgy of the Church. 4. It is estimated that one in three adult women and one in seven adult men in the United States are survivors of childhood sexual abuse/incest. Of reported cases, the vast majority of incest/ sexual abuse perpetrators are male and were themselves victims of abuse. How many survivors are in our pews? How many victims/perpetrators? Are they suffering in silence, or have they left the church? Are we enabling sexual abuse? What role could a Christian community of friends play to facilitate healing? These connections lead to more . questions, and an open-ended . multivoiced theological dialogue is . desperately needed. In the survivor . community, spirituality is a recog. nized tool of healing, but rarely do . therapists and survivors recommend . the church. Why? As is true in the . case of most sexual issues, the church . has been and remains silent. As long . as we in the church remain silent, we . will be unable to playa significant . role in the healing process of the : sexual abuse/incest survivor. End the silence about incest and . sexual abuse, for as the AIDS move. ment has so aptly said, "Silence . Equals Death." ~ • Melinda Valliant McLain is a lesbian femi· nist theological student at San Francisco • Theological Seminary. She is preparing to • be an agent of healing and liberation and is • committed to being silent no more. !Moonliglit crowns lier Iiead spruu[ing towara tlie eartli springingfortli in warmtli from an epicenter ofca£m. Jfer eyes are poofs ofcoofpear{izeagrey wliicli invite my soul to arinK..inlier care. YJ..nt{yet beyontl tlieselie tliegrace oflier toucIi, Bolit, but tfirect. genife, ofca£m purpose. '1(ow I begin to pontler tliejoy in me to be refeasetl sucIi ecstasy I can liartf(y comprelientl: wliat mysteries intfeet{sfuz[[ I K..nO'UJ? -Mefimfa McLain Reprinted from The Healing Touch -Embodying Christianity, the 1992 More Light Prayer Book (January issue of the newsletter of Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns). A SpiRiTUAliTY of CREATivE MARGiNAliTY by Eric H. E Law · By the time I was a junior in col-· in return but looked up and down and · Chinese roots in order to gain acceplege, I had tried for two years to · around the foyer as if I were not there. · tance by a world that would never · become as "American" as possible. At "W ould you like to sign our regis-· consider me as one of them! On that · that time, "American" meant white · trar?" He looked around some more · day, the world I tried so hard to become · American. Most of my friends were · as if he was trying to find "real" · part of no longer had its appeal. · white. I joined a fraternity. With my · people in the house. Without a word, As the walls of denial tumbled · college being in central New York · he turned around and walked out. · down, I discovered another part of · State, I was far away from Chinatown Alone, I did not know how to react · myself that I had kept hidden all my · in Manhattan, which had been my · to his behavior until I turned around · life in order to fit in: I was gay. · total reality during my teenage years. · and caught my reflection on the face of "Coming out" was not very hard at I thought I had it made until one · the grandfather clock. "I don't look like · this point because I no longer cared · day, during rush week, I was in · everybody else in this place," I said to · whether people accepted me or not. · charge of greeting freshmen in the · myself. He was looking for a white man. · One more thing would not make that · foyer of my fraternity house. It was · He must have thought it was an Asian · much difference. So I came out to my · still pretty early and I was the only · fraternity. I felt like I had just crashed · fraternity, my priest, and my Bible · one around. A blond, boyish fresh-· into a brick wall filled with graffiti · study group. That all went very well. · man walked through the door. · that said, "You are not one of us!" Then I set out to look for another "Hi, welcome," I said and extended How did I fool myself into believ-· community in which I could fit. · my hand. He did not extend his hand · ing that I could melt into this melting · "There must be a gay and lesbian · pot? How foolish I was to deny my · 10 Open Hands community," I said to myself. "When I find it, I will be home." I romanticized that this community would be open and accepting independent of people's color or race because we suffered a common oppression. With some research, I discovered the only gay bar in town. One evening, after regularly attending for several months, I found myself standing alone in the corner of this dark, smoke-filled room, waiting. No one talked to me. No one even looked at me. No one invited me to dance. When another Asian came in, I felt competitive. I went to the college gay and lesbian dance; the same thing happened. When it came to race relations, the gay community, which I dreamed would accept me, was no more than a micro version of the straight world. "You are not one of us!" echoed in my head again and again. Home was not in the gay world. Home was certainly not the white world. Perhaps, my only home was to go back to the Chinese community. I would graduate from college, find a well-paying job, get married, buy a car, buy a house, and have children. This way I would always have my family, my Chinese community, and my security. But I could not do that. I had changed since my arrival in the United States eight years before. I could no longer buy totally into the Chinese culture, with its emphasis on group, not personal, identity and behavior. There was too much individualism in me. I could not be the perfect, obedient Chinese son, never asserting my personal needs over my family's desires. "You are not one of us!" also echoed here. 11 that time, my operating assumption was that I needed to belong to a community in order to have an identity. There was still a lot of Chinese collectivism in me. In this lonely desert experience, I discovered that this assumption might not be valid. I discovered a spirituality that I call "creative marginality." The lack of acceptance by anyone community had caused me to feel marginalizedthat I did not belong anywhere. I discovered that, if I accepted this mar- Summer 1992 ginality, I could use it constructively to enhance my ministry and to build bridges between very diverse groups. In Jewish and Christian tradition, there is much to be said about a spirituality of the marginalized. Many in the Scriptures were marginalized people. Abraham and Sarah and the generations after them up to Joseph were sojourners. Moses started out in Egypt and, in his adult life, found himself in between the enslaved Israelites and Pharaoh. He never could return to Pharaoh's court again, and he never entered Canaan, the promised land, with the Israelites. Jesus was very often in the company of the marginal people. In another way, Jesus was marginal in that he was stuck between being divine and human. A constructive way to look at being marginal was to see myself as in between-part of both ends but not fully one or the other. Being in between is like a string on a musical instrument, nothing more than a wire connecting two points. If there is no tension, there is no sound. If there is too much tension, the string breaks. If the string is tightened with the right amount of tension, it makes a beautiful sound. I was pushing myself too hard to choose one group over another, so I snapped and lost connections with all groups. In this desert experience, I was lucky to have a very supportive Christian community that did not perceive me as a lost person wandering from community to community like a string lying loose between two points. Instead, my Christian community affirmed my marginality and nurtured me to a point where I could use this marginality creatively and constructively. My friends reconnected me and wound me up just right so that I could make music at an in-between place. I might never fit in the Chinese community again, but I had the experience from that culture to understand and have compassion for that community. I might never fit into the "mainstream" gay community, but my experience as a gay person enabled me to support its course and, at the same time, challenge its prejudices and stereotypes. I might never fit into the dominant culture in the United States, but my education · and experience in that culture gave · me the skill and knowledge to work : with and challenge the systems on · behalf of the oppressed groups with · which I was connected. Spirituality to me is the ability to make connections: connection with myself, especially parts of : myself that I dislike and deny; con: nection with others, not just those · who are like me but also those who : are different and even my enemies; : and connection with God through : Jesus Christ, not just the compassion: ate God but also the part of God that : judges and requires me to do justice. : To make connection requires me to : stretch, to step out of my boundaries, : to take risks. To make connection : . might mean leaving what is comfortable and secure. To make connection . might mean risking being rejected by . where I come from and by where I . am going. I have been blessed with . the experiences of being in between . two cultures and between the gay and . the straight worlds. Painful as it . might have been, these experiences . have given me a foretaste of what it : felt like to be in between the divine : and the human. To use my marginal: ity constructively means having the . ability to connect with both ends, wind . myself up with the Gospel with just : the right tension and sing. The realization of the "goodness" : of marginality contributed to my pur: suing the ordained ministry. I went to . seminary. The following years brought . many more stories of rejection and : acceptance, of being connected and dis. connected. But that would be another : essay. I am an Episcopal priest now. I . am connected with one more commu. nity that does not fully accept me. So . that is life for me. "You are not one of : us" still whispers in my ears, but that is : okay, and that is where I should be . ... Eric H. F. Law, an ordained Episcopal minister, is a consultant/ trainer in multicultural organization development for churches and educational institutions. He is also a composer of liturgical music, having produced three recordings and published songbooks of his compositions. 11 spirit. My spiritual life is enhanced pRNlNG topIE theBt;?~ by Howard Rice · T here are many of us whose bodies do not do what we want them · to do, whose bodies are shaped dif· ferently, whose bodies get in the way · of performing many everyday tasks, · whose bodies are not thought of as · attractive by most people in our soci· ety. We have particular problems in · coming to terms with ourselves as "enfleshed" persons. We may even feel that our bodies are enemies · rather than friends. When we hear · talk about the need to integrate our · sexuality and our spirituality, we may respond in ways very different · from persons who think of themselves as "normal" or "able bodied." Society does not make it any easier. Standards of what is accept· able, beautiful, graceful, or handsome · are clearly beyond those of us whose · bodies are twisted or broken, who require assistance from a cane or crutches or a walker or a wheelchair. Looking in a full-length mirror is still · painful for me; it is a shocking · reminder of how I really look sitting · in my wheelchair with my back · curved. I do not like what I see. I · want to see the person I used to be · when I was young and able-bodied. To a certain extent, I have accepted society's standards. I have permitted · others to define who I am. Life is a · constant struggle to define myself in · my own way. I know that I have not · succeeded every time I have difficulty · dealing with another person who has a disability, when I turn my head so · as not to have to see or deal with · someone who reminds me of what I do not like about myself. I also know that shame about my · body has a negative effect upon my spirit. One cannot separate body and 12 when I can accept my body as a friend. An ongoing struggle then, is acceptance of the body, whatever society says. It means acceptance of oneself as a sexual being whatever message others may give. It means knowing that God's love and acceptance do not depend upon what other people think or say or do. This kind of self-acceptance is countercultural, and it requires nurture and encouragement. Unfortunately, the church has not always been the place to find that self-acceptance. People with disabilities have experienced a very mixed message from the church. We are flawed, we lack faith sufficient to be healed, we are "God's warning to others," or we are simply an uncomfortable reminder that life is more complicated than some Christians want it to be, that believing does not make everything come out the way one wants, that prayer is not the solution for every problem, that God is not a cosmic bell-hop waiting to do our bidding if we can get the right formula. I have experienced the rejection of Christians who, more often than I like to remember, look down at me and say, "If you were not carrying some secret sin in your life, you would be healed" or "Ifyou only had enough faith, you could get up and walk." People with disabilities share some common issues with gay, lesbian, and . bisexual people. Our struggle to define ourselves and to claim our own right to be sexual, our difficulty finding acceptance in the church, our need to find wholeness by accepting our sexuality as a good gift, all of these are common to us all. Perhaps we should work together more consciously. God knows we all could use others who see our point of view and are willing to accept us as we are. T Howard Rice served pastorates in Minneapolis and Chicago before becoming a member of the facu lty of San Francisco Theological Seminary in 1968, where he now serves as professor of ministry and as chaplain. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1964 and has used a wheelchair since 1972. Love Between ·Monastic :Women by E. Ann Matter · T he question of how medieval people saw themselves to be · sexual, and how we can responsibly · express our understanding of their · self-awareness, has been a lively topic · of late, inspiring a session at the 1992 · meeting of the Medieval Academy of · America, an issue of the Medieval · Feminist Newsletter, and a lot of talk. · Two aspects of this talk strike me as · particularly interesting: 1. Everyone agrees that there is precious little first-hand evidence (as opposed to the ravings of medieval Jerry Falwells) for the experience of gay men or (especially) lesbians in the Middle Ages. · 2. Nevertheless, medievalists are almost universally agreed in rejecting the perspective, inspired by the French theorist Michel Foucault, that the very concept of "sexuality" is an invention of the modern world and cannot be applied to pre-modern contexts. The research on this question is : dominated by lesbian, gay, and femi: nist scholars, and we are clearly look: ing for our predecessors and our roots. What evidence is there for medi: eval emotional and erotic relation: ships between members of the same : sex? The answer breaks down quite : clearly by gender. For men, there is : quite a bit, although, as the writings : of John Boswell have shown, most of : the the "gay men" of medieval Europe Open Hands belonged to a clerical subculture. Perhaps these deacons, priests, and bishops were simply drawn to religious life as an all-male environment. If so, it is not surprising that we find some of the same emotional charge between women in the medieval convent. The most beautiful examples of this love between monastic women are found in a collection of 12th-century poems from south Germany. In one, found in a manuscript of the monastery of T egemsee, a woman poet says to her absent woman beloved: To G.: her singular rose From A. the bond of precious love. What is my strength, that I may bear it, That I should have patience in your absence? Is my strength the strength of stones, That I should await your return? I, who grieve ceaselessly day and night Like someone who has lost a hand or a foot? Everything pleasant and delightful Without you seems like mud underfoot. I shed tears as I used to smile, And my heart is never glad, When I recall the kisses you gave me, And how with tender word you caressed my little breasts, I want to die Because I cannot see you. What can I, so wretched, do? Where can I, so miserable, turn? If only my body could be entrusted to the earth until your longed-for return Or if passage could be granted me as it was to Habakkuk So that I might corne there just once To gaze on my beloved's faceThen I should not care if it were the hour of death itself. For no one has been born into the world So lovely and full of grace Or who so honestly And with such deep affection loves me. I shall not therefore cease to grieve Until I deserve to see you again. Well has a wise man said that it is a great sorrow for [one] to be without that Without which [one] cannot live. As long as the world stands You shall never be removed from the core of my being. What more can I say? Corne home, sweet love! Prolong your trip no longer; Know that I can bear your absence no longer. Farewell, Remember me.1 This poem is an obviously erotic · and explicitly sexual testimony to the · fact that some medieval women did · love, and make love to, each other. · The theme of the absent beloved, · however, is found far more often in religious literature of a more ambiguous nature, such as in letters between · women in religious life, letters which · are achingly emotional but not · overtly sexual. A good example of this is found in the works of the Flemish Beguine Hadewijch, who · wrote to members of her community: Greet Sara also in my behalf, whether I am anything to her or nothing. Could I be fully all that in my love I wish to be for her, I would gladly do so; and I shall do so fully, however she may treat me. She has very largely forgotten my affliction, but I do not wish to blame or reproach her, seeing that Love leaves her at rest, and does not reproach her, although Love ought ever anew to urge her to be busy with her noble Beloved.2 Sara, the best beloved, returns · Hadewijch's fervor with indifference; · yet Hadewijch urges her on to new · heights of Love for "her noble · Beloved" -that is, the heavenly · bridegroom, Christ. In the context of · medieval Christian spirituality, neither · the letter of Hadewijch nor the poem · of the Tegernsee manuscript necessar· ily demands a sexual interpretation. · There is a long tradition of Christian · spiritual writing which uses erotic · language allegorically, to express a · type of love which clearly transcends · human limitations. The best-known · example of this is found in the tradi· tions of interpretation of the Song of · Songs, the biblical love poem that · was understood throughout the · Middle Ages, by Christians and Jews alike, as the love between God and the Church or between God and the human soul.3 In other words, there is an ancient Christian spiritual tradition in which human love is the main metaphor for the love of God. But the situation is even more complex, because this metaphorical language works in reverse as well. Although the poem of the Tegernsee manuscript and the letter of Hadewijch use biblical language and point to a spiritual reality, the poign~ In the deeply Christian world of the medieval cloister, this love [between women1 was expressed with the same biblical metaphors as ... the love between human beings and God. ~ ancy of human love spills out between the lines, and the intensity, awkwardness, and sublimation of the human love of which they speak are remarkable. This fact brings us back to the problem of definition. Do these women count as medieval lesbians? According to the poet and critic Adrienne Rich, all intense emotional relationships between women can be placed on a "lesbian continuum."4 Rich argues that the oppression of patriarchy has circumscribed many aspects of women's emotional lives, but has not been able to keep women from bonding with one another in whatever way they can. Rich's theory has met with quite a bit of criticism, especially from other feminists,S especially those who worry about historicity, the "modernity" of our concept of sexuality, and the social implications of placing women friends on a "lesbian continuum." But for many Summer 1992 13 medievalists, it has been a powerful key to interpreting the culturally constructed love between medieval · women and for understanding how women in the Middle Ages could express their emotional and erotic preference for one another. For it seems obvious, even with so little evidence, that there have always been, in every time and place, however they have survived, whatever they may be called, women who love other women. In the deeply Christian world of the medieval cloister, this · love was expressed with the same · biblical metaphors as, and on a continuum of spirituality with, the love · between human beings and God. Perhaps modern lesbians and gay men can learn from this example the strength and · beauty of appropriating our own spiritual tradition into our lives. T E. Ann Matter is a professor and chair of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She studied at Oberlin College and Yale University, "where she did a number of speaking gigs with Chris Glaser." She has published on medieval spirituality, biblical mysticism, and the history of • gender and sexuality in the Christian tradition. REFERENCES 1 E. Ann Matter, "My Sister, My Spouse: • Women-Identified Women in Medieval Christianity," in Judith Plaskow and Carol Christ, eds., Weaving the Visions: New Patterns in Feminist Spirituality (San Francisco: Harper • Collins, 1989), pp. 52-53; John Boswell, Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality: Gay : People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980), pp. 220-21; Peter Dronke, Medieval Latin and the • Rise of the European Love-Lyric, 2 vols. (Oxford: : Clarendon Press, 1968), 2A80-81. 2 See especially Letter 25, "Sara, Emma, • and Margriet," in Hadewijch:The Complete Works, • translated by Mother Columba Hart, O.S.B. (New York: Paulist Press, 1980), pp.105-106. 3 See the four volumes of English transla• tions of the sermons of Bernard of Clairvaux on the Song of Songs (Kalamazoo, MI: • Cistercian Press, 1976-1980). 4 Adrienne Rich, "Compulsory Hetero: sexuality and Lesbian Existence," Signs 5 (1980): 631-60. 5 See the articles by A. Ferguson, J. N. • Zita, and K. P. Addelson, "On 'Compulsory • Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence': Defining the Issues," Signs 7 (1981): 158-99, and Judith C. Brown, "Lesbian Sexuality in • Renaissance Italy: The Case of Sister • Benedetta Carlini," Signs 9 (1984): 756. The Body in Worship by Zalmon O. Sherwood "If life and the soul are sacred, the human body is sacred." -Walt Whitman Worship is at the very heart of religious life. It is the pulsating center from which we receive divine love and strength for all that we are and do. Like the blood that flows through our bodies, we keep returning to that heart for refreshment and renewal. But what happens when the heart fails to function correctly? For an increasing number of lesbians and gay men, the heart of our lives as members of religious institutions is no longer providing the meaning and power we seek. If the goddess we worship is anything, she is love: yearning, passionate, seeking, active love. To worship is to participate in acts of adoration and love. We have been created for love and to love. If sexuality is the physiological and psychological grounding of our capacities to love, ifour destiny as human beings is to be lovers in the richest, fullest sense of the word, then sexual wholeness is part of our redemption and thus our spiritual destiny. Bodies are our first, closest, and most powerful connection to both ourselves and all else. The loving touch of flesh upon flesh is the first reassurance that one is a self in a world of caring selves. For this reason, human flesh is forever the privileged place of divine encounter. Religious leaders have much to learn from gay men and lesbians, for when we come out and affirm ourselves in the face of social oppression, we affirm the basic goodness of human sexuality and our embodiment. The body has been effectively banished from most traditional worship. That is one role stationary benches or pews play in congregations. They assure that no movement, no dance, no celebration of the body, might · break loose. Books playa similar role in worship. If people have to hold · books, then their hands are also occu · pied and they aren't free to move. As physical beings, we need to express the music inside us. What better way than dance? Dancers have much to teach us about the body, spontaneity, and enjoyment. Dancers know the power of movement to underline and highlight an understanding that is · beyond words. Both the arduously trained dancer and the disciplined athlete embody the grace of the physical in perfect coordination with the mental which may lift one to extraordinary spiritual heights. Movement and dance are not the only ways to affirm the holiness of our bodies in worship. Where there is authentic ritual, there is always full participation according to each person's capabilities. The emphasis in worship should be on how all participants can give and receive fully, using their whole bodies and all their senses: sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch. Touching is vital to deeply meaningful · worship. Touch is a sacred and impor· tant part of who we are. It should not · be treated superficially during worship · nor should it be used in any contri\'ed exploitative, or hackneyed manner. As the language of love, touch shoul · be used during appropriate periods of sharing and intimacy in worship. Worship, a word that means "to make worth" or "to respect," has the · power to affirm our bodies and our · humanity, to heal us, and to allow us to feel again the deep wellsprings of · reverence for being all that we have in · us. Worship ignites the magic of imagi· nation, and connects disparate and separate parts, making us whole again and · celebrating our place in the universe. Open Hands 14 1Jear CreatoTi Create our fovemaKjng fosh, Live in our desires. 'Bfossom aru£sing in our boaUs as we join as we dose thegap between two ofyour creatures. 'Draw us out clear (jot£, out ofoursk..in aru£bones aru£stamp this with your caress andsmile, your covenant. 'Bring the wortls out ofus, (jot£, your worrfs, . that describe anagrasp tliat canonize the shapes we ~ the sFiapes whose parts are male ~k..notty wooa whose parts arefemale ~piles of£eaves canonize ourgay aru£ fesbian shapes iear (joa with breath aru£ tears with cofor anasme{[ with wotrfs. -cuffora!frasier, !Jlarvard Vivinity Scfwo{ Reprinted from The Healing TouchEmbodying Christianity, the 1992 More Ligh t Prayer Book (January issue of the newsletter of Presbyterians for Lesbian & Gay Concerns). Worship enkindles kinship with other bodies, bodies of joy and bodies of sorrow, human bodies and bodyreatures of this fragile planet. Our heartfelt worship, not alone, but in the resilient interconnections we share with others, generates the power that makes and sustains life. It is in touching, making those human connections, that we find the sacred mystery that binds us in loving each other fiercely in the face of suffering and pain, and empowers our witness against all powers of oppression and destruction. To share an affectionate embrace with another person, to come out, to identify with and be part of a struggling community, to contribute to the Summer 1992 The Dangerous Song of tlie Wild Geese: Sexuality and ~£~~ by Elizabeth Stuart · L iturgy is dangerous. This is what I have learned since the British · publisher SPCK commissioned me to · compile a book of liturgies for use · gay and lesbian Christians, then · doned the project just before publica: tion under pressure from the Church · of England. All this happened only a · few months after the bishops of the · Church of England published a report, • Issues in Human Sexuality, which encour· aged congregations to become "places · of open acceptance and friendship" · for lesbian and gay people. Surely allowing gay and lesbian Christians a · book of prayers and liturgies which · reflects their experience would be a · good start? But no, some of those · who hold powerful positions within · the church find the very idea of such · a book deeply threatening. Why? For all Christians, liturgy-the · public, communal, and ordered gath· ering of believers for the purpose of · worship-is extremely important, for · it is the time when, through words physical and spiritual well-being of · suffering and afflicted persons, is to · know something of the love and pas· sion of the divine. When we choose · togetherness and accept who we are, · even as we seek to be who we might · become, miracles happen. The sky · opens, the stars come out. We say "yes" to the mystery. T Zalmon O. Sherwood is an Episcopal priest who directs the St. James Colony, a center for spirituality and the arts on Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan . He is currently at work on a book, Equal Rites: Liberating Worship for Lesbians and Caymen. as''t\!;\community, and our lives with those of our 'foreparents in faith. For liturgy to be effective, it needs to articulate and speak to the experience of those who participate in it. The unfortunate fact · is that for most of its history the church's liturgies have been written by privileged white men and have reflected their experience to the exclusion of all others. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people-along with women, people of different races, children, poorpeople, and many others-have been deprived of a liturgical language to make sense of · their experience. Linguistic deprivation is a particularly effective way of keep· ing people silent and disempowered. But now we are speaking for ourselves. We have begun to articulate our spirituality, our understanding of reality in terms of our relationships and faith, in liturgical form. And it is threatening to those in power in the churches because it is an acknowledgment that we do not need them to help · us make sense of our lives. It is also · threatening because it cannot be argued with. One can enter into a debate over : an academic thesis, but one cannot · argue with a person's articulation of · his or her experience. It is an expression of the heart rather than the head · and therefore is not controllable. And it is threatening because many aspects of gay, lesbian, and bisexual experience : are not unique but are shared by thou · sands of heterosexual Christians. By · daring to speak love's name, we expose : the extent to which church teaching · and liturgy have lost their grounding : in reality and become irrelevant, as · have those who uphold them. 15 There is one strong thread that Resurrection is a reality at the heart of oppression. May everything that : runs through all lesbian and gay lit· of "coming out" for many lesbian and happens in this home and all who : urgy, and that is friendship. All our · gay Christians, as the following prayer come into it take us further in our journey towards liberation. : relationships, whether sexual or not, · from a liturgical celebration of this · tend to be defined in terms of friend-· turning point makes clear. The room is The liturgies also express a strong · ship. In a world which is often dan· darkened as the person coming out says, sense of bonding to lesbian and gay : gerous and seeks to marginalize and people from past ages. As Eve came out of Adam, as the : isolate us, friendships are important people of Israel came out of slavery : because we need their equality, mutuinto their freedom, as the exiled IsReading through the liturgies, I : ality, and inC;lusivity. It is in friendships raelites came out of Babylon back to am struck by their honesty, sim: that we experience liberation, the their home, as Lazarus came out of · plicity, and utter conviction of the · freedom to be ourselves. It is no accithe tomb to continue his life, as goodness of our sexuality. They pro-Jesus came out of death into new : dent that the biblical characters who · vide an excellent window onto gay life, I come out-out of the desert : appear most frequently in our litur· and lesbian experience. In the Celtic into the garden, out of darkness into : gical material are two sets of friends, · tradition, the Holy Spirit is not reprelight, out of exile into my home, out : David and Jonathan; Ruth and Naomi. sented as a tame white dove but by a of lies into the truth, out of denial : Jesus and God are also perceived as wild goose, uncontrollable and noisy. into affirmation. I name myself as : friends-each can also be understood A study of gay and lesbian liturgy gay /lesbian. Blessed be God who : as lover. There is no place for the dualhas made me so. · reveals that this is a common experi: istic attitude toward the body that has · ence of God's spirit-free of ecclesiasThe person lights a candle and all : stained Christianity for so long. tical attempts to control and confine : present light candles from it. Flowers · it, it makes its home in the most un · are brought in, music is played, and Gay and lesbian liturgies are · likely places. It drives people together · the room is filled with light and color. remarkably honest. Having no (geese do not like to fly alone) and : Coming out is an Easter experience. · ideal to live up to, liturgies written · does not come in quiet conformity · The symbolism of light overcoming · for the blessing of relationships often · but demanding to be heard. Its song is : the darkness is a common one in les: acknowledge that the relationship may · not sweet to many but those upon · bian and gay liturgical material and is : not last forever, and some recognize · whom it rests are empowered to · a universal symbol of the triumph of : that the relationship will not be monog· become noisy, passionate, and coura: justice over oppression and life over : amous. I have included in my book a · geous guardians of the gospel. Lit: death. As one of the funeral liturgies section on the breaking up of partner· urgy is an important means by which : puts it, "Let us remember that all the : ships. As part of one liturgy, the couple · lesbian, gay, and bisexual people darkness in the world cannot put out : each take a piece of crockery that · make a noise, a noise which attracts · one single light." : belonged to both of them and say, '. others out of isolation and into the The liturgies I have read in prepar · flock and alerts other Christians to the [Name] and I entered willingly into : ing my book convey a strong sense of · fact that the Spirit is among us. T our relationship as lovers. I now : solidarity with other oppressed peoples, mark the end of that relationship of : particularly the ancient Israelites my own free will. This is the symbol : enslaved in Egypt. A housewarming of our sharing of happy times and in theology at the College of : liturgy has the occupants attach a sad times. I smash it to show the end St. Mark and St.John, Ply: gay or lesbian symbol to their front ofour life together, the fracturing of mouth, England, a Church of our dreams and shared future. With · door and say, England college of higher eduits breaking may your hurt and my Just as the ancient Israelites marked cation. She is a Roman Cathohurt be seen and may bitterness and their door lintels with blood as a sign lic and is convener of the Roanger also come to an end. that they were blessed and chosen • man Catholic Caucus of the Lesbian and Gay by God, so we mark our door with • Christian Movement. She is the author of The pastor or a friend then assures · Through Brokenness (Collins Fount, 1990) a sign of our blessedness as lesbian the couple that God has no wish to • and many articles on Christianity and sexual- women/gay men. The people of Is · lock them in a destructive relation• ity. Her book, Daring to Speak Love's rael marked their doors on the eve · ship and pronounces their commit- · Name, a collection of liturgies by lesbian and of their exodus from slavery into · ment ended. How many Christian • gay Christians, will be published this fall by freedom. By marking this house/ · heterosexual couples would benefit · Hamish Hamilton in the United Kingdom and flat we identify with them on their · by Viking in the United States. · from such a liturgical act to mark the journey, for gay and lesbian people · ending of their relationships? are also in the process of coming out Open Hands -" '''''''.'_", ''"*",,,,,, . , Elizabeth Stuart is a lecturer j 16 e Worship Process and ord Processing by John S. Rice ost gay and lesbian people have sadly found that "the ractice of Christianity is incompatIble with homosexual being." The hurch is often an unhealthy place for eople who are different. Even if our ,.ords sound welcoming (and indeed hey should), lesbians and gay men an still feel rejection and unworthi., ess being communicated in our worhip services. How are these sexual titudes communicated? Could we e this mysterious dynamic to communicate reconciliation instead? After few unproductive hours pondering his question at the screen of my candles on each of the four Advent Sundays. The content of the accompanying prayer was that all families in our church were called to wait in hope, and God would come to meet us at the point of our need. The unspoken codes, however, set some narrow margins. "All families" were shown by example to be married heterosexual couples with adorable children. The codes always teach as much as the official content. At a recent funeral of a gay man, the preacher's content was about God's unconditional love and accepting grace. Yet the man's lover wasn't seated with the family or acknowledged by the preacher. The codes of the church's judgement, exclusion, fear, and denial all preached more loudly than the content of God's compassion, mercy, and love. The room :-:«« was filled with hurt, rage, and loss stirred by unspoken codes. ·ord processor, it occurred to me at I was staring at the answer. For this to make sense, there is one asic principle of word processing at must be understood: formatting odes. Every word-processed docu.. ent contains not only the obvious ontent of the words on the page, but 150 embedded formatting codes . :hich control margins, type size, page numbering, line spacing, etc. The same -,·:ord-for-word content can come across with very different meanings epending on how the hidden codes affect its presentation. In worship, our exuality is addressed in both the conent of the service and the unspoken codes through which it is presented. This has three important implications. 1. Both content and codes communicate attitudes toward sexuality. In a church I formerly served, a different family was chosen to light the Advent Summer 1992 2. Both the codes and the content can be gracefully changed. Those of · us in Reconciling Congregations in United Methodism or similar congregations in other denominations already know that the content of our services must honor the diversity of God's creation, and that our words must · bless, confirm, and support the healthy sexual development of each · brother and sister. Let us look again at our worship to make sure our codes support our content. The Advent-candle lighting mentioned above was changed over several years to include a widow with extended family, lesbian and gay couples, single people, blended families, and a few heterosexual firstmarriage couples with adorable children (they still do represent about 17%of our population). Examine your codes. · Which ones are you willing to change? · · · · · · · · · · : · : · · · q/iant you, :Jfeavenly Lover, f orgiving us fove, ana1tlil{ing it a means ofgrace. In eacli sliarp sweet cut ofmy 6oyfriena'sgfana, I ttwUI tlie intensity of your fove for us. Witliin every crusliing liug aniscrape ofstu66kd cliin on tenderffesli, I feel tlie power ana sting ofyour claim upon us. tRy tlie clii£[on sweaty stin ofliis 6reatli 6fown over my sfiouU£ers, I am quict<r-ned to tlie Spirit's calL 9Ylicf0aoger said: {'9'ou can't alwaysget wliat you want, hut ifyou try real liard, you '[[foul, youget wliat you need. n ?1iantyou, :Jfeavenly Lover, for giving usgrace, ani1tlil{ing it a means offove. Ylmen. - (jay t{.1nitet[ Metliotfist deacon Reprinted from The Healing TouchEmbodying Christianity, the 1992 More Light Prayer Book (January issue of the newsletter of Presbyterians for Lesbian & Gay Concerns), Could Todd and Richard join the church as Todd-and-Richard? Would this be reported in the "Welcome to New Members" column as "Todd and Richard/address/phone," or as "Todd/address/phone, Richard/ address/phone"? Would they be asked to serve as greeters together? What about the pictorial directory? We must lead the congregation in making these changes out of pastoral necessity, in order to care for those in our charge with the inclusive love of Jesus. 3. Codes are experienced, not explained. The codes have to do with symbolic actions which show forth the great love of God. Don't undermine them by apologizing for God's 17 · inclusive grace or explaining what · everything "means." First, if we Sustaining the Spirit · apologize, we turn an experience into · an issue. If, for example, we begin by · saying, "Now before we do this, let · me warn you that two lesbians are · going to light the Advent candles, and · many of you may object to this ...," · many of them will. We have just · taken a complex symbolic action · which introduced the notion of diver· sity of households into the meaning · of waiting in hope for the promises of · God and reduced it to a single sexual · issue about lesbians in the chancel. If · your codes model inclusiveness with· out apology, you will more accurately · and effectively model God's grace. The second temptation is to explain · the codes and symbols. We are creat· ing poetry, songs, and symbolic · actions-don't make them treatises · and arguments. Our symbols cannot · explain all details of God's boundless · grace, only welcome us into its mys· tery. Our symbols need lots of space · to make us welcome. Lots of details · justshut us out. In our attempts to be · inclusive and politically correct, we · write services that sound like soft· ware licensing agreements: "Our · parental sovereign which art in heaven (by which we do not mean a · literal place, but a spiritual realm · which is the locus of divine reality), · hallowed be thy non-gender-specific name...." It may be politically correct, · but it's deadly dull liturgy. It doesn't · sing of God's grace. If we are to be reconciling, let us · examine both the content and codes · of our services to be sure that both · show forth the reconciling grace of · God. Move forward, changing con· tent and codes out of a conviction of · pastoral necessity which may lead to · prophetic opportunity, and let our · worship services be parables and · spacious songs of God's grace . .. John S. Rice is a United Methodist minister serving as executive director of WorshipWorks, Inc., in Knoxville, Tennessee. Worship Works teaches "The Dynamics of Effective Worship" to churches of all denominations through workshops, · consulting, and video resources. • 18 WE SING TOIAIVE by Jon Bailey We sing to keep from crying, Our songs can't stop the dying, but focused in song united and strong you can hear ... We sing this word-LOVE: · "Vourchorus has lost almost 70 I men to AIDS. How can you do · it ... how can you go on singing?" That · question always catches me off guard. · I don't think about our singing in that · way, for me the question is: "How · could we not sing in the face of death?" We sing because something very · powerful has happened to us. In the · 1970s, we gay men and lesbians · fought for our right to be; and in 1992 · we celebrate a sense of power and · self-worth. We fought the police at · Stonewall, and now we demand that · they look us in the eye as men and · women of equal worth. We have · moved from the deserted margins of · society to a place of honor and dignity. There is a growing spirit in our · community. It comes from a deepened · sense of who we are and how pro· found our connection to one another · is. This spirit~all it love, call it divine, · call it community, call it sense of self · and purpose-is one of the legacies of · the AIDS generation. And that legacy · is a story which we must sing! It was for that reason that I went · to Los Angeles composer Roger · Bourland to talk about a commission · to write a piece about our AIDS expe· rience. I remember choosing my · -words carefully: "I don't want you to · compose another Requiem. This com· munity has experienced too much · death and too little life!" I reminded · him. "I want you to write a work · which affirms life." Now, some 12 months later, as I reflect on that conversation and my adamant resolve to have the composer create a life-affirming work in which AIDS is the subject, I still ask: Was I avoiding death, even in the face of its unrelenting reality in my own life, or had my own consciousness shifted? Has the gay community's awareness grown and changed to a point where "life-affirming" and "AIDS" are not antithetical terms? Hidden Legacies, the new work which composer Bourland and lyricist John Hall have created for the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, answers the question with a resounding "yes!" The seven-movement work details the odyssey of the gay community and AIDS from the 1970s to the 1990s. In a sense, it is the story of a community, but also that of each individual's encounter with this disease. It moves from those glowing post-Stonewall years of new liberation: Don't think of control 'Cause you're on a roll. You suffer no loss And double no cross And gather no moss. The stone keeps rolling And unaware you don't have to care. To the nightmare of AIDS: A new plague that hides in blood! The fluid of life now turns to a flood of pollution. No solution! Wake Up! And we do wake up-our community wakes up and demands that we be heard, that our deaths not be diminished by the petty games of politics and medicine: Open Hands And with our death please signify That we were here, no need to cry just look us in the eye. And we learn to care in a way we d not know was possible. We are left hind, we are left alone with our .. ger, our grief, our tears, and finally acceptance. We learn to say goodbye: Dream, journey's end. I say fare well my finest friend. Turn inward now and try to find Your spirit and journey now defined. Remembered laughter, warm and free, Will be your final gift to me. And now we must sing! We sing to keep from crying, but more than that We sing past our fears and over the rage, We sing through the tears that fall on the page of notes that we see, our voices are free to be heard! We sing this word-LOVE. For our songs have changed us. Our songs have created us anew, giving us strength, time, peace, and love. esources For we are the AIDS generation. We are not victims, we are persons who pass through fire and are made new. Beck, Renee, and Sydney Barbara Mitchell, Rosemary Catalano, and Gail And we sing, we sing to live! ~ Metrick. The Art of Ritual. Berkeley, Anderson Ricciuti. Birthings and *All quotations are from Hidden Legacies by Calif.: Celestial Arts, 1990. A guide Blessings: Liberating Worship SerJohn Hall; © 1992. Hidden Legacies was commisto creating and performing one's vices for the Inclusive Church. New sioned through a major grant from the Cultural own rituals for growth and change. York: Crossroad, 1991. Series of Affairs Department of the City of Los Angeles. Glaser, Chris. Coming Out to God: feminist worship experiences, based It received its world premier at Royce Hall, Prayers for Lesbians, Gay Men, Their . in a Reformed worship context, University of California, Los Angeles, on March 29,1992, under the direction of Jon Bailey. Families and Friends. Louisville: from the Woman, Word, & Song Westminster/John Knox Press, 1991. gatherings in Rochester, New York. A collection of 60 prayers for indiMore Light Prayers. Annual January Jon Bailey, previously director vidual or congregational use, indexed issue of the More Light Update, of the Institute of Sacred Music by topics and scriptural references. newsletter of Presbyterians for Lesat Yale University, is currently Duck, Ruth c., and Maren C. Tirabassi. bian & Gay Concerns. Available professor of music at Pomona Touch Holiness: Resources for Worthrough Jim Anderson, P.O. Box 38, College in Claremont, Califorship. New York: Pilgrim Press, 1990. New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038. nia, and artistic director of the Los Angeles Gay Men's Chorus. Includes contemporary prayers and Prayers gathered from persons supIn thesummer.of 1989, he was invited to liturgies based on traditional forms. portive of lesbian, gay, and bisexual be achoral clinician for the biennial convenEmswiler, Thomas Neufer, and Sharon concerns for the season of Epiphany tion of the Fellowship of United Methodists in Neufer Emswiller. Wholeness in (can be used at other times as well). Worship, Music, and Other Arts.. When Worship. San Francisco: Harper and Schaffron, Janet, and Kozak, Pat. More Bailey was disinvited because of his associaRow. Out of print. Models of worthan Words: Prayer and Ritual for tion with the Gay Men's Chorus, William ship in which liturgical dance and Inclusive Communities. Oak Park, Sloane Coffin, the keynote speaker, threatened drama play large roles. Ill.: Meyer-Stone, 1988. Sourcebook to take the matter to the National Press Corps Illuminations. Annual June-July issue of • for developing inclusive prayers and in Washington, D.C., if Bailey was not rethe More Light Update, newsletter of rituals. Sample rites address multischeduled and the chorus invited to perform. Presbyterians for Lesbian &Gay Concultural traditions with deep sensi'. Bailey was reinvited and led the chorus in cerns. Available through Jim Ander-tivity to issues of justice and peace. song during amoving worship service in son, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ • WATERwheel. Quarterly newsletter of which Coffin preached of the necessity of wel08903-0038. Collected liturgies and the Women's Alliance for Theology, coming gay and lesbian people and ministerprograms for congregations welcoming Ethics, and Ritual. Available ing to people with AIDS. It .was ahealing of lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals. through WATER, 8035 13th Street, experience for both those in the fellowship as Larson, Jim. Heartsongs. Available Silver Spring, MD 20910-4803. Each well as those in the chorus, many of whom had .' through Center for Renewal, 11201-1 issue contains fresh liturgies created experienced alienation from their church roots. Peartree Way, Columbia, MD 21044. by Diann L. Neu, a feminist liberaThe chorus rehearses at Wilshire UMC in Collected prayers for personal or cor-: tion liturgist, cofounder, and Los Angeles and recently participated {n the porate meditation. codirector of WATER. .. morning worship celebrating its third anniversary as a Reconciling Congregation. Summer 1992 19 A Closing Co-Editor's Note: It's Time to Say Good-bye and Be on My Journey Dear friends: In the spring of 1985, Mark Bowman asked me to help him edit the first issue of a new magazine for the Reconciling Congregation Program. Now, more than seven years later, this issue marks my exit as one of Open Hands' co-editors. Beginning with the fall 1992 issue,. Open Hands will move into a new style of management with one editor overseeing the magazine's production, replacing the current system of co-editors and issue coordinators. I have decided not to apply to be the new editor. Open Hands has been an important part of my life, and it is not easy to put it behind me. But the time has come. Every issue of this magazine has included articles in which people shared their personal spiritual journeys. While I have written various journalistic articles for Open Hands, I have never discussed any of my own spirituality. As I say good-bye to all of you who have supported Open Hands-artd meover the years, I want to end my silence and share a little of myself. It is ironic that my final issue of Open Hands explores how sexuality affects spirituality; it is largely (though not entirely) my own spiritual journey that has caused me to conclude that it is time to leave this magazine. The past year, in particular, has been a time of personal spiritual searching, and I cannot escape one basic conclusion: Even if the United Methodist institution and other mainstream denominations were to eliminate their antigay vestiges, I doubt I would feel fully at home in them. As I have since childhood, I believe that there is some sort of God in all creation-including within all human beings. But I increasingly feel an inner longing for broadened understanding: • I am increasingly pulled to supplement-my Judeo-Christian understanding of spirituality with the insights of the world's other faiths. My Christian roots remain important to me; I still find insights in the Bible-especially, the life and words of Jesus-that help me strive to develop the Dominion of God "within" myself (Luke 17:21). However, I am increasingly uncomfortable with the notion that Christianity is the only valid route to life with God, and I have trouble with hymns and liturgies that proclaim a Christian mission to convert the world. I feel a growing need to listen for the ways in which God has spoken to the world's different peoples and cultures throughout time. • I want a spiritual community that puts more emphasis on encouraging people to think for themselves than on telling them what to believe. In even the most open mainstream denominations, Sunday morning worship remains primarilya one-way experience in which the pastor talks and everyone else listens, rather than a forum in which all people of faith share and learn from the valuable insights that we each have. On my journey, I want to travel a road where travelers are committed not to winning places in a hierarchy but to helping all people appreciate their equal value as part of God's universal family. • It has become clear that I cannot devote energy toward the politics of persuading others to welcome people like myself and still have the proper focus to work on internal spiritual needs-deeper love, truer gentleness, personal wholeness. It seems impossible for me to stay within a hostile institution without having anger overpower my more loving emotions. Increasingly, I think about Jesus' instruction in Luke 10:10-11 to shake the dustof the unwelcoming community (or institution) from one's feet. I'm sure I will continue occasionally (or frequently) to worship in a Reconciling Congregation or a similar congregation affiliated with another mainstream denomination. However, it will be important to identify myself with the people of the welcoming local fellowship, not with the condemning institution/ denomination. On my journey, I need to move on toward a spiritual life and community where I can feel truly at home. To paraphrase Robert Frost, two roads are diverging in the woods of my life. I could keep on the more heavily trafficked highway and stay solely within the mainline church and its theology. I know that for many persons of faithincluding many of you-the institutional church remains a comfortable and loving (if imperfect) home, and I am happy for you. But for me right now, the "road less traveled by" is ca!1ing, and I feel compelled to answer the call. know that these longings are not; in and of themselves, incompatible with my continued work with Open Hands. But it has become clear to me that I do not have the time or energy to continue with this magazine while also working on my personal spirituality. Besides, Open Hands is for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual Christians who are committed to working for reform and understanding within mainstream denominations. This magazine needs to be produced by people who are part of that effort. I am no longer one of those persons. Y -Bradley Rymph . 20 Open Hands ~~tters Response to "Creating Alliances"Issue -'le Winter 1992 issue, "Creating Allies," elicited an unusually large number esponses from our readers. These two "s are indicativeof the responses we've ··ed. :he recent issue, "Creating Alliances," o wonderful! The coordination of articles by Ann Thompson Cook creates a lively and vital discussion. The articles ush boundaries between factions and .ithin my own thinking. Ann's stylistic ntegrity is evident-the entire publicaIon sings with vitality and compassion. deeply appreciate this issue. -Deb Crerie Arlington, Virginia The article "Working Toward Trust" . I the Winter 1992 issue reminded me f my personal and pastoral struggle/ urney to reach out to gay /lesbian per~ons. Mine began 20 years ago. A clergy . . end was going through a divorce and as leaving the ministry. At the same me, he was "coming out of the closet." I ggled then to say it did not matter me either as an individual or as a astor what his sexual orientation was. did matter. In the coming months, he troduced me to Chicago's gay / sbian world. That community taught e how oppressed people have networks aring and love. I introduced my gregation to the issue of homophobia, mittedly with great fears ... all of uch proved to be unfounded. But that was the early 1970s, and Christians, especially liberal! radical Christians, were still under the influe of the' 60s. By the end of the decade, ad been appointed to a more tradi. nal congregation where it seemed itless to deal with the issue of omophobia/ reconciliation. I tried to e a supportive and compassionate resence to the gay members of the congregation, while respecting their hen still hidden identities. Ultimately, I was appointed to Hemenway, a Reconciling Congregation. Here, in our own ways and amid our particular institutional struggles, Summer 1992 we continue to work on the issue of overcoming our heterosexual prejudices. What I've discovered is that learning to trust one another is a twoway street. Unless we force ourselves to learn about another, we never will. Sometimes we offer trust, and it is rejected or betrayed. Where we know there is separation, we can find a multitude of reasons not to attempt to bridge our differences and build one community. I hope and pray that I shed those prejudices and hatred that have crept into my life and that I keep new ones out. -Kerm Krueger Evanston, Illinois The Pain Grows The following letter expresses the sentiments of many gay, lesbian, and bisexual United Methodists following the General Conference in May. These are excerpts from a letter to theAdministrative Board of Fifth Avenue UMC in Wilmington, North Carolina . For 58 years, I have been proud to count myself among the people called Methodist. It was in my great grandfather's house that our beloved Francis Asbury often stayed. I was raised in the old church at Sneads Ferry and there, at the age of 11, made my public profession of faith and joined the Methodist Church. I had a religious experience there, not unlike John Wesley's "heartwarming experience." That event is that which has sustained me all my life in my spiritual relationship with God. Twenty years ago, when our church first took a stand against homosexuality, I felt as though I had been cut to the heart by the very church which I have loved and served. I made every effort to fulfill my vows to support it with my prayers, my presence, my gifts, and my services. I have stayed in this denomination because its records in other avenues of social justice have been and are so strong; surely, the Methodists would come to a more complete understanding and acceptance of human sexuality. Surely one day I would see a "Reconciling Congregation" in Wilmington, and if not in Wilmington at least in our district, and if not in our district then at least in the North Carolina annual conference. Surely one day I would be accepted fully and unconditionally by my own religious denomination. Unfortunately, that day has not come, and I can no longer wait. I can no longer in good conscience make such a commitment to the United Methodist Church because it relegates me to second-class citizenry by proclaiming once again that "homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching." This stand not only affects me, but it impacts my family-immediate and extended, my friends, and all my associates. I've grown weary of being criticized for something that is part of my divinely created being. My sexuality is a good God-given gift, just as heterosexuality is a good God-given gift to the majority of our population. To my church family here, which I so dearly love, I beg you to remember that there are others living under this oppression who could likely be your mothers and fathers, your brothers and sisters, your children and grandchildren, your friends and associates. Normally, they just fade out of the life of the church without ever expressing their deep loss at not being fully accepted as the children of God they know in their hearts they are. I speak as one of God's children. I speak for them because they are unable to speak for themselves. Change will only come when others such as yourselves are bold enough to speak for these silenced, oppressed Christian homosexuals-children of God. Please accept my resignation of membership in the United Methodist Church, membership in Fifth Avenue UMC, member-ship on the Administrative Board, the position of Consecrated Lay Reader, the position of Church Historian, and the position of Lay Member to Annual Conference. My love, God's grace, and the peace of the Holy Spirit to you all. -Bob Jenkins Wilmington, North Carolina 21 · RCPReport Lesbian/Gay Concerns at Forefront ofGeneral andAnnual Conferences General Conference Receives Study: Continues Negative Policies The 1992 General Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC), which met in May in Louisville, reaffirmed its largely negative policies toward lesbians and gay men. The General Conference (GC) did receive the report of the Committee to Study Homosexuality and voted to publish it, along with additional resources, for local churches to study. The GC also adopted a strong statement on the civil and human rights of lesbians and gay men (see below). However, the GC voted to retain the objectionable statement on homosexuality in the Social Principles, which states that "we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching." A substitute statement indicating the church is divided over this issue and seeks further guidance was defeated by a vote of 594 to 372 (the comparable vote in 1988 was 621 to 344). The GC retained the ban on the ordination and appointment of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals," while rejecting petitions to make this even more restrictive. The ban on national church funding of any group which "promotes the acceptance of homosexuality" was also maintained. Efforts to make it a chargeable offence for clergy to perform a "holy union" or other covenant service for same-gender couples were not approved. Following is the text of the statement on the "Rights of Homosexual Persons" that was adopted by the GC: Certain basic human and civil liberties are due all persons. We are committed to support those rights and liberties for homosexual persons. We see a clear issue of simple justice in protecting their rightful claims where they have: shared material resources, pensions, guardian relationships, mutual powers ofattorney and other such lawful claims typically attendant to contracted relationships which involved shared contributions, responsibilities and liabilities, and equal protection before the law. Moreover, we support efforts to stop violence and other forms or coercion against gays and lesbians. Affirmation Leads Demonstration for Lesbian/Gay Recognition Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian/Gay /Bisexual Concerns led a coalition in the design and execution of a demonstration that turned an act of inhospitality on the part of the GC into a powerful witness. Affirmation-along with the Methodist Federation for Social Action, the Women's Caucus, and the Interethnic Caucus-campaigned for the right of an Affirmation spokesperson to address the conference during the debate on homosexuality. Not since 1976 had an openly gay or lesbian person addressed the Gc. When this request was denied by vote of the GC, 20 persons carried a large banner proclaiming "The Stones Will Cry Out" onto the convention floor between the delegates and the presiding bishop. Supporters in the galleries periodically made the bleachers rumble and cry out at the injustice. This demonstration received widespread press attention. Annual Conferences Address Lesbian/Gay Concerns Several annual conferences, meeting in May and June, also took actions regarding Reconciling Congregations and ministries with lesbians and gay men, as reported in the UM Newscope: The California-Pacific Conference, by an overwhelming vote, encouraged local churches to study Christianity and homosexuality and to consider becoming Reconciling Congregations. The Minnesota Conference received the report of a special task force on ministry with homosexual persons and designated 1993 as a "Year of Faithful Inquiry," in which individuals and congregations are asked to study the concerns of lesbian/ gay persons. The conference received a study document on homosexuality, and special training was mandated for clergy. In addition, the three Reconciling Congregations in Minnesota prepared a resolution that affirmed "services of blessing and celebrations of committed relationships for couples of the same gender" within Reconciling Congregations and to be celebrated by their clergy. The presiding bishop ruled that the resolution was contrary to church law and could not be presented to the conference. The conference subsequently voted to appeal this ruling to the UMC's Judicial Council. The California-Nevada Conference adopted a resolution recommending that congregations study ministry with lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons. In addition, each district superintendent was instructed to question each congregation as to its openness to such ministries at each annual charge or church conference. The Oregon-Idaho and Rocky Mountain Conferences adopted resolutions in opposition to civil initiatives that seek to limit the rights of gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons. In addition, Oregon-Idaho asked local churches to study homosexuality and report results back to the conference. The Northern New Jersey Conference passed a resolution affirming the right of lesbians and gay men to be full members of congregations. The Reconciling Congregations of the Northern Illinois Conference read a statement to their conference session following the report of the General Conference delegation. This statement declared that the UMC's anti-gay/lesbian actions "give religious sanction to the increased gay bashing which we must abhor." The statement also called on the Northern Illinois Conference to "repudiat[e] hate groups which threaten the well-being of gay men and lesbians, repent. .. the church's exclusion of some of God's children, and shar[e] in a service of healing and reconciliation." Open Hands 22 Nourishing the Tree ofLife Services Impact Communities Across the Country 2spite recommendations from a Love and Justice shortly before, Estacada cially "welcoming." In Chicago, an -tudy committee, among other members were not sure persons would interfaith service during Gay /Lesbian ~e the position of the have energy for another special gather-Pride Week drew 70 people of faith- o homosexuality, ing. However, many members of many of whom have felt the pain and erence retained its Portland's Lesbian Community Project isolation from their respective religious that "the prac-who had participated in the walk came bodies. Parts of the Nourishing the Tree bJ::nosa'Uality is inmmpatible with back to Estacada to share in the wor-of Life service were incorporated in the ~--.. _--'-!__ • ~See story on page 22.) ship which proved to be a powerful, Pittsburgh Gay /Lesbian Pride Service, . tack of hospitality moving event. with over 325 people attending. lHt:'U1UUist Church (UMC) Another Nourishing the Tree of Life The theme of healing and nourish-al congregations and service in Oregon was held in Salem on ment echoed all across the country as roughout the country orga-individuals found welcoming space. For and took part in worship ser-some, it was a time to sustain their 'ic·es to offer healing for those hurt by common journey as a Reconciling Con- he C\IC's policies and to demonstrate gregation, Affirmation group, or MFSA discontent with the church's continued chapter. The service in Oklahoma City homophobia. The week of June 20-28 featured singing and sharing to \vas designated for holding these ser-emphasize the experience of healing. vices, although some were held later In Richmond, Virginia, seven in the summer and some are planned \. ~_ people gathered before their annual for early fall. The Reconciling Con-/ -~ \ conference session, giving energy to gregation Program coordinated / conference members to continue 1 )these services, in conjunction with ( their witness against homophobia the Methodist Federation for Social \ ~< / within the conference. In Boston, 80 Action (MFSA) and local chapters Of~~ ,/;1 persons remained after the annual con-Affirmation: United Methodists for Les-{ -~-C'~'/ \ ~~)ference session for a time of reflection bian/Gay /Bisexual Concerns. '-" t "'"~) fr"~ and celebration before returning to , Nourishing the Tree of Life was the ~~" ~ "'" jf their homes and churches. theme ofthese services using Jeremiah ~ 't. ",¥/ ~ :; The services elicited a very posi17:5-8 and Revelation 22:1-2 as the "r"" ~I -..., ~. _ tive response from most participants biblical foundations. The content of ~) \ ':{ I!.t and filled a variety of needs in their ~ the different sponsoring groups who : ~. '""~ r nominational gathering of 70 persons in were present at the General Conference June 28. -~ ~ the East Ohio Conference commented in Louisville. The service drew on the Around 120 ~~ on the need for such a service on a more criptural metaphors of the river that persons from all arou~~",..~,_"~ regular basis. Among those attending a gives life and the tree that bears fruit. the state participated, including . Saturday night gathering of 80 persons Over 85 persons across the country the bishop and the associate conference in Sacramento was an older woman volunteered to be local contacts and council director. As worshipers left, who, in her young adulthood, had been organizers in cities and towns from they were given oak trees to take home very active in the UMC. However, after Vacaville, California, to New Haven, and plant. A blessing of the trees was coming out as a lesbian, she had been Connecticut; from Milwaukee, Wiscon-given by a Native American pastor who away from the church for many years. sin, to Houston, Texas. Thousands of recalled the isolation and exclusion he After the service, she expressed how persons-United Methodists, friends also felt from the church. good it felt to be back in a loving church from other denominations, and persons Participation extended beyond the again. Similarly, after a service attended from outside the church community-United Methodist community. In by over 50 in Newark, Delaware, the participated in these services of healing Springfield, Illinois, the Metropolitan mother of a gay man asked, "Why have (f) o c and reconciliation. The Nourishing the Community Church pastor assisted in I waited so long to know that some in Tree of Life services provided an oppor-leading the service, which drew 40 per-my church will love my son?" : ~ tunity to draw various communities sons. In Austin, Texas, the planning Nourishing theTree of Life has certainly • .> • ell • C . g- together in solidarity with persons group decided to divide the offering proved to be another milestone in the • :n ostracized by the church. three ways-the local Affirmation growth of our reconciling movement . D>The service at Estacada UMC in group, national RCP ministries and across the country. We offer special thanks . Qc: Oregon drew around 90 people on June First English Lutheran Church, the only to the many volunteers who helped orga-Cil · ~ 25. Because they had hosted a Walk for congregation in Austin which is offi-nize, publicize, and lead these services. ~ · . .= ~ Summer 1992 23 Five Reconciling Congregations In New Zealand A newly formed Methodists for Les· bian and Gay Concerns in New · Zealand wrote to the RCP office in the · summer of 1991 requesting information · about Reconciling Congregations. A recent letter from the Rev. Ashley · Sedon, convener of the group, reported that, as of this past July, five congre: gations in New Zealand had decided to : become Reconciling Congregations. · These parishes are Glenaven Methodist · Church (Dunedin), Broad Bay Methodist Church (Dunedin), Mornington · Methodist Church (Dunedin), Hamilton Methodist Church (Hamilton), and · Aotea Chapel Methodist Community (Auckland). It is with great joy that we celebrate the growth of the RCP as an · international movement! Reconciling Congregations ARIZONA ILLINOIS Tucson Chicago St. Francis in the Albany Park UMC Foothills Irving Park UMC CALIFORNIA MayfairUMC Albany Parish of the Holy AlbanyUMC Covenant Berkeley United Church of TrinityUMC Rogers Park Fresno Evanston WesleyUMC Hemenway UMC Hollywood Wheadon UMC Hollywood UMC Oak Park Los Angeles Euclid A venue UMC United University Winfield Wilshire UMC Winfield UMC Milpitas IOWA Sunny hills UMC Des Moines San Francisco Trinity UMC BethanyUMC KANSASCalvary UMC Mission Hamilton UMC ecumenikos Trinity UMC Santa Monica LOUISIANA Church in Ocean New Orleans Park St. Mark's UMC Vacaville .MARYLANDSt. Paul's UMC BaltimoreWest Hollywood St. John's UMC Crescent Heights UMC MASSACHUSETTS Osterville COLORADO Osterville UMC Denver St. Paul's UMC MINNESOTA Minneapolis DISTRICT OF Prospect Park UMCCOLUMBIA Walker Community Washington UMC Christ UMC WesleyUMC Dumbarton UMC MISSOURI GEORGIA Kansas City Atlanta Kairos UMC Grant Park- Aldersgate UMC OPEN AND AFFIRMING: A JOURNEY OF FAITH An Open and Affirming Video Resource from the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries "It brings to life the printed words I have read about the ONA process. Real people. Real churches. Really valuable!" VCC Clergyperson "An excellent video. I lookforward to using it in our local church. " VCC Laywoman "Presents the issue rationally, with conviction, from a variety of perspectives. " Open and Affirming: A Journey of Faith Color, 55 minutes, VHS; Purchase only -Not available for rental Documents the experiences of three United Church of Christ congregations deciding whether or not to declare themselves open to and affIrming of lesbian, gay and bisexual persons. Different approaches to the ONA dialogue are documented as are candid comments from church members about personal experiences with the ONA process. Video package includes printed resources. Rev. Bill Johnson ONA Video Resources -UCBHMlDAMA 700 Prospect Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1100 All orders must be pre-paid by check or money order payable to "UCBHM". For further information call (216) 736 -3270. NEW YORK OREGON WASHINGTON Brooklyn Estacada Seattle Park Slope UMC Estacada UMC Capitol Hill UMC Craryville Portland Wallingford UMC Craryville UMC New York Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew Metropolitan-Duane UMC Washington Square UMC Oneonta First UMC Metanoia Peace Community PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia Calvary UMC First UMC of Germantown TENNESSEE WISCONSIN Madison University UMC Sheboygan Wesley UMC Reconciling Conferences OHIO Columbus Nashville Edgehill UMC California-Nevada New York Third A venue Community Church TEXAS Hous ton Northern Illinois Troy Toledo Bering Memorial UMC Central UMC Open Hands 24 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 Open Hands Vol 8 No 1 - Our Spirituality: How Sexual Expression and Sexual Oppression Shape It https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/12234bcac358fb5f76d29796d0bf788e.pdf d3b96cdea1d19c00b678510fa3fbc2ba Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Volume Number The volume number of the issue 8 Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 2 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1992 Publication Date The date the issue was published Fall Text Any textual data included in the document "/s your heart true to no/ heart as mine is to yours? .. 1J it is, gIVe me your hand." 2 Kings 10: /5 Reconciling Ministries with Lesbiam and Gay Men Vol. 8 No.2 Fall 1992 4..tS"1rJ. .... Aging and: Integrity $5.00 : I Open Hands is published quarterly by the Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. as a resource for congregations and individuals seeking to be in ministry with lesbians and gay men. Each issue of Open Hands focuses on a particular area of concern related to gay men and lesbians within the church. The Reconciling Congregation Program is a network of United Methodist local churches that publicly affirm their miniSlrY with the whole family of God and welcome lesbians and gay men into their community of faith. In this network, Reconciling Congregations find strength and support as they strive to overcome the divisions caused by prejudice and homophobia in our church and in our society. Reconciling Congregations along with their kindred More Light (Presbyterian), Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ/Disciples of Christ), Reconciled-in-Christ (Lutheran), Welcoming (Unitarian Universalist), Supportive Congregations - (Brethren/Mennonite) and Welcoming and Affirming (American Baptist) congregations - offer hope that the church can be a reconciled community. To enable local churches to engage in these ministries, the Reconciling Congregation Program provides resource materials, including Open Hands. Information about the program and these resources can be obtained from: Reconciling Congregation Program 3801 N. Keeler Avenue Chicago,ll60641 Phone: 312 / 736-5526 Fax: 312 / 736-5475 2 Reconci ling Ministries with Lesbians and Gay Men Fall 1992 FOCUS OF THIS ISSUE: Aging and Integrity ..... .... ... ....... ... ... .......... .................. 3 IN THE STRUGGLE: AGING AND AGEISM Aging: The Process and the Dilemma ... ..... .... ........ .... ..... ........ ...... ......... .. 4 Mary Jo Osterman Definitions ................ ......... ................................... ..... .... ................... 5 Aging, Heterosexism and Ageism ...... ....... .. ...... ... ..................... ........ ......... 6 Del Martin Ageism Is ............... ....... .... ....... ..... ... ..... ...... ................. ................. 7 Legal Terms & Documents .... .......................................................... 7 An Older Gay Male Couple Ponders Growing Old ........ ........ ................... 8 Alex Marin & Jay Bowles VOICES OF THE ELDERS Reflections from a Retired Minister .................... ... ..... ............. .............. 10 Peggy Gaylord with Bill Boyce Out at Fifty .......................... ...... .. ...... ....... ..... ... ...... ....... .... ..................... 12 Jeanne Barnett Grandma Is a Lesbian ................. ... ............................... .............. ............ 13 EWe Charlton For United Methodists-To-Come .............................................................. 14 Keith Chalmers 1 Once Was a Liar ....... ....... ............ ... ..... ... ... ..... ...... ..... ............ ................ 15 David J. Biviano Living an Honest Life .. .. ............... ...... ..... ..... ... ... ..... ... ..... ...................... 16 Ardelle Pearsall In Remembrance of a Dear Friend .............. ... ............................ .... . .. 17 Anonymous Organizational Sampling ....... .................. ..... ... ...... .. ....... ........ ...... 17 SUSTAINING THE SPIRIT Anniversary: A Story-Sermon and Song ........... ...... ........ ... ...................... 18 John Sumwalt RESOURCES ..................................................................................................... 20 RCP REPORT ......... ........... .................... ....... .. ................ .. ................................. 21 Welcome New RCs ............. .... ... ..... ............ ..... ... .... .. ..... ..... ....... .............. 21 Presbyterian High Court "Sets Aside" Spahr Call ...... ... ..... ..................... 22 Changes in Open Hands ....... ............................................... ... .... ... ... 23 RCP Board Launches Annual Campaign ..... ..... ...................................... 23 List of Reconciling Congregations .. ..... ..... ... ..... ... .......... .......... ............... 24 Open Hands Aging and Integrity Old gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals are everywhere. If we estimate that 10 percent of the U.S. population is gay or lesbian, then approximately 3.1 million gay men or lesbians over sixty·five years of age live in the U.S. No solid estimates are available for the number of bisexual women and men, but any such estimates would raise the 11 million figure even higher. Where are these older lesbians, bisexuals, and gay men? They are among the most invisible, voiceless, nameless members of our society. How does growing old affect this mostly invisible group? In this issue of Open Hands, we explore some of the aspects of being old in a heterosexually dominant society. The first sect ion, "In the Struggle" includes three articles which examine the nature and tasks of old age and the existence of ageism in our SOCiety. The second section of the issue is devoted to "the voices of the elders." Seven authors share some of the realities of their lives and renecL on their journeys. We seek to give visibility to our elders' joys and pains, needs and concerns. Signs of strength and endurance are woven into these histories and hersLories. Seeds of change spring from their hopes and visions for the future. LiSLen to the voices. Upcoming Theme Issues Deadline for Issue Year Focus Unsolicited Manuscripts Winter 1993 Strategies and Stories for the January 1, 1993 Reconciling Movement Spring 1993 Christian Family Values February 15, 1993 Summer 1993 Exploring Biblical Issues April 15, 1993 which Impact our Ministries Fall 1993 Counteracting the Religious June IS, 1993 Right Winter 1994 Worship Resources for our August 15, 1993 Mmistries If you are interested in writing for one of these issues, please send a query leuer outlining your article idea. Writer's gUidelines are available. Write to: r",n 1992 OH Editor Reconciling Congregation Program 3801 N. Keeler Chicago, IL 60641 Reconciling Con9'"9"tion Program Coordinator Mark Bowman Open Hands Ednor Mary Jo Osterman This Issue's Co-Coordinators Jeanne Barnen Ellie Charlton Cover & Illustrations laurie Sucher Layout I Graphics I Typesetting In Print - Jan Graves Opcm Hands is published four limes a year. Subscription is $16 for four issues (S20 oUlside the Uniled Siales). Single copies, including back issues, are available for $5 each; quantities of 10 or more are S3 each. Permission to reprint is granted upon request. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcomed and will be acknowledged if they are scheduled to be published. Subscriptions, letters 10 the editor, manuscripts, requests for advertising rates and inrormation, and other correspon· dence should be sent to: Open Hands 3801 N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, Il 60641 Phone: 312 / 7)6·5526 Fax: 312 / 736-5475 © 1992 by Ihe Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. Open Hands is a registered lrademark. Winner 1992 Award of Merit for "General Excellence" The Associated Church Press. Member, The Associated Church Press ISSN 0888-8833 * Printed on recycled paper. 3 Aging. What images come to mind? The answers will vary depending on the age and life experiences of the hearer. The lTUlh is, aging begins at the moment of birth. The increasing number of candles on the birthday cake, year after year, mark a child's journey toward independence, self-identity, and responsibility. Aging for children and youth means growth toward maturity. But for middle and older adults aging rarely signifies simply growing older and more mature. It ceases lO be understood as a process; it pOinls to an arrived at, flXed time of life. Old. \Vho Is "Old'? Those who work with lhe subject of aging struggle La define "old" but almost universally admit that there can be no clear definition. Does it have to do with physical functioning? Then perhaps old might be defined in terms of active-old, elderly, and frailelderly. Does old have LO do with chronological age? Some geronLOlogists (see box) name three levels of life in older adult years: young-aging, middle-aging, and elderly-aging. Does old have to do with society's perception of age? Then the most descriptive tenns might be pre-retirement and post-retirement years. Human beings defY such neat categorizations. We are much lOO complicated to be so precisely packaged. Our years may put us in one category, our health in another, and our emotional and mental states in still another. Nevertheless, as we attempt to comprehend the aging process we find it necessary and helpful to continue to use the undefinable tenn, uold.ft What we do know is this: At some point in the life-cycle there is a gradual and almost imperceptible shift in our mental image of "aging." No longer does aging bring to mind positive images of gain. Rather it begins to 4 by Mary ]0 Osterman carry the negative message of loss: loss of job, loss of health, loss of friends, loss of spouse, loss of income, and loss of place in society. We may first glimpse this shift as we experience the aging and death of parents. Soon we begin to nolice telltale signs of aging in ourselves, and we become acutely conscious of our own mortality. From that moment 011, aging ceases to be an academic subject or the life experience of others. It becomes our own personal journey even though we may be years or even decades away from becoming ~old old" or "frail-elderly.ft The Tasks of Later Adulthood Every stage of life has its own unique tasks which must be resolved, its own hurdles which must be cleared, and its own dilemmas which must be analyzed and conquered. Children work on gaining a sense of trust and a sense of being able lO perfonn new skills. Children also work on the issue of being connected and being detached from others. Youth and young adults focus on issues of identity and intimacy. Developmental theorists (see box) have described the tasks of later adulthood in a variety of ways. One theorist has suggested that the central task of later adulthood is simplificalion: learning to distinguish the less important from the more important; eliminating the less important; and using thinking, feeling and action energies for the more important. For another theorist the key task is adju.stment Some of the realities to which older adults must adjust include decreasing physical strength and general health, retirement and reduced income, death of friends and loved ones, and possible change of living arrangements. For psycho-social developmental theorist Erik Erikson the key word for the last stage in the life-cycle is integrity. Erikson says the task of lhis final stage is two-fold: to be, through having been; and to face not being. 1 Whatever else one may think of Erikson's theoretical fonnulations l the aging population understands the relevance of this last stage, which he names «Integrity versus Despair." Every older adult knows that the crisis of older adulthood is whether one will end life feeling good or feeling depressed and worthless. Older adults know that when the tasks of middle adulthood have been completed, the identity question must once more be ansv.rered: ~Who are we now?" In early and middle adulthood, we fonned relationships, created a home, raised children, developed friends, refined employment skills and set career goals. Now the relationships may be over, any children we had are grown and on their own, employment has ceased by either forced or voluntary retirement, and we are in the process of redefining who we have become. The next great inevitable task of life will be to face our own "not being" But before that time we look back at our "having been" and ask, "So, how did we do?" Idealry. the outcome of our life journey is integrity. If we are not able to stry "It was good!" we may fall into despair. Ideally, the outcome of our life journey is integrity. We want to be able to look back, see what we have done and who we have become, and be able to accept the "having been" with joy and affirmation. If we are not able to say «It was good!" we may fall into despair, wishing life had been Open Hands [ different. yet knowing that there is not enough time left to stan over with different choices. A newly retired college professor wrote in her Christmas leuer: ~What I hadn't counted on was a strange sense of 'identity crisis' I suppose they call it, with no bells calling me to class or chapel - a new wilderness all my own to be weathered through, along with relentless re-evaluating of my professional years." After naming two friends who had died, she goes on to say, "I feel like a struggling pine in a lonesome place where two mighty oaks have fallen." This woman's words are a classic illustration of one who searches for integrity in older adulthood: Who am I now? How did 1 do? How do I face "nOI being"? Being Old and Gay: The Dilemma Older adults, then, all face the tasks of simplifying life. adjusling 10 changed physical, emotional and mental realities, and resolving the crisis of integrity versus despair. These tasks <Ire not simple for <lnyone. But for some <lging g<ly men, lesbians, and bisexuals, older aduhhood brings <In added dimension - a further dilemma or crisis imposed by a hetcrosexisl social order. Lesbians, bisexuals, and gay men long to be honest, to gain integrity; but their search is made more difficult by the oppression oj a homophobic culture. Lesbians, bisexuals, and g<ly men long 10 be honest, to g<lin integrity; but their search is made more difficult by the oppression of a homophobic cullUre. If they respond to their feMs of rejection and punishment by hiding their sexu<ll identity in an attempt to avoid the p<lin of discrimin<ltion and prejudice, they compromise their search for integrity. If they forthrightly seek imegrity by being honest about their sexu<ll orient<ltion, they risk Fall 1992 society's punishments which may include loss of home, family, friends, income, or professional reputation. Yet they must meet the crisis of integrity versus despair he<ld-on if they <Ire to resolve the dilemm<l fully. The tension old gays, lesbians, and bisexuals face is vividly expressed in the poem «I Once Was a Liar~ (page 15) I once was a liar My whole life balanced precariously on a lie. The resolution of that tension is also vi.vidly expressed in «Living an Honest Life" (page 16): I'm happier than I've ever been because 1 am living an honest life. The pull toward integrity is very strong at any age, but it is especially powerful in old age. To gain integrity some gays, bisexuals, and lesbians will risk home, family, income, friendships, and hard-won profeSSional reputations built over a lifetime. Others will find ways to resolve the dilemma without risking all. For still others, <I compromise with integrity will be forged. As one author (page 10) in this issue shared, YAfter I'm gone, they can know . .. I've left papers in my files ... It won't matter to me anymore." It's a compromise - in the midst of a hostile world - that has its own internal sense of imegrity. DEFINITIONS New Being and Not Being Old age is nO[ only a time for solVing crises and dilemmas, but also for venturing into new experiences <lnd exploring dimensions of oneself that one hadn't had time to do before. The stories of the elders in this issue are full of examples of life going on joyfully. New facets of the older adult's "being~ emerge as she or he has more leisure (<lnd perhaps for the fortunate few, more discretionary income) for learning, travel, making friends, having fun. In short, older adults of <Ill sexual orientations are still ~being," still becoming all that they hope to be. Old age is also that time when adults must face that ultimate experience of "not being" Death - whether our spouse's or our friends' or our own - comes ever closer La us. Part of seeking integrity is coming to terms with the meaning of existence. Just what is life all about? Wh<lt does it me<ln th<lt we have lived on this earth for Sixty, seventy or eighty years? What does it mean La "not ben? What does our faith tell us" Such questions and reflections know no sexual orientation boundaries, except as they are tied to how well <I person has been able to resolve the integrity issue. Ageism: "Prejudice and discrimination directed toward persons based on a "be.lief that,~ person's worth and abilities are determined solely by chronolog1cal age. (Ourselves, Growing Older, p xxii) Developmental Theorists: scientists who study human growth over the life span and who <lssume that persons progress through orderly stages which involve distinct I<Isks. Gerontology: the scientific study of aging and the problems of the <lged. ~eterosexism: Prejudice <lnd discrimination directed toward persons SImply because they are gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Integrity: a sense of completeness, soundness, and rightness; ''<In acceptance of one's one and only life cycle with no basic regret that it should have been otherwise." (Hiltner, Toward A T1teology of Aging, p. 159). Compiled by Editor 5 What If? Reaching toward integrity may be a smooth journey or a rough one. Integrity may be fully or only partially realized. Honesty with the world may be hard-won or painfully rejected. Yet most lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals (as most heterosexuals) manage to lead meaningful, productive lives. That this is more difficult for those in oppressed groups is one of the tragic facts of twentieth century life. But what if our culture wasn't ageist? (see box) What if children, youth, and adults of all ages were equally valued? What if old women were as valued as old men? What if old women didn't lry to ~pass " as younger in order to forestall discrimination, Isolation, or rejection? And what If our culture wasn't heterosexist1 (see box) What if all persons, regardless of their sexual orientation, were valued for who they were and how ethically they lived their lives? What if all lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals over nfly risked being honest? What if we could write the story of our lives like the storyteller who wrote "Anniversary" (page lB) so that in the end everyone was convinced, and everyone could live happily ever after? '" 1 Erik Erikson, Identity and the Life Cycle. New York: Norton, 1959, 1980, pp. 104·5; 178. 2 Carol Gilligan, 1t1 A Different Voice. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1982, ch. I. 6 i$5utS oj coming our, homophobia and htfcroscxism. -& AGlb]SMi -- By Del Martin Lesbians have been blaZing trails in anti-oppression activism for decades. Those of us who have reached old age - in or out of the closet - are survivors. We have been inventing our lives in various phases - learning how to turn negatives into positives. Old age is no exception. We recognize ageism as another hurdle in our H\."l!S, along with helerosexism. On "How Not to be a Bag Lady" ~ Phyllis and I went to a Community College seminar on ~How Not To Be A Bag Lady In Your Old Age.~ As usual it was geared for heterosexual women. One tOpiC of concern to us was how to protect the other if one of us was stricken with a catastrophic illness. A lawyer [rom Legal Services for the Elderly explained that a married couplc would have to spend down to the limit of cash assets allowed before Medicaid would kick in. He said the family home would be left intact as long as the ~spousc" resided there. We asked, UWhat about us - a lesbian couple whose home is held in joint tenancyr He had nOl been asked that question before. He paused a moment, poiming out that, no matter the longevity of our relationship (now thirty-nine years), legally we are strangers! ~In your case you'd probably have to sell half the house." We decided it was time to update our wills. We also found it necessary to draw up powers of anorney for decisions regarding health and financial mallers in case one or the other was incapacitated. We had always kept our bank accounts and other assets in joint tenancy, but after the "bag lady" seminar, we divided most of them into separate living trusts so as to protect each other from being wIped out completely in case of a catastrophic illness. That's eight legal documents to cover what is laken for granted by married couples. That's heterosexism at work. On Overcoming our Ageism The West Coast Celebration By and For Old Lesbians held in 1987 changed our lives significantly. Participation \vas limited to lesbians sixty years of age or more. The organizers chose that age "because the degree of oppression is greater beyond mid-life, after sixty, when most of us know what it is to be perceived as 'old'." Our first breakthrough in the conference was openly admilling our age on our identification badges. We reclaimed the word old in its positive sense just as we had done with the teons lesbian and dyke. Old denotes chronological age, a stage of life which can be a beginning, tying up loose ends. learning and changing, doing things we had always wanted to do but never seemed to have the time, creating new endings. We refuse the lie that it is shameful to be an old woman. Many participants in the old lesbians' conference had never before given thought to ageism and how it affected them. Some could not Open Hands differentiate between natural aging and the unnat ural practice of ageism. Page Smith, in his column Coming OJ Age, highlights a form of ageism seen in the temptation to blame old age for a hosl of Ihings nOI necessarily connected with il at all. ~ l t is a vice indulged in," he said, "especially by the 'new old' men and women in their sixties and seventies who are relatively inexperienced at being old . One example Smith used of ageism is people's response to memory lapse. Most people who are unable to recall a name or date would suy readily, "Il will come to me if I don't try. Just give me a moment I feel so fooli sh." But when it happens 10 someone old, there seems to be an irrepressible impulse to say, "1 can't remember. I know it so well. I must be gClIlng senile." That's blaming old age, Smith poimed OUl.l Having had our consciousness raised by the old lesbian conference and by Smith, PhylliS and I are learning to say, "I have a lot more data in my unconscious mind's computer. Today it must be on overload. II will come to me." The Value of Aging Page Smith also bemoans the host of experts who counsel and AGEISM IS . .. advise us on what to do to cope with or triumph over old agc as though, ultimately, that wcre possible. In the process they distract us from using old age as a way of coming to terms with the meaning of existence. As old lesbians we refuse to look al this phase of lire as a terminal disease. We acknowledge that death is inevitable. We acceptlhal. But we aren't about to sentence ourselves to death row. There is too much to do, too many new adventures to experience. Besides, Phyllis and I have a date for New Year's Eve 1999 to see Ihe new century in. 'Y 1 ExcerptedJrom a speech given at Ihe conference "Diversity Wilh a Difference: Serving 3 Million Aging Gays and Lesbians", sponsored by the American Society On Aging. June 22, 1992. 2 Page Smith, "Coming OJ Age", Sa" Francisco Chronicle. "This Worlel" Sunday Supplement, June 25, 1989. ©1992 LyMllr Associates Used with permission. DEL MARTIN IS a co-founder of Daughters of Bilifis, co-author of Lesbian Woman, a rId a prou.d old lesb!an of 71 . using "old" as a derogatory term and "young" as a compliment · .. tnviahzing an old person's anger as ~feisty" and a younger person's anger as "appropriate and assertive" , . speakmg of old women as "complaining" or ~crotchety" or "difficult" or "witchy" · .. categorizing old men as "dirty~, old gay men as "aging queens", old women as "grandmother", and old lesbians as "old dykes" · .. dismissing old persons' concerns about arthrilis or heart attacks, but talking constantly aboUl premenstrual syndrome or "tennis elbow" saying "you don't look that oldn · .. seeing all old people as ailing and failing and out of touch . lelling ageist comments go because the speaker didn't really "mean it that way" Fall 1992 Compiled by Editor Sources. look Me In The Eye OlOC brochLlre OurSelves, Growing Oilier ~ Legal Tenns & Documents WILL: a document stating who is to receive your assets after your death. : ~IVING TRUST: a way of holding the : title to your home and other assets that enables your estate to bypass the probate process after your death. Avoids costs and delay and protects your privacy. Living trusts are contested less often than wills. ESTATE: all the "stuff" you own: home, car, household furniture, savings accounts, stocks and bonds, etc. PROBATE: a court procedure of six months to two years in which your will is filed with the court and becomes a public record. Probate requires an inventory and appraisal of your estate. Probate fa.....-yers· and executor's fees are a percentage of the gross value of the estate. DURABLE POWER OF ATIORNEY FOR HEALTH CARE: authorizes someone to make health care decisions for you if you cannot. Customized DPAs will allow you to grant hospital visitation. indicate specific life-sustaining treatment choices, authorize someone to maintain your home, care for pets, claim personal belongings, and arrange burial or cremation. CONSERVATORSHIP: appointment by the court of a guardian for you. In naming a guardian, the court will follow a set of priorities (spouse. adult child, parent, sibling, niece or nephew . . . any other person or entity). Unneccesary if you have signed durable powers of attorney. LIFE INSURANCE BENEFICIARY: If you name "my estate" and have a will, proceeds go through probate rather than being paid directly and quickly to your beneficiary. NAN L. GOODART, an attorney in Sacramento, CA, who focuses exclusively on estate planning, trusts. wills, gift and estate taxation. and probate matters, She has written Who Will It Hurt When I Die; A Primer on the Livjng Trust, 1992. Order from Honor Bound Books. 916/422·9208 7 An Older Gay Male Couple Ponders Growing Old We are two gay men who have been in a monogamous relationship for nine years. The following conversation reflects our thoughts about growing older. VVhatDocs it Mean to Get Older? Alex: Well, for one thing it can mean changes in the status of our health. [ have more concern now than 1 ever did about blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol counts, and the incidence of prostate cancer in older men. Jay: Yes, those pains that we ignored when we were younger we no longer ignore. We wonder if each one is something serious. Alex: But beyond the physical aspects, aging also means changes in my state of mind. My retirement as a minister did not result in my feeling useless. I have still preached some, led worship, served Holy Communion, taught classes and workshops, and led discussion groups. However, it's been at someone else's invitation and on a part-time basis. Beyond the professional sphere, aging has meant a broadening of my interests. 1 have done some reading in new areas. I have retrieved some of the hobbies 1 had put away. We have done some traveling. And we've gotten to know some new people and developed a new circle of friends. Jay: And now that I am not dependent on a job and a pay check I feel more comfortable coming out to selected people without fear of lasing my income. I can be more active in the gay scene and make and enjoy gay friends. What Unique Tasks Can Older Gay People CaTry Out? Jay: I have recently become more aware of our responsibility to the youth who are struggling with their 8 by Alex Marin & Jay Bowles sexuality. We read that so many of them are committing suicide. Alex: Yes, in our area it seems there is no place adolescents can go, no one to talk to, no one to help them as they deal with that issue. Jay: And t understand from one public high school teacher and a local college faculty member that homophobia is rampan t among the youth themselves. Alex: So as older gay men we have a concern that today's gay youth not have to go through what we did - that feeling of knowing you are different from other people and wondering if you are the only person in the world attracted to the same gender. What isolation I remember feeling! Jay: So one of our tasks is to find \V3ys to help these youth. For instance, could we help them steer clear of the ~solutions~ that may be forced upon them, like fundamentalists who want to ~save~ them or change them into heterosexuals? Alex And could we help their parents better understand and accept their sexuality? Maybe some older gays might be instrumental in helping these youth avoid some of the confusion and heartache we experienced. Is Aging Different fOT Gay Men? Jay: Being gay does give some of us new concerns as we gel older. Since I have no biological family, I often wonder who would take care of me if something happened to you, Alex, and I \vcre no longer able to care for myself. I wonder who would handle my finances and be concerned about me as a person. Alex: What you're saying is not unique to gay men, but is also true for older lesbians, bisexuals, and heterosexuals without families. Our view of aging has not been "slanted" just because we are gay. Jay: However, being an older gay person does mean some of us have to be intentional about ~finding a family~ among our gay friends. Otherwise, for some older gay people like me there would be no family. How Do We Approach Getting Older? How Docs OUT Faith Enter In? Alex: I want to enjoy every minute of life! It's a wonderful opportunity, a time with many possibilities. I can't waste my time complaining. I am still in COntrol. I will decide what I want to do and what I don't want to do. I think this approach to life is quite consistent with my Christian faith. As a Christian I believe I am God's unique creation, a very special person JUSt as I am - as a gay man. I believe the various denominations are wrong, even unchristian, in their views that homosexuality is unchristian. But that docs not take away my worth or my faith. Nor docs it take away my optimism about my own future as a gay male who is growing older. J ay: Aging is something we all do. The key is to age as gracefully as possible and to keep doing things at full potential, even though that potential may decrease. If I had no religious faith 1 would be more pessimistic. Once this body is gone there would be nothing else, but with my faith I know that once this body is gone there will be another better life. What Values Do We Piau on Aging? Alex Getting older has allowed me to reach retirement with a decent income. So now that I have the extra time, I am able to do things I had to put off when I was younger and did nOt have either the money or the time to do. Jay: V/hen I was younger I was Open Hands always pUlling money away for retirement. My income was more limited, so I had to make my purchases very carefully, like buying a cheaper car, Now 1 don't have to pinch pennies waiting for old age, I am there, So now 1 can indulge myself occasionally and do some traveling or buy a better car, AJel(: In addition to material things, I find value in just having the freedom LO make choices about what I do and what I don't do. Satisfaction comes in being mysel f. What Concerns Do We Have about Getting Older? How Do They Affect our Relationship? AJel(: I am concerned enough about my physical health to watch my fat intake and try to exercise regularly. I want to maintain my current level of health. Jay: If I were an unattached gay male at my age I am sure I would have more serious concerns about getting older. But since I am not out looking for a partner, my major concern is caring for mysel f now so that I can have a healthy future. AJex: Also I wonder at times whether I would spend the rest of my life alone if something were to happen to you, Jay. I want you to preserve the health you have now. One effect these health concerns has on our relationship is to make us want to do things now and not put them off until later. We have not lraveled together to Europe, for instance, and we sometimes make comments like, ~We'd better go ahead and do it now while we can enjoy it and do it together. ~ Jay: This is constantly reinforced in my mind because of the death of Sam, my previous spouse, before we had a chance to carry out most of our plans. Also, because we fear being alone, some of us who are older probably put more effort inlo making a relationship work than younger gay men do. I guess younger men feel they can go OUI and find another relationship if the current one docs not work. When Sam died nine years ago my fear at the time was that [ would just die a lonely fall 1992 old man with no one the least bit concerned about me and my welfare. Have We Experienced Ageism? J ay: I am not aware of any discrimination from the general society jusl because of my age. Perhaps we gays have had a lifetime of discrimination and have become so hardened to it that we don't recognize additional discrimination because of our age. AJex: Over the years I have been judged much younger than my chronological age, even though I have been bald-headed for a long time. I think that fact may have shielded me from some ageism. People say, "1 would never have guessed your age! You seem much younger!" Of course, that statement ilself may be ageist. Jay: I feel certain that if I were oUllooking for a partner, especially someone younger than myself, I would experience ageism in the gay community. But I don't think I have ever actually experienced it. A1ex I also think that we have chosen older gay friends - people who have more in common with us, But I have nOI felt discriminated against just because of my age among other gay people we know or when we've been traveling with other gays. Jay: in the Metropolitan Community Church where we attend, several younger gay men actually seem to look up 10 us. Maybe it's because long-tenn relationships are sometimes less common in the younger gay community. So those younger gay men who know my history of having been in a relationship for twenty-five years look to me for "the secret." Alex: I agree. I also feel that many folks in our MCC congregation treat me with honor rather than discrimination because my ministerial background has made it easy for me to help the congregation in various ways. I cenainly have never felt M set aside~ because 1 am old. I wonder if ageism affects us differently as gay males than it does lesbians or bisexuals? Jay: No, I don't think so. Of course, t have no experience as a lesbian or as a bisexual! But, based on my experience as a gay male, it seems to me that all of us - even heterosexuals - would experience a similar degree of dis- ____ ~ crimination as we get older. A1ex I don't think gay men experience ageism just because they are gay males. Maybe ageism runs more along gender lines than orientation lines. Or perhaps if we aren't looking for evidence of discrimination we jusl don't find it. Both: In shon, we have high hopes for the coming years. After ail, we survived our terrible teens with their confusion and hopelessness. We no longer have to put on our \ straight faces in the workplace where slurs and hatred were directed at those who live a gay or lesbian life-style. Now we can live our lives more openly as the gay men we have always been. We can choose to do what we please, when we please, with whom we please. We're glad to be gay. We don't mind geuing older. And we're glad to say so . ... ALEX MARIN (a pseudonym), 64, is a rdind ordained minister who has served both in local churches and on a national Sf(ljf He hill been married and has childrrn and grandchildren. JAY BOWLES (a pseudonym), 59, is (I retired cQunselor. Although never heterosexually married, he was in a commiffed long-term relationship with a man who died of wncer. Alex and Jay have been together nine ytars. 9 '101t::E~ ., ft.c Ell>E~~ Peggy's Introduction I travel extensively throughout the country as a member of the nalional Affirmation Council and the Reconciling Congregation Board. Rarely do I visit a community where I do not hear a few more stories of bisexual, lesbian, and gay people's struggles in our church and society. A few years ago I received this letter from Rev. Bill Boyce·: I can't tell you how exciting and liberating it was for me to take up Open Hands last night and read your "Striving Toward WholcnessM [Winter 1989J. I want you to know how much I respect and praise you for the courage h took to "come oulM LO all those who will be reading it I have much lO share with you, as an experience in the early years of my ministry opened me up to the realization that 1 was bisexual (I like your term, ambisexual, too). As a result, I have never been the same and have wrestled with the problem through the years. Retired now for almost fifteen years,] have had time to do much reading and thinking. It is the kind of thing that I can't share with my wife as she is homophobic and critical. But our relationship has never been hurt by my different orientation. We celebr.ue over fifty years of solid and fu lfill ing married life .. Peggy: ] had received Bill's leuer as my long-term relationship was dissolving, so I never did write back to ask him to share his story with me more fully. But at the United Methodist General Conference this year, ] was excited to meet Bill face to face, and he allowed me to tape OUT conversations. Below are excerpted passages. 10 RETIRED MINISTER by Peggy Gaylord with Bill Boyce On Bisexuality BILL: Yes, I had a homosexual experience when I was in the pastorate. After ten years of ministry in rural areas I was appointed to a small city church. A young man, Harold,idolized me. ] was his role model. He became a minister and is a terrinc one today. Harold was desperate for love and affection and understanding. He was in the parsonage constantly. He wanted to go to conference with me, and he kept insisting on rooming with me even though there was only one bed. Finally I let him. Well, we had an experience in the nighl. It devastated me because I knew that it was wrong. I'd been brought up to believe that it was wrong, and yet it happened. It was such a wonderful experience, and that's where it started. I was in that church for another year until ] was reappointed. We were together from time to time, and the experience was repeated. After we were physically separated, we never got together again, until aboutthirty-fjve years later, when we shared a room at a statewide pastors' school. We had another experience there. We still felt the same way toWard each other after all those years. It was a fulfillment in a way. J wanted it again, but it has never happened since. He made other arrangements for atlending the pastors' school the next year. I see him from time to time and our families see each other. He named a son after me. But he doesn't want to talk about homosexuality or about what is happening in the church. PEGGY: Had you ever thought about this before it happened? BILL: Never. I'd always thought that it was wrong. PEGGY: Tell me about your family. BILL: They're scatlered all across the country, and my children all have children. Two of mine understand a little bit of my interest in homosexuality, but they don't know that I've had a homosexual experience. I've never publicly (or even to the family) called myse1fbisexual, because then they would be curious. Two would sympathize, but my sons, being macho, would want 10 know more than they need to know or than I want to tell. But after I'm dead I thought my family could know, so ] have a record of my relationship with Harold. They can deal with il the way they want. At least two of my children will understand, and maybe their spouses will, too. The OIhers may be offended by it and not be able to accept it. But that's life. PEGGY: Aren't you concerned about Harold or your wife if she's still alive? BILL: tr I'm dead, it won't maller. They can know the truth after I'm dead. PEGGY: So in that sense your death would be a freeing experience? You could finally reveal who you were? B1LL: Exactly, exactly. PEGGY: Have you ever regreued that it happened? BILL: My life would have been entirely different if it hadn't happened. I mean, I would never have had all this concern and interest. No, it's opened me up to an understanding of gays and lesbians. I've had the experience myself, and 1 know. I also can't say that I've regretted it because Harold went on to be so effective. He has a very responsible position in the church and will be retiring soon himself. He wasn't damaged. He's living a fulfilled life. He wrote me a tener after our last experience in which he said that he never regretted it, that he never held it against me. PEGGY: Does your wife know? BILL: No, she's never figured it out. PEGGY: Have you been able to Open Hands share this pan of yourself with anyone? BILL: No, I've told you more than I've ever told anybody. PEGGY: When did you stan calling yourself "bisexuaIH? BILL: It was a long time later, actually not until I retired. I've had an awful lot of time to think. It's been since then that 1 realized that this experience could only have happened because that's who I am. I do have real identity with gay and lesbian people. J realize that 1 am more than just a heterosexual. PEGGY: What arc the unique gifts of bisexuals? BILl: Understanding, knowledge. They can test ify to the fact that God didn't make us all for heterosexual relationships. We get that in the older and first account of creation: "male and female, He created them, in His own image." So it would appear that God has female charncteristics. 1 think He surely does. 1 think the bisexual understands that better. PEGGY: If orientation is a given, what do you think about choice and bisexuality? BILl: There's gOt to be a commitment, it's got to be monogamous. I'm just turned off by bisexuals who have more than one partner. I can't see thaI. I believe that a bisexual would have to be committed, faithful, lOVing, and really care about the persons - a man caring for a man, a man caring for his wife, like myse! f. J haven't quite come to the point of whether we should call it marriage. PEGGY: I'm a little curious. To me, monogamy would imply you would have had to choose one or the other. BILL: No, I don't mean that. 1 mean you can be faithful to your spouse and to all the commitments of your marriage, but you can also be faithful in a relationship with someone of the same sex, but only to one. PEGGY: Some bisexuals believe that you should only have one relationship at a time. But, you're talking about two monogamous relationships? BILL: That's the way it was with me. Of course, it was a terrible risk at first, but Harold meant so much to Fall 1992 me. I finally came to accept it. On Aging & Ageism PEGGY: Tell me about your experience of aging. BILL: I've fallen twice in the last year. i never dreamed I'd have to go through what I'm going through. I feel as if I've become old in just these last few months. It's such a contrast to what I was. Something like that can make you old quick. [ haven't been able to correspond much lately. 1 can't sit at the piano, so music is going out of my life. PEGGY: Have you experienced ageism? BILl: It's never troubled me that they don't ask me to do things due to my age, because I'm unable to do extra things. I'm thankful thaI people let me get away with not haVing to do things. On Faith & Future Hopes PEGGY: What has the church meant to you in your lifetime? BILL: The church has been my life, I love it. To this day, I remember singing in Sunday School, ~Jesus is all the world to me ... » PEGGY: What are your hopes for the future? BILL: Georgia Harkness predicted it would take the church twenty years (by 1992) to gel this issue of homosexuality resolved. BuL she was wrong; it's still dividing the church. The sad part to me is that the church is simply echoing what society is doing. The church isn't leading us 10 the Chris· tian point of view. 1 hoped so much for something better at the United Methodist General Conference. To me it is so simple. Homosexuality and bisexuality are givens as much as lefthandedness or black hair. The idea that a gay or lesbian person makes a choice and is immoral, all of that is wrong. There's so much testimony that it just seems so stupid to go on saying that gays and lesbians are choosing the immoral, evil way. We need to reinterpret the Bible in light of present day knowledge. PEGGY: What gives you strength when you feci alone or when you feel times are bleak? My spiritual life has certainly deepened as the result of hurt, because I identify my hurt with the hurt that so many are having I constantly tum to God. BILL: In a way, I feel that God has been more real and available. My spiritual life has certainly deepened as the result of hurt, because I identify my hurt with the hurt that so many are haVing. I constantly turn to God. To have patience, too, is so important. Yes, and 1 thought I would never want to die. But that comes so often. I wish I could go to sleep and never wake up. You sort of envy the people who just die in their sleep. You have days like that where you feel you just can'Lgo on. PEGGY: And what pulls you through those days? BILL: It's only the belief that it is God's way, that we have to go through it, that we can't determine our death. We've got to keep going, step by step. You have to make the effort, you just have to do it. PEGGY: If you had some bit of wisdom to pass on, what would it be? BILL: (laughing) Just to keep on keeping on, one step at a time, and believe that God will see you through, that God will be with you until the end. I do have faith that eternal life is good .... *Not the real name of either minister. f-or obvious reasons, their names and certain identifying facts were changed to protect them. REV. BILL BOYCE is the pseudonym of a n:lirui pastor in his eighlles who served churches ill prtdomillalltly rural areas. He also ministered through his music. PEGGY R. GAYLORD is a consultant ill a/If"rnative healing/heallh strategies and sexuality education. She is a member of Tabernacle United Methodist Church, Binghamton, New York, pari of Ihe Wyoming Conference. II "ott:E~ " f~e El~E~~ First Comes Love At age fifty I fell in love. Since I had never been in love, how could I be sure? But I knew the feelings I had were more than friendship and I concluded I was in love. The person [ fell in love with was a woman. "Ah ha," lthought, "I am a lesbian." That immediately felt absolutely right for me. There wasn't any struggle. Itjusl was - and it was just right I was fascinated thai 1 hadn't figured out my orientation until! was fifty. AfleT going steady in high school and dating some in college, 1 knew I wouldn't gel married. I ralionalized that I was lOO smart, not good looking, and too competit ive. Most importantly, I knew I wouldn't play "those games" to catch a man. So I proceeded to work hard to support myself. The hard work paid off with a career in state service. Once I understood myself to be a lesbian, however, [ knew I wanted lO be in a couple relationship - at once. Alii could think of was how many years I had lost. The woman [ fell in love with did not return that love, although we remain good friends to this day. Seeking a lesbian partner in my fifties - what a mystery! 1 was ready, but how was I to find her. How did I ask someone for a date? Who paid for dinner? When should we kiss? When should we have sex? I had 100s of questions and no one to talk to and learn from. I started going to lesbian events and meeting people. At my very first potluck, I met Ellie who was with another woman. They Invited me to go LO parties and concerts with them. I began to meet women and date some. I dated one woman a lot, then realized that it was not a good relationship for me. About the same time, Ellie was breaking up with her partner. We each became the close 12 by Jeanne Barnett friend of the other and talked and talked. Ellie and I shared everything with each other: what we were looking for in a relationship; how important a loving, long-term commitment was; how important it was for us to be able to talk openly and with truslo Slowly we each began to recognize that the qualities we were seeking in a relationship were there in each other. But our friendship was critical to us. If we stepped over the line and became lov£rs, would that end our friendship? Both of us were reluctant to risk. Months later we did, and with the solid base of our friendship our love grew and continues \0 grow to this day. Our love and commitment was never more clearly shown than when 1 served on the United Methodist Committee to Study Homosexuality. After the first two meetings, Ellie and I became aware that I was coming home depressed. We decided it was important for Ellie to accompany me to these meHings for love, support and care. When Ellie had problems getting the time off from her state job, she quit work and staTted her own business, setting her own hours so she could travel with me. We are a couple, in love, supporting each other in the efforts we make. Our love clearly synergizes each of us with the ability to do more than either one of us would be able LO do alone. Coming om at fifty - I would not have missed it for the world. Ufe is grand! Then Comes Prejudice I was well established at work and in my church when I came out at fifty. I suddenly faced the fear ofhomophobia and the shock of prejudice. 1 was afraid of rejection, being treated differently, being told I was wrong, being told I should change. I had grown up and lived in that comfortable American place: while, middle class, Protestant, and assumed heterosexual. I took things for granted. I played out the social roles laid out before me. Once I knew I was a lesbian, however, fear made me think and react with tension. If I didn't tell anyone I was a lesbian, then I wouldn't have to deal with the fear. But I was too happy with the new discovery about myself to keep it a secret. So I was caught up in the fears, mostly when I needed something and wasn't sure how the person was going to react. I was afraid when Ellie and I applied for a home mortgage as a couple and they told us to re-do the papers. I was afraid when we applied for a family membership in our auto club and had to push all the way 10 headquarters to get them to say OK. Gnawing fear crept into my thinking when I applied for long-term health care insurance and they asked why I was living with another person. If I said I was a lesbian, would they turn me down? Sometimes I question why others are reacting as they do toward me? Is it because I am lesbian 7 Some other reason? I don't know for sure, but doubts seep in. Ufe is grand being out, being in love. But now, the fear and discomfort of meeting prejudice is also with me. This fear will only leave me when people realize that stigmatizing and ostracizing whole classes of people in our SOCiety is incompatible with Christian teachings . .... )ea,me Barllett, 62, retired as an administratOT aJter thirty-two )'tars oj statl slrllict. Shl is a member oJSt. Mark's United Methodist Church ill SaCramlntO, chair oj thl California-Nlvada Reconcilillg COIIJerenct Committee, and District Lay Leader. She recenlly returned to worh as OJfice Manager Jar the Conference Capitol Fw!d Campaigll. Open Hands \jO'~E~ " tt.e El~E~~ • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• I ••••••••••••••••••••••• • •••••••••••••••••••••••••• I ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• "G'R'A"N D"M'A"'I'S"'/l"'['E'S'B"IA'N' ",.11.11 ••••••••••••• ' •• · 1,' ••• II I • I ,. ' I" ••• I.... " " • • .1 < I • I • , "' t' I. ' II · '· ' " • • II" . , . • '. I. , •• ' , II ' ' . ' "" · ...................................................... ,. ...... . ............................................. ;; ... ,. ........... by Ellie Charlton T he year 1975 was a mOm enlOU5 onc for me, In)anuary I became a g randmother. In April I lurned fo rty. In May I started the process of coming out. Harvey C hinn, a mini ster in our annual conference, ran a series of articles on ~ Homosexua l s and the Church" that spring in the United Methodist Reporter. The articles started m e on my journey. That Ma y,Jane (not her real name) and 1 were on our way to the United Methodist Women's Conference Training fo r District Officers. Having met as new offi cers and become good fri ends, we were haVi ng lunch before the training event. We discussed Ch inn's anicles in the Reporter and whether h omosexuals should be ministers. Jane said, "I'm bisexual you know." I can't begin to tell you the impact her statem ent had on me. We went on to become lovers and I started my self-discovery proce ss. I had a long journey before me. Where do you start when you have three children (seventeen, nineteen , and twenty), a marriage of twentythree years, and a brand new grandchil d? Life went smoothly for a while. Sin ce Jane a nd I were both happily married, we were lovers on th e side. We shared our relationship with our respective husbands so we didn't expend a lot of energy trying to hide or s neak behi nd thei r backs. However, after fo ur years Jane divorced and to ld me she wa s "looking for a rich man to take h er fancy p laces.~ I se t out to find a woman to replace her, having realized my need for a woman in my life. But since I didn't know any gay people, I spent the next three or four years reading alii could find on homosexuality, trying to meet lesbia ns, and reviewing all the anraclions and loving feelings I had had for Fall 1992 women since age fi ve. I grieved for all that I had denied of myself. I wondered how much m y gel tin g married and haVi ng a family was to meet Ihe expectation s of my famil y, church, and society. I W<lS raised in the church and a major part o f my adult life had revolved around it. However, during several years o f my coming o ut process, 1 left the church, unable to d eal w ith the nega tive feelings an d unkind comments about gay p eople. In 1982, after seven years in the coming out process and after thirty years of marriage, I separated from my husband and started coming out to my family: three children, brother, Sis ler, a unt, uncle, and mother. My father died before J wa s ready to tell him a nd my grand children just grew up knowing. As one might expect, I received a variety of react io ns. My aunt and uncle were ac ce pting. So was one so n and hiS fa mil y. However, at first my daughter would n ot let my two granddaughters stay wi th me. I feel sad for the lost years of close grand· mother/granddaughter relationsh ip that can never be regained. My daughter now has an interesting relationship with my partner Jeanne and me. Alth ough she feels "it is not God's plan ," she visi ts us o ft en. Recently, having watched our relationship for yea rs, seei ng how we communicate, an d feeling the love we have for each other, she staled that she wished she cou ld find a man just like J eanne. I take that a s the ultimate co mpliment My youngest son for many years refused to talk to me or to return my telephone calls. Only in th e last few months have we started talking again and rebuilding our friendship. The most difficult to tell and the last to know was Mom. How do you co me out to Mom when she is eighty and you are fifty-five and a mOlher and grand mother yourself? For many years I worried about Mom. Should I come out to h er or n ot? Would she accept me completely (not likely) or have a h eart attack (maybe) or totally reject me ( I didn't think so). Finally, the time came wh en I knew I must te U her. My family partner Jeanne was on the United Methodist Ge neral Conference Committee to Study Ho m osexuality and it was consuming a lot of our time. J was abou t to quit my s tate job so I could accompany her to those meetings. [ fl ew Mom to Sacramento - and fifteen years after my coming out journey began, I took the big step. She was not surprised - by now she had fi gured it o ut! She d oesn't approve for religiOUS reasons, but she s till loves me. She acce pts Jeanne as my partner a n d loves her too. As things turned out, Jeanne and I are much more "out" than we eve r anticipated. We continue to hear of newspapers that reported Jeanne's coming out to th e Unite d Methodist General Conference. I'm so glad I was "outM to all members of my family. Yes , this lesbian is a grandma - and daughter and mother and sister and niece! This lesbian is also an active church member again - and much more. I'm so glad I discovered my real self. the person God crea ted me to be. Thank yo u , Harvey Chinn . .., ELLIE CHARL1DN, 57, runs a hill paying service, INDIVIDUAL FINANCIAL CARE. Sht is a mtmber OJSI. Mark's Uniltd Mtthodis[ Church in Sacramenfo, California, is lre-asure-r oj [he National Affjrmation Co un cil, and chair oj [hI: CalifornialNtvada Annual ConJertnce Commission On the Stalus and Role of Wome,l. 13 • '10't:E~ " t~e Ell)f~( dJo;" UHi/eJ M~-<Jo.-~ I am out enjoying my Golden Years, all seventy-six of them. But I have a hope for United Methodists in years to come. I hope they will have the courage to be - to be themselves. I hope they will nol feel. as I often have, that to remain in the church means they must deny their deepest loving and sexual feelings. I hope they will not feel they are the "u.ndesirables", as I have. War Years From 1942-45 I was in the US. Army Infantry. I was a Chaplain's Assistant as well as piccolo player and Army Division Band entertainer. In the intense heat of a New Guinea summer night in December 1944, 1 shared with the chaplain (my part-time boss) my arudeties about my inner homoerotic feelings. There were no sexual activities involved. I said I did not feel 1 could be a good future husband to my fiancee, waiting for me at home. The chaplain was a fine, well-meaning Methodist, but I had unWillingly put him in a tough spot A higher ranking officer was also present that night in his tent So my chaplain had no choice but to agree with that lieutenant colonel that I was henceforth u.ndesirable 10 Ihe army. Ensuing angry actions on my part due to frustrating army delays and threats of courl-manial led to my hospitalization in New Guinea. My chaplain, only a captain, could do nothing for me. After many months and three transfers, army medical boards in the United States dccided I was not deserving of a dishonorable discharge, since no homosexual acts had been committed, only an expression of my deepest feelings. My army discharge was Honorable. Very understanding psychiatrists and social workers sent me on my civilian way just one week before World War II ended. This ordeal of months left me with strong 14 "" KuU. IJI.aI-,u feelings of self-devaluation and disappointmem for which, much later in California, I found helpful counseling In 1945 my fiancee broke our engagement by mai\. 1 knew 1 was not SUitable for marriage, but I kept trying. Perhaps, I thought, I was a latent heterosexual. A second failed engagement in 1948 proved to me that mine was not to be the heterosexual path. After my anny discharge, I was hired by the New York City YMCA as a veterans' business and vocational counselor. My later work thcre as a secretary caused intense inner conflicts since pari of my work was to check on ever longer lists of "undesirables" who were 10 be banned from fUlure use of YMCA facilities. MOSI persons on these lists were thought to be homosexual. Many prominenl New York City and Hollywood names were induded. I had been active in the theater and musical worlds, both professional and amateur. It was hard to see former school and theater colleagues on such lists. I did not think of them as "undesirubles." In my YMCA days I was being promoted up the executive ladder. The question was often asked, "When are you going to get married? Your career chances and salary will be better if you do." Today ( know those questions and statements were inappropriate and very biased. But back then I could not give an honest answer, so I left that Christian organization in 1959. Early Years Sex education, or lack of it, shaped my early years. In the 1920s in '. Massachusens, sex educalion was thought lO be a little book called ~What Every Young Boy Should Know. ~ As a result of that book (along with books from the Boy Scouts of America) my contemporaries and 1 daily checked on the results of mast urbation. We watched for signs of hair falling out, veins enlarged and incipient idiocy. By 19281 was given a book on reproduction. It featured the fish and animal kingdom and very liule about junior high school sex. Our schools had no sex courses or even general counselors. "Just keep everything cleanH was the message of our hygiene lectures. In the Methodist Episcopal Church of the early 19305 I never heard the word "homosexuality." From my eighth year onward i inwardly felt different But this was the time period of "The Love that dares not speak its name." Our youth ministers were kind men, but they were very concerned with economiC, social, and anti-war issues rather than with sexual counseling At our Epworth League meetings, it was assumed that all nonnal people were heterosexual. However, I never heard that word either. The 1950s I n the 1950s things were different. In 1952, 1 was serving as music and drama staff person in a Florida Methodist church, when 1 was picked up in a police entrapment campaign against ~ quee rs.H My senior minister never suggested dismissal but rather offered constant. continuing friendship and enthusiasm. Homosexuals were visible in the 1950s musical world of our Florida city, in which both my mother and I Open Hands , I. were active. My mother, music teachers and friends would lament the irregularit y, but such gay men were neither held up as models nor ostracized from musical d ubs nor spoken of harshly. In New York City in 1956 1 joined the large and vital Christ Methodist Church on Park Avenue. I was active in the church's theater group. II was common knowledge that two leaders of that group were living together in a man-lo-man relationship. Everyone took it in stride. I never heard ministers or lay people objecl lo ....... _____ _ the ohen very "campy~ professional dancers and actors who were brought in 10 augment our productions. Concerns & Questions After all these years - and many other experiences in the 19605, 19705 and 19805, I am out enjoying my life. But my conscience leads me to ask the church at large to consider these questions: I. Just who is a homosexual and why is it so important to know? 2. What are the spiritual and physical effects of long-term celibacy? of continued sublimation of sexual feelings? Do celibacy and sublimation make for a more Christian life? 3. Does the phrase "love the sinner but not the sin" encourage a kind of heterosexual condescension? Does it say ''I'm OK, bUl you really are a little pecuJiarr How Jesus-like is such an implication? 4. Where will Christian gays, lesbians, and bisexuals in the future find their role-models? Fall 1992 --' - -.:.-:-::;:-- --- --- -------- Will they increaSingly turn away from the church? If the church can begin LO grapple with these and other questions about sexuality, perhaps loday's young people will not reach their Golden Years partly unfulfilled and feeling distanced from their church. Hopefully they will not feel thaI they are the "undesirables." Hopefully they will be told openly that they are valued for who they really are, rather than being a threat to family values . ..,. KEITH CHALMERS, 76, is a m~mbcr ofth~ Unit~d M~fhodisf Church, with a dup I Once Was a Liar: reflections on growing up gay in the 50s David 1. Biviano f once was a liar. My whole life balanced precariously on a lie. These feelings lie heavy on the frail frame of this frightened young boy. Dread locks my mind in chains and throws away the key to the future. Alone like a lost fawn after its mother has been felled for sport. Begin the lonely struggle to win the gold medal in the "Best Little Boy in the World" competition. Olympian feats are futile in the subterfuge. Flee beneath the oppressive orders: Don't feel that way Don't be that way don't let the truth be known. Pretend that "boy meets girl" is your favorite pubescent pastime too. The Great Pretender plays the gay, lying awake only to the dark fears of discovery David Biviano is a counselor and Ed.D. candidate living in Washington state. © 1990 Gay and Lesbian Advocacy Research Project, Inc. First published in Empathy, Vol. 2, No.2, 1990/91. IS '10,eE~ " floe ElP~~ LIVING AN HONEST LIFE I was born and raised in a strict Christian tradition. That meant that we did not dance, play cards or do anything else on a Sunday that would be blasphemous. I was in my early teens when I began \0 sense my homosexuality ahhough I didn '( know the term. Boys were OK for baseball games or riding bikes, but girls were best for real companionship and caring and sharing. I also sensed that my feelings for Olher girls would send me straight \0 hell. Religion can often put a damper on reality. All through high school 1 struggled with my feelings. When I went to college, I enjoyed my first love affair with a woman. 8Ul the pressure of my religious upbringing made me try to find a niche in the heterosexual world. I dated men and uied to fmd a comfortable companion. I spent many years trying to conform \0 society's expeclations of what I should do. I did find one man who was kind and gentle enough for me 10 marry. My marriage was OK for fifteen years and two lovely children, bUl then the next six years were spent trying 10 get rid of headaches. Too many aspirin finally led to mild anemia and the beginnings of an ulcer. Only when I confronted my husband with the truth of who I was, was I on my way to recovery. I began to realize that I was born a lesbian. There was nothing I could do aboUl il. I had tried for thiny-rive years to fit society's role for me and I was killing myself over it The church had told me I was a sinner, but the times I felt closest \0 my God were when I admitted my sexuality and tried 10 live a decent life. When I gave up the lie, I felt physically better and emotionally happier. I moved to California with my children and divorced my husband. My connection with the church died after J had made the rounds of Sacramento looking for a congrega- 16 by Ardelle Pearsall lion that would accept me and found none. My spiritual life has been sustained through reading and the care and concern of many nongay people as well as the support of the gay community. Many, indeed most, of my gay friends have a deep "'1>"1 As my body ages, I'm concerned about becoming dependent on someone else for physical care. In a nursing or convalescent home, willi feel comfortable in a straight community? I am not very comfortable now. spiritual understanding C rt'> . <l;:<> and would enjoy the ( ~ " '/"I • opport unity 10 share in ( I t "\ 1 -061 I wonder if my children will be as supportive as I become less independent? I wonder about the funeral service. Who will do it? will an accepting congrega- ( )' "1~"I'i" ~oO tion. The anger and f'~~~~~;,~~("-':<;;;"'7§~ bitterness of our past experiences make it almost impossible for us to find the comfort, care, and concern we need in most mainstream churches. The fundamentalist churches are our worst enemies. Ihe pastor be - ----=- able to say the So now I am seven ty years old and retired, living with my parmer. Since I can no longer be fired I have come out to almost all my acquaintances. My partner and 1 enjoy traveling around the country in our fifth-wheel RV: Ufe is good. I'm happier than I've ever been- because I am living an honest life. But I'm trying to look to the future as well as to the present. What lies ahead for those of us who have spem so many years in the closet? Many thoughts and questions emerge. What happens if I am in imensive card Will my partner be able to visit me? To insure that, I must fill out a "Power of Attorney for Health Care.H • A ~lega\" spouse would not even have 10 think about that. I have to. I must be sure to word my will correctly so my children will get their share and my partner will also get her share. I cannOl include my partner on my insurance plan. C::J::J right words to .. , comfort my survivors? How open will she or he be? Some problems of aging as a lesbian are probably not much different from aging as a straight woman. However, it feels different because we do not have the support system of the straight world. We feel we must fight every step of the way for what should be our rights. To know now that much of my life has been spent in hiding from myself makes me angry and resentful 3t times. I would like to be judged on what I do in public life, not on what I do in the bedroom. That's pretty much the way others are judged. Why not us? '" ARDELLE PEARSALL, 70, laugh/school for twenty-five years in New York and Massar"' T,ii ... ~r!'1 chusells, then mlrkerl as a gardener Jor Jouruen years after mo~ing 10 Sacmmento in 1975. She was married for twenly-one years 10 a man who was an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church. Open Hands I: IJDt~E~ " floe El~E~~ fit Rememaltee 0.6 a 'OeM hieltd Four years ago I lost my best friend, Carol. Today I look back and thank God for giving me this special woman in my life. We mel in the late 19405 bUl fate played its hand and we wenl our separate paths. Twelve years later onc of her friends told me she was not doing very well, and that made me decide \0 locate her and renew our friendship. From the beginning of our relationship, I had felt a strong bond between us and 1 set out to prove it to myself, once and for all. When I knocked on her door four hundred miles away on a sunny day in December of 1959, we had a joyous reunion. Although the visit was shon, it was very profound - the beginning of the rest of our lives together. The years had taken their toll on Carol, but haVing known her previously, I could only see the person I had known in the 1940s. She was still as lOVing, caring, and happy-go-lucky as I had remembered her. Her smile (an Irish one at that) would steal anyone's heart away. Carol had suffered many hardships over the years. At twenty she had survived polio and had gone on to live a totally self-suffic ient life. But when I renewed my relationship with her in 1959 she was on the brink oflosing her job. She had developed serious seizure problems. She was eventually discharged (in the 1960s) from a highpaying position to total disability without an option of ever ~orking again as long as she lived,She \\laS declared ~unfit to work among normal employees" because of haVing one seizure on the job) Carol was fony-eight years old when she finally became resigned to her fa te. With my persistence she moved to my city to share her life and Fall 1992 all that she possessed with me. Her condition had cost her her job, her independence and her self-esteem. But I believed in her and vowed to care for her as long as she lived, hoping I would survive her. Fortunately, I did. We bought and shared a modest home together and were happy for the next twenty years. Carol1ived a very normal and fairly healthy life too, thanks to the wonderful care of local speCialists. The last five years were sad f and debilitating for my friend. Along with chronic lung problems, she developed Post-Polio Syndrome and in the end she succumbed to a massive stroke. The task of caring for Carol during those five years was mine and I believe I took it in stride, although some times were very frustrating and even difficult. But our love for each other survived the insunnountable ohst<lc\es which confronted us during her last days. I thank God for giving me such a wonderful friend and for the privilege of caring for her in her time of need. ~ The author of this article. 69, is very active in her local church and fears rejection by some she considers friends if her identity were known. As a re_Iu'lt of the years spent caring for her loving partner, she 'lOW provides respife care for people who have Iolal responsibility for the care of a loved one. ORGANIZATIONAL SAMPLING ASA (Society on Aging) 833 Market Street, Suite 512 San Francisco, CA 94103 415/882-2910 A pioneer in lesbian and gay aging issues. Helped found NALGG in 1974; cosponsored 1992 conference on "Diversity w~h a Differ· ence: Serving 3 Million Aging Gays and lesbians"; recently established own Task Force on lesbian and Gay Aging Issues. GALAXY (Gay & Lesbian Accommodations for the Experienced in Years) 3507 23rd Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415/648-8678 Provides advocacy on housing in the Bay area, GLOE (Gay & lesbian Outreach to Elders) 1853 Market Street San Francisco, CA 94103 415/62&-7000 Offers information and referrals; social ActMties; educational programs; support groups; in-home SUppcH't lor frail elders; women's ac· tivities, and bereavement support. NAlGG (National Association for Lesbian & Gay Gerontology) 1853 Market Street San Francisco, CA 94103 "Promotes responsible research, publicatk)ns, networking, service advocacy, and delivery programs for lesbians and gay elders.~ Offers a 37-page Resource Guide on Lesbian and Gay Aging. OLOC (Old Lesbians Organizing for Change) P.O. Box 980422 Houston, TX 77093 Dedicated to confronting ageism; has Contact Persons and Area Support Tearns in many states; published The FacilitiJtor's Handbook On Confronting Ageism for Leshlans 6f) and Over. SAGE (Senior Action in a Gay Environment) 208 West 12th Street New York, NY 10011 212/741-2247 Provides support for homebound gay and lesbian seniors; a Public Education, Advocacy and Media program; an AIDS and Elderly Program; a seniors' social and educational center, 17 ~f4~t"'f"f"S tt.e ~'f'it H arry and Herman had lived in the big, brick house on the hill in Willow Bluff for almost half a century. Some assumed that they were bachelor brothers, but the old timers will tell you that neither of them are natives. Herman ca me up from Texas in the late thirties to lake over the feed mill when Jim Kinnamen died. Harry was from somewhere out East - Delaware or New Jersey. He worked for Herman in the mill, delivering feed and keeping books, until the war came. They tried to enlist together after Pearl Harbor in '41. Herman was accepted and went on to win Ihe silver SlaT in the Baule of the Bulge. Harry had a bad eye, so he stayed home and ran the feed mill for Hennan_ When Herman came home from the war, near the end of '43, business was booming, and he made Harry a full partner. That was when they bought the old Einersen place up on the hill and moved in together. After a few years, folks just came to accept that neither of them was ever going to marry. Harry and Herman started going to church in '49, just after the addition was built, when Reverend Swingle was pastor. Harry immediately joined the choir. He had a beautifultcnor voiee, and when people found out he could sing he became the soloist of choice at most weddings and funerals. Kate Swarrnford used to say that Harry had the voice of an angel, and she made her family promise that when she died they would ge t Harry to sing ~The Lord's Prayer" and "K-K-K-Katie" at her funeral. They kept their promise, and Harry sang both songs jusl the way she wanted. That.....-as one funeral in Willow Bluff that no one ever forgol. Herman became active on the church Board of Trustees. He was often seen over at the church, after work and on Saturday mornings, 18 ANNIVERSARY by John ~umW8ll A slory .. ermon bared on Psalm 24,3-6 repairing the roof, painting the trim, or puttering with the furnace. When they installed the new pipe organ in '55, the Trustees dec ided tha t, whi le they we re at it, they might as well renovate the whole sanctuary. It was Herman who headed up the renovation comminee. They made him chairman of the Trustees the follOWing year, a position he was to hold for over thirty years. He had a way of recruIting the right people for a job and organizing them so that things got done in good order. Their announce~ent on World Communion Sunday came as a surprise 10 the congregation and was the source of much puzzlemem and consternation in the weeks that followed. Herman stood up during the time for sharing joys and concerns and said, ..'Harry and I would like 10 invite everyone to attend our firtie th anniversary celebration on Ihe nineteenth of November. There will be an announcement in the pape r, but we aren't sending any fonnal inv'ilations. We hope you will all be able to come. We've ordered one of those triple-decker cakes from the baker)~ and Harry is planning to sing." The puzzling began as soon as HermaJ;.- sat dOWJ;l. "Anniversary,of what?" Mildr~Hersey whispered to her daughter Gyneth, loud enough for naif of the congregation to hear. Gyneth shr.ugged her shoulders and whispe red back, "I don't know.~ No one seemed to kngw. When the paper came out that Tuesday with Herman and Harry's picture on the front page, the whole tow n began to buzz. The announcement simply read, "Herman Fisker and Harry Beechum cordially inv ite you to attend their fiftieth anniversary celeb ration on Sunday, November 19, at 2:00 P.M., in the community room at the church.~ "I don't understand it,~ Mildred said to her neighbor, Eunice Criven. ~ "It didn't say nftieth anniversary of their business or their partnership. You don't suppose they are ... " She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence . The very thought was abhorrent to her. "To think that they have been carrying on like that here in Willow Bluff for fifty years. 1 can tell you right now that I'm not going to any anniversary party like that!" The follOWing Sunday, Herman sat alone in his usual pew in the center of the sanctuary. No one sat near him and no one greeted him before or after the service. Harry sat with the other tenors in the choir loft, and they spoke to him politely, but there was no joking and laughing as there usually was, and no one said a word about the anniversary celebration. It went on like that for several weeks. People began to wonder why Herman and Harry continued coming 1O church. There was even some talk about fonnally asking them to withdraw their memberships. On the Sunday before the anniversary celebration the organist, Gena Percy, stood up duringjoys and concerns and asked the pastor if she could say something to the congrega· tion . The pastor nodded and Gena stepped out from behind the organ bench, walked over to the center aisle, and with her hands visib ly trembling, began to speak '" want to thank > Hennan and Harry for what they have done. It has given me the courage to say something that I have wanted to say for a long time. I am a lesbian. I am not ashamed to tell you that now, even though I know that many of you will not understand. I have struggled with who I am for years and years, and after much prayer, and the support of severa l dear friends, I have come to accept all that I am as a gift of God. I don't know why God made me this way. 1 have often wished that it could have been otherwIse. There have been Open Hands times when I ha ve wanted to curse God because of th e way 1 have been treated . Bu t I don't feel that way anymore. I think playing th e organ in worship has helped. Pra ising God with this beautiful inst rument is the grea lestjoy of my life. 1 thank you all for the privil ege of serving God as your ch urch organist. " There was no whi spering when Gena returned to the bench behind the orga n. No o ne could remember when the church had been so q uiet, except perhaps at fun era ls. It was a ho ly silence. Everyone who was present knew that he or she had witnessed something ext raordin ary, and even though they were all shocked and troubled by what Gena had said , they could not bring themselves to condemn her. To have do ne so would have been to deny what they clearly saw in her face as cake fo r severa l months. But by 2: 15 the room wa s fun and people were still coming Afler they had open ed th eir gifts, and Hennan had made a liule speech thanking everyone for comi ng and saying so me of th e usual things about what a blessing it was La have so ma ny faithful friends, Harry announced that he had a song he would like 10 sha re . He walked over to the piano, where Gena was already sea ted, and after she played the introduction, he smiled at Herman and began 10 sing in his sweet tenor voice: For all th ese years, these friends and thes e blessing s, we give you all pra ise mighty God . For trials , temptations, and hardships overcome, we thank you,D Lord, our SlIlvation . For this holy union of sinners forgiven . redeemed, tran sform ed, SlInctified; For grace all sufficient. sustaining, maintaining our love all these years, thank you God . ... JOHN SUMWALT, 41, is paSlorof Wes!ey Unit ed Methodist Church , Kenos ha , Wisconsin and a member ojT.AL.E.S. story tdlingguild . He is the autho r af Lectionary Stories, Cycles A, B & c. Music was compostd by Kern Sherwood, Direc lor oj Musi c, Wesle y Umltd Methodis t Church, Kenosha, Wi sconsin. All righlS to story and music re ta in ed byau/hors. One lime permis5ion granud . she spoke: somet hing holy, rr=,;,,============================"'>! something that they had no words to descnbe, but that they knew was of God . Others would co nd em n her whe n word got out tha t Willow Bluff Community Church had a lesbian organist, but they would not. She was one o f their own . They had wa tc hed her grow up, seen her baptized a nd conflnned with their own children and grandchildren; they knev.r her parents and her gra nd pare nts, her aunts and uncles, her brothers and her siste r. They were all members of the c hurch , too. Whateve r else she was, she was thei r Gena. Nothing could change that. When one of the nev.rcomers wondered aloud if Gena woul d be allowed to co ntin ue playing the organ, the question was me t wilh a stony silence. Herman and Har ry decorated the community room wi th cre pe paper the fol lOWing Sa turday n ight. The next day, at 1:45, they stood at the door in th eir rented tuxedos, wailing to see if anyone would come. Ha rry said he was willing to bel his next socia l security check that they would be f~ Anniversary MUSiC by Kerri E. Sherwood Words by John E. Sumwalt y" ", 11 .... •• lend. , .. th . .. bl ... _ Ing. .. 0 , ~ o r J ,I - n tJ7D r .11 p •• I.. mlghl _ y God.. Fo. I. I .11, lemp I. - lion •• nd , ~ .. , L3 QD J EJ J . n dured. ., Ih.nk you. 0 lo.d. our .. I _ o ~ 0 ,,- " [ I 841 r l_fEI n 1 r U r r E n _lion. Fo. IhI.ho - Iy un _Io n ot.ln _ no .. 10. ,,, . 'm. .. ~ d .. m .... Irani . 10 ........ line . " . lI.d . ,., g.ec •• 11 luI ." _ cl.nt, '0' 0 Om .. i j tp J FJ I F9 • . . ,.'n . In g. mll n t .l n '"0 '"' Ion '" the n yea ,., think ,,0 0 .. 0 G O J '=pH r ... '0' loy. '" thu. yurs, thank ,.0 """ eating freezer burnt anniversary i!;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;!.1 r-all 1992 19 Resources LESBIANS AND GAY MEN AND AGING Adelman, Marcy, Ed. Long Time Passing: Lives of Older lesbians. Boston: A1yson Publications, 1986. Twenty-two stories of old lesbians from various classes, races, professions and pans of the country. Berger, Raymond M. Gay and Gray: The Older Homosexual Man. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1982 Report of research and interviews of ten older gay men. Berzon & Leighton. Posifively Gay: New Approaches. Millbrae, CA; Celestial ArLS, 1979. Has chapters on lesbians and gay male aging. Doress, Paula Brown and Diana Laskin Siegel and the Midlife Older Women Book ProjeCl. Ourselves, Growing Older: Women Aging With Knowledge and Power. New York: Simon &: Schuster, 1987. A handbook on aging for women: includes discussion of lesbian aging throughout; limited discussion of ageism. Dynes, Wayne R., Ed. Encyclopedia oj Homosexuality. NY: Garland Publishing. 1990. Includes several references to aging and ageiSm. Golden Threads, P.O. Box 3177, Burlington VT 05401 . A contact magazine for lesbians over fifty. Hamburger, LisaJ .. Katrina Fullman and Ellen Ferwerda, Producers. The Place I Call Home. Elk Productions, 1992. A video on gay and lesbian seniors. their lives. homes, hopes and fears. 10 min. Available from NALGG, 1953 Market st., San Francisco. CA 94103. Hubbard, Will. "Lesbian and Gay Aging: Deconslructing Closets in Rural America," RFD 68:50-53. Hubbard, Will. "Lesbian and Gay Aging: Exploring Myths," Blue 20 Ridge Lnmbda Press (November 1 and December), 1991). Hubbard, Will. ~ Invisible Minorities: Older Lesbians and Gay Men," New River Free Press 9( 1991):7. Kehoe, Monika. Lesbians Over 60 Speak Jor Themselves. New York: Harrington Park Press/The Haworth Press, 1989. Results of a study begun in 1983 on what it is like lO be old and lesbian in our society. Lee,John Alan. Gay, Midlifeand Maturity. New York: Harrington Park Press/The Haworth Press, 1991. Myths about gay men and accelerated aging; sexual attitudes and behaviors of older gay men; a theory of successful aging. Macdonald, Barbara with Cynthia Rich. Look Me In The Eye: Old Women, Aging and Ageism. San Francisco: Spinsters/ Aunt Lute, 1983. Essays and reflections on aging and ageism as women experience them. Sang, Barbara,joyce Warshaw and AdrienneJ. Smith, Eds. Lesbians at Mid/ife: The Creative Trans ition. San Francisco: Spinsters, 1991. Anthology by and about forty to sixty year old lesbians of various races and ethnic backgrounds. Includes slOries, poems, research, essays, reflections. A chapter on legal documents. Sullivan, Andrew. "Gay Life, Gay Death," The New Republic. Decem· ber 17, 1990. Examines age difrerences, race differences and differences in H1V status. Vacha, K. Quiet Fire: Memoirs oj Older Gay Men. New York: Crossing Press, 1985. A collection of interviews with older gay men. Out of print. GENERAL AGING RESOURCES Bell, Marilyn]., Ed. Women as Elders: Images, Visions. and Issues. New York: Haworth Press, 1986. A feminist perspective on aging women and their concerns. Topics include retirement, health care, and issues of policy and politics. 99 pp. Friedan, Betty. The Fountain oj Age. New York: Simon &" Schuster. To be published in 1993. By the year 2000, Friedan sees a new "revolution in consciousness about aging and the role of older persons in ru.S.Jlife. Age ... will be redefined as a new stage in human development, not as lost youth." (AARP Bulletin, September 1992, p. 20) UPCOMING EVENT! The national conference of the American Society on Aging March 27-30, 1993 Chicago Hilton Hotel'&? Towers Call 415/882-2910 ior more iniormation Open Hands • RCPReport Welcome New RCs Nine new congregations have voted to become Reconciling Congregations (Res) since August 1, bringing the natiooaltotal to sixty-two. We imroduce five of these new Res here.The other four will be introduced in the next issue of Open Hands. MayfairUMC (Chicago,lIlinois) Mayfair UMC's vote to become a Reconciling Congregation on August 6 was the culmination of fifteen months of prayer, study, and selfexamination. One member noted: "We discovered we already were an RC - we simply had not publicly declared it. Now we have!" Located on Chicago's conservative northwest side, Mayfair has experienced a mmsformation during the past decade. In 1982, the congregation was mostly comprised of elderly and latc middle-aged persons. Defying the myth that older congregations are resistant to change, Mayfair's members were open to new ideas and new leadership. This openness began to aUract new persons of diverse backgrounds, ages, and family styles. Mayfair's faithfulness and welcoming attitude convened it from a dying urban church into a vital and growing congregation in time for its centennial celebration in 1990. UMC 01 Osterville (Oste!ville, Massachusetts) Located on Cape Cod, ninety miles from Boston, Osterville is most like a suburban community. although it is not easy to categorize. The congregation has grown rapidly in recent years with a large influx of young families. Current membership is 400 members, with 300 altending worship each Sunday. The church school and the youth Fall 1992 program are also growing. Most adult members have auained a high level of fonnal education. The congregation is active on the mission front. Most recently, the youth group traveled to South Carolina to build houses. Osterville's interest in the RCP was initiated by its Outreach Committee. Osterville has been the host for the Cape Cod chapter of Affirmation. First St John's UMC (San Francisco, Cal~omia) First St. John's is one of lhe oldest Protestant churches in nonhern California. It is a predominately minority congregation with a Mandarin- speaking fellowship and many English-speaking Asian·Americans. Other minority groups are also induded among its seventy·eight members. First St.John's was the first ~Peace with Justicen congregation (a program of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society) in its conference. It also served as a sanctuary for military resisters during the Persian Gulf crisis. Church members have traveled to Central America to support peacemaking The congregation has shared its building with the Golden Gate congregation of the Metropolitan Community Church. First UMC (COIVallis, Oregon) Located across the street from Oregon State University, First UMC has a long-time connection with this university. Many university faculty and staff are among its 950 members. The campus ministry relates to the congregation. First UMC has a strong emphasis on community outreach, hOUSing a day care center and play school. The congregation recently completed a major renovation project to make its facilities handicapped·accessible. First UMCs two full-time clergy, half-lime educator, and other part· time staff oversee a wide·ranging program to meet the needs of a congregation which covers the full spectrum of ages. Each Sunday both a contemporary style and traditional worship service are held. Trinity UMC (Austin, Texas) Trinity UMC was founded in 1946 in a new suburb of Austin. After a surge of growth in the 1950s, the congregation entered a downward spiral which ended about six years ago. At that lime a consultant assisted (hem in developing a long-tenn plan. In order to attract younger families, the congregation began a Parents Night Out program. Trinity now has a membership of 250, with an average of 120 persons in worship on Sunday. Many new members were community activists of the 1960s who have not related to a church in the past. These members are actively engaged in a wide array of community ministries, such as Habitat for Humanity, Reading is Fundamental, Haircuts for Homeless. The congregation recently restructured its decision-making style, using teams rather than the traditional committees. An alternative worship experience based upon creationcentered spirituality draws forty-five persons each week. The pastor reports that the Uheart of Trinity" is its prayer time. We welcome these five new Reconciling Congregations with their rich diversity to our growing reconcil· ing movement. 21 l I Presbyterian High Court "Sets Aside" Spahr's Call The Rev. Dr. Jane Spahr's caU to serve as one of the co-pastors of Downtown United Presbyterian Church in Rochester, New York was ~set aside~ by the PennanentJudicial Commission of the denomination in early November. Their decision was a somewhat surprising conclusion to a church drama which unfolded over the past year. In the fall of 1991, the Downtown Presbyterian congregation (a More light Church) voted overwhelmingly to call Spahr as one of its co-pastors. Spahr had been recommended unanimously by its nominating commitlee. The congregation was fully infonned throughout the process that she was in a commil1ed relationship with another woman. Spahr's call was immediately challenged by ten pastors in the Genesee Valley Presbytery in the Rochester area. However, the presbytery upheld the congregation lastJanuary by a vote of 105 to 66. Opponents appealed this decision to the Northeast Synod of the Pennanent Judicial Commission which once again upheld the congregation by a 9 to 1 vote last July. The General .Assembly Permanent Judicial Com" mission was the final step to which Spahr's opponents could appeal. When the United Presbyterian Church adopted its ban on the ordination of homosexual persons in 1978, a "grandparent" clause was also approved, exempting any gay or lesbian clergy who had been ordained before that time. The call to Spahr was believed to be within the bounds of Presbyterian law, since she was ordained in 1974. However, the Permanent Judicial Commission, by a vote of 12 to 1, overturned the intent of the grandpar- I • Join thousands of Lesbians and Gays who are enjoying Second Stone. a national ecumenical Christian ncw~journal. Meet brave men and women who are confronting social injustice and religious bigotry. Explore family and relationship issues. Find out about life changing retreats and other fellowship opportunities. Second Stone feels like family. Order your subscription today! YESt Begin my subscription to SECOND STONE for [ II Year, $13.00 [ 12 Years, $25.00 { J Mail in plain envetope. (Add $2,00 per year.) International subscribers add 510.00 per year. U.S. currency. ent clause by ruling thaI lesbian or gay clergy who were ordained before 1978 would still have to abide by church law adopted thereafter. Therefore, as Spahr noted, the choice is "to repent or be celibate or lie." Downtown Presbyterian Church issued a statement saying that: "The Rev. Jane Spahr will always be a part of our family of faith. Lesbian, gay, and -:- bisexual persons have served Christ's Church faithfully throughout the ages. Please join your prayers with ours - that one day God will open the hearts of the whole church to receive their gifts." : % You are encouraged to send letters of support to the Downtown Presbyterian Church (121 N. Fitzhugh Street, Rochester, NY 14616) andJane Spahr (c/o Spectrum, 1000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo, CA 94960). [ I 3 Years, $36.00 Engaging Features & Columns Name _____________________ ___ Address ______________________ _ City, State, ZIP ________ _ News from Gay Christian Groups Ncwsbriefs I Calendar I Book Review SECOND Sl'ONE, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 Hctreats, Travel & New friends 22 Open Hands Changes in Open Hands Not resting on our laurels from the Award of Merit which Open Hands received from the Associated Church Press, we are moving forward on ~ral fronts to enhance Open Hands and to sustain its long-tenn development. First, we have instituted a new editorial arrangement with a single editor. We arc pleased to welcome Mary Jo Ostennan as the new editor of 0pa1 Hands . Mary Jo has a long history of invONcment with the reconciling movement. Mary Jo earned a Ph.D. in religion from Nonhwestern University and taught Christian Education at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. From 1982-91 she senul as the director of Kinhean, a lesbian/feminist women's center in Evanston, illinois which she founded with her late panner, Phyllis Athey. Among her dUlles there, Mary background and creative gifts will be a boon to Open Hands. Second, we have brmed an interdenominational editOrial advisory committee comprised of persons from the "welcoming" programs in the various denominations. This committee will meet annually to evaluate the magazine and to recommend the themes and content of future issues. Committee Finally, beginning with the Winter 1993 issue, Open Hands will officially become interdenominational. The More Li ht Churches Ne twork P n), nan fmnin churches United Church of ChrisQ, an Reconciled in Christ churches (Lutheran) are joining l1le Reconciling COngrega tion Program as publishers of the magazine. In order to cover this wkler range of concerns, the size of the magazine will be increased from twenty -four to thirty-two pages (at no exIra cost to you!). While the other programs will underwrite the additional expenses of the larger magazine, the Reconciling Congregation Program will continue to provide the primary fmandal support for the magazine . Jo developed resources and led workshops on eradicating homophobia in the church. She recently relocated lO Colorado Beck Row (left to right) Dick Poole (RIC), Brad RyfIllh (ReP), (>aU Sanlilan (Rep). Mary J:l Osterman (00 EditOl"), Mark Bowman (Rep Coordinator), AM Marie Coleman (ONA), Dan Hooper (RIC), Emil"IO PI.Iv&r (RIC). These changes are intended to sel in place an editorial process to ensure the continuation of the high-quality tradition of Open Hands, to strengthen the bonds within the «welcoming" movement across denominational Hnes, and to broaden the subscriber base and thereby ensure the long-term. financial viability of Open Hands . As where she is beginning her own business, AlIerVJsions, through Front Row (lett to right) Peg Seissert (Ml), Derli:k KrI<l.dli (Ml), Garolir.e PresneU (ReP), Reva Anderson (W), Dan SIem tONAl. Photo by Bert Gamer which she offers workshops, tminmg events, support groups and ncv.r resources on homophobia, heterosexism and coming out issues. Mary Jo's ric h members will be av<iilable to advise and assist the editor during the course of the these changes unfold in the co ming months, we continue to welcome your feedback After all, Open Hands is published for you. Y"" • Rep FRIEND. Rep ANGEL. Rep FRIEND. Rep ANGEL. Rep FRIEND. Rep ANGEL. Rep FRIEND. RCP Board Plans Annual Campaign To Sustain Program Growth The Reconciling Congregation Program (Rep) is growing. Nine congregations havc joined the program since August I. Severn l more congregations are scheduled to vote in the next few months. At least 200 more churches arc In various stages of becoming Reconciling Congrcgat ions. The Open Hands' list has grown by 75 percentln the past eighteen months_ The third national convocation of Reconciling Congregations will draw about 300 persons 10 Washington, D.C. next July. The program now has a nationa l office and a full-time coordinator. Sustaining this growth of our movement and responding 10 ever-increasing interest requires increased financial resources. To provide this needed financial suppon the Board will launch an annual campaign in 1993, to raise at least $65,000 from individuals and families to support the national ministries of the RCP. Meeting this goal would represent a 23 pe rcent increase over projected contributions for 1992. The campaign has two aspe cts. First, Optn Hands' subscribers will be invited to become RCP Friends when they renew their subscriptions. A basic friend's contribution of $35 will cover the full cost of publisning an annual subscription plus r-all 1992 provide a small contribution toward other program costs. This will free up program fund s which are now used to subsidize Open Hands . The Board's goal for 1993 is at least 250 RCP Friends. Second, th e Board witt be inviting RCP Angels to make annual pledges of $100 to $5,000 for 1993. Currently 150 individuals and families pledge monthly or make contributions annually in that range_ The Board invites you to consider prayerfully the value of th e continued growth of the RC movement to you and to the church and to decide whether you would be willing to become an Rep Friend or RCP Angel. You wHl be invited to become an RCP friend with the next rencv.'31 of your Open Hands' subscription. Current donors Will receive a specialletlcr inJanuar}' inviting them 10 become RCP Angels. But you don't have to walt to be askedl Yo u can help launc h this program for 1993 by making a contribution of $35 or more bdore the end of 1992_ Upon doing so, you'll be considered a charter member of RCP Friends. 23 _ J I ARIZONA Tu>con St. Francis in the Foothills CALIfORNIA Albany Albany UMC Btrkdty Trinity UMC Fair Oaks Fair Oaks UMC Fresno WesleyUMC HQllywood Hollywood UMC Los Angeles United Urll~-ersily Wilshire UMC Wesley Found.uion UCLA Milpitas Sunnyhills UMC San Francisw Bethany UMC Calvary UMC First SI_john's UMC Hamilton UMC Trinity UMC Santa Monica Church in Ocean Park Vacaville SI. Paul's UMC W/:Sl HollYwood Crescent Heights UMC COLORADO l)cn,.-er 51. Paul's UMC DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington Chrisl UMC Dumbanon UMC RECONCIUNG CONGREGATIONS GEORGIA Atlanta Grant Park.Aldersgatt: UMC ILLINOIS Chicago Albany Park UMC Irving Park UMC Mayfair UMC Parish of the Holy Covcnant United Church of Rogers Park EvanSlOn Hemenway UMC Wheadon UMC Oak Parh Euclid Avenue UMC Winfield Winfield UMC IOWA Des Moines Trinity UMC KANSi\S MiSSIon ecumenikos LOUISIANA N(w Orkans 51. Mark's UMC MARYLAND Bc:thimorc Stjohn's UMC MASSACHUSETTS Dan~us Holy Trinity UMC Osterville UMC of Osterville MINNESOTA Minneapolis Prospect l',1rk UMC Walker Community UMC Wesley UMC MISSOURI Kansas City Kairos UMC NEW YORK Brooklyn Park Slope UMC Our)"i"e Craryville UMC New York Church of St. Paul (,: 51. Andrew Metropolitan·Duane UMC Washington Square UMC OnWn!a Firsl UMC OHIO Columbus Third A'"enue Community Church Toledo Central UMC OREGON Corvollis First UMC Es/aCllda Estacada UMC Port/and Metanoia Peace Community University Park UMC PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia Calvary UMC First UMC of Germantown TENNESSEE Nasnville Edgehill UMC TEXAS Austin Trinity UMC HOU$lon Bering Memorial UMC WASHINGTON Stallle Capitol Hill UMC Wallingford UMC WISCONSIN Madison University UMC Shebo)gan Wesley UMC Reconciling Conferences California·NCWKIa New York Northern J1linois T,oy Reconciling Commission General Commission on Christian Unily and Interreligious Concerns Reconciling Organization Methodist Federation for Social Action ANNOUNCING The Third National Convocation of Reconciling Congregations 1'0rne on t&e l'reat& of -god 0 ~+\l ~ ~) Rememberln9 • Renewln9 • Reformln9 • Returnln9 ~, ~ '- ~ Q r July 8-11, 1993 A\~ \ at George Washington University ) ~ c "" ~ downtown Washington, D.C. .....:..'#'- f "..::::::..:::; - ..:--";j Plan now to join members of Reconciling Congregations, "exploring" congregations and other friends of the reconciling movement for this exhilarating weekend of: • spirit-filled worship • challenging Bible study • training for reconciling ministries • small group dialogue • dynamic speakers • joyous celebration Special programs for children and youth Complete program and registration information available in January, 1993. 24 Open Hands 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 Open Hands Vol 8 No 2 - Aging and Integrity https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/af5de450cadef18a904c577a43b8f8e5.pdf 4ae24fc32879e0ff64d1791ea6819144 Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Volume Number The volume number of the issue 8 Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 3 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1993 Publication Date The date the issue was published Winter Text Any textual data included in the document $5.00 More Light Churches Network Open and Affirming Program Reconciled in Christ Program Reconciling Congregation Program Resources for Ministries Affirming the Diversity of Human Sexuality Vol. 8 No.3 Winter 1993 Open Hands is a resource for congregations and individuals seeking to be in ministry with lesbian, bisexual, and gay persons. Each issue focuses on a specific area of concern within the church. Open Hands is published quarterly by the Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. (United Methodist) in conjunction with More Light Churches Network (Presbyterian), Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ), and Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran) Programs. Each of these programs is a national network of local churches that publicly affirm their ministry with the whole family of God and welcome lesbian and gay persons and their families into their community of faith. These four programs -along with Open and Affirming (Disciples of Christ), Welcoming (Unitarian Universalist), Supportive Congregations (Brethren/ Mennonite), and Welcoming and Affirming (American Baptist) programs -offer hope that the church can be a reconciled community. Open Hands is published quarterly. Subscription is $16 for four issues ($20 outside the U.S .). Single copies and back issues are $5. Quantities of lO or more, $3 each. Subscriptions, letters to the editor, manuscripts, requests for advertising rates, and other correspondence should be sent to: Open Hands 380l N . Keeler Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 Phone: 312/ 736-5526 Fax: 312/ 736-5475 Member, The Associated Church Press © 1993 Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. Open Hands is a registered trademark. * ISSN 0888-8833 Printed on recycled paper. Resources Jor Ministries AJJirming the Diversity oj Human Sexuality IN THE STRUGGLE The Possibilities (and problems) of Reconciliation .................................. 4 Robert McAfee Brown A Note on Alinsky ............................................................................ 4 Dick Tholin Homophobia: The Church's Best-Kept Secret ........................................... 5 Mark Bowman The Most Divisive Issue Since Slavery .............................................. 6 William Sloane Coffin Birth of a Movement .................................................................................. 8 Answers to Commonly-Asked Questions ................................................ 10 VOICES OF THE CHURCHES Walking the Paths TowardJustice ........................................................... 12 St. Mark Presbyterian, Pordand, Oregon ....................................... 12 Leland Clegg Memorial United Methodist, .................................... 13 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Walnut Creek United Methodist, Walnut Creek, California .......... 14 Trinity Lutheran Church, Chicago, Illinois .................................... 14 Wellesley Congregational UCC, Wellesley, Massachusetts ............ 16 First Congregational UCC, Memphis, Tennessee .......................... 17 Edina Community Lutheran, Edina, Minnesota ............................ 18 First Congregational UCC, Boulder, Colorado .............................. 19 The Welcoming Process: A Faith Adventure .......................................... 20 Ann B. Day How Welcoming Are We? An Exercise .................................................... 22 SUSTAINING THE SPIRIT Welcoming Pilgrims Home: A Prayer ..................................................... 23 Chris Glaser RESOURCES ..................................................................................................... 24 MOVEMENT NEWS ......................................................................................... 27 NCC Vote Marks New Era Kittredge Cherry .......... ....... ............. ............ 27 Welcoming New Churches ...................................................................... 28 Lutheran Church Installs Gay Pastor ...................................................... 29 Presbyterian Church Hires Spahr as Evangelist ..................................... 29 United Methodists Call to Move General Conference ............................. 30 The March on Washington in April ........................................................ 30 WELCOMING CHURCHES LIST ..................................................................... 31 Open Hands 2 Welcoming Churches: A Growing Ecumenical Movement Welcome to our first ecumenical issue of Open Hands!And a special welcome to new readers from the More Light, Open and Affirming, and Reconciled in Christ programs. Open Hands continues to be published by the Board of Directors of the Reconciling Congregation (United Methodist), but now in conjunction with the programs in the Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, and Lutheran denominations. To old and new readers alike, we hope you like our new cover masthead, as well as the new logo for the "news" section on page 27, which have been redesigned to reflect our new venture. This issue of Open Hands is focused on our ecumenical movement of open, affirming, welcoming, reconciling churches. Within our four denominational programs, we're almost 300 strong -and growing! We hope this issue will be of practical use to you whether your church is just beginning to explore becoming a "welcoming-type" church or whether you have officially become one within your own denomination's program. We've packed the issue full of helps for you. Robert McAfee Brown reflects on the theological concept of reconciliation from the perspective of grassroots organizing for change. Mark Bowman names an almost invisible reality in church structures and media. The four national coordinators, with help from others, have compiled an interesting birds-eye view of the "Birth of a Movement." Eight local churches across the country (representing all four denominations, large and small churches, and with ethnic and economic diversity) share their journeys of moving toward a welcoming, reconCiling stance. Ann B. Day explores the faith journey that churches take as they create inclusive community. Then there are several "handson" pieces to use in study/worship! Let us hear from you and we'll try to include comments in a "Letters to the Editor" column. -Mary Jo Osterman, Editor Program Coordinators Mark Bowman ~~::~F~~~!~~n::::::on Chicago, IL 60641 312/ 736-5526 Ann B. Day ................, ................., Open and Affirming Program OPEN ~ p.o. Box 403 !f!!! Holden, MA 01520 .............., ................, 508/856-9316 o Brian Knittel Reconciled in Christ Program 2800 Buena Vista Way Berkeley, CA 94708 510/ 841-6990 T Mark A Palermo More Light Churches Network 600 W. Fullerton Parkway Chicago, IL 60614-2690 312/ 338-0452 Publisher Mark Bowman Open Hands Editor Mary Jo Osterman Layout I Graphics I Typesetting In Print -Jan Graves Editorial Advisory Committee Reva Anderson, Toledo, OH Peg Beissert, Rolling Hills Est., CA Ann Marie Coleman, Chicago, IL Ann B. Day, Holden, MA Dan Hooper, Los Angeles, CA Derrick Kikuchi, Daly City, CA Sam Loliger, Buffalo, NY Anne McKee, Wayzata, MN Dick Poole, Oak Forest, IL Caroline Presnell, Evanston, IL Emilie Pulver, Chicago, Il Bradley Rymph, Washington, DC Paul Santillan, Chicago, IL Winter 1993 3 ,! .,_. l~e P'ffflflfffef (~..~ .~ , One theological gener~tion ago a movement arose m some churches to use the "Alinsky method" for bringing about social change. When this method was discussed, the participants would often come close to blows over the notion that what Christians had to do on the local scene was stir up trouble, be confrontive, force people to take sides, and up the ante in terms of aggressive social protest, so that finally a given objective would be achieved. The chief arrow in the quiver of the dissidents was to claim, "But the church isn't supposed to separate people in this way; the church is supposed to bring them together. The church is supposed to reconcile." The Impasse T his is, of course, a foundational 1. truth of the faith. Reconciliation is the heart of the message. We do want "to bring people together." But when people talked about reconciliation, they were not talking about something that could come after conflict; they were talking about something that would replace coriflict. If "peace" was maintained, if "conflict" was averted, then "reconciliation" had been achieved. Recondliation became an appeal to maintain the status quo. " eee,..eflf~·ff~ , by Robert McAfee Brown Conditions of True Recondliation , 1 Then Christians at their best have V V talked about reconciliation, however, they have insisted on a few things that go beyond the impasse just described. An understanding of such conditions may furnish some handles for those who want reconciliation between gays and straights. In the Christian tradition, reconciliation first of all must be seen as an act ofGod, something that has already taken place. The locus classicus for this claim is 2 Corinthians 5:19: "God was in Christ on Saul AlinskJ: . sky thellest kn er mthe' 1930s 'into t~e 1970s' otg:aniZer an4~F , worKing luFt his Industrial Fou~tla{ion ihChicago. Hebegap in the Back";~te~~;.Yards communi~ in GHiS,~g9 a,nd gained national notoriety in Roches~eF, N.Y. in the 19'60s throu intense struggle with Eastman Ko@'a!k His best known book is 'a:dictils: A Pragmatic"Primer for RealiStic RFititak Alinsky' believe is the e§sentialJ:tpre of a free aucl open sq~~ety3l'c{Rules .'; . , p. ow~rless c~lhJ;):)J.~.i\~ties around . 'mediate 'ipt~rest~, in nt al~§~ntee landlords, unn;spons and major coT,porate . ers. His tactics were dramatic ana abrasive. He felt they were necessarf in a world where "re1?onciliation" normaUYt}comes when one side nelds:,t~e power and the other side gets reconciled tc/that reality. Empowermentprought dignity and putpose to persons and munities and was the (}n~llgasis fqr genuine reconciliation (which Alil1}ight more rea~ily del~I;ib ~(QlJtting a deal.::) ., chard l'holin, R odal Ethics an tan Garrett-Evangelical Theologtc£if 5 nary. Evanston Illinois and a member of Wheadon UMC (a 1<cconciWig Congregation). %%#" . ; sponding to all of them in love, so that a fresh start can be made by us. We may deny this claim 'or ignore it (love is never coercive). But if we choose not to believe this, we are, in effect, living a lie. We are invited to accept the gift of forgiveness and start again. The extent of this outreaching love of God is wider than we imagine. Reconciliation is not simply what God does for us as individuals. As Paul makes clear, what is involved is the reconciliation of the whole "world." The Greek is even stronger: the whole kosmos. We are not only redeemed people, we are redeemed people living in a redeemed The only trouble with this scenario was that nothing changed. Reconciliation became an appeal to maintain the status quo. The point of view of those in charge triumphed. Further defeat and frustration came to those who felt that they were ongoing victims of injustice. The presumed reconciliation signaled only that the victimized ones had thrown in the towel. Estrangement the opposite of reconciliation -became more deeply embedded than ever. reconciling the world to God." This act of God is embodied in the special power of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. The estrangement between God and ourselves has been overcome, not by what we do, but by what God did in coming into the world in human form, taking on all the burdens, problems, and consequences of human life and human sin, and re-world -whether we recognize it or not. True, as Martin Buber put it, the world does not look very redeemed, but that is due to our ingratitude rather than God's lack of concern. Although reconciliation is not something we "do," it is something to which we must respond. When we do so positively, God makes us "agents of reconciliation" -those who are to exemplify Open Hands 4 ---- -------------------------------------------------------------------- -- -- -- -- --------- -- -- --- -------------------------- the good news of reconciliation by living it out ourselves. We are instruments through whom God makes the situation "other" than it was before -which is what the Greek root of the word reconciliation suggests. First Steps ofReconciliation I f reconciliation is God's act -already accomplished -and if we are to be agents of that reconciliation, how do we make a fresh approach to the current question of the relation of gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons to the church? Surely we begin by repudiating the kind of thinking present in the dissenters' argument of the Alinsky debate (i.e., that reconciliation should mean that gays and lesbians stop being pushy, accept the wisdom of the majority, and fade back into the woodwork). Such "peace" is a perversion of what reconciliation is all about. Instead, reconciliation is to be recognized and affirmed. God has crossed the divide between God and ourselves. Gay men, lesbian women, bisexual persons, heterosexual persons, status-quo people, hostile opponents -all are ones for whom (in Paul's lingo) Christ died and rose again. In crossing the divide between God and ourselves, God has also crossed the divide among ourselves. 0Jo hatred, false or malicious accusation, or self-asserted moral superiority is appropriate here from any side! God's reconciliation encompasses the whole kosmos , the whole created order. God has blessed and redeemed not only heterosexual love but homosexual love as well, since God created both. "And God sawall that God had created. And behold, it was very good." (Genesis 1:31) T Robert McAfee Brown is Professor Emeritus, Theology and Ethics, Pacific School of Religion. Berkeley, CA, and Parish Associate at First Presbyterian Church ofPalo Alto (a More Light Congregation). --..--..~ -..-..-...--~-..----------~-------- --------------~--- --~----- h's 8est-Kept Secret The Churc M k Bowman by ar A moOing InvitingPetsons to SUbscribe to 0JJen HonrJs broughtone I'esfJonse 'NiIh "this is from the Pit ofheirSCrawied on the IetIer 0IJd anotherreminding us thathomosexumlly is an "abomonanon(sic) before God." . Apastor in Olclahoma who was involved in ministry with persons with AIDS and had begun ministry with gaymen and lesbians was told to leave that church by vote ofa parish committee. --~.-19ft ~:::;.--;;,• ."IIt:1SOf/ and sumtnarily IeI7IOVed from his IJOStorate by the bishop, a/1OSfor In asmall town in Ohio was told by aparishioner to move out Of the '../1OISonoge Immediately becaUSe -Ifhe was seen around IDwIt his life was in danger." m • 4i Agay couple in upstate New Vor1c who /1OV8 gained nolOrfeJy for adopting HJV+ chUdren were asked not to come bOCk to a UnHed Me/hOdlsf Church in their communitY by one of its lay leaders. AconsPiracy of silence exists that within the past few weeks. I could fill refuses to acknowledge the perthis magazine with all the stories I've vasiveness of homophobia in heard over the years. Yet we rarely hear our churches and in our society. How these stories in our churches. many stories have you read in the reliWhen I talk with church groups gious press telling of incidents like those about the Reconciling Congregation above? I suspect very few, if any. Instead Program, one of the most common of exposing these acts of retribution questions I hear is "Why do we have to against individuals, the church media do this? Everyone is already welcome in reports congregations which have overour church." Time and again I must to stepped the apparent bounds of acrefute this assertion by pointing out the ceptable practice, such as a United reality that the one and only message Methodist church in Indianapolis recthat the church has clearly communiognizing the lOving commitment of two cated to the lesbian, gay, and bisexual men or a Presbyterian congregation in community over recent decades is -"you Rochester calling a lesbian pastor. are not welcome here." The reality has been and still is that Why the Silence gay men and lesbians daily bear the brunt of discrimination and castigation W hy this conspiracy of silence by those who call themselves "Chrisabout homophobia in our tians." The stories above all occurred churches? I suggest several reasons. Winter 1993 5 Only a small minority of Christians are actively homophobic in their actions toward lesbians and gay men. This homophobic minority sometimes condemns lesbians and gay men in public, such as Pat Buchanan did at the Republican National Convention last July. However, more often, overtly homophobic clergy and laypersons commit acts of emotional and physical violence against gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons in the shadows of church life, unseen and unknown by most of their Christian colleagues. Most Christians are baSically nice people. They desire cooperation, caring, and comfort. They hurt when others hurt. They seek to model Jesus' loving acceptance of other persons. They see the church as a place where others can find love and understanding. These Christians are oblivious to the fact -and probably find it incomprehensible -that a homophobic minority are inflicting injury on gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons in the shadows of church life. Another reason for the secrecy surrounding the church's homophobia is that lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons are still so vulnerable that they dare not publicly name the actions taken against them. A clergy who is "outed" and dismissed from a church still hopes to find employment in another church or a secular job. A lesbian couple who is ostracized from a church fears the news could be passed along to the school their daughter attends. A victim of gaybashing doesn't want to report it to the police lest it get in the newspapers and jeopardize his job. A lesbian who gets menacing phone calls telling her she is condemned to hell assumes the local police will be unsympathetic. Lesbians and gay men are survivors. We have learned to exist in a largely hostile society, where we see and hear homophobia daily. Surviving often means tuning out those messages which are hurtful to us. To personally respond to each homophobic statement that we hear threatens to unleash a torrent of uncontrollable anger from the depths of our being. In defense of ourselves, we learn to ignore comments like ''I'm so glad we finally have an organist who is heterosexual," "Don't you think Sue and Marcia are a little too friendly?" or "I certainly wouldn't want any of those folks around my children." Still another reason for this conspiracy of silence is that public opinion in our society has not yet coalesced into a societal norm that overt homophobia is unacceptable. In other words, blatant homophobia is still within the bounds of socially acceptable behavior. The proper question before the church is not "Can one be gay and Christian 7" but "Can one be Christian and homophobic7" When a religious publication prints a story regarding homosexuality, many letters from readers are generated which are quite negative, even vitriolic, toward lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons. Such letters routinely use words like "perversion," "abomination," or "condemnation." Many magazines and newspapers will print these letters in the interest of voicing "all sides" of the concern. Now that the debate on the ban on gays in the military has reached the national forum, we hear this hate-filled language on radio and TV talk shows and news programs. As I read these letters and listen to voices on the radio and TV, I muse. Racism is still rampant in our society, but would a magazine print the same letter if "African-American" were substituted for "homosexual" persons? Antisemitism and misogyny are prevalent, but would the radio show broadcast that diatribe if it used this language in reference to Jews or women? We know the answer is no. Racism, anti-semitism, and misogyny are deeply rooted within our society, but we have generally adopted the societal norm that blatant expressions of such oppressions are not acceptable in a respectable public forum. Yet it is still socially acceptable for gay, lesbian, or bisexual persons to be condemned in public forums. A final reason for the conspiracy of silence on homophobia in our churches is the one I find most insidious. The discu.ssion in our churches around the concerns of gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons still focuses on the worthiness of nonheterosexual persons to be Christian rather than on the unChristian nature of homophobia. The questions that define the debate continue to be "Is homosexuality a sin?" or "Can someone be gay and Christian?" Millions of words have been printed and spoken in debates over biblical interpretation of homosexuality and the origins of homosexuality. Heterosexual allies expend their energy proving that lesbians and gay men can't help being Open Hands 6 who they are and are really good human beings who can be in relationship to God. Even we as gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons continue to allow ourselves to be paraded before Christian study groups to demonstrate that we're really normal and deserve to be allowed to sit in the pews. Homophobia and its partner, heterosexism, are so deeply entrenched in our church that they even frame the questions we consider. 1 suggest that the proper question before the church is not "Can one be ay and Christian?" but "Can one be Christian and homophobic?" The proper question is not "Is homosexuality a sin?" but "Is excluding persons from our churches a sin?" Opening the Church's Closet H oW can we begin to move the church forward and pull the specer of homophobia out of the closet? First, we can name and confront cmophobia when it appears. This is eginning to happen -slowly and in fferent cities around the country. Last .. some pastors in Burlington, Vernt jOintly wrote and read a stateent to their congregations decrying ti-gay and anti-Jewish incidents in eir city. Pastors and other church lead-in :-Jew York City are witnessing to Children of the Rainbow" curricun their public schools (which has ed a public outcry because it inuoes a section on tolerance toward . and lesbian families). More heteroc~ ua~ Christian allies like these need peak out publicly against homoobia and name it as a predominant of todar's church. Gay. lesbian, and bisexual persons st also take steps to name the hoophobic acts carried out against them. Ce!"tainly there are individual needs and concerns in which personal and familial survival seems to outweigh going public. Yet the cost of continuing quietly to bear the brunt of social and ecclesiastical homophobia takes a deadly toll on us. \Ve can also address the homophobia which pervades our media. We can speak out to Christian magazines and nev,'spapers which sensationalize homosexuality and print degrading letters and articles about lesbian, gay, and Winter 1993 bisexual persons, but fail to recognize the daily acts of homophobic violence carried out in the name of the church. Then we can broaden our sphere of influence by confronting homophobia in the secular press. Words . do inflict hurt and injury. Finally, our strategies in our local churches can be informed by this refocusing of our attention. Rather than expending so much energy educating our church members about homosexuality, we can devote more time and resources to instructing about homophobia and its resultant human pain. We can redirect the lens to scrutinize the evidences of homophobia within our congregations. There will be resistance to this redirection of the locus of attention. It is easier to objectify the concern externally to talk about "those persons" than it is to evaluate one's own culpability in creating human suffering. Tough Words, High Stakes Reframing the question from "Can one be homosexual and Christian?" to "Can one be Christian and homophobic?" is not only a matter of ideology, but 1believe it is also strategically significant for our welcoming programs. When church members personally know the painful experiences of gay, lesbian, and bisexual brothers and sisters, they are led to the imperative to publicly decry homophobia and make a welcoming declaration. Congregations become reconciling because they have recognized the need to do so. So our task as those who seek to enable the welcoming process is to create that sense of need. We can do this by exposing the pervasive presence of homophobia. 1 frequently remind congregations that the process of becoming reconciling is not about reaching a consensus about homosexuality, but a consensus about ministry. There is too much mysteriousness and divergence of experience surrounding sexual orientation for us to expect any community of persons to come to a common mind on homosexuality. However, in the welcoming process a congregation seeks a consensus about ministry, in essence stating: "We, in this congregation, declare our ministries open to all persons, regardless of sexual orientation. Furthermore, we have no choice but to make this statement about our ministries because homophobia in the church at large has effectively closed the doors upon lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons." One continuous thread throughout church history is that of God challenging the church to welcome a new group ofoutsiders. These are tough words to speak to our Christian friends and colleagues. We speak these words not only because of our compassion for our lesbian and bisexual sisters and gay and bisexual brothers. We also speak them, 1believe, because much more is at stake here. In fact, I believe that not only the integrity, but also the very survival of our churches in the future depends upon how it deals with this concern today. One continuous thread throughout church history is that of God challenging the church to welcome a new group of outsiders. This challenge began with Jesus' ministry to outcasts and continued with the early Christians' bitter dissension over preaching the Gospel to non-Jews. To put it quite simply, those manifestations of the Body of Christ which have survived over the centuries as vital ministries have been those that have responded to God's challenge to extend the circle of faith to include persons previously excluded. It seems audacious, even awesome, to consider that our efforts to unveil the church's homophobia is part of a much larger divine plan. 1 believe that through our ecumenical welcoming movement God may be calling the larger Church to be the Body of Christ in the 21st century. We cannot risk denying this possibility. We must break the conspiracy of silence. We must expose the church's best-kept secret. T Mark Bowman has been a national coordinator oj the Reconciling Congregation Program since its inception in 1984. He relocated Jrom Washington, D.c. to Chicago last summer to open the program's national office there. 7 t) ~ ~_~Birth of a Movement ~ .. I _ In the 1970s the concerns oflesbians and gay men began to be raised and debated in a major way throughout mainstream churches. t Entrenched homophobia and heterosexism led to numerous church I policies which excluded gay men and lesbians from full participation in the life and service of the church. In response to this exclusion, individuals and groups began to vision the building of a grass roots movement for change in the churches. That vision gave birth to our "welcoming" programs. Fifteen years ago no official "welcoming" programs existed. Today the four oldest "welcoming" programs -More Light, Open and Af firming, Reconciled in Christ, and Reconciling Congregations -claim almost 300 mainstream churches which officially welcome lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons. In November 1992, these four denominational programs became linked in an ecumenical move to publish Open Hands. Here are the stories of how the four programs came ~~~~ ~ ------~~ More Light Churches Network In 1620 Pastor John Robinson advised the Pilgrims seeking religious liberty that "God hath yet more light to break forth from the Word." This promise was quoted at the 1976 United Presbyterian General Assembly when the Assembly formed a two-year task force to study homosexuality, particularly as it related to ordination of local church officers (deacons and elders) and clergy. The 1978 General Assembly rejected the report of the task force and instead determined that gay men and lesbians should be welcomed as local church members but without the right to serve as church officers or as clergy (both of whom are ordained in the Presbyterian Church). This "definitive guidance" was declared "binding" on presbyteries and church congregations, so that any local church which does ordain gay men or lesbians as church officers or clergy is disobeying church law. West-Park Presbyterian Church of New York City became the first congregation to oppose the action of the General Assembly when it voted to welcome all lesbian and gay members, affirm their civil rights, and grant them full religiOUS rights to participate in and serve the Body of Christ, including the right of ordination. Other congregations also adopted resolutions proclaiming their intention to be inclusive in both membership and ordained leadership, regardless of sexual orientation. These congregations became known as "More Light" churches. The movement had begun. In 1985, the Permanentjudicial Commission of the Presbyterian Church (USA) judged a congregation to be in error for passing a More Light resolution. Later that year, other More Light churches met for the first time to plan strategy in case other churches were subject to judicial attack. A conference is now held annually for declared and inquiring congregations. In 1991, an organizational committee was created to determine a more formal structure for More Light congregations. In 1992 The More Light Churches Network was officially recognized and a seven-member Steering Committee was elected to handle ongoing business and facilitate communication. In November 1992 a decision of the Permanent Judicial Commission set aside the call of the Rev. Jane Spahr to Downtown United Presbyterian Church in Rochester, New York. Follow-up by the More Light Churches Network has included writing letters of protest to denominational leaders; strategy sessions on how to overturn "definitive guidance"; and passing overtures which will be forwarded to the General Assembly in June 1993 to challenge the ordination ban. Open and Affirming Program ...--___..., The Open and Affirm................. ing program in the .........-........ United Church of Christ OP~N (UCC) began at the AffiRMING Fourteen th General CONGREGAnONS Synod (1983) when the ""'~T~"'''' Reverend Raymond Bra..........-........ dley, Jr. introduced a resolution urging local churches to welcome gay and lesbian people. This resolution was debated and sent to the Executive Council for referral to national bodies of the denomination for study and further action. Several months later, members of the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns (UCCl/GC) in Massachusetts gathered to revise the 1983 resolution. Their document was submitted to the Massachusetts Conference Annual Meeting which adopted it in June 1984 and forwarded it for consideration at the General Synod in 1985. In the spring of 1985, the resolution encountered .a roadblock. A new rule stated that resolutions which had been debated at General Synod in prior years Open Hands 8 could not be resubmitted. After much negotiation, the Resolutions Committee agreed to place the "Open and Affirming" Resolution on the agenda. The Fifteenth General Synod resolution, "Calling on United Church of Christ Congregations to Covenant as Open and Affirming," encouraged congregations to "adopt a non-discrimination policy and a Covenant of Openness and Affirmation of persons of esbian, gay, and bisexual orientation ---=thin the community of faith." The esolution was passed by ninety-five rcent of the voting delegates on July _ 1985. ince that hot, historic summer in "es, Iowa, many individuals and r·:mps have contributed to the growth the O~Aprogram. In southern Califorma, for example, three ONAchurches uced a video, Open and Ajjirming: urney oj Faith, which was released 1992 by the United Church Board r Homeland Ministries.l Reconciled in Christ Program The Reconciled in Christ program was created by John Ballew, a former president of Lutherans Concerned (LC). His new program was endorsed at the Lutherans __erned biennial Assembly in 1984. ..en six congregations qUickly pled the "Affirmation of Welcome" e p. 15), the RIC ram became a priary grassroots orga--'ng project and a -for LC to promote goals of under-tanding and recon- liation. To give the program -he support it needed, the position of IC Program Director was created as a LC NA board position in 1985. Rose Smith, the first Director, served fulltime until 1990. During her tenure as Director, she wrote the RIC "Plan of Action" which spells out the purpose of the Reconciled in Christ program and gives suggestions for LC chapters which wish to encourage congregations in their area to become RIC congregations. Winter 1993 At Assembly 1992, the membership of Lutherans Concerned authorized the formation of a new, as yet unnamed, program that will invite congregations to join LC as active partners working for justice and the further development of the RIC program. Reconciling Congregation Program In 1983 discussion began among members of Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian/ Gay Concerns about identifying and supporting congregations that welcomed lesbians and gay men. A proposal for Reconciling Congregations was approved at the fall 1983 meeting of Affirmation. The program was officially launched at the May 1984 General Conference in Baltimore after decisions were made to continue language that "homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching" and to add a specific policy that no "self-avowed practicing homosexual" could be ordained or appointed. On the morning following that vote, members of Affirmation gathered outside the conference center to pass out brochures to delegates and visitors inviting their congregations to become "reconciling." Within two weeks two congregations had voted to become Reconcil- In addition to these four denominational programs, four others also were developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s; the Open and Affirming program of the Disciples of Christ; the Unitarian Universalist Welcoming program; the Supportive Congregations of the Brethren/Mennonite church; and the Welcoming and Affirming program of the American Baptist Church. ing Congregations. Symbolically, they spanned the country: Washington Square UMC in New York City and Wesley UMC in Fresno, California. By March 1987 twenty-two churches had become RCs. They sent 125 people to a national convocation in Chicago, a weekend of worship, training, sharing, and celebration. A second convocation in San Francisco in February 1990 drew 200 persons from the then forty-three RCs. A third convocation is planned for July 1993 in Washington, DC . The history of the Reconciling Congregation program includes many miracle stories. In 1985, original program co-coordinators, Beth Richardson and Mark Bowman, began a quarterly magazine, Manna jar the Journey, as a resource for the Reconciling Congregations. Now in its eighth year and renamed Open Hands, it has 1500 paid subscriptions and has won several awards from the Associated Church Press. A friend of the RC movement, Marshall Jones, was invited to film the first convocation. He returned with wonderful footage that was edited into the video, Casting Out Fear. Upon discovering during their RC study that no Christian resource existed which presented information about homosexuality in simple language, Ann Thompson Cook and other members of Dumbarton UMC (Washington, DC) wrote And God Loves Each One and raised the funds to publish it. InJuly 1990, in order to enable RCs to provide more direction for their growing movement, the Reconciling Congregation Program became a non-profit organization with its own board of directors. A national office was established in Chicago in 1992 with a paid coordinator who moved to full-time. There you have it -the story of a movement born! As the "welcoming" congregation network grows, so does a powerful witness to the Church as an inclusive community in Christ, where people of all sexual orientations are welcome to bring their gifts for the upbuilding of the church and its ministries. T 1Some background Jor this article came Jrom 'Journeys in Other Denominations: United Church oj Christ." Open Hands, Summer 1986, p. 17. Additional information was provided by a history oj the aNA program written by Ms. Marnis Warner oj the MA ConJerence, Uce. Some material was previously published in the notes accompanying thevideo, "Open and AJJirming: A Journey oj Faitii' (UCBHM) . Compiled by the Jour coordinators oj the welcoming programs: Mark Bowman, Ann B. Day, Brian Knittel, and Mark Palermo. 9 A1\TSWBBS TO o e Commonly-Asked Questions Over the past fifteen years 291 congregations have declared themselves to be More Light (Presbyterian Church, U.s .A), Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ), Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran), or Reconciling (United Methodist Church). From our collective experience of working with these congregations as they have sought to make public statements welcoming lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons, we have learned that particular questions arise time and again. Here is a list of these commonly-asked questions with concise answers. You may want to copy these pages to distribute in your local church or use this as a study and reference gUide for the team that is leading the welcoming process in your church. To enable brevity, we have used the te~m "welcoming" to refer to churches in all of our programs. Mark Bowman, Ann B. Day, Brian Knittel, &. Mark Palermo Program Coordinators 1. How does a local church become More Light, Reconciling, Reconciled in Christ, or Open and Affirming? The decision to be a welcoming church can be made by the official deciSion-making body of a local church (administrative board or council in the United Methodist Church; council or congregation in the Lutheran Church and the United Church of Christ; the session in the Presbyterian Church). However, most churches choose to have this decision made by the whole congregation. As part of this decision, a congregation adopts a statement (each program provides a sample) that unconditionally welcomes the participation of lesbian and gay persons in the life of the congregation. They may also specifically include bisexual persons in their statement. This vote is usually preceded by a period of education and dialogue which may take several months or several years. 2. Are we breaking church law by becoming a welcoming congregation? The Open and Affirming Program in the United Church of Christ was developed in response to a resolution passed at the 1985 General Synod which clearly encouraged all UCC congregations to adopt a Covenant of Openness and Affirmation and a nondiscrimination policy. The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church specifically encourage local church ministries with lesbians and gay men. Official United Methodist policy that limits participation of lesbians and gay men in some aspects of general church life (e .g. ordination) does not apply to the local church. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America restricts the ordination of lesbians and gay men, while encouraging churches to include them in their ministries. In the Presbyterian Church (USA), congregations who become More Light churches choose to dissent from the position of the denomination on ordination of deacons and elders as officers in the local church. This ban on ordination is a result of policy adopted by the 1978 General Assembly, which is in conflict with the Book of Order, or constitution of the church. The More Light decision is made to uphold the constitutional provision that all persons may hold ordained office. 3. Why do we single out lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons to welcome? The welcoming programs highlight the particular situation of gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons today because of the blatant discrimination they currently experience in our church and society. In many denominations, lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons are the only social group for whom participation in some aspects of general church life is barred by church law. However, since there are other persons and groups in our society with which our churches must be reconciled, the official welcoming statement adopted by many congregations says that they welcome all persons, "regardless of age, gender, race, ethnic background, mental or physical ability, and sexual orientation. " 4. Why do we have to make a public statement? We already welcome everybody. "Going public" is a critical part of the program to counteract the many local churches and conservative Christians who have been very public about their homophobic actions and statements. The overwhelming perception of the lesbian/gay / bisexual community is that they are not welcome in most churches. Only a public statement can overcome that widespread perception of rejection. Remember Jesus' statement about hiding your light under a bushel. The decision to be welcoming is an event to celebrate. 5. Sexuality is a personal, private matter. Why should we talk about it in our churches? Our Christian tradition teaches that our sexuality is a gift of God to be used responsibly and wisely, as are all other aspects of our human existence. Although many of us have been raised to believe that it's not appropriate to talk about sexuality in church, if we believe that our faith inJesus Christ is all-encompassing in our lives, then we must recognize that our faith touches our sexuality as well. Nothing can remain "private and personal" as long as it is used systematically to exclude an entire group of people. Such discrimination mandates a public statement and discussion. Becoming "welcoming" is about more than sexuality, it's about our understanding Open Hands 10 of the Gospel, and about the community and ministry that arise from it. The real issue is whether our churches are open ·0 all persons. 6. Doesn't the Bible say same-gender sex is sin? Throughout church history much tradition of biblical erpretation has said that same-gender practice is sinful. "e'"er, this tradition has been profoundly challenged by " biblical scholars over the past two decades. Just as the h has changed its interpretation of the Bible regarding social groups and practices over the centuries, so its retation of this matter is undergoing change today. Most believe the Gospels to be the nucleus of our Christian -and the Gospels do not mention homosexuality. Welmg Christians believe that the Gospel's call to love and xample of Jesus' ministry to all persons in his society outweigh an exclusionary tradition built upon the interpretaof a few scattered Bible verses. . If we become a welcoming congregation, will we become an all-gay church? The experience of the 291 congregations who have bee welcoming congregations has been that they have reoed some new lesbian, gay, and bisexual members. Howthey have received as many or more new heterosexual ers who are attracted to an open, hospitable congrega. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons who do come to your egation do that for the same reasons as anyone else -to ip God and to find support in living a Christian life. 'on't this issue split our church? Certainly issues related to homosexuality and bisexuality ighly-charged and can be divisive. However, the intent of programs is to be reconciling, to be empowering. A ...... egation is expected to use an open, consultative process oming welcoming. Care needs to be shown for persons express dissenting opinions. Part of the process is learnow to live in a community with diverse beliefs, sharing ,"ars of responding to those with whom we differ, and lng new options for biblical interpretation. tost churches have found that they have been able to h a consensus (not necessarily unanimity) that they wish o become publicly welcoming. Some have had a few members e,r'-e because of this decision. But most have found their ongregation enriched by the experience of grappling with ch deeply personal concerns in a positive manner. 9. How will having gay members in our church affect our children? Some persons may still equate homosexuality with sexual buse of children. However, pedophilia is a sickness which occurs in persons of all sexual orientations. Pedophilia is not a art of a healthy adult's life, whatever his/her orientation. Other persons may be concerned that openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual adults will recruit or influence children. However, Winter 1993 sexual orientation is determined very early in one's childhood, if not at birth. If a child is gay or lesbian, positive adult role models are invaluable. Most welcoming congregations find that the presence of openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual adults is really a blessing for their children and youth. Parents find that participating in a congregation where human sexuality is discussed honestly and where there are respected gay, lesbian, and bisexual adults is a positive influence on their children. 10" What about "ex-gay" or "transforming" ministries? Some churches have declared themselves to be "transforming," which means that they encourage persons to change from homosexual or bisexual to heterosexual. There are two major fallacies in this position, regardless of what you believe about the moral nature of homosexuality or bisexuality. First, these churches require that changing one's behavior is a condition for acceptance into the church. In no other instance in our tradition does a particular behavior bar a person from church membership. Second, no evidence exists that anyone has changed their orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. Some examples exist of persons changing their behavior. Many more exist of personal pain and trauma for lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons who have diligently tried. 11. What does a local church do after officially becoming welcoming? Awelcoming congregation is expected to incorporate ministries with lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons into its ongoing ministries. Many congregations assign responsibility to an existing committee or form a new one. The focus of these ministries will vary, depending upon the resources of the local church and the needs of the local community. Part of the ministry should include making the welcoming decision known in the local community and in the denomination. The congregation is also expected (except in RICs) to have a liaison to its national welcoming program who will assist in communication with other churches in the network and who will interpret the national ministries to the congregation. Finally, the congregation is asked for and may want to provide financial assistance to the national program. 12. What does the national program offer to the local church? The national program provides a support and communications network to congregations who become welcoming and who seek to open their ministries to lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons. Each national program provides assistance and resources (like Open Hands) to its welcoming churches, as well as newsletters and occasional national gatherings. National programs also supply resource persons and/or printed materials to assist congregations that are considering becoming welcoming T 11 These eight churches have shared the stories of their faith journeys and their decision-making processes toward becoming welcoming congregations. While the processes they used may be helpful to you, the steps they took are not requirements! A church beginning this journey will need to find its own path and work out its own process. Resource people in each ofthe national offices are available to consult. Read in sequence, these stories also tell the "bigger story" of the welcoming movement, from the first steps of beginning to talk about gay/lesbian/bisexual concerns; to starting the intentional process ofbecoming welcoming; to making the decision and taking the vote; to continuing the process after the vote is taken. It's a process offaith and a movement toward justice. St. Mark Presbyterian Church Portland, Oregon St. Mark Presbyterian Church in Portland , Oregon is a small, well-educated, close-knit congregation with an activist history. Issues around gay men and lesbian women in the church had not been a topic of conversation for us until the Session was informed about an ecclesiastical judicial matter in our Presbytery, in which one congregation filed a complaint against another for ordaining an openly gay man and lesbian woman as deacons. The members of our Session were shocked that it should even be a matter of discussion, much less of remedial action. Many were not aware of the current policy of the denomination. The Session voted to use the local portion of our 1991 Peacemaking Offering funds to study the issue. We brought Dick Hasbany to a Session retreat to begin the process of reflection and action. He discussed with us the current legislation of our denomination, outlined then-current litigation and showed the video about More Light congregations. We then shared one reason why it would be good for St. Mark to make the move to being more openly supportive of gay men and lesbian women and one reason why it would be difficult or scary. The result? -story telling, laughter, and tears. We heard personal stories -and new things -about our lives, our families, ourjobs, people we love. We shared grief for ourselves, for gay family members and friends, and for the Church. Then Oregon's Measure 9, which among other things would have written into our state constitution that homosexuality is "perverse and abnormal," took our attention. It sparked sermons and discussions regarding homosexuality and civil rights. Our conclusions? We unequivocally stated that our denomination's stance would compel us to vote against Measure 9. We unanimously declared ourselves against the measure, and supported the pastor and several church members in work to defeat the measure. We noted, however the hypocrisy of working for a just society from the midst of an unjust church. After Measure 9 was defeated, our conversation returned to the Presbyterian Church. Our Session is reviewing a possible overture to the General Assembly regarding the Book of Order as the only basis for determining standards for ordination. In a half-day Session retreat we will plan how to proceed with conversations within the congregation. The backdrop of conversation/decisions for St. Mark is not merely intellectual, but relational. This is the congregation of the Reverend Dr. John Anderson (retired professor of religion at Lewis &: Clark College) and the late Sally Anderson, parents of Jim Anderson ( communications secretary for Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns). This is the congregation in which Jim was raised. The Andersons have always been careful to ensure that St. Mark did not deal with issues related to homosexuality as a favor to them. They prayed for the day when we would address homosexuality as a matter of justice, as St. Mark has dealt with other issues (peacemaking, sanctuary, etc.) Open Hands 12 Their participation does mean, however, that for St. Mark as a community, there are personal and relational aspects of the cpnversation. We find that people's rriina}sand hearts are changed through relaho'tship and not through I~" heology. . ..w'; I don't know:#he "right" outcome for s congregation.tt\'~pot a foregone clusion. >.~.»."~~, . ence will be do know that the .:::!-t have begun will not .. Session is committed to continu. he process of talking about our regation's relationship with gay and :In people, and about the theology lity of our denomination . .. Si:::oo, Pastor oj St. Mark Presbyteland Clegg Memorial nited Methodist Church O}~lahoma City, Oklahoma Leland Clegg Memorial United Meth~ Church from its beginnings in 3 has been open to persons from e backgrounds. Its life and misa\-e been characterized by a coment to listen to and respond with ng in ministry to its members' Te'ty. This has resulted in a deep sense of understanding, unity of spirit, and appreciation for the gifts of its mem. ers and friends. Oklahoma City is in the heart of south central conservative fundamentalism where homophobia on the part of heterosexual persons and heterophobia on the part of gay and lesbian persons are deeply ingrained . Resistance to receiving contemporary research is rampant in many denominational attitudes and newspaper stories, as is refusal to acknowledge misinterpretations of biblical data. Clegg Church, however, has been and lesbian persons, hostof Affirmation and areas. In 1990 through pastor and lay began a serious study to ment of Mission which Wab'%fthen adopted at the annual charge conference. The statement addressed the question: What does it mean for Clegg Church to be the Body of Christ in the community and the world? An adult Sunday School class emerged from this study on our mission. Its curriculum is the EcuFilm Questions of Faith. Homosexual persons have been open participants in this class. In 1991 the class was using the tape, "What Has Religion to Do with Sex?" After three weeks of study the class developed a long list of questions which were studied from January 1992 throughJune, 1992. The question of whether or not Clegg church should become a Reconciling Congregation was delegated for future discussion and has been assigned to the Outward Journey Life and Mission area, since we see the issue as one of congregational outreach. In October 1992, our Administrative Council assigned to four persons the task of making recommendations for the updating of our 1990 Statement of Mission. The following paragraph was recommended to Administrative Council: Because of Christ's commission to go and proclaim forgiveness and to make diSCiples of all (Matt. 28: 19; Luke 24:47), we welcome all people into full participation, regardless of age, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, economic state, reli- Winter 1993 13 gious heritage, handicapping condition, educational level, or any other distinction that may divide the Christian community. In November 1992, our Administrative Council unanimously received this recommendation. Concern was raised that a few persons would perceive this action as giving approval for the church to become a Reconciling Congregation. There was misunderstanding that the recommended study and process had been conducted and completed. The IN MEMORIAM RICHARD E. MONROE Died February 16, 1993 National UMC Staff, 1969-80 Oklahoma Conference Staff, 1980-87 (Fired after identifying himself as a gay man in a magazine article.) new Statement of Mission was unan'mously approved by the Church C ference ecember 6, 1992. proud suc struggle with what it would to become an RCP. T Kathy Leithner, pastor of Leland Clegg. Bill Parker, Lay Leader and delegate to Annual Conference. Richard E. Monroe, member of Clegg Church, an organizer of Affirmation/ Oklahoma City, and active in various AIDS ministries. Walnut Creek United Methodist Church Walnut Creek, California Sunday, June 7, 1992, was a significant day in the life of the church. This was the day set by the Reconciling Congregation Task Force for seriously addressing the question of becoming a Reconciling Congregation. This subject was to be the theme of the sermon at both services, the topic of the Sunday Forum (an adult class), the theme of the keynote address following a potluck luncheon, and the subject of four workshops to be held after the keynote address. The Walnut Creek UMC is a midsized church of 800 members in an affluent suburb of San Francisco and Oakland. It is a family-oriented church, with a reputation for openness and friendliness. Both liberals and conservatives find themselves at home. The church's involvement with the issue of homosexuality started in 1986, when classes were held on human sexuality, homosexuality, and the denomination's stand. InJanuary 1991, four additional forums were held, spurred this time by the up-coming quadrennial UMC General Conference in May 1992, where the report of the Committee to Study Homosexuality would be presented and the Conference would vote again the stand of the denomination to enlarge its membership, and undertook an intensive educational effort. We met monthly, making reports to one another on our findings. We developed a bibliography, assembled ' names of possible speakers, and talked to people in other churches which were already Reconciling Congregations. After our research was completed, the Task Force decided to offer a churchwide "educational event" on what it would mean to become a Reconciling Congrega tion. On June 7, reaction to Rev. Casey Cavallo's sermon was favorable. He compared the situation we are in today regarding acceptance of homosexuals to two prior historical periods when great change was occurring: the Protestant Reformation when Martin Luther took his s against certain practice and Catholic; Church' in Luther hto stand justice. In times like these pastor, we are again challenge to re-think our basic assumptions. At the close of the Educational Ever.' onJune 7, the evaluation was favorable but also cautioned us to "go slow" an to bring people along gradually. In the near future, we will have a speaker 0 Transforming Congregations. We w·. continue to schedule educational event systematically until we feel that it is ar.. opportune time to take the vote. In the meantime, many people have expresse . satisfaction that we are a church wi' courage to face the hard questions. T Marianna Mihills is Chair of Waln ut Cree • Reconciling Congregation Task Force. Trinity Lutheran Church Chicago, Illinois The Pastor's View Trinity Lutheran Church, located the Beverly-Washington Heights neig .borhood on Chicago's south side, is a eighty-five member, pre-------.., dominantly Black parish, which had been without a pastor for two years. Both the church facilities and the morale of the people were in need of rebuilding. Together we worked to remodel and renovate, and a deep Im"e trust, and respect has grown among u as well as a renewed sense of mission ' the community. Together we participated in a pain taking process of self-analysis to establish a renewed grasp of our congregational identity, purpose, and mission This study involved the drafting of a Open Hands 14 mission statement which is now the enterpiece of the brochure which we dlSseminate in the community. In this ~tission Statement, Trinity Lutheran ~lalms: As a community of believers, bap>lZed, forgiven, liberated, and empowered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ . . . we are a worshiping and nurturing church .. . comted ... to be in mission .. . To as St. Palli says, "all things to people," irrclusively and withexception: regardless of one's io-economic er. or sexual orient~tion o be a growif lfYw.t" unity of faith odyi.ng the vision Kingdom of God. .African-American congregations ublicly taken such a stand. Three ics were at work in Trinity eran's process and decision to bee a Reconciled in Christ parish. mclusiveness is imperative to my nderstanding of the Gospel. Seche family at Trinity is made up of ent and empathetic people who live out the Gospel. Third, we through the process of awareand acceptance together. The Decision Came About storal care and the church's welccmmg of gays and lesbians is of deep ance to me. My concern as pasot just theoretical. It is existenause homosexuality is a part of amily experience. Naturally, I ed to share these same concerns sights with my parish, within the xt of the Gospel's mandate of universality and justice for oppressed people. In our Adult Forums we had a lengthy series on the Black experience in America, which brought into theological focus what it means to be an oppressed Suffering-Servant people, and how this can be redemptive for others. This led very naturally into a study of homosexuality, where we noted that evidence indicates that same-sex orientation is primarily physiological in nature. Our study of the biblical texts indicated that very few passages apply in a pejorative way, and where such judgment does occur, the writers had this is the way some reviewed the Lutheran <~ ~~tmphasis which always ,*,j~~. '" places the GiJspel of God's grace in Christ Jesus at the so that the Gospel itself is parse out the theologlc is always applicable) husk (which is not). As St. Atagustme said, when clear and certain reasoning contradicts a passage of Scripture, then we must reinterpret the Scripture in light of it. Luther had the same conviction, as long as the reinterpretation was not contrary to the Gospel. The good people of Trinity listened and discussed and came to the unanimous conclusion that the Gospel, our Reformation underpinnings, and our own humanity, all demand that we be an inclusive and welcoming congregation. Without dissent, this inclusivity, regardless of sexual orientation, was made a part of our Mission Statement. Although gay men and lesbians are still a small percentage of our membership, they are very much a part of the Trinity family, and there is gay representation on our Church Council. No wonder I'm proud to be the pastor at Trinity, and, to my delight, the feeling is mutual. A Lay Leader's View Our pastor brought the issue of becoming a Reconciled in Christ congregation to our church. •Although one member \Vinter 1993 wasn't happy and thought this wasn't something that Trinity should be dealing with, most members felt like I do. As an African-American I've been discriminated against all of my life and I can't see discriminating against anyone else for whatever reason . After our discussion sessions, our 15 church voted unanimously to become Reconciled in Christ. We now have one openly gay person who is generally accepted. I feel that it was very good for the church to do this. I recently asked a friend who is a member of a large Black Baptist church how they deal with homosexuality. My friend said, "we don't talk about it." Yet my friend and I both know that many gays are active in church music and other leadership positions in the church. It's a great gift to Trinity that we're able to talk about this openly. ~ Tom Strieter, pastor of Trinity, Chicago, IL, and a resource person for Synod-sponsored consciousness-raising workshops on Pastoral Care for Gays and Lesbians. Norman Briggs, lay leader at Trinity Lutheran. The Wellesley Congregational Church, VCC Wellesley, Massachusetts Wellesley is an U80-member, predominantly Cauca. · middle class congregation Boston. ship of began · with an "(',,nD"-"" of the issues of being "open and ing" and moved to a new level of seriousness when the Deacons announced at the January 1991 Annual Meeting avoided inflammatory comments. Some stated their disappointment that we were not endorsing services of commitment. Others voiced their approval of a strategy that was clearly trying to take one small positive step which the vast majority could embrace. The congregation's vote for the Open and Affirming resolution was overwhelmingly positive. We have since placed a statement in the weekly bulletin that we are an Open and Affirming their intention to ask the congregation to vote a year later on becoming an Open and Affirming Congregation. By the fall of 1991, the Deacons and the ministerial staff were hearing loud Congregation. Some gay men and lesbians appear to be worshiping here more often and feeling more at home as they do. The few dissenters who have left the church have not had a major negative and substantive dissenting voices about the pending vote. One strategy we used to respond to those voices was my offer as minister to spend time listening to anyone in the church who felt strongly about open and affirming -particularly anyone who felt negatively. My stated intent was simply to listen in depth in an effort to help people feel "heard." We knew we needed to assess how deep and how broad were the negative feelings. We also believed that if those negatives were held by only a small minority, that minority might be more willing to go along with the majority if they felt that someone cared enough to hear them out. Approximately two dozen people took me up on my offer. Some persons were reassured by that visit and have remained strong and active members. A handful were so strongly opposed that they have subsequently dropped their membership. A significant "middle" group stated their support for an open and affirming resolution but their strong opposi . to services of or lesbichapel. o'I[ic0rle that open and affirming J~" :;<Uv'LL to the congregation for vote ut any mention of such services. congregation's Annual Meeting in January of 1992 reflected the careful groundwork we had done. Except for one relatively brief encounter, people spoke openly and honestly but impact on the congregation's spirit, program, or subsequent financial pledge drive. The church seems to have incorporated the open and affirming concept qUietly into our self-image. Open Hands 16 The major foreseeable challenge for -15 what will happen if a request .es for a service of commitment in sanctuary or chapel, where the Board eacons have bylaw responsibilities. ellesley's clergy persons have already ed publicly our willingness to perservices in other spaces.) We are mitted to a congregational meeting ·horization before such a request e acted on positively. Preparing h a meeting, with its new calls h faithfulness and listening, will mportant step for this congrega- B. Abernethy, pastor oj Wellesley, a B.A. Jrom Harvard in 1961, an Jrom Union Theological Seminary in d a D.Min. Jrom Andover Newton cal School in 1983. Congregational Church, C is, Tennessee July 28, 1991, First Congrega·oted to become an Open and ONA) congregation. This was ising move, in some respects! -a church· in the heart of the elt, we realized that God was us to a new and unique witness ... phis, Tennessee: • , • .'< e va st maJon,}{ es are harsh in 01 homosexuality. A ,~ ere gay men and lesbian?lromen ~iMT\ate. But no church had stated ... ,:' that it welcomed gay and lesbipIe fully. small congregation (with Sunship of fifty in 1990), we were to consider an ONA resolution pastoral needs that emerged from :tgregationallife. A lesbian couple r church had gone through an rdinarily difficult year regarding ~. of their children. The judge to even consider evidence, inng extensive psychological reviews ourt-approved psychiatrists. His ment: "They are like drug addicts. don't give custody to drug addicts ,'ou don't give custody to homoals." We, as a congregation, had essed this injustice. Then another lesbian couple asked to have their commitment recognized by the church. We came to realize that our silence contributed to the oppression of gay and lesbian people in our community and within our church. Our resolution to become an ONA church was born out of dialogue on what it meant to stand together as a congregation and to express Christ's love faithfully. Our decision was to take a risk in the name of faith -to do what we thought God wanted us to do in the name of Christ's love. Our love of gay and lesbian friends and family members gave us courage! As we voted, we realized that we were embracing the struggles of an oppressed group of people. We knew that we might be ostracized in the Memphis church comretr eat was a tage of mission and outreac about our legacy of welcoming strangers. (For a time, our church was actually called "Strangers Church" because its membership consisted of the abolitionists who came south to begin schools for the freed slaves.) Older and younger members, straight and gay members, shared together their excitement at being part of such a faith community. As we explore what it means to be an ONA church, new challenges present themselves. We need to find ways of dialoguing with the children of our church about family life in such a way that is inclusive and descriptive of the circumstances of all. We continue to seek ways to share with visitors and new members and to be intentional about ongoing study of the issues. Every consequence of becoming an ONA church has been positive for us. We are more open with each other about all aspects of our lives! We trust each other more. We have witnessed an enthusiasm and a sense of covenant within this church. We have experienced major growth in church membership. All of us -straight or gay- know that this is a place where people genuinely care about us. Here we are more free to share ourselves than in most other environments. Our newest involvement, which we might not have had the courage to do three years ago, is welcoming a refugee family from Somalia -a family of fifteen! Passing an ONA resolution was just the beginning of a whole new venture in faith that has less to do with matters of sexuality than with matters of covenant and faithfulness. We know that living as diSciples of Jesus means that we can't engage in the old status quo patterns and assumptions of our society. We have to allow ourselves to be changed and transformed biJ<;l,od's Spirit -"filS individuals anda~;hl4:llith ·~/P .~ with il, dialogue, make a covenant to love. ~ Cheryl Cornish is pastor oj First Congr'egational and serves as a Trustee oj LeMoyneOwen College. Edina Community Lutheran Church Edina, Minnesota Edina Community Lutheran, a congregation of 550 members, became a Reconciled in Christ (RIC) church on March 19, 1985. ECLC is located in an upper middle class suburb of Minneapolis but attracts members from both Edina and the whole city because of its commitment to inclusiveness. mter 1993 17 Since our vote to become a Reconciled in Christ congregation, we have taken several other steps to keep our commitment before the congregation. We have on display in the church narthex our Reconciled in Christ certificate. Our Mission Purpose Statement, which has a strong statement of inclusivity; including specific reference to sexual orientation, is displayed on the inside cover of every hymn book in each pew. Pastors discuss the congregation's inclusivity and specific involvement in the Lutherans Concerned North America RIC Program. This point is also reinforced in discussions during new member receptions held by the church's evangelism committee in the home of a church member. Internally; . our worship and educational opportunities reflect our commitment to inclusivity. Further, the congregation has consistently supported (financially and via member involvemenl h Lutherans Concerned Twin C~tie~) / i . . ~~\~~ngspan Ministry of St..pat1:~2~'fo1ih1.!.lti<i>nLutheran Church. Edina c~tim\ll1lty Lutheran Church did not become<l\5Gmething "different" per se because it becaI!le an RIC congregation. Rather, tHe diff€,renc shave evolved and still are ev:~l our r, \;, .,0 efforts to try to live out a .~!~'t to what W~t, know to be G~d's love for all of creation. It is a struggle always to learn to be able to respond fully to the fact that God has made us all and that we are all one in Christ. Sometimes, the difference is visible in very concrete terms. Recently the congregation spearheaded a project to involve other RIC congregations in a welcoming advertisement which will run throughout the year in the area's most prominent gay and lesbian newspaper. Edina Community also joins Lutherans Concerned Twin Cities in advertising in the annual Gay Pride week directory (which lists businesses and organiza- More Light Stat~ment tions who are resources for gay and lesbiau>xp in the community.) tegic planning session s Council of Ministers, the , .. ,,,' ,(~nclusivity and specifically the welcoming of gay and lesbian people into our congfegation was identified as one of the "iqeqtifying characteristics" of our congreg~h01i. "0~' f1' Our congregation has '~it"t~~ty~~; a' regular schedule to reaffirm'~~yf',Ji~cision. However, when the Twin Cities Chapter of Lutherans Concerned initiated an effort to bring RIC congregations together, our congregation agreed to have an "RIC REP" initially elected by the congregation at its annual meeting. This was later expanded to two representatives (male and female) also elected at the congregation's annual meeting. Now, this role has been assigned to our entire Care and Counseling representatives each year. Since our openly gay and lesbian members have moved out of town in the last 18 months, we currently do not have any openly gay or lesbian individuals as active members. However, a number of members have relatives or close friends who are gay men or lesbian women. For these members our congregation's commitment to inclusivity is extremely important. We are concerned about attracting openly gay and lesbian individuals into active membership. Our congregationa life was enriched during the time w we had openly gay persons as m bers and we miss them . .. primari individuals with many gifts to s. but also as persons whose pre reminded us of the on-going nee reaffirm an active personal and co rate commitment to inclusivity. T Ray Voss is a member oj the Church Council in charge oj evangelism. He has been an RIC representative. First Congregational Church, VCC Boulder, Colorado First Congregational (750 members) became an Open and Affirming Congregation on October 21, 1987, after a carefully planned educational process that lasted 18 months. We also modified the church constitution to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in hiring practices. After making the decision to become an ONA Church, at first we did not do a good job of advertising to the broader c BfJt for an initial ne\ attl as out of feaT • timidity; we ' s$ bur inaction. It have been that weiiw anted to let thi . cool off a bit before ~e did anything' aggressively. Our congregation llQW ~eems m comfortable with the aiversity of op. ion that is characteristic of the United Church of Christ. Those who hold dear their independence and who think the UCC shouldn't make positional statements are learning that their autonomy is not threatened. Some, in fact, stated that although they couldn't bring themselves to vote for ONA, they were very Open Hands 18 it passed! The more traditional quiet in our midst are finding new ect for those who are called to more hetic expression of their faith. And a gay couple can, without hesitastand up in morning worship duri"S and Concerns and ask for rs and support as they attempt to two little boys in spite of a hobic social worker assigned to ase . As they share, they know the egation will minister to and with Fi\'e years ago, that would not . appened! -anous ways over the years, we eaffirmed our ONA decision in1Io.IO~".uug inviting gay choral groups to o ion. , ·ons. -or worship. From time to time, A banner is hung in the sanctuour framed ONA certificate is ed alongside our Just Peace Cer. A supply of our ONA resolu.. :ays available on the narthex re table. We intentionally inform mbers about our ONA status. first new member class, pro-e members '~~'k~iven a folder of s about oul: daurc~;$H~£clus!,ed ely printed ,C(:>t?y"'Jh!llt ElNA The -out this resolution, gr of the process, and now engage in a number of new stries. Two of our clergy particin quarterly Boulder Interfaith HIV/ :--':etwork Prayer Services, providing both leadership and worship space. Church members participate in the citywide Annual AIDS Walk and Candlelight Vigil. Members of our ONA committee and ministerial staff have given presentations to six other churches, describing our process and benefits. Our church has also participated in a panel discussion at CU and in a radio broadcast. Our Board of Missions and Christian Social Action and our Bequest Income Committee commit funds to various gay and lesbian projects . Our Just Peace Task Force is currently strategizing about our response to the passage of Amendment #2. Two lesbian leaders have addressed two of our committees and our Adult Education class about Amendment #2 issues. We have also co-sponsored a paid ad in the Denver Post and the Boulder Daily Camera, which sent messages of support, welcome and solidarity to the gay community. Gay men and lesbians have told us they have come to our church to worship specifically in response to this ad. Our Evangelism Task Force is trying to get the so-called "liberal' tq~Jolks in the community '41 know that "liberal" ex!~t? This is a challenge for those of us who live4~,"~lose proximity to both Colorado sl[tigsand to ultra'~tt\1;r@;';,:."",))*r"~" conservative, ou coach, Bill McCartney. Our congregation 100ks4 reclaiming the Christian vision in the 1990s to enter the 21st century with a strong liberal voice proclaimingjustice and equality for all persons . ... Ray Bieber has been a lay member Jor 13 years and has served as chair oj the Committee on the ONA Resolution, and Moderator oj the congregation.JoAnne Bogart is Assistant ConJerence Minister oj the Rocky Mountain ConJerence UCC and Parish Associate at First Congregational Church. mter 1993 19 The Welcoming Process: A Faith Adventure byAnnB. Day All those in favor, please signify by saying 'aye' . those opposed, 'no'. The motion passes. W ith these or similar words, United Church of Christ congregations adopt "Open and Affirming" (ONA) statements, United Methodists adopt Reconciling (RC) statements, Lutheran churches adopt "Affirmation of Welcome" statements, and Presbyterian churches adopt "More Light" statements. Each of these church declarations welcome gay and lesbian people into the full life and ministry of the church. Some also explicitly include bisexual persons. Weeks, months, or even years of study, conversation, and prayer usually precede such a decision. As a result, it can feel as though the vote itself is the termination of the welcoming process. Afterwards, in the church parking lot, someone may be heard sighing, "Well, I'm glad it passed but I'm glad it's over!" Creating the Inclusive Community Would that the welcoming process could be over after the vote was in, that fears could be allayed and misinformation corrected in relatively short order. My own experience, however, is that unlearning (and learning anew) about sexuality and relationships -and Christian perspectives on both -takes time, probably a lifetime. An initial "reconciling" or other welcoming study process is a Significant step on the way but it is not the whole journey. The vote on a welcoming statement bears greatly needed witness to Church and society that not all Christians regard homosexuality/bisexuality as sin, abomination or disorder. Because local churches in many denominations are willing to speak up and be counted among the welcoming households of Christ's people, many individuals and families have fresh hope that the church can be a spiritual home for them. But if congregations are to keep their promise of welcome, the welcoming and reconciling process must be ongoing. For some churches, the inclusion of people of all sexual orientations in the life of the congregation is nothing new. A number have openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual members who sing in the choir, chair committees, or serve as moderator or pastor. These churches regularly address the life issues of gay /lesbian/ bisexual folks, both their joys and sorrows. Often, such congregations have a history of being affirming, welcoming, and reconciling before they declare themselves officially. For other congregations, the initial ONA, RIC, RC, or ML study is their first in-depth consideration of homophobia, sexual orientation, and gay / lesbian/bisexual experiences. Aftervoting to be welcoming (especially if they have no openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual members), such congregations may need to begin a particularly deliberate process of giving expression to their commitment. However, whether a church is experienced in including persons of all sexual orientations, new to this dimension of creating community, or somewhere in between, the challenge is to find engaging, creative ways to educate, celebrate, and advocate together. Living the Covenant Some churches build this challenge into the text of their welcoming, reconciling statements. For example, Phoenix Community Church, UCC of Kalamazoo, Michigan includes a section called "Living the Covenant." It says in part: To assure that Phoenix's Open and Affirming statement becomes a living document: We will inform the wider church and community regarding our Open and Affirming declaration. We will make ourselves available as a resource to congregations exploring this process. We will respond to bias-related violence discrimination in a visible way when possible and appropriate. We will examine other issues of inclusiveness important to our life as a congregation ... Under the same heading, "Living the Covenant," the United Church in Florida includes the following: We will continue to state in our worship bulletin that UCT welcomes all persons regardless of "age, race, marital status, physical condition, sexual orientation, ethnic or economic background". We will determine together ways in which we might address social justice and other concerns affecting persons of gay, lesbian and bisexual orientation in the wider community. As in all social issues, we will continually examine our experience and how we are living out this covenant. The welcoming vote comes alive in many congregations through the inclusion of gay, lesbian, and bisexual experience and issues in sermons, prayers, church library materials, newsletters, and worship bulletins. Many churches also offer meeting space for a wide variety of groups such as Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (P-FLAG); the local chapter of their denomination's gay/lesbian/bisexual group; gay /lesbian/bisexual AA meetings; or gatherings for youth. Members of some congregations can be seen participating in Open Hands 20 oeal "Gay Pride" marches each arrying welcoming banners. e churches develop concrete exns of their welcoming stance a\'e special meaning within the heir congregation. For example, Thornton Curtz, pastor of the '-Anulllunity for Christian Celebration, " . \ Vashington writes: pink triangle" candle/lamp ed on our altar. (It's a glass mp, triangular in shape and ith pink oil.) We first used en Sally Balmer (a lesbian erial student) was ordained and we bring it out on varicasions when we want to --n our ONA stance. I have an ad hoc member of the ... gton-North Idaho ONA Force. When I've been at larly grueling meetings, I ring the candle out at the 'orship service and talk my feelings/ concerns.l USl\"eness of the church must manifest in word and deed ut, opening doors, expressteeli!1gs. taking further stands in ination, in the community ....~ H.. I it takes to live the covenant. ~'lo.;K.A.luences of Ole Covenant hes considering the weicomprocess often wonder about of such things as pink lamps ar and homophobia discuse parlor. Some folks worry udy process will ignite cone scale of the Civil War; othe that an affirming or "more ill cause an exodus of memresembles a buffalo stampede. such concerns are exaggeralthough they are not totally _OT_••_Aed. rsations about "reconciled in open and affirming," "reconor "more light" can raise prouestions about sexuality, molical interpretation, prejudice, ~~ .1~hips, community, and the naGod. With all that churning in s minds and hearts, it is prob'en desirable, that some passioner 1993 ate give-and-take will occur. Emotions run deep on these matters. It is imperative that the process itself (before and after the vote) continually be as inclusive as possible, encouraging everyone to respect their own feelings as well as those of others. Even the best process, ho\\C~yg.>migh not guarantee a Even Ij¥ou Vote, They May Not Come Churches who have taken an official stand to be open and reconciling sometimes express dismay that more gay, lesbian, and bisexual people have not joined their congregations. This highlights the importance of publicizing a welcoming commitment through your denominational, ecumenical, and local community channels. Get the word out! Also, keep in mind that "you can't tell by looking." Gay, lesbian, and bisexual folks who are not "out" may be attending worship or programs. Like all visitors, it may take awhile for them to feel comfortable or to inquire about membership. It is also true that we who have been rejected by the Church may be cautious about trusting the "welcome" of any congregation, Be patient and let your light shine! Adventure With The Holy Spirit Open dialogue, prayerful reflection, and eager attentiveness to the Spirit of God before, during, and after a "welcoming" vote is important. With each step along the way, new inSights te new questions and challenges. on to examine long-held be-_ f~&,consider information perunknown, people will the growing pains and ()~coming increasingly , gay, and bisexual pastor of Colgational Church, captures the ad) venturouslcl1aractlt of a welcoming pro- demanding, and conflict but it was a l'i?F1 C-Ulole experience of the 'VE:~ent of the Holy Spirit in , Do it with care, and e that it isn't just a matter of taking a vote and being done with it. It will change you and the complexion of your church -but it will be change toward wholeness and truth.3 The welcoming process, as witnessed to by many congregations, can be an adventure of faith which puts us deeper in touch with the workings of the Holy Spirit in our personal and communal lives. Adventure, anyone? .... Footnotes 1, 2, and 3 are from UPDATE '91 (A report from thirty-two ONA congregations about studying, declaring and living an Open and Affirming commitment), ONA Program, United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns, June 1991. UPDATE '93 will appear in the summer of 1993. Ann B. Day is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. She is a member of United Congregational Church, Worcester, MA, an ONA congregation. As Open and Affirming Program Coordinator for the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns, she develops resources, leads educational events and consults with local churches about the ONA process. 21 eJIow. 'W~IlIle 'We?~ 1J1f,~ Directions: As you respond to each of these questions, quickly visualize each situation and give your initial, emotional response. This is confidential; you need only share what you wish with others. ~ ~ ~~ ...... ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ 'ff~ ~0.f2 ~0.f2 ~0.f2 !§ ~§ How comfortable do you feel when . .. ~§ S?§ '""s ~§ 1 ) A friend who is a member of another church asks why your 0 0 0 0 church "Iets gays in?" 2) An AIDS support group is scheduled to meet in the preschool 0 0 0 classroom? 3) The word "bisexual" is said during the sermon? 0 0 0 4) Two men in the pew in front of you are holding hands? 0 0 0 0 5) A lesbian greets you with a hug before worship? 0 0 0 0 6) A man kisses you during the "passing of the peace?" 0 0 0 7) A lesbian is trying to make eye contact with you during Bible 0 0 0 0 study? 8) Two men dance together at a church function? 0 0 0 9) A man "in drag" sits down in the pew in beside you? 0 0 0 0 10) A gay man and a lesbian volunteer to be the youth group 0 0 0 leaders? 11) Two women have their picture taken together for the church 0 0 0 0 directory? 12) Two men engage in flamboyant conversation (are "camping 0 0 0 it up") during the coffee hour after worship? 13) A woman comes to worship wearing black leather pants and 0 0 0 0 jacket? 14) You are asked to take communion to a person with AIDS at 0 0 0 his home? 15) A lesbian is interviewed as a candidate to become your 0 0 0 pastor? 16) A gay men's chorus is invited to sing during your worship? 0 0 0 0 17) Someone suggests that your church school class have a 0 0 0 0 series on bisexuality? 18) Someone designs a banner with a gay/lesbian theme to 0 0 0 hang in your sanctuary? 19) A new hymn in worship includes the words "gay and lesbi-0 0 0 0 an?" 20) A lesbian couple invites you to their anniversary party at a 0 0 0 0 well-known local restaurant? 21) You are asked to distribute flyers in your neighborhood 0 0 0 0 publicizing a study series on racism, sexism, and heterosexism? 22) Two men ask to have a covenant service at your church? 0 0 0 0 23) The morning newspaper has a front-page picture of your 0 0 0 0 church's banner in the gay/lesbian pride parade? 24) A lesbian is nominated to head your church council or 0 0 0 0 session? 25) The children's sermon mentions gay men and lesbians? 0 0 0 0 Open Hands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 WelcoR1i )ng'~Uigrims 1-i9me "" ..,,·i: v.I,,:, :1t:{{.1t/w Mother and Father of us all, thank you for a church that welcomes me as I am. There's something verY.,comf{)rtable and comforting ..., " about being in our san<;tl;J arY~ Watching the deacons set up for C~romunion is like watching farilil~Y' rnetnbers se·t the table for midday Sunday dinner athome. The familiarity of the candles, the cup and the bread,,, th~~' flowers A all offer a sense of home. Dear God, beingllfyvith yq:~l) is You, the forgiving' father' who welcomes me\at the door ~i~h' a hug. You, the nurturing ~other ,'0 it who holds rf1:i on~er lap and rocks mefilenfly to sleep. I feel safe. I feel as if t Thank you; I pray for lesbiaQ} throughout the C~, ~i'Eh Who need such a mifil~t,,"' pf~, eC5mpassion, , support, ana a'diY'oc but mostly get rejection'i~:nd isolafi'on. er 1993 23 WELCOMING PROCESS RESOURCES The process of becoming a welcoming congregation usually includes a time of study and discussion within the local church. There is no definitive gUide or step-by-step process that your church should undertake. The process in each congregation is different -depending upon the history, structure, theology, and style of ministry of your church. In order to help you tailor the educational plan for your local church, we offer a variety of resources which other congregations have used. How Would You Respond? Many churches feel they are welcoming and don't understand why there is a need for an aNA statement. This paper contains responses to that "why" from UCC people of all sexual orientations. $1. Open and Affirming: An Ongoing Process. Notes on how to get aNA started and keep it going in your church. $1. Update '91 -Open and Affirming Churches in the UCC. A report from 32 aNA congregations about studying, declaring, and living an Open and Affirming Commitment. $2. What Is an 'Open and Affirming' Church? Statement by the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/ Gay Concerns on what it means to be an "aNA" congregation. $1. Why Do We Have to Do This? A member of one aNA church shares numerous reasons why congregations should declare themselves "aNA". $2. More Light Churches Resource Packet. Includes a draft mission statement; ML brochure; article on "What More light Churches Can Do"; sample ML statements, case studies; 1978 background paper on "The Church and Homosexuality"; 1985 RTC Decision against Westminster (Buffalo); quotes from the Book of Order; reference list; study guides; "Breaking the Silence." $16. More Light Churches Network brochure, January 1993. Describes the network structure and defines what a ML congregation is, and how a congregation can become one. Free. A Call to Dialog. 10 pp. Lutherans Concerned's position paper and discussion of homosexuality. $1.50. Plan of Action. 20 pp. Description of the RIC Program for use by Lutherans Concerned chapters and individuals interested in working to develop RIC congregations. $2. Reconciled in Christ, Now Is the Time. Pamphlet. Introduces the RIC Program. $.10. A Biblical Basis for Reconciling Ministries. (Resource Paper # 1) 2 pp. Reprint of article by Dr. Joseph Webber from the first issue of MannaJor the Journey (now Open Hands). Single copy free with SASE; multiple copies $.10. Homosexuality and the Church: A Select Bibliography. (Resource Paper #4) 1991. 6 pp. Annotated bibliography of books for studying lesbian/ gay concerns in Christian context. A few titles given under 16 different topics. Single copy free with SASE; multiple copies $.25. How to Become a Reconciling Congregation. (Resource Paper #2) 4 pp. Introduces Reconciling Congregation Program and process of becoming an RC. Single copy free with SASE: multiple copies $.20. Why Become a Reconciling Congregation? (Resource Paper #3) 4 pp. Provides rationale for becoming an RC. Single copy free with SASE; multiple copies $.20. STUDY RESOURCES And God Loves Each One: A Resource for Dialogue about the Church and Homosexuality. Ann Thompson Cook and the Task Force on Reconciliation of Dumbarton UMC, 1988, 20 pp. An honest and friendly booklet that answers a Christian's basic questions about homosexuality. Ideal resources for individuals or groups beginning to explore lesbian/gay concerns. Two-session leader's guide available. $4.95; 10+ copies $3. Add 15% postage/handling. From RCP, 3801 N. Keeler Avenue, Chicago, IL60641. Beyond Heterosexism. Sourceletter published six times/yr. Includes articles, suggestions for children, youth and adult study, liturgies and more -all based on seasons of Christian year and inclusive language lectionary. $18/year. (Colorado residents add 6.8% tax). From AlterVisions, PO Box 2374, Boulder, CO 80306. 303/ 666-8322. Breaking the Silence, Overcoming the Fear: Homophobia Education. Articles on clarifying the problem, biblical/theological perspectives, models for homophobia education. Guidelines for homophobia education events. Bibliography. 71 pp. $4. Order from Presbyterian Publishing House, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202-1396.800/ 227-2872. Open Hands 24 Homophobia Be Cured? by Bruce Hilton. Nashville: Abingdon ess, 1992, 128 pp. United Methodist provides basic informal"! for compassionate response to homosexuality. Deals some speCific United Methodist concerns. In question-and-anr format. Good for group or individual reflection. $lO.95. ians and Homosexuality. The Other Side. Evangelicals espouse er acceptance oflesbians and gay men. Reprint of articles by .a Scanzoni, Mark Olson, John Alexander, and others. $5; 3.50; lOO+ $2.50. From The Other Side, 300 W. Apsley eet, Philadelphia, PA 19144. 215/849-2178. rso ns. iful Inquiry: Exploring Christian Responses to Homosexual Minnesota Annual Conference (UMC) Task Force to ~. Ministries with and for Homosexual Persons. 1992.58 pp. -session curriculum: 1) Talking about sexuality in church; 2) mg in someone else's shoes; 3) Sexual orientation;'4) Interng scripture; 5) Examining homophobia; 6) Models for try. $5 from Minnesota Annual Conference, 122 W. Franklin Minneapolis, MN 55404. 612/870-0058. .\1y Hand by Patricia Ann Meyers for the Task Force on nciling Congregations/Conference of the Oregon-Idaho 'erence, UMC. 1990, 68 pp. Practical, five-session study for congregations and groups investigating reconciling stries. $5 plus 15% postage/ handling. From RCP, 380l N. er Avenue, Chicago, IL 6064l. -.1-tobia is a Social Disease. Mary Jo Osterman and the Kinheart am On Sexuality and Homophobia, 1987. 45 pp. Explores ature and cycle of homophobic oppression and offers nmg suggestions for gay/lesbian/bisexual persons and hetxual persons alike to work on breaking down the walls of .95. (Colorado residents add 6.8% tax). From AlterVisions, x 2374, Boulder, CO 80306.303/666-8322. )..'Uality and the Church by James B. Nelson. Lutherans erned. lO pp. Reprint of article from Theological Markings . from LC/NA, P.O. Box lO461, Fort Dearborn Station, o. IL 6061O-046l. sexuality A Sin? Parents and Friends of Lesbians and 23 pp. Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant theologians speak ri~atively about what the scriptures do and don't say about sexuality. Question-and-answer format. $.75 each; lOO+ .60. From PFLAG, p.o. Box 27605, Washington, DC --605. 202/ 638-4200. HCrylOSexual My Neighbor? by Letha Scanzoni &. Virginia _~!nIlenkott. San Francisco: Harper &. Row, 1978. Excellent introto the concerns of lesbians and gay men and the d".3llenge for ministry to this marginalized group. Free study lO for book and study guide) prepared by New Hamp47. Conference, UCC, p.o. Box 465, Concord,NH 03302. 605/ . ~ Silence Breaks: Toward a Pastoral Understanding ofHomolity. Six-part study guide. $2.95 (#69-7075). Companion (IIAV-7075 ): $7.50 rental. From ELCA Distribution Service, x 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440. 800/328-4648; 800/ 53. rIssues Concerning Homosexuality. $2. (#69-5326). From 0 ', Distribution Service, p.o. Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN ~:I. 800/328-4648; 800/752-8153. (MN). Guide for Study of Issues Concerning Homosexuality. Free. -·3082). From ELCA Distribution Service, p.o. Box 1209, eapolis, MN 55440. 800/328-4648; 800/752-8153. (MN). r 1993 Welcoming Congregation Program Manual. Unitarian/ Universalist Association Office for Lesbian/Gay Concerns, 1990. Comprehensive resource book with introductory information for UUA congregations, outlines of workshops, and other program ideas for local congregations. $24.95 + $2.50 handling from UUA Bookstore, 25 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108. 617/742-2lO0 x lO1. Where Do We Go From Here?Open and Affirming Task Team of the Massachusetts Conference, UCC . Six-week study packet. Covers gay/ lesbian issues in the UCC, homophobia, homosexuality, and the messages of Scripture. $12 (check payable to "MACUCC"). From ONA Resources, p.o. Box 403, Holden, MA 0l520. West Hollywood Presbyterian Audio-Cassette Series. Includes speeches by John Boswell, George Edwards, Chris Glaser, Dick Hasbany, Brian McNaught, John McNeill, Virginia Mollenkott, James Nelson, John Spong, Robin Scroggs. Order from: West Hollywood Presbyterian Church, 7350 West Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90046.213/874-6646. Who's Going to Birth This Baby? Sermon by Rev. Jane Spahr (November, 1992) at Downtown United Presbyterian. Rev. Spahr's response to the PermanentJudicial Commission provides words of hope and inspiration. $2.00 plus handling. Order from: That All May Freely Serve, c/ o Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 North Fitzhugh St., Rochester, NY 14614. 716/ 325-4000. BACK ISSUES OF OPEN HANDS Back issues of Open Hands provide a solid foundation for group or individual study of lesbian/ gay /bis~xual concerns in the church. Each issue of Open Hands explores a different theme. The following back issues are available from: Open Hands, 380l N. Keeler Avenue, Chicago, IL 60641. Single copies $5; lO+ $3 each. "Be Ye Reconciled" (Summer 1985) "A Matter ofJustice" (Winter 1986) "Our Families" (Spring 1986) "Our Churches' Policies" (Summer 1986) "Images of Healing" (Fall 1986) "Minorities within a Minority" (Spring 1987) "Sexual Violence: Unlocking the Silence" (Fall 1987) "Building Reconciling Ministries" (Spring 1988) "Living and Loving with AIDS" (Summer 1988) "Sexual Ethics: Exploring the Questions" (Winter 1989) "Called to Create: Lesbians &: Gay Men in the Religious Arts" (Spring 1989) "In, Out, or In Between: The Closet Dilemma" (Summer 1989) "Images of Family" (Fall 1989) "Growing in Faith: The Lesbian/ Gay Christian Movement" (Winter 1990) 'Journeys Toward Recovery and Wholeness" (Spring 1990) "Confronted By Love: The 'Holy Union' Controversy" (Fall 1990) "Youth and Sexual Identity: New Vistas" (Winter 1991) "Living as God's Creation: Lesbian/ Gay Reflections on Theology (Spring 1991) "Celebrating our Sisters and Neighbors: The Lesbian Spirit" (Summer 1991) "Bisexuality: Perceptions &: Realities" (Fall 1991) "Creating Alliances: Lesbian/ Gay, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Persons Working Together for Change" (Winter 1992) "Living God's Call: Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals in Ministry" (Spring 1992) "Our Spirituality: How Sexual Expression and Sexual Oppression Shape It" (Summer 1992) "Aging and Integrity" (Fall 1992) 25 VIDEOTAPES An Unexpected Journey. Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays-Denver, 1992. 29 mins. Shows families dealing with the "coming out". of loved ones; the pain of lesbians, gay men, and their family members, as well as the joy of reconciliation. Purchase: $30. From PFLAG-Denver, P.O. Box 18901, Denver, CO 80218. 303/333-0286. A Time for Caring: A Pastoral Approach to Persons with AIDS, The Lazarus Project, 1989. 37 mins. Shows how West Hollywood Presbyterian responded to concerns and needs of PWA'a within their congregation. Study guide. $23. From The Lazarus Project, West Hollywood Presbyterian Church, 7350 West Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90046. Be True to Yourself. 21st Century News, 1991. 28 mins. Interview with Bob &: Rod Jackson-Paris and ten teenagers about growing up gay, self-love, and homophobia. Includes 36-page Educational Strategy and Resource Guide. Purchase: $29.95 + $3 postage. From 21 Century News, inc. 1880 E. River Road, #310, Tucson, AZ 85718. 602/577-6476. Casting Out Fear: Reconciling Ministries with Gay/Lesbian United Methodists. Reconciling Congregation Program, 1987. 38 mins. Examines pain and estrangement of gay and lesbian Christians and provides steps that United Methodists are taking to enable ministries of reconciliation among persons of differing sexual orientations. Leader's guide available. Purchase: $50; Rental: $20. From RCP, 3801 N. Keeler Avenue, Chicago, IL 60641. 312/736-5526. Choosing Children. Cambridge Documentary Films, Inc., 1984.45 mins. Looks into issues faced by women who become parents after coming out as lesbians. Reflects the variety of ways that lesbians are becoming parents and raising children through focUSing on six families from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Study gUide available. Purchase: $139; rental: $65. From Cambridge Documentary Films, P.O. Box 385, Cambridge, MA 02139. 617/354-3677. Journey of the Heart, ECUFlLM, 1992. 58 mins. Focuses on racism and homophobia as obstacles on the spiritual journey and enables us to face our fears, be transformed, and find freedom. Features the Riverside Church in NYC and the Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester, NY. $39.95. From ECUFILM, 810 12th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203. 800/ 251-4091. Listening, Learning, LOving, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and GaysDetroit, 1989. 30 mins. A look at the "coming out process from the viewpoint of parents, as well as discussion on the "coming out" process of parents. Talks of the difficulties encountered during these processes as well as newfound relationships which develop. Purchase: $17. From PFLAG-Detroit, p.o. Box 145, Farmington, MI 48332. 313/478-8408. Maybe We're Talking About a Different God: The Church & Homosexuality. Produced by John Ankele and Ann Mackson, 1992. 29 mins. Features Jane Spahr. Coni Staff and members of the Downtown United Presbyterian Church as they experience homophobia in the denomination as a result of Spahr's call to be co-pastor at DUPC Affirms the celebrative lives of gay/lesbian persons and calls the church to be the inclusive community of faith for all God's children. $22.35. From Leonardo's Children, 26 Newport Bridge Road, Warwick, NY 10990. More Light Churches: Obedience, Ministry, Justice. 1989. 27 mins. DeSigned for initiating and directing discussions in churches which are thinking about making a More Light commitment. Study guide. $25. From More Light Churches Network, c/o Mark A Palermo, 600 West Fullerton Parkway, Chicago, IL 60614-2690. No Need to Repent. Ann Alter, 1989. 27 mins. A glimpse into the life of Rev. Jan Griesinger and how she has integrated her ministry, her politics, and her personal life as an ordained United Church of Christ minister, active feminist, and an out lesbian. Purchase: $225; rental: $75 + $15 shipping. From Women Make Movies, 225 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10012. 212/925-0606. On Being Gay. TRB Productions, 1988. 80 mins. A conversation with Brian McNaught, speaking about what his gayness has meant to him. Helpful for beginning to explore issues related to homosexuality. Purchase: $39.95 + $3 shipping. From TRB Productions, P.O. Box 2362, Boston, MA 02107. 617/236-7800 (Ron). Open and Affirming: AJourney of Faith, Easy Brothers Video Productions, 1992. 53 mins. The story of three United Church of Christ congregations becoming "Open and Affirming," answering questions such as "Why make such a statement?" and "What are the biblical foundations for this ministry?" Purchase: $25. From ONAVideo Resources, UCBHM/ DAMA, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115-1100. Parents Come Out. Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. 27 mins. Purchase: $25. From: PFLAG, P.O. Box 27605, Washington, DC 200287605. 202/638-4200. Pink Triangles. Cambridge Documentary Films, Inc., 1983. 35 mins. Examines homophobia and the nature of discrimination and oppression through historical and contemporary patterns of persecution. Includes discussions with health care providers, parents and educators. Study guide available. Purchase: $300; rental: $50. From Cambridge Documentary Films, p.o. Box 385, Cambridge, MA 02139.617/ 354-3677. Reconciling. St. Francis in the Foothills UMC, 1991. 25 mins. Tells the story of this congregation becoming a Reconciling Congregation and what that has meant to their church family. Purchase: $20. From Jon Stetson, St. Francis in the Foothills,4625 E. River Road, Tucson, AZ 85718.602/ 299-9063. Reunion. One Family Overcomes Religious Homophobia. 21st Century News, 1992. The Rev. Carter Heyward, a lesbian and ordained Episcopal priest, and her family share their stories of reconciliation. Purchase: $19.95 + $3 shipping. From 21st Century News, 1880 E. River Road, #210, Tucson, AZ 85718.602/327-9555. Scared to Death: Gay Youth Suicide, The Lazarus Project, 1992. 28 mins. Thirty percent of youth suicides in the USA are sexuality-r~lated: deals with various issues and proposes ministry of caring. $23. From The Lazarus Project, West Hollywood Presbyterian Church, 7350 West Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90046. Sexual Orientation: Reading Between the Labels. NEWIST, 1991. 29 mins. Provides basic information on sexual orientation as it relates to youth; gives a firsthand view of what lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth experience in growing up. Study gUide available . Purchase: $195; rental: $50 + $2.75 shipping. From NEWIST/CESA #7, IS 1110, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, WI 54311. 414/465-2599. Sticks, Stones and Stereotypes. Equity Institute, 1988. 30 mins. Videocurriculum module deSigned for use with youth. Developed to give young people an understanding and appreciation of difference through focusing on name calling and viewing homophobia as it relates to other oppressions. Includes a Curriculum Resource Guide (in English and in Spanish) to facilitate discussion and provide accurate information. Purchase $325 + $6 shipping: 48-hour preview: $25 + $6 shipping. Resource Guide only: $20 + $2.50 shipping. From Equity Institute, 6400 Hollis, # 15, Emeryville, CA 94608. 510/658-4577. What's Religion Got to Do With Sex?EcuFilm, 27 mins. From Questions oj Faith III series. Addresses the Judeo-Christian perspective on sexuality, ministry to nontraditional relationships, and responses to homosexuality. Study guide available. ·From EcuFilm, 810 Twelfth Avenue S., Nashville, TN 37203. 800/251-4091; 615/242-6277 (TN). Open Hands 26 ote Marks New Era for .an and Gay Christians o'---J edQe Cheny ooded with emotions when\: of the National Council of "' ..~_.. ~.'-s ,~CC) meeting in Cleveland !TIber. 1 feel anger and sorrow 'CC board members, fearful 'CC would be destroyed by connection to openly lesbi,. Christians, voted 90-81 to ..e-yer status to the Universal -=--:.,. ~.lipof Metropolitan Community _~-:-.=mes (CFMCC). 1 feel joy and pride after the vote, lesbian/gay afChristian groups jOined with C leaders and seized control of meeting to tell our stories. ler to get into heaven than to observer at the NCC ," said . ancy Wilson, UFMCC Chief ... -...........·-:al Officer, who, when invited after the vote, added that the reached "an all-time low" in n-year relationship with .\ 'ilson concluded by leading _ for Our Lives" as protestors r.ners and lined up at the mi~--~""es. For the next hour, we took ating our personal struggles gotry in the Church. The 'ere men and women of variand ethnic backgrounds. They _~-........'-" national leaders of UFMCC zen lesbian/gay caucuses, many minations in the NCC. abounded in the events sur... the vote. UFMCC requested tatus not to provoke a conut in order to let go of our to have the NCC affirm the -. "_·""'ous 1982 decision of its MemCommittee that UFMCC was for membership. Observer stah is held by Muslim and Jewps and the Unitarian Universociation, confers only the nity to attend meetings and 'nh the chair's permission. By ng official observers, we ex- r 1993 pected to formalize the status that UFMCC has enjoyed for the last decade. UFMCC representatives have attended all NCC General Board meetings since 1982 as "visitors," a category with no official standing; we have spoken at those meetings and participated fully in some NCC program units. Thus there was a surreal quality to the fear provoked by our observer status request. Behind the scenes, NCC leaders talked with us at length about withdrawing our request. On the floor of the meeting, the NCC Membership Committee recommended taking no action because "the very existence of our forty-year ecumenical partnership is at stake." Our supporters moved to grant UFMCC "the privileges but not the title" of observer status, causing the lesbian and gay group at the visitor's table to laugh in disbelief: "The status that dare not speak its name?" "The status that dare not speak its name7" The four hours of debate on UFMCC observer status comprised the most extensive and honest discussion of homosexuality ever held by the NCC. The basic objection was voiced clearly by Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky of the Orthodox Church in America: "Even observer status, the lowest category of participation, implicitly signifies approval of the (homosexual) lifestyle." Artticipating Orthodox opposition to observer status, the NCC instituted a new procedure for denominations to register official dissent from an NCC General Board action. Ironically; official dissent ended up being registered by UFMCC supporters: the United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, and Swedenborgian Church. The vote has continued to stir controversy in at least two NCC member denominations. The national board of Integrity mounted a campaign within the Episcopal Church calling for the replacement of Rev. William Norgren as ecumenical officer and four other delegates who voted against observer status. In response, Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning and Ms. Pamela Chinnis, president of the House of Deputies, sent a letter to NCC General Secretary Joan Campbell "to register in a formal way that, had we been in attendance, we would have spoken in favor of and voted for the granting of observer status to UFMCC". UCC delegates voted unanimously in favor of observer status, but some members want further action. They distributed an information packet on the observer status vote to the 500 attendees of a UCC pastors conference in Florida inJanuary. The title page quotes UCC President Paul Sherry's words during the NCC debate: "Unity without integrity is no unity at all." Then it states, "Great words, Paul! Are they deserving of decisive action ... or more words?" The packet discusses possible UCC responses, including withdrawing money from the NCC. For UFMCC, the months since the vote have been a time of deep reflection and discussion about our relationship with the NCC. Our long-term vision remains the same: We do not need NCC approval, but NCC members need to hear of God's activity in our midst. We must witness to all people -including church authorities -who have not yet heard the good news that God loves everyone, regardless of sexual orientation. We will not go away. UFMCC's approach will become much more pro-active. We are determined to set the terms and tone for our interaction with the NCC and its members. We claim God's promise as spoken by the prophet Hosea: "1 will show mercy to those who were called 'Unloved,' and to those who were called 'Not-My-People' I will say, "You are my people." Rev. Kittredge Cherry is Field Director of Ecumenical Witness and Ministry for the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, a denomination of the lesbian and gay community, open to all, with 265 churches in 17 countries . 27 Welcome New Congregations In this inaugural issue of our ecumenical Open Hands we continue our tradition of introducing congregations that have recently joined the movement -now broadening to include those in our different denominations. Here are introductions to new Open and Affirming and Reconciling Congregations. Fair Oaks UMC Fair Oaks, California Fair Oaks UMC is located in a suburb of Sacramento, which is perceived as an affluent community, although in actuality it is a mixture of persons with wealth and others close to poverty. The community reflects the mindset of a state capital -bureaucratic and conservative. The congregation of about 300 members was established on its current five-acre site in the 1950s. The congregation has a strong tradition of living out the Gospel in its community. In recent years the congregation has focused on "looking for healing ways to relate to our community," notes Pastor Steven Smith. A counseling center, "A Healing Place," has been established. Its symbol is a Native American medicine bundle. Other ministries include making quilts for homeless persons and taking birthday cakes to children at the juvenile hall. First Congregational, UCC Williamstown, Massachusetts Pastor Arnold Thomas describes this 400-member congregation as one that is "trying its best to address the hard challenges of being the church in the world today -moVing beyond its own immediate comforts to minister with others." This commitment is lived out locally and globally through a variety of mission programs. In its immediate community, the congregation supports Habitat for Humanity, food pantries, educational opportunities for ethnic minority persons, women's shelters and numerous other projects. Its involvement in the wider world includes an annual local church delegation exchange with a congregation in the Ukraine through the Bridges for Peace program. First Congregational is also in the process of establishing relationships with Hungarian Reformed churches in Romania as well as partnerships with urban congregations in the u.s. First Congregational, UCC Vancouver, Washington This 102-year old congregation is the only UCC church in Vancouver, on the outskirts of Portland. Pastor Farley Maxwell says that the church has "a history of being open to a wide range of concerns and a willingness to discuss and act on new ideas." Hunger, housing and sexual abuse are among the community concerns addressed by funds and volunteers from this 245member church. As a result of its ONA study, the congregation now sponsors and provides meeting space for a chapter of Parents and Friends of lesbians and Gays (P-FlAG). Holy Trinity UMC Danvers, Massachusetts The slogan of this 600-member congregation is "A Fellowship of Concern." Reflective of this, the congregation's ministries feature a large number of small group activities. Their strong commitment to social concerns.includes sponsoring a young Palestinian in college, a sister relationship with an African-American congregation, and involvement in a local housing partnership. Holy Trinity's strong church school and music (five choirs) programs are supplemented by several Bible study and prayer groups. An Affirmation group was formed five years ago as a support group for lesbian and gay members and their families and friends. Although the vote to become an RC last November is only one step on the journey, there have been positive results already, notes Pastor Bob Hannum. A visitor who came because of the vote on the following Sunday is now attending regularly, along with several other new persons. Mayflower Community Congregational, UCC Minneapolis, Minnesota A metropolitan congregation of 350 urban and suburban households, Mayflower will soon celebrate a merger with Faith United Church of Christ. Strengthened in numbers and spirit, the congregation will continue its ministries which include partnership with a local African-American congregation, a nursery school and dining program for seniors. Rev. Bud Friend-Jones says, "We're a 'regular' church .. . and part of being a regular church is being Open and Affirming." To get the word out about gay, lesbian and bisexual issues, the church maintains a prominent resource table and has produced a reader's theater production called "Mayflower Voices" which shares life experiences of gay, lesbian and bisexual people. An ONA Committee is currently forming and will help create new ONA programs and outreach. Milwaukie UCC Milwaukie, Oregon In its mission statement, Milwaukie uec declares, "We open our hearts and minds to the gUidance of the Holy Spirit to grant our church the vision and courage to meet the needs of people in a changing world." Rev. Art Buck speaks enthusiastically about the church's efforts to meet needs generated by the AIDS pandemic. The congregation is working with sister churches to open the first Assisted living Facility for parents living with AIDS while raising minor dependent children. Related ministries include offering worship services for healing and assisting families in making panels for the AIDS Quilt. A congregation willing to share its information and experiences with other churches, Milwaukie U CC is also committed to furthering its own education on "political issues that involve hate attacks and hate crimes, the oppression and restriction of the rights of All people, and issues affecting older adults." Open Hands 28 Partview Congregational, UCC rado Parkview Congregational was ed in 1960, Aurora's popula20,000. Today, due to boundes and growth in the Denver nearer 250,000. According to -h Hyde, that hasn't changed -egation's commitment to be ~---·-lty oriented" -it's just a bigc!1ge. The church supports 10rams concerned with mental naway youth, senior day care, ..Iter for battered women. .y, in response to passage of s "Amendment 2," this conn joined three other UCC in placing an ad in the local message to the gay, lesbian xual community was simple: ,rou and welcome you to our and stand with you in the ustice. Rev. Hyde reports, ''The --.....~... <"o was wonderful." Congregational, UCC 'ashington ed in 1899, Pilgrim Congrehas a long history of serving ounding community. The 120church houses and adminisPilgrim Referral Center which ersons with food, shelter, and eds. rding to the pastor, Randall -the church has been engaged ian/ gay issues since the late T"here has been a steady nurturime so that when we took the te, the church had been pracfor eight years. Still, we felt we o go on the record with our :nent," said Rev. Mullins. Second Church in Newton, UCC ewton, Massachusetts :owing suburban congregation members, Second Church mainstrong mission outreach through ancial support and personal inrnent of its members. There is a ng sense of the importance of ers' participation in local com, concerns. Believing that it is rtant for a pastor to model such .ter 1993 involvement, Rev. Mal Bertram serves on the local Crime Commission and the Comprehensive Health Education Curriculum Task Force which is developing sex education materials for the Newton schools. The congregation reaches out to the community in worship as well. It was instrumental in creating the area's annual Interfaith Thanksgiving service in 1992 and hosted the 25th celebration in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. University Park UMC Portland, Oregon Now in its 103rd year, University Park is implementing a new five-year vision statement which strives to be "more inclusive and a vital presence in the community." Becoming a Reconciling Congregation was another step toward inclusiveness for this congregation with members ranging in age from infancy to 97 years, of diverse racial backgrounds, and of differing physical abilities. University Park's trademark, notes Pastor Karen Crooch, is that it is a "warm, loving, open congregation." University Park's 105 members are engaged in an active community ministry, housing a "meals on wheels" program, scouting, and several twelve-step groups. Several members work at a local homeless shelter. Wesley Foundation serving UCLA Los Angeles, California Although some UMC congregations which are related to campus ministries have voted to become RCs, Wesley Foundation serving UCLA is the first UMC campus ministry to become a "Reconciling Ministry." A subcommittee of the Wesley Board drafted a "Covenant of Reconciliation" which was reviewed and debated at a full Board meeting last October, followed by an .overwhelmingly supportive vote. The Wesley Foundation has been serving the UCLA community since 1928. It serves to "present the Gospel of Jesus Christ as relevant to personal crises, academic excellence, social justice and community service." Lutheran Church Installs Gay Pastor First United Lutheran Church, an RIC congregation in San Francisco, became the first Lutheran church to install an openly gay pastor, The Rev. Jeff Johnson, onJanuary 23. The congregation installed Johnson, recognizing that they risked expulSion from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). First United and St. Francis Lutheran, also in San Francisco, were suspended for five years by the ELCA inJllly, 1990, after First United ordained Johnson as assistant pastor and St. Francis ordained Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart, a lesbian couple, as assistant pastors (see Open Hands ,Winter and Summer 1990). The intent of the five-year suspension of First United and St. Francis was to give the denomination and the congregation time for further study. If, at that time, the denomination has not changed its policies or the congregations have not rescinded their actions, then the congregations would be permanently expelled from the denomination. First United congregation president, Laura Smith, was quoted as saying, "We considered the possibility of expulsion when we had our congregational meeting to vote on this. After the long process that we had to go through, we decided that Jeff was qualified and matched what our community was needing as a spiritual leader. We would like to stay affiliated with the larger church body, but if we can't follow what our Christian belief is with them, then we need to follow it without them." Johnson expressed his pride in the congregation's stand "to be part of a community that would risk its connection and its life to stand with an oppressed people." Presbyterian Church Hires Spahr as Evangelist Downtown United Presbyterian Church, a More Light congregation in Rochester, countered its denomination's rejection of its call to Janie Spahr as a pastor (see Open Hands, Fall 1992) by 29 MORE LIGHT CHURCHES ANNUAL CONFERENCE T~~~~?~~~~:::~::::t:hurCh six other Presbyterian worshipping communities across the country were planning to express their solidarity by participating in a common "Service of Worship for Empowerment" on or about that day. Contributions to support 'That All May Freely Serve" can be made to DUPC, 121 N. Fitzhugh Street, Rochester, NY 146l4. UMs Call to Move General Conference from Colorado FollOWing Colorado's passage of Amendment 2, (barring the state from adopting civil rights protections for lesbians and gays and rescinding such laws already in place), in November hiring her for a new mission project. Under the project, "That All May Freely Serve," Spahr will speak with Presbyterian groups around the country over the next three months regarding ordination of lesbians and gay men. The project is intended to bring pressure upon the Presbyterian Church's June 1993 General Assembly to change official policy on ordination. The congregation's hope is that the General Assembly will make provision to allow it to once again consider calling Spahr as co-pastor. Downtown Presbyterian commissioned Spahr to this new ministry in a special service on March 6. About forty1992, Colorado United Methodists Against Discrimination was formed to ask the United Methodist Church (UMC) to relocate its 1996 General Conference from Denver. Spearheaded by the pastor, members, and friends of St. Paul's UMC, a Reconciling Congregation in Denver, the group is collecting signatures on petitions from UMs around the country requesting the move of the General Conference. Its action was quickly joined by the Methodist Federation for Social Action. Several other UMC groups including the Board of Directors of the Reconciling Congregation Program also have voted to support this effort. Letters and resolutions regarding this issue can be directed to the chair of the Commission on the General Conference, John J. Thomas, P.o. Box 194, Brazil, IN 47834, for consideration at its meeting later this spring. For information on the petition drive and related activities, contact the Rev. Toni Cook at St. Paul's UMC, 303/832-4929 . .... YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SPEAKOUT for lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth: Saturday. Youth create their own national agenda. Call Jenie Hall at the American Friends Service Committee, 215/241-7133, or Daena Peterson at the LA Gay & Lesbian Community Services Center, 213/993-7458. Open Hands 30 da. LIST OF WELCOMING CHURCHES nce 1978, 291 More Light (Presbyterian), Open :\ffirming (Disciples of Christ and United Church Cr.nst), Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran), and (,!"Iciling (United Methodist) congregations have ly declared that they welcome all persons, dmg lesbians and gay men. These "welcoming" ~hes are in 34 states, the District of Columbia, and Following is a complete list of the congregations, alphabetically by state and city. The affiliation of each congregation is designated by the following codes: ML More Light (Presbyterian) ONA Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ) O&A Open and Affirming (Disciples) RIC Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran) RC Reconciling Congregation (United Methodist) e Foothills UMC (RC) r egational (ONA) 'C (RC) na Congregational (ONA) the Good Shepherd Luth. (RIC) Park ~,,,,. Presbyterian (ML) Church of Belmont (ONA) rd of the Hills (RIC) e,e... eley & Richmond Intercity . istry (O&A) ,'s Presbyterian (ML) erd of the Hills Lutheran (RIC) UMC (RC) :ersity Christian Church (O&A) ~.. .'ersity Lutheran Chapel (RIC) -':.ad Congregational (ONA) ,........~s ~::;r Oaks UMC (RC) . Presbyterian (ML) regational UCC (ONA) cod Cong oUCC (ONA) University (ML,RC) .....iey Foundation UCLA (RC) its~re UMC (RC) CIty 5t Andrews Presbyterian (ML) sto lege Avenue Congo (ONA) ,ark Iy Redeemer Lutheran (RIC) 'mter 1993 North Hollywood St. Matthew's Lutheran (RIC) I Oakland Faith Lutheran (RIC) Lutheran Peace Fellowship (RIC) Montclair Presbyterian (ML) Peace UCC (ONA) St. Paul Lutheran (RIC) Palo Alto Covenant Presbyterian (ML) First Evangelical Lutheran (RIC) First Presbyterian (ML) University Lutheran (RIC) Richmond Grace Lutheran (RIC) Sacramento Luth. Church of Our Redeemer (RIC) San Diego First Lutheran (RIC) San Francisco Bethany UMC (RC) Calvary UMC (RC) Christ Church Lutheran (RIC) First Congregational UCC (ONA) First St. John's UMC (RC) Hamilton UMC (RC) Noe Valley Ministry (ML) Seventh Avenue Presbyterian (ML) St. Francis Lutheran (RIC) St. John's UCC (ONA) St. Mark's Lutheran (RIC) St. Paulus Lutheran (RIC) Trinity UMC (RC) SanJose Christ the Good Shepherd Luth. (RIC) First Christian Church (O&A) San Mateo CollegeHeights UCC (ONA) San Rafael Faith Lutheran (RIC) Christ in Terra Linda (ML) Santa Barbara La Mesa Community (ONA) Santa Monica Church in Ocean Park (RC) Sausalito First Presbyterian (ML) Sherman Oaks Luth. Church of the Redeemer (RIC) Sunnyvale Congregational Community (ONA) St. John's Lutheran (RIC) Tiburon Shepherd of the Hills (RIC) Westminster Presbyterian (ML) Vacaville St. Paul's UMC (RC) West Hollywood Crescent Heights UMC (RC) West Hollywood Presbyterian (ML) COLORADO Aurora Parkview Congregational UCC (ONA) Boulder First Congregational UCC(ONA) Denver Capitol Heights Presbyterian (ML) Park Hill CongoUCC (ONA) St. Paul's UMC (RC) Washington Park UCC (ONA) Ft. Collins St. Thomas Univ. Luth. (RIC) CONNECTICUT Covent;y Second Congregational (ONA) Mansfield Center First Church of Christ Congo (ONA) New Haven Church of Christ in Yale Univ. (ONA) United Church on the Green (ONA) South Glastonbu;y Congregational (ONA) Waterbu;y South Congregational (ONA) DELAWARE Newark New Ark UCC (ONA) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington D,C. Augustana Lutheran (RIC) Christ Lutheran (RIC) Christ UMC(RC) Community of Christ Lutheran (RIC) Dumbarton UMC (RC) First Congregational (ONA) First Trinity Lutheran (RIC) Georgetown Lutheran (RIC) Reformation Lutheran (RIC) Westminster Presbyterian(ML) FLORIDA ' Tallahassee United Church (ONA) Tampa John Calvin Presbyterian (ML) St. Timothy Lutheran (RIC) GEORGIA Atlanta Clifton Presbyterian (ML) Grant Park-Aldersgate UMC (RC) HAWAII Honolulu Church of the Crossroads (ONA) Luth. Church of Honolulu (RIC) ILLINOIS Carbondale Church of the Good Shepherd (ONA) Champaign McKinley Memorial Presbyterian (ML) St. Andrew's Lutheran (RIC) Chicago Albany Park UMC (RC) Augustana Lutheran (RIC) Christ the King Lutheran (RIC) Christ the Mediator Lutheran (RIC) Holy Trinity Evangelical Luth. (RIC) Irving Park Christian (O&A) Irving Park UMC (RC) Lake View Lutheran (RIC) Lincoln Park Presbyterian (ML) Mayfair UMC (RC) Parish of the Holy Covenant (RC) Peoples Church (ONA) Resurrection Lutheran (RIC) St. PaUl's UCC (ONA) Trinity Lutheran (RIC) United Church of Rogers Park (RC) University Church (ONA, O&A) Wellington Avenue UCC (ONA) Evanston Hemenway UMC (RC) Wheadon UMC (RC) Maywood Maywood House Church (RIC) Oak Park Euclid Avenue UMC (RC) Good Shepherd Lutheran (RIC) Wilmette First CongoUCC (ONA) Winfield Winfield UMC(RC) INDIANA Bloomington Lutheran Campus Ministry (RIC) Indianapolis Northeast UCC(ONA) IOWA Ames Lord of Life Lutheran (RIC) Des Moines Trinity UMC (RC) IowaCity Faith UCC (ONA) Luth. Campus Ministry, Uof Iowa (RIC) KANSAS Kansas City ecumenikos (ML, ONA, O&A, RC) LOUISIANA New Orleans St. Mark's UMC (RC) MARYLAND Baltimore First & Franklin Presbyterian (ML) St. John's UMC (RC) 31 St. Mark's Lutheran (RIC) Lanham Good Samaritan Lutheran (RIC) Rockville Rockville Presbyterian (ML) MASSACHUSETTS Amherst First Congregational UCC (ONA) South Congregational UCC (ONA) Boston Church of the Covenant (ONA, ML) Cambridge First Church, Congregational (ONA) University Lutheran (RIC) Danvers Holy Trinity UMC (RC) Framingham Grace UCC (ONA) Osterville United Methodist Church (RC) Roxbury Church of the United Community (ONA, O&A) Shrewbury Mt. Olivet Lutheran (RIC) Wellesley Wellesley Congregational (ONA) Wendell Wendell Congregational UCC (ONA) West Newton Second Church in Newton UCC (ONA) Williamstown First CongoUCC(ONA) Worcester United Congregational UCC (ONA) MICHIGAN Ann Arbor Churchof the Good Shepherd (ONA) GuildHouse (O&A) Lord of Light Lutheran (RIC) Memorial Christian (O&A) Northside Presbyterian(ML) Detroit Truth Evangelical Lutheran (RIC) Douglas Douglas Congregational UCC(ONA) East Lansing Ecclesia (O&A) Kalamazoo Phoenix Community UCC (ONA) Ypsilanti First Congregational UCC (ONA) MINNESOTA Edina Edina Community Lutheran (RIC) Minneapolis Community of St. Martin (RIC) First Congregational (ONA) Grace University Lutheran (RIC) Holy Trinity Lutheran (RIC) Lutheran Campus Ministry (RIC) Lyndale UCC (ONA) Mayflower Comm. CongoUCC(ONA) Our Savior's Lutheran (RIC) Prospect Park UMC (RC) Spirit of the Lakes (ONA) Walker Community UMC(RC) Wesley UMC (RC) Northfield St. Olaf College (RIC) Robbinsdale Robbinsdale UCC (ONA) St. Cloud Lutheran Campus Ministry (RIC) St. Paul St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran(RIC) Wayzatta St. Luke Presbyterian (ML) MISSOURI Kansas City KairosUMC (RC) St. Mark's Lutheran (RIC) St. Louis Gibson Heights United (ML) Springfield First Congregational (ONA) University City Bethel Lutheran(RIC) NEBRASKA Omaha First Lutheran(RIC) NEW HAMPSHIRE Plymouth Plymouth Congregational (ONA) NEW JERSEY South Orange First Presbyterian &Trinity (ML) Trenton Prospect Street Presbyterian (ML) NEW YORK Brookhaven Old South Haven Presbyterian (ML) Buffalo Westminster Presbyterian (ML) Churchville Union Congo UCC (ONA) Craryville Craryville UMC (RC) Dobbs Ferry South Presbyterian (ML) Grand Island Riverside Salem (ONA) Henrietta John Calvin Presbyterian (ML) Marcellus First Presbyterian (ML) New York (Brooklyn) Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian (ML) Park Slope UMC(RC) New York (Manhattan) Central Presbyterian (ML) Church of St. Paul &St. Andrew (RC) Good Shepherd-Faith Presb. (ML) Grace &St. Paul's Lutheran (RIC) Jan Hus Presbyterian (ML) JudsonMemorial (ONA) Metropolitan-Duane UMC (RC) Our Savior'sAtonement Luth. (RIC) Park AvenueChristian (O&A) Riverside (ONA) Rutgers Presbyterian (ML) St. Peter's Church (RIC) Washington Square UMC (RC) West-Park Presbyterian (ML) Oneonta First UMC (RC) Rochester Calvary St. Andrews (ML) Downtown Presbyterian (ML) The House Church (ONA) Third Presbyterian (ML) Snyder Amherst Community (ONA, O&A) NORTH CAROLINA Raleigh Community UCC(ONA) NORTH DAKOTA Fargo University Lutheran Center (RIC) OHIO Brecksville United Church of Christ (ONA) Columbus Redeemer Lutheran (RIC) Third Avenue Community (RC) Cincinnati Mt. Auburn Presbyterian (ML) Dayton Congo for Reconciliation (ONA) Norton Grace UCC (ONA) Toledo Central UMC (RC) OREGON Ashland United Church of Christ Congo(ONA) Corvallis First UMC (RC) Estacada Estacada UMC (RC) Milwaukie Milwaukie UCC (ONA) Portland First Congregational (ONA) Lutheran Campus Ministry (RIC) Metanoia Peace Community (RC) St. James Lutheran (RIC) University Park UMC (RC) PENNSYLVANIA Kutztown Lutheran Campus Ministry (RIC) Philadelphia Calvary UMC (RC) First UMC of Germantown (RC) St. Michael's Lutheran (RIC) Tabernacle United (ONA, ML) Univ. Lutheran of Incarnation (RIC) SOUTH DAKOTA Erwin Erwin UCC (ONA) TENNESSEE Memphis First Congregational UCC (ONA) Nashville Edgehill UMC (RC) TEXAS Austin First English Lutheran (RIC) Trinity UMC (RC) Dallas Bethany Presbyterian (ML) Fort Worth St. Matthew's Lutheran (RIC) Houston Bering Memorial UMC (RC) VERMONT Bennington Second Congregational (ONA) Burlington Christ Presbyterian (ML) WASHINGTON Chelan Fullness of God Lutheran (RIC) Federal Way Wayside UCC (ONA) Leavenworth Faith Lutheran (RIC) Medical Lake Shalom UCC (ONA) Mountlake Terrace TerraceView Presbyterian (ML) Olympia Comm. for ChristianCeleb. (ONA) Seattle Broadview Community UCC (ONA) Capitol Hill UMC (RC) Central Lutheran (RIC) Findlay Street Christian (O&A) Pilgrim Congregational UCC (ONA) Prospect UCC (ONA) Richmond BeachCongo UCC (ONA) University Congregational (ONA) Wallingford UMC (RC) Vancouver First Congregational UCC (ONA) WISCONSIN EauClaire University Lutheran(RIC) La Crosse Lutheran Campus Ministry (RIC) Madison First Congregational (ONA) University UMC (RC) Milwaukee Cross Lutheran (RIC) Metro Milwaukee Campus Ministry (RIC) NewHope UCC(ONA) Plymouth UCC (ONA) Reformation Lutheran (RIC) Village Lutheran (RIC) Racine Our Savior's Lutheran (RIC) Sheboygan Wesley UMC (RC) CANADA Saskatoon Kingof Glory Lutheran (RIC) The Third National COTM>Cation of RecOnciling Congregations Borne on the Breath of od Remembering· RenewingReforming· Returning July 8-11, 1993 George Washington \Jnivaosity Washington, D.C. Open Hands 32 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 Open Hands Vol 8 No 3 - Welcoming Churches: A Growing Ecumenical Movement https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/e4bb5a0b9e219d1271816895673c01ea.pdf 8bd73269eb39efe9ef925f69329a28a2 Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Volume Number The volume number of the issue 8 Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 4 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1993 Publication Date The date the issue was published Spring Text Any textual data included in the document More Light Churches Network Open and Affirming Program Reconciled in Christ Program Reconciling Congregation Program $5.00 RETHINKING FAMILY VALUES Open Hands is a resource for congregations and individuals seeking to be in ministry with lesbian, bisexual, and gay persons. Each issue focuses on a specific area of concern within the church. Open Hands is published quarterly by the Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. (United Methodist) in conjunction with More Light Churches Network (Presbyterian), Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ), and Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran) Programs. Each of these programs is a national network of local churches that publicly affirm their ministry with the whole family of God and welcome lesbian and gay persons and their families into their community of faith. These four programs -along with Open and Affirming (Disciples of Christ), Welcoming (Unitarian Universalist), Supportive Congregations (Brethren/ Mennonite), and Welcoming and Affirming (American Baptist) programs -offer hope that the church can be a reconciled community. Open Hands is published quarterly. Subscription is $16 for four issues ($20 outside the U.s.). Single copies and back issues are $5. Quantities of 10 or more, $3 each. Subscriptions, letters to the editor, manuscripts, requests for advertising rates, and other correspondence should be sent to: Open Hands 380l N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, lL 60641 Phone: 312 / 736-5526 Fax: 312 / 736-5475 Member, The Associated Church Press © 1993 Reconciling Con re a Ion Program, Inc. Open Hands is are lered trademark. @ Prill led on Resources Jar Ministries Affirming the Diversity oj Human Sexuality Spring 1993 IN THE STRUGGLE Beyond Idolatry of Family to Participation in the Household of God ...... 4 Janet Fishburn Church as Family: Dangerous or Helpful? ...................................... Virginia Ramey Mollenkott Traditional Family Values ......................................................................... 8 John E. Griffin Biblical Family Values: A Liberal View .................................................... 10 Erwin Barron The Inclusive Church: A Biblical Value ................................................... 11 Ignacio Castuera The American Family: A Destructive Myth for Gay and Lesbian Teens ...... 12 David E. Deppe YOUTH SPEAK OUT Danielle, Mario, and Cornell: Reflections on Family and Values ........... 13 Bert Garner Open-Minded Attitudes: A Family Value ................................................. 14 Kevin Poole VOICES OF FAMILIES On aJourney Toward Self-Naming .......................................................... 15 Margarita Suarez Raising Children with Inclusive Values ................................................... 16 Anne Broyles What Makes a Family? .......................................... .................................. 18 Vince Benebese, Mike Underhill, & Nadia Underhill Gay and Lesbian Parenting: Healthy Traits ............................................. 20 Nancy Freyberg A Family Orientation ...................................... ......................................... 21 Malcolm C. Bertram, Jr. The Rainbow Curriculum Controversy ................................................... 22 Beth Bentley VOICES OF THE CHURCH Baptizing Andrew: A Tale of Two Churches ............................................ 23 Karin Abbey Same-Sex Unions: Perspectives from a Clergy Ally ........................ ......... 24 Sid Hall When Family Values and Institutional Values Collide ........................... 25 Jeremy Landau SUSTAINING THE SPIRIT A Liturgy for the ContinuingJoumey ..................................................... 26 Arlene Specht RESOURCES ..................................................................................................... 27 MOVEMENT NEWS ......................................................................................... 28 2 Open Hands ----- Rethinking Family Values "Family values" is a "hot topic," as one of our writers says in this issue. Politically and religiously, questions about what constitutes a "family" and "family values" are of major interest and critical importance to many of us. The question of whether or not our society and our churches will be inclusive of gay, lesbian, and bisexual families in their concept of family is part of the controversy, but the issue is broader than that. Looking at the roots of the struggle, we begin to ask questions about why the heterosexual couple with children has been so idolized and how healthy or destructive is that model. When we explore models of families in the Bible, we begin to examine the values reflected there. And do we really want to place so much value on the biological family anyway? Or, should we be more focused on the household of God and its work of justice? I invite you to join the writers and artists of this issue in "rethinking family values." Don't miss the new "Youth Speak Out" section, which highlights the thoughts of Danielle, Mario, Cornell, and Kevin. A fifth teen, Nadia, writes about "What Makes a Family?" -Mary Jo Osterman, Editor Issue Year XA Focus ,Fall Counteracting the Religious Right Winter i994 Worship Resources for our t\ugll,~t '15, lQ93 Ministries Nove1J,1~~r 15) 1993 dhng for one of these issues, p1~~~e''Senda artide idea. Writer's gUidelines are Editor ,OpenffandS' a 3801 N. Keeler Chicago, IL 6064~ Spring 1993 Program Coordinators Mark Bowman Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc 3801 N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 312/736-5526 Ann B. Day ............... .."".."".."".., Open and Affirming Program OPEN PD, Box 403 IIJIII! Holden, MA 01520 ......i .. .."".."".."".., 508/856-9316 o Brian Knittel Reconciled in Christ Program 2800 Buena Vista Way T Berkeley, CA 94708 510/841-6990 Lindsay Louise Biddle More Light Churches Network 3538 22nd Avenue, S. Minneapolis, MN 55407 612/724-5429 Publisher Mark Bowman Open Hands Editor Mary Jo Osterman Cover &Illustrations Ophelia Chambliss Layout I Graphics I Typesetting In Print -Jan Graves Editorial Advisory Committee Reva Anderson, Toledo, OH Peg Beissert, Rolling Hills Est., CA Ann Marie Coleman, Chicago, IL Ann B. Day, Holden, MA Dan Hooper, Los Angeles, CA Derrick Kikuchi, Daly City, CA Samuel E. Loliger, Buffalo, NY Dick Poole, Oak Forest, IL Caroline Presnell, Evanston, IL Emilie Pulver, Chicago, IL Bradley Rymph, Washington, DC Paul Santillan, Chicago, IL 3 """""' ~f$~g;;;£;;ff/"#/bI/£/"/ 1'/ by 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 Participation in the Household of God' Janet Fishburn It will be impossible for congregations to be inclusive of traditional and non-traditional families unless and until those who lead and those who participate in congregations recognize that it is the church -and not a biological family unit -that is the first family of all baptized Christians. That recognition will not come until we all become more aware of how we have connected a Victorian view of the family and "the American Dream" with the Christian faith. Faithful participation in the household of God will not come until we recognize that we have come to idolize one form of family -and take steps to move beyond it. The American Dream and the American Family In the Victorian era (1830-1913) many Protestants believed that God had chosen the United States -the New Israel -to be the vehicle through which the whole world would be transformed into God's realm on earth. Church and political leaders -liberal and conservative alike -talked of "Christianizing the world in our lifetime." Certainly the expectation was of a fully Christianized America -and it would happen through the family. The church's major role was to support the family. Colleen McDannell describes this view of Christianity as it functioned for Protestants during the Victorian era: "Protestants, through domestic rituals, attempted to create a concept of "Christianity" which would link them together under orre common moral canopy. The evangelical vision hoped to counter the trend toward pluralism in America with the idea of a unified "Christian" nation. Domestic Protestantism, which asserted the values of hard work, purity, individual morality, and patriotism, was the foundation of 4 this vision. The values of the home stood as eternal truths, whereas denominational theologies appeared splintered and irrelevant. Family religion arose as a means of returning to "simple Bible truths" which made good citizens." 2 Historian Robert T. Handy has noted that ever since the Victorian period Protestants have confused this civil religion with Christian faith. 3 For, although the Victorian era is long over, Protestant Christianity in the United States is still influenced by that Victorian worldview which emerged prior to the Civil War. Many Protestants in the United States are not yet aware of how much that worldview affects our understanding of the family and the changes it has been undergoing in the twentieth century. Our theologies, ministries, and traditions -and our views of sexuality, family and church -are still based in a pre-Civil War, Victorian view of family. The Victorian View ofFamily I n the Victorian era a stable, intact family unit was considered essential to national prosperity and to moral progress. The assumption was that all persons would marry and produce children. Single adults had very little place or status in the Victorian world. The Victorian viewpoint also assumed that "the Christian home" was the first and mojor place where children learned to be Christian -"at their mother's breast." Worship in the home was essential; "the family table" was as important as "the Lord's table." Finally, strict and separate roles for men and for women were regarded as God-given and necessary to support the primacy of family life. The American family was believed to be the building block of the nation, the very foundation of all Christian civilization. Any change in roles assigned to men and women was seen as a threat to family stability, to the future of the American Dream, and to the future of God's whole creation. The Continued Influence of the Victorian View The above description of "the Victorian view of family" was the worldview of the dominant Protestants who shaped and named the ideals, values, and moral/legal codes of Americans in the nineteenth century. A "worldview" refers to the way people think about themselves, other people, their religion, their country. A "worldview" orients people in their own life experience; it is a way of thinking about "the world." The Victorian worldview established ideals about family life, sexuality, and gender. The source of the ideals is in some sense biblical: but, as Handy points out, biblical themes are suffused with civil religion. "The American Dream" of the Victorian worldview is an odd combination of selected biblical themes, democratic ideals, and capitalism. Early in the twentieth century the moral code of the Victorian era became unworkable and a gradual cultura. transformation began from a Victorian to a modern worldview. The newly emerging worldview acknowledge growing pluralism and diversity ir. America. However, in the period followinOJ World War II, with a strong econom, and relative security of the white middleclass, the Victorian wOrldview reemerged. Americans today who came of age in that first decade follOWing the war remain deeply shaped by the va ues and moral commitments of the American Dream which includes the Victorian view of family. Many still carr: a vision of the time when American were good citizens who went to churc~ Open Hands when fathers went to work every day, when mothers stayed home and took care of the children, and when children obeyed their parents. They yearn to return to that postWorld War II time and way of life where everyone seemed to share the same dream of good citizenship, family life, and the American mission of Christianizing the world. They yearn for the sense of well-being brought about when the rhythms of life were ordered from week to week as family members gathered for worship. They also yearn for the stability of a way of life based on the separate-but-equal approach to the private work world of women and the public work world of men which had been taken for granted for about 130 years, from 1830 until approximately 1960 (with what they saw as minor, necessary excursions of women into the workforce during the war years). Finally, they still believe that intact, nuclear family units and Victorian family values are essential to national prosperity and moral progress. The 1960s Challenge to Victorian Family Values The freedom movements of the 1960s posed a direct challenge to the Victorian-based, American way of life so clearly articulated during the post-war 1950s. The loyalties of generations of church-going Americans were called into question as the civil rights movement became an anti-war movement and then a war on poverty. Previously unquestioned assumptions were challenged as demonstrators took to the streets and to the barricades on behalf of an array of freedoms -race, religion, sex, age, and conscience. Nothing less than a cultural transition was under way, with protests led by the disenfranchised: the young, the AfroAmerican, the poor, the aged, women, and finally (with the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969) gays and lesbians. Most persons born after 1960 do not carry the old Victorian-based family ideals or the American Dream of Christianizing the world . What may have seemed in the 1960s to be a sudden shift in national moral values really was a re-emergence of changes that began early in the twentieth century as Spring 1993 the moral code of the Victorian era became unworkable . In truth it was the decade of the 1950s, with its renewed family idealism and uncritical patriotism, which was discontinuous with the rest of the twentieth century America and its gradual cultural transformation from a Victorian worldview to a modern and post-modern worldview. The 1990s Change has clearly occurred. The American family of the 1990s is no longer what it was in the Victorian era -or what it was in the Victorianinfluenced decade after World War II. The statistical profile of all household units in the United States establishes the fact that the nuclear family is no longer the normative family unit. Married couples with a child or children under eighteen are a rapidly shrinking minority of the u.s. population. By 1991, this once typical family profile represented only 25.9 percent of all household units, down from 40.3 percent in 1970. (See chart) In addition, the 1991 census shows that half of all marriages end in divorce; births to single mothers now make up one-quarter of total births; and one in four Americans over eighteen have never married.4 The Conservative Church Responds As long as the Victorian image of family was not questioned, support for "Christian family values" provided moral purpose to the church and a clear role for its leaders who perpetu5 ated the American Dream by teaching and reinforcing the ideals of "the Christian home" and "Christian citizenship." When the changing family became an undeniable reality in the 1960s, the once normative family ethos of the Victorian era began to disintegrate and distinctive conservative and liberal traditions emerged as responses to the transformation that was underway. Conservative Protestants in th e United States in the 1960s believed deeply in the Victorian worldview of a traditional Christian family; a Christian America, and a Christian world. In the 1990s their churches attract members and are growing because they still support the Victorian-based "American way of life." To participate in the life of many conservative congregations today is to experience life as it appeared in the post-war period of the 1950s. In general, conservative congregations are devoted to saving souls one by one. Just as the Victorian home was considered "a haven from a heartless world," so the conservative church today offers safety to its members from a dangerous, immoral world. As individuals, groups, families, and churches seek to counter the twentieth century transformation from a Victorian to a modern worldview, they face a danger that their focus on the family has become an obsession, an obsession bordering on idolatry of a particular concept of the Christian family. Such idolatry; when it happens, is a tragically mis-directed form of religious devotion which involves a preference for the familiar over the unknown, the local over the universal, and which treats the familiar and local as if they were absolute. When Christians direct reverence toward love of family without acknowledging the source of that love, they may imagine they are expressing reverence for Christ when they are, in fact, engaging in idolatry.s The Liberal Church Responds It may seem obvious that values of a Victorian worldview still set the agenda for conservative congregations in the 1990s. What may not be so obvious is how Victorian values also retain considerable power in shaping the agendas of liberal congregations. For example, the power of the Victorian worldview is invoked whenever churches focus on baptism and confirmation as their major source of new members. The Victorian worldview is invoked whenever single adult ministries reflect the assumption that everyone should and will marry. The Victorian worldview is being used whenever the family unit is promoted as the primary source of Christian faith while the congregation is regarded as important primarily because it serves to ritualize "family-related" events . . . baptisms, youth confirmations, weddings and funerals. The Victorian worldview is invoked whenever liberal congregations continue to revolve around the needs of the family unit. In summary; both the conservative congregation (engaged in preserving the past) and the liberal congregation (engaged in adapting to the present as it attempts to respond to the reality of the changing family) implicitly support the same goal: to create a growing congregation alive with activity much as it did in the decade following World War II. Both strategies fall back on a Victorian view of an ideal family. Both perpetuate a possible idolatry of family at the expense of Christian faith. Beyond Idolatry to a More Biblical Vision The biblical vision of Christian faith is not synonymous with the nineteenth century Victorian view of family. Loyalty of Christians today to the vision of a nineteenth century view of family is a tragic misunderstanding of Christian values and attitudes. While love of family members and of spouse can be an expression of love to God, the overemphasis of faith in the Jamily to solve our current social problems is idolatrous. Where a domesticated piety dominates the commitments of a denomination, the conservation of middle-class ideals can blind both leaders and people to the prominent concern for social justice found in the Bible. On the other hand, even when leaders are committed to seeking social justice, they have not been able to sustain a legitimate critique of poverty and injustice because the family ideals of the American Dream continue to be linked to democratic values and economic stability. Uncritical loyalty to the Victorian ideal of family makes it very difficult to see or comprehend the plight of the poor and the homeless, the oppression of minority persons, as anything but their own fault. It requires courage for any pastor of an old-line congregation to preach prophetically. To ask middleclass Americans to see American cultun~ as Jesus would see it is to ask them to vote against their own privileged position in society. While love offamily members and ofspouse can be an expression oflove to God, the overemphasis of faith in the family to solve our current sodal problems is idolatrous. According to the Bible, idolatry means the granting of ultimate loyalty to any group or object other than the covenant God ofIsrael andJesus Chris' Many Protestants in the United State are so deeply imbued with a subtle mixture of love of country; family, an God that it is difficult to recognize th'l' they may be worshipping false gods "family;" "patriotism," and middle-cla economic prosperity. We must begin t name the extent to which the curre focus on traditional families and t hope that God will bless them seerr, more like a form of Old Testament trib religion than the post-Pentecost faith Christians who "turned the world u side down." This reminds me of the scribe w was commended by Jesus because understood that to love God and nei bor above all else "is much more imF tant than all burnt oJJerings and sa - Jices" (Mark 12:33). Jesus was also qL clear that those who loved family m than they loved him would not among his followers (Matt. 10:34-3 The current uncritical emphaSiS "family values" is an American fom: the ancient Hebrew tendency tm ....a preoccupation with burnt offerings and Open Hands 6 ritual sacrifices. In another passage,jesus talks about the last being first and the first being ast. The last who will be first are those who have little social or spiritual staus -women, children, and eunuchs. The first who will be last are the rich men with social and religious status. ~~latt. 19:25). When the astonished disciples ask him, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus' response was radical: Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters orfather or mother or children or fields, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first ." (Matt. 19:29-30) Loving family members or family 'ife or a certain form of family more han one loves God is idolatrous -an "dolatry which makes it hard to follow the way of Jesus" which often offers harsh critique of traditional family vales. The Household ofGod he biblical expectation is that the power of "the love of Christ" is mown through participation in "the household of God." The good life, the peace and well-being of God's blessing, is given to a Christian community through its covenant relationship with God, not through its focus on the family. God's blessing can also be experienced in the family relationships of Christians; but the Christian home is not the source of blessing. Protestants are currently adrift in a sea of theological pluralism, responding inadequately to changes in sexual practices and family structure. Neither the efforts of conservatives to retain a Victorian family ethic in the name of Christ, nor the faddish "politically correct" adaptations of liberals to a cultural transition, capture the essence of the gospel. Membership in the household of God presupposes a common faith in Jesus as Lord. Membership in a family may presuppose little more in common than biological kinship. People can become Christian through participation In a congregation of Christians whether they were born into a Christian family or not. Only the church is essential to Spring 1993 the Christian life. If Jesus gave status in his day to persons who do not procreate, on what grounds do churches today treat modern eunuchs -single people, homosexuals, and childless couples -lik e outcasts? It is the uncritical belief in one specific form of family rooted a Victorian worldview which leads us to such unjust actions. As the Body of Christ in the world, each generation in the church has the potential to learn anew what it means to live in love of God and neighbor. To do so will mean casting aside the Victorian worldview with its connections to the American Dream. To do so will mean engaging in a holistic spirituality and a prophetic ministry of social justice. Only then will the church truly begin to live the gospel of Jesus Christ, acting on the recognition that full membership in the household of God is not dependent on gender, sexual orientation, or birth into a particular kind of family. .... lAdapted from Janet Fishburn, Confronting the Idolatry ofthe Family: A New Vision for the Household of God (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991). Used with permiSSion. 2Colleen McDannell, The Christian Home in Victorian America, 1840-1900 (Bloomington, Indiana University Press, 1986), p. 106; as quoted in Fishburn, p. 23. 3Robert T. Handy, A Christian America: Protestant Hopes and Historical Realities (New York: Oxford University Press, 1971), esp. pp. 214-21, quoted in Fishburn, p. 12. See also Fishburn, p. 28fJ 4Census Bureau Statistics; taken from The New York Times, Section 4, p. 2, AUG. 23, 1992. 5Fishburn, p. 107; citing Parker J. Palmer, To Know As We Are Known (New York: Harper & Row, 1983), p. 110, as reference. Janet Forsythe Fishburn is Professor of Teaching Ministry and American Church History, The Theological School and The Gradua te School, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. She is an ordained Presbyterian minister (Newton Presbytery) and a regular participant of Monistown United Methodist Church. 7 a long list of fl~l~f~I[Il[fiI[L ~~Lrrm~[L~ \v~[LMI~ by John E. Griffin I wanted to interview Lou Sheldon at Traditional Values Coalition CTVC) in order to do as neutral and factual a description as I could of their view of Christian family values. In a phone conversation with Beverly Sheldon I asked for an interview. Unfortunately, I spent the rest of the phone conversation responding to questions aimed at finding out where I stood on the issues of homosexuality and abortion and also to discover what population would be reading this article. When I refused to answer her questions, but maintained that I only wanted to write an article on their position, she became more aggressive, asking "Are you gay?" and "Are you supportive of homosexuals7" I found that she was completely unwilling to discuss anything unless I would say that I agreed with their position. I got, not an interview, but the promise of literature which would help me understand their views. The literature never arrived. Sensing that I would not receive any material, I asked a friend to go "undercover" to obtain literature. My friend explained to TVC on the phone how she feared her son was gay and needed gUidance. The next day she received a packet of brochures and several newsmagazines and flyers. It was only from this information that I was able to write this article. Some ten years ago, the Reverend Lou Sheldon created a grassroots organization named Traditional Values Coalition, with the monumental task of preserving America's traditional family values. Sheldon, a graduate from Princeton Theological Seminary and a local pastor for more than twenty-five years, saw then and continues to see (especially now with the Clinton administration) a "moral disaster" occurring in America in regard to the family. The Christian family is defined by Sheldon's organization as a heterosexual couple who remain in a committed lifelong relationship in which children are raised to follow the same pattern. The Christian family is a sacred institution, having been established and blessed by God. "When God saw man's aloneness, He created woman from man and blessed their union, telling them to bear children and care for the earth together," writes Sheldon in one of his recent mailings. However, according to TVC this tr ditional model of the family has und gone a series of severe attacks. Attac·· have come from the "once patriot. news media which now supports ab tionists, feminists, homosexual mo' ments, and leftist special interest grou Attacks have come from the televis· and film industry which "promote· and violence and from primetl sitcoms which mock "real-life minis ~ who dare to speak out against the t of corruption." Attacks have also co 8 Open Hands L he classroom where TVC sees that udren are "invited" into pre-marital xual activity and put at risk of AIDS ough the distribution of condoms. I read the TVC newsletters, it me clear that TVC sees the goal of e "liberal attacks" on the Christian mlly as twofold: 1) to present a wide ectlOn of alternative values and les to society, especially the chiland youth; and 2) to eliminate rough the use of "Separation of urch &: State" rulings) the voice of e ·,·ho hold faithfully to one speand biblically-based vision of the nSlian family. The underlying fear of Traditional Values Coalition is that once Christian nation may very n be unlivable for the faithful. heldon's group strongly believes "action begins with education." ese words form a slogan which aprs on a number of their brochures. ough education TVC believes that ople can be mobilized against the of the society, learn about "mili. liberal" issues and causes, and learn .0 mitiate letter writing and phone callcampaigns to state and national resentatives to pressure for support -:\'C's agenda. is also clear, however, that educamust be selective, because it is ugh exposure to liberal ideas that ..dren grow up accepting homosexulit:· as a viable lifestyle, abortion as a eans of birth control] and pornogra/ and violence as entertainment, as ell as being influenced by feminism nd divorce. For TVC, these are all earned behaviors which they seek to change. One of the central concerns of the Christian family in TVC's mind is the --ue of homosexuality. Sheldon spends great amount of energy educating Christians and the California state leg3ture that homosexuality is a learned eha\ior. One example of their educao~al approach can be seen in his -smagazine (Traditional Values Rerr' in an article by Joe Dallas from Exodus International (a ministry dedied to offering homosexuals God's slOrati\'e power to become heteroal). Dallas argues that if a boy is -ring 1993 raised by a father who adores him, spends time with him, and provides well for his family, but then through circumstances beyond the father's control (and which the boy is too young to understand), the father must take a second job which keeps him away from home, all the boy knows is that Dad is gone, and he takes that as a personal rejection. (The same example is given from the perspective of a daughter and a mother.) In both cases, Dallas argues, the children feel rejected and in their adult life seek out a person of the same sex to fill a void from their childhood. From TVC's perspective, liberals have attempted to force the homosexual agenda out into the mainstream of society, as illustrated by President Clinton's move to lift the ban on homosexuals in the military. Once the military is forced to accept avowed homosexuals, then TVC foresees that liberals will make similar demands of the rest of society, including the church. Sheldon knows that this frightening reality is close. In California, he led a successful campaign to defeat ABIOl, a "Gay Rights Bill" which would have forced businesses (including churches and Christian childcare centers) to hire homosexuals. Sheldon is troubled by what he sees happening in America. He sees the Bible being banned from the public schools, yet condoms being distributed, ( which, from his perspective, only encourages children to engage in sex which could end their lives). He speaks of an organization of avowed pedophiles in San Francisco which is permitted to hold regular meetings at a public library under the banner of the First Amendment, while in New York two ministers are arrested for preaching on a street corner on the charges of disturbing the peace. Sheldon acts out of his belief that the United States of America was built upon the Christian family as he sees it portrayed in scripture (although no scripture is quoted to support his view). Sheldon concludes that the only way this nation can have a future is if traditional family values are defended as the exclusive acceptable lifestyle. Not much is provided by TVC to describe these Christian family values. The thrust of TVC's existence lies in what they oppose. However, one can come to know ( or at least suspect) what TVC means by "Christian family values" by listening, and by examining what they make clear are not their values (i.e., not homosexuality, divorce, diversity, pornography, violence, or feminism). Reflections Little or no theological argument supporting their position exists in the literature TVC sends out. The only indication that this organization has anything to do with religion comes from the constant mentioning of "Rev. Lou Sheldon" and words like "Christian," "churches," "anti-God culture," "laws of God," ''Judeo-Christian roots," and "Bible." TVC's literature, labeled educational, appears to be solely aimed at generating fear. For example, Sheldon, writing under the heading of "What You Can Do," states: Right now the enemies of traditional values will probably leave you alone . They are too busy breaking down the national mores they despise, creating new ones, and passing laws to enforce them. But once they have 'captured the culture,' they will come for us. Not wearing the face of an enemy, but as 'friends and fellow Americans' who ask only one little thing.,.. and insist on it -that you, your family, and your church follow their laws of abomination, and not the laws of God." I once heard Matthew Fox say in a speech, "Evil comes into the human heart through the doorway of fear." I went to understand TVC's heart. Not even making it through their door, I found their fear. As progressive Christians, we must seriously consider how we are to respond to this fear. T John E. Griffin is the Associate Pastor at Community United Methodist Church in Huntington Beach, Cali-r----=---..".....---, fornia. He helped establish an Affirmation Group there which was officially adopted as a part of that church's ministry. 9 by Erwin Barron "FamI°1y va1ues" is a hot topic these days, and it is an issue in which the church must be involved in if it is to be responsible in today's society. Whether the topic is Murphy Brown's single parenthood or a call to return to "Ozzie and Harriet," the idea of family values is a wonderful political footbalL It is hard to be against "family values" because the term can mean almost anything. No matter what your political leanings, Dan Quayle and all the politicians are correct about one thing: good family values are critical to the wellbeing of our society. Clearly the church has an essential role to play in determining those values. When politicians call for a return to traditional family values, what is it they are talking about? Do they want women to stay home and take care of the household duties without pay, andbe denied opportunities in our society? Do they want fathers to work extra hours to be "bread-winners" and never have anything to do with their children? Do . they want a return to an oppressive sexual atmosphere of the 1950s with rigid rules and gender roles set in stone? Women have many more opportunities for careers these days. Gender roles have loosened up so that fathers can be more loving with their children. For various reasons, some good, some bad, we have a much larger variety of families, in different shapes and sizes. But that does not necessarily mean we have given up good biblical values in our families. How many of us really know what the Bible says about families and family values? What the Bible Does Not Say! First, this is what the Bible does not say about family values. Nowhere does it raise up as the best model, the traditional, nuclear family with working father and stay-at-home mother with 2.4 children. Most of the families in the 10 Bible do not come anywhere close to that modeL The great patriarchs of Old Testament Bible stories, Abraham,Jacob, David, and many others, all had several wives and concubines on the side, with children from all of them. The children were constantly fighting for status in the family. Are these the biblical family values we want? Sometimes when the Bible does try to give some family gUidance , it is so out-of-date and unrelated to our lives we can't give it much credence. For example, Deuteronomy suggests the way to handle rebellious children is to stone them to death in the town square. With the alarming increase in reports of child abuse today, this passage points out the danger of trying to maintain strictly literal biblical family values. A fundamental family value named in the Ten Commandments is to honor our father and mother. But that commandment is rather one-sided. It says nothing about how our parents are supposed to behave. Using that one-sided gUide, family systems arose in biblical times which allowed a father to treat his children and his wife as virtual property, disposing of them as he wanted. What the Bible Does Say! W hat does the Bible say about family values? The Apostle Paul, expanding on the basic commandment to honor father and mother, gave us a new kind of family value. He said children should obey their parents but also asked parents to treat their children with love and respect, and not mistreat them. Paul also had some important things to say to husbands and wives in families. These passages are some of the most controversial in the Bible. People read them as being anti-women. They are not. Rather, Paul encourages the kinds of love and respect and justice that are essential family values. The readers of Paul's letters would have expected him to say "Wives, be subject to your husbands." But then Paul added , "Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly." That was a dramatic improvement in the justice and love of families. It suggested a radica reshaping of the family values of that era away from property rights and authoritarianism and towards mutua respect,justice for all, and genuine 10\e While the Bible is not very specific about family life,]esus does have something important to say about how we live our lives. He said the most impo!'tant commandment was to "Love God Then he added another which he considered equally important: "Love you~ neighbor as yourself." Those values love and justice are so conSistently a cented in the Bible that they must al apply to family. I contend that biblical family value are the same as the other critical valu the Bible constantly upholds. Famili should operate with justice and w. self-giving love. We can find those \' ues in a person chOOSing to live alo in a single parent family, in a fam with homosexual parents, in a divorc family, in a family on welfare, and 1 family with two parents and two c dren. The kind of family is not wha' important; the kind of love in that ( ily is important! We in the Chri community must affirm traditional. lical family values -caring for other-we do for ourselves, working for ju for everyone, and offering genuine giving love. ~ Erwin Barron is Minister for Children and Families at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is active in the local chapter ofPresbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns. Open Ha _ ,·here is an assumption floating around church circles that the Bible has some clear statements -about what constitutes a family. ay be the case but I am afraid ,.at most people assume the Bible s as family patterns and family s not what careful study of the res would reveal. .ar the dominant family pattern Scriptures is polygamy, the prac: one husband with several wives. amy is found not only in the HeScriptures (a.k.a. Old Testament) 15 also implicit in at least one e from the First Letter to Timo.ntten late in the first century or .n the second century AD.) So a ~ficial reading of the Bible does eld helpful patterns. lily: Scriptural Images deeper understanding of the message of the Scriptures . however, give us directions to .\', the direction of an ever grownclusivity in our definitions of mil)'." In several passages Jesus redeed the meaning of family. He ned family when he was teachin the temple as a twelve year and he reminded his mother t he was engaged in his "Father's" siness. He defined family on the casion when mother and siblings me looking for him only to be e all those who do the will of the e who sent him. Jesus radically redefined the meanof family when he taught his diso ld that his mother and siblings e es to pray. By referring to God as a, daddy or parent, we acknowlthat our ultimate family is the man family with all its culturally appriate and sexual orientation ap- ring 1993 by Ignacio Castuera propriate variations. In addition, in one of the texts traceable to the earliest layers of the sayings of Jesus we are challenged by the statement "If you only love those who love you, what more are you doing than the ungodly?" Without a doubt the truest Christian family value is inclusiveness, an ever growing circle which recognizes that all individuals and all families are acceptable to God and therefore should also be accepted by us. Church: An Ever-Growing IncZusivity Those of us who participate in' the welcoming church movement know the practical value of attempting to live by Jesus' teaching of inclusive love. Our lives have been enriched by the exposure to varieties of loving and alternative families. We have welcomed a gay couple, John and Ron, and their baby daughter. We have welcomed a lesbian family with two older children. And we have welcomed single parents, couples with step-children, and traditional nuclear families. Our church, Hollywood United Methodist Church, voted to become a Reconciling Congregation in November of 1991. Since then several nuclear families have joined us because they want their children growing up in a nonjudgemental, inclusive environment. Now, that's a family value worth encouraging. My son recently turned eight and when he was six he began asking about John and Dick, and David and Kim, two gay couples that had been very kind to him. He wondered about why they lived together. He was told by me that it was because they loved each other. I paused and asked, "Is that okay with you?" He replied by asking me if it was okay with me. When I said, "of course" he then went ahead to say, "then it is okay with me." I treasure the openness of the church environment in which my child is grow~ ing and I wish that openness for every child in the world. Now, that's a family value, T Ignacio Castuera is co-pastor oj Hollywood United Methodist Church, a Reconciling Congregation in Hollywood, CaliJornia. He edited Dreams on Fire/ Embers of Hope: From the Pulpits of Los Angeles After the Riots and is active in interreligiOUS circles in the Los Angeles area. 11 THE AMERICAN FAMILY: A "Destructive My'th for Gay' & Lesbian Teens by David E. Deppe The American family myth is a powerful influence in all of our lives. Recently, my lover Jonathan and I, and two of my children were guests on an Oprah Winfrey Show which focused on what happens to families when gay husbands or gay fathers come out of the closet. During the interview, my daughter made a poignant observation about our family and my coming out: "We were the Brady Bunch, but the show got canceled." In many ways what my daughter said was true. Even though my former wife and I had prided ourselves in fostering social consciousness and awareness, unwittingly we may have also perpetuated the American family myth. This myth assumes heterosexuality and heterosexist values: "father knows best;" dutiful wife; and 2.4 testy but compliant children. It glamorizes family togetherness, undying love, and faithfulness, but in reality fosters rugged individualism and raw courage in men and submissive meekness and docile tenderness in women. Its values are founded on unrealistic expectations, societal pressure, misinformation, and just plain fantasy. Deviation from what the myth offers as "normal" is not' allowed. Such thinking about the American family spawns gender inequality, sexual harassment, domestic violence, racial bias, and ethnic cleanSing. The family myth is powerful, and it is destructive for us all. Impact of the Myth on Gay and Lesbian Teens Just how destructive the American family myth is for teens has become mcreasingly apparent to me as I work with lesbian and gay clients who describe their teenage years as living hells. Jane (not her real name) tells how her father raped her to teach her to be "normal."John talks about his attempted suicide after he was thrown out of the house because he was "different" and "disgraced the family name." PhylliS is sexually dysfunctional because of the abuse she experienced as a child; she is now in her fifth relationship and that too is in trouble. Frank talks about being a "disappointment" to his family; today he numbs his feelings with cocaine and alcohol. One thread in these stories is the low self-esteem which results when teens fail to live up to family expectations. Lack of a sense of personal worth makes self-acceptance, including the process of coming out, more difficult. A lack of personal worth can, and often does, lead teens into major depression, anxiety disorder, and suicidal thoughts and actions. Gay and lesbian teens growing up under the misguided values of the family myth lack role models. Good role modefs are central to human development. Healthy behavioral patterns, social skills, and the building of quality relationships depend on positive role models. Oust once I would have liked to have seen David Nelson of "Ozzie and Harriet" date the captain of the football team!) In wrestling with issues of right and wrong, and all the shades of gray between, where can a gay teen find guidance? How does a lesbian teen find direction? Whom can they trust? Often the problem is exacerbated if the gay or lesbian teen is raised in a Christian home because the church, perhaps more than any other institution, continues to safeguard the family myth as sacred. The message that gay and lesbian relationships are secondrate is not missed by gay and lesbian teens, who feel enormous pressures to live up to the heterosexual orientation. Counter the Myth with the Gospel W hat, if anything, can be done to " counter the destructiveness of the American family myth? What can be done to develop wholesome new models of family living? What can be done to replace the "living hells" c family life for gay and lesbian teen with supportive, inclusive family real ties? Although this is a task for all 0 society, my appeal here is to the church In theological terms, it is time for repentance: time for the church to tur around ... to change our minds .. . to be renewed .. . time to acknowledge our destructive family myth. I suggest we begin by grounding ou!" faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ an not in American religiosity, or, in this case, family myths. We must begin tc speak a clear Word of God and not ou" own preconceived ideas about tha' Word. We must" begin to preach with integrity, and not out of expediency. What might that clear Word of God be? I believe the gospel invites us, gay or straight, lesbian or bisexual, to use our sexuality wisely and responsibly. The gospel invites us to encourage faithful, loving relationships and suppot: the celebration of permanent partner through a service of Holy Matrimon or Holy Union. The gospel invites us to broaden our understanding of family to include Singles, divorced and widowed, single parents, and same sex partnerships, as well as the heterosexua family. The gospel invites us all to bless. honor and respect one another and our relationships. Finally, the gospel invite us to create open and affirming an inclusive family structures that are supportive of gay and lesbian teens as the,' become aware of their sexual identity The gospel invites us to love and celebrate each person's sexual orientation as a unique gift of God. T David E. Deppe, DMin., Ph.D is Clinical Program Director Jor Positive Lifestyles (an inpatient mental health program Jor Gay and Lesbian people) at Chart er Barclay Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. 12 Open Hands Danielle, Mario, and Cornell: eflecfions on Familv and Values by Bert Garner 0' ed. or many youth today the term He has seen his mother's compassion family" is a difficult one, espein her work as a nurse's assistant. He ially for youth who have not had feels that gay people are more sensitive °e experiences of family. "Family" than others because we know how it amily values" (as defined by socifeels to be hurt. This sense of card the religious right) have played ing leads Mario to want to also work in the oppression of queer* youth. within the medical profession. the Youth Empowerment Although both Mario and .out which was held in conjuncDanielle can envision family as ° h the 1993 March on Washingbroader than mother, father and April, youth from across the U.so two kids, it was still evident ed to discuss issues of concern that they remain affected Family and values repeatedly by societal notions of "family values." Although preparation took place for the he feels that his relation( \ hat followed the Speakout, I ship with his mother is °1th some of the youth about close, Mario remains e;initions of family and family closeted. He does not , 1\ \\\ \ \ I~ wish to break the image that his mother and fam! \ \ \ Speak Out ~ I II{ ily have of him. Mario is \ ~ d nielle, a nineteen year old from concerned that he will dis,===--.::::::== bryland, explained that it was appoint his family by not . for her to relate to the term of having children. Danielle pointed out °alues"; she felt that she had no that adoption is always a consideration. el for such a thing. When asked Cornell, who is seventeen and from e envisioned as "family values," Maryland, echoed Mario's sentiments led that it would be such things about the compassion of gay people. hing kids right and wrong, morHe would like to be a therapist because so forth. However, the most he has been through a great deal and ant family value that she could feels that he could share his insights _me would be to give people a sense with others. ect for themselves and for oth-Cornell believes a family should have two responsible, caring adults who have n. ano echoed much of what Danielle time available for and devoted to their o say, even though his family situchildren in order to provide support. \'as in many ways different. The The sexual orientation of the parents is een year old described growing unimportant -what matters is the love. Ohio with an immediate family Cornell feels that "family values" is just as close. At the age of twelve, he one of many things which society has ed from his mother that she was a created. He sees it as having evolved He credits her coming out to into a heterosexual, suburban, middlebringing them closer because class image. For Cornell, it is important ould relate to each other. Mario to get rid of this classic stereotype and 'nted out that many times othto think of what is best for the children. me queers as not having family Cornell has within his family a gay "hat all we queers want to do is aunt. However, his grandmother, with ,-:. "VVe have feelings!" This sense whom he lives, has made it clear that s and caring is a large part of she does not approve of same gender rnal orientation and his values. orientation. Cornell used to attend ,.6.\\'.1,. ~irJ os," '~iJ church with his grandmother, but as he became aware of his sexual orientation, he left the church. It only made him depressed, and he felt the closemindedness of the people there. He came away witha low sense of self-worth and much self-hatred. He has now learned to accept himself and his gayness. His belief in God continues, but he believes that his answering is to God and not to the people of the congregation. It has taken him a long time to overcome the obstacles placed in front of him by "family values," but he now sees the gay community as _:::sa I~_ A. a very caring and sensitive one. Since he has been out, he has met great people and says that he would not turn back now, even if there was a "cure." As I spoke with these youth, I was reminded of the buttons that say, "Hate is Not a Family Value." The youth at the Speakout are able to see beyond the hate to the positive of what can be an incredible oppression -especially at this point in their lives. They are also able to give us the vision of new values, new families, new voices. T *Queer is the word which the youth at the Speakout used to identify themselves as lesbian, .gay, bisexual, transgenderal, and questioning people. Bert Garner is a United Methodist Mission Intern working with the AIDS Pastoral Care Network in Chicago, Illinois. He also volunteers with the Reconciling Congregation Program. 993 13 ~f(~oH~~D(D U\TT~TUD(~g One Sunday when I was about nine years old my father, who is a Lutheran minister, gave a sermon which dealt with Jesus and his open association and friendship with the outcasts of his society, such as whores, lepers, and tax collectors. In making a correlation between Jesus in his time and Christians in the presentday, my father said that he was associated with and had befriended outcasts in our society. He listed a group of people who are looked upon negatively by many people in our country which included blacks, the handicapped, and gays and lesbians. Usually I didn't take much interest in my father's sermons, but when I heard that my father, though straight, not only knew gays and lesbians but had them as friends, too, I was completely astounded. That afternoon I walked into my parents' bedroom where my mother was resting. In an uneasy manner I asked her what my father had meant in his sermon that morning with reference to his gay friends. That afternoon 14 A Family Value by Kevin Poole was one of the most enlightening times of my life. My mother and I ended up having a four hour discussion on the subject of homosexuals as real people. I learned that there were people I knew and was very close to who were homosexuals. These were people who weren't evil child molesters as I had heard and ignorantly believed. These were not immoral people and they did not carry out the disgusting sexual acts I thought. The last point was hard to understand. It was difficult for me to accept something which I had been told by my friends and by society was wrong and demoralizing. But with enough assistance from my mother, I began to unq~r;sltand the uniqueness of homosexu:~;)~~'~ f"andlstartep to accept them as ,'~m~*:qeirtgs ~nd realized that their ~exual orientation was a minor differenci~':~~ et~~ti0them and me. 1ti\J.qt:t~ncl of that discussion, my ~othef'toldme that many of my adult ''friends {who were connected with our , ' . :"R,*,ere gay. I realized that I had 1);1 ovei!dlthe~~,R;eople prior to know/ifl$'lh~Y fr~re gay and (because .D~:"tnyLp~rsonal and Christian belief) I felt that there was no to stop loving them. then I have become an ' :!Bem13~f!:f\n the gay commu. nitfas'a'straight, open-minded male. When I was twelve or thirteen I joined my parents in worshipping with Lutherans Concerned (a group organized to promote full acceptance of gays and lesbians in the Lutheran Church) once or twice a month. That was an interesting point of my life because I was still naive about many things, but I was made to feel mature and "grown-up" because of my lack of prejudice. As a child growing up with this special acceptance (special because most kids -and adults for that matter -were very ignorant and biased against homosexuals), I always felt I had an edge over my peers. Even though I was made fun of and taunted with derogatory epithets, I was still proud of my participation in the gay community. I ha\"e even walked in two Gay Pride Parades in Chicago. Both times it was wonderful to feel the intensely high-spirited bonding between everyone who marched to express their pride of who they were. Positive Family Values These open minded attitudes, held by people such as my parents, are the kind of liberal, positive family values that need to be more prominent in our society in order for harmonious relations between human beings to exist. For if ignorance prevails in our world nothing new, important, or exciting wi1. occur. Without differences amon people, life would be filled with borm and meaningless relationships. Differences in color, cultural background sex, and sexual orientation in people should not be pushed aside as shameful, but should be encouraged and accepted as unique and deserving of pride and admiration. I have been told that prejudice plu manipulative power results in racisrr. and other kinds of oppression. It scare me to think of how much oppressio there is out in the world and how detnmental it is to so many. Fortunately, it' comforting to know that I have power too, the power over ignorance. T Kevin Poole is a seventeen year old PK on both sides! His father is now a spiritua director, after fift een years in the parish His mother is a parish minister at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection or. the far south side of Chicago where Kevin is a member. He is a junior at Whitney Young High School in Chicago, Illinois where he is very active in theater and a member of the Human Relations Club. Open Hands ",,,, •. ,",,' ieL,' - " " 1\ ""'-_ _ TowarS . bbv ~' Margarita y "" ~ ----~ J Ourney a bisexual, Latina woman, mar,vith an infant son and a stepghter. Given that information, I held in high esteem by persons aim to be the repositories of an family values." Yet I am a n, I am part of a family, and I ,~~uu~: have values. two years ago, I had lived my ult life (twelve years) as a lesbitered seminary, became orand received calls to two es as an "out" lesbian (albeit a er than a "6"on Kinsey's scale). onsidered the possibility of a _..-.avu.:>hip with a man. So when I was ain, I was looking to fall in love ·~man. I did fall in love -but rnan-and heterophobia took nted to run away. I was terrimy friends would think I had ~'I'V'Inned them and our cause for jusondered if the new lesbians in rch would feel betrayed and 'ondered how the sex would ~ I would like it enough to a long-term relationship. I shut my feelings down and "hat this wasn't happening. ouldn't. I believe that we must !1 ourselves to the truth of our are to be present to ourselves, ~~quently, really present to each inistry ofpresence" was part ,reat gift to all he met. I wanted e such a ministry of presence, d not do so if I disallowed my elings. g in love with a man was like out all over again,risking friendd community built over many Bemg a person with a bisexual ,~ .....uHion in relationship with a per" he other gender makes one be comfortably heterosexual. _I came out as bisexual to the lers who head my local assond conference, they were exoncerned that I intended to a man without the benefit of --~_'!~II..lL~Suarez -~1i11h.......!..!~ g marriage. They implied that my behavior could be considered unethical according to ministerial standards. I did my best to confront the church authorities, explaining the heterosexual privilege associated with marriage and how I did not want to buy into that privilege when lesbian and gay people did not have the same rights and responsibilities. But I realized I couldn't win -and friends encouraged me to get married to save my career. Heterosexual privilege confronted me in other ways. While David and I were vacationing in a Wisconsin resort, we were being very "carinoso" toward each other when I noticed people smil".......".......~~~... one knows how our lives will ing at us. Except perhaps in Provincetown, Massachusetts or Fire Island, New York, I would never expect people to smile at my obvious affection for the woman I was with. I realized that my new relationship with a man could lull me into being too comfortable, so I determined to be on constant alert for the places of heterosexual privi~ lege that would be offered to me (sometimes daily) and to confront them as I was able. Sometimes heterosexual privilege made me ashamed of loving a man or embarrassed to be with David. Mostly those feelings just made me feel ashamed of myself. I wished I could just be a lesbian. I didn't want the extra burden of being bisexual. I was tired and didn't want one more issue or one more question. When people ask how I "changed" my orientation, I tell them that my orientation didn't change; rather I was able to acknowledge the truth that had been there all along. I am still a "4112" on Kinsey's scale. When people ask about fidelity, I answer that I am faithful to my family -which right now includes my spouse, my son, my step-daughter and myself. We need to be faithful to each other -not letting the gods of career advancement, success, desire for possessions and power, lust, or youth become more important than nurturing relationships among us. Yet, our family may change. David was previously married; that changed with a divorce. I was previously in a long-term relationship with a woman; that changed when we separated. No change in the future or what rearranging of our family will occur. But nurturing the relationships that exist now must always be part ormy consideration for any future family configurations. For me being bisexual is being open to loving. Love can emerge when we least expect it. True friendship often has sexual undertones, though we do not usually admit to them if we are in an established, monogamous relationship.Instead, we may act in divisive and deceptive ways. Is that a good family value? Or is it better to be honest, caring, and forthright and to struggle together (with our chosen family) over the implications of those friendships? Questions of fidelity, of sexual undertones in friendships, of being open to love whenever it comes, are very difficult. I can ask them and muse on their implications for my life, but they will only be resolved as I live them out in relation with my family. T Margarita Suarez is pastor oj New Hope United Church oj Ch1ist in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 993 15 •••• •••• • •• ••••• ••• • ••• •••• •• •••••• ••••••• • • • • • • • • • • ••••••••••• ••• ••• • •••••••••• •• ••• • •••••••• Raising Children with Inclusive Values by Anne Broyles • "Mom, when I grow up, can I many anybody I want?" • : • "Of course you can," I told my five year old son. ••• • "I think I'll many someone named Eric," Justus said • : thoughtfully. "Can I many an Eric?" : : ''You can many Eric or Erica. Eric is usually a boy's : • name: Erica would be the name of a girl. So it depends • • on whom you many." • : "I want to many an Eric like in The UttIe Mermaid." : I paused, carefully considering my response. "Well, some men love men and some love women. Like Dad loves me but Evan has boyfriends." I looked at Justus' sweet face, as yet unmarred by societal judgements on "right" or "wrong" sexual orientations. How could I help him to stay open and accepting while also being honest about the unaccepting climate in which gays and lesbians often live? "You and I know that as long as two people really love each other, it doesn't matter if they love people of the same sex or a different sex." He nodded his head. "But to tell you the truth, Justus, there are lots of people who don't understand that and they end up treating lesbians and gay men mean." I hugged him close. "Whoever you love, Dad and I will love and accept, too." Justus looked serious. "What if my Eric doesn't love me even though I love him?" I hugged him again. "Oh, honey, that will almost certainly happen to you as you grow up. You'll think your heart will break if a certain person doesn't love you. Eventually, though, you'll hopefully find someone who loves you back the way you love them." Such hard lessons for a young child, I thought, and yet I knew that part of my job as a parent was to prepare my children for the realities of this world. It wasn't until I was in seminary that I realized that some of the people I knew, cared for, and respected were of samesex orientation. Those friends helped me understand a bit of how it feels to live in a world where some persons cannot be open about whom they love. While I was dreamily talking with anyone who would listen about my plans to marry my husband, others could only share their love-lives with a trusted few. While I was free to walk around campus holding hands with Larry, others could only touch each other in the privacy of their dorm rooms. Growing up, I don't remember thinking much about the possibility that not everyone was heterosexuaL Men loved women, women loved men, and that's just the way it was in my limited world. With some chagrin, I do remember a passing fad where Thursday was "Queer's Day" when we were supposed to wear green and yellow clothing. It never occurred to me that "Queer's Day" might have been offensive and hurtful to some of those with whom I went to school. So now, as a parent, I struggle with how to raise my two children to be open and accepting of all people. I want my children to know the realities of this world and also feel that there is a positive power in religious faith that can challenge the status quo, when necessary, and work towards God's New Realm. After Moses gave his followers t ten commandments, he reminded theT!" "Remember these commands and cherish them. Tie them on your anns and wear them on your Joreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. Write them on the doorposts oj your houses and on your gates. Then you and your children will live a long time in the land that the Lord God promised to your ancestors." (Deuteronomy 11 : 18-21 a, TEV) I want to teach my children th God loves each of us more than we ever know and that even though may erect barriers between oursehand other people through prejudi namecalling, and insensitivity, "all aone in Christ Jesus." The divisions' make between rich and poor, gay a straight, First World and Third Wor people of color and white folks are n ultimate categories. God calls us to sisters and brothers, working togetl~ for the good of the world. My prayers are with my children and all who stan tall, speak out, and war that all persons may be part of God's beautiful creation So far, so good. My children ama: me with their tolerance and acceptan which, first modelled by their paren' has become their own nature. Both Tnnity and Justus have vocally defende children in school who they felt wer being unfairly treated. Both have r belled against what they felt was inju~ tice by writing letters, staging person boycotts, loudly discussing their vie\\' And yet I worry sometimes that 1 Open Hands 16 .--..I-U' c >=' them to embody the all-incluof Christ, I am preparing them 'ays on the outside, out of the ~~--""'ream understandings of society !"e. Am I setting them up to be ._ .......LU~.... _ rejected? "Happy are those who uted because they do what God .." (Matthew . is it fair to ask a Id to shoulder 'e Christians are o be? her sixth grade daughter was assignment to eline of her life. of her almost-an event from -·ory and an event ersonallife. As 'Trinity looked e Carry It On lendar hanging 1. Her timeline, displayed on ard with a colotographs and ·ons, included h as Greenham in 1983, Tutu winning Peace Prize in e first National i r Gay and Lesbi-in 1987, Jesse winning the primary in amen Square in :--:elson Mandela's release in 1ect was beautiful. "You did a _ I told her. ''I'm really proud / guess is, however, that the u chose are quite different than some of your friends' timelines. ore likely to have President and Bush's elections, for in'ou may have to interpret some -ents you've chosen." roblem. Trinity received an A+ udly displayed her timeline for -To-School Night. But, as she hat precarious age of adoles~==============~ _____----lIY cence where hormones and the expectations and values of a sexist society can trigger loss in self-esteem, I know that it will be important to give her plenty of support so she can be herself, not following the crowd, and still feel accepted. Both Trinity and Justus have stood up for children of color who were the object of teasing and misunderstanding on the playground, but my children were safe, given their white skin, from being lumped into the same category of derision. Will it be different if they take the side of someone who has been called "fag" or "dyke?" It is hard enough to develop a healthy sense of sexuality (no matter what one's sexual orientation) without others labelling you as "queer" when that may not be the case. Yet I must trust that my kids will be able to handle the consequences of whatever positions they choose to take . "Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind . .. Hate what is evil, hold on to what is good . . . Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times." (Romans 12: 2a, 9b, 12) As a Christian parent, my job is to hold the .life of Jesus before us as an example of complete and accepting love. I must also help my children develop a strong sense of their own spirituality so that when times come, as they must, when they find themselves on the "outside" because of their faithfulness, they will lean on God's strength. I want them to be able to see with the eyes of Christ so that, when they encounter injustice and intolerance, they will be able to see "that of God" in both the oppressor and the oppressed. Gay and lesbian issues are part of the entire spectrum of concerns that, as Christians, Trinity andJustus will be called to address. Ifthey had grown up in a different age, they might have joined with others to establish · voting rights for women or to abolish "Whites Only" drinking fountains. As children of the late twentieth century, they find themselves in a time of change where lesbians and gay men are claiming their inherent worth and asking to be accepted for who they are. My prayers are with my children and all who stand tall, speak out, and work that all persons may be a part of God's beautiful creation, regardless of how or with whom they share love. Loving, accepting, working for peace and justice -1 can't think of more important Christian family values to impart to children and parents alike . ... Anne Broyles is co-pastor ofMalibu UMC, Malibu, California (which is in the process of becoming a Reconciling Congregation.) She is the author of over seventy articles and three books, including Growing Together in Love: God Known Through Family Life which will be published by the Upper Room next fall. 1993 17 Vince Having met Mike and Nadia, I've discovered a meaning of family I didn't know could exist. I met Mike and his daughter at the beginning of my coming out to myself as a gay man. From them I learned of "gay fathers" a concept I had not even thought about before. As the three of us got to know each other, Mike said several times to me that he and Nadia "came as a package." We've grown to love as a family, sharing happy times and supporting each other in difficult situations. A family starts as a relationship; and it is constantly growing and developing. It takes a lot of effort at times, and a whole lot of respect for each other. Being there to support and simply care about one another is not easy. Mike and Nadia have given me this long hoped for feeling of support and caring. A family does for each other and teaches each other new things about life. We share our thoughts and our feelings. A family is more than just a man, woman, and child. A family is held together by sharing what is important to each other. We gather for meals together. We join around the piano to What Makes a Family? by Vince Benabese, Mike Underhill, and Nadia Underhill What makes a family? We debated this question and discussed it inside out. We consulted dictionaries and textbooks. We reflected on our experiences. We thought about other families. And as it usually is when the three of us discuss matters ofimportance, we realized that we did not agree on one single answer. So we'll share our individual perspectives with you. play and sing. We share events that are important to each other -with a vacation thrown in now and then. There are many experiences to come I'm sure -but always as a family. Mike All the mail I receive from the Gay and Lesbian Parents Coalition is stamped on the envelope with a bold slogan, "LOVE MAKES A FAMILY" For the roughly 10 percent of gay men and the 40 percent of lesbians who have children, this slogan strikes home. Whatever the courts have ruled about our fitness as parents, whatever church bodies have said about our compatibility with religiOUS teachings, whatever other kids on the playground tell 0 children about fags and queers, wha . ever quaint term the census bureau an sociologists use to sometimes acknm edge our existence, we know love an we know in our guts that we and 0 children and our lovers constitute fam·· lies. Yes, love does make a family. B there's more. When I last wrote about this topic Open Hands, I wrote a typically rna' piece, analytical and objective, full 0 arguments and sub-arguments. Thou it contained an ode on the "wisdom our children," there was little to suggehow much joy I had with my daugh Nadia. There was also no indication CURBSIDE OH F I NE) FIN£..... Bur, SAYS ToNY T ilt. \5 Go -N EE DING BRA(fS .. . 18 Open Hands how much work and energy it took to organize my entire life around meeting my commitments to be part of Nadia's life each and every week. So now I want to emphasize that love and joy and work and energy all make a family. But most importantly, I want to acknowledge that family life with Nadia and Vince is a great blessing. They kid me, make me laugh at myself, ask about important things in my life, listen when I need to talk, give me advice when I ask for it, care about my feelings, and humor my peculiarities. What makes a family? For me, family is simply Nadia and Vince. Nadia Norman Rockwell's pictures of the quintessential family seem firmly tattooed onto some people's brains. Not mine, though, because my family has never been what a lot of people would call normal. I don't see why they wouldn't, really, because aren't we taught not to judge by appearances? I guess the question is "What really makes up a family?" I have a lot of different answers. I think love is part of it, sure. But there's a lot more to love than family, and a lot more to family than love. I think of my family (my mom, my dad, and Vince) as a support group. I know they'll be there for me, and likewise, I know that when they need me, I'll be there. Family is doing things you don't want to, and giving up things you do want. Family is trust. Family is knowing that someone always loves you, supports you, thinks about you. Before Vince became a part of our family, I didn't feel like my dad and I were just a fragment of a family. We weren't; we were a family, by all of the measures listed above. But then my dad met Vince. Vince wasn't like any of the other men my dad had dated. I felt comfortable with him the first time I met him. Once he and my dad moved in together, there weren't any ragged edges between us. We were all one unit, a family. I remember the night I realized that Vince was a part of my family for good, that was that. I use this example to show how well the three of us work together. When I think about our family I know that we have one of the best familial relationships I know. We go beyond love to reliance, consideration, support and trust. I consider myself truly lucky in all respects of my family. In Conclusion W hat makes a family? Despite our differences in emphasis as we've answered this question, there is no difference on the fundamental point: we three are a family ""II<;::~---------------->-""/i We respect and support each not just an onlooker. My dad and I had season tickets to a symphony, and this was the second time my dad had made . extra efforts to get Vince a seat, even going so far as to change our seats so we could all sit together. I remember thinking that my dad's and my life alone was over, and I had never realized it was ending. And in response to this major restructuring of my family, my only response was to think that, well, okay, = =========~)jl other. We have our own rituals of sharing. We are honest with each other. We often ask about each other. We enjoy each other. We sing, play Monopoly, try new recipes, plant wild flowers, wash clothes, and run errands. We cooperate to make life a little easier and a little more enjoyable. And because of our shared lives together, we trust that in good times and in bad, when it's convenient and when it's not, we three will be there for each other. That's love in action. That's what makes a family. T Nadia is a very active sophomore in high school. Vince and Mike work in the information technology training department of a major Chicago corporation and are active at Parish of the Holy Covenant United . Methodist Church in Chicago, Illinois. T h;S 5eec.idJ E. piso de of "CURB SIDE " wru-~.tr F ~ueo T HE RfPV8LtO(N HDM05EX CDIlLlTi oN FOR crR.APIT10N'AL f'AM/Lc ~. ~ Spring 1993 19 Effective parenting crosses all spectrums of society and culture and all sexual orientations, although added dynamics are evident when lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people are parents. Effective parents are those who possess certain traits and practice certain skills within their families to produce healthy, positive re~ lationships with their partners and children. The first trait of effective parenting is AVAILABILITY. As parents, we need to make time to listen and share what is important to us and what is important to our children. What we invest in our children now is what we will get in return later. Our children will never remember what they had for dinner. They will remember if we had time to spend with them. Take time for fun. Make memories together. The second trait of effective parenting is MUTUAL RESPECT. Mutual respect says that everyone is valued and no one is more important than another. For example, if I expect my child to knock on my bedroom door when it is closed, then I need to knock on my child's door as well. Respect isn't just something young people should have for their elders. It is something we should all experience from birth on: doing to others as we would have them do to us. A third trait of effective parenting is EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION which is a combination of speaking with and listening to another person. Listening is the most important part of the equation! On occasion, one of my children will say "Mom, you're not really listening to me." When that happens, it is important for me to affirm them by giving my full attention, eye contact, and body language that says ''I'm with you now." We also need to help our children feel safe enough to express themselves to us without fear of rejection. To engage in effective communication, families must have appropriate LANGUAGE -to name who we are and how we relate to each other. Language is especially important to gay, lesbian, and bisexual families . When I divorced, I became a single parent. My ex-husband remarried about the same time I re-partnered. He had a Wedding. We had a Holy Union. O Uf children now had a father and stepmother, and a mother and her friend or companion, depending on who was speaking. When my children say "this is my mom and this is her partner" or "this is my bedroom and this is their bedroom," their friends have little difficulty with it. But we must have the language. A fourth trait of effective parenting involves RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. Ask yourselves these questions What kind of family do we have? Wha' do we want it to looklike? What's my part? What's your part? Everyone needs to have a meaningful; manageable role. I signed on to be the mom. You signed on to be the kid. How do we work together to make our home the place where we all want to live? Responsibility is like a muscle. Ithas to be used in order to grow. Kids who have everything done for them become passive recipients of whatever life dishes out. Responsible, thinking, involved kids believe they can change the world, and they do their best to do that. Lettino our children make some choices and live through the consequences is one or the best gifts we can give them. If one forgets his lunch, he has to figure au' what to do; borrow money, borrow food . be hungry until after school and hope for a big snack. If one forgets her jacke she has to be cold or stay in fro Open Hands 20 parents are always there, kids through the consequence of e, never have to figure out 0, never learn from a mistake might do differently the next ecome responsible for them- effective parenting involves this with LOVE FOR EACH Remember that what we put we'll get back someday. :ears ago we took a family trip port. We tried to buy a "fambut were told that my life and our two children did not .i criteria for family. We went many middle and upper manpeople and just as many ex=L-=-.uv.1S as to why we were family ed this pass. They were willme a single parent memberfinally they were willing to let e, just to have us go away. Of wouldn't do that. Finally a arne toward us and said an./ do you people have to be so "hy do you have to make such .. My nine year old daughter, been silently observing the e as we marched from pererson, came forward and ree does it now so that maybe I -e to do it later." Without anord from anyone, Kacy was our family pass. e love we give, the time we nd the values we share that family. .... Frryberg is the founder and DirecPc: ents & Kids Foundation in Con necticut and is a member of politan Community Church in en. She is writing a book, Raisfo r Fun and Prof it. A Fami.ly Orientation by Malcolm C. Bertram, Jr. LOri Ann grew up in a home where peace and justice were not only discussed but acted on. As parents Barbara and I sought to show not only by words but by example that every person shares with every other person a common family, the family of God. Lori Ann brought a new challenge, a new gift, when she told us she was a lesbian. That really put years of teaching, living, and believing to the test. Would our teaching and believing get reduced to mere words when applied to our family? How would we and her two brothers react after Lori Ann "came out" the summer before her junior year in college? How would we react to new words, new relationships, and new categories of consideration? We were forced to broaden the circle of our neatly fashioned heterosexual world -to be more inclusive -which moved us far beyond intellectual exercises, academic knowledge, or even theological belief. Would our family circle expand to become inclusive of those called "gay" and "lesbian" or would it reject and shut them out which also meant rejecting and shutting out Lori Ann? For the Bertram family, the latter was never eVen an option. Yes, there are areas of conflict, misunderstandings, and times of tension. But they would all be with us anyway. Lori Ann's orientation is really not the cause. Rather, her orientation is one of the dynamics brought to our family table which now includes two more traditional families (Lori Ann's brothers and their spouses, each with two sons) expanding our circle even more. With every expansion has come a strengthening of our family. For us the issue was never "Why us?" or "What did we do?" The questions were, "What will this mean for us?" and "How will Lori Ann be treated by others?" Our concerns were clarified when Mary, a close friend of the family, responded to the news by saying, "I love Lori Ann, and her being a lesbian doesn't change that love.I worry, however, about how she will be treated by those who don't love her." It has been almost ten years since Lori Ann came out. Today the family as a whole accepts her and her partner without question although individually, family members have questions, disappointments, expectations, and fears . Each family member deals with these struggles in different ways, most often in a supportive, affirming manner. The strong family values of peace, justice, honesty, and celebration of each individual have played a major role in al1 our growth: Love for each other, strengthened by shared family religious experiences, and a common commitment to the dignity and value of each person, provided the glue that would not allow our family to crack or break. Our family'S story, however, should be viewed against the backdrop of a society which does not support or recognize the right of persons to be themselves. We know some of the reactions of others who do not know the Bertram Family. We hear the words that hurt, cut, and wound. Yet we also know the joy of love tested and love strengthened . We love each other, and that is our family orientation . .... Malcolm C. Bertram, Jr. is Senior Pastor of The Second Church in Newton, United Church ofChrist, Newton, Massachusetts which became an Open and Affirming Church before knOWing the Bertram story. His daughter, Lori Ann, is a Supervisor for the Domestic Abuse Unit in the Massachusetts State Department of Social Services and a deacon in the Hingham Congregational Church, Uce. 993 21 In 1989 the "Children of the Rainbow" curriculum was developed by the New York City public school system and recommended by the central Board of Education to the thirty-two local districts for adoption. The multicultural guide is designed to acquaint teachers with the different types of families and backgrounds from which their students come. Teachers are to encourage students to respect diversity and promote sensitivity by teaching them to "acknowledge the positive aspects of each type of household." These objectives make sense, given the facts that two-thirds of the one million children who attend public school in New York City are from single-parent households; more than half live in poverty; ten percent have immigrated to this country within the past three years; and only twenty percent are white. Controversy has arisen, however, because within the 443-page curriculum, brief sections suggest that respect be extended to lesbian/ gay people and children whose families may include one or more homosexual parents. In the fall of by Beth Bentley 1992 gay rights opponents charged that the "Children of the Rainbow" curriculum promotes homosexuality. Roman Catholics, Hispanic evangelicals, and affiliates of Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition have been especially outspoken and disrespectful in school board meetings, special forums and demonstrations (thus demonstrating the need for the curriculum). Peter Hogness shared his personal experience at a special forum in Queens School District 24. He says, "The catcalls and insults started as soon as the crowd knew which side I was on: "Shut up! ... You phony! . .. Boo!" 1 In the face of widespread and outspoken opposition, the original recommendations to teachers were modified, giving districts the option of postponing until later grades topics relating to homosexuality while retaining the basic message of respect. According to the Washington Blade (December 18, 1992) by early December 1992, seventeen of the thirty-two boards had opted to postpone references to gay/ lesbian families until later grades; eight were reportedly using the original curriculum gUidelines; and the remainder were discussing possible alterations. In School District 15, the pastor and members of Park Slope United Methodist Church (PSUMC), a reconciling congregation, have been active in testifying in favor of the curriculum and holding forums. The pastor has also raised the issue at a meeting of United Methodist pastors called by the bishop to discuss urban issues. It is quite likely that the gUide could be gutted, and the central school board's . decisions overturned, if conservative school board candidates get elected on May 4. As this issue of Open Hands goes to press results are not yet known. Among the candidates who promote the family value of respecting everyone are a PSUMC member and a United Methodist pastor from Staten Island. ... 1His article originally appeared in New York Newsday (December 11, 1992) and was reprinted in GLPCI Network (the newsletter oj the Ga) & Lesbian Parents Coalition International). Beth Bentley is a member oj Park Slope United Methodist Church in the Brookl)~ neighborhood oj New York City. n ant. Pat and Karen Norman, who have been a family for more than nine years, are now proud parents of ten month old Zachary. The bi ll boards have been the target of vandalism and a bomb threat and GLAAD offices have received some hate calls, bu most response has been positive. In October 1992, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) launched an advertising campaign in the state of California to challenge the traditional definition of family and to increase lesbian visibility. The ad features an interracial lesbian couple, one of whom is nine months preg- 22 Open Hands ~ !\j'O'1'~E Baptizing Andrew: ""~e" A Tale of Two Churches CllflJee,tA by Karin Abbey a and I are a mixed couple: eila was raised Roman Cathoand I was raised Lutheran. met thirteen years ago, neiwas active in a church nor en since college. :er, not long after we became a began attending a Lutheran 'hich was quite conservative, 'orship style and politics. The pealed to me (as an anthrovalue tradition), but the latroblematic. I had found a comof faith, but I had to be very bout discussing my private life. l no inclination to join a church e didn't feel welcome. ,'ears later, I discovered s Concerned and wrote to 'Tl rough LC I was nominated to \'orkshop on the Church and <>xuality where I was out simul...~..uU;)Ij' for the first time as a Chrisa lesbian. I came home high sSibility of being a Lutheran open about her sexuality. . post-workshop enthusiasm, I to my pastor. He was speechn though he knew I lived with d knew the nature of the workad attended! I suggested that I ably not the only non-hetero. n his congregation. He agreed that so far he hadn't had to h the issue. passed. The pastor looked a mfortable at any mention of and even more so when I menmy involvement in Lutherans ned. However, I taught Sunday served on Church Council, and rganize the church's 35th anni. celebrations. Slowly, I came out -people at church. n Sheila succeeded · in getting nt (something we had been worklard for nearly five years). We that my congregation would not best place for the baby's bapFortunately, we had become aced with Pastor Pat of the other g 1993 local Lutheran church. So when she announced that she was pregnant, we just grinned and Sheila announced that she was pregnant too. Pastor Pat readily agreed to baptize our baby. Sheila gave birth to Andrew on October 4, 1990. We arranged to have Lutherans Concerned godfathers fly in from Chicago and Pittsburgh for Andrew's baptism on December 30. Unfortunately, we hadn't cleared the date with Pastor Pat and discovered she would be out of town. Since it was too late to change the date, we decided that I should ask my pastor after all. When I told him of Andrew's birth, he was again speechless. When I asked about the baptism, he said that it was his practice to baptize "illegitimate" children before or after services, not during them. Now I was speechless! "Surely," he said, "you've seen baptismal parties between services?" "Yes, but I assumed they weren't members of the congregation and didn't care to participate in the service." "Occasionally. But more often they were the families of illegitimate children." "But I thought a major part of baptism was to welcome the child into the congregation? That can hardly happen if the congregation isn't present." "I can't make an exception for you. It wouldn't be fair to all the others." "You've already been unfair to them." "I see no reason to change my elevenyear-old custom." "I see no reason to continue in this congregation. " I cried all the way home where Sheila ' comforted me. Then we called Pastor Pat and asked if the chaplain of our Lutherans Concerned chapter could perform the baptism at her church in her absence. She brought the matter to her church council, who readily agreed. The godfathers arrived, family and friends came, the baptism was beautiful, and Sheila and I were introduced to the congregation as Andrew's parents. We subsequently joined Andrew's new church. We serve on various committees and attend worship as a family. I still miss some of the friends I made at myoId congregation, but we all appreciate the differences between that church and our new one . At myoId congregation, I was "out" to a select few; now, if one of us turns up alone for services, people ask, "Where's the rest of the family?" At my old congregation, the pastor looked uncomfortable if I mentioned Sheila; now, when Sheila and Andrew attend early service and I turn up for the late service, Pastor Pat chuckles and says, "What, are you two separated?" Our new church gives us hope for the future, hope for Andrew, and hope for the church as a whole . ... Karin Abbey and her partner, Sheila Connolly, have been in a committed relationship since 1980 and have worked in the same companyfor ten years. Their son Andrew is now two and a half years old. 23 Same-Sex Unions: Perspectives from a Clergy /lllv In February 1993 the United Meth~ odist Southwest Texas Conference held its first gathering of "clergy only" with our newly assigned bishop. In a time for questions the bishop made it clear that he would discourage local churches from becoming Reconciling Congregations -an action churches can take beyond the boundaries of episcopal authority. He also forbade clergy under his charge to officiate at unions or any ceremonies resembling a marriage between same-sex couples, noting that such action would receive an episcopal reprimand (which could considerably jeopardize individual clergypersons' ·careers). Some of the ministers, including me, sighed in dismay while others cheered in unrestrained joy. The bishop's statement triggered anxiety in me for very personal reasons. In November 1992 Trinity UMC (the church to which I have been appointed for five years) voted by Church Conference action to become a Reconciling Congregation. By taking this step Trinity Church has decided that one's sexual orientation should not be a determinant for the status of inclusion . . Therefore, Trinity also believes that persons of homosexual and bisexual orientations should be afforded the open opportunity, if so desired, to have the same life-partnered, monogamous relationships as heterosexuals. Additionally, Trinity believes that if the couple chooses to have a public church ceremony marking this important rite of passage, and chooses to have a clergyperson officiating, church and clergy blessings should not be withheld. I have conducted same-sex unions since 1988. They have been facilitated discreetly, usually in members' homes to protect the privacy of the couple, to protect myself from undue criticism, and to respect the integrity of Trinity Church, which had not yet made a public statement regarding its understand24 ing of sexual orientation. When meeting with same-sex couples before a union service, I have followed the same guidelines for counseling as with opposite-sex couples before a wedding. I believe that life-partnerships should not be entered into unadvisedly, particularly with same-sex couples who have a society and even the church discouraging their relationship. I discuss relationship issues and emphasize the unique spiritual quality of a covenant before God that promises to love each other "for better and for worse . . . till parted by death." I also explain to same-sex couples that my role is not as an "officiant," since the United Methodist Church does not recognize their covenant. Since my bishop's pronouncement I have felt intensely conflicted. To ignore the bishop's gag order would jeopardize my own ministry and possibly the mission of Trinity Church. To obey his order would contradict what I understand to be the gospel of Jesus Christ and would compromise my own integrity. But perhaps there is another possibility. What if God is the officiant and couples were to give their vows to each other without a clergy conducting the service? The Quakers have been doing it for hundreds of years. The quiet stillness of God's presence experienced at a Friends Meeting House reminds us of what the Holy Spirit can do when we clergy get out of the way. One Friends marriage booklet says that "No third person pronounces (opposite-sex couples) husband and wife because Friends believe that God alone can create such a union and give it Significance" (A Quaker Marriage. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Yearly Meeting). Another Quaker group writes that "Early Friends perceived that no mortal being could join two others together in marriage; only they could marry each by Sid Hall other through a public declaration of their commitment (" Marriage" in Faith and Practice. Corvallis, Oregon; North Pacific Yearly Meeting of the ReligiOUS Society of Friends, 1986, p. 91). That same meeting of the Friends declared that although Quaker weddings have traditionally been limited to heterosexual couples, "meetings may wish to honor such requests to take a homosexual committed relationship under their care by following the traditional clearness procedures and having a Meeting for Worship in which the couple publicly affirms and celebrates their commitment to each other." Quaker unions are always in the context of worship. Often after the vows are spoken they are followed by silence before God which the worshipping community shares through silent prayer, meditation, spoken prayers, scripture reading, or spoken messages to the couple. What if such a practice were done in other churches? Even if clergypersons cannot oJJiciate at a same-sex union, surely their presence at any service that enhances "responsible, committed, and loving forms of expression" and affirms "only that sexual expression which enhances that same humanity, in the midst of diverse opinion as to what constitutes that enhancement" (The Book oj Discipline, UMC, para. 71F) would not be seen as a violation of ordination vows. Although I suspect conservative bishops would not much like a Quakertype ceremony for same-sex couples, surely a clergy's presence at such a service would not constitute a violation of a bishop's gag order. It is certainly something to think about. T Sid Hall is pastor oJ Trinity United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas (theJirst Reconciling Congregation in theSouthwest Texas Conference and the second in Texas). Open Hands ". Wh~nFamH),va/uesI ~ rrd ed -_ aps you read about the minis- and his wife who died of ? Bill Walker was a devoted band, and church leader. .~er was a devoted mother, church leader. He was bie was heterosexual. He led a e. She knew about it. He may the AIDS virus -knowingly "mgly. He probably gave it to receded him in death. Bill's death onJuly 4, 1992, the t that he solicited others for said, "no" and I understand -~ "no's" were respected. How!-Ie light of his "outing" as a who died of AIDS, the fear ,ing spread the AIDS virus is erstandably rampant. What is derstandable, however, is the ponse, which appears to have dorni nantly one oj. examining ainst Bill ofpossible sexual misharassment, rather than a csponse to people's fears and to death of these two people. 1 "rplorations here are not about misconduct and harassment"e their place in another dia:hat is paramount here is the f a man called to the ministry to leadership in the local, and international church -and ng struck down by both a terease and a terrible prejudice in rch to which he and his wife ed their lives. . can this happen in the United 1St Church of the 1990s? We lr to look at the mixed signals the church's official statements iple and policy and by church actions. The United Methodist rinciples state: lOsexuals no less than hetero: 1ls are persons of sacred worth . [However] . . . homosexuality ... incompatible with Christian . "2 ,mg an we say that a person is of worth" but "incompatible" with 1993 \.,,~,\.,'\\,,~,~,\\~~\\~~\\ by Jeremy Landau Christian teaching? The American Psychological Association has long since removed homosexuality from the classification of deviance. Some even go so far as to say that if one is not homosexual at birth, sexuality becomes ingrained so early in life as to be unchangeable. Yet, given the stance of our Social Principles, a call to persons to be Christians -if they happen to be homosexual -is a call for them to lie and deceive. And when one moves beyond laity to clergy; the conflict and deception is even greater. The call to ministry is considered to be to those of high moral character -character which must be validated by congregation, district, board of ordained ministry, and ultimately by the bishop and God. Given the current stance of the church, many gay or lesbian Christians, feeling such a call, choose to maintain a secret life, knowing that not to do so would mean forever closing off the path of ministry. Some of these persons are "outed ," resulting in a denial of their call. Others, however, are found to be of high moral character and are eventually recognized by the church and ordained. Some who are ordained are found "lacking" and never achieve prominence . Others, however, achieve stature, being appointed to larger and larger congregations, and to conference commissions, national and global boards and agencies. They become district superintendents, candidates for bishop, and even bishops. In every instance where a closeted clergy is knowingly ordained, one or more persons in the church in positions of authQrity (straight or gay) participate in the lie and deception, helping to keep their secret. And as the clergyperson rises in stature, an ever expanding circle of church leaders (straight and gay) know their secret and become accomplices in the lies and deception. The secret becomes increasingly important, fragile, and destructive. Enter the AIDS pandemic and the duplicity of clergy and complicity of church leaders achieves life and death proportions. Closeted clergy with HIV have three choices. They can come out as a gay minister with HIV and lose everything: vocation, family, and livelihood. They can keep their disease hidden, remain isolated, continue to lead a fragmented life, and, perhaps risk the lives of others through denial. They can seek the gUidance of the church and hear the reply of church leaders, "We don't know him!" Misplaced Values? W hat are the values implicit in this tragic story and in this analysis? It would appear that the church places a higher value on ordination by deception than on ordination by honesty. It would also appear that preserving a heterosexual marriage at all costs, even death, is a higher value than acknowledging the diversity of orientations and viable family models. It would also appear that complicity by church authorities with another's deception is a higher value than leading the church forthrightly out of prejudice and bigotry. Finally, it would appear that examining charges of possible sexual misconduct and harassment is a higher value than a offering a compassionate ministry to the dying, the grieving, the fearful, and those who "stand at the door and knock." Are these the values we desire within the diverse family of God? .... IOregon-ldaho United Methodist Vol. 28, No. 2, December, 1992 and Vol. 28, No.3, Janumy/February, 1993. 2The Book of Discipline, Social Principles. UMC, para. 71F Jeremy Landau is Executive Director of the Rural AIDS Network in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 25 The time is now . . . we move out and on. Whatever the structure, the clan, the language, the common dwelling the shared tools Whatever the orientation ... We are a circle of Families, connected and inter-connected. Each is worthy, each is valuable a hearth-fire, and open do~r giving and receiving, able and enabling. Gather the households, I say The time is now, reach out CALL: Gather the households; gather the households! ! embrace one another no one need go alone. RESPONSE: (In Unison) We do not embrace this journey How shall we dress ourselves? What shall be our demeanor? Who rides ahead, w ho follows? What is our direction? Shall we know our way? May we travel as a family, , parent-spirits, child-spirits and I, the seeker? Will we hunger and thirst? What of the moans and cries on every side, the shrieking in the night? Who will carry the live coals, which of us recite the tales? . ::::::::::I1!fwW;;'?, (A Single Voice) What of my fears? Will my fetishes protect or offend? Perhaps I'll babble at my prayers. I'll know fatigue and weakness on this journey to lie each evening in a strange darkness, rise each dawn in an unfamiliar place! (In Unison) There will be broken trails deep waters to ford, no turning back. What shall we hope for? What shall we receive? ASSURANCE: (In Unison) We go as one household seeking New Earth ? Peace and Justice. We are of this Earth -A Rainbow. We have wind, fire and Spirit. Nothing is new except ourselves, as possibilities. Evil's masks we recognize! What have we to fear? Take my hand, we'll go together. This liturgy was created by Arlene Specht, a member of First Congregational Church UCC, Wilmette, Illinois for Open Hands ' Spring, 1993. It may be reprinted without permission. 26 Open Hands (OU~,£~ G "FAMILY" e?hanie. The Way We Never Were: American Families and algia Trap. New York: BasicBooks, 1992. -Before Christmas. 1993 video from Partners Task Force for Lesbian Couples. Sweet Corn Productions, Box 9685, SeA 98109-0685. 206/784-1519. A musical comedy about a gay and family values. anet. Confronting the Idolatry of Family: A New Vision for usehold ofGod. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991. Argues that Mfamily values" are too closely related to the "American In catering to the "traditional family," the church fails to o the wider, inclusive family of God. ns. Coming Home: Reclaiming Spirituality and Community _ ~fen and Lesbians. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1990. The 5 family, benefiting from gay/lesbian spirituality and minisarrie, Ed., with Marilyn Yalom. Rethinking the Family, Rev. ew York: Longman, 1982. Essays from the perspectives of academic disciplines. Harriett. Family Secrets. Reading, MA Addison-Wesley PubCo., 1991. Discusses the emotional fallout when families secrets. Includes chapter on gay parents. 'ath. Families We Choose: Lesbian, Gays, Kinship. New York: bia University Press, 1991. A look at the families lesbians and en create with friends, lovers, and children, and maintain with es of origin. ~.w~I"'n I BISEXUAL I GAY FAMILIES .arriet, Ed. We Are Everywhere: Writings By and About Lesbian "Its. Freedom, CA Crossing Press, 1988. Essays from varied . ethnic groups, geographic areas, and ages. rederick W., Ed. Children of Gay and Lesbian Parents. New Praeger, 1987. Includes the same-sex stepparent family and e mixed-orientation marriages. p Uean Chang, Ed.). The Final Closet: The Gay Parents' Guide Coming Out, Rev. Ed. North Miami, Fl: Editech Press, 1990. ng out to children of all ages. ....esbian Parents Coalition International (GLPCI). Bibliography ays and lesbians and their families. Order from the Washington ress below for $5 and SASE. , Susan E. Staying Power: Long Term Lesbian Couples. Tallasee, Fl: Naiad Press, 1990. A study of 108 couples. Describes port systems to help with children and families. e. Loralee, Ed. There's Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You: Anthology About Lesbians and Gay Men Coming Out to Their ldren. Tallahassee, Fl: Naiad Press, 1989. By parents of varied grounds and situations. ,john Ed. A Member of the Family: Gay Men Write About Their ilies . New York: Dutton, 1992. ng 1993 Rafkin, Louise, Ed. Different Mothers: Sons and Daughters of Lesbians Talk About Their Lives. Pittsburgh: Cleis Press, 1990. Stories of more than 30 children of several ages and cultural backgrounds. THE COUPLE AND HOLY UNIONS Sherman, Suzanne, Ed. Lesbian and Gay Marriage: Private Commitments, Public Ceremonies. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1992. A collection of stories of lesbian and gay couples and their choices about ceremonies. Uhrig, Larry J. The Two ofUs: Affirming, Celebrating, and Symbolizing Gay and Lesbian Relationships. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1984. Williams, Robert. "Toward a Theology for Lesbian and Gay Marriage." The Anglican Theological Review, vol. LXXII, no.2, Spring 1990. FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH Alyson, Sasha, Ed. Young, Gay & Proud! Rev. Ed. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1991. For gay and lesbian teenagers. Elwin, Rosamund. Asha's Mums. New York: Women's Press, 1990. GLPCl. Annotated bibliography (Spring 1993 update) of 75 picture books of gay/lesbian families, for age 11 and under. Order from the Washington address below for $1 and SASE. GLPCl. Just For Us Newsletter. By, for, and about the daughters and sons of lesbians and gay men. Free, with suggested donation of $5. Order from 3023 North Clark, Box 121, Chicago, IL60657. Newman, Leslea. Gloria Goes to Gay Pride and Heather Has Two Mommies. (Both) Boston: Alyson Publications, 1991. Willhoite, Michael. Daddy's Roommate. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1990. FOR RELATIVES Buxton, Amity Pierce. The Other Side of the Closet: The Coming-Out Crisis for Straight Spouses. Santa Monica, CA lBS Press, 1991. Based on five years of research and interviews with 450 men and women whose wives or husbands came out. Rafkin, Louise, Ed . Different Daughters: A Book by Mothers of Lesbians. Pittsburgh: Cleis Press, 1987. Examines the perpetual questions of family, community, and more. OTHER RESOURCES GLPCI Network. Newsletter of the Gay & Lesbian Parents Coalition International. Box 50360, Washington, DC 20091. 202/583-8029. "Images of Family." Open Hands . Fall 1989. Order from RCP, 3801 N . Keeler, Chicago, IL 60641 The Lesbian and Gay National Family Registry. Human Rights Campaign Fund, 1Ol2 14th. St., NW, 6th Fl., Washington, DC 20002. Parents FLAG, P.O. Box 27605, Central Station, Washington, D.C . 20038. Compiled by Caroline Presnell, member of Open Hands Advisory Committee. With thanks to Women & Children First Bookstore in Chicago and Northwestern University Library in Evanston, Illinois . 27 Broadway United Church of Christ ans and Gays (P-FLAG) chapter, and is Welcome New Churches Our welcoming movement continues to expand -now more than 300 churches strong! Here are profiles of the congregations that jOined our welcoming movement this winter. ~T."'.TJI r..••T••~ OPEN ----m-MJ~~ J!~ ~ ~T."'.TJI "T.T••~ [ OPEN AND AFFIRMING United Church of Gainesville Gainesville, Florida Located in a community of 90,000 which is home to the University of Florida, this 450-member congregation is committed to activities which strengthen its inner life and its outreach. A highlight of the spring was the annual "All Church Retreat" which involved 300 members of all ages. The church is also involved in a Habitat for Humanity building project and hosts a number of human rights-related groups including a monthly potluck supper for gay, lesbian, and bisexual folks. First Congregational Church Pasadena, California A downtown church in suburban Los Angeles, this congregation of 350 is in a five-floor building that exceeds its current need for space. This is, therefore, a challenging and exciting time for the church as it decides about alternatives to its present building and location. The church is currently developing "growth groups" that offer prayer, Bible study, and reflection on spirituality and daily living. Members of the congregation are active in gay and lesbian activities of the UCC in southern California and the church has a gay / lesbian support group. NewYork, New York This "church without walls" meets at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in the middle of Manhattan. The 100member congregation is diverse in language, race, and profession. Christian education precedes and a supper follows worship at 5 P.M. on Sundays. This is a good hour for artists, performers, and others who may have had a late Saturday evening! First Church of Christ Congregational Middletown, Connecticut This mid-sized church in a small city is engaged in numerous exciting programs including building relationships with area African-American congregations, participating in interfaith dialogues, and serving Sunday evening dinner for a local soup kitchen. Two groups meeting at the church and involving church members are an AIDS buddy network and a support group for gay youth. Belleville Congregational Church Newburyport, Massachusetts A generally open, liberal church of 100 members, this congregation includes people of all ages and has an active church school program. Its building is used often by a variety of community groups and the church itself is currently focusing on its ministry of caring, with particular attention to work with the elderly. Shalom United Church of Christ Richland, Washington Located in the southeast corner of Washington, this is a 125-member congregation with a "suburban feel." There are many professional people in the church, a number of them scientists and engineers. Recent building renovation is cause for excitement -especially the newly remodeled kitchen. The building welcomes a number of groups, including a Parents and Friends of Lesbione of four outlets for the "Stonewall News Spokane," the gay newspaper of eastern Washington. Plymouth United Church of Christ Oakland, California This 85-member, urban church has been focusing on receiving "a new heart and new spirit" as its explores its vision of covenant and mission. Out of this faith exploration has come new forms of worship, a commitment to being a creation/earth-centered community, and new, exciting programs, including a children's learning center. Peace UCC, a congregation with a largely gay, lesbian, and bisexual membership, has been given meeting space at Plymouth for several years. Sayville Congregation UCC Sayville, NewYork A middle-class, suburban church of 350 members, this congregation is being energized by rediscovering the depths of Christian faith, its power in members' lives, and its call for connections between spirituality and justice. The church is involved in a number of mission efforts including a housing initiative -buying property to be used for low-income housing. Among the many opportunities for growth and support is a social group for gay, lesbian, and bisexual folks and their friends. [RECONCILED IN CHRIST] Reformation Lutheran Church Milwaukee, Wisconsin Reformation adopted the Affirmation of Welcome at the encouragement of the Greater Milwaukee Synod and its bishop. The congregation arranged for a lengthy series of forums, discussions 28 Open Hands -hlOPS for the congregation, cour-week study of sexual'outh group. The issue was er or not to be welcoming, "nd of public stance of affirneeded. Shepherd of the Hills r~"Church ifornia ongregation calls itself the ~.;.L>'ullling Place on the Hill," and . he Affirmation of Welcome at ~. congregational meeting this ongregation has always been .g and has an openly gay memelt that a public statement was . -being the Welcoming Place Hill means reaching out with 'e to all people who might feel e from the church due to painexperiences. a IC issue was initiated and car:ward by the congregation's od.~12~ical school after visiting an RIC ation in St. Paul. The first RIC ation in Iowa, Lord of Life ,. claims a history of openness dusivity. The congregation also ,. supported the city of Ames a period of public upset after . added sexual orientation to its '-'.....IUJ:>\...rimination policy. rk's Lutheran Church City, Missouri _.larks' Pastor Conrad said that ng the Affirmation of Welcome ~ at all a difficult issue. Welcom-bian and gay people into the ~=---~ation is a fact of life here." The ar-old congregation felt that makpublic statement of welcome was port ant way of promoting the egation's diversity and inclusivity. nChurch of Honolulu ulu, Hawaii theran Church of Honolulu mem"ere moved by their experiences openly gay seminary intern Bill sh last year to begin working for _.:e for lesbian and gay people in the ng 1993 larger church as well as in their own congregation. (Last year LCH kept its commitment to provide Kunish with an internship even after the seminarian was expelled by the ELCA following preaching a gay-positive sermon at his home congregation in Michigan.) LCH is the first welcoming congregation in Hawaii! Trinity Lutheran Church Long Beach, California Trinity has long had a mission statement which includes a statement of welcome to all people, including lesbian and gay people. In keeping with this, the church council adopted the Affirmation of Welcome this year and has requested recognition as an RIC congregation. [~-T~ RECONCILING CONGREGAnON Lake Merritt U.M.Church Oakland, California Lake Merritt is one of the most diverse congregations in the Bay Area of California with its 350 members tracing their heritage to at least sixteen different countries and nationalities. The congregation has made spiritual growth its focus for the past ten years. Lake Merritt takes great pride in its music ministry and also sponsors a hunger project, multiple 12-step programs, and a grief group. Six years ago the congregation became a "Welcoming Faith" congregation to join a local program welcoming lesbians and gay men and encouraging HIV/ AIDS ministries. Glide Memorial U.M. Church San Francisco, California Glide is "San Francisco's largest urban center" which provides help to the homeless, the poor, and the disenfranchised by serving over 3,300 meals every day, · providing a crisis center for people in need, and programs for persons with substance abuse and persons with HIV / AIDS . The Rev. Cecil Williams is celebrating his 30th year of ministry at this thriving urban Christian community which welcomed over 800 new members last year and has a total membership of about 5,000 persons. The roots of the gay/lesbian Christian movement can be traced to Glide. In 1964, a consultation with thirty church leaders and gay men and lesbians at Glide resulted in the founding of the Council on Religion and the Homosexual, the pioneer organization on lesbian/gay concerns in the church. Welcoming and Affirming Baptists Our ecumenical movement welcoming gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons continues to expand with the addition of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. The association is a national network of individuals, groups, and congregations that welcome and affirm lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons. Welcoming and Affirming Baptists began in March, 1992, in response to a resolution passed by the General Board of the American Baptist Church, USA, that stated: "we affirm that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching." Fifteen congregations and agencies have joined the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists in its first year. For more information, write to: Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, P.O. Box 2596, Attleboro Falls, MA 02763. Empowering Youth Over the past year, both the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/ Gay Concerns (UCCL/GC) and the Reconciling Congregation Program (RCP) have begun to integrate the concerns of youth and young adults into our welcoming movement. In October 1992, the UCCL/ GC hired Gregory Anderson as Coordi29 nator of Outreach to Youth and Young Adults. In February 1993, the first meeting of the RCP's Youth/Young Adult Task Force (YYATF) was held in conjunction with the RCP board of directors' meeting. In recent months, the two groups have been working to bring the issues of sexual orientation and youth/young adults to the forefront in our churches as well as in the larger social arena. Anderson was involved in planning the Youth Empowerment Speakout at the National March onWashington in April. Both the UCCl/GC and the RCP helped resource this event and learned how the church can better support lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. The U CCl / GC and RCP also are resourcing various local churches and judicatories on youth/young adult concerns. Anderson has participated in youth events in Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, and Kansas. The RCP was present at a United Methodist Youth and Violence Conference at the end of April. Creating a bibliography/resource list for youth on sexuality and sexual orientation is a priority for both groups. The UCCL/GC has begun to put together such a listing and seeks assistance to develop and make this resource available to youth and churches. You can send ideas or suggestions to the UCCl/GC Youth and Young Adult Outreach Program, 69 Monadnock Road, Worcester, MA 01609 or call 508/ 755-0005. The RCP also hopes to begin providing more resourcing for campus ministries. The Wesley Foundation serving UCLA became the first reconciling campus ministry last fall and several other campus ministries have expressed interest in the RCP. The RCP's YYATF seeks to be more supportive of this specialized ministry as well as to bring the conCerns of sexual orientation to the forefront on college campuses. In order to move closer to its vision of having active involvement and voices of youth in the Reconciling Congregation movement, the YYATF is actively encouraging youth participation in the RCP convocation in July. Special youth programming will be offered as well as forums on how youth can work directly with the RCP, both locally and nationally. Open Hands is also committed to keeping the concerns of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth before welcoming churches. As congregations struggle with what it means to be open and welcoming, it is vital that youth and young adults be a part of this process. Open Hands is committed to providing youth and young adults with a voice. Any youth who are interested in writing for Open Hands are encouraged to contact the RCP/Open Hands' office. Persons interested in being involved with these ministries with youth and young adults can contact Anderson at the address/phone above or the RCP office. New ONA Resources The United Church Coalition for lesbian/Gay Concerns (UCCl/ GC) plans to present two new resources to the General Synod in July. The first, UPDATE '93, will provide information about the Open and Affirming (ONA) experience of sixty UCC churches. These churches responded to a fourpage survey that asked questions about the ONA process, how they keep their commitment meaningful and visible, what effect being ONA has had on their membership, and much more! The second packet being developed will offer materials about same-sex covenant services. As currently planned, it will include theological background, sample practical suggestions (from what to wear to alternative terms for "maid of honor"). A bibliography will also be provided. Funding for both of these publications is provided by a grant from the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries, Division of American Missionary Association. The grant enables UCCl/GC to update current ONA resources, develop 'new ones and share ideas and programs among congregations that have declared themselves "ONA" The resources will be showcased at a display booth shared by the Open and Affirming programs of the UCC (ONA) and the Disciples of Christ (O&A) at the joint national meetings of these two denominations in St. louis The Reconciling Congregation Program board's campaign to raise $40,000 to support the program's ministries in fiscal year 1993-94 is I I I I • very close to its goal in the waning days of the campaign. As onate April, a total of $37,820 had been pledged by 107 RCP Angels (persons pledging $100+ for the year). These pledges break down in these ranges: 63 persons pledging $100-249 20 persons pledging $250-499 14 persons pledging $500-999 10 persons pledging $1,000+ Rep FRIEND. Rep ANGEL. Rep FRIEND. Rep ANGEL . I • I Open Hands Rep FRIEND. Rep ANGEL. Rep FRIEND. Rep ANGEL Rep Angels -Almost There! With contacts yet to be made with several prospective Angels, RCP treasurer Morris Floyd was confident that the $40,000 goal would be attained. "The board is most gratified by this expression of support for our national ministries," Floyd noted. "This strong base of financial support will enable us to continue to expand our outreach ministries." Ifyou were not contacted by an Rep board member about becoming an RCP Angel, but would like to do so, call the RCP office for information (312/736-5526). 30 " 15-20. The booth will offer es and buttons and preview a f the aNA video, AJourney of me twelve thousand people ted to attend this event. g the joint banquet of the GC and the Gay, Lesbian and .. g Disciples Alliance, more than al churches that have recently aNA and O&'A will be recogd celebrated. rice and order information, con.':'A resources, P.O. Box 403, ~1A 01520. Urge Moving the ed Methodist General e signatures of over 2500 United dists from thirty-six states and :strict of Columbia were collected petition asking that The United dist Church (UMC) move its General Conference from the city m'er, Colorado. The petition dees the move as a "Witness Against irnination" in response to the pasof Colorado's Amendment 2 in .':'ovember's election (see Winter Open Hands ). Copies of the Signed petitions were rded to the UMCs Commission e::eral Conference and the Counhops for consideration at their ---;,.,°5 in late spring/early summer. do United Methodists Against ~.s...-nrnination, organizer of the petiis comprised of Colorado ~~:: people and was formed .. following the November oup sees a national, pub'he UMC as "a powerful -·tness against the oppresnalization and injustice emAmendment 2." In its letter .shops and commission, the otes that it is not advocating a church boycott of Colorado, smgle act of conscience showing ra! solidarity with those who are pressed." ~1any Reconciling Congregations re instrumental in distributing petis and collecting signatures. '-pring 1993 ... .."..... ~ ~ PUBLIC POLICY ALERT President Clinton set a July 15th deadline for announcing a plan regarding lifting the ban on gays in the military So we can anticipate that the concerns of lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons will be prominent in the national public forum again this summer. You can let your voice be heard on this and/or other public policy issues by contacting: White House .......................... 202/456-1111 Pentagon ................................. 703/697-5737 Capitol Switchboard .... ......... 202/224-3121 ~ ~ Reconciling Pastors' Action Network Formed The Reconciling Congregation Program has launched a new Reconciling Pastors' Action Network (RPAN) to advocate the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons within the United Methodist Church (UMC). RPAN offers the opportunity for United Methodist church professionals who are not in Reconciling Congregations (RCs) to publicly identify with the growing RC movement. RPAN will be a network of activists confronting homophobia within the UMC and advocating the removal of all bars to full participation of lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons. I A Reconciling Pastor commits to: 1) Witness, in word and deed, to the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons in the UMC, including the right to all pastoral services and to ordination; 2) Provide pastoral services to lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons, personally and/ or through referral; and 3) Cultivate the emergence of new Reconciling Congregations. The spark to initiate RPAN came during the February meeting of the RCP board of directors as a response to reports of United Methodist pastors being threatened or reprimanded for "" carrying out ministries with lesbians and gay men. Persons wanting information about RPAN should contact the RCP office (312/736-5526). The Third National COJM>Cation of Reconciling Congregations Borneon the Breath of ,god Remembering· Renewing Reforming· Returning July 8-11, 1993 GeorgeWashington University Washington, D.C. 31 UCCUGC &,~LAD Nationa..1~athering The <N;It10nal Gathering« 13 of the United 'Church .,Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns and the annual meeting 9f the Gay, Lesbian and Affirming Disciples Alliance will take place in mid-July at Washington 'University in St. L9uis. With the theme, "Unity and Diversity: Gifts to Celebrate, Obstacles to Overcome," this year's program will explore the dynamics of prejudice with emphasis on ra~ism~i;?e~ism, ableisffi"ind homophobia. As always there will be lots of tim~ for\vorship, conversation and furi! For information, call the national UCCL/GC office .at 614/593-7301. New Resource on Gay Youth Suicide The Lazarus Project in Hollywood, CA has a new educational video available: Scared to Death: Gay Youth Suidde, The video conveys actual stories by lesbians and gay men of experiences they had during adolescence dealing with thoughts of and attempts at committing suicide. The video also includes a mother's story of her son's death. Scared to Death was created by the Lazarus Project, a ministry of reconciliation empowering gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual Christians to love one another. One goal is to send a message to gay youth that they are not alone in dealing with problems of sexual orientation. A well-known Evangelical feminist shares the story of her own journey to greater spiritual awareness. "I have always found V irginia one of the most irenic and spiritually reconciling voices in the feminist movement. Virginia shares with us the deepest secrets of her striving to be one with the Spirit. The "Almost 40 percent of all youth suicides are gay related," says the Reverend Peg Beissert, Director of The Lazarus Project. "We are killing our children with bigotry." The 29-minute video is available for $20 plus $3 for mailing. Order from The Lazarus Project, 7350 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90046 or call 213/ 8746646. A Bi-tlonthly SourceLetter • Liturgies • Children's Sermons • Youth!Adult Workshop PO. Box 2374 Boulder, CO 80306 303/666-8322 chapters dealing with reconciliation and forgiving one's enemy will, I believe, become spiritual classics:' -JOHN]. McNEILL, author of Taking a Chance on God: Liberating Theology for Gays "Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, trusted and beloved evangelical lesbian feminist, builds new bridges of intellect, spirit and psyche, helping everyone cross over from oppression to liberation:' -MARY E. HUNT, author of Fierce Tenderness: A Feminist Theology of Friendship $12.95 paper At bookstores or call 1-800-937-5557 £ROSSROAD 370 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017 & Group Ideas • Lectionary Notes • Christian Year Seasonal Ideas All focused on heterosexism issues Sample Copy $4 Subscription $18 32 Open Hands 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 Open Hands Vol 8 No 4 - Rethinking Family Values https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/7cd4a1172479b06b0c9c3a20f4af636d.pdf 6ae3390059d9dd8d01ec57c7c952f59b Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Volume Number The volume number of the issue 9 Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 1 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1993 Publication Date The date the issue was published Summer Text Any textual data included in the document Open Hands is a resource for congregations and individuals seeking to be in ministry with lesbian, bisexual, and gay persons. Each issue focuses on a specific area of concern within the church. Open Hands is published quarterly by the Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. (United Methodist) in . conjunction with More Light Churches Network (Presbyterian), Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ), and Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran) Programs. Each of these programs is a national network of local churches that publicly affirm their ministry with the whole family of God and welcome lesbian and gay persons and their families into their community of faith. These four programs -along with Open and Affirming (Disciples of Christ), Welcoming (Unitarian Universalist), Supportive Congregations (Brethren/ Mennonite), and Welcoming and Affirming (American Baptist) programs -offer hope that the church can be a reconciled community. Open Hands is published quarterly. Subscription is $16 for four issues ($20 outside the U.S .). Single copies and back issues are $5. Quantities of 10 or more, $3 each. Subscriptions, letters to the editor, manuscripts, requests for advertising rates, and other correspondence should be sent to: Open Hands 3801 N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 Phone: 312/736-5526 Fax: 312/ 736-5475 Member, The Associated Church Press © 1993 Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. Open Hands is a registered trademark ISSN 0888-8833 @Printed 011 recycled paper. Resources Jor Ministries Affirming the Diversity oj Human Sexuality APPROACHING SCRIPTURE What Does Scripture Say? How Shall We Listen? The Bible and Homosexuality ................................................................... 4 Victor Paul Furnish Biblical Echoes of My Loving: Interpreting the Scripture from a Gay Perspective .................................... 7 John Linscheid Dead or Alive: Approaches to Teaching the Bible ............................................................. 9 Dorothy Jean Furnish In Word and Deed: Jesus' Approach to Scripture in Matthew ............................................................................... 12 Nancy Carter VOICES OF YOUTH A Personal Perspective ............................................................................. 15 Alison Graham SUSTAINING THE SPIRIT Lamentations 18: Not the One You Know ............................................... 16 Covenant Group 18/Donna Kay Campbell STUDYING SCRIPTURE Hospitable Interpretations of Sodom ...................................................... 18 Lindsay Louise Biddle Sodom's Sin: Conformity ............................................................... 20 Peg Beissert God's Peculiar Righteousness: Unconditional Grace .............................. 21 Dick Poole The Great Commandments According to Mark ...................................... _ Arnold Isidore Thomas RESOURCES ..................................................................................................... 2LETTERS TO THE EDITOR .............................................................................. 28 MOVEMENT NEWS ......................................................................................... 29 Open Hands 2 Biblical Interpretation: BeyondJudgment to Love No issue is more fraught with tensions and disagreements in our churches today than that of interpreting biblical passages related to homosexual behavior. However, the real question before us is not what the Bible says about homosexuality, but what role and authority the Bible has for our lives. Will it serve as a book of rules and punishment meted out in judgment, or as a written witness of a magnificent story of God's love? To help us continue in this dialogue, we include four general articles on how to approach the Bible, as well as three exegetical articles fOfyour personal or congregational Bible study. The writers tell a consistent story of the Good News in the Bible: God is gracious! God is loving! God is accepting! All are welcome at the table of God . Ultimately we must decide: How will we and our churches respond to God's Good News? In judgment or in love? -Mary Jo Osterman, Editor Next Issue: Counteracting the Religious Right 'bJPG,OMINGt THEME ISSUES v~..;, ~% ~ 'I'l.ooking for W:J;it~rsand Worship I tems $kfOr g,'ur Winter 1994 Issue on W()rshipResources for our Ministries i" if Send worship buUetins; photos of creative communion or worship tables, banner photQs or ideas.i1Sendprayers, poems, calls to worship, corpqrate confessit>ns, litanies, benedictions, music youhave fOll~d especially\,helBfuI, etc. Briefs ermon illustratio1)s!stories are OW:tbuti1no sermons3please. 9 (Articles nee"Cted Q,P: worship issues tn a justice-oriented community; in€lusiv¢ liturgy in welcoming congreg£;ltions; preaching about i!:b.eterosexism; appiojaches to dlildren's sermons on heterosexism. DEAULJNE .~XTENDEDTO NOVEMBER 1, 1993 Editor Open Hands 3801 N. Keeler Chicago, IL 60641 Program Coordinators Mark Bowman Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. 380l N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 312/ 736-5526 &.T&T&T~ Ann B. Day -.'Y&'Y&'Y" OPEN Open and Affirming Program --a--IfRI·ru P.O. Box 403 &.T'i~ Holden, MA 01520 IIII.'YA'Y'" 508/856-9316 Brian Knittel o Reconciled in Christ Program 2800 Buena Vista Way Berkeley, CA 94708 5lO/841-6990 T Lindsay Louise Biddle More Light Churches Network 3538 22nd Avenue, S. Minneapolis, MN 55407 612/ 724-5429 Publisher Mark Bowman Open Hands Editor Mary Jo Osterman Layout I Graphics I Typesetting In Print -Jan Graves Editorial Advisory Committee Reva Anderson, Toledo, OH Peg Beissert, Rolling Hills Est., CA Ann Marie Coleman, Chicago, IL Ann B. Day, Holden, MA Dan Hooper, Los Angeles, CA Derrick Kikuchi, Daly City, CA Samuel E. Loliger, Buffalo, NY Dick Poole, Oak Forest, IL Caroline Presnell, Evanston, IL Emilie Pulver, Chicago, IL Bradley Rymph, Washington, DC Paul Santillan, Chicago, IL Summer 1993 3 What es Sc ·pture Say? How Sha We Listen? The Bible and Homosexuality by Victor Paul Furnish 1. What does the Bible say about homosexuality? Strictly speaking, nothing. It was only toward the end of the nineteenth century that medical and psychological investigators began to advance theories about the origins and formation of sexual identity Until then no distinction between "heterosexual" and "homosexual" orientations was possible. Although even today we understand very little about how sexual identity develops, at least we know that the process is highly complex and involves many different factors . Neither the biblical writers nor the ancient world in general had any notion of this. Therefore, no ancient language, including Hebrew and Greek, had any specific words for "sexuality," "heterosexuality," or "homosexuality" Of course, same-sex practices were known in virtually all ancient cultures. On occasion they come into view in the biblical writings; but not often, and never as a topic for sustained discussion. 2. If homosexuality as such is not a biblical topic, what's the point of the story about Sodom? The topic in Genesis 19:1-25 is not even "sex," let alone same-sex practices or "homosexuality" in general. What is condemned here (and also in a version told about Gibeah, Judg. 19) is the violation of the right of strangers to be accorded hospitality In certain later Jewish writings Sodom did come to symbolize same-sex acts, which accounts for the coining of the words "sodomy" and "sodomites" and their continuing use today But these terms are not employed within the Bible itself, where Sodom is primarily a symbol for evil in general and for the certainty of divine retribution for any who persist in it. For instance, what Ezekiel condemns primarily is Sodom's "pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease," and its neglect of "the poor and needy" (16:49-50, NRSV). 3. Aren't there also specific biblical laws that prohibit same-sex intercourse? Only in Leviticus, where it is said that a male shall not "lie the lyings of a woman" with another male, because it is an "abomination" (18:22). In Leviticus 20: 13 the death penalty is specified for both participants. This law stands within the socalled Holiness Code (Lev. 17-26), which is a collection of materials of widely varying date. The Code provides reg lations for worship, specifies what things are ritually clean and unclean, and includes a few moral laws, like the well-known commandment to love the neighbor as oneself (Lev. 19: 18). The statute about male same-sex intercourse is not one Of the moral laws in the Code, but is concerned with ritual -a distinct from moral or spiritual -purity According to th ancient Hebrew conception, something is "pure" (or "clean") as long as it remains an unblemished specimen of its kind, but it becomes "polluted" (or "unclean") when its physical integrity is in some way compromised, e.g. by "mixing" with things (or people) of another category This is why the laws of Leviticus prohibit sowing two different kinds of seed in one field, wearing two different kinds of fiber, cross-breeding different species of animals, and dressing like persons of the opposite sex. Open Hands 4 ~ This kind of objective purity is also the concern in Leviticus 18:22 and 20: 13; here intercourse between males is viewed as a mixing of roles. The male who takes the passive role, presumed to be properly the female's , becomes impure. This was thought to pervert the whole relationship, and thus to render the other male unclean, too. The circumstances of the act, e.g. whether someone has been victimized, would make no difference. Whatever the circumstances, the relationship itself would be impure and the participants equally defiled. In the New Testament this distinction between the ritually "clean" and "unclean" is specifically rejected, both in sayings attributed to Jesus (Mk. 7:17-23) and by Paul (Rom. 14:14, 20). It is therefore not surprising that the Levitical prohibition of same-sex intercourse is not invoked by any New Testament writer. 4. Does the New Testament oppose same-sex practices for more distinctively Christian reasons? No. The most extensive reference comes in Romans 1:2627, which is still just one sentence in Greek (my translation): For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions, for just as their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural so also the men, abandoning natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the penalty reqUired by their error. Although this remark is specifically about Gentile society, in the context Paul is insisting that the whole of humankind stands in need of the grace of God, "because all have sinned and fall short of God's glory" (3:23). His comment about same-sex acts echoes what Hellenistic-Jewish writers commonly said about Gentiles, while the description of these as "unnatural" derives from Stoic thought. Moral essayists contemporary with Paul described same-sex intercourse as "unnatural" for two reasons. First, because they presumed that it was an equally attractive option for everyone, they feared that it could lead to the ultimate extinction of the human race. Second, they regarded any same-sex act as a violation of what they supposed to be the "natural" superiority of males over females. In the case of two males, both would be demeaned by the passivity of either; in the case of two females, both would be gUilty of usurping the role supposed to be reserved for the male . Paul shares the view, widespread in his day, that every same-sex act is self-indulgently lustful and therefore degrading to both parties. Therefore, where he lists the kinds of people who will not inherit God's kingdom (1 Cor. 6:9), he includes a term that most likely refers to adolescent call-boys (NRSV: "male prostitutes"), and a second one that refers to "males who go to bed with males" (NRSV: "sodomites"). The latter is also listed by one later writer (1 Tim. 1: 10). These two lists are the only places other than Romans where anything about same-sex practices surfaces in the New Testament. Summer 1993 ?• 1?9 • • - 5. Aren't there any teachings of Jesus on this subject? None that have been handed down. A saying about "eunuchs" in Matthew 19:11-12 is sometimes cited as a general affirmation of those who have been sexually marginalized. But the point there is much more specific: remaining unmarried is appropriate only for those [males] to whom celibacy is "given" (v. 11) for the purpose of serving God's kingdom more fully (v. 12). And the recent suggestion that Mark 9:42 is a denunciation of pederasty (an adult male's purchase of sexual favors from an adolescent boy) is largely conjectural. This silence of the Jesus traditions is important evidence that the first century church was not preoccupied with the matter of same-sex relationships. However, it would be wrong to interpret Jesus' silence as evidence either of his or of the church's indifference to such practices. On this point, as on many others, we do not know what Jesus taught, and it is likely that Paul's views on the topic were representative of the church overall. 6. It is sometimes quipped that "God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." Doesn't the creation story show that only heterosexuality conforms to God's will? There are actually two creation accounts, one beginning in Genesis 1: 1 and another in Genesis 2:4. The former affirms that God created both "male and female" (1:27-28), and the latter includes the observation that "a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh" (2:24, NRSV). Both accounts are concerned mainly to describe how things have come to be as they are, not to prescribe how people ought to act. Moreover, they deal with what is typical of humanity overall, and show no interest in explaining or commenting on conceivable exceptions. Thus Genesis 1:27-28 explains the differentiation of humanity into two sexes as due to God's concern for procreation ("Be fruitful and multiply," v. 28), and Genesis 2:24 explains (hetero-) sexual desire as due 5 ----------------------------------~-----. ------ to God's concern that human beings enjoy companionship. In Genesis 1 it is simply presupposed that sexual intercourse is for the sole purpose of producing children, and in Genesis 2 it is simply presupposed that everyone experiences desire for physical union with someone of the opposite sex. Possible exceptional cases, like singleness, childlessness, or "natural" sexual attraction to a person of one's own sex, lie quite beyond the conceptual horizons of these accounts. 7. Does the Bible provide any positive role models for consensual, loving, and committed homosexual unions? It is sometimes suggested -but rarely by biblical scholars -thatjonathan and David had a homosexual relationship. The same has been said, less often, about Ruth and Naomiand, occasionally, aboutjesus and a "beloved disciple" who is mentioned in the Gospel of John. There is no evidence to support any of these claims, however. The fact remains that every biblical reference or allusion to same-sex practice is in some way negative. 8. How about the aposde Paul? Bishop John Shelby Spong has suggested that he was gay. First, Bishop Spong himself admits that he is just speculating about this.3 But in addition, there have been advances in Pauline studies which render his interpretations of many key passages (e.g. Rom. 7:14-25 and 1 Cor. 7:1) quite impossible. When all is said and done, we know nothing about Paul's sexual orientation. 9. Since the biblical references and allusions to same-sex acts are always in some way negative, doesn't this put the Bible firmly on record as being anti-gay? It would be an anachronism to call the Bible "anti-gay," just as it would be anachronistic to describe it as "anti-environmental" simply because the biblical writers viewed the natural world as something to be tamed and controlled, not protected. We violate the integrity of the Bible's own witness whenever we attempt to extract responses to issues with which the ancient world was not faced. Indeed, what most distinguishes Scripture are not its specific teachings and moral rules. These are all conditioned by the cultural particularities of the ancient world and the special circumstances within and for which they were formulated. In this respect, we must take account of what I call the Law of Diminishing Relevancy: To the extent that something is specifically appropriate in one particular situation, it is less specifically appropriate in any and every other particular situation. 10. If the specific teachings and moral rules of the Bible do not distinguish its witness, then what does? Primarily, its understanding of God -that the whole of creation, nothing and no one excepted, has been graced and claimed by God's unconditional love. The Bible functions as Scripture within the church by shaping and nurturing this understanding of whose and who we are: women and men who live out of God's grace, and who are thereby called to faithful, grace-filled lives. n. Ho can this biblical understanding of God and humankind inform the church's discussions and decisions ~ homosexuality today? Scripture helps provide the context within which Christian moral options are to be examined, and bears witness to the norm by which these options are to be assessed. The norm is God's faithfulness and grace as disclosed in Christ; the context is the faith and life of the believing community itself, including its experience and traditions. Thus, whether the topic is homosexuality or some other, Christians are called to consider what decisions and actions are most faithful to the gift and claim of God's love. In short, "the Bible says" very little about same-sex practices, and what it presupposes about them can no longer be presupposed. For knowledge about homosexuality itself, we must depend both on the findings of modern research and on the life-experiences of homosexual persons. Apart from such knowledge, nothing the church teaches or does with reference to homosexuality will be credible or relevant. But in addition to what is credible and relevant, the church must ask what is Christian. For this it turns above all to the scriptural witness about the gift and claim of God's love. 12. How can people be helped to understand that the passages usually cited in discussions of homosexuality are neither credible nor relevant in our day? Even those who are unwilling to proof text on other topics -for example, divorce and remarriage -may resort to prooftexting when it comes to homosexuality, usually as a way of supporting opinions they already hold. This can be pointed out to them (speaking the truth in love!), and they can also be made aware of the diverse cultural, literary, and theological cQntexts of the passages in question. But in addition, and more baSically, they can be encouraged to listen .for the word that is most central to Scripture and most definitive for the faith and witness of the church -which is the word that in Christ we are both graced and claimed by God's love. Finally, however, this scriptural witness is most fittingly and believably communicated in the actual lives of God's faithful people. We may be confident that, as the church experiences the grace of God working in and through the lives of homosexual persons who are brothers and sisters in Christ, it will be better able to listen for and to live by the word that Scripture really speaks.'Y lSee Randy Shilts, Conduct Unbecoming: Gays and Lesbians in the U. S. Military (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1993) 539,540. 21n a letter to the author, da ted 3/15/92. 3Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism. A Bishop Rethinks the Meaning of Scripture (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991) esp. 108-20. Victor Paul Furnish is University Distinguished ProJessor oJNew Testament in Southern Methodist University's Perkins School oj Theology, Dallas, Texas. Open Hands 6 ' t "o~/~J~n!'Y'vg,a,·'~,,/~7 '>" /l)'v.·~1il ;;' ~ • ,: ~, ' ',. .:': .i ,t../ • Interpreting Scripture from a Gay Perspective byJohn linscheid I have an ongoing love affair with the Bible. The Bible moves me and shapes me. In its restful bosom, its disturbing questions, and its challenging climaxes, I meet God . Its stories whisper to me of my own life as a gay man: mysteries of identity, dynamics of 'er, hiddenness, visibility. The Bible -esses authority for me because it I:le life. sed to disturb me when advoes of compulsory heterosexuality used me of not believing the Bible. en I discovered -as had racial and anomie minorities and feminists before me -that those with power always / to enforce their interpretation on ose \\!ithout. And they seldom listen o alternate suggestions. So I minimize skirmishes over proof texts. Instead, I direct my energy toward finding life in he sacred words. For me, life-sustaining Bible reading "nvoh-es several considerations in addi.on to studying historical and literary aspects of the texts. Among these are: 1) drawing upon personal experience, 2) reading in light of my social context, (3) responding to an interpretative community, and (4) opening to the Holy Spirit. Drawing on Personal Experience eminist scholars, such as Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, taught me to pay attention to my own experience. My unique way of living attunes me to dynamics overlooked by the predominant culture. As I read the Bible, I respect the reactions of my body, mind, and spirit. (Do I become happy, tense, sad, or calm as I read?) I note similarities and differences with my social and sexual situation, paraphrasing texts from a gay perspective. Predominant culture imposes its norms on the Bible. One group which Summer 1993 works to "change" homosexuals into heterosexuals encourages people with unquenched same-sex attractions to claim the heterosexuality of Jesus to cover their own "broken" sexuality. Nowhere does the Bible say that Jesus was heterosexual. This group simply asserts it. Because I know the fulfillmentrather than the social guilt -of loving another man, I am willing to consider what such an organization won't. Scripture doesn't tell me whether Jesus was gay or not. But, as expelled gay Jesuit John McNeill points out, Jesus hung out with a lot of unmarried folks, such as Mary and Martha and Lazarus. And their culture valued marriage and procreation even more highly than ours does. In many non-Western cultures, men readily express affection to one another physically. That scandalizes the homophobic West. (The New Revised Standard Version couldn't handle a disciple reclining "in Jesus' bosom" and translated John 13:23 "reclining next to him.") So gay men, out of our experience, now lead the Western church in acknowledging physical affection between Jesus and the disciple whom he loved . Reading in Light of Sodal Context Gospel dynamics also reveal themselves in my social situation, For example, like Satan tempting Jesus, the predominant church challenges me to prove that I am a child of God. "If you are a child of God," I amtold, "change your gay nature" (like a stone into bread). "Call upon God for power to sustain purposeless celibacy" (like jumping off the temple for no good reason). Finally, "We'll give you riches, power -even ordination -if you fall down and worship our heterosexuality as the ultimate truth for humankind" (compare Mt. 4:1-10). LikeJesus, I must claim my experience of God's love in the face of demonic counter propositions. Responding Within an Interpretive Community But what of limits to personal experience? My interpretations must be tested in a faith community. The institutional church traditionally claimed this authority. Today, sexualminority Christians -and other people on the margins -constitute the community I am interpretatively accountable to. Gustavo Gutierrez wrote that "to know God is to do justice." My primary accountability must be to those for whom my interpretation may enhance life or cause oppression. Early in the sexual-minority struggle within the churches, we looked critically at traditional "clobber" texts. For example, we noted the focus in the Sodom and Gomorrah story on inhospitality rather than on homosexuality. I used the example of Lot offering his daughters to the rapists as evidence of the Sodomites' heterosexuality and of the radical demands of hospitality in Lot's culture (Gen. 19:8). My community held me accountable to women and to the way my interpretation normalized abuse. As a result, I pressed beyond surface arguments about the nature of the Sodomites' sin. Now this story warns me how social structures enforce insidious hierarchies through which minorities may sacrifice each other while resisting the dominant assault. Opening to the Holy Spirit Meditation and prayer initially broke the oppressive power of social structures and opened me to the love of God. Openness to the Holy Spirit still undergirds my Bible study. 7 The most astute applications of scripture to my life and social or political situation come, ironically, when I still the noise of living and culture. In a quiet place, I relax and meditate, reading and re-reading the text, praying the Holy Spirit will move my spirit. Reading the Bible from a gay perspective, I repeatedly find my story in its pages. For example, as a gay white man, I face an invisibility dilemma. While society may oppress me with "straight" assumptions or based on suspected "homo" behavior, I alone can confirm my label. Such a confirmation poses its own risks. Coming out is a spiritual journey much like that ofJesus. I travel on the boundary between clear identities -"in but not of the world." Jesus likewise traversed the boundary. Through much of his life, his identity did not fall clearly into one category. People continually asked who he was and the source of his authority. At times he forbade those who recognized his true identity to reveal it (Mt. 8:4; 9:30). Other times he was less reticent (Mk. 5: 19). Usually; he responded enigmatically to inquiries (Mt. 11:2-4; Mk. 11:28-29;Jn. 6:42-48). I understand the quandary. Labels limit identity. Am I single? Coupled? Homosexual? Gay ? Queer? Words focus society'S interaction \\ith me. Our high school's vocational agriculture teacher once provided a spontaneous sex education lecture to the effect that individuals are "men men, women women, women men, or men women (l think I fall in the third category.) For me, gender definitions are ambiguous. Heterosexist culture says I am not a "real man." Gay men bear, in the popular mind, a largely feminine identity ("sissy;" "fairie," "queen"). In gay circles, masculine and feminine occupy a broader, sometimes fuzzier, spectrum. (A bearded body builder wearing a dress fits nowhere easily in a dualistic paradigm.) Juggling language is crucial to gay identity just as it is for Jesus. Jesus skillfully manipulates efforts to label him. He asks Peter, "Who do you say that I am?" (Mk. 8:29). When Pilate asks whether he is a king, Jesus responds, "You have said so" (Mk. 15:2). Like a sexual minority person negotiating probing questions,Jesus keeps definitions and categories fluid. Through "evasions," he reveals more truly who he is than he would with "acceptable" answers. Most importantly, Jesus claims authority to redefine the terms and control his own destiny. When Peter confesses Jesus as Messiah, Jesus redefines the role as taking up the cross (Mk. 8:29-31). Yet Jesus approaches even death as an act of power. "No one takes [my life] from me," he says, "but I lay it down of my own accord ... and I have power to take it up again" On. 10: 18). Refusing to submit to victimization by political and religious powers, he seizes his own death and makes it life-giVing for those who follow after. Coming out of the closet represented just such an act of power for me. I negotiated the process carefully to maximize my own initiative and frustrate the dominant society's attempts to victimize me. As I "laid down" my straight identity and died to the world, I "took up" a new life possessing empowering integrity. Many friends who have AIDS or are HIV-positive similarly seize life despite society's conviction that only death lurks within them. They repudiate victimization. Like Christ traveling to Jerusalem, they transfigure their journeys to foster life in themselves and in us who live in their company. I take courage in the scripture's reflections of my own life and of the lives of sexual minority people around me. Having been bruised by those who wield the Bible, I am sometimes tempted to leave it behind. But then I read its verses out of my gay context, and I respond to the temptation as Peter did: ''To whom can we go? You have the words of eternallife" On. 6:68).'" John Linscheid, a member of the oldest Mennonite congregation in North Amelica, reads the Bible on the buses and subways of Philadelphia. This summer, he and his lover, Ken White, observed their tenth year of spiritual f1iendship. Announcing a NEW, Revised and Greatly Expanded Edition of The Other Side's Much·Requested Booklet Christians and Homosexuality { In the last live yearn, we"e so~ thousands upon I thousands of these booklets, featuring some of the best articles av~ilable anywhere on Scripture and £ homosexuality, with a helpful guide to organizations ::~ ministering in a Christian way in the gay and lesbian community. Now we've revised, updated, and greatly .. expanded it, adding a host of new articles and features, including "A Crisis of Pronouns,· "Gay Godfathers,' "Reading the Bible Through Gay Eyes,· a debate on gay-lesbian ordination. Plus all the ::: original features. Great for sharing, reading, :~ discussing. Big savings on bulk ordersl Single copy, $5.00. 10-99 copies, $3.50 each. 100 or more, $2.50 .:; each. Free shipping. The Other Side, 300 W. Apsley, ~:' Philadelphia, PA 19144. A wonderful resource! 1 ···t?~>~&i1%vlti'l"Wgm£!.;a.;:_·t:~ Open Hands 8 ou make the Bible come alive!" lthough meant as a compliment, I cringe when I hear that statement ana sometimes reply, "But the Bible isn't ead~" If the atmosphere seems just right ay add, "It is our teaching of the e :that is dead!" Here is a prescription for deadly Bible teaching. Begin by visualizing the learner indo The age of the learner doesn't at this point. The Mind is waitfilled. Next, visualize the Mind p with Right Knowledge, be. he teacher has chosen the con. "-ely and has taught it well, with esired outcomes in mind . Finally, e in the certainty that Right Knowl=:e \.llilllead to Right Belief. And right lief 15 the goal of our teaching. To do deadly Bible teaching one must '~e the proper methodology. While -.. -dents listen, explain the historical d cultural background for the Right Bible Knowledge. Demonstrate how to nd Bible passages which contain the ht Knowledge, how to use the conordance, and how to consult the Bible .las Then plan Bible "drills" so that e!1ts can practice these skills. As-passages to memorize and reward who do it well. Finally, tell the ents what the selection means, and sume their acceptance of this meanng. What's Wrong With Deadly Teaching? W hat is wrong with this picture? In the first place, learners are much more than Minds. They are a delightful mixture of feelings, opinions, experiences, self-identity and stubbornness -as well as Mind! And whatever Right Knowledge is presented to Mind, Summer 1993 it is always processed within the context of this whole person, whether or not such process is encouraged. In the second place, the uniqueness and complexity of each learner complicates the choice of Right Knowledge. What might be right for some persons at a given time might be inappropriate for others. And finally, questions about Right Belief must be raised. If Right Belief is the desired outcome of our teaching, who determines this Right Belief? Is it the teacher? The denomination? The pastor? The curriculum writers? And what about the one being taught? Surely the student's Mind and feelings and experiences must be a major part of the equation. Ultimately, if the truth be known, it is always the student who processes the Right Knowledge in the light of lived experience, and it must be the student who comes to her/his own Right Belief. Otherwise, teaching is little more than indoctrination. Deadly teaching is a trap which has caught many of us. We have been carefully taught a variety of theological doctrines with their accompanying implied and sometimes required behavioral "do's and don'ts", and we have been taught them within a church environment which said 'The Bible is God's Word; this is what the Bible says; the Bible contains Right Beliefs; to question God-given Right Beliefs is a sin against God." Some never question the doctrines or their underlying assumptions and are like the seminary student on his graduation day who was overheard saying with pride , "I came to seminary knowing what I believed and I leave believing exactly the same thing." Others find the struggle for integrity fu tile and leave the institutional church. Still others (this writer included) insist upon asking the questions. We hang in with the church even when there is little support for inquisitive minds and spend a lifetime searching for a place that will affirm both the questions and the questioner. Two Approaches: Two Dangers There must be another way! There must be an approach to teaching the Bible that does not render the Bible obsolete as life changes occur and as new insights about self, others, and world are discovered. In the old way the teacher might stop frequently, sometimes after every verse, and ask: "What does this mean in our everyday life?" Students would struggle to move from the Red Sea or Daniel in the lion's den to the Senior Prom, a job just lost, or a broken romance. The instinct was sound -the Bible and life cannot be separated. But the process was generally unproductive. The Bible and life cannot be separated. What are separated by light years, however, are the cultural settings of the Bible and our life in this last decade of the twentieth century. Much of the daily life of those whose witness is recorded in the Bible has little resemblance to our own. Struggling to find meaning in every verse or paragraph of the Bible lesson often resulted in superficial life applications. On the other hand, everything in our contemporary life is relevant in one way or another; relevant to us personally, to the church in which we work and the community in which we live, or to the larger world arena. One way to begin to overcome this separation of cultures is to start our Bible study with our own personal and cultural life struggles and work our way back to the life issues recorded in the Bible. But 9 there is a real danger inherent in this process, also. While beginning with the biblical text may lead to superficial life application, beginning with modern life situations can tempt one to proof text or read into biblical accounts something that is not there. What is needed is a teaching approach that holds the possibility of eliminating both dangers. This we can know with certainty: Deadly teaching is neither biblical nor necessary; lively teaching is both biblical and possible! And all ages -kindergarten through adult have a right to lively teaching, whatever the content, but especially when the content is the Bible. Congregation As Context Lively teaching begms '\ith the context within which the teaching takes place. Teaching and learning do not occur in a vacuum. \\'here something is learned becomes a part of the learning as well as what is learned. Sex education which occurs on the street may contain the same facts as sex education taught by church or parents, but the perceptions and values learned may be, and usually are, quite different. The Bible we read today was not delivered by God in one grand moment of revelation, but grew out of the experience of God's people over hundreds of years. It was not crafted by a literary religious genius in a lonely retreat, but was hammered out by the Judeo-Christian community as community. And it grew directly out of the experiences of that community as it faced the life and death issues ofexistence. Deadly teaching denies the reality of the living context within which the Bible was written. Lively teaching is best done within a community of faith that is committed to addressing the contemporary life situations of its members. The actual teaching of the Bible may take place in age-specific groups or in an intergenerational setting. In either case the process should be understood and owned by the church as community, for it is the church as community that must be there to support its members as they struggle with the issues of faith and justice. "Lone Ranger" Bible study is not biblical! Preparing to Teach Students, of whatever age, are not empty vessels. They come to the teaching situation with many ideas and attitudes already in the process of being formed. Lively teaching allows questions and accepts the uncertainties of growing persons. It acknowledges that the teacher is a "Christian-in-process ' also! Teachers who hope to help the Bible "come alive" (there's that phrase again!) will consciously hold these assumptions: I know what this Bible passage means to me. I have an idea about what the writers intended it to mean to their audience. I don't know what it will mean to my students. I will share my meanings but I will not impose them on others. The Teaching Plan1 Lively teaching has three steps. First, lively teaching begins with an activity that will help students feel some of the emotions which may have been felt by persons in the biblical narrative. For example, before telling the story of Jesus' baptism, students might be asked to paint a picture of how it felt when they were baptized, or when they wit- Open Hands 10 " feeling w • ..,,% •,.....".. .,......... '" .........a ..a .. =#~ ~g , ~ S <iJl nessed the baptism of others. Or the class might be divided into groups of two or three and asked to share their feelings when they had an important life decision to make. (Whether they share the subject of the decision or the decision finally made is immaterial.) This process is important because it provides a real life connection between the experiences of the student and people who lived generations ago. This J(irst step may be called 'feeling into the Bible. " Second, lively Bible teaching does . begin with a "thus saith the lord" duction of Right Knowledge about assage. An alternative would be an ach and attitude that said: "Hear our foreparents in the faith experiGod's presence and understood 'ord." Because of the thity they may hear it with emotions as well as their One hopes so! In any he)' will have been given --~on and opportunity to e Bible text to their own feelim!s and life experiences. ers are not limited in this -Imply reading the Bible to but may present the bibntent through a whole range . -ities, including drama, choeadmg, songs, art, and espe- Iv through story telling. This seclep may be called "meeting with Bible experientially." ThIrd, lively teaching provides time to respond to the exlence of the Bible passage. IS IS an absolutely necessary of the teaching plan. We are Just called to know the Bible, but to 'n it some meaning for our lives. e each individual will find unique nings, it is within the context of the Uh community that those meanings n be tested and refined. Therefore, roviding an opportunity for persons o respond within the community context to their personally discovered meanmgs is crucial. Children (and youth and adults who are willing to risk!) might respond through art and dance and creative writing as well as in discussion -through Heart as well as Mind. At first, nonriskers will be more comfortable with Summer 1993 discussion. The teacher's role in this step is twofold: (l) accepting the feelings and meanings evoked in the students by the Bible passage, and 2) witnessing to one's own meanings and understandings of the passage. The further growth of students is best served, however, when teachers are careful to avoid making judgmental statements about the nature or quality of class members responses. This third step may be called "responding out of the experience of the Bible." Teachingfor Openness and Inevitable Change Remember -the pOint of this approach is to teach in such a way that students arefree to think their own thoughts, do their own interpretation, and keep open to the possibilities of new meanings in the future. The realization of God's vision of justice for all is possible only when God's people are open to the possibility of new meanings. The Bible is not an answer book. It is a written witness of real people to their experiences of God in the past, and is one channel -but not the only channel -through which God may be experienced in the present. We do both the Bible and ourselves a disservice when we assign to its culture-laden text specific meanings for all time. "New occasions teach new duties, Time makes ancient good uncouth . .." lively teaching of the Bible provides us all with an approach which will keep all our hearts and minds open to God's new revelations. T 1Adapted Jar adults Jrom my original model in Experiencing the Bible with Children. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1990) esp. chs . 7-11 . DorothyJean Furnish is Professor Emerita of Christian Education, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and the author of several books on teaching the Bible to children. She is a member of Wheadon United Methodist Church, Evanston, Ill inois and af filiate member of Community United Church of Christ in Boulder, Colorado. 11 M atthew has been called the Gospel of Justice. In Matthew, Jesus uses a method of interpreting Jewish scriptures based on the values of love, justice, hospitality, and doing good. Understanding and using Jesus' method of interpretation of scripture can aid Christians working to establish justice for all. Jesus as the Fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets 1 esus emphasizes the importance of not only speaking good words but doing good deeds. The structure of the gospel of Matthew reflects this concept. Matthew has five major discourses followed by narratives aboutjesus' and the disciples' actions. The best-known of the discourses is the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus says: Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. (5:17-18, NRSV) But what does Jesus mean? Some claim that these statements mean that Christians should adhere to every part of the Bible. Others claim that Jesus meant "law and prophets" in a very particular sense. In two places in Matthew, Jesus defines "the law and the prophets." Significantly, his first definition is in the Sermon on the Mount: "'In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets'" (7:12, emphaSiS mine) 1 Even more telling, when a Pharisee asks Jesus about which commandment in the law is the greatest (22:36): 12 In Jes byNoneyA. He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (22:3740, emphasiS mine). As Matthean scholar Eduard Schweizer has noted, "Matthew in fact reduces all the commandments to one."2 Most of Jesus' statements in Matthew 5:21-7:12 are examples of "doing good unto others." Though the specifics ofjesus' examples may not be applicable to today's living, the basic value on which they are founded, the Golden Rule, is applicable. In Matthew, a tension is present between the meaning of Jesus as fulfillment of the scriptures and Jesus as a new Torah. Jesus is like the faithful scribe who "brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old" (13:51). In the end, most of Matthew's story involves Jesus modifying and even rejecting parts of the law. Jesus Modifies or Rejects Parts of the Law Matthew vividly illustrates Jesus' approach in a section of the Sermon on the Mount called "the six antitheses" (5:21-48). The antitheses are words of Jesus that state, "you have heard it said . . . but I say unto you .. ." Biblical scholar John P. Meier has observed: In six instances of important socio-religious institutions permitted or commanded by the written Mosaic Law, Jesus dares to contrast his word with God's word. Even more startling, in three cases (antitheses three, four, and five, on divorce, oaths and vows, and retaliation),jesus revokes the letter of the Law and replaces it with his own diametrically opposed command.3 Immediately after having said he ha come to fulfill the scriptures, Jesus sets aside some of them! In all six antitheses, Jesus applies the Golden Rule to make his changes. In the last antithesis Jesus turns the laws of retaliation "upside down": "Good must be done to all because all are to be part of God's household."4 Jesus Interprets Scripture Through His Actions 1 esus becomes Living Scripture as he puts his words into action, revealing the true characteristics of the Household of God. He shows that hospitality is an important value -all are welcome in God's house. Three stories in Matthew 8 symbolize Jesus' giving three groups of people direct access to the Presence of God, which he symbolizes (1 :23). Biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine has observed: .. . the evangelist groups together the healings of the leper, the centurion's servant, and Peter's mother-in-law. The leper represents those removed from full participation in the Temple and thus from a major aspect of the public practice of religion because of disease; the centurion is restricted to the Court of the Gentiles; the woman . . . cannot enter the Open Hands Temple's inner court.5 These groups have been blocked from full inclusion in the religious community because of legalistic clinging to scripture, misuse of scripture, and/or hierarchical social mores. Jesus sets aside scriptures that are used to restrict accessibility to God's Presence. the Table: Jesus Reinterprets ighteousness and Sin sus is even more radical in his conuct at table. He confronts exclusivby eating with so-called "sinners." 10-17) Jesus does not eat with these rs to "convert" them. Rather, by with these oppressed people, hows that they are already a part Household of God. erl confronted by the Pharisees he company he keeps,Jesus says: learn what this means, 'I de.:::cy, not sacrifice.' For I have call not the righteous ers" (9: 13).6 In this en~, "mercy" (or _ parallel with .. and "sacrirogresses. is rightfor he Summer 1993 Later Jesus says that mercy, justice, and faith are the "weightier matters of the law" (23:23). Those at the table with him are also righteous, for they grasp the meaning of loving God, neighbor, and self. They delight in sitting down with each other and Jesus in an atmosphere of love and acceptance and having a good time. They show mercy to each other. Jesus illustrates further the meaning of mercy (9:18-34). When a woman with a flow of blood touches his cloak, he does not condemn an "unclean woman" for making him "unclean." Instead he praises her faith and she is healed. jesus then raises a twelve-yearold girl from death by touching her "unclean" dead body. Two men who are blind ask jesus to show mercy on them. He heals them also. As in the earlier triad of healing stories, this triad also reveals Jesus' good news that all can have direct access to the Presence of God. Everyone has equal status. The Pharisees continue to reject mercy as a gUiding principle. When jesus casts out a demon from a man, they accuse him of being eviL jesus, however, continues to proclaim the good news of God's household. He says that the harvest is plentiful, not meager and exclusive, as the religious hierarchy claims (9:35-38). Everyone is invited to God's Table, where everyone is treated with respect. Jesus as Sabbath Rest: Jesus Confronts Oppressive Exegesis Jesus' saying about God desiring mercy not sacrifice is repeated in Matthew 12. just before this chapter, jesus describes himself and his teachings as "Sabbath rest." He invites those 13 carrying heavy burdens caused by o~pressive teachings to learn from hIS gentleness and humility He offers teachings which offer liberation from burdensome scripture (11:28-30). Having spoken about "rest," Jesus illustrates it in actions. When his disciples are hungry, Jesus allows them to pick grain to eat, despite the Sabbath laws. He heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. In each case, the religious leaders attack him for n~t following Torah and try to make scnpture a heavy burden (12:1-14). Jesus uses two different interpretive methods to defend himself. In the grainfield, Jesus cites other scripture passages (not in Torah) to defend his pos.ition, reminding them of David and hIS companions who ate the bread of the Presence that was reserved for the priests, and of the priests in the temple who break the Sabbath yet are guiltless. Here, he gives more weight to some scripture passages and less weight to others (12:3-8). In the synagogue, Jesus uses a form of rabbinical argument.7 He suggests that if the hearers would save a sheep from a pit on the Sabbath then they surely would save a human being. Her~, he appeals to tradition and to expenence in order to suspend scripture (12:913). In each case, Jesus' point is that a merciful response of meeting the needs of people is more important than observing Sabbath laws. Consistently he suspends or sets aside scriptural mandates when they block the way of loving actions that meet the needs of people. . Against the will of God, the Phansees plot to sacrifice Jesus (12: 14).Jesus, however, continues to do the will of God: "he brings justice to victory" (12:2). In Matthew 23, Jesus pronounces woe on those who are plotting his death. He says they oppress the people with hypocritical and hierarchical attit~des and actions (23: 1-12). They stram at gnats (scripturallegalisms) while swallowing camels (failure to observe the weightier matters of scripture and to do acts of justice, faith, mercy). He curses them for failing to be merciful, sacrificing the prophets, and for failing to accept the hospitality of the one who comes in God's name ( _3:37-39). Setting Priorities: Then and No As "Living Scripture,' Matthew's r\.Jesus demonstrates the characteristics of the Household of God, based on the principles of justice, love, mutuality, forgiveness, faith, goodness, and ministry to those in need. In word and deed, Jesus sets aside scriptures and practices which support hierarchical community arrangements and therefore place heavy burdens on the people. The new household that Jesus constitutes is one which is no longer defined by oppressive scriptural laws that give some groups of people more status than others. Jesus upsets elitists who seek to exclude others from God's realm by labeling them "sinners" or "outcasts" or "inferior." He says/shows that the basic requirements for membership in God's Household are love of God, neighbor, and self, which is revealed in just and merciful actions. . As followers of Jesus today, we also are called to be concerned with the "weightier matters" of the scripture. We are to give the most value to scriptures which stress love and justice and to do acts of love and justice. A scripture passage can be suspended in certain contexts by appealing to other scripture, tradition, and plain common sense (when one can see that love and justice are being neglected). In this way, love and justice can be present in all situations. If a scripture becomes outdated or irrelevant,Jesus shows us that it can be updated and altered to address the changing times. If a scripture is harmful it can be set aside . 'I believe the implications of Jesus' approach to scripture should be cle~r by now. Love and justice are baSIC norms. Hospitality is a Christian lifestyle. Everyone has a place at God's table and no one is to have the "place of honor" (23:6): • no matter one's sexual identity, preference, or orientation; • no matter one's racial, cultural, or ethnic background; • no matter one's economic, social, or marital status; • no matter one's gender or transgender status; • no matter one's physical, intellectual, and emotional abilities and disabilities; • no matter one's age. In Matthew, Jesus enjoins all disciples, then and now, to teach people' obey everything he (not Torah) has commanded (28:19-20). Everything Jes : has commanded is to love God, neig bor, and self and to do good -no mor no less. Through these actions, we C" be in right relationship with God, o~...selves, and our neighbor. We can reconciled.~ 1Verses 5: 17 and 7: 12 Jorm an inclusion, technique oj repetition oJten used by Ma tth to 'frame" a literary passage and gives cl. about his themes). In this case, the inclusi signifies that the verses in-between ~;e ab Jesus and "the law and the prophets. 2Eduard Schweizer, The Good News According to Matthew, translated by David E. Grc (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1975), p.109. 3John P. Meier, The Vision of Matth~\' Christ, Church and Morality in the FlY . Gospel (New York: Paulist Press, 1979), p. 6..; 4Michael H. Crosby, House of Disciples Church, Economics & Justice in Matth e \ (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1988), p.184 5Amy-Jill Levine, "Matthew," The Women.'s Bible Commentary, edited by Carol rl Newsom and Sharon H. Ringe (Louisville. KY: Westm inster/Jo hn Knox Press, 1992), r 256. 6Jesus is citing Hosea 6:6. Hosea 6 ca lls Jor Israel to return to God who will heal them and raise them up on the third day. It judge. Ephraim and Judah whose love oj God ha dissipated. 7The argument is called gal wehomer -Jrom the light to the heavy. ©1993 NANCY A. CARTER Nancy A Carter, an ordained elder in New York Annual Conference, is a member oj the board oj directors oj the Reconciling Congregation Program. She is the author, with contributions by Bishop Leontine I.e. Kelly, oj the book Jesus in the Gospel oj Matthew: "Who Do You Say That I Am 7" Open Hands 14 Personal Perspective by Alison Graham am a nineteen year old, heterosexual girl. I grew up outside of Chicago with an all-heterosexual ~ily. I went to Wheadon United Methst Church which has a large comnity of homosexuals or bisexuals. I 'e just completed my first year at . University in Madison, New Jer: am going to major in political e and eventually I want to be a Senator from Minnesota. not think there is anything wrong any sexual orientation. Actually, I nderstand how anyone could a particular orientation was wrong. only mildly legitimate argument rd against bisexuals and homoIs l5 that the Bible allegedly says -exuality is a sin. My sister keeps .e that God thinks heterosexuonly way to go. I keep telling her that, first, it never says that in the Bible and second, God didn't write the Bible. Let me defend myself. To begin with, only one reference in the Bible possibly refers to lesbianism (Romans 1:26). The few other references to sexual orientation only deal with gay men and in almost every instance the passage is about one man raping another, which is obviously a sin. The Bible is right to call rape a sin. Ifthe writers of the Bible really felt that homosexuality was wrong, don't you think they would have spelled it out for us so that there would be no question? Furthermore, God certainly did not write the Bible. Taking the Bible as God's direct word would be like me relying upon fourth hand information Oohnny heard from Cindy who picked it up from James that Rob . . . ) as truth. Actually, the latter would be more reliable because the original source can be spoken with directly. ummer 1993 Perhaps you think that I feel this way because I haven't had to put my beliefs to test. After all, it's really easy to say that you believe in one thing without realizing how different the scenario is when you are confronted with it yourself. Oh contraire, mon Jrere. One of my closest friends is bisexual and I watched him go through so much pain as he came out. Never have I felt so strongly that God loves everybody. I saw him discover that he was bisexual, then try to cover it up because society wouldn't accept him. I saw his struggle over whether or not to go to the campus bisexual group, worrying about whether or not his friends would reject him, whether people would look at him as an outcast, and whether he would be discriminated against. He went through one of the toughest times in his life. God was not against him; rather, God was the only one with him. You've read "The Footsteps of God?" Well, there you go. I just want to say one last thing. I think if the Bible were to be written today it would be quite different. When the Bible was written, people didn't know that one was born with his or her sexuality. We are trying to overcome racism and sexism because we understand that race and gender are genetic. I hope that someday everyone will realize that people are who they are and that's that. If you have brown hair, you're just as good as a blonde. Ifyou like peaches you are no more a sinner than someone who likes broccoli. Ifyou are a gay, lesbian, or bisexual, you are as good as a heterosexual. God loves you, and so do LT Alison Graham is a member oj Wheadon United Methodist Church, a Reconciling Congregation, in Evanston, Illinois. 15 Lat11ettta ions 18 }/of tift O"t!-tJfJ ~o.v My gut is wrenchirul. I am devastated. Why am I here? I am dis·graced. My lover died and I cannot share it. I have apartner of 14 years, and I cannot share it. Even now, I can feel mYSelf puttirul mYSelf on guard. I stay in the church because I feel like that's where I need to be. We celebrate that we can live our lives as much as we can. Ws hard. But irs still there. The rough rocks no longer can hurt us. We cannot celebrate our lives. We are invisible, silent. OUr tears wear away the roughedges Unresolved grief. The rock becomes acomfort and astrerulth. What we can't celebrate contaminates what we can. Where is the safe place to grieve? We are sittirul at the bottom of a slag heaP. We have to accept the fact that we will always have to stru~le, We are blinded to the slag heap of the church. to fight. What can we do to keep it from coming down? Why do we have to fight for something that should be ours? We have unknowingly added to the slag heaP. Fon!iveness is different than saYirul··rm sorrY: ' T he church has not asked for forgiveness. Open Hands 16 (s there a lesson in pain? The pain never leaves YOU. We can never forget the pain. Pain pushes us to action. I( am a heterosexual woman and I·m angrY. cannot know what it is like. 'm aru!rY and it just isn·t right. feel guilt because I didn·t know. I am angrY. Where is the God of Justice? 9maru!rY because rm lesbigay and I cannot speak. Vou, God. listen to my aru!er. did this in the name of Jesus Christ. makes YOU want to worship somebody else. 9 m still here because the church is my mother 'm not leaviru!. m20nna stay in my mother·s face. IGod. YOU OPened my eyes to the unfairness. aru!rv at YOU. but now I know that YOU have stayed by me. me gay for a reason. t know why. but I know Ws true. ~f4~"'f"f"S ' "' (",.. di' t/ie ~·~~~t Words of Assurance The steadfast 1Q.\le" ofGod never ceases. GodiSi'hler€ies never come to an·end: TheY".Clre .. ~iJ*:;f!i:'4RlI}" rriorning: . g:r,m\'faithfUlness. "GOO is m~POrtiOli~·· saYs nw soUl. ··therefotel wilt hoPe,in God." Lamen~tiogs'i3~i~24 Written by Covenant Group 18 at the Third National Convocation of the Reconciling Congregation Movement, Washington, DC, July 1993. Group Leader: Donna Kay Campbell, Corydon, Iowa. ummer 1993 17 Hospita e nterpretations of Sodom and Gomorrah Lindsay Louise Biddle Literary Context The book of Genesis ("beginnings") is the first of the five books (Pentateuch) comprising the Torah ("Law"). It can be divided into two parts: chapters 1-11 dealing with The traditions about the origins of the world and humankind, and chapters 12-50 dealing with stories of the patriarchs (fathers of the Hebrew people) and the descent into Egypt. Chapter 19 is included in the story ofAbraham, the first patriarch. It comes from the ')" (YHWH) source, the oldest biblical literary tradition and one that views God's call of Israel in the perspective of God's purpose for humanity [Marks, pp. 1-3, Anders p.210] Genesis 19: 1-11 succeeds Abraha intercession on behalf of his nep Lot and his family after Abraham hea God's plan to destroy Sodom an Gomorrah ( 18: 16-33) and precedes the flight of Lot, his wife, and two daughters from Sodom to Zoar (19: 12-23 and the destruction of the cities (19:2428). Historical Context Abraham is thought to have lived sometime during 2000-1900 B.C.E. Genesis 11 :27 shows Lot as the son of Abraham's brother Haran. Sodom and Gomorrah were located near the Dead Sea, perhaps just to the east and south. Both cities were inhabited during most of the third millennium and in places perhaps into the early second millennium. [Achtemeier, p. 974] Cultural Context The common understanding that homosexuality is condemned by the Bible is rooted in several brief passages the most well known and influent'~ being the story of Sodom in Gene_· 19. Although the word sodomy was u later to mean homosexual practices, Old (and New) Testament times r word existed for homosexuality, or ~ that matter for heterosexuality The cor.cept of sexual orientation was unknown. John Boswell points out that "None of the many Old Testament passages which refer to Sodom's wickedness suggests any homosexual offenses, and the rise of homosexual associations can be traced to social trends and literature of a much later period." [Boswell, pp. 92, 93] To understand the story of Sodom, we need to know what cultural mean- Open Hands 18 g both the writer and readers attached it. As we read the story we become 'are very quickly that the story is one ot intended violence and gang rape of e guests in Lot's home. To understand the fuller meaning of story, however, we must go behind o the customs and codes of honor manners of Lot's time. There we O\'er that Lot was upholding a code spitality to the stranger: "When an resides with you in your land, you not oppress the alien. The alien ~esides with you shall be to you as itizen among you; you shall love en as yourself; for you were aliens c land of Egypt: I am the Lord your ev. 19:33, NRSV). .~'"T·"nl Notes anners and faith follow one another in the story of Sodom and rrah. The first three verses outospitality requirements for surn a harsh land -lodging, foot ng, and dining. Lot does not of. 115 guests by asking their identity, !iii background, or purpose (the story assumes Lot does not know they are angels sent by God to rescue him and his family from the destruction of the cities ). The men of Sodom exhibit bad belief and bad behavior by demanding to know the two strangers (19:4-5). Scholars interpret the verb yada, "know," differently. Boswell assumes little if any sexual inference. For Edwards, the verb refers to sexual activity, and denominational reports explain "know" as threatened gang rape. McNeill affirms the verb's double meaning. The men of Sodom certainly attempt to terrorize Lot's guests, and the sexual innuendo simply adds to the harassment. It is also worth noting that not only does the story denigrate women as sexual property, but several modern English versions abet this sexism in their descriptions of the daughters "who have never known a man" (v. 8, NRSV). The verb, "know" (v. 5, NRSV) used actively regarding Lot's male visitors, receives rather harsh moral interpretation: "know them carnally" (New King James Version), "rape them" (Living Bible), "have sex with them" (New International Version) "abuse them" Oerusalem Bible). The same verb in passive form regarding his female children reflects little or no moral judgment, respectively: "have not known a man" (NKJV), "virgin daughters" (LB), "have never slept with a man" (NIV), "are virgins" OB). Jesus offers his opinion of the twin cities of doom when he warns his disciples, "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town" (Mt. 10: 14-15; d. Lk. 10: 10-12). Jesus surely knew the prophet Ezekiel's rendering of this divine judgment, "This was the guilt of your sister [city] Sodom; she and her daughters [cities] had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty, and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them when I saw it" (16:49,50). Although 2 Peter 2:6-10 and Jude 1: 7 mention Sodom, Boswell and others hold that they do not refer to homosexuality . Interpretation ETIQUETTE AND RELIGION appear side by side in the Library of Congress system, and with good reason, for the way we treat one another reflects our beliefs. ummer 1993 19 DOING THE "RITE" THING means more than applying correct table manners at the altar of sacrifice. It means embracing what Boswell terms a theoxony, a divine call to welcome the stranger. [Boswell p. 96] For Lot, it means offering his two daughters to appease the men of Sodom. (A friend of mine suggests that had this ploy worked, the men could not be truly homosexuals!) For us Christians, it means inviting all to the common table prepared by Jesus Christ who, during his ministry, lodged, washed feet, and broke bread with every kind of folk. Note too that the punishment given the men of Sodom is blindness (19: 11). We no longer equate such physical or other challenges with sins even though the Old and New Testaments often do so. Nor do we define darker skin or femaleness as iniquities, as has been biblically supported in the past. However, strangely enough, the story of Sodom frequently gets used to promote homophobia and gay bashing; it almost never serves to condemn rape or misogyny or xenophobia. Using this tale about hospitality to preach hatred and practice exclusion of others is like using Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan as a basis for anti-Semitism or priest bashing -it misses the whole point of the story! To GET it, we must cease equating sex with sin and (hetero)sexism with God's will for humanity. Let us instead remember our beliefs and actions with decency and grace and strive to overcome those 'sins of Sodom' outlined in Ezekiel that threaten to separate us from God, ourselves, each other, and our earth.T References Achtemeier, Paul j., general editor. Harper's Bible Dictionary. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985. Anderson, Bernhard W Understanding the Old Testament. 3rd edition. Englewood Cliffs, Nj: PrenticeHall, Inc., 1975. Boswell. John. Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century. Chicago: The University ofChicago Press, 1980. Edwards, George R. Gay, Lesbian Liberation: A Biblical Perspective. New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1984. Marks, John H. "The Book of Genesis." Interpreter's One Volume Commentary on the Bible. Charles M. Layman, editor. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1971 . pp. 1-32. McNeill, John j. The Church and the Homosexual. 3rd edition. Boston: Beacon Press, 1988. Lindsay Louise Biddle is a member oj the Twin Cities Area Presbytery and serves a church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Open Hands 20 -god's Peculiar Rig6teoustless: Utlcotlditiotlal-grace Pick Poole ary Context Book of Romans is a letter from e apostle Paul to the Christian nity in Rome. It is public correonce intended to be read in the ~~.~.i.lluunity's public worship, as op'0 private correspondence (such emon) limited to sender and reletter begins with a greeting -), followed by a major segment 320) which focuses on the unusness of humanity. In 3:21 the ifts to God's peculiar righteous'ealed in Jesus Christ, a righ.ess based not on works but on ness. In chapters 4-8 Paul offers .entary on this peculiar righteoususing as illustrations Abraham, and Christ, baptism, marriage, rth. In chapters 9-11 he struggles he fact ofIsrael's unbelief and the quent place ofIsrael in God's plan . 'ation, continuing to demonstrate s peculiar righteousness. Chapters _ _5 include Paul's exhortation to his rs to live lives manifesting the righness of God revealed in Jesus t. He concludes in chapter 16 with mer 1993 personal greetings, final instructions, and a doxology The particuiar verses with which we are dealing (1:26-27) come at the beginning of the letter shortly after the keynote (v. 17) and in the beginning of the illustration of the unrighteousness/ unfaithfulness of humanity. Through his use of rhetoric Paul is drawing his readers to the conclusion in 3:20 that "no human being will be justified in [God's] Sight by deeds prescribed by the law" and is thus preparing his readers for the "explosion" of God's righteousness in 3:21. Historical Context Paul was first and foremost a pastor, a missionary proclaiming the gospel where others had not yet done so. However, for centuries he was understood, not as a pastor, but as a "systematic theologian" whose writings were seen as theological treatises for the teaching of the gospel for all times in all situations. Only around the turn of the last century did scholars begin to see that Paul's purpose was not to be systematically consistent and precise, but rather to speak to the specific issues of specific Christian believers living in specific communities at specific times. A fair amount is known about Paul, (originally Saul), from the coastal city of Tarsus, a Jew with rabbinic training, and also a Roman citizen. As Saul, he was zealous in his commitment to Judaism, to the point of persecuting early Christians, but his conversion refocused his zealousness to proclamation of the Christian gospel. His ministry became a ministry to the Gentiles and his name changed to Paul, reflecting his Roman background and connectedness with the Gentiles. In his mission to the Gentiles Paul traveled much in the forties and fifties C .E. throughout Asia Minor (Turkey), Greece. and Macedonia, preaching the gospel and organizing communities of believers. He also wrote letters to those communities, encouraging them in their continuing faithfulness to the gospel, speaking pastorally to their problematic issues, and challenging them when they seemed to be moving away from the gospel. Paul's letter to the Romans, most probably written in the spring of 55 or 56 C .E., is unique because it was written to a community which he had never visited. It served as a letter of introduction in preparation for a visit he wanted to make to Rome on his way to Spain. The Christian community in Rome to whom he wrote was probably predominantly Gentile Christian, though Jewish Christians were likely a minority presence. Cultural Context Although verses 26 and 27 in chapter 1 make reference to sexual behavior, we must be careful to avoid putting the terms homosexual, gay, or lesbian into Paul's thought. "Sexual orientation" is a modern concept, one with which Paul would be completely unfamiliar. Richard Hays notes: ".. . the usual supposition of writers during the Hellenistic period was that homosexual behavior was the result of insatiable lust seeking novel and more challenging forms of self-gratification." [Hayes, p. 2001 To understand the cultural context of this passage in Romans, one must examine the secular Greco-Roman world, Hellenistic Judaism, and PalestinianJudaism. Paul's own cultural context for this passage is Hellenistic Judaism, influenced by the Greco-Roman world -though certainly he was conversant with the Palestinian Judaism centered in Jerusalem. [See Scroggs, chs. 2-6] Greco-Roman culture was highly maledominated, such that all meaningful 21 discourse occurred between males; in general, women were not present at the banquets or the symposia or in the educational centers. Normal male-male relationships were between an older and a younger, with the older taking the active role as educational mentor, teacher, sexual aggressor, giver of gifts. The younger (generally pre-pubescent or just into puberty) was the passive partner whose function sexually was to gratify the other, but not generally to be gratified sexually in return. The term describing this sort of relationship was "pederasty" or "lover of boys." Palestinian Judaism, both in its Aramaic translations of Scripture and in the early rabbinic commentaries on these translations, opposed homosexual activity, though saying little about it. The perspective was that such activity was practiced among Gentiles, not among Jews. However, some rabbis, seemingly aware of the potential for Jewish males to engage in this "Gentile activity" sought to protect them from such temptation which would transgress the Torah/Law by establishing certain limits, such as that a man with no wife may not be a teacher of children, thus preventing the Greco-Roman practice of pederasty connected with education. Hellenistic Judaism , represented by the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures and especially the commentators Philo and Josephus, was hostile to homosexual behavior and viewed it excluSively as a Gentile (non-Jewish) practice. Philo (a contemporary of Paul's) in his comments clearly was referring to the practice of pederasty with its active and passive partners. He was especially vehement in his condemnation of the passive partner. He deriSively labeled such persons androgynous (literally, "male-female"). His hostility stemmed from two sources: first, that both active and passive homosexual activity was "against nature" (para phusin); and second, that this activity was against the Hebrew Law which prohibits the wasting of semen divinely intended for procreation. [Scroggs, p. 89] The reference in Rom. 1:26 to women is culturally more problematic. Except for this one mention, the Bible is silent on woman-woman sexual activity. In addition, Greco-Roman literature has few references to female homosexual activity. [Scroggs, pp. 140-144] In rabbinic literature there is only one mention of female homosexual behavior, which focused on the question of whether or not it constituted loss of virginity. Two houses of rabbis in the discussion split on their decision. Scroggs notes that "from a legal perspective, female homosexuality was of little interest, and . . . not taken with much seriousness." [Scroggs, p. 80] Textual Notes Verses 26-27 illustrate for Paul the unrighteousness of humankind, as do the other behaviors listed before and after them. Paul is not denouncing selected pagan vices; he is describing in "mythico-historical categories" humanity's alienation from God the Creator; he is offering a "diagnosis of the human Open Hands 22 ndition." [Hayes, p. 190; Kasemann, 47] The peculiar element of this section "omans is how God's wrath is dem"rated. The wrath of God is not -played upon persons as a result of r worshiping idols or degrading their . es or being "filled with every kind ·;ckedness, evil, etc." (1:29). Rather, .\Tath of God is the result of ankind's forgetting of God the CrelUmanity's ignorance and unfaith~ ss. Thus, the female and male ho-exual behavior described in verse _ItS simply one illustration of Paul's n of the fall of humanity. .e various behaviors Paul describes be "abominations" to both Helc and Palestinian jewish readers. 'er, the term "abomination" (see __ us 18:22; 20: 13) "does not sigmething intrinsically evil, like r theft . .. but something which is ll:' unclean for jews, like eating r engaging in intercourse during ·mation ..." [Boswell, p. 100] m Countryman likewise notes Paul thought homosexual inter__ was filthy and disgusting, but not think it was sinful or that people should necessarily share ew." Questions of purity are "a ~ of individual conscience and cane imposed on other people." [The 'ldent] Countryman's appraisal is on his reading of Romans l4: l4: . \' and am persuaded in the Lord "hat nothing is unclean in itself; s unclean for anyone who thinks ean" (NRSV). I'H#ornyetation ertainly, Paul was pejorative in his lustrations; he was neither neuor affirming of the homosexual r-h~;or he found in his world. But exactly was it that he was speakainst? Scroggs makes an excelse for the fact that Paul was speak-against the pederastic practices on in the Greco-Roman world in ay. Scroggs also suggests that Paul ed women in this text as a way of nstrating the equality of women e false world, since such equalit~.· ~ n the new creation. [Ser, mmer 1993 It is also crucial to see verses 26-27 in the context of what precedes and what follows them. In chapter one, Paul draws the reader (especially a jewish reader who has Gentiles in mind) to that very judgmental place of thinking "Yes, indeed, those who do these things are horrible and should die!" (see 1:32). But then there is that rhetorical hook in 2: 1: "Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself . .." [italics mine] Paul's intent in chapter one is NOT to pass judgment on others; that is God's responsibility. Rather, Paul's intent in 1:18-3:20 is to demonstrate that all humanity is fallen and is separate from God's righteous desire for creation. And we cannot by our own doing rectify that situation. Verse 21 of chapter 3 then radically shifts the attention away from humanity's unrighteousness to God's peculiar righteousness that justifies the unjust, makes right the unrighteous. God does what humanity cannot do. Paul's emphaSiS is not on the moral condition of human beings (heterosexual or homosexual), but rather on the absolute fallenness of all humanity and on the unconditional graciousness of the Creator in making all thing new. I suspect Paul would be incredibly saddened by the enormous energy expended these days on 1:26-27, while humanity languishes in its blindness to the focus of this book. One of my favorite theologians, and I believe the best commentator on this whole section of Romans, is Shug in Alice Walker's The Color Purple. Shug speaks to Celie of her understanding of God, that God made everything, loves everything "it" made, and wants human beings to love everything, too. Indeed, "it pisses God off" when someone walks by the color purple without admiring it. So, what does God do when God gets pissed off? Well, says Shug, God "make something else." Then Shug explains that "People think pleasing God is all God care about. But any fool li\ing in the world can see it [God] always trying to please us back." [Walker, pp. 203, 204] It pisses God off when we stumble around in our darkness, seeing clearly neither the Creator nor the creation. So, what does God do when God gets pissed off? God makes a new creation. What a strange and peculiar God this is! What a wondrously gracious God this is! For in this new creation all who are unrighteous are made righteous (how exactly, I do not know), all who are blind are made to see. Humanity is not stuck in the cycle of its ignorance. Heterosexuality and homosexuality are no longer at issue; the incredibly gracious -and absolutely free -love of God as revealed in jesus Christ is offered. Will we accept it? Will the church accept it?T References Boswell, John . Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality. Chicago: University oj Chicago Press, 1980. Hays, Richard B. "Relations Natural and Unnatural: A Response to John Boswell's Exegesis oj Romans 1." Journal of Religious Ethics. 14/1 (1986) 184-215. Kasemann, Ernst. Commentary on Romans. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1980. Scroggs, Robin. The New Testament and Homosexuality. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983. Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Pocket Books, 1982. The Independent (London, April 22, 1992). Quoted by Advent, April-September 1992, p. 5, Jrom More Light Update. Dick Poole is a Lutheran pastor who does spiritual direction at the Claret Center in the Hyde Park area oj Chicago and participates in Resurrection Lutheran Church in Oak Forest, where his wife is pastor. _3 The Great Commandments According to Mark.9s Jesus Arnold Isidore Thomas Literary Context Often regarded as the "Second Gospel," Mark provides the earliest written account of the apostolic tradition concerning the ministry of Jesus. The Gospel of Mark is a major point of reference for the gospels of Matthew and Luke in constructing their frames of knowledge about the works ofJesus. This reliance has caused Matthew and Luke to be linked with Mark as "Synoptic Gospels" or gospels that share a "common view" (synoptikos in Greek) ofJesus' life and ministry. Matthew and Luke employed other common and independent sources for their respective accounts of Jesus, but the great commandments are featured, with variation, in all three gospels, and Mark is clearly the eldest Christian voice among them. The Gospel of Mark is divided into five parts: 1) The baptism and temptation ofJesus (1: 1-13); 2) Jesus' ministry in Galilee (1:14-9:50); 3) his journey to Jerusalem (ch. 10); 4) the last weeks of his life, including his death and burial (chs. 11-15); and 5) the resurrection (16:1-8). [Metzer, p. 47 NT] The great commandments saying falls within the final weeks of Jesus' life. It follows his rebuke of the Sadducees concerning levirate marriage (12:18-27) and precedes his rejection of the notion that the Messiah is the Son of David and his denouncement of the scribes (1 2:3540). One cannot be certain if Mark has placed the great commandments saying in its accurate context. In Mark the scribe who asks the question seems friendly, unlike the lawyer in Matthew who, with other Pharisees, "conspired against him." (Mt. 22:35) The incidents preceding and following the saying are similar in Mark and Matthew, but Luke has employed this saying to furnish a narrative prelude to the parable of the Good Samaritan. The different moods and settings of this saying prove that contextual accuracy was not a major focus of the Synoptic writers. Historical Context The author of Mark remains a mystery. The most popular assumption claims that he was John Mark, a follower of Paul and Barnabus mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 12:25). The gospel was written in Greek for Greek-speaking Gentile Christians, as indicated by the author's need to explain Hebrew terms and customs. It was probably written around the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. This tragic event in the life of Israel and the early church, along with the persecution of Christians under Emperor Nero, most likely inspired the apocalyptic vision of chapter 13. The purpose of the gospel was to encourage Christians to remain strong in their faith during this period of crisis and persecution, and to assure them that God's judgment was imminent. The author was a Jewish Christian writing in a time when Christianity was swiftly losing its Jewish identity and becoming more Gentile in character and makeup. Robert Funk adds that Mark "develops a sharp polemic against unbelieving Jews, which suggests that Judaism and Christianity are in the process of separating." [Funk, p. 28] The historical context of Mark is therefore far removed (by forty to fifty years) from the life and historical setting ofJesus. The priority of Mark deals with the faith and perseverance of persecuted Christians and not the presentation of the historical Jesus. UnderstandingJesus as an historical figure is not an easy assignment. The reality of this charismatic Jewish reformer is shrouded in the faith testimony of a church that sees Judaism as its adversary. The Synoptic Gospels may share a common view, but they don't always speak as one voice concerning the life, death, and resurrection ofJesus. Still, there are indisputable facts we gain from biblical and extra-biblical sources about Jesus. These facts confirm thatJesus was a GalileanJew, baptized by John the Baptist, who traveled throughout Palestine preaching and healing; that he called disciples and was embroiled in controversy about the temple; that he was . crucified outside Jerusalem by Roman authorities; and that after his death his followers continued as an identifiable movement. [Sanders, p. 11] Sanford Lowe elaborates that Jesus "emerged as a feisty, earthy and life-affirming preacher of hope to the dirt poor and the oppressed, to those who may have lost all hope in living . . . What was the dangerous message he preached? . Jesus sought to affirm the Open Hands 24 spontaneous fullness of life as everyone's birthright, especially for the downtrodden and the poor. His message frequently expressed a 'quiet confidence in the plenitude of creation' and our unbreakable connection to the ource of life." [Lowe, p. 5] esus was not a separatist seeking .. creation of a new religion, but a rmer who sought to change his faith Hion from within. He was a Jew worshiped in the synagogue and ryed Jewish customs and laws. Yet etimes he deviated from the norm igious observance when he felt the .i. .. .mandments of his faith lacked the of divine intent (Mk. 2: 15-28) . this in mind, let us attempt to erstand the religious tradition from hJesus answered the question conmg the greatest commandments. ~tual Notes -us believed that the greatest comandments were a combination of Shema ("Hear") of Deuteronomy nd the law of neighborly love from . icus 19:18. This combination may \... been unique to Jesus' understandof Torah, but the favorable response e scribe suggests a familiarity both nd Jesus shared with a preferred .tion of rabbinic instruction that tened the load of the law. Sherman Johnson states: "The raboved to make aphorisms summing he heart of religion, . .. and there much discussion as to which were weightiest commandments. One i told how Moses gave 613 comdments, but David reduced them even (Ps. 15:1-5), Isaiah to six (Isa. 5), Micah to three (Mic. 6:8), Amos '0 (A.m. 5:4), and Habakkuk to one . 2:4)." Uohnson, p. 523] esus himself may have been influ-ed by Hillel. This acclaimed Jewish '""her, and contemporary of Jesus, mmed up the law in his response to mquiring Gentile who desired a cone statement as to the essence ofJudaT' 1. Hillel replied, "What you would . have done to yourself, do not to d ur neighbor; that is the whole Torah, all the rest is commentary." usner, p. 64] -ummer 1993 Cultural Context The predominant and overarching ethic of the Bible is that of love for God and neighbor. According to Walter Wink, this love ethic "is constantly being brought to bear on whatever sexual mores are dominant in a given country, culture or period." [Wink, p. 1085] Israel and the church's love for God, and God's reciprocal love for them, determined who was their neighbor and how they would relate to the world around and within them. One's neighbor was considered an equal worthy of respect and fair treatment. Since Israel saw itself as a chosen people separated by God from the rest of the world to be a holy nation, neighborly love was first understood as an exclusive right reserved for male Jews (Deut. 15:1-3). This commandment was extended by the Holiness Code of Hospitality to foreigners dwelling in Jewish households. It stated that, "The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as a native among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God" (Lev. 19:34, RSV). The Bible seldom deems women equal to men. Jewish women were considered undeserving of neighborly love (as evident in Gen. 19:8 andJudg. 19:24). Their purpose was to marry, have children, and serve their husbands. Though they were treated as property of their fathers and husbands, Jewish women, by law, were favored over foreign women as wives . Israel's low regard for foreigners, especially during and following the exile, fueled the hatred of its leaders for marriages to foreigners (Ezra 9:1-3; Neh. 10:28-30; 13:23-30). But try as it did, Israel could not rid itself of the fondness many of its natives had for foreign mates. Hating the foreigner became an increasingly difficult task for the Jewish male when the foreigner was his wife, mother-in-law, or father-in-law. While some biblical writers frowned on such relationships, others lauded them as obvious ways God was extending the borders of neighborly love. Yet despite numerous actions to the contrary, this marital prohibition endured and was actively enforced during the life ofJesus. It is important to remember that the great commandments are products of a culture and theological perspective that condoned racism (Ex. 32:2; In. 4:9), slavery (Lev. 25:44-46; Eph. 6:5-9), and the silencing and debaSing of women 25 (l Cor. 14:34-35; 1 Tim. 2:12-15). But such was also the culture and theological perspective from which the Constitution of the United States was created. As the rights of our Constitution were gradually amended to reflect the more inclusive mind of a more diverse American population, so evolved the understanding of the great commandments. The gradually favorable impressions Israel and the church had of the world around them influenced the creation of an amended interpretation of their love for God and neighbor. Though Abraham prevented his son Isaac from marrying a Canaanite (Gen. 24:3),judah, Isaac's grandson, freely married the daughter of Shua, a Canaanite (Gen. 38:2). Though Moabites were denied access to the assembly of the lord (Deut. 23:3), Ruth, a Moabite, married Boaz and became the great grandmother of Israel's greatest monarch -King David. While the anger of Israel burned against foreigners during the exile, Esther, a Jew, married Ahasuerus, king of the Persian Empire, and her influence saved her people from annihilation (Est. 7: 1-10). Though Jews were not to associate with Samaritans, Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, and her testimony about him made her the first evangel of the gospel On. 4). When, in the Gospel of luke, the lawyer asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?", Jesus answered with the parable of the good Samaritan who comes to the aid of a Jew (lk. 10:29-37). Such words and actions endorsed the belief of Isaiah that God accepts all "foreigners who join themselves to the lord," for God's house "shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples" (Isa. 56:6,7). These cross-cultural examples of neighborly love, sadly, did not extend to embrace gay men and lesbians by the time the Bible was compiled. The hatred the Bible displays toward homosexual behavior is a hatred of heterosexuals assumed to have lapsed into a sinfulness associated with foreign cult prostitution (Deut. 23: 17). The biblical writers had no concept of homosexuality as an orientation formed in-utero. They believed that everyone was divinely created and intended to be heterosexual, and any deviation from this procreative norm was considered ungodly (lev. 18:22, 20: 13; Rom. 1:2627). Yet the inability, or unwillingness, to procreate was, in fact, the condition of another formerly ostracized group of people -eunuchs. Because of their different sexual orientation and "disability" (due to sterility or castration), eunuchs were believed to be cursed by God and, like Moabites, were excluded from the assembly of the lord (Deut. 23:1). But Isaiah once again countered this intolerance with the belief that God promises full acceptance of eunuchs who are faithful to God's covenant (lsa. 56:4). Furthermore, Jesus acknowledged, in deference to eunuchs, that heterosexual marriage vows do not apply to all people (Mt. 19:11-12), thus removing the taint of sin and divine curse from one's inability or unwillingness to "be fruitful and multiply" (Gen. 1:28). Interpretation Many would argue that if lesbian and gay men were willing to refrain from sexual activity, like eunuchs, they too would be tolerated. They might even add that it is not only homosexual affection that offends them, but also the nonprocreative "waste" of male semen (Gen. 38:9-10). This opinion would surely place them in a diminishing class ' by themselves. In an overpopulated world where millions of people are dying from lack of food , nourishment, medical care, and hOUSing, I doubt that many people would mind if a male sperm were directed to places other than the female egg (like a condom, for instance). The borders of neighborly love need to be further extended. It is unfortunate that Christians, who have already rejected biblical sanctions for slavery and misogyny, fail to comprehend that biblical homophobia is based upon a similar sanction of uninformed and unneighborly prejudice. Jesus desired to know a person's relation to God by being in personal relationship with that individual. He sought to counter the prejudice of his society by being with individuals and people, on a first-hand basis, who were the objects of prejudice -women (lk. 10:38-42), tax collectors and sinners (Mt. 11: 19), lepers (lk. 17: 11-19), foreigners, eunuchs, and others outside the "in-crowd." He knew that his ministry of personal contact with the untouchables of his society would cause division and upset the faith and families of many who followed after him (Mt. 10:34-39). Gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals are the untouchables of our society, and our unneighborly attitudes toward them are sanctioned by biased biblical perceptions. I believe that God's word, while inherent in Scripture, is not confined to it. Neither is it bound by the bias of ancient or modern culture. God's word, expressed in the commandments of love for God and neighbor, speaks to us in every time and place. It guides us in every context of our life in relation to others. It challenges our complacent assumptions of those we fear with reminder that God's house "shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples" (lsa. 56:7). And it cautions us: "Those who do not love do not know God" (1 In. 4:8) .... References Funk, Robert W, editor. The Gospel ofMark: Red Letter Edition. Sonoma: Polebridge Press (the Jesus Seminar Selies), 1991, Johnson, Sherman . The Gospel According to St. Matthew. Vol. 7: The Interpreter's Bible. Nashville: Abingdon, 1951. Gohnson provides the introduction and exegeSiS) Lowe, Sanford. "The Significance of the Work of the Jesus Seminar for Judaism." The Fourth R, Guly 1992):1-9. Metzgel~ Bruce M. and Murphy, Roland E, editors. The New Oxford Annotated Bible (NRSV). New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. Neusner, Jacob. Judaism in the Beginning of Christianity. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984. Sanders, E P. Jesus and Judaism. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985. Wink, Walter. "Biblical Perspectives on Homosexuality."Christian Century (November 7, 1979):1085 Arnold Isidore Thomas is pastor oj the First Congregational Church in Williamstown, Massachusetts -an Open and AJJirming Church. Open Hands 26 E BIBLE AND HOMOSEXUALITY following resources offer a moderate to liberal view.] I, John. Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality. Chi0: University of Chicago Press, 1980. en, Bernadette J. "Paul's Views on the Nature of Women and ....emale Homoeroticism." In Immaculate and Powerful: The Female '1 Sacred Image and Social Reality. Edited by C . W. Atkinson et al. 'T'he Harvard Women's Studies in Religion Series. Boston: Beacon ress, 1985, pp. 61-87. [Looks at ancient texts -secular and relious -where lesbian relationships are discussed.) ntr>'man, William L. Dirt, Greed, and Sex: Sexual Ethics in the ~'ew Testament and Their Implications for Today. Philadelphia: .Fortress Press, 1988. rds, George R. Gay /Lesbian Liberation: A Biblical Perspective. -e\\' York: Pilgrim Press, 1984. l"lsh, Victor Paul. "Homosexuality" In Harper's Bible Dictionary. EdIted by P. J. Achtemeier et al. San Francisco: Harper &: Row, 1985, 402 . _.sh, Victor Paul. "Homosexuality" In The Moral Teaching of Paul: Selected Issues. 2nd ed., rev. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1985, pp. -2-82. sh, Victor Paul. "Understanding Homosexuality in the Bible's Cultural Particularity" The Circuit Rider 15/10:10-11, 12. scheid, John, booklet editor. Christians and Homosexuality -A Discussion of Biblical and Ethical Issues. Updated Edition. Published ,. The Other Side, 300 W. Apsley St., Philadelphia, PA 19144. $5. .:oni, Letha and Virginia Ramey Mollenkott. Is the Homosexual My "cighbor? Another Christian View. San Francisco: Harper &: Row, -~. [Revised edition will be available January 1994.) s, Robin. The New Testament and Homosexuality: Contextual Background for Contemporary Debate. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 3 . Bishop John Shelby. Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism. arperSanFrancisco, 1991. following resources offer a conservative view.] ser, Frederick J. "Homosexuality and the Old Testament." Word and World 10 (1990):161-65. -. Richard B. "Awaiting the Redemption of Our Bodies." Sojourners ~ll)' 1991): 17-21. Hays, Richard B. "Relations Natural and Unnatural: A Response to John Boswell's Exegesis of Romans l." Journal of Religious Ethics 14/1 (1986):184-215. Seamands, David A "A Common Thread of Opposition to Homosexuality Runs Through the Bible." The Circuit Rider 15/10:8-9, 12. SELECTED COMMENTARIES FOR BIBLE STUDY On the Whole Bible Guthrie, D. and J . A Motyer, editors. The New Bible Commentary: Revised. 3rd edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1970. [Written from the "unqualified belief in (the Bible's) divine inspiration"; a conservative resource.) Mays, James L. et aI., editors. Harper's Bible Commentary. San Francisco: Harper &: Row, 1988. [Produced in collaboration with the Society of Biblical Literature. Highly recommended .) Newsom, Carol A and Sharon H. Ringe, editors. The Women's Bible Commentary. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1992. [Focuses especially on passages and themes which bear in some way on feminist issues.) On Genesis Brueggemann, Walter. Genesis. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching_ Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1982. Westermann, Claus. Genesis: A Commentary. 3 Volumes·[chs. 1-11,1236,37-50, respectively). Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1984-86. On Matthew Harrington, Daniel J ., SJ . The Gospel of Matthew. Sacra Pagina . Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1991. Schweizer, Eduard. The Good News According to Matthew. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1975. On Mark Anderson, Hugh. The Gospel of Mark. New Century Bible. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976. Juel, Donald H. Mark. Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament. Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1990. On Romans Achtemeier, Paul J . Romans. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1985. Ziesler, John. Paul's Letter to the Romans. Trinity Press International New Testament Commentaries. Philadelphia: Trinity, 1989. ~~mmer 1993 27 Editor: I have just read your Fall 1992 Open Hands. It is very impressive. Congratulations on all you have been doing in recent years, and on being joined by additional denominational groups. I have been at Kirkridge now for 18 1/2 years, and for most of those years we have publicly welcomed gay and lesbian people at our events ... We salute your work in the confidence that the hearts and minds of people within the denominations will open and that gay and lesbian people will finally be welcomed fully into the family of the Church as they already are into the family of God, and courage and every blessing to you. Robert A Raines Director, Kirkridge, Bangor, PA Editor: .. . I am concerned about the attitude I see and hear from gays and lesbians regarding their place in the church. If gays and lesbians leave the church, how can people like me convince congregations that we are lessened by the leaving? ... I can understand the desire to leave, but don't people realize how hard it is to make change from within a system if the very people the changes are deSigned to help are no longer around? I would urge your readers and your writers to discover ways in which we can all work to bring the kingdom a little closer. Charles J . Alkula Landover Hills, MD Editor: I am writing to you to request your assistance in my efforts relating to a human rights issue. In defiance of an international human rights treaty to which it is subject, Bermuda maintains on its statute-books a law (Section 175 et seq. of the Bermuda Penal Code) that criminalizes homosexual conduct between males, even when that conduct occurs between consenting adults .. . While the major Christian denominations present on the island have manifested their desire to see the law rescinded, the African Methodist Episcopal Church does not. This Church counts among its members fully one-third of Bermuda's black citizens and enjoys enormous influence with the island's Government and population . . . . please consider communicating with the clergy (and laity) of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Bermuda and urge their prayerful reconsideration of their position. William A Courson Bloomfield, NJ Editor: I just finished reading the winter issue of "Open Hands". It's a fine publication, but please allow me one minor dissent. [Mark Bowman] states that heterosexual allies expend their energy proving that lesbians and gay men "can't help being who they are." (Winter 1993, pp 6-7) I suggest that is not the most objective way of expressing the reality of gay sexual orientation. I feel it can more accurately be said that gay sexual orientation is not just some sort of casual preference it is instead an intrinsic part of each individual ... Martin Matson Lincoln City, OR Editor: With all due respect, I found your description of the "exgay" or "transforming" ministries to be incomplete or lacking in objectivity. (Winter 1993, page 11) You mention the "personal pain and trauma for lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons who have diligently tried" changing their behavior or orientation. This sounds like all this change is the sole work- drudgery at that -of the man or woman contemplating such a change, rather than the work of the Holy Spirit with that person's cooperation, as well as the support of a committed ministry or church community ... Secondly, you state that "these (transforming) churches require that changing one's behavior is a condition for acceptance into the church". Is that true? I read (in Transforming Congregation material) of "a love for homosexual persons persons of sacred worth who bear the wounds of fallen humanity and need the sexual healing only Christ can bring." From that statement, I don't picture someone being unequivocally barred from membership, but I don't know for sure . .. Linda L. Scisson Little Rock, AR Editor: I want to congratulate you on the Winter 1993 edition of Open Hands. What an excellent issue! We've ordered a dozen copies for use in our work here in the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference and I'm sure we'll want more soon ... Michael Spencer Simple Justice, Seattle, WA Open Hands 28 , tle",:;e:ttf Ne~f • wt.i1it-:s '""': :. Xl; (\' elcome New Churches . :ine more churches have jOined the menical welcoming movement in the ,\" months. 'HECO CIUNG~ aith UMC Cedar Rapids, Iowa Faith UMC is a closely knit commu" of 75 members with an emphasis or. learning and growing together as Christian community. A weekly Bible udy and a dialogue time after the rmon provide key growth opportuni. Active in many prophetic minises, Faith was the first "sanctuary ,urch" in Iowa and has been involved a "Going Home" project accompany-refugees back to EI Salvador. After reliminary discussion and a visit by .e RCP coordinator, Faith moved kly to become a Reconciling Con:egation because it was consistent with identity and ministry of the congre' Ion. --MOREUG:J Gibson Heights Presbyterian Church Louis, Missouri Gibson Heights' session adopted a olution welcoming all people into e church as fully participating memrs, with both the opportunity and the responsibility for ordination should they be elected to leadership positions, regardless of sexual orientation. According to the clerk of the session, Bonnie MontIe, "We celebrate diversity in our church. An all-inclusive church embraces race, ethnic groups, gender, age, education, economic status, physical or mental challenge, and marital status -we meet this criterion." Palisades Presbyterian Church Palisades, New York "In our hearts, we at Palisades Presbyterian Church have been part of the More Light movement for many years. Now we have made it official," states Jack Hoffmeister) chair of the church's More Light Task Force. This small-town congregation, northwest of New York City, is comprised of families, conventional and unconventional. Members include a variety of persons -scientists, actors, business people, teachers, and others -and lots of kids. Gay people have always been included, a distinguished but indistinguishable part of the church family. Several years ago, when a gay member was nominated for elder, the "definitive gUidance" threatened to disrupt Palisades' tranquil association with the Presbyterian Church (U.s.A). Instead of choosing another elder, the session left a place open for cause for three years. Last year) in response to the denial of the Rev. Janie Spahr's call to Downtown Presbyterian in Rochester, the session decided unanimously to become a More Light Church. Takoma Park Presbyterian Church Takoma Park, Maryland During a mission study three years ago, Tacoma Park recognized the need to determine whether its diversity would include gay or lesbian members. Located in a nuclear-free-zone community bordering Washington, D.C., the church already housed a Central American refugee center and child development center. The congregation also expressed its commitment to justice through a sister parish in Nicaragua and a developing ministry in the area of affordable housing. The session of this congregation, whose members come from at least eighteen different nations and are drawn together because of their enjoyment of God's gift of diversity, spent a day wrestling with this new aspect of inclusiveness. A small committee drafted a More Light declaration which the session adopted and presented to the congregation. Following educational events and a congregational forum, the session voted to become a More Light Church last February. VanBrunt BoulevardPresbyterian Church Kansas City, Missouri "Sometimes the Spirit helps a congregation come together and do the right thing!" says Kirk Perucca, pastor, about becoming More Light. The session of this small, multi-racial, urban congregation, predominately made up of older, blue-collar folks, adopted its More Light statement unanimously. "Becoming More Light has given us new life!" Kirk states. "It has helped us connect with the community in more ways than evangelism efforts have in the past. Honestly, this is the best gift this church could ever receive!" &..T~"'~T~ "T...T...T" OPEN --If-- L AffiRMING :J CONGREGATIONS ....a&.. T~"'~T~ ..T.......T.. OPEN AND AFFIRMING Central Congregational Church Topeka, Kansas Although Central's membership peaked in the 1960s (at more than 1,000 members), its enthusiasm hasn't peaked yet! Its 525 members have been inten- ummer 1993 29 tional about extending hospitality to everyone, its Open and Affirming vote being one expression. Through Central's large building in the inner city, space is offered to groups including the Topeka Center for Peace and justice, the Kansas chapter of the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, a tutoring program for inner city youth, a low-income day care center, and the Gay/Lesbian Task Force of Topeka where the pastor is a board member. Recently, members of the church helped bring the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Topeka, which raised $30,000 for AIDS service in the area. New Hope Church of Sonoma UCC Sonoma, California This small church of 12 adult members and 12 children is located in the middle of California's wine country. When begun three years ago, it was deliberately organized as a peace and justice congregation. New Hope has made a commitment to economic justice by deciding to give away half of the church's income (from all sources). These funds support "hands on projects" like the work of an Hispanic bilingual organization. In the fall, the congregation will continue to discern new directions for its ministries! Pakachoag Church Auburn, Massachusetts A suburban, central Massachusetts congregation that has grown and diversified recently, Pakachoag attracts folks seeking Christian community and freedom to explore the challenges of faith and ministry. Its programs include the Pakachoag Church AIDS Support Group and the Pakachoag Community Music School. With great joy and gratitude, it recently dedicated a new church building which includes flexible sanctuary space, offices, meeting areas, etc. Eventually this will be the congregation's new church home and the original building will be used for expanded outreach. Members continue to discuss ways that the church might live its ONA commitment and help other churches interested in the ONA process. University Congo Church UCC Missoula, Montana Located in a community of 50,000, this 101-year-old church has 360 members and a large, active church school. Being in "Big Sky Country," the church knows a lot about "mios" -ministries in open spaces! Hoping to broaden the UCC presence in this expansive area, University Church is considering giving leadership to start a new church in Kalispell (north of Missoula). University Church lost and gained some members after its ONA vote and also has more gay/lesbian people attending. The pastor believes theirs is the only church in Montana of any denomination (other -than UFMCC) to have made a "welcoming" statement. That makes them pretty unique in that part of the country!. Sexuality Still Controversial for Presbyterian General Assembly The 205th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), meeting june 2-9 in Orlando, Florida, proved once again that sexuality is controversial whatever the issue. The majority of overtures addressing the "definitive gUidance" that prohibits the ordination of "unrepentant, self-avowed, practicing homosexuals" made their way to the Committee on Human Sexuality. After hearing many hours of personal testimonies offered by persons from a wide variety of perspectives on homosexuality, the committee recommended a three-year churchwide study and dialogue. Despite several attempts at amendments, the Assembly voted 396-155-7 to adopt the committee's report. It states that the current "authoritative interpretation" (new phrase replacing "definitive guidance") of the Constitution prohibits the ordination of openly homosexual members as deacons, elders, or ministers. It strongly urges each presbytery to study issues of human sexuality, particularly relating to church members, ministry, and ordination and to report their results to the 208th General Assembly in 1996. And it leaves governing bodies to decide how gay, lesbian, and bisexual members can openly participate in the studies without jeopardizing their positions in the church. During the Committee on Human Sexuality's report, newly elected moderator, David Dobler, invited gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons to address the Assembly for twelve minutes. About fifty members, deacons, elders, ministers, family members, and supporters stood on the stage and began introducing themselves to the 700 commissioners and just as many visitors. The presentation ended with a brief statement by the Rev. janie Spahr, and the audience responded with a standing ovation. After the committee's report was approved, several dozen people who had earlier been on stage, demonstrated their anger and frustration. They walked among the commissioners singing, 'Jesus Loves Me" and "We Are a Gentle, Angry People" and chanting "You study us to death!" "How long, 0 church, how long?" and "Lift the ban!" Several commissioners and visitors stood in solidarity with the protestors. In other business, the Assembly voted 334-166 to approve the Consultation on Church Union (COCU) despite some commissioners' fears that the church would be forced to recognize the ordination by other denominations of openly homosexual persons. During the report of the Committee on Worship and Sacraments, the Assembly voted against an overture to amend The Book of Order's Directory of Worship to prohibit ministers from participating in the holy unions of same-sex couples. The Assembly approved the Committee on Social Witness Policy's report that calls for the repeal of Colorado's Amendment 2 and that urges President Clinton and Congress to end discrimination based upon sexual orientation in the military. At the same time, the Assembly rejected a commissioner's resolution that would have urged sessions to examine the current Boy Scout policy prohibiting gay youth from joining troops housed in their churches .• Open Hands 30 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 'T# : Reconciling Congregations Gather for Third Convocation • The theme "Borne on the Breath of God" captured the buoyant spirit ~ nd enthusiasm of the third naVa- n \~~ nal convocation of United Meth~ ~v· ) J) ~~ Reconciling Congregations "The convocation drew 278 -,,~J ~~mbers and friends of RCs from ".fo~~~~:' -::::::,..., cs. to Washington, D.C. for 72 hours of worship, study, training, and . es, with preaching by Mark Bowman, on-Petty, Rev. Bonnie · Beckonchrist, and h were consistently mentioned as high ·-eRend. Dr. Sally Brown Geis (Iliff School of r Tex Sample (St. Paul School of Theology) challe['be~ :mJ aroused participants with daily Biblical reflections. A.:ma Crawford and Dr. Elias Farajaje-Jones (Howard Dhinit)' School) captivated participants with their presentation on affirming diversity. During the Saturday night celebration, Bishop Susan Morrison commended the RC movement for its faithful witness. Forums provided succinct, informative presentations and opportunities for dialogue. Covenant groups offered the opportunity to meet each day with a small group of • colleagues to process information and to share individual faith journeys. Twenty different workshops provided handson training in different reconciling ministries. A rousing • concert featuring Susan Savell, Gene Cotton, and the Lavender Light Gay and Lesbian and People of All Colors Gospel Choir was another highlight. The youth participants toured D.C., visited the Holocaust Museum, talked with congressional offices about lifting the ban on gays in the military, and shared their experiences of ministries with lesbian and gay persons. A special preconvocation colloquy for large-membership churches exploring reconciling ministries drew 55 participants from 20 churches across the country. Again and again participants were overheard expressmg their amazement at the magnitude of this grass roots movement in the UMC. The experience of the weekend is best capsulized by their comments: The RCP convocation is a profound event facilitating the transformation ofour church. The convocation helped me listen to marginalized voices and to examine ways that I, as a heterosexist, must confront my own sin and repent. Rev. Betsy Singleton, Little Rock, AR The convocation is an absolutely invaluable experience for all the people involved -not only does it bring gays, lesbians and heterosexuals together in a loving, supportive and productive alliance; it serves as a source of nourishment and encouragement for people still struggling to become RCs or struggling with their sexuality . .. Elaine Baker, Williamstown, MA Comingfrom an annual conference with no Reconciling Congregations, I was amazed by the evangelical power of a truly welcoming space within the church. I have never experienced anything like it! Rev. Harvey Manchester, Smyrna, DE I have never been to a conference before that had such relevance for the entire church from beginning to end. Rev. Tom Shanklin, Rutland, VT The convocation was spiritually alive. It really showed me what the church can and should be like . .. It made me remember what Christianity is about. Joe Liggett, Toledo, OH So many gifted, joyful, beautiful people! ... The main discovery for me was how far I have to grow into full acceptance of diverSity. Rev. H. Myron Talcott, Colgate, WI Startling contrast with our first convocation which could be fitted in a room 1/4 the size ofour gathering place this time. How wonderful to be growing! Rev. Sally Daniel, Atlanta, GA Mark your calendars now for the Next RC Convocation inJuly 1995 inth Annual Conference !Provides More Light Energy The ninth annual More Light Churches Conference -the first under the newly organized More Light Churches Network, -drew over 100 new and familiar folks to Seventh Avenue Presbyterian Church, San Francisco from May 7-9, 1993. Hosted by Summer 1993 the Bay Area More Light congregations, the conference provided much good food, fellowship, and planning. After opening worship, Robert McAfee Brown, liberation theologian and professor at San Francisco Theological Seminary, delivered a powerful keynote address. Attendees participated in numerous workshops. A panel presentation by leaders of the Network, Presbyterians for Lesbian &: Gay Concerns, and the Coalition for Loving Justice preceded a discussion on developing a truly inclusive church. Then the first annual meeting of the new Network was held, the first board of directors elected and the first mission statement adopted. Singer/songwriter Debra Wood blessed Saturday'S evening meal and 31 after-dinner entertainment was provided by a chorus of women students at San Francisco Theological Seminary, including a few SLUTS (Seminarian Lesbians Under Theological Stress!). Kathleen Jimenez, co-director of La Plaza Resolana in Santa Fe, New Mexico, preached a challenging sermon during Sunday morning worship. And Lisa Larges, a candidate to the ministry who was denied certification because she is a lesbian, closed the conference by charging participants to turn themselves into percussion instruments and use their voices to reform the church! Elected to the Network's first board of directors were: Virginia Davidson (comoderator for advocacy); Lindsay Biddle (co-moderator for administration); Richard Lundy (communications coordina tor); Richard Hasbany (conference coordinator); Harold Porter (development coordinator); Ralph Carter (resource coordinator); and Robert Hettrick (secretary / treasurer). The 1994 conference will be held May 6-8 in the Twin Cities area, hosted by St. Luke Presbyterian Church, Wayzata, Minnesota .• UMs Retain Denver as 1996 Conference Site The Commission on General Conference voted unanimously to retain Denver as the site of the 1996 United Methodist quadrennial assembly, while also proposing that the program include "a witness in support of civil and human rights for all persons." In response to petitions and requests by several UM groups to move the General Conference following the passage of the antigay Amendment 2 in Colorado last November, the commission allowed one hour of testimony each from proponents and opponents of relocating the General Conference during its June 5 meeting in Denver. Asking for relocation were Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Concerns, Colorado United Methodists Against Discrimination, the Methodist Federation for Social Action, and the board of directors of the Reconciling Congregation Program. The mayor of Denver and several UM leaders from the Rocky Mountain Conference testified for staying in Denver. All speakers expressed opposition to Amendment 2, but disagreed on the best strategy for protest. In its action, the commission stated that "the United Methodist Church can make its strongest possible witness in behalf of the civil rights of all persons by holding the 1996 General Conference in Denver. Our stand places us on the side of the ordinances currently operative in the City of Denver, [and] in support of the Rocky Mountain Conference of the UMC, other groups and persons ... who oppose Amendment 2 and the spirit it represents ... " The commission instructed its Program Committee to consult with representatives of the various groups who testified to "bring recommendations for a UM witness in support of civil and human rights for all persons.". UCCs and Disciples Gather in St. Louis The 13th National Gathering of the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/ Gay Concerns (UCCL/GC) drew a record 136 people to Washington University in St. Louis from July 12-15. Exploring the theme "Unity and Diversity: Gifts to Celebrate, Obstacles To Overcome," participants examined the dynamics of racism, ableism, heterosexism, and other prejudices. Challenging addresses by Peggy Way, Professor of Pastoral Care at Eden Seminary and Mary Webber, creator of the Dismantling Racism Project in St. Louis generated insightful and spirited discussion. On the final day, this Gathering became a joint event with GLAD (Gay, Lesbian, and Affirming Disciples Alliance). The two groups met together for community building, worship, and planning for our "presence" at the national General Synod/General Assembly which brought together 12,000 members of the UCC and DiSciples of Christ. At the Synod/Assembly, UCCL/GC, GLAD, and the Open and Affirming programs of both denominations hosted joint booths in the exhibit hall. A highlight during the Synod/Assembly was the UCCL/GC and GLAD banquet, attended by over 450 people! The speaker, Michael Kinnamon, Dean of Lexington Theological Seminary, the Coalition choir, and the recognition of seventytwo Open and Affirming churches/ministries made for a moving and memorable evening .• Open Hands 32 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 Open Hands Vol 9 No 1 - Biblical Interpretation: Beyond Judgement to Love https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/ef83d95f0555207ccd9f6008951d4f17.pdf 9dca016200ca38c6da8eabe3b591dade Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Volume Number The volume number of the issue 9 Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 2 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1993 Publication Date The date the issue was published Fall Text Any textual data included in the document Open Hands is a resource for congregations and individuals seeking to be in ministry with lesbian, bisexual, and gay persons. Each issue focuses on a specific area of concern within the church. Open Hands is published quarterly by the Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. (United Methodist) in conjunction with More Light Churches Network (Presbyterian), Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ), and Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran) Programs. Each of these programs is a national network of local churches that publicly affirm their ministry with the whole family of God and welcome lesbian and gay persons and their families into their community of faith. These four programs -along with Open and Affirming (Disciples of Christ), Welcoming (Unitarian Universalist), Supportive Congregations (Brethren/ Mennonite), and Welcoming and Affirming (American Baptist) programs -offer hope that the church can be a reconciled community. Open Hands is published quarterly. Subscription is $16 for four issues ($20 outside the U.S.). Single copies and back issues are $5. Quantities of lO or more, $3 each. Subscriptions, letters to the editor, manuscripts, requests for advertising rates, and other correspondence should be sent to: Open Hands 3801 N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 Phone: 312 / 736-5526 Fax: 312 / 736-5475 Member, The Associated Church Press © 1993 Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. Open Hands is a registered trademark. ISSN 0888-8833 @ Printed on recycled pape1: Resources Jar Ministries AJJirming the Diversity oj Human Sexuality ANALYZING THE RIGHT Building a Theocracy: Philosophy and Strategies of the Right .................................................. 4 Mary Jo Osterman Confronting Fundamentalism ............................................................... 7 Virginia Ramey Mollenkott The Fanatic's Illness ............................................................................... 10 Connie Lofgreen Race and the Religious Right ............................................................... 12 Scot Nakagawa Do Gays Seek Special Rights? ................................ .... ...................... 13 Mark Bowman The Antigay Agenda ............................................................................... 14 Jean Hardisty . Key Organizations of the Right .................................... ......................... 16 Watchdog Groups ............................................................................. 17 SUSTAINING THE SPIRIT Remembering: A Litany of Many Voices .... ........................................... 18 Carol Larson RESPONDING TO THE RIGHT Preaching Grace/Transforming Condemnation .................................. 19 Christine M. Smith Educating Ourselves .............................................................................. 22 Caring for Our Own .............................................................................. 23 Susan Thornton The Church Responds with Action ...................................................... 25 Simple Justice Michael Spencer and Sue Sherbrooke Local Clergy Organize in Maine Bill Gregory Ecumenical Organizing Jimmy Creech Ten Steps for Organizing ....................................................................... 27 RESOURCES ................................................................................................... 27 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ........................................................................... 29 MOVEMENT NEWS ....................................................................................... 30 2 Open Hands --- Responding to the Right: Strategies for Change The strategy of the Religious Right includes a major antigay agenda, which in reality masks a much larger agenda: by the end of the century they expect to be in control of the major institutions of our society. Their threat to Christianity and to democracy is potentially dangerous. The dilemma we face is complex. How do we acknowledge the reality of the Right without giving it more credit and credibility than it deserves? How do we engage the Right while speaking and responding with the integrity of our own values of peace and diversity? Finally, how do we organize to confront and counteract the basic assumptions, values, and tactics of the Right? Because the Right takes many forms, our understanding must be broad and our responses necessarily varied. In this issue of Open Hands we offer a variety of perspectives on who and what the Right is, what motivates them, and how they work. We also offer a variety of responses and strategies for you to consider. This issue is heavy and intense at points. Keep turning to page 18 to REMEMBER! Mary Jo Osterman, Editor ProgramCoordinators Mark Bowman Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. 3801 N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 312/736-5526 ~"''''''''''''''.Q Ann B. Day rA.................., OPEN Open and Affirming Program !I!~~!!~ ~...........Q P.O. Box 403 Holden, MA 01520 508/ 856-9316 rA.................., o Brian Knittel Reconciled in Christ Program 2800 Buena Vista Way Berkeley, CA 94708 510/841-6990 <:;:!-· ···::::*· ~\ .{ Lindsay Louise Biddle More Light Churches Network T 3538 22nd Avenue, S. Minneapolis, MN 55407 612/ 724-5429 Publisher Mark Bowman Open Hands Editor Mary Jo Osterman Illustrations Christopher Wild Layout I Graphics I Typesetting In Print -Jan Graves Editorial Advisory Committee Reva Anderson, Toledo, OH Peg Beissert, Rolling Hills Est., CA Ann Marie Coleman, Chicago, IL Dan Hooper, Los Angeles, CA Derrick Kikuchi, Daly City, CA Samuel E. Loliger, Buffalo, NY Shawndra Miller, Goshen, IN Dick Poole, Oak Forest, IL Caroline Presnell, Evanston, IL Emilie Pulver, Chicago, IL Irma C . Romero, Chicago, IL Paul Santillan, Chicago, IL Martha Scott, Chicago, IL Fall 1993 3 8\J'LO'\\\:C~: 1'8£OCII. .....PhiiOSOPhy &Strategies By MaryJo Osterman of the Right M any people assumed in the late 1980s that the Religious Right movement was disintegrating. Pat Robertson had failed to get the presidential bid.Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority had collapsed. Televangelists Jim Bakker andJimmy Swaggart were brought low by public sex scandals. In 1990, Michael D'Antonio published Fall From Grace -The Failed Crusade ofthe Christian Right in which he concluded: With the demise of Robertson's campaign came the death of the Christian Right's political hopes. The born-again movement soon ceased to be a significant religious or social force as well. 1 Not so! The Right was merely reforming itself -again. A Little History This latest "demise" of the Right was not its first. As the Coalition for Human Dignity notes: In 1964 when Lyndon Johnson soundly defeated conservative Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater, it looked as if the American right was dead. The civil rights movement, the mass protests against the Vietnam War, . the women's movement and the Nixon administration only seemed to confirm that verdict. 2 Before and after Goldwater's defeat and during the heyday of the ciVIl rights movement of the 1960s, conservatives were busy organizing, building an agenda in reaction to civil rights. Finally, in 1968 Alabama Governor George Wallace ran a third-party candidacy which marshaled the conservative Southern white vote. Their tactic then was reactionary: appeal to the conservative white voters' racism by attacking desegregation and the civil rights movement.3 Suzanne Pharr of the Women's Project has observed that While both the Christian Right and the civil rights movements of the 60's were church-based, they were completely opposite in point of view. The civil rights movement put forth the message that true democracy calls for justice, liberation, and participation,...giving hope to disenfranchised people ... The white Christian Right movement put forth the message that inclusion and participation by diverse groups will destroy the old order of the 40's and 50's when segregation was legally enforced, male authority was unchallenged by women as a class, and lesbians and gay men were invisible. It called for a return to the past.4 As the women's movement, the gay and lesbian liberation movement, and the movement for sex education in the schools all gained momentum in the 1970s, the Christian Right emerged as the Moral Majority -again with a reactionary agenda. Televangelists and their electronic churches mobilized the fundamentalist and evangelical religiOUS communities as a solid section of the Right. However, despite Nixon and Reagan elections, the New Right did not really "come into its own" until 1988 with the election of George Bush.5 So far, the Right's tactics had been ones of reaction to the liberal, democratic forces at work in the U.S. However, in the early 1980s the first of two strategic shifts began: The New Right attempted to reframe debate and take control over the language of civil rights, to become a proactive movement instead of a reactive one. The rhetoric was reformed: resistance to reproductive rights became "prolife," opposition to sexual freedom became "pro-abstinence" ... antifeminist became 'pro-family".. . [and antihomosexual became] "special rights for none... equal rights for all."6 The second major shift in strategy came in the mid-1980s. Now proactive instead of reactive, the New Right shifted its image from being the Moral Majority to being the new oppressed minority. They no longer were the "guardians of the moral order" but rather the victims of affirmative action, the victims of militant gays and lesbians, the victims of special interest groups. The Right began to conceive of itself as revolutionaries, victims bent on gaining back their old pre-feminist, pre-civil rights, pre-gay liberation, pre-diversity world.7 In the midst of these two shifts, we witnessed the losses of the Right in the national political arena, and some of us predicted their demise . However, the Right was merely shifting tactics again moving from national politics to local polities to carryon their "revolutionary" agenda -and with some success. At least 500 candidates for federal, state, or local offices were supported by the ReligiOUS Right in the 1992 elections. Over 40 percent of those candidates were elected, according to Phillip Frazer of The Washington Spectator. Why is this important to those of us who profess to be either more moderate or more radical? Because, says Frazer, These candidates and their supporters are united in a movement whose professed goal is to take over our political institutions and change our society at every level.s The stakes are very high, indeed. The New Philosophy Early fundamentalist and evangelical leaders of the ReligiOUS Right catered to an audience who believed that "the things of this world" were Satanic and that little could be done until the Open Hands 4 Second Coming of Jesus. However, many current leaders of the Right are gUided by a different philosophy called reconstructionism.9 In fact, based on this new philosophy, current leaders of the New Right have forged a new consensus and a loose political coalition. They claim to be the true Christianity, with a biblical mandate to "reclaim" the country from militants and humanists. Reconstructionism, the philosophy which gUides them, takes several shapes (Dominion theology, Kingdom theology, Biblical Law revival). It rests on a belief in a biblical mandate to build the Kingdom of God here and now on earth rather than waiting for the second coming ofjesus to judge the world and bring in the Kingdom. Reconstruction is about building a theocracy, not a democracy. According to Skip Porteous, the tenets of this new philosophy of Reconstructionism include: • God's law, as 'revealed in the Bible, should govern every area of life; • local government should rule; • prisons could virtually be closed if serious offenders were executed, and if less serious criminals worked to make restitution for their crimes; • capital offenses, requiring the death penalty, should include unrepentant homosexuality, abortion, and adultery; • pornography in any form should be eliminated; • schools should be run by churches, and property taxes should be abolished; • husbands should be the heads of the household, and women and children should be subservient. lO Every philosophy or political stance except their own is under attack by the Right: feminism, humanism, socialism, science, New Age thinking, atheism, civil rights for gays, lesbians and bisexuals, reproductive choice, and all non-Christian religions or spiritual diSciplines, such as Hinduism and wiccan spirituality. The Religious Right is, in reality, a political movement, masquerading as true Christianity. TFive Strategies o obtain their goal of totally ruling our society and its institutions, the New Right relies on five major strategies: voter turnout, stealth tactics, demonization of opponents, racism tactics, and censorship Voter Turnout. Voter turnout as a strategy is based on the "15 percent solution" which Greg Goldin describes this way: Even in a well-attended presidential election, only 15 percent of eligible voters determine the outcome. Here's the simple math: about 60 percent of the qualified electorate is registered, and only half of them vote. Half again of that 30 percent determines the outcome, hence the all-powerful 15 percent. ll According to Christian Coalition National Field Director Guy Rodgers, in low-turnout elections such as those for school board, city council, and county @ .~':, ::;::::: . '''"; '/~·<:"l'.sr:;.-/*i'4¥ii ;;:;,< commissions, this number drops to 6 or 7 percent. Says Rodgers, We don't have to worry about convincing a majority of Americans to agree with us. Most of them are staying home and watching 'Falcon Crest.'12 The Right is more concerned with voter turnout at local caucuses and elections than national ones. As Ralph Reed, the Christian Coalition's executive director and chief strategist, maintains ...[the] Christian community got it backwards in the 1980s. We tried to change Washington when... the real battles... are in neighborhoods, school boards, city councils and state legislaturesY Pat Robertson, in his book The New Millennium, claims that ...with the apathy that exists in our nation.. .If we have as few as 75100 people in each county we could become the most powerful political influence in the state.14 People for the American Way quote Steve Baldwin of the California Pro-Life Council as follows: The theory is there are enough Christian voters out there to win most races if they register, vote and vote for who they're supposed to vote for. IS The Right taps conservative churches (including pro-family Roman Catholics) to get out that 15 percent vote for their candidates. They claim a built-in mobilization factor, noted by Reed: The advantage we enjoy is that liberals and feminists don't generally go to church; they don't gather in one place three [sic] days before the election. We can print 25 million voter guides and insert them in the bulletins of 10,000 churches across the country. We can mobilize the people; we can send the message.16 Reed claims the Christian Coalition has created a computer file of 1.6 million constituents. He also claims that thousands of voters were registered right before or right after the offering...[when] we pass Fall 1993 5 voter registration materials right down the pews. Everyone fills them out and when the offering plate goes down the pew, in addition to their contribution to their local church they throw in their voter registration card.17 They have also leafletted church parking lots and handed out materials in front of supermarkets, including thousands of copies of their lurid video called The Gay Agenda. Stealth Campaigning. The Right has embarked on a "stealth campaign" (also called "the San Diego model") as their tactic for putting forth candidates for office. Following its successful use in San Diego in 1990, Reed claimed that stealth is just good strategy It's like guerrilla warfare. Ifyou reveal your location, all it does is allow your opponent to improve his artillery bearings. It's better to move quietly, with stealth, under cover of night. You've got two choices: You can wear cammies and shimmy along on your belly, or you can put on a red coat and stand up for everyone to see; It comes down to whether you want to be the British Army in the Revolutionary War or the Viet Congo History tells us which tactic was more effective.1s Stealth tactics involve running candidates for office without identifying them as members of the Religious Right. Lying by omission, stealth tactics also involve having candidates fOCUSing on alternate, "less volatile" issues as a camouflage for the candidates' real concerns; e.g., tax issues instead of abortion, or the spread of AIDS instead of the biblical mandate against homosexuality. Demonization Tactics. The third tactic of the Right involves demonizing their opponents (liberals, feminists, opposition candidates for office, gays and lesbians, moderate and liberal churches, etc.). Examples of this tactic can be seen in the tabloids and videos of the Right which depict all gays and lesbians as extremely promiscuous, engaging in bestiality, having sex with children, etc. Demonization can also be heard in Pat Robertson's comment that feminism is a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians.19 Racism Tactics. The racism of the Right has also become "stealthy." While suddenly professing to be the supporters and friends of people of color, the Right in reality is just continuing to practice racism in a new form. On the one hand, ultraconservative, antigay, football coach Bill McCartney (University of Colorado, Boulder) announces that Christianity must now work on racism (as if no Christian ever had). On the other hand the Right's current antigay arguments about special rights and "true minority status" involve considerable racism. As Scot Nakagawa points out (see p. 12), the Right's attempts to promote the myth that only people of color have civil rights are based in racism. The Right is not a champion of civil rights; their pose is just that. It's another aspect of stealth campaigning: pretend to be who you are not; pretend to support what you do not truly support. Censorship. A fifth strategy of the Right is control of information and censorship of all views but their own. Again, stealth tactics are being used. Instead of naming directly their goal of having a very narrowly-defined sex education course taught in the schools, they oppose a curriculum because it "usurps parental privileges," or it "recruits children to homosexuality." Instead of directly naming their racist and sexist goals of returning to the past when white, heterosexual males ruled, they attack a diversity curriculum as being "antifamily." All of these so-called "ground war" tactics are supported by Robertson's mass media TV appeals on The 700 Club and through ads such as those on CNN. Together, they constitute the New Right's new approach to achieve a theocracy in this country -a form of government which may ultimately proVide "special rights" for them -and anti-civil rights for everybody else. T NOTES 1Skipp Porteous, "Swat Teams forJesus, "Challenging the Christian Right: The Activist's Handbook (Great Barrington, MA: Institute for First Amendment Studies, 1993), p. 9. 2Jonathan Mozzochi, GilI.ian Leichtling and Steven Gardiner (Coalition for Human Dignity), "The New Right and the Religious Right, " Fight the Right Action Kit (Washington, DC: NGLTF, 1993), p. 11. 3Ibid., pp. 12-13. 4Suzanne Pharr, 'The Christian Right: A Threat to Democracy," Transformation September/ October 1992, p. 2. 5Mozzochi, ibid., P. 12. 6Ibid., p. 13. ilbid. 8Phillip Fraze1~ "The Radical Right: The Stealth Crusade," The Washington Spectator, 15 March 1993, p. 1. 9See Porteous, pp. 10-11; Fred Clarkson , "HardCOR," Challenging the Christian Right, pp. 23-27; and Bruce Barron, Heaven on Earth? (Grand Rapids:Zondervan, 1992). lOPorteous, ibid. p. 10. 11 Greg Goldin, "The 15 Percent Solution," Challenging the Christian Right, pp. 63-64. Also see £1i11 Saberi, "From Moral Majority to Organized Minority: Tactics of the ReligiOUS Right," Christian Century, 11 August 1993, p. 782. Reed's quote is from the New York Times, 27 October 1992. 12Saberi, ibid. Rodgers' quote is from Nation, 27 April 1992. 13Frazer, op. cit.. P. 2. Hlbid. 15Matthew Freeman, The San Diego Model: A Community Battles the Religious Right (Washington, DC: People Jar the American Way, 1993), p. 16. 16Saberi, op. cit. lilbid ., P. 783. 18Freeman. op. cit., p. 18. Reed was quoted by the San Diego Times, 22 March 1992. 19Robertson's quote is Jrom a Jundraising letter. Full letter is reprinted in Appendix C, Challenging the Right. Mary Jo Osterman, Ph.D, is editor oj Open Hands and aJree-lance writer and workshop leader. 6 Open Hands cc®11Will@lli~~TI~ By Virginia Ramey Mollenkott thOugh I became aware of my lesbianism by age eleven, I did ~not begin to challenge my fundamentalist belief-system in a profound way until my mid-thirties. I remember the incident that launched me on my journey of liberation, which for a Protestant fundamentalistl must at least begin as a biblical journey. I was reading a feminist book in which the author claimed that there are two different \'ersions of creation in Genesis 1 and 2. I had read Genesis hundreds of times, and I was sure that this author was wrong. So I made a dive for my Bible and discovered that indeed there are two plots. This discovery caused me considerable shock and dismay. I had a Ph.D. in literature, and I realized that I would never have read Milton or Shakespeare in such a sloppy way. Yet here I was, being truly careless with the Bible , which I believed to be the inerrant Word of God. What had happened to me? What had happened was what happens to everyone who is reared in biblical fundamentalism or who experiences a total conversion into the fundamentalist worldview. I had learned to read through the fundamentalist interpretive grid that screens out anything that might interfere with the belief that the Bible is free of all error and contradiction. Just as a horse wearing blinders cannot see the peripheral motions that might make it skittish, a fundamentalist looking through the "inerrancy grid" cannot see the evidence that the Bible contains a variety of perspectives and approaches, worked out across centuries of human experience. It took courage for me to begin to apply the perspectives of scholarly and contextual reading to the Bible. I was afraid that if I read the Bible with the same care that I gave to "secular" literature, the whole basis of my belief system would collapse. I was right: my fundamentalist interpretive grid did collapse. However, I discovered faith in Fall 1993 the process -a deepened, broadened, heightened faith through the several decades of Bible study that have ensued. Born-Again: An Act of Will A popular misunderstanding about fundamentalism is that it is based on a profound personal experience of God's love through Jesus Christ. On the contrary, fundamentalism is essentially a rationalistic and cognitive form of religion. It stresses making an act of the will regardless of one's feelings; and that may well amount to a denial of reality, because feelings inevitably impact every concept and relationship. Rationalistic thinking is "the practice of guiding one's actions and opinions solely by what seems reasonable." (Webster, emphaSis mine) Ultimately, however, extreme rationalism becomes highly irrational because it ignores emotions and invalidates experience. Why do so many people imagine that fundamentalism is based on profound emotion and genuine experience? The answer, I think, is that many people are seduced by the language of fundamentalism into believing that everybody has had a profound first-hand experience of God's grace in their lives. The hymns, the prayers, and the testimonies all claim that the experience is direct and authentic. However, in fundamentalism, the born-again experience is often a cognitive assent to a set of propositions about the Bible, about Jesus, about the sinfulness of the self, and about whatever interpretations of the Bible are yielded up by the inerrancy grid. Far from having a direct personal experience of God's gracious presence in her life, the fundamentalist is told to distrust her own experience on the basis of such biblical passages as Jeremiah 17:9: ''The heart is deCeitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" For years I could not believe anything that came out of my own deep self because I had memorized that verse and others like it and was convinced that at the very core of me was corruption. As a counselor at the Billy Graham Crusades and as a Bob Jones University soul-winner, I was taught to have penitent persons pray after me a prayer asking the Lord Jesus Christ to wash away their black sins and place in them His nature, a new nature (the New Man) which. would render their hearts white and pure. (I trust that the racism and sexism of that prayer are obvious to everyone.) Once a person had repeated this prayer, phrase by phrase, I was taught to assure them that they had been born again, even if they did not feel any different from five minutes ago. That was an important part of our pitch. Even if the convert did not feel any differently, he or she was, in fact, different for all eternity. Of course, converts must then join a church which teaches everything through the inerrancy grid so that they will learn to obey the Bible in all areas of life. People would understand fundamentalism better if they distingUished between the quiet holistic experience offaith and the intellectual noisy rationalism of mere belief Fundamentalists are forced to believe what they are told the Bible says, even if their instincts and feelings flatly deny what their pastors tell them the Bible is saying. That's why they are sometimes shrill and cruel: the internal dissonance can be painful. Fundamentalism is rationalism that cloaks itself in the language of experience. When a person has had an authentic faith experience, he is able to listen with an open mind to diverse points of view without feeling threatened. But if a person's worldview is based only on rationalistic belief in an airtight, limited, prepackaged belief-system, then the better the evidence that somebody else introduces about an alternative approach to reality, the greater 7 the distress -and the more necessity for a Bible-thumping insistence on absolutes. Selective Literalism The commitment of fundamentalism to biblical literalism is not literal acceptance of every passage in the Bible. Rather, it is a highly selective process that takes literally the passages that seem to support the fundamentalist worldview, but usually ignores those passages that might undermine that worldview. I call this method the supermarket approach to the Bible. Fundamentalists put into their cognitive shopping-carts whatever passages seem to suit their preconceptions and simply leave on the shelf those passages that seem less gratifying. For instance, I once asked a fundamentalist preacher in my church how he interpreted Galatians 3:28 (no male or female in Christ), since women were not allowed to speak or pray or even ask questions in public meetings. This preacher had repeatedly claimed to be preaching "the whole counsel of God." He shrugged off my question, saying he had no idea of its meaning in a tone couldn't care less. Incidentally, as a teacher of literature I must say that the supermarket approach is no more honest or attractive when liberals or feminists or lesbigay theologians use it than it is when fundamentalists do. The only honest way to interpret a book (any book) is to confront every passage in relationship to every other passage and in relationship to the author and culture from which it sprang, as well as in conscious relationship to the interpreter's own preconceptions and culture. All of us wear an interpretive grid when we read. The idea is to be conscious of our grid and honest about it, and honest about the hermeneutical principles we are following, and faithful in applying them to the passages we don't like as well as to the passages we like . The fundamentalist supermarket approach to the Bible blinds people to contrary evidence once they have consented to the doctrine of inerrancy. This doctrine encourages people to read the books of the Bible, which were writ- indicating that he Eph.5:21 (jen. 3:17·19 . Lev. 20:18 ten over a period of ten centuries, without taking seriously their diverse historical and cultural contexts. It is possible to hear preaching that treats every passage as if it were contemporary with every other passage. Fundamentalists even ignore historical context selectively . For instance, in leviticus 18 and 20, both male homosexual acts and heterosexual marital intercourse during the woman's menstrual period are prohibited. However, in their sex manual, contemporary funjL::: ::::::r::::::::::::::: .:.::.:,:.:::.::,:: ::.:.:.::::,::,:,:.:,::.:.:::.:.:::: ::':: ':::::::::: ::::::.:,:,:,:::.:.:;::.-, .••...•.•..•;.:-...~.,.:...• ): :l::~~;~:~.. damentalists Tim and Beverly leHaye promote literally and absolutely the prohibition against male homosexual acts but permit heterosexual intercourse during a women's menstrual period. They permit the latter because times have changed and we now understand hygiene in a different way. Fundamentalists also selectively recognize figures of speech in biblical literature. "If your hand offends you, cut it off" is recognized as metaphoric. (We may be grateful for that.) But the "sonship" and "brotherhood" of believers is taken as literal, so that androcentric language is required for faithfulness. "Take, eat, this is my body," is recognized as metaphor, but "nobody comes to God except by me" is taken literally and forces fundamentalists to proselytize even if it violates their deepest instincts. Fundamentalists are particularly selective about paying attention to the literary genre of any given biblical passage. The Song of Solomon is recognized as an erotic poem celebrating marital love. (I have looked in vain for evidence that the lovers were married' nevertheless, I am grateful for the recognition that the Song is erotic poetry.) By contrast, Genesis I and 2 are treated as if they were scientific textbooks assuring us that everyone is born heterosexual and will be fulfilled through fruitful marriage. In addition, fundamentalists are forced by their inerrancy-grid into ignoring the flow ofgrammar in certain passages. They can't allow themselves to see that the Ephesians 5 passage about wives and husban ds is grammatically and logically governed by the lead-in verse, EpheSians 5:21: "Submitting yourselves one to another in thefear of God. " I have heard fundamentalist preachers claim that although mutual submission is required of Christian males and females generally, it does not apply to married couples, where the woman must be the only one to submit. Furthermore, fundamentalists are forced by their belief in inerrancy to avoid placing apparently contradictory passages side by side. If you believe the Bible never contradicts itself, then Open Hands 8 "Thou shalt not kill" (so important in the abortion controversy) does not bear close comparison with the many commands in the Hebrew Scriptures to kill Canaanites or to kill various social offenders. In the Christian Scriptures, Paul's remarks about obeying the government do not bear close comparison with other passages that describe Paul's own acts of civil disobedience. Studying such passages together, I have discovered, yields creative ethical stimulus. However, it can rarely happen in a right-wing context. Finally, fundamentalists are forced to be selective about which details to emphasize in any given biblical narra":':e. For instance, in Genesis 3 (the story of the fall) the judge said to Adam at he would have to earn a living by e sweat of his brow and would have o eat thorns and thistles. To Eve, the Judge said that childbearing was going be painful. During human history ere was never any hesitation about -·sing labor-saving devices to alleviate ·-e sweat on the human brow, and no ndamentalist I know of sticks to a -et of thorns and thistles. However, storically there was whole lot of hesi.ation about lessening the pain ofchildrth. There's no integrity in interpreting assages selectively; that is, upholding orne statements as absolute, and rearding others in the same passage as ompletely relative. For the fundamen ·a~ist, however, such selectivity is a mater of life and death since their whole elief-system stands or falls as a unit. Suggestions For Dealing With Fundamentalism . ere are six suggestions for dealing with fundamentalism. H (1) Do not put down belief in the divine inspiration of the Bible and do not speak of textual interpolations (that is, the fact that scribes inserted material in the process of transmission, thus altering the original text.) At least, do not speak of these things until trust is firmly established. Instead, point out that the Bible is not a magic book. If the Bible were magic, it would automatically translate itself into the language and the reading level of everybody who Fall 1993 picked it up. However, since God chose to work through human authorship and human languages and human translators, all of us are obliged to try to understand biblical scholarship. We must attempt to understand the changing definitions of words and discoveries in various fields of human scholarship that impact our understanding of Scripture, as well as individual attitudes of the human agents through whom the Scriptures were given to us. (2) Point out that to deny the human aspect of Scripture is as erroneous as denying the human aspect ofjesus. Either stance amounts to a denial of incarnation and embodiment. (3) Raise respectful but insistent questions about the passages that have been denied or ignored and about the other selectivities I have mentioned. Instead of discounting Scripture, go into it in great depth with great contextual awareness and human honesty about your own interpretive grid. For me, the normative statement of Scripture is: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." It was given to us by Moses (Leviticus 19: 18); often reiterated by jesus (Matthew 19: 19, 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke lO:27); upheld by Paul (Romans 13:9; Galatians 5: l4); repeated by james (2:8); and implied in dozens of other passages. That's norm enough for me! Reading through this lens constitutes a "liberation grid." (4) Ask questions that will reveal how well the belief-system is holding up in real-life situations. What is the fundamentalist feeling about the pastor's recent and serious car accident? About the birth of a deformed baby? About the destruction of their home by fire or flood? Is the beliefsystem sustaining the sufferer and his or her caretakers? If so, in all decency, support that. If not, there may be an opening for a more liberating faith to enter. (5) Remember that people cannot understand a moral development more comprehensive than their own. So it is futile to expect an externally rule-bound person to comprehend the integrity of a serious situation ethicist. (6) Engage in the type of "fancy footwork" that jesus did when confronted with trap-questions by the fundamentalists of his day. (See Matthew 19:3-9, where jesus neatly avoided the either-or dilemma posed by the rabbis about divorce by refocusing the issue.) Treat fundamentalists' questions with respect, but try to strike through the mask to the underlying and unspoken assumptions, all the while seeking out approaches and language that will be comprehensible to the fundamentalist mind. Above all, we must keep ourselves centered through prayer and meditation. We must pray for our fundamentalist counterparts, asking that life teach both them and us those humanizing lessons that put us in touch with our deepest feelings. It takes people who are in touch with their own pain to genUinely care about the pain in Central America, or South Africa, or the suffering ofpoor or marginalized people here in the United States. The spark of faith can jump only in an atmosphere of love, but the spark is generated by friction. We need patience in confronting fundamentalism -but it must be a revolutionary patience. T NOTES lFor further reading, see Jack B. Rogers and Donald K. McKim, The Authority and Interpretation of the Bible (New York: Harper & Row, 1979). This article is adapted from a 1987 presentation at the National Council of Churches' headquarters that subsequently appeared in the CALC Report (Clagy and Laity Concerned), Fall 1988. Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, Ph.D. is an Episcopalian . She is professor of English at the William Paterson College of New Jersey in Wayne. Active in lesbian and gay Christian liberation, she has published eleven books. 9 TAE FANAT'C'S 'llNESS By Connie Lofgreen "Mom, why does Ted Phillips (not his real name) hate gays so much?" asked my daughter, Lyda, as I drove past the protest site of the local antihomosexual group. The "Phillips," as they are known In Topeka, were holding signs: "God Hates Gays," "Gays Deserve Death," "Fags Burn in Hell" etc. My daughter's emphasis on why warned me In a word "No heavy lectures, Mom, Just real answers." "He's mentally ill," I said. "Intense hate for those who have done him no harm is a symptom of mental illness. Mentally healthy people sometimes disagree strongly but they respect each other's right to a different opinion instead of wanting them dead for it." Nice words, I thought, but even as I gave Lyda a tidy explanation the brutality of the hate words made me cringe. I wondered if my thirteen-year-old daughter was skeptical about growing up in a world where people often hate viciously and where the innocent become their targets. "God doesn't hate anybody," she continued. The contradiction between the Phillips' devotion to God (their base of operation is their neighborhood church) and their harassment of homosexuals was not lost on Lyda. Their illness was showing through a thin veneer of religiosity. "My point exactly, Lyda. It just doesn't compute, does it?" I reminded her that other Topekans were highlighting the contradiction with bumper stickers that read "Hate is Not a Family Value." When we confront fanatics, it is this incongruity or cognitive dissonance that often lures us into useless debate and confrontation. Words of reason and stories of our own positive experiences with gay men and lesbians bounce off the impenetrable fortress of rigid opinion and we feel helpless in the face of a violent tongue-lashing about immorality. This rigidity is another symptom of mental illness -a relentless insistence that there is one, and only one, correct viewpoint -theirs. If we don't agree , we are deemed worthy of annihilation. Rendered speechless and powerless, our own fear and anger toward the antagonists (and perhaps our own hatred) well up. I witnessed this phenomenon recently when my good friend , who is usually gentle and rational, became so angry that he said, "Ted Phillips just needs to be shot. He's crazy. Nothing else will stop him!" Now we are imagining murder. We are brought full circle back to our own shadow side -our own capacity for rage and even violence towards those we perceive as too different from ourselves. Each of us, if we look deeply into the face in the mirror or into our own hearts, will find the shadow beneath a thin layer of cortex. This cortex (the brain center for thinking and judgment) is easily unplugged by intense emotions or chemicals. Perhaps we have more in common with these haters than we like to admit? My discomfort grows with the thought. Antihomosexuals ' employ several psychological tools to protect their "interpretive grid" (see Mollenkott's article) from a full and open reasoning process -and from their own and others' emotions. These tools (called defense mechanisms by mental health practitioners) include denial, rationalization, and projection. Everyone uses these defenses at times to protect themselves from perceived threats, losses, or too rapid change. Denial abounds in the alcoholic family where the realization that "Dad's drinking a little too much" is really advanced alcoholism would send shoc . waves through the marriage that migh' blow the family apart. Rationalization (making up excuseto avoid the real issues) is also common. The adolescent who blames h15 poor grades on "stupid teachers" and "boring classes" is rationalizing. Wit maturity he comes to accept more responsibility. Ifunable to do so, his blaming may advance to the bizarre -ki ing a superstar's father because he's "too rich," as if his wealth were the direct source of the youth's misery. Projection (seeing others as havinc characteristics or feelings that we disown in ourselves) is another commo .. defense mechanism The child molester who maintains the child wanted him t fondle her because she was acting "sexy" is projecting his own feeling and needs. Projection is also apparen in the person who has unconsciouhomosexual urges, but projects those urges upon others in the environmen' and then struggles against the other persons. Projection is a defense mechanism used by people when the feeling inside or the issue at hand is too frightening to face directly. Denial, rationalization, and projection are all part of our psychologica, survival kit. Such defenses are probably biologically based. They are sophisticated variations on the fight or flight response, certainly an important survival instinct for our ancestors. If a tiger jumped from behind a tree, too much deliberation proved fatal. Eventually these variations on fight or flight developed to help us "flee" the emotionally frightening and painful feelings and experiences: death, abandonment, and embarrassment before our kin. In psychologically mature individuals these defense mechanisms are usually employed temporarily and the reality of the situation is dealt with in a constructive manner. Even when intense anger is a normal response -that Open Hands 10 is, when real harm has been done to us or a loved one -healthier people refrain from acting on their murderous fantasies and find other ways to disharge the feelings. In the mentally ill, more and more psychic and tangible :esources are devoted to maintaining he defenses. In the case of the Phillips, much of their time, energy, and money ,s poured into a campaign against perns they've chosen to hate -homosexuals. Fundamentalist fanatics may feel that idal wave of change is threatening e world (as they perceive it) as gay -...' ,ts issues gain high visibility in the "onal media. Deliberations about lift'he ban on homosexuals in military -'ce, campaigns for funding HIV reh, local ordinances extending non--rimination clauses to lesbians and ,__ ,' men, and churches affirming hosexuals are perceived by fanatics as .ons which threaten the very founns of their belief-system, the core eir identity. So, they flee into the -"'orn labyrinths of their defense anisms and live there. 'hy are some persons apparently pletely locked into an emotional /~/ Fall 1993 prison of these defense mechanisms and unable to reason and accept reality? Most psychotherapists believe the causes to be early childhood trauma and neglect which have interfered with normal psychological development. Such trauma and neglect leave the child and later the adult, with "primitive" coping skills -those usually expected in very young children or employed by terrorized children. They see others as all good or all bad. They are grandiose about their own importance in the world, anxious about dependency needs, and unable to empathize with others. They have feelings of shame and unworthiness, expectations of further assault, and deep feelings of rage. History is filled with the atrocities committed when fanatics organize similarly irrational people and the ignorant into national movements vowed to obliterate the supposed defectives. In fact, history suggests it is not difficult, given certain factors such as widespread economic hardship and charismatic psychopathic leadership, to evoke the violent shadow side in masses of people and organize them to stalk the chosen human target: blacks,lews, women, gay men and lesbians. In such a context paranoia is easily maintained by hate group members as their ideas are reinforced by their comrades. Those frustrated and anxious about economic conditions, though not mentally ill, tend to lo.ok for simplistic answers and somebody or some group to blame. And so the bonfires are lit, the lynching organized, the fur"",--~ naces stoked, the homosexuals banned, beaten, and murdered. Recognizing the mental illness in extremists' views is important. One does not argue with an alcoholic or a fanatic unless she is hoping to be abused. To allow ourselves to be intimidated and silenced is to be rendered powerless by those on the fringe of society and whose death threats are merely an echo of their deepest internal fears. Only extensive psychotherapy might help fanatics. Attempting to converse with fanatics -those who advocate violence and hatred -is both dangerous and useless. We would be better served to put our energies into educational efforts directed toward those who can reason, learn, and mature in their perspectives and into compassionate support of those victimized by senseless aggression. (See Mollenkott's suggestions.) Good education is potent and transformational. Such education raises consciousness about sexual, racial, and cultural diversity. It raises consciousness that what we humans have in common far exceeds our variations. There are also many examples of social changes brought about by such educational efforts: the enactment of child labor laws, the abolition of slavery, women's suffrage, the civil rights movement, the ending of the Vietnam War, and the Israel-PLO Peace Agreement. Ultimately, education and a healthy economy which offers meaningful work to all are the best tools against the forces of irrationality and fear. The social and financial costs of neglecting education and other basic needs of children and adults are well documented. To quote another bumper sticker: Education is Expensive? Try Ignorance . ... Connie Lofgreen, MSW, is a graduate of Rutgers University and a social worker in private practice in Topeka, Kansas. She is a member of Co untryside United Methodist Church und is a trainer and consultant in the area of clergy sexual ethics. 11 ----------------------------- AND THE ---------~------------------RELIGIOUS RIGHT The long history of right-wing activism against the rights of people of color is reflected in their choice of tactics in all of their campaigns. Racist ideology and rhetoric are underpinnings of current antigay propaganda and strategy used in the Right's attempts to subvert democratic potential in American society. Activists organizing against the Religious Right's antigay attacks must come to understand how racism and sex oppression are connected in right-wing rhetoric and strategy. This is especially important because the struggle to overcome race-based discrimination provides the legal and ideological foundation for our gay and lesbian liberation struggle and for the larger movement to realize the promise of full civil equality for all people. Any attempt to undermine the civil rights gains made by African Americans and other people of color will undermine the ability of all groups to achieve civil equality. History of Race and u.s. Racism The struggle for multiracial democracy in the U.s. is a fight against both interpersonal and institutional forms of discrimination that have deep roots in slavery. Racism in the U.s., as experienced by all people of color, is largely based on the justification for and institutionalization of slavery. Prior to slavery, Native Americans, Africans, Latinos, and Asians were regarded as subhuman based on religion. To white Americans and Europeans, the world's people existed in two categories: Christian or heathen. The human worth of individuals was defined according to their relationship to a Christian god. The problem this presented to Ameri- By Scot Nak agawa can slaveholders and to those involved in the project of pacifying and destroying Native American nations is that the evangelical nature of Christianity allowed for people of color to "find religion." White America then had a problem: were these new non-white Christians fully human now? Not wanting to admit that possibility, white America adapted European racialism to their own needs, creating and emphasizing a racial hierarchy which would determine the "natural" human worth of persons. Both the science of racialism and the institutionalization of racial hierarchy were thus constructed as more permanent answers to white America's presumed need for slave labor -and white America's takeover of Native American land. The civil rights movement of the 1960s and the continuing struggle against race-based discrimination is rooted in the struggle against slavery. In the 1960s African Americans led a fight to remove the There is no such thing as "legicmate minority status" as defined b,the ReligiOUS Right. People of color are not a "legitimate minority" on the bas ')f some characteristic such as income or morality. "Minority status" mea .just that: the smaller in number C' two groups. People of color in the u.s. are a minority in relation whites; gay men and lesbians are a minority in relation to heterosexuals. The need for "minority status" and "equal rights" laws, and "affirmative action" programs arises from discriminatory practices perpetrated on minorities by majorities. The Right has argued that gay men and lesbians, and in some cases bisexuals, are not eligible for consideration for "minority status and all the privileges thereof..." This argument promotes the myth, popularized by the Right, that Open Hands legally codified vestiges of slavery from our constitution and from state and local laws. Most odious among these were Jim Crow laws that required racial segregation. The historical effects of slavery continue even now to be a critical element of American social, cultural, political, and economic life. The Right has popularized the misconception that the African Americanled civil rights movement defines civil rights in the United States. In truth, the civil rights movement of the 1960s was a movement against only one kind 0; civil rights violation -race-based discrimination. Right-wing attempts to pr mote the myth that only people of color have civil rights are based in racism. The Right repeatedly states that 'legitimate minority status" may only be conferred to those who can be idem fied as minorities because of "innate natural characteristics" such as race However, there is nothing "innate" 0:"natural" about "race." The concept c: race in the u.s. was largely invented an justified through pseudO-Science b; white Americans to rationalize the explOitation and slavery of blacks. I short, the concept of race in the Amer can context is a socially constructed S} tern for placing people in a hierarchica' structure of social and economic relations. A Legitimate Minority? 12 'lg a minority in a majority rule society 1es with privileges.When we hear the ht talking about "minority privileges" .ld "minority rights," we need to ask what those privileges and rights are, "... whether poor education, substand housing, and low life expectancy he results of discriminatory praces -are part of this "special" benefits ~age. "'e also need to look behind the '-ric of the Right to their real mo. t\s New Right leader Paul Wyerich .e reactionary Free Congress Founon has stated, "The politicians have scared because the homosexual .', like the civil rights lobby, has ex_ erated importance in Washington." eed to ask: "Exaggerated in comon to what?" ting Affirmatively ,irmative action has been assoiated with quotas and called a "tal right" by the ReligiOUS Right. eed to understand just what affir:' e action does and does not do . . ifinnative action is not a "special _...... 010 one has a right to affirmative ,::m. Instead, it is a program that ined to remedy some problems assoed with a historical pattern of disnmation. Because affirmative action remedy and not a right, it is not ended to be permanent. Affirmative action does not mandate . as that require hiring unqualified pIe of color to take jobs away from te men. No quotas are associated u affirmative action. Instead, some ployers are reqUired to review the al and gender composition of the alified applicant pool when hiring \' employees. The percentage of those ible for affirmative action in the alified applicant pool and the actual licant pool set a standard intended prevent discrimination. It is neither Je that all people of color are emoyed because of affirmative action, nor at people of color are the only people benefit from affirmative action. The Poverty Test he ReligiOUS Right claims that people of color "deserve" civil rights protections because racism has resulted in disproportionate levels of poverty in Fall 1993 communities of color. Simultaneously, leaders of the ReligiOUS Right have claimed that racism no longer exists . They have even gone so far as to claim that racism has been reversed and whites are the new victims. They further claim that Blacks, Latinos, Native Americans, or Asians with higher than average incomes are indices that those people of color who are poor, particularly Blacks, are suffering from a lack of moral turpitude. However rich or poor someone or some group may be, all have civil rights, and the option of making claims of discrimination and demanding government redress of grievances. While poverty is frequently the result of discrimination, the presence of poverty is not a test for whether any group may enjoy civil rights. Recognizing Connections The history of racism and the struggle for civil equality of people of color in the United States is far broader and more complex than can be covered in this brief overview. It is critical that we come to understand this history and its impact on contemporary society in order to effectively combat a right-wing movement that has been an integral force in that history, and that has as one of its goals a return to the "traditional values" of openly expressed and overtly institutionalized racism. It is simply not enough for us to "honor diversity. " We must recognize that we are the products of a history steeped in racism and sexism, and that our oppression as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people is one product of this history. Rather than simply honoring diversity, we must build democracy. T This article is reprinted, with permission, from the Fight the Right Action Kit, a project of the National Gay &: Lesbian Task Force. To order see page 28. Scot Nakagawa is Project Director oj the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force's Fight the Right Project. He is the Jonner Executive Director oj the Coalition Jor Human Dignity. is not to gays and lespians, but instead \yftetber to allow dis/crimination ag.ainst a pa~Ji£ular group of ,S 13 The gay rights movement in the u.s.is often dated to the night ofJune 27, 1969, when police raided a Greenwich Village bar named the Stonewall Inn and bar patrons rebelled in protest. Seven years later, in 1976, Anita Bryant led the first religious campaign against the expansion of protections for gay men and lesbians, sought by that gay rights movement. Bryant's campaign was in opposition to a vote by the Dade County commissioners to prohibit discrimination against gay men and lesbians in housing, public accommodation, and employment. Bryant promoted a successful referendum to repeal the commissioners'vote. In 1977, Anita Bryant inspired a similar campaign in California, where State Senator John Briggs, who had worked with Bryant in Miami, sponsored the "California Defend Our Children Initiative," a binding initiative on the general election ballot in November 1978. The initiative provided for charges against school teachers and others advocating, encouraging, or publicly and "indiscreetly" engaging in homosexuality. It prohibited the hiring and required the firing of homosexuals if the school board deemed them unfit. This was in reaction to a 1975 California law preventing local school boards from firing teachers for homosexuality. California Defend Our Children, the organizing group supporting the initiative, was chaired by State Senator Briggs. Rev. Louis Sheldon (now head of the Anaheim-based organization Traditional Values) was executive director. The initiative failed, but Sheldon would remain extremely active in antihomosexual organizing. That same year, David A. Noebel (later to head Summit Ministries of Colorado) published The Homosexual Revolution, which he dedicated to The Antigay Agenda by Jean Hardisty Anita Bryant. Bryant's antihomosexual campaign ended in 1979 with the collapse of her two organizations, Anita Bryant Ministries and Protect America's Children, which were hampered by a lack of political sophistication. Contemporary techniques in influencing the political system -direct mail, computer technology, religious television ministries -were not available to Bryant. Few religious fundamentalists and evangelicals were interested in the political sphere. Bryant herself was plagued by personal problems, such as divorce, and her organizations were unable to respond effectively to a boycott mounted against Florida's orange industry, for which Bryant was a major spokesperson. With the creation of the New Right at the end of the 1970s, a political movement was born that incorporated conservative fundamentalists and evangelicals as full partners. Now there were tremendous political resources available to the Religious Right, and the success and influence of religious fundamentalists in the spheres of public policy and popular opinion improved dramatically. Under the benign influence of the Reagan administration, the New Right and its Religious Right component flourished. A focus of attention that emerged with the advent of the New Right was a rollback of gains made by the gay rights movement. The Second Right-Wing Antihomosexual Campaign The "second" antihomosexual campaign, born within the New Right in the early 1980s, has been a far more sophisticated one. It has been planned at the national level, carried out by at least fifteen large national organizations using the most refined computer technology, showing an understanding of the political system, and therefore exerting influence only dreamed of by the first movement. The effects of this new sophistication are: • to make local antihomosexual campaigns appear to be exclUSively grassroots efforts, when in fact they are gUided by major national organizations. • to increase the effect of each New Right organization's efforts by building networks and coalitions among the organizations and by coordinating political campaigns. • to camouflage the religious conten' of the organizing and create the more secular theme of "defense 0: the family." • to pursue the antihomosexual campaign under the slogan "no specia rights," despite that slogan's ina curacy. (See sidebar p. 13.) The opening of the second an' homosexual campaign can be trace to three events: 1) The 1982 publication of Enriq T. Rueda's massive The Homosexua Network, which was a thorough e. amination of the organizations, acti--ties, and ideology of the gay righ': movement and its liberalism. 2) The onset of the AIDS epidem which in its earliest days in the C.: was almost exclusively confined to t gay male community. In 1987, the Fre Congress Foundation, which ha sponsored Rueda's book, develope a new condensation that updated the critique of homosexuality to includ the AIDS crisis. This book, Gays, AIDS and You by Michael Schwartz an Enrique Rueda, stands as a semina work in the right's analysis of homosexuality in the context of the AI crisis. Open Hands 14 3'\ The work of antigay activist Dr. . Cameron, director in the early s of the Institute for the Scien'nvestigation of Sexuality in Lino :ebraska, and now chairperson e Family Research Institute in ngton, DC. Paul Weyrich's Free ..,ress Foundation would prove an upporter of Cameron: FCF dised copies of Cameron's Model ality Statute in 1983. e campaign against homosexu'as not a major focus in the mid s, though it was never repudiated oal of right-wing organizing. A alarm and loathing over the f the gay rights movement was tood within the New Right. I Current °holnosexual Campaign elate 1980s, three issues rein,":orated the New Right's anti-hoxual activism and focused added on at the national level. The first '"as the promotion of school .,-urri"-'Jlum reform to reflect a greater ance of gay men and lesbians Project 10 in Southern Califor-:-he second was the religious and cal Right's objection to public ng for homoerotic art. The third e was the passage of gay rights ances, bills, and initiatives in the sphere and in state legislatures. ording to People for the American nineteen states and more than .undred cities and counties now .aws or executive orders protect.., ay and lesbian people from disnation. is commonly thought that the responses to each of these three ~lghts issues are grassroots efforts, nted by outraged citizens stirred ction by local manifestations of power." In fact, while local groups "nd do exist, their power and ef"eness are enormously enhanced e technical assistance provided Hio nal New Right organizations. Colorado provides a case study of effective involvement of national .t-wing groups at the local level. orado for Family Values, the local up which sponsored Amendment "as founded by Coloradans Kevin Fall 1993 Tebedo and Tony Marco, and is headed by Colorado Springs car dealer Will Perkins. It promotes itself as a grassroots group, but its tactics, success, and power are largely the result of support from a national antihomosexual campaign mounted by the New Right. Five of the national organizations active in this campaign are represented on the executive and advisory boards of CFV: Focus on the Family, Summit Ministries, Concerned Women for America, Eagle Forum, and Traditional Values. Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition is not officially represented, but has a strong presence in Colorado. According to People for the American Way ... the ReligiOUS Right's antigay vendetta is not as its leaders often claim, a spontaneous outpouring of concern about gay issues. Theirs is a carefully orchestrated political effort, with a unified set of messages and tactics, that is deliberately deSigned to foster division and intolerance. Conclusion Homophobia is a bedrock value in our society, one that crosses lines of class, race, and even gender. Our Calvinist attitudes toward sex, based in religious teaching that sex is only for procreation, and a patriarchal culture that is discomforted by a breaking down of rigid sex roles, combine to create a culture that can deal with homosexuality, if at all, only in the artistic and commercial spheres. The lesbian and gay ~ivil rights movement has pushed homosexuality out of those spheres and into the political and social spheres. This is almost guaranteed to create a backlash while society absorbs and adjusts to new values. While that backlash may be inevitable, it can be tamped down or fanned by political forces. Deprived of its old enemies and needing a new issue to promote, the Right's antihomosexual organizing is rank opportunism. The antigay backlash is in large part a creation of the Right. It is generating funds, keeping right-wing organizations that were in danger of complete eclipse alive with an infusion of new support, and generating the all-important evidence of political power -media attention. The threat this backlash represents is very real. Violence is its most blatant manifestation, but the litany of pain and waste caused by homophobia includes more subtle attacks on gay men and lesbians as well. Furthermore, confronting the backlash distracts time, energy, and money from the work necessary to bring about equal rights for lesbians and gay men. In the United States we must decide what role the church and religious tenets are going to play, especially when those tenets are in conflict with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It is not an attack on Christianity or religion to question the propriety of imposing biblical law on a secular society. If ours is a society in which church and state are separate, then the prohibitions of church dogma cannot overrule the protections provided by the Constitution. And the Constitution, to paraphrase Mr. Justice McKenna in the 1910 case of Weems v. U.S . is progressive -it is not fastened to the obsolete but may acquire new meaning as public opinion becomes enlightened by a humane justice . • This article is excerpted from a longer article, "Constructing Homophobia: Colorado's Right-Wing Attack on Homosexuals" in The Public Eye, March 1993, published by Political Research Associates, a research center that monitors right-wing and anti-democratic organizations and trends. Used with permission. Jean Hardisty, Ph.D., is director oj Political Research Associates in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She testiJied as an expert witness on the political and religious Right at the preliminary injunction hearing Jor Al'nendment 2 in Colorado. 15 IZATIO " R IGI,QU§ AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION PO Drawer 2440 Tupelo, MS38803 601/844-5036 Founded by the Rev. Donald E. Wildmon, 55, an ordained United Methodist minister. Claims 640 chapters and 540,000 members. Staff of 35-40; 4 full time lawyers. Annual income of $6-7 million. Leads boycotts and letter-writing campaigns against major corporations who sponsor "anti-family" TV shows or sell "antifamily" books and videos; distributed rh. Gay Agenda video; started the controversy over the National Endowment for the Arts; and promotes the "Christian" agenda through the judicial system. CHALCEDON PO Box 158 Vallecito, CA 95251 209/736-4365 Founded in 1964 as a leading think tank of the Christian Right. Rousas John (R.J.) Rushdoony, 76, president, is, "the father of Christian reconstructionism." Named after the Council of Chal~~don of 451 A.D. (in which the Lordship of Christ was proclaimed). Purpose is to establish Old Testament Biblical law as the standard for society. Was an early advocate of the Christian school movement; led in establishing special Christian legal organizations; challenges humanism. CHRISTIAN COALITION 180l -L Sara Drive Chesapeake, VA 23320 800/325-4746. Founded by Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson, 63, a former Baptist minister, who is president. Robertson alsofounded CBN and The 700 (Iub, co-owns The Family Channel, controls a network of radio stations, and in 1993 bought MTM Enterprises (a TV productionoutfit). Staff of 30 claims 50,000 precinct leaders, , 25,000 Church 'liaison leaders, 800 chapters, and 400,000 members. The 1993 budget is $12 million. Purpose is "to mobilize Christians -one precinct at a time, -until once again we are at the top rather than the bottom of our political system." CITIZENS 'FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION/NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS PO Box 3200 Costa Mesa, CA 92628 714/546-5931 Founded in 1983 .by Robert l. Simonds, 68, a former fundamentalist minister who taught math at a co~munity college for 20 years. Goal is to bring public education back under tne control of the Christian community. Attacks public school curricula and faculty; works on electing conservative candidates to school boards in order to take complete control of the 15,700 school districts in the U.S. Claims 1210 chapters and a membership of 130,000. CONCERNED WOMEN FOR AMERICA 370 nnfant Promenade SW, #800 Washington, DC 20024 800/458·8797 Founded by Beverly LaHaye, 63, president. "Beverly LaHaye live" on 2 60 Christian stations, reaches 350,000-500,000 listeners. Claims 600,000 me bers and 800-1200 "prayer chain" chapters used to mobilize grassroots pre sure against elected officials. Staff of 25 members. Annual budget of S million. Promotes the idea that IIspirit controlled women" are "truly liberate because they are "totally submissive:' to their husbands. FOCUS ON THE FAMILY PO Box 35500 Colorado Springs, CO 80935 800/232-6459 • 719/531-3400 Founded by Dr. James Dobson,,58, a licensed psychologist, unsala 'e president and chair of the Board. FOF radio talk show is the second larg nationally syndicated program in the U.S., with 4000 ,stations worldwide. S· of 900. Annual budget of $78 million. Focused on school prayer, gay rig .: school choice, pornography, andsex education. Holds Community Impact Se nars to teach local church members how to become political activists; affiliated political groups in 35 stafes; sends out over 52 million pieces literature and more than a million cassettes a year. RUTHERFORD INSTITUTE PO Box 7482 Charlotteville, VA 22906 804/978-3888 Founded in 1982 as the "premier legal arm" of the Right, which acts s counterpart to the AClU. John Whitehead, Esquire, is preSident. Pro . S "religious liberties" such as Sunday blue laws, prayer in public school eve" . teaching of creationism. THE REPORT 42640 10th Street West Lancaster, CA 93534 800/462-4700 Ty and Jeannette Beeson are executive producers of The Report, antigay project of the Springs of life Church in Lancaster, where Ty Beeso pastor. Produced rhe Gay Agenda. Recently released two more vide Insid. ,h. Marlh and rh. Gay Agenda and Publi' Edue 'ion. Publishes rhe Lambda Repo,', a monthly magazine which scribes the homosexual agenda and"..what they do." 16 Open Hands DITIONAL VALUES COALITION South Anaheim Blvd., Suite 350 8570 (Washington, DC) unded by the Reverend Louis P. Sheldon, 59, chairman, a minister in nservative Presbyterian church in America. He has connections to evangelical chu rches. Affiliated grou ps incl ude the National Task for the Preservation of the Heterosexual Ethic in America and -the ·can liberty Institute ("a researc h organization that traces the develt of biblical concepts pertainingto th e foun ding of th e United States r Constitution."). 1990 bu dget of $500, 000. Lo bbies federal and egislators and school boards; supports "rep arative therapy" for those esire to "leave the [homosexual] lifestyle." sources for descriptions of Right organizations: 'ed Clarkson &Skip pPorteous. C"all.nging ,,,. C"ris,ian Rig"': Adivis"s Handbook, 2nd ed., 1993. pp.143-89. ah Crary Gregor y and Scot Nakagawa, Fig'" ,,,. Rig'" Adion ..ople for the American Way, a 20·page, untitled report, publi shed Februeim, CA 92805 520-0300; 202/547•. '993, pp. 27-29. 93. -all 1993 17 We ,.emembe,.! When we join ou,. hand~ and ou,. hea,.t~, ou,. ~ong~ and dance~, ou,. fea,.~ and ange,.~, We ,.emembe,.! A~ the ladde,.~ to and the ci,.cle of all, We ,.emembe,.! When we ca,.e " w-t!ce of ~;-:~?tJ~ «~~~., the ~ou,.ce 0 1:1';' OU,. g,.ace, ,.emembe,.! I]ou a,.e the ~ou,.ce of ou,. .~ he comfo,.t fo,. ou,. fea,., membe,.! You call u~ togethe,. to ~ha,.e ou,. ou,. live~, to lea,.n f,.om ou,. mi~take~, to move on. We ,.emembe,.! We take a deep b,.eath, Created by Carol Larson, who recently completed twelve pe,.hap~ ~mile a little, years as the representative of the laity in a lay/clergy pastoand ~y, Thank I]ou. ral team at Wheadon United Methodist Church-a Reconciling Congregation, in Evanston, Illinois. She is currently a volunteer at the RCP/Open Hands office in Chicago.. 18 Open Hands PQEACHING GRACE/TRAN~fORMING CONDEMNATION By Christine M. Smith ondemnation seems like the most fitting word to describe the astonishing violence perrated upon lesbians and gay men. escribe the oppression of gay men ~esbians as an experience of invis_ and silence is to mask the aggresnature of the violence. Lesbians and ... en are not simply made invisible e social fabric of our nation and in ommunity life of most of our hes, they are actively excluded, sed, and persecuted. The relational ial values and experiences of gay and lesbians are not simply sid; they are judged inferior, devind sick. ling and Understanding ialence understand the condemnation of lesbians and gay men, religious e will need the courage to look at of the fundamental assumptions r culture and our society. Gay or n sexual identity is not just a mat:-individual nature; each is an alive way of living and being in the .~. Gary Comstock, spoke about the 'orming nature of the lives of gay . and lesbians like this: :hile it may not have been our tention, I think we have to face arely that our very lives, ·.... en lived openly and fully, funamentally threaten the social rder. When we begin to make ecisions for ourselves instead :-letting others tell us how we should live, we challenge those 'ho have power at the expense . the disempowered and .larginalized. 1 -:-he structures of the social order to be challenged and changed, algh this will involve a fundamental .sformation of church and society. -transformation is what persons fear most, and what many persons of . 'ilege desperately want to avoid. se in power are being asked to give ~ 'I 1993 up exclusive privilege in search of a different kind of faith community in which power is shared among all God's people. I want to suggest four areas of thought and ministry that might shape a contemporary preacher's personal and pastoral agenda: (1) naming, addressing, and understanding the present social problem as heterosexism and homophobia; (2) clarifying the connections between heterosexism, homophobia, sexism, and male denomination; (3) discerning and understanding heterosexual privilege; and (4) attending to the repercussions of condemnation by our responses to the actual pain, terror, rage, and oppression of gay and lesbian persons. Heterosexism and Homophobia. Janice Raymond deepens our understanding ofheterosexism when she says, Hetero-relations expresses the wide range of affective, social, political, and economic relations that are ordained between men and women by men. Hetero-reality describes the situation created by hetero-relations.2 We are all taught to fear and to condemn persons who vary from this normative standard. Homophobia is a descriptive term for that fear. Homophobia is the irrational fear and hatred of those persons who choose others of their own gender as primary persons to bond with, love, and desire. "Heterosexism is the systemic display of homophobia in the institutions of society."3 In the reality of homophobia, fear is so linked with hatred that the two cannot be separated. Homophobia serves to keep heterosexism and hetero-reality in place. Sexism and Male Denomination. Hetero-relations and heterosexism cannot be understood apart from sexism and male domination. In a world of male domination, it is totally unacceptable for a woman to choose a woman. Domination must be maintained. In a world of male denomination, it is equally unacceptable for a man to choose a man. Domination is maintained only if men fulfill the dominating roles they are assigned. When men step out of these dominating roles there is often a violent response. "Visible gay men are the objects of extreme hatred and fear by heterosexual men because their breaking ranks with male heterosexual solidarity is seen as a damaging rent in the very fabric of sexism."4 The system can maintain itself only if gender relations are rigidly and clearly structured and controlled. These gender relations are structured in a multitude of ways: through strict gender roles, through the institutions of traditional marriage and the nuclear family, and through compulsory heterosexuality. Sexism, male domination, and heterosexism are completely dependent on men having total and unrestricted access to women, and women relating exclusively to men. Discerning Power: A Critique of Heterosexual Privilege. Ifa society and world acknowledge and value only heterosexual relationships, then that society and world will grant to heterosexual persons certain rights, privileges, and protections that lesbians and gay men will not have. A part of the work of preachers responding to the injustice of heterosexism and homophobia involves inviting heterosexual persons honestly to discern and take responsibility for their privilege while seeking to critique the ideology and social fabric that producesuchinequality. Heterosexual privilege has to do with every aspect of our lives, from holding hands with persons we love to assumptions we make about our privileged place in all the social and political systems of government and church. Gay and lesbian oppression is the daily experience of being silenced when heterosexual persons may speak, being made invisible when heterosexual reality is the only reality assumed and affirmed, and being terrorized by the constant awareness that an inappropriate comment, 19 look, reaction, or expression could change one's entire life. The church will be able to understand this reality only when it listens attentively to the everyday experiences of lesbians and gay men. This listening to the voice of otherness will tune our hearts and spirits to their oppression and our complicity. Attending to the Repercussions of Condemnation. Lesbians and gay men are violated not only by silence, invisibility, and lies, but also by inadequate health care, lack of access to housing, job discrimination, and a multitude of other oppressive realities. What distinctive words and actions will preachers speak and take on behalf of those who suffer a multitude of effects from this kind of condemnation? As preachers and religiOUS communities struggle to respond to the complex and painful agenda of dismantling heterosexism and homophobia, we need to be clear that our work is not simply about the acceptance and empowerment of gay men and lesbians, but is ultimately about social transformation. The most basic understandings of power in our social, political, and ecclesiastical structures must be changed. Dominance and submission at every level of human existence are called into question. What will be our homiletical and theological responses as we seek to address and dismantle the condemning violence ofheterosexism and homophobia? Preaching Grace The grace of God becomes one of the most powerful messages preachers and religiOUS communities might proclaim in faithful response to the violence ofheterosexism and homophobia. The grace of God and the gracefilled love of human beings can shatter prisons of gender domination and submission, expose illusions of moral and ethical superiority, transform judgments into moments of profound acceptance, and empower us to dwell in the realm of mystery rather than condemnation. God's distinctive love and grace are central to the task, but human agency in the work of reconciliation, community building, and justice making is central to a liberationist perspective on grace. In liberation theology, grace has less to do with the forgiveness of individual sins, and more to do with confronting and transforming social and systemic forces and structures that produce evil. Grace empowers human beings to participate in the redemptive process of transformation and justice. It is a love that empowers those whom society would strip of power. It is a grace that indicts and exposes all those human realities that destroy sacred community and embodied justice. Dwelling in Mystery. Grace is by to bear the mystery of God's grace, and it is difficult and often painful to bear the mystery of our created sisters and brothers. Mystery is life-sustaining, but it also engenders fears . A part of the responsibility of preaching is to help religiOUS communities dwell in mystery and know that our capacity to accept and receive mystery has profound implications for our social and political life together. Sanctifying grace involves the work of dwelling in mystery -our own, each other's, and God's. Dwelling in mystery is not an abstract or illusive dimension of human agency; it is concrete and particular. It means accepting a person whose sexual orientation or preference is different from your own without judgment or condemnation. It means accepting the mysterious nature of human sexuality instead cal literalisms or archaic eccleSIastical traditions. It means buildin Christian and religiOUS communities with persons of all sexual orientations. and it involves naming and celebrating the particularities of sexuality. To embrace the work of dwelling in mystery, we ask ourselves and each other to cease the condemnation of that which we do not understand, and to begin the Open Hands nature mysterious. It is difficult for us of attempting reduce its power an passion with narrow bibl 20 ""-::ess of allowing those differences to ce a claim upon the work we do for stice. The healing and liberating work race invites us into the mystery of erness and changes us forever. Preachers need to be concrete in our tations to congregations to dwell in ~ery. The content and words of our ons need the mystery of paradox, mystery of the unknown, and the ery of otherness. ifie Deliverance from Fear. For ~ or heterosexual persons, experiencthe concrete lives of gay men and lans raises complex and frightening -stions about sexuality, intimacy, and .der identity. In a culture that encourdisembodi-ment, perpetuates the .al of vital and passionate sexuality, regulates and restricts any fluidity ender identity, one of the expected -~onses to the presence of lesbians gay men will be fear. preachers, surely a part of our -sage of liberating grace is that derance from fear ultimately demands we plunge our lives directly into Je things we fear the most. Claim:; one's own fear is an inward look he deepest vulnerabilities and limins of one's created self. In facing r fears, we may be able to be liberand saved from them. And as we '~owledge those fears, we transform eed to condemn that which we fear. 'articipating in the salvific delivere of grace requires a courageous 3'.:.:hing ministry. We might preach t all those things that we have been ht to deny and silence. We will find .ng ways to speak about human 'Ie passion, embodied sexuality, and !'isks of human intimacy. We need 3cknowledge honestly the truths and iguities about human intimacy, the onsistencies of sexuality; and the ceny of our concrete, embodied huexistence. We might proclaim a ound understanding of grace as the ent and means of release and delivere from these deepest fears of our n humanness. James Nelson speaks ut this releasing: 'ou are accepted, the total you. 'our body; which you often reject, s accepted by that which is reater than you.Your sexual feelngs and unfulfilled yearnings are accepted. You are accepted in your ascetic attempts at self-justification or in your hedonistic alienation from the true meaning of your sexuality. You are accepted in those moments of sexual fantasy which come unbidden and which both delight and disturb you. You are accepted in your femininity and in your masculinity; for you have elements of both. You are accepted in your heterosexuality and in your homosexuality, and you have elements of both. Simply accept the fact that you are accepted as a sexual person! If that happens to you, you experience grace.s If our preaching ministries are to be vehicles of this kind of liberating and salvific grace, then the content and presence of our preaching will need to be shaped by sacred acceptance. Preaching will be challenged to affirm that the spiritual nature of one's human reality cannot be separated from one's embodied self. Preachers will need to be brave enough to declare that our sexuality is not to be willfully controlled but rather is to be embraced, celebrated, and ethically lived to its fullest. The images and language of our preaching can paint vivid pictures of mutuality and intimacy rather than dominance and submission. Heterosexual people are not the only ones who need salvific deliverance from fear. For gay men and lesbians, the concrete realities of heterosexism and homophobia produce immense anger and fear. That fear distorts and poisons individual relationships, erodes selfconfidence and self-worth, and renders invisible the full relational matrix of gay and lesbian life. For some, this fear leads to anonymous sexual encounters, blatant denial of loved ones, compulsive and addictive behaviors that might numb the persistent pain, and family estrangement. Gay men and lesbians are also in need of salvific deliverance from fear. For many gay men and lesbians, the mediators of God's grace are other lesbians and gay men, and seldom the church. Salvi fie deliverance comes most often from an exiled religious community existing on the borders of, or completely outside, an oppressive institutional church. For Christian preachers, perhaps the greatest challenge regarding salvific deliverance is to look outside the bounds of the traditional church at the places that mediate liberating grace in the lives of gay men and lesbians. Perhaps our preaching might change if we experienced the concrete ways gay men and lesbian women build community from the pains of invisibility, silence, and condemnation. Our preaching needs to reach into these places and experiences of exiled community in order to understand more fully the face, context, and essence of deliverance and saving grace for lesbians and gay men... NOTES lGary David Comstock, "Aliens in the Promised Land? Keynote Address for the 1986 National Gathering of the United Church of Christ's Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns. " as quoted in Hasbany, Homosexuality and Religion, p. 140. 2Janice G. Raymond, A Passion for Friends: Toward a Philosophy of Female Affection (Boston: Beacon Press, I 986), p. 7. JSuzanne Pharr, Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism (Inverness, CA: Chardon Press, 1988),p. 16. 4Ibid., pp. 18, 19. 5James B. Ne/.son, Embodiment: An Approach to Sexuality and Christian Theology (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, .1978), pp. 78-79. This article is excerpted from a chapter in the author's book, Preaching As Weeping, Confession, and Resistance: Radical Responses to Radical Evil (Louisville, KY: John Knox/Westminster Press, 1992). Used with permission. Christine M. Smith is Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship at United Theological Seminary ofthe Twin Cities, New Brighton, Minnesota, and has also written Weaving the Sermon: Preaching in a Feminist Perspective. - all 1993 21 •• •• •• •• • • EDUCATING OURSELVES: THE ANTIGAY AGENDA Our natural tendency is probably to avoid looking at and listening to the messages of the Right about gay men and lesbians. We've heard about their tabloids. We've heard about the lurid character of their video, The Gay Agenda. Why would we want to subject ourselves to those negative, inaccurate images and messages? Two reasons, at least, come to mind. First, most of us still harbor some vestiges of homophobia, even if we've worked hard to eradicate it. Immersing ourselves in the messages of the Right is another way to "debrief' or "detox." Second, to work against the Right's agenda, we need to know as precisely as we can what they are saying, how, and why. Rights "' ..JU" ·... 1 ,,:),Ut" .ICII This new 40-minute video, produced by Jeremiah Films and distributed by the Traditional Values Coalition, seeks to reveal the "myths" behind a so-called "gay agenda ." Using footage from the 1993 March on Washington and statements by lesbian/gay leaders, Gay Rights/ Special Rights builds upon common fears and stereotypes of gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons to portray the gay/lesbian rights movement as a powerful conspiracy to attain "special rights." Several leaders of the Right are interviewed in the film . This new video is essentially arevision and upgrading of the Right's well-known video, The Gay Agenda. This video is avery effective and frightening piece of propaganda. It can be purchased for $23 from Traditional Values Coalition, PO Box 940, Anaheim, CA 92815; 714/520ing Congregation Program's national office. (See below.) Truths Produced by the Gay and Lesbian Emergency Media Campaign as aresponseto The Gay Agenda and other Religious Right propaganda, this 58-minute video has three parts: I) an examination of the Re ligious Right, its agenda, and its strategies; 2) a case study using the 1992 antigay referendum in Oregon; and 3) aportrayal of the diversity of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community through interviews with a variety of different persons. This video provides useful information about the Religious Right in a somewhat rambling style. It can purchased for $35 (plus $2 .90 for priority handling) from GLEMC, c/o Rachel Williams, 390 Dean Street, Brooklyn, NY 1121 7. -Reviewed by Mark Bowman 0300. It can be borrowed from the Reconcil-Reviewed by Mark Bowman As several writers in this issue of Open Hands have noted, education is a crucial part of responding to the Right. A helpful part of that educational effort will be a thorough, intentional viewing of the Right's new video, Gay Rights/Special Rights. A follow-up session might be used -as an antidote -to view and discuss the video Sacred Lies/Civil Truths, which was produced in response to The Gay Agenda and other materials from the Right. • • RELIGIOUS RIGHT VIDEO AND LEADER'S GUIDE AVAILABLE FROM Rep •• Video available for Loan: Contact the RCP Office: Gay Rights/Special Rights • > to schedule a loan of the video : •••• Distributed by the Traditional Values Coalition, > to secure your copy of the Leader's Guide • an organization of the Right Suggested Donation for Guide, $10 : A 40-minute video which claims to reveal "myths" about the "gay agenda." . • • • : Special Guide available for church group use: Reconciling Congregation Program : • Leader's Guide for Gay Rights/Special Rights 3801 N. Keeler • : Prepared by the Reconciling Congregation Program Chicago, Illinois 60641 : • A IS-page guide which includes suggestions for 312/736-5526 • : preparing to view the video, a 90-minute session plan, 312/736-5475 (Fax) : • and five background articles. • :.....................................~.................•........ Open Hands ' By Susan Thornton o understand what pastoral care would look like as we respond to the impact of the .v .t, we first need to look briefly at "our own" people are. Then we st look at the ReligiOUS Right and its ssages about gay and lesbian per.5 . Only then can we look at the pe and content of our pastoral care roach to our own people. o Are Our Own? our welcoming congregations, as 'ell as in other moderate congrega.5, are many different kinds of pers. Some are persons who have been :nformed and have remained in de:. Others have discounted the Relius Right's power and/ or have ded direct engagement with them. one colleague said, it seems easier • liberal heterosexual Christians to eh"e gays and lesbians than to talk persons on the Right. -rhere are persons in our congrega.s for whom some of the messages "0 true, at least about the moral de: m the United States. Others are consed by the messages of the Right. Still .. ers -gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, their families and friends -are di1)' impacted by the actions of the ht and find themselves in fear, pain, anger on an almost daily basis. There are also those among us who 'e been actively involved in the gay lesbian civil rights movement or the o-choice movement who have had rect experience with people and orizations from the Right. Some of the people in our congregans are Baby Boomers, many of whom em to be attracted to the message of e ReligiOUS Right organizations. Oth5 may have grown up in an authoriian environment and continue to Fall 1993 exhibit some of its characteristics. As the Pogo cartoon says, "We have met the enemy and they is us. " A View of the Right The hope the Right holds is to "bring back America" and "traditional family values," to turn around the permissiveness which endangers children and families, and to restore America to its most favored nation status in the world . To do this, they wish to write salvation religion into the very heart of American government. They believe that change must happen in this generation and that the problems must be addressed in a systemic manner. Since traditional forms of changing public policy are blocked, they believe they must use alternate means and methods to achieve their goals. Fundamentalist and conservative churches become a locus for reaching people and for organizing. One significant focus of the Religious Right is to prevent gay men and lesbians from gaining equal rights. In an article in Christianity and Crisis, Donna Minkowitz catalogues the "antigay" activities and gains of the Religious Right since the presidential election in 1992. She cites the work of groups such as the Christian Coalition and Focus on the Family, where much editorial comment is focused on the threat by homosexuals to public health and to children. She notes the Christian Coalition candidates gaining majorities on local school boards and influencing curriculum decisions about sex education and diversity education. She ends her article with these sobering words, "My life still depends on the success or failure of antigay organizers from the Christian right."l The ReligiOUS Right has mastered the art of painting images and portraits to convince their hearers that what they describe is in truth, "a homosexual." A 20-minute video, The Gay Agenda, produced by affiliates of the Christian Coalition, contains as one writer puts it "every disgusting, lurid inch of footage that could be captured on film of the most radical segments of the San Francisco gay community during an annual Gay Pride parade .. ." 2 In other publications of the Right, lesbians and gay men are portrayed as a wealthy elite threatening the economic interests of ordinary people, that is, heterosexuals. They are also described as Nazi-like or as seeking special rights. "Caring for our own" will take different forms depending upon the faces and the realities of the individuals with whom we minister -and how the activities and messages of the Right have impacted them. However, in most cases our pastoral care will involve at least three components: education; emotional/spiritual support; and empowerment. A Ministry of Educating We must remember that the Right claims the authority of Scripture, a Scripture which is inerrant, infallible, and verbally inspired. Many of our people are uncomfortable challenging the claims of the ReligiOUS Right because they have not articulated the foundations on which they themselves stand. Our people need to be able not only to feel that Scripture guides life and that God speaks to them through it, but to know how they interpret it. They need to know by what authority they speak, and how is Scripture authoritative for them? What weight do they give traditions, and personal experience, and what are the hermeneutical (interpretive) principles they follow? To continue to come to terms with our beliefs and to reclaim our Scripture is a central ingredient in healing and challenging fundamentalism. 23 A Sustaining Presence Pastoral care with our own also involves offering spiritual and emotional support. Encountering the fear and misperceptions and even hatred of those in the Religious Right can evoke powerful feelings -of anger, rage, and fear. To hear ourselves and/or those we stand with characterized by an image that fits none of us is not new, though still hurtful. To hear the Right claiming to be Christian and to watch their recent powerful organizing efforts adds another level of fear and anger. Pastoral care in such situations and under such conditions means welcoming persons with all their feelings. It means proViding a safe space in which to both feel and express those feelings, without judgment or recrimination. We are to "bear one another's burdens." We are to offer a ministry of "presence. " One pastoral care strategy we can institute is a time of sharing during worship where people can express social and political concerns as well as personal items ofjoy and concern. We can offer a prayer circle time in worship, where people are encouraged to pray about all of their concerns -personal, political, spiritual, economic, global. At the same time, we can hold one another toJesus' challenge to "love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you. " We can continue to support one another in resisting, standing firm, and in refraining from stereotyping, labeling, and using rhetorical venom. All of us have been hurt in some way by heterosexism, sexism, racism, ageism, and others systems of oppression and we need to create times and places individually and in groups where we can hear one another's stories, affirm our feelings, and seek to understand those feelings and experiences. But pastoral caring does not stop here. We can remind people, either verbally or by our presence, that they do not need to remain stuck in rage or fear. We can suggest potential avenues for action. The ReligiOUS Right emerged partly in response to an American society where the old social cohesiveness based on sameness was breaking down. For some people, the idea of returning to an earlier day is attractive because while they would like to be more open, they can't see how to do it. We in welcoming churches have an alternative to the Religious Right's vision of cohesion based .on homogeneity. We also know how hard it is to move beyond a surface understanding of one another's lives, and the effects of homophobia in them, into a deeper dialogue. A popular t-shirt says, "Love sees no color." N ow ano ther one says, "Love sees all colors." That is the type of shift that we are seeking to make in our congregations, from a no n-d isc ri m i na to r y stance to a truly accepting stance. To achieve it, education and dialogue, along with a sustaining presence, are essential pastoral care strategies. Empowering One last component of pastoral care is empowering our people to directly engage members of the Right. Pastoral care at this point will mean helping our people to sort out whether and what kinds of dialogue are possible. Questions will need to be explored such as "Is it possible for persons of the Right to respect gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals, and if not, can dialogue proceed?" If our church is organizing to engage in direct dialogue with members of the Right, questions and feelings about who should speak and who will be heard by the Right will need patient and sensitive care. It is obvious that heterosexual allies can speak and witness in ways that gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals cannot and still be heard. On the other hand, stories and leadership directly from gay men, lesbians, and bisexual persons can have a powerful effect on persons from the Right. Further, in order to be effective in dialogue with the Right, people must learn to act rather than react. They will find it helpful to identify what the other persons' fears are, what the driving force is underneath their activity, and what their hopes are in order to determine if there is a common ground from which to dialogue. Learning to act directly, to speak directly, and to understand where the other person is coming from are empowering skills we can give our people . In Conclusion To all of us, I would say we need to continue to pray that the Spirit of Christ and not the spirit of fear and hostility would guide us in our work together. ... NOTES JDonna Minkowitz, "The Christian Right's Antigay Campaign" Christianity and Crisis (April 12, 1993):99-104 . 2Bella Stumbo, "The State of Hate" Esquire (Septembel-1993):73. Susan Thornton is a pastoral psychotherapist and Jormer Clinical Pastoral Education Supervis01~ A Presbyterian minister Jor twenty years, she worships with St. Luke Presbyterian Church in Wayzata, Minnesota, and is a member oj PresbyteriansJor Lesbian and Gay Concerns. 24 Open Hands The Church Responds ~~thAGH'1 L.hristians are becoming more organized and vocal in response to the Religious Right. Insistence on God's love for all and on human justice for all rings out across the country! Important organizing is occurring across race, gender, age, rexual orientation, and religious affiliation. Members of three such groups tell lOW they got started. Listen to the voices! Add your own! a] . simple justice "What does God require of you but to do justcie, and to love kindness , and to walk humbly with your God?" ... MICAH 6:8 SIMPLE JUSTICE SIMPLE JUSTICE is a network of 'nited Methodist individuals, groups, ongregations, and others in Washing- n and northern Idaho who support ._man rights and civil liberties for all ersons regardless of sexual orientation. . formed in February of 1993 as an utreach of the Reconciling Congrega'ions Task Force (RCTF) of the Pacific ,~orthwest Annual Conference, UMC. We seek to put into practice that sec. on of Paragraph 71F of the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist r-hurch which states: "We insist that all ersons, regardless of age, gender, marial status, or sexual orientation, are en'itled to have their human and civil rights ensured." Our focus is therefore strictly on civil rights. Participants in SIMPLE JUSTICE enter into a covenant: to share informa"on, to provide material support for its 'ork, and to respond to the best of their bility to its appeals for action on specific issues. Our current membership :-epresents over 1200 people in Washngton state and Northern Idaho. Fall 1993 We have organized letter-writing campaigns and phone campaigns in support of Washington State's Anti-Discrimination Bill which would include sexual orientation among the existing categories. Our focus for 1993-94 is to work against the "Colorado-style" initiative that is coming to the ballot in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho in November of 1994, Michael Spencer has worked on behalf of RCTFfor five years. Sue Sherbrooke served as a lay delegate to the 1992 General Conference. Both are members ofWallingJord United Methodist Church, a Reconciling Congregation. For more information, write to SIMPLEJUSTICE, PO Box 20116, Seattle, WA 98102. MAINE CLERGY ORGANIZE The Portland, Maine City Council passed City Ordinance 13A in May 1992 to secure the rights of gay and it • lesbian persons in areas of employment, hOUSing, public accommodations, and credit. Portland is dedicated to being an inclusive community. However, some in Portland and beyond interpreted Portland's inclusive values to be corrupting of a purity they seek and see themselves called to define and defend. They also feared the effect of the Portland precedent upon the state's anti-discrimination laws which presently do not identify gay and lesbian persons for civil rights protection. The cartoon (below) appeared in the May 20, 1992 Portland Press Herald, Portland's major newspaper. The conservative Christian movement in Maine, led by The Christian Civic League, took exception. Their director mailed a letter to his donors with appeals to support the organization's efforts to repeal ordinance 13A He enclosed a copy of the cartoon with these words: I t appeared in a Maine newspaper and it was a vicious and hateji1led attack upon Maine Christians. It was an attack upon ourfaith. It was an attack upon our intelligence. It >= o 'Vi Vl '§ w 0.. -5 '~ e "0 ;r: w Vl Vl e: 0... "0 >= ~ £: w -5 E -.§ "0 w 'i:: 'C Sf ~ w 0.. ___ 25 was an attack upon our Lord. A petition was circulated to repeal 13A and qualified as an initiative on the November 1992 ballot. Feeling the imperative to identify other Christians with an inclusive ethic, five Portland United Church of Christ clergy began to organize clergy in the greater Portland region to oppose negative discrimination and to support City Ordinance 13A We designed a four step process: 1) solicit Portland area UCC clergy for a major ad in the local paper; 2) encourage sermons and serious study of the issue in our local churches and provide resources for such preaching and study; 3) solicit ecumenical and inter-faith clergy for a second ad; 4) generate denominational executive support for supporting 13A Twenty-nine UCC clergy signed on and contributed $50 each to support the first ad. Our Conference Minister in Maine worked for support from executives of other denominations, gaining clear endorsement from some and passive agreem ent from others. All clergy and religious leaders in the Portland area were then solicited for their signatures and a $15 contribution. An inter-faith ad ran with fifty-nine signatures. Our efforts were coordinated with Equal Protection Portland, developed in 1992 to support City Ordinance 13A The initiative to repeal was defeated. Bill Gregory is Senior Minister at WoodJords Congregational Church, UCC, in Portland. He is the author oj Faith Before Faithfulness: Centering the Inclusive Church (Pilgrim, 1992). ECUMENICAL ORGANIZING It is often difficult to find clergy and laypersons in one synagogue, church, or denomination with the concern and commitment necessary to organize for a high-profile public witness against homophobia and heterosexism. An ecumenical and inter-religious organization that begins with concerned and committed persons, no matter how few, may be the answer. It was for us in North Carolina. In the fall of 1987, the Raleigh Human Resources and Human Relations Advisory Committee requested the Raleigh City Council to add "sexual orientation" to the city's anti-discrimination ordinance. Those two groups sponsored a public hearing at which lesbians and gay men gave testimony about their experiences of discrimination and harassment. A consistent theme in those testimonies was of rejection and alienation from religiOUS communities. 1988 North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Pride March Carrying banner: Jimmy Creech, Mahan Siler, and Jim Lewis Religious leaders who were confronted by those testimonies began to discuss how they could challenge the pervasive hostility toward gay men and lesbians within religious communities as well as within society at large. With approximately fifteen interested and committed lay persons and clergy, the organizing began and RRNGLE was born. The active membership is now over thirty-five persons with eleven different religious affiliations. Raleigh Religious Network for Gay & Lesbian Equality The members of RRNGLE are committed to being a very public challenge to the prevailing hostility within the religious communities. It has sponsored a high-profile annual conference since 1988. It has purchased advertisements, Signed by the members, to support lesbian and gay pride events in the state. Members have written opinion pieces for local papers. RRNGLE has been active in local and state-wide political gay rights initiatives. The success of RRNGLE is attributable to a clear understanding of "who" it is. It is its membership and not an "institution" that exists to survive. It is a membership made up of persons who speak for themselves and not for the synagogues, churches, and other organizations with which they are affiliated. It is a "radical cadre" that is comfortable being few in nu mber. It is a proactive, public witness. Three similar organizing efforts in North Carolina have been spawned by RRNGLE. In 1991, the international meeting of pFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) met in Charlotte. An ticipating public opposition from the Religious Right, RRNGLE met with supportive clergy during the P-FLAG conference. The result was the creation of the "Charlotte Area Ministerial Association Gay and Lesbian Task Force" that has fostered dialogue between the mainline churches and the lesbian and gay community. Through its annual conferences, RRNGLE identified a number of persons from the Winston-Salem area and in a meeting in early 1992 helped create the "Piedmont ReligiOUS Network for Gay and Lesbian Equality." Realizing that the 1992 North Carolina Lesbian and Gay Pride events, scheduled in Asheville, would bring a ReligiOUS Right response, RRNGLE met with clergy and lay persons there and helped create the "Asheville ReligiOUS Network for Gay and Lesbian Equality." ARNGLE purchased advertisements, signed by its members, in local newspapers in support of the Gay Pride events. It continues to address religiOUS and social issues related to lesbians and gay men. jimrny Creech is Program Associate oj the North Carolina Council oj Churc hes and a member oj the Board oj th e Reconciling Congregation Program (United Methodist). To contact write: RRNGLE, PO Box 5961, Ra leigh, NC 27650-5961 . Open Hands 26 5 6. 9. a. a. b. c. ''' names at every opportue;r 'experience 10 take on e work. g'roups around the country; -Michael Spencer Sirl1ple Justice Ten St~ps For Organizing a De~:R:~'in~~~g,~al Group to ~oi1f.vil Rights ~ THEOLOGY/PHILOSOPHY OF THE RIGHT Menendez, AlbertJ. Visions of Reality: What Fundamentalist Schools Teach. Prometheus Books. [Examines the most widely used textbooks in fundamentalist private schools.] Mollenkott, Virginia Ramey. Sensuous Spirituality: Out From Fundamentalism. New York: Crossroad, 1992. [Contains many insights concerning interpretive communities.] Nordbeck, Elizabeth C . Thunder on the Right -Understanding Conservative Christianity in America. New York: United Church Press, 1990. [Examines "the fundamentalist, charismatic, evangelical, and pentecostal movements...during the last half of the twentieth century." (book cover)] Rogers, Jack B., and McKim, Donald. The Authority and Interpretation of the Bible. New York: Harper &: Row, 1979. [A scholarly work placing fundamentalism in a full theological context.] Spong, John Shelby. ' Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism: A Bishop Rethinks the Meaning of Scripture. San Francisco: Harper, 1991. [Provides a crash course on the liberal hermeneutic.] POLITICS OF THE RIGHT Bellant, Russ. The Coors Connection: How Coors Family Philanthropy Undermines Democratic Pluralism. Cambridge: Political Research Associates, 1990. ["A well-d.ocumented investigation into the far-right political activities and funding relationships of the Coors beer family..." Institute for First Amendment Studies (IFAS)] Diamond, Sara. Spiritual Warfare: The Politics of the Christian Right. Boston: South End Press, 1989. ["This left-of-center critique is the best available primer on the history, ideology, factions, and plans of the Christian Right." (IFAS) If you will read only one book on the Right, choose this one.] Freeman, Matthew. The San Diego Model: A Community Battles the Religious Right. Washington, DC: People for the American Way, 1993. [Describes the Right's "stealth campaign" model.] Marty, Martin E., and Appleby, R. Scott. The Fundamentalism Project Series. 6 Vols . Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991, 1993. Fundamentalisms Observed, Vol. 1; Fundamentalism and SOCiety, Vol. 2; Fundamentalism and the State, Vol. 3; Vols. 4, 5 and 6 available 1994-95. PERSONALITY OF THE RIGHT [Suggestions on the nature of the authoritarian mind and the possible causes of abuse.} Adorno, Theodore, et. al. The Authoritarian Personality. New York: Harper, 1950. Herman, Judith Lewis. Trauma and Recovery. Basic Books, 1992. Miller, Alice. Banished Knowledge. New York. Doubleday, 1990 and For Your Own Good. Canada: Collins Publishers, 1984. Rokeach, Milton. The Open and Closed Mind: Investigations into the Nature of Belief Systems. New York: Basic Books, 1960. ..J Fall 1993 27 THE ANTIGAY AGENDA OF THE RIGHT Minkowitz, Donna. "The Christian Right's Anti-gay Campaign." Christianity & Crisis, April 12, 1993, pp. 99-104. Pharr, Suzanne. "Four Articles on the Religious Right." Transformation. Little Rock, AR: Women's Project, 1992-93. Segrest, Mab and Leonard Zeskind. Quarantines and Death: The Far Right's Homophobic Agenda. Atlanta: Center for Democratic Renewal, 1989. Stumbo, Bella. "American Scene: The State of Hate." Esquire, September 1993, pp. 73-84. [On Colorado's Amendment 2.] WRITTEN BY THE RIGHT Barron, Bruce. Heaven on Earth? The Social and Political Agendas of Dominion Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992. Dannemeyer, William. Shadow in the Land: Homosexuality in America. San Francisco: IgnatiUS Press, 1989. ["Must read" says Political Research Associates.] Jones, Stanton L. "The Loving Opposition," Christianity Today, July 19, 1993, p.18. [Jones urges fellow conservatives to embrace a more loving way in responding to homosexuality.] Magnuson, Roger J. Are Gay Rights Right? Making Sense of the Controversy. Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1990. ["Must read" says Political Research Associates.] Nobel, David A. Understanding the Times: The Story of the Biblical Christian, Marxist/Leninist and Secular Humanist Worldviews. Manitou Springs, CO: Summit Ministries, 1991. North, Gary. Backward Christian Soldiers: An Action Manual for Christian Reconstruction. Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics, mid-1980s. [The most accessible book on the politics of Christian Reconstructionism. (lFAS)] Phillips, Charles R. The Blue Book for Grassroots Politics. NY: Oliver Nelson, a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers. [The Christian Right's how-to manual. (IFAS)] Robertson, Pat. The New World Order: It Will Change Your Life. Dallas, TX: Word Publishing, 1991. Schaeffer, Francis A. AChristian Manifesto. Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1981. RESPONDING TO THE RIGHT Center for Democratic Renewal. When Hate Groups Come to Town: A Handbookfor Effective Community Responses. 2nd ed. PO Box 50469, Atlanta, GA 30302. Suggested donation, $18.95. Marsh, Dave. 50 Ways to Fight Censorship & Important Facts to Know About the Censors. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press. Political Research Associates Packet Series. Constructing Homophobia: How the Right Wing Defines Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals as a Threat to Civilization. Cambridge, MA:PRA. [Includes primary source material from the Religious Right.] Smith, Christine M. Preaching As Weeping, Confession, and Resistance: Radical Responses to Radical Evil. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox, 1992. [Includes discussion of ageism, handicappism, heterosexism, sexism, white racism, classism.] Wink, Walter. Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992. [How the dominant culture is captured by the Babylonian myth of domination, and Jesus' commitment to partnership and nonviolent resistance.] 28 Open Hands Letfe7f to t/.e EA4t07 We welcome bOth Clitical and appteCiatiVe responses to OPEN J{AlIIDS. We reserve tue right to select. edit.rs and shOrten all submiSsiOns. Nllette must be signed. with addIess and phOne. please indicate i! ,/ou do not want ,/0\11 letter to be publiShed. 0\11 polic,/ is to publiSh letters. over ,/0\11 full nallle. cM and state. We WIll occasio,/ nJlI aletter anon'llllOUSl'l. nallrt(~~ ,... reetings to you, I wanted to send a note of "Exultation and Praise" to you the great issue of Open Hands on Aging and Integrity. Fall 1992] Both my partner and I read it cover-to-cover (as s~on as it was off the press)! If there's a criticism, it's only .. at it just begins to uncover the iceberg. I know there's lots r material out there on this topic, so I hope there can be another one or two issues devoted to the topic of aging. Of course, mine is a very personal interest. (I'm no kid and my partner is over sixty-five.) .. .Thanks again for your work on this. We look forward to the next issues with happy anticipation ... Judy Jahnke, Rosemont, IL J ear Sir/Madam: Please cancel my subscription. The magazine itself is -erious, dry, statistics. Serious, serious writing. Even the uman interest stories are boring. It just wasn't what I expected.However, please keep my subscription payment 5 a contribution for I agree with your views -Gay/lesbian/ . sexuals should enjoy the normal civil rights we all eny -acceptance in society, adoption, marriage ... Donna Walthour, Leechburg, PA Editor's Note: The magazine is serious. We admit it. I am ooking for light, humorous, human interest stories related to .tpcoming themes. (See list on page 3) I am also interested in "-eceiving cartoons. Please include the name, address, phone "lumber, and date of the newspaper or magazine where you lound it. Cartoonists are also welcome to send material to our Chicago address. To the Editor: As I cannot find a disclaimer in the Summer 1993 issue, Biblical Interpretation: BeyondJudgment to Love, I have a big Summer 1993 evangelical bone to pick with [the]... treatment of Mark 12:35-40 in the article by Arnold Isidore Thomas [po 24]. Specifically, how can any interpretation of the NT canon dare to ignore various ascriptions to Messiah as the rightful heir to the throne of David with the simplistic refutation: " ...and precedes his rejection of the notion that the Messiah is the Son of David ... " [po24, col. 2] Don't you realize that this ...treatment of the Lord's purposed confounding (Mark 11:33) of those who rejected his messianic authority -as witnessed by his miraculous fulfillment of messianic prophecies -gives fundamentalist, traditionalist, and heterosexist evangelical Christians an excuse to ignore everything else your otherwise splendid publication has to say on behalf of oppressed and suffering gay and lesbian Christians? Phillip B. Harry, Temple City, CA Rev. Dr. Arnold Thomas replies: There can be no doubt that there are competing theories regarding the messianic identity of jesus in the Synoptic Gospels, but there should also be no doubt that Mark 12:35-37 (as Matthew 22:41-46 and Luke 20:41-44) favors a christology that does not require a Davidic stamp of approval. Biblical scholars have long acknowledged that the Bible does not speak with one voice concerning the christly identity ofJesus. Robert Funk, in his edition of The Gospel of Mark, suggests that these different points of view arose out of a segment of the early church, "in which there was some tension between the messiah as the son of man (a heavenly figure) and the messiah as the son of David (a political, royal figure)." (Funk, p. 188) This tension, most likely, did not originate with jesus, but with the effort of first century Christians to define the significance of jesus' ministry to the world beyond judaism. Sherman Johnson, in exegeting Matthew 22:41-46 for The Interpreter's Bible, states that "early Christians understood that jesus was a descendant of David (Acts 2:25-36, Romans 1 :3); but he did not derive his authority from his physical descent, and that the Messiah must be thought of, not as a national monarch but as the Lord of all, exalted far above David, ...and David cannot be compared with him." Oohnson, p. 526) Rev. Dr. Arnold Isidore Thomas Dear Mary jo, Thanks very much for sending the Summer issue of Open Hands .. .! stand in awe of the speed with which the issue came out; I had presumed a necessarily longer interim between our last conversation and publication. Also, I am impressed with the handsome layout throughout...Do you suppose others will do what I did, namely, to compare the photos of the two [Furnishes] to see whether they are related! I hope this issue gets the attention you hope for... Victor Paul Furnish Dallas, TX Editor's Note: Yes, people have asked! Victor and Dorothy Jean are brother and sister. 29 Welcome New Churches We welcome eleven additional churches to the movement. Hennepin Avenue UMC Minneapolis, Minnesota Since its founding in 1875, Hennepin Avenue has consistently been one of the largest churches in Minneapolis, now with almost 3,000 members. Located downtown, the congregation reflects the diversity of the Twin Cities area. The congregation is known for "great preaching, great music and social outreach." Its membership reflects a blend of a strong tradition with a forward-looking vision, including about 125 new members whose average age is under 30. Its Reconciling Congregation declaration has brought a number of new gay, lesbian, and bisexual members. r..T...TAT~ ................. OPEN -----m-[!~!~~ ................. OPEN AND AFFIRMING Community Congregational Church Tiburon, California A small city congregation, Community Congregational's 280 members are from all over Marin County. This is a theologically diverse and environmentally and globally concerned church which values the expression of spirituality through music and art. It enjoys a creative, non-traditional worship style. The church is beginning a four-month contemplative series for those wishing to nurture their spiritual awareness and growth. First Congregational UCC Gloversville, New York Located in a conservative area of upstate New York, First Congregational is fairly unique in its liberal commitments and social consciousness. The church has started numerous programs in the area, including hospice, Meals on Wheels, and a family counseling center. It also offers space for an HIV / AIDS support group. Having passed an ONA statement, First Congregational is now considering how that decision might be reflected in its bylaws and mission statement, and how to implement its ONA commitment more fully in the life of the church. Pilgrim Congregational UCC Cleveland, Ohio A spirited, urban congregation of about 225 members, Pilgrim Congregational seeks to live out the gospel in creative, contemporary ways. Multicultural and multiethnic, the congregation is committed to a variety of social justice and peace concerns. In order to minister more effectively in the city, the congregation called an associate staff member who reaches out to the surrounding community and helps the congregation respond to needs identified. Members of the church are active in AIDS ministry. Meeting space is provided for the local UCCL/ GC chapter and a social group for gay men. Plymouth Congregational Church Seattle, Washington "Plymouth Church -where faith and action come together!" That's how this downtown church of 1,000 members presents itself to metropolitan Seattle. The church continues a long history of social activism and attracts people interested in local and global mission. In partnership with an AfricanAmerican Baptist congregation, Plymouth will be part of the "Prince of Peace Walk," (a march against violence) scheduled for Advent. It has hosted a delegation from a Nicaraguan church. Plymouth celebrates the diversity of its congregation and explains the meaning of its ONA stance in each Sunday's order of service. Sanctuary UCC Harrisonburg, Virginia Granted full standing as a uce church in April 1993, Sanctuary's founding vision statement included being a "radically inclusive" faith community which would be Open and Affirming. Members seek to "walk in the way ofJesus with all peoples in all walks and ways of life." In October, the church moved from Mt. Crawford to a new downtown site in Harrisonburg, where it hopes to be a significant spiritual and missional presence. In its new building, Sanctuary will offer meeting space to the first gay, lesbian, and bisexual support group in Harrisonburg. Shalom UCC West Lafayette, Indiana Begun in 1987, Shalom has 64 adult members/ friends and 19 children. Extremely mission-oriented, its members have taken as their goal "to give as much to others as to ourselves." Shalom recently held forums to discuss questions and ideas that have arisen since its ONA vote. The church has had a steady stream of visitors since becoming ONA and is delighted to welcome one and all. Urbandale UCC Des Moines, Iowa This active, urbani suburban church of 360 members draws participants from throughout the Des Moines area. Open Hands 30 ..1embers are completing financial plans for a new sanctuary, assisting with food relief, and working in partnership with an inner city congregation (a Reconcil.ng Congregation!). Another partnership is being discussed, perhaps with a church in Indonesia. The Sunday School has its own special project -col.ecting clothes, toys, and books for hospitalized children. Urbandale recently finished five months of intensive study on gay/lesbian issues. Gethsemane Lutheran Church [RECOYHRISTJ Columbia, South Carolina Gethsemane has actively practiced inclusivity throughout its four decades of ministry. Some South Carolina "firsts" for Gethsemane include: African-American members, congregational presidents and synod delegates, internships for women in seminary, and now the Affirmation ofWelcome. Gethsemane's members during Lent last year studied issues surrounding child abuse, abortion, capital punishment, AIDS ministry, and homosexuality. The coming out of a lesbian member, the congregation's love and support for her, and their desire to act on the issues they studied, led the congregation to adopt the RIC Affirmation of Welcome. Fountain of Hope Lutheran Fellowship Kansas City, Missouri Fountain of Hope is a multicultural, inner-city, storefront congregation committed to inclusivity and outreach. Many members have lived on the fringe of society most of their lives, and understand how our church and society can either marginalize and exclude people, or include and welcome them. Frustrated by the church's slow response to including lesbian and gay people, they Fall 1993 felt that making the Affirmation ofWelcome was a way to move ahead. Abiding Peace Lutheran Church Kansas City, Missouri The members of Abiding Peace felt "it was time" to make a statement of support t9 the church for lesbian and gay people. The congregation has had several long-time lesbian members who have served as congregational leaders. The congregation's commitment to be an inclusive, welcoming congregation overcame concerns about the publicity of becoming a Reconciled in Christ congregation. Others Join the Movement We also welcome two new synods to our ever-growing movement. The Synod of the Northeast Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) New England, New York, New Jersey Comprised of over 1,200 congregations, the Synod of the Northeast has become the first More Light Synod of the Presbyterian Church (U.S .A). At its January 1993 meeting, the Synod (voting 68 to 52) "declares itself to be a 'More Light Synod,' affirming the inclusiveness set forth in The Book of Order, encouraging all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, who seek to know Christ, to participate fully in the life of the church." The Metro Chicago Synod, ELCA Chicago, Illinois The Metro Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America passed the Affirmation of Welcome in its annual assembly this past summer. Ecumenical Leaders and Open Hands Advisors Meet Representatives of the Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ), Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran), Reconciling (United Methodist), and Supportive (Brethren/Mennonite) Church programs held their fourth annual ecumenical gathering in Chicago in mid-September. The leaders recognized the continued growth of the "welcoming church" movement across the denomination -now encompassing more than 350 congregations. The leaders shared resources and program ideas, participated in a fundraising workshop, and viewed the new Religious Right video, Gay Rights/ Special Rights. '-RCP Collecting Data on Homophobia in UMC The Reconciling Congregation Program office is collecting data and stories of homophobia or inhospitality toward lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons that occurred in the United Methodist Church (UMC) this year. Persons are encouraged to contact the Rep office by phone or letter with reports of recent words or deeds of homophobia or inhospitality at all levels of the UMC, including agencies, annual conferences, congregations, clergy, and laypersons. All reports will be strictly confidential. An initial published review of "Homophobia in the UMC' is planned for early 1994. 31 Open Hands The leaders called on all the churches in our ecumenical network to be in solidarity with each other by celebrating their welcoming ministries in worship onJanuary 23, 1994. Evaluation of the first year of collaboration in publishing Open Hands produced very positive feedback. The editorial adViSory committee for Open Hands met the following weekend. Again, evaluation of the new ecumenical venture was overwhelmingly positive. Future themes recommended at this meeting include: Outreach and Evangelism; Gifts of the Spirit; Campus Ministries; Denominations: Help or Hindrance in the Movement; Diversity;and Celebrating Relationships. LC/North America Hires Program Executive In September, Robert W Gibeling,jr., from Atlanta, Georgia, became the first Program Executive of Lutherans Concerned/North America (LC/NA) at a gala installation service in Fort Worth, Texas. "It is clear to me that the issue of affection orientation will be in the forefro nt of social concerns faCing North America for the remainder of the decade. In this crucial time, LC/NA can be a tremendously powerful influence for positive change," Gibeling told the Board of Directors. "I consider it an honor to help make this happen." The role of Program Executive is to work with the Board of Directors to develop programs and strategies which will further the mission and ministry of LC/NA "We wanted to leave the maintenance and nuts and bolts operation with the board," said LC/NA Co-Chair Lynn Mickelson, "so that the Program Executive can focus on strengthening and expanding the work of the organization. Bob is uniquely qualified for this role." "Bob views the Reconciled in Christ (RIC) program as one of the most important ministries sponsored by Lutherans Concerned," observes RIC Coordinator Brian Knittel. Gibeling says "Because it's a grassroots, local-based program, [RIC] will have a tremendous Religious Right Video and Leader's Guide Available from Rep The RCP office has a copy of the new Religious Right video Gay Rights/Special Rights which it will loan out to churches. Also available is a leader's guide prepared by the RCP office. For information on how to borrow the video and secure a copy of the guide, call 312/736-5526 or 312/736impact on the church. At some point in the future, as the number of congregations reaches a critical mass, it will ensure that there is positive change in the church." More Light Tenth Annual Conference The 1994 annual conference of the More Light Churches network (Presbyterian) will be held in the Minneapolis/ St. Paul area in May 1994. The theme is "Turning Dialogue into Ministry." A unique, inspirational play, "Coming Out/Coming Home," will be performed by members of Spirit of the Lakes UCC. Speakers will include the former General Assembly moderator,john Fife and preaching professor, Christine Smith. For information and registration, call Lindsay Biddle, 612/724-5429 or Dick Lundy, 612/470-0093. Funding Withheld from Presbyterian Synod In late spring, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, California, decided to withhold funding of the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii until the Synod ceased to fund Lazarus, a gay/lesbian outreach program. One of the largest and wealthiest congregations in the Presbyterian church (U.S .A.), St. Andrew's put $300,000, which was intended for Synod missions, into escrow. For several years the Synod has provided a small amount of financial support for the Lazarus Project, a ministry of reconciliation with lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons housed at West Hollywood Presbyterian (a More Light Church). The Lazarus Project labeled the action "extortionist" and reminded churches that other missions could suffer the same consequences if St. Andrew's demand was met. Synod commissioners condemned St. Andrew's action and declared its support for the Lazarus Project. St. Andrew's subsequently diverted the escrowed funds to non-Synod programs. The Synod has been badly financially damaged by these actions and may be unable to fund any of its social justice and outreach ministries. 5475 (fax). 32 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 Open Hands Vol 9 No 2 - Responding to the Right: Strategies for Change https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/c8447d488c3757c7160a6ca78c5936e2.pdf 91476048318d56f2ece705615dce3dfa Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Volume Number The volume number of the issue 9 Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 3 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1994 Publication Date The date the issue was published Winter Text Any textual data included in the document $5.00 . More Light Churches Network Open and Affirming Program Reconciled in Christ Program Reconciling Congregation ~r6gram Resources for Ministries Affirming the Diversity of Human Sexuality . Vol. 9 No.3 Winter 1994 CELEBRATING THE INCLUSIVE GOD Worship in the Welcoming Community Open Hands is a resource for congregations and individuals seeking to be in ministry with lesbian, bisexual, and gay persons. Each issue focuses on a specific area of concern within the church. Open Hands is published quarterly by the Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. (United Methodist) in conjunction with More Light Churches Network (Presbyterian), Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ), and Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran) Programs. Each of these programs is a national network of local churches that publicly affirm their ministry with the whole family of God and welcome lesbian and gay persons and their families into their community of faith. These four programs -along with Open and Affirming (DiSciples of Christ), Welcoming (Unitarian Universalist), Supportive Congregations (Brethren/ Mennonite), and Welcoming and Affirming (American Baptist) programs -offer hope that the church can be a reconciled community. Open Hands is published quarterly. Subscription is $16 for four issues ($20 outside the U.S.). Single copies and back issues are $5. Quantities of 10 or more, $3 each. Subscriptions, letters to the editor, manuscripts, requests for advertising rates, and other correspondence should be sent to: Open Hands 380l N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 Phone: 312/736-5526 Fax: 312/736-5475 Member, The Associated Church Press © 1994 Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. Open Hands is a registered trademark. ISSN 0888-8833 @ Printed 011 recycled paper. (!jeen Resources for Ministries Affirming the Diversity of Human Sexuality ~andJ Winter 1994 Vol. 9 No! 3 EXPLORING the nature of worship ............................................................... 4 The Work of the People ........................................................................... 4 Gregory R. Dell Witnesses to Meaning ..................................................................... 5 Ann Marie Coleman, Brenda Moulton, Bob Gibeling, Derrick Kikuc hi, Paul Santillan Ham Bones, History, and Liturgy ........................................................... 6 Jon Nelson Prayer ofJesus ................................................................................. 7 Wheadon UMC WhatJesus Actually Prayed? .......................................................... 7 The Jesus Seminar The Open Table: A Sign of Inclusion ...................................................... 8 Grant S. Sperry-White Personal Testimony ......................................................................... 9 Anonymous A Meditation on the Eucharist ....................................................... 9 Lawrence A. Reh Tips for Inclusivity and Diversity in Worship ..................................... 10 Exploring Worship in your Congregation: Eight Activities ................ 11 REPENTING of our alienating actions ........................................................ 12 A Liturgy of Repentance ........................................................................ 12 Mary Jo Osterman The Reproaches ...................................................................................... 13 Wallingford UMC HEALING each other's wounds .................................................................... 14 Call to Awareness ................................................................................... 14 Mary Jo Osterman Psalm 73 Interpreted .............................................................................. 14 Derrick Kikuchi Shug's Beatitudes (Alice Walker) .......................................................... 15 St. John's UMC Prayers of the People .............................................................................. 15 Howard Warren Comfort and Healing (Song) ................................................................. 15 Mary Jo Osterman We Give You Thanks, 0 God (Song) ..................................................... 15 John S. Rice Benediction: Loving God, Move Us from Tragedy ............................... 15 Larry Peacock RECONCILING with all those different from us ....................................... 16 Call to Celebrate ..................................................................................... 16 Irving Park UMC Song of Reconciliation ........................................................................... 16 Caroline Presnell Reflection I: From a Non-European Perspective .................................. 17 Audre Lorde Naming our Brokenness (Korean Tongsung Kido prayer style) ......... 17 A Prayer for Decision-Making Time ...................................................... 17 Marianna Mihills Open Hands 2 Celebrating the Inclusive God: Worship in the Welcoming Community Reflection II: Underground Christians ................................................ 17 Malcolm Boyd Open Hands, Open Hearts (Song) ........................................................ 18 G. Jean Anderson & Barbara Neighbors Deal How Weird 0 and Freak 0 Became Reconciled: A Children's Sermon ..................................................................... 19 Elton Brown AFFIRMING and celebrating our sacredness ............................................. 20 Celebrate the Covenant .......................................................................... 20 Diane Darling & Elaine Kirkland Psalm 30:4, 11-12 Interpreted ............................................................... 20 Mary Jo Osterman Reflection I: Welcomed with Open Arms ............................................. 20 Ann B. Day Reflection II: Indian Tapestry/Tejido Tipico ....................................... 21 Julia Esquivel A Litany of Affirmation .......................................................................... 21 Susan Kramer Sen ding Forth: The Wildly Inclusive God ............................................ 21 Howard Warren COMMITTING ourselves to being the church ........................................... 22 Invitation to Commitment (Poem) ........................................................ 22 Maya Angelou Reflection: The Pulse of our New Day: Facing Destiny ~ ....... .............. 22 Lynn Mickelson Words of Commitment .......................................................................... 23 Mary Jo Osterman Ritual of Commitment ........................................................................... 23 Lisa Larges & Lindsay Biddle Sending Forth: The One Who is our Rock ........................................... 23 Mary Jo Osterman RESOURCES .................................................................................................. 24 MOVEMENT NEWS ........................................................................................ 26 ANNUAL LIST OF WELCOMING CHURCHES .................................... 30 , upeQ~l~GTHEME~ eadline Reb. 25,1994 Unso~ici\!;i~:;:~.eitlJSCript Deadlines The'm,e;l,"i;; '.. ",W Outreach .andtEYangelism · Prid,e: itGift of the Spirit May' 25,1994 Campus :Ministries '· "Aug. 25,1994 Winter 1995 DynaIiii.~s pI a Welcoming Movement Nov. 25,1994 Sprio!}g1995 Diveisity~in Welcoming Churche~ ~~b. 25:,1995' Th'. Ifyou are interest~J:~?Writingfor one o£ t p.!~e~fe send a queryretferjqr <your completed J ~ .' . . ..... ~:;I~.!~~rtor . Qpen Hands • 380!.,~~~t15eeler • Chicago, IL 60641 ProgramCoordinators Mark Bowman Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. 3801 N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 312/736-5526 Ann B. Day ""."."~ ... .• ~ OPEN Open and Affirming -D-Program !t!!J!~ .."i.,,~ P.O. Box 403 ..."...".... Holden, MA 01520 508/ 856-9316 o Brian Knittel Reconciled in Christ Program 2800 Buena Vista Way Berkeley, CA 94708 510/ 841-6990 '~ .~p' ~\ .:::' lindsay Louise Biddle More light Churches Network T 3538 22nd Avenue, S. Minneapolis, MN 55407 612/ 724-5429 Publisher Mark Bowman Open Hands Editor Mary Jo Osterman Layout I GraphicsI Typesetting In Print -Jan Graves Permission is granted to use the banner deSigns in this issue. Editorial Advisory Committee Reva Anderson, Toledo, OH Peg Beissert, Rolling Hills Est., CA Ann Marie Coleman, Chicago, IL Dan Hooper, Los Angeles, CA Derrick Kikuchi, Daly City, CA Samuel E. Loliger, Buffalo, NY Shawndra Miller, Goshen, IN Dick Poole, Oak Forest, IL Caroline Presnell, Evanston, IL Emilie Pulver, Chicago, IL Irma C . Romero, Chicago, IL Paul Santillan, Chicago, IL Martha Scott, Chicago, IL Winter 1994 3 THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE By Gregory R. Dell £XPWRING the nature ofworship 4 "Liturgy: the work of the people." Sometimes the origin of a word can provide unexpected insight. If liturgy is, as its derivation suggests, the ergos (work) of the laos (people), it ought to reflect a collaborative and corporate style in its creation as well as its practice. What has worked well for us at Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church as we have pursued that goal is a collection of interconnected programs and opportunities: weekly Bible study on the lectionary passages for the coming Sunday, seasonal liturgy planning teams, the use of liturgies which provide for spontaneous participation of the laity, and the use of lay liturgists for all worship services. Bible Study I began the weekly Bible study as much out of my own need as out of any desire to pursue more lofty goals. From a previous pastoral appointment I had learned the value of dialogue (multi-Iogue, really) with laity about the scriptures which would form the basis for the coming week's sermon. Euclid has only two rules for Bible Study nights: regardless of age anyone can have dessert before dinner at the potluck which precedes the study, and all opinions are welcome. In a Bible study with our congregation's participants ranging from borderline fundamentalists to borderline Unitarians, that latter "rule" is particularly important. It gives permission for people to be who they are and to challenge each other gently and support each other firmly. We read the scriptures and then out of the diversity of our experiences and identities reflect on what the word might be saying to us personally, relationally, and politically. As a straight, white, middle-aged, male clergyperson, I find the richness of participating in those discussions with gay men, lesbians, persons of color, young adults and senior adults, lawyers, social workers, homeless persons and homemakers, to be incredible. The twenty-five to forty participants vary from week to week, with some present every time and others from time to time. Even that dynamic adds to the richness. I preach from who I am, but who I am is greatly expanded by those encounters on Wednesday evenings with the biblical word and the rich tapestry of God's diverse people. As for the laity who participate, they say that the experience makes them feel connected to our corporate worship, their everyday lives, and the Christian faith in ways beyond their expectations. Our times together are always punctuated by laughter, often by tears, and never without learning for all of us. More times than not our closing prayer circle is as profoundly deep in silence or words as any spiritual experience I've had. Liturgy Teams For each liturgical season the congregation's worship committee issues an invitation and intentionally recruits specific persons to form a team for the planning of worship services for the season. In addition to reviewing the scripture for the season and choosing a theme or themes, the team assigns responsibilities for the writing of the movements of the liturgy for each service, selection of music, and creation of banners, dances, or other special visual or experiential components. Many of the folks on the teams participate in the weekly Bible study. Some don't. Again the diversity is expanded. During some weeks of "ordinary time" between the various seasons I still have primary responsibility for Sunday liturgies, but I think even they are enriched by the collaborative work on the seasons around them. All of us are encouraged to let what we create reflect our unique experiences and identities while remembering that they must "work" for the diversity of the whole congregation. A neat trick. But somehow it happens. Open Hands Liturgists and Liturgies A different lay liturgist helps to lead worship at each service. Children as young as five have served as liturgists. Persons with handicapping conditions, older adults, the full racial! ethnic diversity of the congregation, men, women, gay and straight are all intentionally recruited when the "volunteer" list doesn't reflect all of that diversity. If the "work of the people" is not to be confined to those who study and plan, it must be open to the moving of the Spirit among those who "just arrived." Therefore, there is an attempt that each liturgy provide an opportunity for spontaneous participation, whether it is the offering of joys and concerns, sharing of announcements or prayer, or giving some other witness. We've had a good time with this "liturgy" business at Euclid. 1 think we've all grown, been confronted, nurtured, and enabled. It's not perfect. At times things can be a bit ragged -but then, so are we. What is important is that we are journeying together as a people of faith attempting to do the "people's work" -to engage in our side of the human-divine relationship in worship. God's work is met by the people's work. T Greg01Y R. Dell is pastor oJ Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church, Oak Park, Illinois, a Reconciling Congregation. He is copresiden t oj the Tn-Vil~' WorshipplQg in a welcoming community affirms my be·lief that God calls all varieties of people. It helps me appreciate the manyand diverse gifts. I've been particularly moved when our commitments to diversity are made explicit ~especially singiIJ,g;'songs inclusive of lesbian, gay, aQd'6,i~exual people." Ann Marie Coleman is an Open and Affirming (UCC) representative on the Open Hands Advisory Committee. lage PADS Homel ess Shel ter Project , and has served as resource speaker Jor AT&T's Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Awareness programs. "To worship in a welcon"ling churc:h community is to be reborn yet again. Perhaps it is the 'exhilaration from breathing'a sigh of truth. Perhaps it is the awe in finally beJieving that you: are loved." Derrick Kikuchi is a More Li~hi (Presbyterian) representative on the 'Open Hands Advisory Committee. "Worshipping in the welcoming community touches me at the deepest level of my faithl "hope, hand love. I.. f~il :;a power and ql?eace that truly passes understanding"N!y faith is, str~flgthened by hearing God's word in a setting which meansI am incl uded too. My hope is renewed when I see the dJversity of God's people reaching out to eacn other with anembrace. BUt greatest of all, I feel the miracle of God's incl usive love is active here and now because I know this wondrous love is for me, IIjust as I am." Bob Gibelingl~ the Executive Director of Lutherans Concerned. "Worshippingin a welcoming church means sensing and knowin,g t,hl3t any~ne whos,omes to SundI3Yt.servi~e or any churcQ. activity will have e)tldence that wflare IRtention~1 in,~~r'suppqrt of all per?ons. Our talk and our walk are synchronized in regard to, affirming' the wide diversity of people ~nside and outside the church." "Worshipping in a welcor:ning community means readiryg in the §~r)day' bulletin that ieveryone is w elcome to worship and knowing that it realtydoes mean you . A lesbian recently share9 with me the joy of visiting a new church and reading a bulletin statement of welq)me that specifically included s.exual Qrientatfon. She's no;;" a member of t~~~Af()ngregation and" proudly carries a f 6PY of the bulletin with her so ' she can let others know that they too are welcome." Brenda Moulton is Coordinator Of the Association of We/coming & Affirfnir;gf?aptists, Paul Santillan is a Reconciling Congregqtion (United Method7 ist) representative on the Open Hand$Advisory Committe"f'l Winter 1994 i~ '> 5 HAM BONES, HISTORY, and LITURGY by jon Nelson Soon after my sister married, she had occasion to cook for a family gathering. She chose for her domestic debut a ham -not a canned ham, nor a pre-cooked-honey-bakedspiral-sliced ham -but an old-fashioned whole ham, hand scored and studded with cloves. My new brotherin-law was called into the kitchen and asked to find a hacksaw with which to saw through the bone and remove the last six inches of the ham. Perhaps because he had been called away from a Bear's game, he had the temerity to ask "Why?" "That's the way it's always done. I've watched my mother do it a dozen times." Still obstinate, h~ again asked "Why?" Exasperated, she called our mother who assured her this was indeed an integral part of cooking a whole ham, a process she had often observed her mother perform. "Why?" my sister inquired, now curious. "Ask your grandmother." Grandma was no more helpful. It was something she had seen her mother do and had imitated her whole life. However, she would talk to Tante Ida, her older and now quite venerable sister, and see if she knew. Indeed she did. It seems that our great-grandmother didn't have a roasting pan large enough for a whole ham and so cut off six inches or so before baking it. For more than seventy-five years my family cut the end off baked hams for no better reason than the size of my great-grandmother's roasting pan!* I appropriate this story to make two fundamental points about the liturgy: liturgy is at the same time adaptive to contemporary need and tenaciously conservative. Each generation has incorporated facets of its culture into the received tradition while maintaining much or most of what had been added by prior generations. The essential elements of Christian worship -the word, the bath, and the meal -have been reshaped repeatedly in response to the culture in which they've been celebrated. The Word The earliest church read the Hebrew Scriptures and kept the service of the synagogue Virtually intact. As gentile influence grew, the writings of the "apostles" were added to the canon of scripture. The language of worship changed from Hebrew to the common Greek, but hints of what had been remain in our continuing use of the Hebrew "Amen" and "Alleluia." For centuries after the establishment of Latin as the world language , the Gospel continued to be read in Greek and it is only in our own lifetime that the Roman church finally gave up Latin as its language of worship. (Lest we of the Protestant tradition become too smug, it is good to remember that many parishes continued services in German or Swedish long after the children of the immigrants had died!) The tension continues in our struggle today to grow beyond our patriarchal roots by adopting inclusive language in our worship. To gauge the strength of the "conserving tradition" try changing from the KingJames translation (1611) of the Lord's Prayer used in your parish to the English of 1994! Nonetheless, the message must be understood if it is to be believed. To worship in the language of our ancestors may be historically interesting but it is hardly authentic worship of the living God. Open Hands 6 The Bath Participation in the community of faith required a real commitment in the early church. Candidates for baptism were enrolled in a three-year catechetical process leading to baptism at the vigil of Easter. Following the example of Jesus' baptism by John, these baptisms took place in living water, the candidate being literally "buried with Christ" (Rom. 6:4) in the depths ofbaptismal water. The scholastic theologians of the Middle Ages were enamored with minimalism -what was the least that could be done and still have a valid sacrament. By the Fourteenth Century infusion (pouring) replaced immersion as the normal mode of baptism. The large and gracious baptismal pools of the ancient church became the small pedestal bowls with which most of us are familiar. The bath became a trickle and remains so to this day. The Meal During the Roman persecutions of the first two centuries of the Common Era, the church met in homes or catacombs, often around meals (see I Cor. 11). These two elements -the meal and the catacomb -shaped the church's worship: the Christian altar is both dining room table and remnant of the sarcophagus (a stone coffin). Following the Middle Ages and the Black Death, the focus of worship turned from a celebration of the Resurrection to memorial participation in Christ's death. Altars were moved to the wall and the people -no longer a family gathered around the table and no longer actively involved -watched the priest offer a sacrifice to propitiate an angry God. We need to take a fresh look at our worship, making sure that the things to which we cling are not the ham bones of history. It is only recently that we are recovering the idea of worship being "the work of the whole people" (the meaning of the Greek "leitorgia") and not something to be passively observed. Even now, the church is struggling with the competition of media entertainment which attempts to continue the tradition of passive participation. Ham Bones or Living Liturgy? W e need to take a fresh look at our worship, making sure that the things to which we cling are not the ham bones of history. Ifour worship is again to be "the work of the whole people" it must encompass all that we are -our realities, our joys, our sorrows, our hopes, and our dreams. If worship is to be of the "whole people" it will necessarily include the lives of our lesbian, gay, and bisexual sisters and brothers. Let the whole people of God join hands in the worship of our God, who makes all things new. T *Anecdotal story, source unknown. Jon O. Nelson is Associate Pastor of King of Glory Lutheran Church in Carmel, Indiana, and co-chair of Lutherans Concerned/North America. WHAT JEStJS"'AtTUALLV;\"P~AYED? Father, yournam~ be rever~d. Impose y6urimperial rule. Provide us with the bread we need for the day. Forg iveou,rpebts to the ext~p~, tnat.. k!we have forgiven;l;' ' · @f', _" -;:; those i'\':l debtto us. From The Five ~ospels: The.Search for the Authentic·Words ofJesus by RobertW Funk and Roy W, HOfJver and the je$us Seminar. Copyright 1993 by Polebridge Press. Reprinted with 'permi$sion OY :"'I1acmillan PublishinQ;'Company. May be repri,fied for local worshipwfth this credit; aJ/ other uses must have permission of Macmillan. PRAYE:ffoF JES'U'S Our God, . w ho art with us anp beyond us, hallowed bee.thy name. ' Thy New , Earth come; t hy will~~ii,?nl1e on earth Give us ~b'f~ day our daily ,? and forgive;usour Sin, ' as we for£jivethose who ~in against us. And lead us not into t~mp!ation,* but deliver us from eyil. For thin~ is the New Eart andtt1'e<'gJbfy forevel:%Ame WheadoHwUnited Methodist Church (RCP), Evanston, Illinois: May be reprinted with this credit attached. *Editor's Note: Alternate wording might be:.And ' do not per:rpit us to fall into temptation. Winter 1994 7 By Grant S. Sperry-White W orship possesses the power to nourish or to starve, to wound or make whole. Because worship has such creative and destructive power, the issue of how to structure worship becomes all the more crucial for welcoming congregations which intentionally include persons of all sexual orientations. The most powerful liturgical action that a reconciling congregation may perform is to celebrate the eucharist. 1 By offering the open table, reconciling congregations witness to the unbounded love of God, who invites all women and men into communion with God and with each other in Christ. The open table offers the powerful gift of inclusion in the midst of a hostile world and an exclusive, condemning Church. Rooted in jesus, Actions The eucharist is rooted in j esus' actions at the last Supper and also on other occasions of table fellowship during his ministry. jesus frequently ate meals with those who stood on the margins of his society. Breaking the bread with all persons who accept the invitation to the table continues this tradition of jesus' own open table fellowship. To eat together at the table of the eucharist makes clear in a liturgical context that Christ breaks down the barriers which would attempt to exclude and alienate persons on the basis of sexual orientation. Eschatological Feast and Koinonia The invitation to table fellowship with jesus carried with it the invitation to join the great eschatological feast God would spread at the end of time (Isa. 25:6-8). Accepting a place at table withJesus meant accepting God's offer of salvation made through jesus. The open table restores a dimension of the eucharist which throughout the history of Christianity has been downplayed and even ignored: that of eucharist as an eschatological invitation to salvation, made to all who accept. The open eucharist does more than proclaim the all-embracing love of God made visible as an invitation to feast with God. It also makes visible a koinonia, a communion in the body of Christ. That communion is with God and with other women and men in the Wheadon United Methodist Church (RCP), Evanston, Illinois, celebrates holy communion "in the round" the first Sunday of each month. Photo: Dale Fast Broadway Christian Parish United Methodist Church, South Bend, Indiana, celebrates theeucharist weekly. Photo: Martha Turner new community brought to birth in the suffering, death, and resurrection of jesus. The open eucharist explicitly demonstrates to all that communion in the sense of participation in community is available to all persons. In addition, the open table affirms unity in Christ, in whom "there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female." (Gal. 3:28). Because the eucharist proclaims that all persons can participate in the community of Christ's body, when welcoming, reconciling congregations celebrate the open table of the eucharist, they enact a prophetic sign for the rest of the church. They speak a word of truth to other Christians about what Christian community ought to be everywhere. In this sense, the open table becomes a sign of eschatological reversal: when those invited to a feast refuse the invitation, the host scours the land for persons to enjoy it in their stead (lk. l4: 1524). That is to say, Christ himself invited all persons to eat with him; the open table reverses the churches' negation of Christ's practice. Open Hands 8 PERSONAL TESTIMONY Some of the m9SfwipairjfI;JI 'aha selfloathing experiences of my'lifewere times ' knelt at the commuQion rail. It wasthere ~hat I felt called to confess the sin of my esbian identity, to promisenever to have those feelings again, and to further coh;ess that I had failed to keep that prom. se made hundreds~~~~i~~~i,\j~~fore. ' I came to kno~,;.;.int~He·ctu~lIy, that God must surely accept me ..the way God Plade me. But I did not feel this accepa' 1ce until the first time rwas served ommunion in a Reconciling Congrega ·on. I knew the church's public st~mce. e full realization that I was accepted alid acceptable came1when, ISqrig with e congregation- Amazing grace howsweet the sound, That saved someone like me; once was lost, but now am found, Was bound but now I'm free! , is not possible tqexpr~ss in words e sense of joy and shee~.:·felief l felt at ·'"'at moment. Anonymous :eekly Eucharist a Gift of ope and Empowerment or many gay and lesbian Christians, the liturgical point of exclusion has een the eucharist (see testimony above). erefore, I believe that reconciling conoregations need to celebrate the ,eucharist weekly. By so doing, we can fer men and women who feel exuded a continual sign of the healing, v:elcoming, inclusive love of God in Christ. Who knows which Sunday someone will walk into worship in need of this sign and act of inclusion? WeIoming, reconciling congregations can ransform an instrument of separation -to a vehicle for hope and renewal. The pain of exclusion felt by gay and lesbian Christians is so great that nothing less than the weekly eucharist will sufice as a liturgical answer to the wrongs they have suffered in their experience of worship. For all members ofwelcoming congregations, the eucharist comes as the gift of Christ's empowering and strengthening presence, and as a foretaste of the love andjustice God intends for the world. Winter 1994 One ecclesial communion, the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (U.F.M.C.C.), has already come to this conclusion: its bylaws state that every Sunday service is to include both word and table.2 The resources for making a ~ weekly eucharist a reality already exist in several other denominations. Thanks to the several movements for liturgical renewal since World War st. Paul Reformation Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota, II the revised hymnals and celebrates communion "about 37 of 52 Sundays a year." Nadine , . b k f U . d M h Addington is the server; Joseph Wahlberg, the acolyte. Taken in serVIce 00 s o nlte et -1984. Photo: Courtesy of the church odists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and the United Church of Christ (to name a few) are now based upon the principle of a weekly eucharist. Some of their congregations, which are welcoming gay, lesbian, and bisexual members, are in fact celebrating the eucharist frequently and even weekly. (see photos) God continually invites all persons to the feast of salvation. Opening the eucharistic table every week to all persons is one of the most powerful liturgical witnesses that reconciling congregations can make to God's inclusive offer of new life and wholeness in Christ. The open table stands as an eschatological, prophetic sign of what God intends for the church. It proclaims liturgically the unity of all Christians. It makes visible God's open invitation to a community of inclusion and hope. T 1A blieJ note about language. I reJer to the welcoming church movement oj various denorninations when I use the phrase "recol1cilil1g congregations." Some denominations reJer to the eucharist as holy communiol1. 21 am indebted to Ms. Denise Leopold Jor this inJormation. Grant S. Speny-White, Ph.D., is Visiting Assistant Professor of Church History at Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri. He has served as chairperson of the Worship Cormnittee of Broadway Christian Parish United Methodist Church, South Bend, Indiana. EUCHARIST A MEDITATION ON THE Gathered at'tqble were the ult'imate outsiders: an itine'tarit teacher whose radical ministry of love.. and healing to society's most marginalizeg and alienateq broke all rules of refi:~j?~s "correstn!=ss~':\.:' and earned him !~..~~;t~tal enmity'of the:s; establishment ~'ch~·rcn~~; plus 'followers who were voluntarily homeless, jobless, and separated from friends and family ~ to be with him. Knowing it to be the last meal with his faith family before politicS overtook and killed hi;m, Jesus adapted a ~ipeast ri:.~al~fRa.:{~~~lPg th'at involved the H most sacred"'i,rrevocat:);le pledge by the ''\one leaving, of faithfulness, affection, and continued presence to those left behind, bindipg their he(3rts in the same love and foyalty, "Eat, drink,'all of you" an inclusive invitatic5n -i'this will be to you my very.pr~~~~~~,and pledge 0; fulfillment until weG-at~... reunited." And to me it has been sacrea·nurtu·re,assu~ance · of community, anq pbysical representation of God with'me and-in me; regard-, less of station or status, It has been Christ himself sayil')g, "1 win not fOrsake yOlj; you belong." ',," Copyright 1992 D}/';Lawrence A. Reh, "Alameda, California, 'Griginal/y published in More Light Update (R,resbyterian)"November 1993. Used with permission of autho~ May be reprinted for/oeal worship use only." 9 [if TIPS FOR INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY ------IN WORSHIP-----Welcoming the Differently Abled l. Ask people to "Stand as able." Or, invite them to "stand as able or assume other attitudes of praise." 2. Print the above phrases in bulletins instead of "* = Stand." 3. Make space in and among pews for wheelchairs. 4. Say simple, repetitious responses without reading them. S. Use rhythmic movements and instruments with repetitive songs, prayers, litany responses (clapping, swaying, simple steps). 6. Print materials in large type and on paper colors that are easily read in dim lighting. Welcoming the Old l. Include old* people's joys and concerns in prayers, litanies. 2. Use positive illustrations of the process of aging in sermons. 3. Value the experience and hardearned wisdom of the old among you. 4. Include the old in all leadership roles in worship. S. Don't use stories, jokes, pictures, etc. which stereotype old persons as crotchety women, dirty old men, or feeble, complaining persons. Object to those stereotypes whenever you hear them. *Note: "old" is a word being claimed by Old Lesbians 01ganizing For Change in their work to counteract society's devalUing ojold persons. Welcoming the Young 1. Recognize that ignoring or excluding children and youth is another form of ageism. 2. Edit liturgical vocabulary so children (and youth and adults) can better understand. 3. Use liturgies written by children's or youth classes, and give them credit. 4. Invite older children and youth to be a part of the ushering team. S. Vary the objects used on the worship table, and display banners, some of which children and youth may have helped to create. 6. Ask the organist to sometimes choose transitional music that children sing in Sunday School. Use music youth have selected. 7. Plan opportunities for "legitimate" movement, such as prayer circles, taking offering to center table, or dance. 8. Invite children and youth to serve as liturgists and rehearse with them. Welcoming Women and Men l. Use a variety of images and words for the Divine, including Father. Print alternate words for those who want to use them. 2. Print alternate words for man, mankind and other words in hymns, prayers, etc. which mean "women and men." 3. Verbally offer a substitute word which may be sung or prayed by those who wish to use them. 4. Assign parts of liturgies, etc. to women and men in ways that do not portray stereotypical male/ female aspects. S. Provide a balance of men and women in all leadership roles in worship. Welcoming Lesbigays 1. Include lesbigay and transgendered persons when listing or naming categories of people deprived of full communion with the church and full rights in society. 2. Say and print "family of faith night" instead of "family night." 3. Say and print "biological family or family of choice" instead of just "family." 4. Find neutral words for the heterosexual majority who tend not to like "heterosexual" or "straight." Perhaps, "nongay"? S. Name and highlight the gifts that lesbigay and transgendered persons bring to the faith community -in sermons, prayers, litanies, "joys and concerns," and elsewhere. 6. Question any rigidly held beliefs of who "real men" and "real women" are; open up attitudes to the range characteristics of male/femaleness. Welcoming People of Color l. Don't assume the white way is superior. 2. Intentionally include stories and illustrations in sermons from other racial! cultural traditions. 3. Make connections in sermons and liturgies between affluence and racism. Oust because more whites are more wealthy doesn't mean God has blessed them!) 4. Include more than European white history (secular and religiOUS) -and be careful of how white European history has made all non-whites "backward," "pagan," "primitive natives," and "uncivilized tribes." more III" Open Hands 10 (If tng Racism cont.) aden concepts of sin, guilt, and \·eness in sermons and prayers ,·ond the personal and individual ·l..e level of corporate evil and corrate responsibility. roaden concepts of sin beyond the ages of "dark" and "black." Employ cultural exegesis and Afro· rtc interpretation to the Bible, ,-,-,gnizing the "centrality of Africa T hiblical people." ~ rees Used to Compile These Tips EISM: t All May Worship by Ginny rnburgh. National Organization on "ability, Washington, DC, 1993. 56c guide. GEIS\l (OLD AND YOUNG): g and Integrity" Open Hands,. Fall 992. from a workshop by Dorothy jean FUIl1ish on Children and Worship. ETEROSEXISM: usive Liturgy and Preaching: Combatting Homophobia aildrie{~:ros~~ism 'J Common Worship" by Chris Glaser' t"! Breaking the Sile1iC,~: Overcoming the Fear. Produced by Frogram1genc), oj the Presbyterian ChU1:~h (U.S,,~A.!), 1985. RACISM: Dismantling Racism by joseph Barndt. Min neapoliS: Augsburg;' 1991 Out ojAJrica I H,gve Called My Son, " Cain Hope Felder. WAVES; june 1992. SEXISM: \Vords That Hurt and Words That Heal. United MethodistChurch Task force on Language GuideUnes.' New ed. Nashville: Graded Press, 1990. ' May be reprinted in entirety Jor local church use, with the list oj sources attached. See resources, p. 24, JorJuller listing. EXPLORING WORSHIP IN YOUR CONGREGATION Eight Activities You might use this issue of Open Hands to eveluate your congregation'S worship, especially in light of being a welcoming congregation, or working toward it. Here are eight activites you might use with a worship committee or adult class. Combine or reorder them to fit your local church needs. May be copied for local church use. The Nature ofWorship Activity 1: Have someone present the basic elements and order of worship. Qames White's books, p. 24, might be a resource.) Activity 2: Look at your congregation's "order ofworship" and "why we've done it the way we do" -look for "ham bones" in your worship! (See p. 6.) Activity 3: Explore Sperry-White's suggestion (p. 8) that the eucharist or holy communion should occur weekly in a welcoming community. What do you think? Why? Activity 4: What is the "content" of our worship? Discuss the suggestion that our worship "work" should include repenting, healing, reconciling, affirming, and committing/recommitting elements. Do you agree? What else should be included? Liturgy as the Work of the People Activity 5: Read and discuss Gregory Dell's article (p. 4). What parts of his model does your congregation do? Explore other ways your congregation might "do the work of the people." Suggest a plan to your worship committee and pastor. Inclusivity and Diversity in Worship Activity 6: Invite a diverse panel of people to share their experiences and needs in worship (at least one for each of the "tips" sections in the article. After panel members speak, open the floor for questions. End with small groups reflecting on what was heard. Activity 7: Do an analysis of your congregation's worship, by using the article on "Tips for lnclusivity and Diversity in worship." Process: hang up three large newsprints with the headings: We Do This All The Time We Do This OccaSionally We Rarely or Never Do This. Hand out copies of the article on Tips. Ask people to sort the "tips" from the article into these three categories. Add other tips. Discuss the lists and formulate suggestions for your worship committee. Activity 8: Discuss the banner on the cover of this issue. Who is the person? What does this banner say to you about celebrating the inclusive God? ~ Q <::>4 Winter 1994 11 REPENTING ofour alienating actions A LITURGY OF REPENTANCE Call to Awareness Feel the blows .. . See the barriers ... Hear the insults ... Touch the wounds ... Taste the tears ... Live the isolation .. . Prayer of Repentance Long-suffering God We hear the pain of exclusion and confess that we cause it by our own fears of differences. We feel the raw wounds of discrimination and confess that we vote for it by ballot and by silence. We see the blows of intolerance and confess that we cross the road and hurry on our busy way. We taste the bitterness of thwarted dreams and confess that we support the institutions that deny and destroy so many. Our eyes are barely open But our hearts begin to feel the pain We humbly repent. Words of Forgiveness You are forgiven .. . (Let pre-selected voices from the congregation begin slowly, softly chanting this phrase over and over; let the whole congregation join in, building the volume, then fading away.) Benediction You are forgiven! Go forth now and reconcile! Amen. So be it. Created by MaryJo Osterman. Replinted with permissionJrom Beyond Heterosexism. May be reprintedJar local worship use with this credit attached. Other uses, contact AlterVisions, Box 2374, Boulder, CO 80306. Winter 1994 12 T'HE R·EPROAeHES* Is it nothing to you, all who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow which was brought upon me. (Sing) Kyrie, Kyrie, eIeison.* o my people, 0 my church, \Vhat have I done to you, or in what have I offended you? Testify against me. I led you forth from the land of Egypt but you have prepared a cross for your Savior. (Sing) Christe, Christe, eleison* I led you through the desert forty years, and fed you with manna: I brought you through tribulation and penitence, and gave you my body, the bread of heaven, but you have prepared a cross for your Savior. (Sing) Kyrie, Kyrie, eIeison .. What more could I have done for you that I have not done? I planted you, my chosen and fairest vineyard, I made you the branches of my vine; but when I was thirsty, you gave me vinegar to drink and pierced with a spear the side of your Savior. -Ie: (Sing) Kyrie, Kyrie, eIeison. er. I went before you in a pillar of cloud, and you have led me to the judgment hall of Pilate. I scourged your enemies and brought you to a land of freedom, but you have scourged, mocked, and beaten me. I gave you the water of salvation from the rock, but you have given me gall and left me to thirst. pie: (Sing) Christe, Christe, eIeison. ·elder: I gave you a royal scepter, and bestowed the keys to the kingdom, but you have given me a crown of thorns. I raised you on high with great power, but you have hanged me on the cross. eople: (Sing) Kyrie, Kyrie, eIeison Winter 1994 Leader: My peace I gave, which the world cannot give, and washed your feet as a sign of my love, but you draw the sword to strike in my name and seek high places in my kingdom. I offered you my body and blood, but you scatter and deny and abandon me. People: (Sing) Christe, Christe, eIeison. Leader: I sent the Spirit of truth to guide you, and you close your hearts to the Counselor. I~pray that all may be one in the Father and me, but you continue to quarrel and divide. I call you to go and bring forth fruit, but you cast lots for my clothing. People: (Sing) Kyrie, Kyrie, eIeison. Leader: I grafted you into the tree of my chosen Israel, and you tur ned on them with persecution and mass murder. I made you joint heirs with them of my covenants, but you made them scapegoats for your own guilt. People: (Sing) Christe, Christe, eleison. Leader: I came to you as the least of your brothers and sisters; I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me. People: (Sing) Kyrie, Kyrie, eIeison. *"The Reproaches" are ancient in origin, originally sung as a liturgical chant. "Kyrie eidson" is ancient Greek, meaning "Lord, have mercy. " "Christe eidson" is alternate wording, meaning "Christ, have mercy. " Tune: Taize Kyrie. From a Good Friday Service, Wallingford United Methodist Church (Rep), Seattle, Washington . Used with permission. May be reprinted Jor local worship with this credit attached. 13 A LITURGY OF HEALING each other's wounds COMFORT AND HEALING Call to Awareness Leader: Gather close -join the open, healing circle North: We ,come to this safe space away from an angry world which persists in devaluing and persecuting those who are lesbian, bisexual, or gay. South: We retreat from a world which ridicules and dismisses those who are families, frie nds, and allies. All: We join this circle in solidarity, naming our pain, seeking and offering comfort and healing. Created by MQ/y Jo Osterman, AlterVisions, Box 2374, Boulder, CO 80306. Used with permission. May be reprinted Jar local wors hip with this credit attached. Psalm 73 Interpreted Surely God is good to gays and lesbians, To those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling; My steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogance of those who strike against us. For they feel no pain and they continue to prosper. They suffer no ills and are never the target of bigotry. Therefore they wear a necklace of pride; And a garment of violence covers them. The imaginations of their hearts run amok. They mock and freely oppress. They speak with self righteousness. They set their mouths against God's invitation to all And their tongues parade through the earth. Therefore, even as we gather together in peace, And find a place to be spiritually nourished, I still find myself asking "Does God know? How is this part of God's plan?" For look .. . those who hate us have increased in power and wealth. Surely I have kept my heart pure in vain, And restrained my anger for nothing. for I am beaten every day and scorned every morning. But even as I say "I should lash out against my oppressors" I am troubled as I contemplate this. Until I finally enter the sanctuary of God. For there, I am able to perceive the truth. Surely my oppressors are on slippery ground And they set themselves up for their own destruction. How quickly they can be brought down. They are utterly swept away by their own perceived terrors. Like a dream when one awakes, your truth reduces their power to nothing. When I was of bitter and of pierced heart, 1 was unable to feel or think. 1 struck out like an animal. Even then, you were with me. You have taken my hand and gUided me in your wisdom. You receive me in your love. 14 Open Hands ou define heaven and all that is good on earth. may physically weaken and become disheartened, God is my constant source of strength. old, those far from God will perish --nd those without faith will be destroyed. r me, I need to concentrate on being close to God, . d making God my refuge, .d tell all about God's works. Interpretation by Derrick Kikuchi who serves on theOpen Hands AdVisory Committee and is a member oj First Presbyterian Church, Palo Alto, California. Used with permission. May be reprintedJor local worship with this credit attached. s .Beatitudes several oj Alice Walker's "Helped are . . . " statements "The Gospel According to Shug," in The Temple ofMy miliar as a responsive litany, with the first half of each ·ement being read by the liturgist and the second half ·he people. These are on pages 287-289. See espe__;" the stranger (#8); the content (#9); the lesbian .. . -22\ and the broken/whole (#23). Contact the publisher Jor permiSSion to plint the statements themselves: Copyrights and Permissions Dept., Harcourt BraceJovanovich, Orlando, FL 32887. Idea came Jrom St. John's UMC, Baltimore, MD. 'S Of the People ~ ; me: Holy God, lover of the world, this is a prayer for comfort. e !'.iany: We bring to you our troubled hearts and our angry world. We put them at your breast. Pause Jor silent/spoken prayers, then sing Comfort and Healing ~\laryJo Ostennan French Carol Melody '1/ZO'JJ D l dJJ IJJ I ~ Com-fort and heal-ing are of -ferred; !l' J J F J IJ J_____ J I v II Peace be un -to you, my friends. ~he One: Jesus at the well, this is a prayer for healing. TheMany: We bring you our dehydrated emotions and brittle bodies. We put ourselves on the edge and wait to be lowered. PauseJor prayers, Jollowed by song above. TheOne: Jesus on the cross, this is a prayer of courage. TheMany: We bring you our losses and rejections. We stammer out words of forgiveness to our persecutors. Pause Jor prayers, Jollowed by song above. inter 1994 The One: 0 God of the winds, this is a prayer for Spirit. The Many: We bring you our stillness. We await your movement and your healing touch. Silent Waiting The One: In the name of Christ who is transforming the world, we pray, All: Amen. AdaptedJrom "Prayers oj the People" by Howard Warren, Director oj Pastoral Care,The Damien Center, Indianapolis, Indiana. Originally writtenJor a PLGC worship service at the 205th General Assembly oj the PCUSA, Orlando, FlO1ida,June, 1993. Used with permission. May be reprinted Jor local worship with this credit attached. Ritual of Healing Persons may come Jorward to be anointed with oil and to pray. Hymns: "Beyond Our Healing" Susan R. Beehler and Kathy Black. See Open Hands, Fall 1986, p. 23. "Be Not Afraid" Bob Dufford, SJ.Order from Earthen Vessels songbook. North American Liturgy Resources, Phoenix, AZ. We Give You Thanks, 0 God German Folk Round ij ttohn S. Rice !h Fir r r r I r' 1. We give you thanks, 0 God, 1,.\ j I J J J, j I j J I 2. We are your new cre -a -tion. 1$·\) ifl J J :fjJ IJ JJII 3. May our lives show others your grace & love. Written by John S. Rice, Executive Director oj WorshipWorks, Inc. Used with permission. For permission to replint, contact him at WorshipWorks, 10619 Alameda Drive, Knoxville, TN 37932. Benediction Loving God, move us from tragedy to blessing. Strong Jesus, move us from fear to trust. Guiding Spirit, move us from despair to hope, And let your love surround us and fill us with peace. Amen. Written by Larry]. Peacock, publisher oj Water Words, (Winter, 1992). Copyright 1993 by Communication Resources, 4150 Belden Village Street, 4th Fl., Canton, OH 44718; to be published in SourceBook of Worship Resources (tentative title); available mid-1994. Used with permission. To use, contact Communication Resources. 15 A LITURGY OF RECONCI LIATION Call to Celebrate l: We are called together to celebrate our faith, to worship our covenant God, and to renew our lives! P: God's love, embodied inJesus Christ, reconciles us and sustains us. l: The voices of God's love call out to us: P: "Let the children come!" "Let you who are without sin cast the first stone." "All are welcome at my table." "This is my body broken for you." l: We are challenged to respond to God's amazing love: P: With passion and compassion for all God's children, persons of all kinds, of all colors, of all ages, and of all sexual orientations. l: We are called, and, as a Reconciling Congregation, we are committed to making a home for all people. P: Watering the roots of justice, sheltering the seeds of peace welcoming the exile, the stranger, honoring one and all. l: Enter our circle of faith, God, P: And make our joy complete. Written by Irving Park United Methodist Church, Chicago, Illinois. Used with permission. May be reprinted Jor local worship with this credit attached. Song of Reconciliation Sung to: In Christ There is No East or West In Christ no one is cast aside Not straight or lesbigay; We form communities of love: No separate "we" and "they." Join hands, all people of the faith, One open circle be, Our Christ included all who came In love, and so will we. Tunes: St. Peter or AJro-American spiritual adapted and harmonized by Harry T. Burleigh, 1939. See The United Methodist Hymnal, p. 548. Words: Caroline Presnell, who serves on the Open Hands AdVisory Comrnittee and is a member oj Wheadon United Methodist Church, Evanston, Illinois. RECONCILING Words may be reprinted Jor worship use with this Jull credit attached. with all those different from us 16 Open Hands cnon I: a Non-European Perspective udre Lorde :hen we view living in the european mode only as a em to be solved, we rely solely upon our ideas to e us free, for these were what the white fathers told us '""e precious. t as we come more into touch with our own ancient, -european consciousness of living as a situation to be nenced and interacted with, we learn more and more .. erish our feelings, and to respect those hidden sources power from where true knowledge and, therefore, ac tion comes. Copylight 1984 by Audre Lorde. Excerpted Jrom "Poetry is Not a Luxury" in Sister Outsider. Freedom, CA: The Crossing Press, 1984. Used with permission. Any Jurther reprint must have Crossing Press permisSion: PO Box 1048, Freedom, CA 95019. 408/722-0711. "l1g our Brokenness 'smg the Tongsung Kido style oj congregational prayer, the Korean tradition, let each one oJJer up aloud their ~'-s Jor the brokenness oj our world. Let our prayers be up together, our voices mingled and intertwined. The ic will call us to conclude this time oj prayer.] From the worship service, "Borne on the Breath oj God: Remembering, " created Jor the Third National Reconciling Congregation Convocation, July 1993, by Odette Lockwood-Stewart, Wesley Foundation at the University oj California, Los Angeles, California, and Perry Wiggins, United University Church, Los Angeles. Used with permission oj RCP. er for Decision-Making Time st Holy God, present with us today as we examine the question of becoming a Reconciling Congregation. e take pride in being an open and affirming church, welcoming all who come into our midst seeking you. We welcome them in your name. d yet, becoming a Reconciling Congregation means we openly welcome into this church persons of faith who are gay men and lesbians. me of us are uncomfortable with that. ow do we deal with those feelings, God? 'ill you help us to see people as they really are, and not as we may want them to be? Help us find a place in our hearts for our sons and daughters who are gay men and lesbians -for couples in our midst who dare not name their love. Let us be open with each other today . . . express our fears . .. ask questions . . . seek answers ... hear those who are hurting. Guide each of our speakers and leaders on this day, we pray. Be with those sponsoring this event. Guide our minds and hearts as we dare to face an issue that may divide us, but may -surprisingly draw us closer together. May your spirit guide us in all we say and do today. Amen. Wlitten by Marianna Mihills, Chair oj the Reconciling Congregation Task Force oj Walnut Creek United Methodist Church, Martinez, California. Adapted with permission. May be replinted Jor local worship with this Jull credit attached. Reflection II: . Underground Christians By Malcolm Boyd Burnt-out people play with fire again light candles in darkness moral minority emerges integrates diversity feminine, masculine hetero, gay, lesbian black, white Latino, Anglo European, Asian, African new breed sophisticated beyond belief innocent as lambs tough survivors, tender lovers God isn't Lionel Barrymore anymore glimmer of deity along lines of Dorothy Day, Barbara Jordan Eleanor Roosevelt, Georgia Q'Keeffe Endless procession chanting, robed women and men (a place for me) here, tiny seashell on floor of mighty sea there, small streak of color in blazing sunset Copylight 1991 by Malcolm Boyd and Nancy L. Wilson. Amazing Grace: Stories of Lesbian and Gay Faith. Freedom, CA: Th e Crossing Press, 1991 . May be reprinted Jor local worship services with this Jull permission attached. All other uses require permission oj Crossing Press, PO Box 1048, Freedom, CA 95019. 408/722-0711 . ,.'inter 1994 17 -- - - • • • • - - OPEN HANDS, OPEN HEARTS G, Jean Anderson Barbara Neighbors Deal Plano arr, Tom Simon C G7 CM7 F Om G1 1 F/C C7 C (FIG) C 1\ I " u ~ -• -e-.'. .'. Open hands,_ 0-pen hearts,_ In the love_ Christ im-parts_ We are one. With-out fear,_ I'!. I ., IJ r.. - e----~ ..,...:ti ~JJ ~/~ ~~ ~ • "'-:J-..:;). ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ < r:if-pr' LO _", u -:J.. -----.--;).. ---7J ~ ;). -\wi '-1 -:J.. --~. ) G CM7 C7 F Om C Am7 Om G7 C G11 C Fine -e-We are here_ to re-con-cile, __ Give a we~come and a smile,We are one. Fine FM7 Em7 Am F G Am FM7 Em7 Am F C/E ,.... 1\ I I ....... I ... I I.. I ... I I ~ ... I I I _ .rl ~4 r I --I I ~ With the wo-man at_ the well, _ _ We sing it out: "Em-man-u-el!" Cal-e-brate each daug~ter and son!_ All at-firm-ing, Let us raise up praise_and laud, _ _ 0 chil-dren of a Iov-ing God. Cal-e-brate each wo-man and man,_ Hope of glo-ry, 1\ I I ~I ~ ~ I ... J ..., I ... I I I I l""--! .-.-. I I I OJ .... . " - ..... -(f -(f I ) ~ : ..... ,~ .~ • ..' • • :::. ' ...r .. -u r' n-r ............ r~ ! .... . r' rFf1\ I ~.... I ....... t\l-. Dm7 C D 07 G7 G C F Em C/G G11 C 1\ I I ~ I D. c. a/ Fine \: J - r I I 0 ~ I -e-- il'" .[. now we say To all who tra-vel on The Way,-Lift up your voice in _ this new day! We are one. all as one, The rule of God on earth be-gun;_ Lift up your voice, God's_ will be done! We are one. I'!. I I ~ I ~, I I D.C. a/Fine - " ...r h • .rl .rl r " Ti r. I' ~ -e---r .., -'<'D-r ~ ~ r,-rUt' -(f -(f ~ ) ~ : I .rl ./ :.A - I I -,; I ~ ~ u .0-:; J. b~ ~ ~ Copyright © 1993, AmaDeus Group. Used with permission. May be reprinted in worship bulletin with this paragraph attached. For multiple copies, choral arrangement, or forthcoming tape of this and other songs, contact AmaDeus:509/529-6808. Open Hands 18 I A Children's Sermon: How Weird 0 and Freak 0 Became Recondled By Elton Brown : three large (4"x12") name tags, with yarn or string -to md the necks of the three actors: Weird 0; Freak 0; and or: Even though God wants us, the Human Race, to be one big happy family; lots of us don't get along. For example, take the case of Weird 0 and Freak o. [They appear at opposite ends of the stage and take bows.} They had been mad at each other for so long, they couldn't even remember why they were mad! They just knew that they didn't care for each other ... 0 : That guy's a weird-oJ 0 : He should talk! He's a genuine freak-oJ r: If they never had to see each other, maybe it wouldn't have been so bad; but they kept bumping into each other, because -you see -they lived in the same world. They really had to go out of their way in order to avoid each other ... [As they cross over, Weird 0 jumps the altar rail, and passes behind the pulpit.} tor: One day; Weird 0 metJeez o. Ueez 0 pops up out of choir loft.} 0: Jeez-o-mighty! That's my name; reconciling's my game. 0: Recon-what? -ing? You know, reconciling. I'm into healing: healing broken friendships. Healing relationships. 0: Hey; if you're here about that Freak 0, you can just forget it! He's no friend or relation of mine! _ 0: That's where you're wrong. You see, you guys are brothers! You've got the very same heavenly parent! And that parent (who is also my parent) wants like anything for you guys to get along ... rd 0: But he's such a freak! -0: Aren't we all! Fact is, you're just as freaky as him, only in a different way; and he's just as L:1ter 1994 weird as you, only in a different way. You've got a lot in common! Besides, your heavenly parent isn't gonna back off on this! There's nothing more important to God than reconciliation. Weird 0: I'll think it over. Catch you later . .. [Weird 0 and Freak 0 cross stage again, only this time Weird 0 aCcidentally-an-purpose bumps (while turned backwards) into Freak o.} Both: Hey; watch it, you weird/freak-oJ Weird 0: Yeah, I don't like you much either! But you know what? I don't like not liking you! Freak 0: Whaddya mean? Weird 0: Being enemies is such a lot of work! I mean, I get all worn out trying to avoid you! Freak 0: Yeah, I know what you mean. It's kind of a drag. But what are you gonna do? You're such a weird-o. Weird 0: I know. I'm just as odd as you are. That's one of the things we have in common. Freak 0: Hey man, where are you getting these weird ideas? Been hittin' the juice? [The two start walking up the aisle together during this fi nal dialogue.} Weird 0: Nope. I ran into a righteous dude named Jeez-o-mighty. He said we were relatives, brothers! He said we have the same last name -O! Freak 0: Either your friend Jeez 0 is a Certified Wack-o, or maybe he's on to something ... Weird 0: What do you say we have us a Summit Meeting, to talk about deciding to stop not liking each other? Freak 0: I'm willing to talk. Life around here would sure be easier if we could get along! Besides, I'd just as soon not have thatJeez.;.oMighty fella on my case. Created by Elton Brown while he was pastor oj Prospect Park United Methodist Church (Rep) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (He is now at University United Methodist, 301 W St. Marie, Duluth, MN 55403). May be reprinted and pelJormed without permission. 19 AFFIRMING and celebrating our sacredness 20 A LITURGY OF AFFIRMATION Celebrate the Covenant of the One who weaves our lives together; ours with each other; ours with yours, all of ours with God. From the Service oJDiane Darling and Elaine Kirkland, printed in Blessing Ceremonies: Resources For Same-Gender Services of Commitment. A Resource oj the Open and AJJirming Program oj the United Church Coalition Jor Lesbian/Gay Concerns, 1993. See Resources list. Used with permission. Psalm 30:4, 11-12 Interpreted Sing praises to the Divine One, sing with me all you faithful ones; and give thanks to the divine holy name For you, 0 Divine One, have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that I-who-am-all-that-I-am may praise you and not be silent. o Divine One, I will dance my thanks to you forever. Written by Mary Jo Osterman, AlterVisions. Box 2374, Boulder, CO 80306. Used with permission. May be reprinted Jor local worship with this credit. Reflection I: Welcomed with Open Arms By Ann B. Day My partner, Donna, and I recently transferred our membership to an "Open and Affirming" congregation -United Congregational Church in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is one of more than sixty UCC churches that have publicly said what sorely needs saying, "Gay and lesbian and bisexual people are welcome here." On the Sunday we joined, we stood at the front of the sanctuary with another lesbian couple; one woman holding their two-year-old son who was to be baptized. Although Donna and I had been a couple for ten years, this was the first time we had ever acknowledged our relationship in the context of our own local congregation. As the litany for new members began, I fleetingly imagined someone rising to object. No one did. The pastors and deacons greeted us. The service continued. (The walls were still standing!) Back in my pew, I looked over at the cobalt blue glow to my right. There at the top of a soaring stained glass window was the figure of Christ, his arms wide open. I think he was smiling. God knows -I was. *Excerpted Jrom "Wednesday: Face to Jace with the unwelcomed" in Common Lot, Winter 1992. Published by The Coordinating CenterJor Women in Church and Society, The United Church oj Christ: 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115. Used with permission. Ann B. Day , an ordained UCC minister, is National DNA Program Coordinator oj the United Church Coalition Jor Lesbian/Gay Concerns. Open Hands flection II: dian Tapestry /Tejido Tipico .' Julia Esquivel Yhen I go up to the HOUSE OF THE OLD WEAVER, watch in admiration t what comes forth from her mind: a thousand designs being created and not a single model from which to copy e marvelous cloth th which she will dress e companion of the True and Faithful One. Cuando subo ala CASA DE LA VIEjA TEjEDORA, admiracion contemplo ,ie surge de su mente: disenos en formacion ni un solo modelo para copiar wravilloso tejido que vestira a la Ipanera del Fiel Y Verdadero. Excerpted from "Indian Tapestry" ("Tejido Tipico") by Julia Esquivel in Threatened with Resurrection. Elgin, IL: The Brethren Press, 1982. Used with permission. Contact publisherfor permission to reprint. .~, ., U .... . 'I • •.....,..• . ' ' ••;J; "7" ~ i:"l~ ,.rP,·.'~~. , ',' ~ 'tf~1 III ,t,:'...."~."." "f.~':\.,,':~":.',. ,,)', ~"'~',,",''/;" " , ,,~-, ... -.~ ..•. I '''r +1 .) T And Wha: thou a~~,;~ •} '7g can never be destroyed . .. :~ ,,~ ~, ,rlf .\ji;' Emily Bronte !' , ' , ,,'1;~ ;( _~i ~~ \~.,'~ . J ~ .-~t1.,-~r\ ",,-tl' ~Jf 'r~ f ",~, ~' . -, '~jI; ~l , ~ ,,:~.;.~.' 'jJ ~ Winter 1994 A Litany ofAffirmation We believe in a sacred power within and around us -a divine spirit that we call by many names and experience in many ways -that empowers and heals -that calls us forth ... We believe in our creativity. Making and transforming beauty out of words and notes, images and colors, lines and pictures -and silence. We believe in doing justice. Justice that compels and empowers us to risk whatever we must risk to create a climate in which all people can be who they are. We believe in our dreams. We experience the world as it is -in both its ugliness and beauty -and we see what it can become. We believe in making peace. A peace that is based on openness, honesty, and compassion. We believe in hope. We expect changes to continue to occur in our world. We rely on our courage to continue to bring about these changes. We believe in love. A passionate love within and around us that laughs and cries -challenges and comforts -a healing love that perseveres. We believe in our potential. We know who we are -painful as that can be at times yet we continue to call each other to become more of who we are. We believe in celebrating. We remember and we commemorate. We create rituals. We play and dance and sing and love well. We believe in our diversity. We affirm our many shapes and sizes -colors and traditions -emotions and thoughts -differences and similarities. We believe in life. Life that wells up within and flows out of us like a streaming fountain . We believe that we are good and holy a sacred part of all creation. Written by Susan Kramerfor an Inte1Jaith Pride Service in Albany, New York, in 1991 . Published in More Light Update, June-July 1992. Used with permission. May be reprinted for local worship with this credit attached . Sending Forth And now may the Wildly Inclusive God- Creator, Savior, Spirit -who loves all aspects of the beautifully created rainbow of human sexual orientation, uphold us and keep us until we meet again. Created by Howard Warren, Director ofPastoral Care, The Damien Cente1~ Indianapolis, Indiana. Published in More Light Update, June-July 1992. Used with permission. May be replinted for local worship with this credit attached. 21 A LITURGY OF COMMITMENT Invitation to Commitment Today, the Rock cries out to us, clearly, forcefully. Come, you may stand upon my Back and face your distant destiny, But seek no haven in my shadow. I will give you no hiding place down here. Excerpted Jrom poem, "On the Pulse of Morning." Copyright 1993 by Maya Angelou. Published by Random House, 1993. Used with permission. To reprintJor any reason, contact Random House 212/751-2600. Allow 4-6 weeks. Reflection: The Pulse of our New Day: Fadng Destiny By Lynn Mickelson I've been reflecting a great deal lately on the words of Maya Angelou's inaugural poem: On the Pulse oj Morning. Her words stirred my soul and fired my heart, like they did many others. I heard in Angelou's message the voice of the Spirit calling us to our best selves and the fullest community. Her images were ancient and universal -not bound to one religious understanding or another. Yet, as a Christian, I found that her images resonated with my memory of bible stories and snippets of scripture. So I've been thinking lately about what those words mean for me -as a woman, as a lesbian, as a Lutheran. I've also been wondering what those words mean for Lutherans Concerned/ North America -and for the ecumenical welcoming church movement. It is tempting for us as individuals and as an organization to hide in the shadows and to avoid facing our destiny. In fact, many of us may have a hard time believing we even have a destiny. Yet, we also know from experience that our most joy-filled abundant experiences have come when we have stepped out of the shadows and on to the strong back of the Rock. We know that there we stand on solid ground. As we stand on the pulse of our new day ... will we remain on the Rock or try to retreat into the shadows? Marching in our local pride parade is one opportunity for us to step into the sunshine together -lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual. Attending our denomination's national conference or assembly is another. Pledging support to expand the ministry of our denomination's welcoming program (be it Reconciling Congregations, Reconciled In Christ, More Light, Open and Affirming, or another) is a third way. Finally, participation -writing letters, doing educational forums, attending our welcoming program functions, speaking out, attending other justice programs -is a way for all of us to stand on the Rock and let the sun shine full in our faces. We are called to action; not to wait. We can and must take our own power; our destiny is in our own hands. The Rock cries out to us today, you may stand upon me, But do not hide your Jace. * Open Hands c 0 M M I T T I N G "~A~A~~ r.,TA.TA.TM OPEN --m--- AffiRMING CONGREGAnONS W••"W "~A~A~~ "T.T.TM t . COMMITTING ourselves to being the church 22 *Excerpted from "On the Pulse ofMorning. " Copyright by Maya Angelou. Published by Random House, 1993. Used with permission. To reprint for any reason, contact Random House. 212/751-2600. Allow 4-6 weeks. Reflection written by Lynn Mickelson, Co-Chair of Lutherans Concerned/NA; originally published in Concord; adapted for use here. Used with permisSion. May be reprinted (without the Angelou poem lines) for local worship use with full credit attached. of Commitment .e: Come, climb upon the Rock any Yes, we accept the invitation The Rock is where we want to stand. e: Come, face your destiny •..any: Yes, we accept the invitation We will not hide our faces. Wri tten by Mary Jo Osterman, AlterVisions, Box 2374, Boulder, CO 80306. Used with permission. May be reprinted for local worship use with this credit attached . ~... ..' -, ~ f§ ~.~.. ~"";,r~'/:·~L.. .?1' . "' . ;:L.,,:.: . ~<>~~-" '!.! j 7\ .,·::~j:·..::X·"-'S:;. " '. . ' ,,'';' ;;! ~~... ,~-'f'" ! ' ! ' .,t .,'.,' ",:-:,,\ \,\".,-r ": , "_' . ., " • " ~ ,\ ,Tt.--~I'· " .. !. ,.'\ " .' ~//',.: .\ \'.....-" ,,' -.~'-..~ t: ~ ~, , • /.-,t' \~.,...,." _ .... ,., 'J' ~; ~.. / . ',: 7':. ~ ...... \. "'; •. .-,.~". -+: / .. , ,1'.\\ '.. ./. . '.:'tl " ;. : F ....... v,.;.. ,>~::'\' .'~, :"',' .~ ..:''''~-~''' '.~t,~..... "'\#rI'.r , ...... ~..../'..•...I':'... 'l\ '. f'-~ -4.\.,:.... /.0--.......,... ,. .' , of! J. ---...... , ;;"r~"'" . ''' '"7b;:';}~ ~§~~~~~ . ~:<;~,":... ... " :J~.' \", .~.:~:""...,.,'<-<.. ,..-=.<#~~--='~~,:~ .."--'-''':__1;;::'~~~~~~::.:;-,. ~:~i~~'{~I~'";:'-''' 'Y-~:~::;.r.::.:;'.~.l::.•,.-.,.. . :'J'r' ·.-·-'.:'~;~t.".M'" . '. ....... ((,::--,," ...~",.' ... : .... .-~. I." //., U" . . ". , f~~~'\..:. / S' " ,:: I" ; I.::f'\ i'i,i} ':-';';:"".) --::':'fi:-. Walls That DIvIde A", Broken Down In Everflowmg ,~;,;1"'-;; ~I\ ;r~:.:._.,-..•._..... StreamsbyRuthDuck.PllgnmPress. ';t.J!·i('~lth'tP , • ....... . j" ~ , ,'J'" 11 • I " r. '" ~ . . ~I':, : I J} "r • < f.;. ".,.~: ,-I-.~ ,~. ,-".r 'C. " • " .I)j .", "0 •• ,.;;r. ~~, -" ,:-~. Ritual of Commitment At the point of commitment in the service, ask persons to write their own personal statements of commitment or recommitment on the slip of paper (handed to them now or with their bulletins earlier). Persons are then invited to wad up their slip and come forward to place their commitment slip into "rattlers" provided at the front. (Rattlers can be made from just about anything that makes noise: empty margarine tubs, tin cans with tape across the opening, metal bandaid boxes, pill boxes etc. Put a few beans and rice inside to increase the auditory sensation). After persons have their "rattlers," gather in a circle around the edge of the sanctuary and sing and make a joyful noise to God as a symbol of our efforts to "shake up the church." Possible songs to use are listed below. Adapted from a worship service, "In the Name of God, ConSpirator, Rattler, Lover!" for Trinity Sunday, June 6, 1993, led by Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (PLGC) during the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Orlando, Florida. Created by Lindsay Louise Biddle (a member of PLGC and the More Light Churches Network) and Lisa Larges (a candidate to the Ministry under care of the Twin Cities Area Presbytery who was denied certification because she came out as a lesbian in 1991). Blind herself, Lisa enables others "to see" worship and communication differently. The idea ofthe rattlers came from her. Hymns of Commitment "Borne on the Breath of God" Words: Odette LockwoodStewart; Music: Thomas Atkin. 1993. Order from RCP, 3801 N. Keeler, Chicago, IL 60641. "A New World Tomorrow" Julian B. Rush. 1975. Order from PO Box 18529, Denver, CO 80218. "Vision for Tomorrow, Action for Today" Tom Hunter. 1980. Order from Song Growing Company, 1225 E. Sunset Drive #518, Bellingham, WA 98226 . . SendIng Forth And now may the One who is our Rock be with us as we journey forth to face our destiny; May the Rock be our firm foundation as we stand up, speak out, and seek God's justice for all. Wlitten by MaryJo Osterman, AlterVisions, Box 2374, Boulder, CO 80306. Used with permission. May be reprinted for local worship use with this credit attached. \Vinter 1994 23 THE NATURE OF WORSHIP These resources were recommended by our writers in the "Exploring the Nature oj Worship" section. Cardenal, Ernesto, tr. by Donald D. Walsh. The Gospel in Solentiname. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1976. A model of working with base communities in Nicaraguarooted in a Bible study approach involving lay people. Costen, Melva Wilson. African American Christian Worship. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993. A lively history and theology. Crockett, William R. Eucharist: Symbol of Transformation. New York: Pueblo, 1989. Driver, Tom F. The Magic of Ritual: Our Need for Liberating Rites That Transform Our Lives and Our Communities. San Francisco: Harper, 1991. Felder, Cain Hope, ed. Stony the Road We Trod: African American Biblical Interpretation. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1991. This collection offers new questions for biblical study and new ways to question. Kiefert, Patrick R. Welcoming the Stranger: A Public Theology of Worship and Evangelism. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992. Senn, Frank C . Christian Worship and Its Cultural Setting. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983. Thistlethwaite, Susan, and Engel, Mary Potter, eds. Lift Every Voice: Constructing Christian Theologies from the Underside. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1990. White, James F. Sacraments as God's Self Giving. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1983. See particularly ch. 1, "The Humanity of the Sacraments"; ch. 3, "The Gift of Eucharist"; and ch. 5, "Sacraments and Justice." White, James F. Introduction to Christian Worship. Rev. ed. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1990. A solid introduction, exploring the elements of worship. WORSHIP RESOURCES: BOOKS The Jollowing resources oJJer actual liturgies, ceremonies, and other materials Jor creating liturgies. Butler, Becky, ed. Ceremonies of the Heart: Celebrating Lesbian Unions. Seattle: The Seal Press, 1990. Cherry, Kittredge and Zalmon, Sherwood, eds. Equal Rites: Lesbian and Gay Worship, Ceremonies and Celebrations. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, forthcoming. Duck, Ruth C. and Tirabasse, Maren C. Touch Holiness: Resources for Worship. New York: Pilgrim Press, 1990. Gay and Lesbian Worship Services. A resource from the Office of Lesbian &: Gay Concerns, Unitarian Universalist Association, 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108. Also, a supplement, Same-Gender Se rvices of Union . Glaser, Chris. Come Home! Reclaiming Spirituality and Community as Gay Men and Lesbians. San Francisco: Harper &: Row, 1990. Glaser, Chris. Coming Out to God: Prayers fo r Lesbians and Gay Men, Their Families and Friends. Louisville, KY: Westminster/ John Knox Press, 1991. Larson, Jim. Heartsongs. Columbia, MD: Center for Renewal. 11201-1 Peartree Way, Columbia, MD 21044. Collected Prayers. Mitchell, Rosemary Catalano, and Ricciuti, Gail Anderson. Birthings and Blessings -Liberating Worship Services for the Inclusive Church. New York: Crossroad, 1991. Also Birthings and Blessings II: More Liberating Worship Services for the Inclusive Church, 1993. Neu, Diann. Women-Church Celebrations: Feminist Liturgies for the Lenten Season. WATERworks Press, 8035 13th Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Neu, Diann and Mary Hunt. Women of Fire: A Pentecost Event. WATERworks Press. Address above. Includes a liturgy "which reclaims the center festive processions." Order for the Covenanting of a Relationship. Boston: Church of St. John the Evangelist, 35 Bowdoin St., Boston, MA 02114. Peacock, Larry. Rituals for Our Times: Celebrating, Healing and Changing Our Life and Relationships. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1992. RCP. Borne on the Breath of God. Program Book of the third National Convocation of Reconciling Congregations, July, 1993. 3801 N. Keeler Avenue, Chicago, IL 60641. See especially pp. 10-73 and 76-77 for worship and Bible study materials. Ruether, Rosemary Radford. Women-Church: Theology and Practice ofFeminist Liturgical Communities. San Francisco: Harper &: Row, Publishers, 1985. SourceBook of Worship Resources (tentative title). Communication Resources, 4150 Belden Village Street, 4th Floor, Canton, OH 44718. Available mid-1994. Will contain liturgical resources from Larry Peacock's first four volumes of Water Words. 24 Open Hands ~arilyn. Cries of the Spirit: A Celebration of Women's lrituality. Boston: Beacon Press, 1991. An anthology of ngs by poets, theologians, writers, and activists. Elizabeth. Daring to Speak Love's Name: A Gay and ian Prayer Book. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1992. Church of Christ, Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns. ing Ceremonies: Resources for Same-Gender Services of Commitment. July, 1993. IP RESOURCES: PERIODICALS res you may subscribe to for creative liturgies. now! Published bi-monthly by The Upper Room. Subscrip. $8.95. Box 851, Nashville, TN 37202-9890. See espeally "Spirituality for AIDS Ministries," January/February 93, entire issue. d Heterosexism. Written by Mary Jo Osterman. Published ·~onthly by AlterVisions. Subscription, $18. Box 2374, Boulr. CO 80306. Includes liturgies based on inclusive language tionary and seasons of the Christian year. Also children's !l1on ideas. oumal. Communication Ministry, Inc.(CMI), Box 60l25, ago, IL 60660-0125. Published annually. Themes focused kthe integration of personal sexuality, spirituality and Istry for lesbian and gay religious and clergy." Includes eay, art, and articles. IOn Lot. A quarterly resource published by the CoordinatCenter for Women in Church and Society. Subscription, individual; $60 group. The United Church of Christ, 700 spect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115. Includes liturgies, usive materials, stories connecting issues of justice. ·~·;A -A Daily Devotional for Activists. Written and comd by Donna Schaper (UCC). Published quarterly, 60 pp. scription, $20. 165 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002. Light Prayers. (annual January issue of More Light Up:e.) Prayers gathered from persons supportive of lesbian, " and bisexual concerns for the season of Epiphany (could used at other times as well). See also "Illuminations," the .. e-July 1992 issue of MLU. Hands. Published quarterly. Subscription, $16. 3801 N. eeler Ave., Chicago, IL 60641. See especially the "Sustaining e Spirit" pages in each issue. TERwheel. A quarterly newsletter of the Women's Alliance for ology, Ethics and Ritual. Subscription, $35. 8035 13th !'eet, Silver Spring, MD 20910. See especially "Re-igniting ~ res of Justice," Spring, 1992; and "Telling Love's Story: embering and Responding to AIDS," Fall 1992. r \Vords. An annual collection of liturgical resources writby Larry Peacock. 6164 Paseo Canyon Drive, Malibu, CA 265. mer 1994 CREATING LITURGIES Resources for creating liturgy, the "work of the people. " Beck, Renee, and Metrick, Sydney Barbara. The Art of Ritual. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 1992. A gUide to creating and performing your own rituals for growth and change. Emswiler, Thomas Neufer, and Emswiler, Sharon Neufer. Wholeness in Worship. San Francisco: Harper &: Row, 1980. Models of worship in which liturgical dance and drama play large roles. Schaffron, Janet, and Kozak, Pat. More than Words: Prayer and Ritual for Inclusive Communities. Oak Park, IL: Meyer-Stone, 1988. Sample rites address multi-cultural traditions with deep sensitivity to issues of justice and peace. CREATING INCLUSIVE WORSHIP The follOWing resources offer ideas and explanations for use of inclusive language, images, actions, settings, and architecture, in our worship. All would make excellent study-discussion materials for worship committees, adult classes, etc. Barndt. Joseph, Dismantling Racism: The Continuing Challenge to White America. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1991. This book focuses on "the task of dismantling racism, how we can work to bring it to an end, and build a racially just, multiracial, multicultural society." See especially the chapter on white racism and the church. Froehle, Virginia Ann, rsm. Called into Her Presence: Praying with Feminine Images of God. Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 1992. A good introduction with an invitational approach for those who have never used female models in prayer. Glaser, Chris. "Inclusive Liturgy and Preaching: Combatting Homophobia and Heterosexism in Common Worship." In Breaking the Silence: Overcoming Fear. New York: The Program Agency of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 1985. Macdonald, Barbara, with Cynthia Rich. Look Me In The Eye: Old Women, Aging and Ageism. San Francisco: Spinsters/Aunt Lute, 1983. Essays and reflections. Martin, Del. "Aging, Heterosexism, and Ageism." In Open Hands, Fall 1992, pp. 6-7. See other articles in this issue also. Thornburgh, Ginny. That All May Worship: An Interfaith Welcome to People With Disabilities. National Organization on Disability, 910 16th Street, N .W., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20006. Explores steps to be inclusive of a variety of disabilities. United Methodist Church Task Force on Language Guidelines. Words That Hurt and Words That Heal: Language About God and People. New ed. Nashville: Graded Press, 1990. New edition includes a leader's guide and eleven diverse interviews. 25 Welcome New Churches Welcome to these fifteen churches that have joined our movement in recent months. Church of Reconciliation Chapel Hill, North Carolina This church's process toward "More Light" began in 1990, when two members wrote an article for their church newsletter about attending a meeting of the Raleigh Religious Network for Gay and Lesbian Equality. After numerous articles, sermons, classes, session meetings, and worship services, the session reached consensus during a five-hour meeting in the fall of 1993 on what they believed God was calling them to be as the Body of Christ a part of the More Light Network. The congregation is thankful to all who shared and recognizes that not all of Reconciliation's members and friends agree with this conclusion. Diversity characterizes this congregation. Lake Oswego UCC Lake Oswego, Oregon This 125 member, mission-oriented congregation is located in an affluent 26 suburb of Portland. For several years, there has been a homeless shelter in the church and a refugee resettlement program, which settles at least one family a year in permanent housing. Last fall the church sponsored, "In the Beginning Was the Word," a literary arts contest and festival. Sixty-two poets and writers from the Northwest submitted works on the theme "the human spiritual quest." Lake Oswego participated in "Ecumenical Welcoming Sunday" in January. Newport Congregational Church Newport, Rhode Island This is an active, creative congregation of 55 members that is looking to growl The church is involved in a once-a-month Breakfast Program which serves pre-schoolers. It also recently held a "Creativity Series" (exploring creativity in the context of "Science and Religion" and "Relationships"). Newport's ONA Task Team continues to discuss ways to strengthen this commitment in the church's life. Orchard Ridge UCC Madison, Wisconsin Located in suburban Madison, this congregation of 600 adults and 200 children has a strong mission emphasis. It is currently involved in a project of advocacy for children -monitoring state legislation related to improving children's lives and encouraging statewide church lobbying. As part of its ONA commitment, the congregation is developing an "anti-bias" curriculum for children which will address racism, homophobia, and sexism in the context of Christian faith. st. Marcus Evangelical UCC St. Louis, Missouri The diverse programs of St. Marcus, a 150-year-old, urban congregation, nurture bodies and spirits. Through a joint neighborhood ministry, it participates in a feeding program for the inner city population. Emmaus Home, a residence for women with mental handicaps, is located in the church's old parsonage. The 200-seat St. Marcus Theater offers off-Broadway performance art, including productions on AIDS and gay/lesbian themes. The pastor reports receiving messages of dismay and gratitude from the community in response to this and other expressions of support for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. .ONA Newsletter Available }he ONA C6mllmnique, th,e O~1\ Program ·newsletter,whieh provic;les . information and support for tl1ePNA PChurches network in the U CC, .. is now' available to individuals. It in" cludes prqgram neFs,' stofles·frql1} ONA. churches, 'ani ~pcoming events: Persons interested should send $5' (for 2:3 editions ), payable to UC(:L/GC, alongwtth:lheir,name and ad'dress to: ONA:, Communique, P.O. Box 403, H01d~,n, .MA01520. United Church of Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina A vibrant church, committed to its downtown ministry, United Church has embarked on an ambitious building project to meet the needs of a growing congregation and community. This is a church of partnership! Its pastors are a husband/wife team; it is active with Habitat for Humanity, and in study / worship with a predominately AfricanAmerican UCC congregation. It also maintains interest in a Russian-American exchange and has a visiting pastor from the Evangelical Church of the Rhineland. As part of its ongoing ONA commitment, the church will study the new UCC materials, "Created in God's Image: A Human Sexuality Program for Ministry and Mission." Open Hands ECONCILED IN CHRIST] ist the Servant Lutheran 2._:"ersburg, Maryland ... adopting their Affirmation of ekome, the church council noted at they did, so, not because their embers felt discrimination, but be-se "some of our Christian broth--and sisters have been using the :lonal media to state that gays and sbians are not welcome in the ·rch." The council felt that it was duty to refute that claim and to ·e emphatically that Christ's love .. scends all differences. ist Lutheran ~,.,ta Fe, New Mexico ~he congregation at Christ Luth. heard about the RIC program at Rocky Mountain Synod Assembly below) and brought the idea to hurch council. Christ's congreon considered making the Affir:on of Welcome a "necessity" as a ;lstian congregation. aith Lutheran :aipa, California faith Lutheran is large for a Calia congregation (900 members) in "-rly conservative area. Pastor Jostad , ed organize a well-attended con;Ice on human sexuality last fall. siderable interest in the RIC prom arose after those workshops, " h featured presentations by theoan Dr. Paul Egertson, PFLAG, and ..... ;an and gay Lutherans. _ ..t fy Trinity Lutheran York, New York oly Trinity is a congregation that .. ad openly lesbian and gay mem~ :or many years, and only recently ded to make a public stand of weler 1994 come and support. The issue was "we're already welcoming and everyone knows, so why do we need to do this publicly?" The decision was made based upon the realization that the larger church needs to hear this! Claremont UMC Claremont, California Claremont UMC was founded in the 19S0s in a growing urban area northeast of Los Angeles. It location in the midst of the Claremont Colleges and the Claremont School of Theology attracts many educators to this congregation of 600. Many retired clergy and their families who live in the area are also members. An outstanding music program and active youth programs are a key part of the congregation's life. Claremont's ministry to the lesbian and gay community began several years ago with the formation of a Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays group. A severalyear-long process of considering becoming an RC culminated in an affirmative vote on May 30. First UMC Williamstown, Massachusetts An historic congregation founded in 1813 and located in the heart of the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, First UMC has a long tradition of being a diverse congregation intergenerationally and interracially. Jane Carey Peck, a prominent national church leader, was a longtime member who was influential in helping the congregation define its sense of mission. For the past two decades the congregation has had a strong global mission perspective as it has actively advocated justice in South Africa and Central America. The congregation has also been active in confronting the local Boy Scouts Council for its policy of discrimination against gay Scouts. Pine UMC San Francisco, California Originally begun as a Bible study group at the Chinatown Methodist Church, Pine is the oldest JapaneseAmerican institution. It's 350 members are still primarily JapaneseAmerican, but persons of other nationalities have joined in recent years. Sunday morning worship is bilingual -in Japanese and English. The congregation was instrumental in founding a Newcomer's Service for newly-arriving Japanese persons and in building a skilled nursing home. Currently members prepare food for a shelter and volunteer in a variety of other community groups. Pine has interacted with the lesbian/gay community for ten years. The congregation spent one year studying prior to their unanimous vote, which was taken on the eve of the RC convocation this past July. Rutland UMC Rutland, Vermont This ISO-year-old congregation of 300 members is an active, mission-oriented congregation, both locally and nationally. The congregation sponsors a variety of mission projects, including the Four Corners Home for Women and the Open Door Mission. Rutland also has been active in ecumenical relations and has been hospitable in opening its building to many different groups. One notable attribute of the congregation is its strong music program with three bell choirs. Toluca Lake UMC North Hollywood, California Located on the edge of the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles, Toluca Lake is the only Protestant 27 church in its community. Many of its 150 members are involved in the entertainment industry. The congregation is very diverse in age and in ethnic and social backgrounds. Toluca Lake is actively involved in its community, supporting "brown bag ministries" for the hom eless and a women's shelter. Always proud of being an open and inclusive congregation, becoming an RC was just another step on this journey for Toluca Lake. Two Lutheran Synods Declare RIC Two more synods adopted the .RIC Affirmation ofWelcome during assemblies last summer -Rocky Mountain and Pacifica. Lutheran "Sex Wars" The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's (ELCA) Task Force on Human Sexuality made nationwide ne)Vs this past fall when it released the first draft of its mandated study. The draft was released to the press wire services before the rest of the church had a chance to see it. It generated sensational headlines such as "Lutheran Church Approves Gay Marriages and Encourages Masturbation!" (Associated Press). The ELCA received thousands of angry calls and a few bomb threats in the ensuing furor. This led to the removal of the Task Force's director, Karen Bloomquist, frantic backpedaling by the Conference of Bishops, and more headlines: "Lutheran Church to Rein In Renegade Committee (San Francisco Chronicle). Lutheran Concerned's response was one of disappointment in the ELCA's knee-jerk disavowal of the study, which did make some advances in a more affirming approach to human sexuality, although thickly qualified with calls for study, reflection, and prayerful . consideration. The most recent media spin is more promising: "Lutherans Not Backing Off Sex Wars" (Brattleboro Refo rmer). A period of public discussion and revisions to the study will precede a vote in 1995. It is going to be an interesting year! ONA Advisory Committee Meets The first meeting of the ONA Advisory Committee was held on October 21 , 1993, at the national United Church of Christ office in Cleveland. Formed in 1992, this group of four includes Margarita Suarez, john Lardin, Wendy Taylor, and Sam Loliger. They assist the ONA Program Coordinator, Ann B. Day, in directing and developing the program. A subcommittee was set up to explore the future structure of the ONA Program and plans were begun on "ONA 1995," a national celebration, of the first decade of ONA churches and an "energizing" for the next. This event is scheduled for autumn, 1995. More Light Church Continues Spahr as Evangelist The Downtown Presbyterian Church, a More light Church in Rochester, New York, voted in November to continue its covenant with and call to the Rev. jane Adams Spahr and to hold its third co-pastor position open. Spahr's call to be one of the congregation's co-pastors in 1992 was challenged by other pastors in the presbytery because Spahr was an selfacknowledged lesbian, The case culminated in a ruling by the Permanentjudicial Council of the Presbyterian Church (U.s,A.) which set aside the congregation's call to Spahr. (See Open Hands, Fall 1992 and Winter 1993). With the covenant reaffirmed, Spahr will continue to travel nationally, speaking as the congregation's evangelist under the auspices of the program "That All May Freely Serve," Questions Remain about Same-gender Covenant Services in UMC A long-awaited ruling by the high court of the United Methodist Church (UMC) regarding same-gender covenant services brought inconclusive results this past October. The judicial Council reviewed resolutions from the Minnesota and Troy conferences which would allow pastors and/ or congregations to perform covenant services for gay or lesbian couples. The Council declined to issue a decision and instead released a memorandum which cited three applicable elements ofUMC law: 1) only the General Conference has the authority to set official rites of the church; 2) clergy must "oversee the total ministry of the local church . . . in fulfilling its mission of witness and service to the world;" and 3) clergy must perform their duties in compliance with UMC law. This memorandum has led to widely varied interpretations. Some church sources state that covenant services have been banned while others note that, as part of a church's ministry, clergy perform a variety of bleSSing and liturgical activities which are not limited by the official rites of the church. The Council of Bishops has requested that the judicial Council reconsider this matter. In a second set of cases, regarding ordination and appointment of "selfavowed, practicing homosexuals," the judicial Council called on the UMC to define precisely what this phrase means,' In a case from the Oregon-Idaho conference, the bishop had declined to appoint a clergy believed to be a "selfavowed, practicing homosexuaL" The Council overruled the bishop's decision for lack of a definition of the phrase and lack of evidence, Inaugural Meeting of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists The first meeting of the Association of Welcoming &: Affirming (W &:A) Baptists was held in june 1993 in conjunction with the biennial meeting of the American Baptist Church (ABC), U.s ,A. In its first year of existence the association received memberships from twenty-three churches and agencies and over fifty individuals. Open Hands 28 A highlight of the gathering was a 'orship service in which candles were ghted to represent each W &LA congre2 tion or agency. A stirring message was .::ered by Aidsand Wright-Riggins, -ector of National Ministries of the . Association members witnessed e ABC meeting by wearing ribbons T-shirts which identified them as -A Baptists and by distributing ination about the program. :~ six-member interim council was ected by the association to prepare :~aws, mission statement, and plan of -ganization for the next gathering in .e summer of 1995. The six council embers include Juan Alegria, Chicago; dean Bishop, Minneapolis; Craig arling, Seattle; Michael Easterling, ew York City; Brenda Moulton, W &LA ordinator; and another person to be med. Gay/Lesbian Caucuses Meet; Protest NCC Inaction Thirty representatives from nineteen lesbian/ gay Christian groups met in Baltimore in November during the annual board meeting of the National Council of Churches (NCC). They gathered to protest the NCC action a year ago which denied official observer status to the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC). At the start of the NCC meeting, representatives of the UFMCC led others in a protest to highlight the presence oflesbian, gay and bisexual Christians in the NCe's member communions. As the Rev. Kit Cherry, UFMCC Ecumenical Officer noted, "the NCC General Board will have to face openly lesbian and gay Christians every time they meet." The UFMCC has been attempting to develop a formal relationship with the N CC for a decade now. Last year, the NCC rejected a proposal for the UFMCC to become an official Lesbigay Christians protest NCC board meeting. Photo: Kim Byham observer. The representatives of the lesbian/ gay Christian groups made plans to coordinate religious observances during the Stonewall 25 celebration in New York this summer. Preliminary plans include a prayer service at Riverside Church on Friday evening followed by a demonstration outside 475 Riverside Drive, which contains offices of several major U.S. churches. An interfaith service is planned for Saturday morning at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Published by the Reconciling Congregation Program in conjunction th More Light, Open and Affirming, and Reconciled in Christ Programs. Unique Resource on QTY. BACK ISSUES AVAILABLE Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual _ _ Be Ye Reconciled (Summer 1985) __ A Matter of Justice (Winter 1986) Concerns in the Church for __ Our Families (Spring 1986) Christian Education • Personal Reading __ Our Churches' Policies (Summer 1986) Research Projects • Worship Resources __ Images of Healing (Fall 1986) Ministry & Outreach __ Minorities within a Minority (Spring 1987) __ Sexual Violence (Fall 1987) __ Building Reconciling Ministries (Spring 1988) __ Living and Loving withAIDS (Summer 1988) o Please send me the back issues indicated ($5 each; 10+ @ $3). __ Raising Reconciling Children (Fall 1988) ~ Send me Open Hands each quarter ($16/year; outside U.S.A. @ $20). __ Sexual Ethics (Winter 1989) __ Lesbian &Gay Men in the Religious Arts (Spring 1989) __ The Closet Dilemma (Summer 1989) E~closed is payment for OR _ _ Images of Family (Fall 1989) arge $ to my VISA MASTERCARD (Circle one) __ Journeys Toward Recovery and Wholeness (Spring 1990) Expiration _ _ /__. __ The "Holy Union" Controversy (Fall 1990) __ Youth and Sexual Identity (Winter 1991) Sg'lature __________ ________ ____ _ __ Lesbian/Gay Reflections on Theology (Spring 1991) __ The Lesbian Spirit (Summer 1991) _ _ Bisexuality: Perceptions & Realities (Fall 1991 ) a"'le __ Creating Alliances: Working for Change (Winter 1992) :c'ess _______________________________________________________ __ Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals in Ministry (Spring 1992) _ _ Our Spirituality: How Sexual Expression and Oppression StatelZip __________ __________ Shape It (Summer 1992) ·-,ar:me Phone _____________________ __ Aging and Integrity (Fall 1992) __ Welcoming Churches: Ecumenical Movement (Winter 1993) Church _______ ___ _____ _ _ ____ Rethinking Family Values (Spring 1993) ination ___ _____ ____________ __ Biblical Interpretation (Summer 1993) __ Responding to the Right: Strategies for Change (Fall 1993) Phone: 3121736-5526 Fax: 312/736-5475 Send to: Open Hands, 3801 N. Keeler Avenue, Chicago, IL 60641 __ Celebrating the Inclusive God: Worship (Winter 1994) er 1994 29 ..... OUR WELCOMING MOVEMENT GROWS Since 1978, 355 More Light (Presbyterian), Open Following is a complete list of congregations, alphabetiand Affirming (Disciples of Christ and United Church cally by state and city, followed by a list of campus of Christ), Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran), Reconcilministries and judicatories. The affiliation of each is ing (United Methodist), and Welcoming & Affirming designated by the following codes: (Baptist) congregations and sixteen campus ministries ML More Light (Presbyterian) have publicly declared that they welcome all persons, ONA Open and Affirming (UCC) including lesbians and gay men. This is an increase oj O&A Open and Affirming (Disciples) 22% over one year ago! These "welcoming" communities RIC Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran) are in forty-one states, the District of Columbia, and RC Reconciling Congregation (United Methodist) Canada. W &A Welcomin & Affirmin Ba tist Congregations Hollywood Sacramento Terra Linda Christ in Terra Linda (ML)First UMC (RC) Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer ALASKA (RIC) Irvine TiburonPalmer San Diego Community Congregational (ONA) Irvine UCC (ONA) Churchof the Covenant (W&A) First Lutheran (RIC) Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran (RIC) Lafayette ARIZONA San Francisco Westminster Presbyterian (ML)Lafayette Christian (O&A) Tucson Bethany UMC (RC) Larkspur Vacaville St. Francis in the Foothills UMC (RC) Calvary UMC (RC) Redwoods Presbyterian (ML) St. Paul's UMC (RC) ARKANSAS Christ Lutheran (RIC) Long Beach West Hollywood Little Rock Dolores Street Baptist (W&A)First Congregational UCC (ONA) Crescent Heights UMC (RC) Pulaski Heights Christian (O&A) First Congregational UCC (ONA) Trinity Lutheran (RIC) West Hollywood Presbyterian (ML) CALIFORNIA First St. John's UMC (RC) Los Angeles YucaipaAlameda First United Lutheran (RIC)Mt. Hollywood Congregational UCC Faith Lutheran (RIC)First Christian (O&A) COLORADO (ONA) Glide Memorial UMC (RC)First Congregational (ONA) United University (ML, RC) Hamilton UMC (RC) AuroraAlbany WilshireUMC(RC) NoeValley Ministry (ML) Parkview Congregational UCC (ONA)Albany UMC (RC) Marin City Pine UMC (RC) BoulderAltadena St. Andrews Presbyterian (ML) Seventh Avenue Presbyterian (ML) First Congregational (ONA)Altadena Congregational (ONA) Milpitas St. Francis Lutheran (RIC) Denver Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Sunnyhills UMC (RC) St. John's UCC (ONA) Capitol Heights Presbyterian (ML) (RIC) Modesto St. Mark's Lutheran (RIC) Park Hill Congregational UCC (ONA) Baldwin Park College Avenue Congregational St. Paulus Lutheran (RIC) St. Paul's UMC (RC) First Presbyterian (ML) (ONA) Trinity UMC (RC) Washington Park UCC (ONA) Belmont Newark San Jose Fort Collins Congregational Church UCC (ONA) Holy Redeemer Lutheran (RIC) Christ the GoodShepherd Lutheran St. Thomas University Lutheran (RIC) Berkeley North Hollywood (RIC) CONNECTICUT Berkeley & Richmond Intercity St. Matthew's Lutheran (RIC) First Christian Church (O&A) Coventry Ministry (O&A) TolucaLake UMC(RC) New Community of Faith (W&A) Second Congregational (ONA) First Baptist (W&A) Oakland San Mateo Mansfield Center St. John's Presbyterian (ML) Faith Lutheran (RIC) College Heights UCC (ONA) First Church of Christ (ONA)Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran (RIC) Lake Merritt UMC (RC) San Rafael Middletown Trinity UMC (RC) Lakeshore Avenue Baptist (W&A) Faith Lutheran (RIC) First Church of Christ ONA)University Lutheran Chapel (RIC) Lutheran Peace Fellowship (RIC) Santa Barbara Hartford University Church (O&A) Montctair Presbyterian (ML) La Mesa Community (ONA) Central Baptist (W&A) Carlsbad Peace UCC (ONA) Santa Cruz New Haven Pilgrim Congregational (ONA) Plymouth UCC (ONA) Grace UMC (RC) Church of Christ in Yale Univ. (ONA) Claremont St. Paul Lutheran (RIC) Santa Monica United Church on the Green (ONA)Claremont UMC (RC) Palo Alto The Church in Ocean Park (RC) NoankConcord Covenant Presbyterian (ML) Sausalito Noank Baptist (W&A)First Christian (O&A) First Evangelical Lutheran (RIC) First Presbyterian (ML) South GlastonburyDanville First Presbyterian (ML) Sonoma Congregational (ONA)Peace Lutheran (RIC) University Lutheran (RIC) New Hope Church (ONA) StamfordFair Oaks Pasadena Stockton St. John Lutheran (RIC) Fair Oaks UMC (RC) First Congregational UCC (ONA) First Christian (O&A) WaterburyFairfax Richmond Sunnyvale South Congregational (ONA)Fairfax Community (ONA) Grace Lutheran (RIC) Congregational Community (ONA) DELAWARE Fresno Raynor Park Christian (O&A) Newark Wesley UMC (RC) St. John's Lutheran (RIC) New Ark UCC (ONA) Open Hands 30 STRICT OF COLUMBIA :a on Presbyterian (ML) Grant Park-Aldersgate UMC (RC) 'u rch of the Crossroads (ONA) olulu Lutheran (RIC) IS r.;.a'bondale Churchof the Good Shepherd (ONA) -ampaign Kinley Memorial Presbyterian (ML) St. Andrew's Lutheran (RIC) cago bany Park UMC (RC) Augustana Lutheran (RIC) Christ the King Lutheran (RIC) Christ theMediator Lutheran (RIC) Grace Baptist (W&A) oly Covenant UMC (RC) Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran (RIC) Irving Park Christian (O&A) rving Park UMC(RC) Lake View Lutheran (RIC) ncoln Park Presbyterian (ML) ayfair UMC(RC) Peoples Church (ONA) Resurrection Lutheran (RIC) St. Paul's UCC (ONA) Trinity Lutheran (RIC) Untted Church of Rogers Park (RC) University Church (ONA,O&A) Wellington Avenue UCC (ONA) E.'anston First Baptist 0N&A) Hemenway UMC (RC) WheadonUMC (RC) .\,inter 1994 I Maywood ette First Congregational UCC (ONA) 'kId Winfield Community (RC) lANA Indianapolis Northeast UCC (ONA) South Bend Southside Christian (O&A) West Lafayette Shalom UCC (ONA) IOWA Ames Lord of Life Lutheran (RIC) Cedar Rapids Faith UMC (RC) Des Moines Trinity UMC (RC) Urbandale UCC (ONA) Iowa City Faith UCC (ONA) KANSAS Kansas City ecumenikos (ML, ONA, O&A, RC) VanBrun Blvd. Presbyterian (ML) Topeka Central Congregational UCC (ONA) KENTUCKY Louisville Central Presbyterian (Ml) LOUISIANA New Orleans St. Mark's UMC (RC) MARYLAND Baltimore First &FranklinPresbyterian (ML) St. John's UMC (RC) St. Mark's Lutheran (RIC) Gaithersburg Christ theServant Lutheran (RIC) Lanham Good Samaritan Lutheran (RIC) Rockville Rockville Presbyterian (ML) Takoma Park Takoma Park Presbyterian (ML) MASSACHUSETTS Amherst First Congregational UCC (ONA) South Congregational (ONA) Auburn Pakachoag (ONA) Boston Church of the Covenant (ONA, ML) Church of the United Community (ONA,O&A) Cambridge First Church, Congregational (ONA) Old Cambridge Baptist (W&A) University Lutheran (RIC) ~ Danvers Holy Trinity UMC (RC) Framingham Grace UCC (ONA) Newburyport Belleville Congregational (ONA) OsteNille United Methodist (RC) Shrewsbury Mt. Olivet Lutheran (RIC) Wellesley Wellesley Congregational (ONA) Wendell Wendell Congregational (ONA) West Newton Second Church in Newton UCC (ONA) Williamstown First Congregational UCC(ONA) First UMC (RC) Worcester United Congregational (ONA) MICHIGAN Ann Arbor Church of the Good Shephered (ONA) Lord of Light Lutheran (RIC) Memorial Christian (O&A) Northside Presbyterian (ML) Detroit T!Uth Evangelical Lutheran (RIC) Douglas Douglas Congregational UCC(ONA) Kalamazoo Phoenix Community UCC(ONA) Ypsilanti First Congregational UCC (ONA) MINNESOTA Edina Edina Community Lutheran (RIC) Minneapolis Community of St. Martin (RIC) First Congregational (ONA) Grace University Lutheran(RIC) Hennepin Avenue UMC (RC) Holy Trinity Lutheran (RIC) Judson Memorial Baptist (W&A) Lyndale UCC (ONA) Mayflower Community CongregationaI UCC (ONA) Our Savior's Lutheran (RIC) Prospect Park UMC (RC) Spirit of the Lakes (ONA) Temple Baptist (W&A) University Baptist (W&A) Walker Community (RC) Wesley UMC (RC) Robbinsdale Robbinsdale UCC (ONA) Sf. Paul St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran (RIC) Wayzatta St. Luke Presbyterian(~L) MISSOURI Kansas City Abiding Peace Lutheran (RIC) Fountain of Hope Lutheran (RIC) Kairos UMC (RC) St. Mark's Lutheran (RIC) St. Louis Gibson Heights United (ML) St. Marcus Evangelical UCC (ONA) University City Bethel Lutheran (RIC) MONTANA Missoula University Congregational UCC (ONA) NEBRASKA Omaha First Lutheran (RIC) NEW HAMPSHIRE Hanover Our Savior Lutheran (RIC) Plymouth Plymouth Congregational (ONA) NEW JERSEY South Orange First Presbyterian &Trinity (ML) NEW MEXICO Santa Fe Christ Lutheran (RIC) NEW YORK Albany Emmanuel Baptist (W&A) Brookhaven Old South Haven Presbyterian (ML) Brooklyn Church of Gethsemane (ML) Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian (ML) Park Slope UMC (RC) Buffalo Amherst Community (ONA) Westminster Presbyterian (ML) Churchville Union Congregational (ONA) Copake Craryville UMC (RC) Dobbs Ferry South Presbyterian (ML) Geneva North Presbyterian (ML) Gloversville First Congregational UCC (ONA) Grand Island Riverside Salem (ONA) Henrietta John Calvin Presbyterian (ML) 31 Marcellus First Presbyterian (ML) New York Broadway UCC (ONA) Central Presbyterian (ML) Church of St. Paul &St. Andrew (RC) Good Shepherd-Faith Presbyterian (ML) Grace &St. Paul's Lutheran (RIC) Jan Hus Presbyterian (ML) Judson Memorial (ONA, W&A) Madison Avenue Baptist (W&A) Metropolitan-Duane UMC(RC) Our Savior's Atonement Lutheran (RIC) Park Avenue Christian (O&A) Riverside (ONA) Rutgers Presbyterian (ML) St. Peter's Lutheran (RIC) Trinity Evangelical Lutheran (RIC) Washington Square UMC(RC) West-Park Presbyterian (M L) Oneonta First UMC (RC) Palisades Palisades Presbyterian(ML) Rochester Calvary St. Andrews (ML) Downtown Presbyterian(ML) The House Church (ONA) Third Presbyterian (ML) Sayville Sayville Congregational UCC (ONA) NORTH CAROLINA Chapel Hill Church of the Reconciliation (ML) United Church (ONA) Winston-Salem First Christian (O&A) Raleigh Community UCC (ONA) Pullen Memorial Baptist (W&A) OHIO Brecksville United Church of Christ (ONA) Cleveland Pilgrim Congregational UCC(ONA) Columbus Redeemer Lutheran (RIC) Third Avenue Community (RC) Cincinnati Mt. Aubum Presbyterian (ML) Dayton Congregation for Reconciliation (ONA) Norton Grace UCC (ONA) Toledo Central UMC (RC) OREGON Ashland United Church of Christ (ONA) Corvallis First UMC (RC) Estacada Estacada UMC (RC) Lake Oswego Lake Oswego UCC (ONA) Milwaukie Milwaukie UCC (ONA) Portland First Congregational (ONA) Metanoia Peace Community (RC) St. James Lutheran(RIC) University Park UMC(RC) PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia Calvary UMC(RC) First UMC of Germantown (RC) St. Michael's Lutheran (RIC) Tabemacle United(ONA, ML) University Lutheran of Incamation (RIC) Wayne Central Baptist (W&A) RHODE ISLAND Newport Newport Congregational (ONA) SOUTH CAROLINA Columbia Gethsemane Lutheran (RIC) SOUTH DAKOTA Erwin Erwin UCC (ONA) TENNESSEE Memphis First Congregational UCC (ONA) Nashville Edgehill UMC (RC) TEXAS Austin First English Lutheran (RIC) Trinity UMC (RC) Dallas Bethany Presbyterian (ML) Midway Hills Christian (O&A) Fort Worth St. Matthew's Lutheran (RIC) Houston Bering Memorial UMC (RC) Community of the Reconciling Servant (ML) VERMONT Bennington Second Congregational (ONA) Burlington Christ Presbyterian(ML) Rutland Rutland UMC (RC) VIRGINIA Harrisonburg Sanctuary UCC (ONA) WASHINGTON Chelan Fullness of God Lutheran (RIC) Federal Way Wayside UCC (ONA) Leavenworth Faith Lutheran (RIC) Medical Lake Shalom UCC (ONA) Mountlake Terrace Terrace View Presbyterian (ML) Olympia Community for Christian Celebration (ONA) Richland Shalom UCC (ONA) Seattle Broadvie~Community UCC (ONA) Central Lutheran (RIC) Findlay Street Christian (O&A) First Baptist (W&A) Pilgrim Congregational (ONA) Plymouth Congregational (ONA) Prospect UCC (ONA) Richmond Beach Congregational UCC(ONA) University Baptist (W&A) University Christian (O&A) University Congregational (ONA) Wallingford UMC (RC) Vancouver First Congregational UCC (ONA) WISCONSIN EauClaire University Lutheran (RIC) Madison First Congregational UCC (ONA) Orchard Ridge UCC (ONA) University (RC) Milwaukee Church of the Reformation (RIC) Cross Lutheran (RIC) Plymouth UCC (ONA) Village Lutheran (RIC) Racine Our Savior'S Lutheran (RIC) Sheboygan Wesley UMC (RC) CANADA Saskatoon King of Glory Lutheran (RIC) Campus Ministries CALIFORNIA Chapman University Pride Alliance (O&A) Wesley Foundation at UCLA (RC) DELAWARE Wesley Foundation at University of Delaware (RC) ILLINOIS UM Student Fellowship at Illinois Wesleyan (RC) INDIANA Lutheran Campus Ministry at Indiana University (RIC) IOWA Lutheran Campus Ministry at University of Iowa (RIC) MICHIGAN Guild House at University of Michigan (O&A) Ecclesia at Michigan State University (O&A) MINNESOTA Lutheran Campus Ministry in Minneapolis (RIC) Lutheran Campus Ministry at SI. Cloud State (RIC) Student Congregation at St. Olaf College (RIC) NORTH DAKOTA University Lutheran Center in Fargo (RIC) OREGON Lutheran Campus Ministry in Portland (RIC) PENNSYLVANIA Lutheran Campus Ministry at Kutztown (RIC) WISCONSIN Lutheran Campus Ministry in LaCrosse (RIC) Metro Milwaukee Campus Ministry (RIC) Judicatories MoreLight Synods Synodof the Northeast Open andAffirming Conferences Connecticut Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota NewHampshire Northern California/Nevada Ohio Rocky Mountain Southern California Open and Affirming Regions Northern California/Nevada Reconciled in Christ Synods Eastern North Dakota Eastern Washington-Idaho Greater Milwaukee Metro Chicago Metro WashingtonD.C. Pacifica Rocky Mountain Sierra-Pacific Southeast Michigan Reconciling Conferences Califomia-Nevada New York Northern Illinois Troy Open Hands 32 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 Open Hands Vol 9 No 3 - Celebrating the Inclusive God: Worship in the Welcoming Community https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/ac9e502a8ac1087bb3340ac41926b482.pdf 073fe0ed9e172af7242cc11b9e27adfc Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Volume Number The volume number of the issue 9 Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 4 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1994 Publication Date The date the issue was published Spring Text Any textual data included in the document $5.00 _ REACHING OUT More Light Churches Network Open and Affirming Program Reconciled·in Christ Program Reconciling Congregation Program Resources for Ministries Affirming the Diversity of Human Sexuality ...,.-'<> .~'; ,..' ,"'-' , ,,_ _ >J. Vo/~~_9' No~ 4, _ _ spring'1.994 80LDLYI £uang~lism with a. W~ltoming Aauor Open Hands is a resource for congregations and individuals seeking to be in ministry with lesbian, bisexual, and gay persons. Each issue focuses on a specific area of concern within the church. Open Hands is published quarterly by the Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. (United Methodist) in conjunction with More Light Churches Network (Presbyterian), Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ), and Reconciled in Christ (Lutheran) Programs. Each of these programs is a national network of local churches that publicly affirm their ministry with the whole family of God and welcome lesbian and gay persons and their families into their community of faith. These four programs -along with Open and Affirming (Disciples of Christ), Welcoming (Unitarian Universalist), Supportive Congregations (Brethren/ Mennonite), and Welcoming and Affirming (American Baptist) programs -offer hope that the church can be a reconciled community. Open Hands is published quarterly. Subscription is $16 for four issues ($20 outside the U.S.). Single copies and back issues are $5. Quantities of 10 or more, $3 each. Subscriptions, letters to the editor, manuscripts, requests for advertising rates, and other correspondence should be sent to: Open Hands 380l N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 Phone: 312/736-5526 Fax: 312/ 736-5475 Member, The Associated Church Press © 1994 Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. Open Hands is a registered trademark. ISSN 0888-8833 @ Printed on recycled paper. Resources for Ministries Affirming the Diversity of Human Sexuality Vol. 9 No.4 Spring 1994 Editorials/Letters to Editor .............................................................................. 4 ELEMENTS OF EVANGELISM Deep Water Fishing Bonnie Beckonchrist ....................................... . A Church in Need of Aid: A Sermon-Story John E. Sumwalt ....... . My Church Has AIDS Michael S. Piazza .. .......... ............................ oJ The Story of Glide Pamela Ayo Yetunde .................. ... .. .... ................. . Rising Like the Phoenix Melanie Morrison .. .. .... .. .. .... .. ........................ 2 MCC: Pioneers in Lesbigay Church Outreach ............................... 14 Neither Do I Condemn You Hendrik Hart ........................................... 15 SUSTAINING THE SPIRIT Confession of Sins David Romig ............ ...................... ........................ 1 6 Litany of Trust Ann B. Day ................................................................... 17 STRATEGIES FOR OUTREACH Marketing the Gospel: A Faithful Choice Martha Scott .................... 18 Keeping our Doors Wide Open ....................... ............................. 19 David K. Hartley & Wilbert S. Miller Growth Abounds in Welcoming Churches: Chart .... ........ ... .. ...... 20 An Int erfaith Coming Out Day Service Steven E. Webster ............... 21 Becoming a Lesbian Evangelist Janie Adams Spahr .......................... 22 Reaching Out Is a Way of Life Rosemary C. Mitchell .................. 23 Welcoming Sexual Minorities: A Checklist ......................................... 24 Partners in Reconciliation, Metanoia Peace Community . Pastor-in-Exile: Another Model of Outreach ................................ 25 John T. Schwiebert A Pastor's Footnote Joyce McManus ........... .... ............................ 25 Out reach to Youth Gregory Anderson ................................................ 26 LGYT Leo Treadway ................................................................ ....... 26 RESOURCES ....... .. ................................................................................ MOVEMENT NEWS ..................... ................................. ............................ c ~CALLING ALL ARTISTS! Are you interested in illustrating upcoming issues? Woodcut • Marker Drawings • Silhouettes Ethnic art designs/patterns Youth/Campus Artists Jor our campus ministries issue Representational Styles Ifyou are interested: please send ~rieJresume and samples ojyour work to: Editor, p pen Hands, 3801 N. Keeler, Chicago, IL 60641 Open Hands 2 ---- Reaching Out Boldly! Evangelism with a Welcoming Flavor Evangelism with a "welcoming flavor" -whatis that? It is not the personal salvation approach of conservative groups who ask persons to accept a certain belief system in order to be welcomed. It is not really the " church growth" model (which was the liberal church's response to the personal salvation approach). Evangelism with a welcoming flavor is a ministry which offers the free gift of God's unconditional love -and then invites people to respond and participate as fully equal members. Nevertheless, we can't ignore the church growth approach entirely, for an assumption seems to exist within both conservative and liberal circles that churches will not grow if they reach out in ministry with gay, lesbian, and bisexual people, that in fact such local churches will lose members. The stories of many churches within our growing ecumenical welcoming church movement contradict this assumption. These are churches which are alive and vibrant, boldly engaging in outreach to lesbian, bisexual, gay people, and others -and are growing in the process! In this issue of Open Hands writers ask: What is the "good news" that we offer to a troubled world? How do we prepare ourselves to be bearers of good news? How do we "do" evangelism as welcoming communities? Sprinkled throughout their explorations are heartwarming stories of faithfulness and bold outreach! Mary Jo Osterman, Editor UPCOMING THEMES Unsolicited Manuscript Deadlines Issue Year Theme Deadline Fall 1994 Campus Ministries/Welcoming Ministries JuI. 1, 1994 Winter 1995 Dynamics of a Welco'ming Movement Oct. 1, 1994 Spring 1995 Diversity in the Welcoming ;" Movement Jan. 1, 1995 Summer 1995 Relationship Issues in Welcoming Churches Apr. 1, 1995 'If you are iriterested in writing for one of these issues, please send a query letter or your completed manuscript to: Editor Open Hands · 3801 N. Keeler • Chicago, IL 60641 &,T.",.T.Q "'''.''.'''''' OPEN !f!~! ~T'.T.Q ••T."..., Program Coordinators Mark Bowman Reconciling Congregation Program, Inc. 3801 N. Keeler Avenue Chicago, IL 60641 312/736-5526 Ann B. Day Open and Affirming Program P.O. Box 403 Holden, MA 01520 508/856-9316 v Brian Knittel Reconciled in Christ Program 2800 Buena Vista Way Berkeley, CA 94708 510/841-6990 ·········:~~w <: •• ~:::.: .{ Lindsay Louise Biddle More Light Churches Network T 3538 22nd Avenue, S. Minneapolis, MN 55407 612/724-5429 Publisher Mark Bowman Open Hands Editor Mary Jo Osterman IIIustrations Ophelia Chambliss Layout I Graphics I Typesetting In Print -Jan Graves Editorial Advisory Committee Reva Anderson, Toledo, OH Peg Beissert, Rolling Hills Est., CA Ann Marie Coleman, Chicago, IL Dan Hooper, Los Angeles, CA Derrick Kikuchi, Daly City, CA Samuel E. Loliger, Buffalo, NY Shawndra Miller, Goshen, IN Dick Poole, Oak Forest, IL Caroline Presnell, Evanston, IL Irma C . Romero, Chicago, IL Paul Santillan, Chicago, IL Martha Scott, Chicago, IL Spring 1994 3 Evangelism as Ministry In our marketing-oriented world, it shouldn't come as a surprise that we think about "recruiting" or "selling" people on the idea of coming to church when we think about evangelism. We assume evangelism means telling someone to "come to church" so they can get something out of it. "If you do something first, we'll do something for you in return." . Think about it. Do you see how completely backwards that is as a model for our inclusive message? It is an exclusive, barter-oriented approach that flies in the face of the free gift of God's grace. As Christians, we believe that God gave us the most precious gift possible, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, before asking us to do anything. Shouldn't we be thinking about evangelism as a ministry where we too give first? That's a radical idea, but it is the basis of a model for evangelism that fits our calling. It is also such a reversal of what people expect that it has incredible power -cutting through people's pain and alienation. How do we give first? By always including a word of grace in our evangelism -in our brochures, our ads, our conversations, our sermons. By caring first and buildin a relationship of trust that leads people to want to come to a welcoming congregation because they have already been touched by us. Bob Gibeling, MBA, is Program Executive Jor Lutherans Concerned/North America. His background includes twelve years in corporate advertising and public relations. Angel to Angel "Have your angel call my angel, and we'll do evangelism!" Since I discovered the "angel" in "evangelism," I no longer associate this critical act of Christian diScipleship with distributing Bible tracts or preaching with a floppy.; back Bible in one hand and pounding a pulpit with the other. Evangelism to me (as a pastor of a small, aging, and graying congregation) means opening our hearts to God's grace after years of coming to church "on a guilt trip." It means inviting the Holy Spirit to empower us to the best of our abilities. It means opening our hearts to experience the grace and wisdom 'of God (the "good news") embodied in all the rainbow of human sexual orientations and expressions (to borrow from my mentor and angel, Howard Warren). Evangelism means getting to know my "angel within," my own story of grace. Only when I do, I find it is not simply "my own" but part of the larger story of the Church. It means that I will discover your "angel within" and together we will discover that wherever two or three angels are gathered, wherever two or three storytellers come out, there is Christ feeding us with the Word and Wisdom. And there we are -doing evangelism. Lindsay Louise Biddle, M.Div, one oj many Presbyterians Jor Lesbian and Gay Concerns and a advocate Jor More Light, is a member oj l Presbytery oj the Twin Cities Area and serves congregation in St. Paul, Minnesota. "Are You an Evangelist?" The question gets at the heart of who we are as indwid als and communities of faith. Evangelism, the sharing of the "good news" of God's love revealed in Christ, is the raison d'etre for the Church and we are constantly challenged to communicate this love in the midst of myriad issues in our world. This challenge is especially pressing as people of all sexual orientations, both inside and outside the Church, reexamine the spiritual and ethical witness that Christians offer. Many turn to the Church for "the word they need to hear" as they seek deeper understanding of,sexual identity Open Hands 4 and expression. What word do we have for them about homophobia, heterosexism, sexual orientation? What difference, if any, should this dimension of our humanity make when it comes to blessing relationships, ordaining ministers, supporting families, etc.? What is the "good news"? For many churches, addressing these and other real life questions means that as they reach out to people who are gay, lesbian, and bisexual they also reach in ... to explore understandings and feelings about faith, love, and sexuality. How mind and heart opening this can be! Out of conversation, study, and prayer comes a renewed awareness of how good the news of the gospel truly is and how desperately it is needed by all of us. Led by the Spirit, welcoming churches respond to the call to spread this. good news in word and deed! Ann B. Day, M.Div., is an ordained UCC minister who serves as the ONA Program Coordinator for the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns. Recovering Evangelism In Christian justice communities we tend to concede evangelism to conservative churches. "We are doing mission, while they are only concerned with personal salvation," we scoff. We believe that if we do our mission, God will bless us and send people to join us. WRONG! "If you build it, they will come" is a fallacy. We have seen communities wither and die because they did not reach out and invite new people. Although we have seen the shortcomings of "personal salvation" evangelism, we have erroneously discounted evangelism altogether. Evangelism is not the message, but the act. It is telling the good news of God's unconditional love and inviting a response. Evangelism is not personal, but communal. It is grounded in our experience of God in community. The world aches for a word of "unconditional grace" and "no condemnation." However, many churches (of all ideological and theological persuasions) are NOT evangelical faith communities. They operate from a "self-preservation mode," or they remain bound by the Law (as a code of personal morality or as "politically correct" behavior). In contrast, some churches are clearly demonstrating that a model of hospitality and diverSity is an efficacious means of evangelism. They are attracting not only gay persons, but also many others who hear the good news of God's unconditional love and who want to be part of a welcoming and diverse community of faith. Mark Bowman, M.Div., is Program Coordinator of the United Methodist Reconciling Congregation Program. Le.ttaf to tt.e. ~~4t01 We welcome both cIitica\ and applec\atilesponses to opEN gANDS. We leseI'lve e the light to select, edit, and shO ml submiSsions. All letteIS must be lten signed, with adc\less and phOne. Please l indicate if 'Iou do not want 'IoU! lette to be S publiShed. QU! poliCY is to publiSh lettel . ovel 'IoU! full name, citY and state. We W1ll occasionml'llUll alettel anonymOUSlY. --rfl~~ Dear Siblings in Christ/Community: I enjoyed "Celebrating the Inclusive God" (Winter 1994) very much. It was encouraging to learn that other denominations are also striving to be intentionally inclusive of all people in worship! I would like to offer an alternative "Tip for Inclusivity" under the "welcoming the differently abled" heading (p. 10): Ask people to "Rise as you are able" or to "rise in your spirits." The phrase "Stand as able" is also experienced as an exclusionist practice. Rev. Randy A. Lester, Gover Beach, CA To the Editor: In her article "Confronting Fundamentalism" (Fall 1993), Virginia Mollenkott presents a much needed understanding. I too learned early to evaluate all on the premise that "if my experiences contradict what the Bible says then my experiences are wrong, not Scripture." Recently, someone who was discussing my fundamentalist past with me assumed that the hardest part for me to overcome was guilt. However, my greatest obstacle was the notion of a "high view of scripture" that demanded interpretation through fundamentalistic hermeneutical principles (Mollenkott's "inerrancy grid"). I had to discover anew how to view the Bible. I also had to "humanize" my faith by allowing experience to be a part of it. It is very difficult for those outside of fundamentalism 'to understand the worldview it teaches. Too often our shallow comprehenSion of the fundamentalist ideology has caused us to underestimate the movement. Vaughn F. Joyce Beckman, San Jose, CA Spring 1994 5 EL r.1E r F E 4 L' r.1 DEEP W~{t.~f/S\-(ING By Bonnie Beckonchrist Frankly, I have always abhorred fishing. It was one among many things that disappointed my father. He would take me out to look under rocks for night crawlers and then call me a "girl" when I didn't want to pick them up and put them in the coffee can. The ordeal would continue the next morning when he'd attempt to teach me to bait my own hook. If I was unfortunate enough to "land one," I would refuse to touch the impaled creature. Its bulging eyes seemed to condemn me. I have since learned that the experience has nothing to do with gender. There are women who love to fish and men who share my disdain. Most persons with whom I discuss evangelism respond with squeamish apprehension, the thought of the experience being as negative for them as my early fishing expeditions were for me. We resist the metaphor. Words like "bait," "hook," and "catch" conjure up resistant, unwilling captives served up for our consumption. However, the metaphor is not mine; it is Jesus'. I believe it warrants another look. When jesus finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Push the boat out further to the deep water and you and your partners let down your nets for a catch." "But, . .. we worked hard all night long and caught nothing . .. yet, ifyou say so, ..." They let them down and caught such a large number of fish that the nets were about to break .. . he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch . .. Then jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid;from now on, you will be catching people." (Luke 5:4-10) The poet/ evangelist John records a similar tale: As the sun was rising,jesus stood at the water's edge, but the diSciples did not know that it was j esus. "Young people, haven't you caught anything?" "Not a thing," they answered. "Throw your net out on the other side of the boat and you will catch some." So they threw the net out and could not pull it back in, because they caught so many fis h! Gohn 21 :4-6) Like the weary disciples in both stories, many pastors and parishioners alike are heard to say, "we've been fishing seemingly for years and have caught nothing." Perhaps it is time to look again at Jesus' solution to their empty net problem. Finding the Other Side and the Deep Water Jesus' first direction is: "Push the boat ou t further to the deep water." Are we and our churches sitting in the shallow water? How might we be pushed? What constitutes deep water? Certainly the emotions that are engendered by such an embarkation are real. Deep water is risky. The further away from shore we get, the less secure we feel. Jesus' second direction is: "Throw your net out on the other side." We and our congregations must ask ourselves who or what is on the other side? \\'here is the other side? \Vha separa es from them?What frightens a prospect of bringing them 0 •• Casting a net on the other s. e turning around. It means eUU~'C~~I'V'''' It means stepping across 1 nes formerly drawn between ourse 'eothers. Spending time with these biblical fishing texts and their implications for our ministry set Holy Covenant United Methodist Church on a new course and brought a renewed faith. Located in Chicago's Lakeview community, we discovered that one of the most obvious groups on the "other side" were the church's lesbigay neighbors. Residents of the public housing complex a block away constituted another group. The 6 Open Hands A New Church in an Old Place ... S~ 10:30.. ~ HOLY COVENANT United Methodist Church 925 W. Diversey, Chicago, IL 60614 (312) 528·6462 homeless who sat on our church's steps were treading "deep water." Students at nearby DePaul University had been dismissed as Catholic. The phYSically challenged were excluded by architectural barriers. Persons from other language groups were excluded by our Englishonly ministry. We are still discovering new streams from which to gather our new congregation. ANew Tools for Fishing s we identified where the "deep water" people were -and what the "other side of the boat" meant for our church, we also recognized that we needed to develop new tools for our outreach task. We asked ourselves: What do we know -about the world around us and about our task? We discovered some new answers. We know it is a business card world and we know it is sometimes hard to jump the hurdle of inviting folks to church. We also know that Simon had partners. So we developed a business card as part of our evangelism ministry. members now receive business cards with a note: Spring 1994 This card makes it simpler for every member at Holy Covenant to engage in outreach. Partnership is an essential component to effective evangelism. What else do we know? A broad casting approach is another essential component of evangelism. A recent Ameritech TV commercial says it graphically . . . "You can't catch two fish with one line." If our objective is new people and diverse people, then our technique and our program must be diverse. So, what else have we done to cast our nets in new directions? We joined the Reconc~ling Congregation Program of the United Methodist Church and subsequently added the pink triangle to our church sign and to our street signs. We are installing a ramp and printing our bulletins and newsletters in LARGE PRINT. We have opened the building to twelve-step recovery groups. In partnership with the Chicago Vegetarian Society, we have established Dignity Diner -a unique meal program for the area's homeless and hungry. We have established a Bible study in the public hOUSing complex near by. Our membership has grown from twelve active members in July 1990 to eighty-two members today, with a total of 120 persons involved in our ministry. Our congregation is trying to think of places where the church doesn't usually go and then go there. That is "other side" or "deep water" evangelism. We are testing advertising in the mainline press as well as alternative papers. We are present at PRIDE events. We put up flyers and posters at lesbigay bookstores. We were present at a recent alternative wedding faire for the lesbigay community called "Commitment to Love," where some United Methodists, who didn't know the Reconciling Congregation Program even existed, wept at their discovery. We have started a United Methodist outreach at DePaul University. We will be present at Health Clubs, Special Olympics, and the upcoming World Cup. It's called networking -and we believe it was working the nets that Jesus was talking about. I am convinced that the possibilities are limited only by our imaginations and our fear. Jesus assures us, as he did Simon, "Do not be afraid." T Bonnie Beckonchrist, M.Div, is pastor of Holy Covenant United Methodist Church in Chicago. Aft er joining Holy Covenant new We believe the business ofthe church is more than the pastor's. Please use the enclosed cards to invite your friends to worship with us. • • • , I I I • I II 7 A Church in Need ofAid: A Sermon-story ByJohn E. Sumwalt ~~.-.." ::""'Nt;II;ft'lfftl'-#1 • -- • ...... ~ ~• .. Charlie Stevenson moved to town the day after they decided to close the church, although he didn't hear about it until he went to worship the following Sunday. The church was almost full on that particular day. It was the beginning of a kind of extended wake which was to last three months. That was when Pastor Timmerman was scheduled to retire for the second and last time and the church doors were to be closed for good. With his imminent departure, the ministry of the dwindling congregation seemed to be at an end. They had decided to close the church doors rather than to go on with what had become a constant struggle to pay the bills and, perhaps more important, to be free of the guilt of not being able to pay their fair share of the denomination's mission budget, a responsibility they had not been able to fulfill for a number of years. The first Sunday after the decision everybody came to pay their last respects to the old white frame building and to a way of life that had existed in their little community for over a hundred years. It seemed that the church had always been there. It was the only church in the village. Its presence had been important even to those who never came to worship. It was a center of community life not only on those occasions when weddings and funerals were celebrated there, but also during election day dinners, 4-H Club meetings, and numerous other community functions. So everybody came that first Sunday after the vote to mourn the death of their church. 8 .... To an outsider that day it would have appeared that the church was full of life. Charlie Stevenson didn't know quite what to make of it. He had come with the full intention of transferring his membership as soon as the congregation and the pastor were willing to receive him. The church was within walking distance of the house he had rented and it was of his denomination. It never occurred to him that he would join anywhere else. Now what was he going to do? Did it make sense to join a dying church? Charlie decided that he would wait and see. In the meantime he could see no reason for not becoming involved in the things he had always done in church. He asked about Bible study and choir practice and, yes, he would be interested in playing on the church softball team. He liked to play second base, butwould be glad to fill in wherever there was a need. People took to Charlie immediately. People always had. He was a tall man, well over six feet, with broad shoulders, a full head of light brown hair and a smile that never quit. Charlie seemed to like everyone. People couldn't help liking him because they knew he liked them. When word got out that Charlie was coming to choir practice the soprano section almost doubled. Two eligible young women with modest vocal talents who hadn't been to practice in several months suddenly found themselves free of all pressing social engagements. They said they had come for the choir's last hurrah, but they had a hard time • keeping their eyes on the music and not on Charlie. The second week Charlie brought the center fielder and the shortstop from the softball team. Everybody knew they were wonderful singers, but it was Charlie who had said to them, "Why don't you come sing with us? It's great fun." So they had come. It was the same at the Thursday night Bible Study. Six or seven was the usual average attendance. Sometimes they would have a dozen or more at the beginning of a series or when they met at Mabel Robinson's house. Mabel was the best dessert maker in town and she had the biggest and the fanciest house. People like to go there just to see her antique furniture and to ogle the crystal chandelier which her grandfather had shipped over from Paris. Mabel was usually ready for anything, but even she wasn't prepared for the twenty-three people who showed up for Bible Study that second week after Charlie moved to town. Mabel had to scramble to find enough chairs for everyone. And she had to sneak out to the store during the opening prayer to get some extra sherbet to go with her lemon chiffon cake. The amazing thing was that this sudden rise in attendance at choir practice at Bible Study, and at worship was no passing phenomenon. It grew steadily every week. People were getting involved who hadn't been in church for anything but a special community event in years. It was almost enough to make everyone forget that the church was about to be closed . Then Charlie got sick. Word got out that he had a fast-spreading cancer. Open Hands People could hardly believe it. Charlie who was so full of life, the man who had almost single-handedly brought the church back to life -dying? It couldn't be true. Mabel and one of the other older women decided to go over and see how he was after the pastor announced his illness in church that Sunday. It was next to the last Sunday in May, just five weeks before the church was scheduled to be closed. They found Charlie in bed, too weak to respond to their knock on the door. Mabel went right in and when she saw the state he was in she sent her friend to call the doctor. The doctor wanted him to go to the hospital, but Charlie said he had been through all of that before and this time he was going to stay at home. "Well then," Mabel said, "you will need a nurse. I'll go and get my things." "Wait just a minute," Charlie said, "you don't know what you're getting into. You need to know that I have AIDS and that I'm gay." Mabel didn't know what to say. She was clearly taken aback. She had never in her wildest imaginings thought that she would have to face anything like this. Finally, after a long pause, she turned to the doctor and said, "Doc, what do I have to do to protect myself?" When the doctor had told her, she went straight home, got her overnight bag, brought her favorite pillow, made a bed on the couch, and then set about caring for Charlie's needs. She offered to call his family, but Charlie said it would be better if she didn't. He gave her the number though. 'Just in case," he said. Mabel stayed by Charlie's bedside night and day for the next eight days. She made sure that no one stayed too long when they came for a visit. She even chased the pastor out once when she could see that Charlie was getting tired. Charlie died on Memorial Day just before sunrise. When Mabel called his family they said they didn't want anything to do with him. They said, "Charlie made his bed, now let him lie in it." They told her she could make any arrangements she wanted, said Charlie had plenty of money to pay for everything. They didn't even want his things, said to give everything away. Spring 1994 When the word got out that Charlie's The next day after the funeral the family didn't want him and weren't combishop got a call from Sam Eberly, the ing to the funeral, the church took it as church's lay leader. "We've changed our a challenge. It didn't matter that Charlie minds," Sam said. "We want to keep the was gay or that he had died of AIDS, he church open." ... was their Charlie and by God they were going to see that he was buried propThis story was adapted from Lectionary Stoerly. ries, Cycle B. It is reprinted with permisEverybody came to the funeral. Passion of CSS Publishing Company, Lima, tor Timmerman gave the finest sermon Ohio. anyone had ever heard him preach. The choir sang like they had never sung John E. Sumwalt is pastor ofWesley United before and when the boys from the softMethodist Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin ball team carried the casket out of the and amember ofthe T.A.L.E.S. storytelling church the center fielder led the congreguild. He is the author gation in singing "Blest Be The Tie That of Lectionary Stories, Binds." Tears flowed freely that day. No Cycles A, B & C. He one who was present had any doubt that will become pastor of "the fellowship of kindred minds is like Wauwatosa Ave. United to that above." Methodist Church in July. My Church Has AIDS By Michael S. Piazza The Cathedral of Hope Metropolitan Community Church in Dallas has AIDS. With over 1300 in worship each Sunday} Hope"is the largest church in the world whose principle outreach is to lesbian and gay people. Just over 20 percent of our congregation have the HIV virus· believed to cause AIDS. Through our AIDS ministry we serve almost 400 people within the church (and at least twice that many who are not involved with the church). We have a full-time Director of Pastoral Care, an AIDS Chaplain, a HIV Caseworker, and almost 200 yolunteers who provide care. In 1993 we performed over 218 funerals and memorial services. Each Sunday itis easy to spot an empty seat where last week a friend was singing or praying. Yet visitors are almost always surprised by their experience: a sanctuary filled to capacity with people who sing with great gusto, applaud the music, and laugh at the preacher's jokes. Worship is an energetic, joy-filled time tha.t leaves people ready to tackle whatever life might throw at them. In · a time when mainline churches are declining, we are a multicultural community that has doubled in size, giving, and ministry over the past five years (even with hundreds of people dying from AIDS). We're reaching the twenty-and thirty-year-olds that others are not reaching. We have done all this by providing exciting worship, relevant preaching, and dozens of opportunities for members to be in ministry. We believe faith is a verb; it is . something you do, not something you have. Our members understand that their role is to serve, not to be served. Over 700 members have identified ministries within the church. This church with AIDS has learned the secret of resurrection: it's not just hope for tomorrow, but life for today. Michael S. Piazza, whose ordained ministry was cast aside by the United Methodist Church because he is gay, is Senior Pastor at Cathedral of Hope Metropolitan Community Church in Dallas, Texas. . 9 born on The StOf4Y of GLide 8y PCUKeLa Ayo Yetunde "Whoever said 'Sunday morning is the most segregated time in America, ' has not been to Glide!" said Donna Shalala, President Clinton's appointee to direct the Department of Health and Human Services, as she began her remarks before several hundred people attending Glide Memorial United Methodist Church in San Francisco. Shalala, like many other first time visitors, was astonished by the "look" of people in attendance. When people visit on Sunday morning, they see a "look" and hear a "talk" that projects integration, a positive integration of ages, races, genders, orientations, classes, ethnic groups. But beyond the basic integration of people at Glide is the existence of "multiculturality." Multiculturality is the presence, acknowledgment, and fastening together of various manners of expression oflife into one purpose or mission. At Glide that multiculturality is focused toward the liberation of oppressed peoples. Multiculturality cannot be seen on first glance because the nucleus spirit -cannot be readily detected. It is the unity of spirits that fastens the cultures together. This unifying of spirits must exist if multiculturality is to be more than a "look." Thus, the objective of our evangelism -inclusivity of people with various "looks" -must involve the identifying, nourishing, and unifying of spirits. Oppression and Liberation The unifying of spirits is a difficult task when one takes into account our nation's history of denying spirits (or when acknowledging spirits, breaking them down, and reducing human beings to lesser beings). Our nation was crushing the spirit and the flesh of indigenous people, built on crushing the spirit of Africans, and maintained on denying the spirit of women. The list goes on and on. To get to multiculturality from where we began involves substantial changes in the way we think about ourselves. We must go through a transformation from being a slave (to something or someone) to being a free person. No one has written about liberation from slavery quite like Frederick Douglass in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. Douglass wrote about being twelve years old and wishing he were dead; yet hope of being free kept him alive. He wrote of how his master "put me out .. . to be broken" by a man named Edward Covey who had a reputation for "breaking young slaves." Douglass tells of how Covey used religious sanction for his cruelty and how after a few months of cruel physical diScipline "Mr. Covey succeeded in breaking me." Then very early one morning something happened. Douglass was feeding the horses when Covey came in and started tying him up with a rope. Douglass writes: As soon as I found what he was up to, I gave a sudden spring, and as I did so, he holding to my legs, I was brought sprawling on the stable floor. Mr. Covey seemed now to think he had me, and could do what he pleased; but at this moment -from whence came the spirit I don't know -I resolved to fight; and, suiting my action to the resolution, I seized Covey hard by the throat; and as I did so, I rose ... My resistance was so entirely unexpected, that Covey seemed taken all aback. He trembled like a leaf . , ,1 Open Hands 10 Everyone at Glide has had or has a Mr. Covey in his or her life. Being at Glide is like being surrounded by hundreds of Frederick Douglasses -people who have fought their masters of drugs, relationships, mental illness, poverty, and various forms of human rights abuses. These Frederick Douglasses continue to fight their masters and to support others fighting their masters. This is the power of the unity of spirits. Seeing and Being Seen The question for those seeking multiculturality where it presently does not exist is this: Are we willing to be critiqued, challenged, and changed to the point where humility (where the commingling of spirits begins) necessitates a lessening of privilege in society? Multiculturality requires this transformation. Unfortunately, the transformation often begins with denial as noted by African-American feminist and cultural critic bell hooks: ... white people can 'safely' imagine that they are invisible to black people since the power they have historically asserted, and even now collectively assert over black people, accorded them the right to control the black gaze ... white people find it easy to imagine that black people cannot see them if .. . they do not want to be seen by the dark Other ... 2 White people, says hooks, respond with "disbelief, shock, and rage, as they listen to black [people] talk about whiteness ..." Heterosexual people often respond the same way when critiqued by gay people. However, to move toward multiculturality -to do multicultural outreach -we must not be threatened by the gaze. TJourney to Multiculturality hirty years ago, Glide was a much smaller church -until the Reverend Cecil Williams (an African-American) was aSSigned to pastor its congregation. 3 As Cecil began a personal journey, moving from being a co-dependent "healer" to being a minister of liberation, grounded in the praxis approach of third world liberation, the "look" and the "talk" at Glide began to change. From a small church of approxi- Spring 1994 mately 300 members, Glide has grown phenomenally to more than 2000 members. Today, Cecil and his wife, partner, and teammate,lanice Mirikitani (aJapanese-American), have created a place where everyone is not only invited and welcomed, but individually recognized as being critical to Glide's ministry of liberation. Three stories of modern-day Frederick Douglasses illustrate the liberating process. A woman, known by many for years to be deaf and mute yet able to sign and read lips, verbally spoke at a Celebration to say that because she saw and heard Jan on a television show talking about incest, she gained the courage to begin speaking again after years of silence for fear of being raped again. Jan encourages those fortunate enough to see, hear, or know her otherwise to free themselves -to liberate themselves from fear. During one Celebration, a male member of Glide's lesbian, gay, bisexual family, presented Cecil with a pair of red pumps to wear with his robes. Cecil laughed and let it be known that he had an outfit that matched perfectly with the shoes. The gay man felt free to joke about the lifestyles lived by some gay men, and was free to confront his straight minister on stage with a gift that many would find "tasteless." Cecil was willing to be critiqued, challenged, and changed. The memorial service for AIDS victim, journalist Randy Shilts, author of The Mayor of Castro Street, And the Band Played On, and Conduct Unbecoming, was held at Glide. Cecil announced at the Celebration preceding the memorial service that a minister from the mid-west would travel to San Francisco to disrupt the "faggot memorial service." Cecil announced that he was welcome to come and receive a love he had never known. When the minister arrived , 1500 people, mostly gay men, were present to tell him that (like Frederick Douglass) they would no longer be slaves to fear, that they had already liberated themselves, and that scare tactics would not be enough to make them retreat to the closet, the mental ward, or the noose. The memorial service was not disrupted; the minister did not stay to receive the love. Together, Cecil andJan reach out to the once "incested" women and the once rejected gay men while simultaneously asking us to relate our experiences to others who have been violated in other ways and rejected for other reasons. This all takes place under one roof where former slaves to fear are brought into the sun to see themselves, projecting a reality rarely televised or broadcast. What people witness at Glide is a unifying of spirits -transgendered, straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, nonsexual, alcoholic, crack-addicted, deranged, sane, brown, red, yellow, white, black, male, female, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, vegan, carnivorous, destitute, wealthy -former slaves who are unanimously saying "Hey! We are still here, we are going to do something about ourselves and the world, and we are going to do it together. You are welcome to join us!" T Notes 1Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1988 (originally published in 1845), p. lO3. 2bell hooks, Black Looks: race and representation. Boston: South End Press, 1992, pp. 167-68. Also see bell hooks and Cornel West, Breaking Bread, Insurgent Black Intellectual Life. Boston: South End Press, 1991, for their discussion on how their Christian beliefs affect how they are as African-American political beings addressing issues including sexism, racism, homophobia, poverty, etc. 3See Cecil Williams, No Hiding Place. San Francisco: HarperC;:ollins, 1992, for his journey to liberation. Pamela Ayo Yetunde, J.D., has worked on issues including nuclear disarmament, South . African apartheid, political asylum, and other human rights concerns. She currently sits on the Reconciling Congregation Program Board. 11 XlSlNG LIXE T}{E P}{OENIX: Evangelism and a New Church Movement Bv M elanie Morrison In 1988, the Holy Spirit was at work in different regions of America's heartland, stirring things up, bringing people together, descending like a dove and ascending like a Phoenix. Unknown to each other, and within months of each other, three new faith communities were being born -Phoenix Community in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Spirit of the Lakes in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Grace Baptist in Chicago, Illinois. These new congregations were not the result of demographic studies, denominational planning, or new church funds. No one could have predicted them. But that is the biblical witness: sometimes the Spirit moves across rigid boundaries, making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. It happened before -times when the Spirit surprised and disrupted the officially adopted church growth programs. It happened when Philip baptized a man who was considered sexually abnormal and outside the faith community because he was a gentile eunuch. It happened when Peter followed his dream and his heart and baptized uncircumcised gentiles and defended his actions by saying, "If God wishes to give them the same gift that God gave us, who am I to stand in the way of the Spirit of God?" It happened when Christians worked for the abolition of slavery and when Antoinette Brown was ordained to the ministry in the mid-1800s. Ithappened with the development of the Metropolitan Community Churches in the late 1960s. It happened as established churches joined programs such as the More Light Churches Network in the 1970s and early 1980s. It happened again in 1988 in Kalamazoo -in Minneapolis -in Chicago -as lesbians and gay men gathered in living rooms to plan and dream and envision new church communities that would be welcoming and hospitable places for people who have experienced the world as unsafe -and the church as the least safe place of all. We are talking church growth here, evangelism, the revival of hearts, the moving of the Spirit. We are talking about gathering in women and men who haven't dared to walk through a church door for ten, twenty, thirty years after hearing one too many times that they were considered sinners and their expression oflove an abomination. We are talking evangelism with the unchurched or better said the dis-churched. In these new base communities and by 1994 there are many more springing up -powerful stories of resurrection are being told and heard: persons confronting fear and learning to act and speak with increasing boldness even when we are afraid. These are stories of people who have experienced the deadness of silences and invisibility and yet responded to the challenge to come out, to choose life, to leave the grave and the closet behind, and to join the community of faith again. Like a Phoenix Rising The story I know best, of course: is that of Phoenix CommunIty Church in Kalamazoo. In October of 1987 my friend and colleague Cyril Colonius was forced to leave the congregation he had served for six years solely because he is gay. In the aftermath of that dismissal I suggested to him that the time had come for us to start a "base" community that would be truly welcoming and liberating for all, including lesbians and gay men. Cyril had previous experience try-. ing to start such a new church in Southwest Michigan. In the early eighties gay men and lesbians were gathering for Bible study in Cyril's home and they decided to approach the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries for funding to start a new congregation. Papers were drawn up, forms filled in, conversations held, and things looked good until the Board for Homeland Ministries reminded Cyril that all of this was contingent upon approval by the local Association. The Association committee said "no" and the venture folded. I told Cyril that this time around yve would do it differently. We would not ask for denominational funding or approval. We would simply do it. We would grow and flourish as a congregation or we would not. If we did become viable and chose someday to seek affiliation like any other new church, then the vote of the Association would not determine our survival. On Ash Wednesday evening, February 17, 1988, eighteen people gathered in Cyril's living room in Kalamazoo to begin conversation about forming a new congregation. We chose the name Phoenix Community Church as a symbol of the hope that gave birth to this church. The phoenix is a mythological bird that rises out of its own ashes to new life. This Egyptian myth was appropriated by the early Christian church as a Open Hands 12 symbol of resurrection. We who gathered in Kalamazoo also appropriated this myth as a symbol of our belief that resurrection is possible out of the ashes of discrimination, self-hatred, and oppression. We set out on a journey together believing that hope like a Phoenix could rise again in us and that God could renew our strength and set us flying. And, indeed we have discovered that God is faithful! By 1990 Phoenix had grown from eIghteen to thirty members. In those first two years we adopted a Mission Statement, Inclusive Language Guidelines, and By-laws, all of which strengthened our understanding of who we are. \Ve put together a New Member's Packet and held regular membership Orientation Sessions. We moved from being primarily a worshipping community to becoming a small church community with educational programs for children and adults. - ~ Stretching the Wider Church W e decided in 1990 to seek affiliation with the United Church of Christ. Toward the end of that year-long process, as the vote about Phoenix was nearing, four meetings were held at different locations around the Association so that members oflocal churches could come and hear the Phoenix story and meet Phoenix members. I felt intense pride as members of Phoenix got up before an audience of strangers and vulnerably told their stories of how they had just about given up hope of ever finding a church home when someone told them about Phoenix Community Church. They witnessed to their faith rebirthed, to their experience of worship being like a homecoming, like finding and being found because they could be who they Spring 1994 are without fear or shame. They invited members of other United Church of Christ churches to join with Phoenix in our ministry and mission, to support us and nurture us and challenge us and say "yes" with us to what the Spirit is doing in our midst. I felt such hope, knowing that no matter what way the vote went, this too was evangelism, this too was church growth. The wider church was being stretched and pushed into new places and we at Phoenix were experiencing community with other church people. Of course, I also felt sadness when ugly remarks were made, when our motives were impugned, when the Bible was once again used as a weapon. I felt protective -fearful that we might have to endure one more rejection at the hands of the church. And I wondered to myself what I would do if we were not accepted. An amazing thing happened on the day of the Association meeting. One by one, members of local churches rose and came to the microphone and told their own stories, made their own testimonials about meeting Phoenix people and worshipping at Phoenix. One pastor of a small town church said that he had been very skeptical and then he and his wife had attended worship at Phoenix and he had experienced the Holy Spirit moving there as he had seldom known it in worship. He said, "1 would be honored to be in partnership with this spirit-filled people." There were also those who spoke against our affiliation, but when the vote was taken, 92 people voted for and 29 against the inclusion of Phoenix into the United Church of Christ. InJune of 1991, more than 200 people from around the Southwest Michigan Association gathered for a covenant service in Kalamazoo to welcome Phoenix Community Church into the United Church of Christ. Cyril and 1 left Phoenix in 1993 and the congregation recently called a new full-time pastor. Phoenix has grown to sixty members, with new people coming to worship most Sundays. Worship attendance frequently exceeds the number of members. As Phoenix grows and matures, the programming continues to diverSify, with study groups, all-church more 1111. 13 retreats, support groups of various kinds, and an educational program for children. Phoenix is also asking what its mission can be in the larger community, beyond welcoming gays and lesbians. Evangelism at Its Best Phoenix and the other new church communities are not only about the task of creating welcoming congregations for lesbians and gay men, but are also committed to liberation theology, to making the links between racism, sexism, classism, ableism, and heterosexism. "In Christ, there is male and female, old and young, disabled and temporarily able bodied, lesbian, gay, and heterosexual." When the Apostle Paul declared: "In Christ there is neither male nor female, Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free" this was a liberating message that proclaimed equality andjustice. However, the proclamation that we are all "one" can sometimes blur our differences and serve to reinforce the norms of the majority. Thus, in our church communities, we might reword Paul's declaration by saying, "In Christ, there is male and female, old and young, disabled and temporarily able bodied, lesbian, gay, and heterosexual." We must celebrate the fact that each of us has particular gifts for ministry and mission not in spite of, but because of, our particular sex, age, race, orientation, and abilities. We are seeking new theological "wineskins" that can adequately hold and convey the good news of God's love and justice for our day, as well as recovering the old language and imagery when it is life-giving and can convey to people in our times the heart of the message. The real-life experience of being an exile can lay the foundations for liberating, welcoming faith communities. That was the wisdom of the ancient prophets who reminded Israel to welcome the stranger and the sojourner because "you know what it is to be a stranger and a sojourner in Egypt." We give more than lip service to hospitality at Phoenix Community Church because we know what it is to be a stranger, an exile, and invisible within many churches. We know how it feels not to hear our true name spoken in a church or have our experiences validated as real and normal. The Message for Already Existing Churches In the early days of Phoenix Community Church, people in other churches asked me: "Why do you find it necessary to start a new congregation? Why not work within existing congregations to make them more open?" My response was: "That is important work. You do it! But some of us can't wait any longer. Too many gay brothers and lesbian sisters have grown impatient and have given up on finding a church home. We need a spiritual home where we tell our stories now, sing our songs now, celebrate our relationships now, hear the good news preached now . .. not later, not sometime." Thankfully, there are already existing congregations that have perceived the urgency of this evangelistic task by declaring themselves Open and Affirming, or Reconciled/ Reconciling, or More Light, etc. Such congregations give the people of Phoenix Community Church hope and strength to carryon, knowing we are part of a wide circle of caring and daring congrega.tions. One of the meanings of this new church movement is that God will not be bound by huma.n barriers or prejudice. God will do the calling and the welcoming. The heart of the matter is not sexual orientation, but as the prophet Micah summed it up, to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk reverently with the Creator ..... This article was adapted from an address delivered at an evangelism and church growth conference at Chicago Theological Seminary, November 4, 1992. The full version is published in The Chicago Theological Seminary Register 84 (Winter/Spring 1994). Melanie Morrison, Ph.D. candidate, is an ordained United Church of Christ minister and one of the fo unding pastors of Phoenix Community Church, UCC in Kalamazoo, Mic higan. She is co-director of Leaven in LanSing, Michigan. MCC: PIONEERS IN LESBIGAY CHU~CH OUtREACH The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Church~s (UFMCC) \fvas feundeCl by the Reverend Troy Perry in 19681:0 mipisteLtb the needs of gaY"men and.,lesbians throughout the world. from t'ts b~ginning}with a single group of twelve members in Los Angeles, the FeUowship has grown to over 32,000 members and 280 churches in 16 countries as 'of May 1,993. In the ~.S. ,there are 230 local churches in 45 states. The l~rg,~stMCC is Cathedral of ~ope ip Dallas (see page 9). The smaUest town ~itn ,an "MCC "church is Eureka Springst 'Arkans~s (population about t:90py 'Foreshadoyving the diversity that was t9 .,. floYi'?T 1r 'the next !wenty-six Yf?ars, th? first servj~e of the firstcongregation"in, 1968, i~cI~ded one ~erson of,(olor (a Lptino), oneJew, and one heterosexual cou'l)Jf?', their backgrounds poth'Catholicand Protestant.~sthe largest interQalidn~iQrgani~a"tio"ribased in the ",lesbian and gay community, UFMCC has gon'e 9nr ecord as being ac~iveIY,committed. to non-violent oppositioq ,tt> "'~ll " formsofl oP8r:ession, inCi udin'g sexism; racism, nationalism, and hom~pnbbia. · . Open Hands 14 od's grace is too vast. We lack the courage to believe in such radical grace, much less to be ts agents in the world. What stands in our way? NotJesus or the Bible, but that old Mfiddler on the roof" -tradition. Customs, ecclesiastical decisions, hurch order, theology, and creeds build 'alls between us and what God so graously offers. jesus taught that God gave the law as a path to life . God was not after aderence to the law as an end in itself. """he law was an instrument to provide ·e. In fact it was originally written, says Exodus 31: 18, "with the finger of God." 'nfortunately, people did not find God -the law. Thus, inJesus, theJew, God's nger began writing again. In john 8:1-11 , we find the familiar ory ofJesus' encounter with a woman 'ho was having an adulterous affair. hile this account is now accepted as anon, it does not appear in the earliest tanuscripts of John's Gospel. Centu..es after the Gospel of John was origially written, an unknown monk tran-~ribing the text, recognizing John's dency to make his point through a .-ry of jesus in action, as Word incarate, must have inserted these verses. John -and in this case, a Spirit-led edior -used the events oEjesus' life to illustrate what God intended the ancient Hebrew law to be -a way of walking in the light, a road to life. In the chapter of John's Gospel immediately preceding this story, an argument between Jesus and the Pharisees ended in an unsuccessful attempt by the Pharisees to have Jesus arrested. Jesus takes a night to retreat and cool off. But the next day, while he is out Spring 1994 teaching, the Pharisees again try to trap him. They bring before him a woman caught in the act of adultery. The law says kill her, they tell jesus. What do you say? Jesus says nothing. Instead he writes with his finger in the dirt. Remember the finger of God, SignalsJesus. Remember the Original Author's intent. Thereby the Word of God incarnate gives God the floor again. Then Jesus rises and says: Folks, let us live what the law requires. If the law kills, and one of you is clean enough to execute this woman, then go ahead. Jesus, and Jesus alone, was clean enough. Ifhe had come to fulfill the law in that way, he could have cast the first stone. But he does not. Later, when the defenders of the law have gone, Jesus shows the woman what the writing of God's finger really means. I don't condemn you, he says. God is after life, yours too. I'm giving you space. Go live in that space . Live! Don't turn against the God of life. Sin no more. Rather, trust the life God gives you if you follow me. Then you will know no condemnation. Experts on the law, whether Jew or Christian, live in condemnation -and spread it far and wide. Jesus, on the other hand, calls Christians and Jews alike to make room for sinners, to provide them a space free of condemnation. If you follow me, he says, you will have the light of life. Ifyou do not use rules, orders, commandments, and laws to burden and judge people even when they have clearly transgressed -then you will see the light and walk toward life. And you will be a light that shows life to others. Unfortunately, many Christians read Jesus' words and focus on "sin no more" until it becomes a fence around "neither do I condemn you." We understand Jesus' words to mean, "This time, I'n let you go, but never do it again -or elsel Sin again and the handwriting is on the wall." With such words, we take a step forward and then a step back. We never. fully accept that God in Christ does not condemn us. And what we have not accepted for ourselves, we can seldom pass on to others. (If we do pass it on, we do so begrudgingly, because deep inside, we are unable to accept it for ourselves.) Ifwe insist on haunting people with "sin no more," we have missed the point ofJesus' words. When people -gay and straight, male and female, rich and poor -experience in the church the "no condemnation" of Christ, they are thereby experiencing God's way of dealing with sin. We are invited to place our trust in God's way of no condemnation -and through our every action to show the world that way. ... This article was adapted from Hart's article "No Condemnation" in The Other Side, September-October 1993. Used with permission of The Other Side, 300 W. Apsley, Philadelphia, PA 19144. Subscriptions: $29.50 per year. Hendrik Hart is a staff member ofthe Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto, Ontario, a research and teaching institution in the Reformed tradition. 15 Confession ofSins o Holy Dreamer-into-Being, you created us, life forms on a single planet of the billions you made, to give yourself pleasure. You want us to talk back, and to return the love you invest in us. You sent your living Word, J esus, to speak clearly. But we persistently disobey and misunderstand him. We regret what we do and what we leave undone. We know you are merciful. o God, like a loving parent, forgive us. We are victims of our fears We seal the doors of the upper room, attempting to contain Christ for ourselves, and we exclude his world. o God, forgive us, and burst open the doors. We are hypocrites like stale sponges Trying to cleanse the church of all who will not conform to our own personal mores and taboos. o God, forgive us, and scour our hearts. We are cowards to society Allowing demographics and the flow of dollars to determine who will be our neighbors, and refusing to be neighbors to those whom Christ has called. o God, forgive us, and help us make new friends. We are traitors to your Word From our heritage of ancient laws, we observe some and break others. We use the Bible as a weapon to slash at the very people whom you command us to save. o God, forgive us, and help us heal their wounds. We are tightwads Withholding wealth to punish the church for daring to aid the politically incorrect. We have extorted comfort at the cost of compassion. o God, forgive us, and ransack our wallets. We are blowhards Touting the sweet decency of our niceness, as though we alone were above judgment and all others beneath contempt. o God, forgive us, and silence us with your grace. We are, paid mourners for the mainline church -, Blaming its demise on those who try to open its doors and its closets for tens of thousands for whom Christ died. o God, forgive us, and make us faithful. David Romig was a member of the Joint Committee on Worship that prepared the Presbyterian Worshlpbook. Open Hands 16 A Litany ofTrust in God Leader: In the many silences of the heart, 0 God, when feeling is beyond saying, your faithful people everywhere wait upon your Spirit. In the silence of joy -when a baby is born, when a sunset blazes, when a loved one is restored to health, when peace replaces strife People: In our joy, we wait upon you, 0 God. We give you thanks and praise. Leader: In the silence of sorrow -when love is lost, when pain is too constant a companion, when time brings change that is hard to bear, when death seems victorious People: In our sorrow, we wait upon you, 0 God. You alone are our rock and our refuge. Leader: In the silence of anger -when justice is postponed until tomorrow, when violence shatters body and soul, when prejudice sets neighbor against neighbor, when no one will listen People: In our anger, we wait upon you, 0 God. Teach us the ways of justice and mercy. Leader: Let us put our trust where it belongs, not in our positions or power or wealth, for such things are lighter than breath. People: In our joy, our sorrow, our anger, we trust in God's unfailing love and guidance. We rely upon the blessing of being a community of faith, a Church universal. Sisters and brothers of many colors, ages, sexual orientations, and abilities, we are one in Christl Together, let us wait upon the God of our salvation I This litany is based on Psalm 62:5-12 for January 23, 1994 in the New Common Lectionary; used for Ecumenical Welcoming Church Sunday, 1994. Ann B. Day, M.Div., is an ordained minister. She serves as the ONA Program Coordinator for the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns. Spring 1994 17 T E MARKETING THE GOSPEL: A FAITHFUL CHOICE By Martha Scott At first glance, evangelism and ministry with and for the gay; lesbian, and bisexual community seem mutually exclusive. This is especially clear on Sunday morning, when (with my channel selector in hand) I qUickly review the TV evangelists. A Pharisaic View of Evangelism From the religious Right, who dominate the airwaves, there is no good news for gay, lesbian, and bisexual Christians. In fact, it is impossible to be a Christian and be anything but heterosexual. This is a narrow if not false understanding of evangelism. ' The religious Right (and many moderate Christians) choose to define evangelism in its most Pharisaic terms. National holiness will be reached when all have obeyed every law and code of personal holiness. Those who challenge and do not keep these codes are denied the promises of God and should be eliminated in order to preserve the purity of the "chosen." Herein lies the error of Pharisaic evangelism, for Jesus held a rather irreverent view of personal holiness codes: he spoke to women, touched bleeding women, ate with tax collectors and prostitutes, exalted the faithfulness of Samaritans (Gentiles), discounted the ritual cleansing of dishes and the washing of hands before eating, and blasphemed the Sabbath laws by plucking grain and healing the sick 1 Those who promote Pharisaic religion err if they think salvation can be equated with personal holiness codes. Another View of Evangelism The Good News is that Pharisees are not in charge of the distribution of the Holy Spirit or the promises of God. God is. And God shows no partiality. Evangelism means helping God's people recognize that they are children of God, God's creation, people of sacred worth. It is offering words of God's love and promise for them. Itis inviting and welcoming them to live in right relationship with God and neighbor in the new heaven and earth, the kindom of God.2 Those who see evangelism in its largest context will want one focus to be on the community of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals for welcome and initiation into the kindom of God. To this end, there are some important demographic trends and life styles to which welcoming congregations will want to pay attention as they reach out. But first, a word about advertiSing and marketing. Marketing the Gospel Many of us are almost repulsed by the idea of "marketing the Gospel. " We think that somehow people should be dedicated to research a community for its churches, looking into each church's beliefs and when and how to contact its pastor or a member of the congregation for more information. We seem to believe that the initiative to find our church is to be left up to those who might be looking for a new church home. During a recent trip as a church development consultant in Wisconsin, I and several other members of the committee (who had never been to this church before) spent almost an hour looking for the only United Methodist Church in town. Not only did the gas station attendants and business community not know where it was, but there were no signs anywhere. I did, however, pass at least six signs for the antique gun show that weekend. Our churches are some of the best kept secrets around. In part this is why they are dying. Four points about church advertising are worth mentioning. First, growing churches in general have growing budgets for advertising. Advertising is to evangelism what the yellow pages are to business. Both must assume that what they offer is ofvalue to the public. Churches must also recognize that people, especially the Boomers, are busy. They don't shop around and do Open Hands 18 :-esearch projects on churches. They are ~ost likely to be attracted to what they .ear about. Second, there is no excuse for not ad··tising. Too often my colleagues retort at advertising is fine for "First Church" ecause they have money. But their ~urch and its budget is too small. Non--- se! All the leading book stores have _..ekes of books in the business section marketing on small budgets and for . 1-profit agencies. (See page 27.) -:hird, advertising in the gay and lesbicommunity is worth its weight in gold. a ~1arketing Insights Report from m ean Demographics entitled "Non ztional Affluent Consumers" John ebel writes: "Given the short history ational marketers advertising di;' to the gay and lesbian market, any 'enising has an exaggerated impact."3 .11S is true in the secular world, it is more true in the religiOUS realm. A reh today that goes out of its way, and even stands against its parent denomination, to welcome gays and lesbians will share this exaggerated impact. Those of us who have marched with our congregations in Gay Pride Parades across the country know that even though some observers are infuriated, many more have cheered on our efforts. If the church you serve is not yet ready for such a blatant witness, take heart in Knoebel's other finding: "It's really not necessary to create special advertising for the gay and lesbian market."4 Simply advertising in gay/lesbian newspapers and newsletters, on business and organization bulletin boards, and in their neighborhoods is welcomed as a sign of acceptance and will bring response. Fourth, it is essential that advertiSing thegospel be done well. These days, content of ideas must be accompanied by quality presentation. Invest in a couple of good books that not only suggest KEEPING OUR DOORS W IDE OPEN By David K. Hartley and Wilbert S. Miller 'LUcated one and a half miles north of the White House in Washington, D.C., Augustana _~t"eran Church is in a strategic location to develop intentional ministries in the midst of a cors:antly changing neighborhood:. Founded by Swedish immigrants in 1918, the congre_a~on moved to its currentlocation in the Dupont Circle neighborhood in 1937. . " the early 1950s, as whites were fleeing to the suburbs and blacks were moving in, gJstana dug in and reached out to its changing neighborhood. In an evangelism gram called "Operation One Mile" members conducted house-to-house visitation in a e-"1:le radius, inviting pES,ople to join Augustana. Our membership is now approximately ercent African-American. This historic outreach program has guided Augustana's g ever since. ,As the neighborhood continued to change, Augustana's vision remained constant: keep e doors open to all people who live in our community so that they can hear the good ~ws of Jesus. Thus, when the neighborhood became a nucleus for gay men and lesbian ,""e"l in the 1980s, we openly welcomed yet another new group by becoming one oNhe l ~econciled in Christ congregations in the Washington area, by advertising in the gay -~er. The Blade, by starting an AIDS ministry, and by providing support for Lutherans ....."'"cerned. Perhaps 20 percent of the congregation is now gay. ~e"l years ago, our membership was 280; today it is 460. Gays have joined Swedes and 1...."~, lcan-Americans (the three groupsare not mutually exclusive) in fellowship and in worship ._l ~od in a joyous array of diversity. Continuing our welcoming stance, we recently established an outreach ministry to the 'ng Latino presence by calling a Salvadorean-American to lead a 30-household commu.' "ow being integrated into Augustana's mainstream~ Ministries are also taking place for •.... e elderly poor and school-age youth. ugustana expects to be at its present address in the year 2094, tailoring ministries to the needs of its parish and keeping the doors wide open to all people. Indeed, God has cal ed us to be the steward of the good news at this corner of the universe. Since "God so ed the world'} we too have an awesome opportunity and responsibility to love the world +" the same openness and enthusiasm. a. 'd K. Hartley, M.A, who chairs Augustana's Social Ministry Committee, is a real estate appraiser for ~A'l-profit organizations and is active in Lutherans Concerned and civic affairs. . bert S. Miller, M. Div., served an inner-city parish in Phifadelphia prior to coming to Augustana in J982. ~pring 1994 ways of advertising, but demonstrate how to present the material in a way that maximizes the attractiveness of the content. (See page 27.) Looking at Demographics Once you've decided to reach out to the gay and lesbian community, it is important to know a few important demographic variables about that community -like how many are out there, where are they, and what are they like . First, the nUII1bers. There is no consensus about what percentage of the human community is gay or lesbian. In general I would dismiss the "one in ten" theory (25 million, including children) and accept Knoebel's figures: 4-6 million gay men and 2-4 million lesbians. Combined, these numbers are twice or three times higher than membership in many of our mainline Protestant churches. Though the smaller number is the safer guess, this is still a large number of people -many of whom are unchurched! In addition, the gay / lesbian community has parents, siblings, and friends who despise traditional church stands on gays and lesbians. There are still others who fall on the straight side, but who have had same-sex relationships. These statistics would all be much more precise if people could safely record their sexual preference in the u.s. Census survey. Until then, we will have to predict. And we could predict that if politicians and marketers take the gay / lesbian population seriously, the church should want to as well. Second, each denomination already has a "market share" depending on the geographical region being considered . United Methodism, for instance, could expect that at least 5-8 percent of the population in Nashville, Tennessee is United Methodist. Less than 5 percent of the population of gays and lesbians in Chicago are probably United Methodist. United .Methodism is simply stronger in the Nashville area than in Chicago. Third, and more importantly, if the growth of the Metropolitan Community Church is any indicator (and I believe it is) denominational lines in the lesbigay community are very fluid . more 1111. 19 Denominational loyalty wanes when acceptance is historically withheld. It peaks and crosses over to new alliances when welcome is evident. Thus, the "potential pool" of new lesbigay members for any church is larger than its denominational demographics predict. Other Variables M arketing research on the lesbian and gay community offers us other information that will help us locate and identify this community. Although gays, lesbians, and bisexuals are everywhere, they are most numerous in urban areas. The reasons are obvious: cities are more diverse and accommodating; it is easier to be anonymous; and, ironically perhaps, it is easier to find a like community in the city. The lesbigay community also congregates in college and university towns for at least some part of its life. A higher than average educational achievement means a Significant number of lesbigay persons have a higher than average income, which may give them access to wealthier or economically developing areas of a city or suburb. Most importantly, gay and lesbian people are diverse in their sharing of themselves. Knoebel has suggested a wave theory. Simply stated, older gay and lesbian people may continue to want to stay closeted. It is the way they have learned to survive. The church may offer real sanctuary, but sharing will need to be at their initiation. Some of the younger ones will openly share their sexual preference and if the church doesn't like it -tough. In addition, there are those who have benefited from being out, may have even been hired because they were out. For others, being out would cost them their jobs -clearly a decision they mayor may not make. Because demographic information is difficult to obtain, Overlooked Opinions has created the first and only lesbigay opinion polling firm. Their research is based on a panel of 100,000 gay men, lesbians, and bisexual men and women. Some interesting statistics emerge from the lesbigay population that was sampled. It is well-educated, with a fairly high standard of living. Over half of the lesbian couples and over a third of the gay men share a household. They enjoy reading, eating out, the theater, and camping (65 percent of the lesbians sampled go camping). Only 13 percent of gay men are Republicans. Finally, 79 percent of gays and lesbians made purchases based on gay media advertising.s Implications for our Outreach Church marketing and programming should take note that the church may be asked to perform holy unions, especially with lesbian women, who are partnering around living quarters. Programming and worship will need to appeal to both the intellect and the aesthetic soul of the worshipper. In addition, political allegiances suggest that this group will be most comfortable with liberal arguments and might be attracted by social service projects and systemic social change ministries. Support groups might be focused around a reading group for lesbians or a dining out group for gay men. Advertising in gay media that the church is open and welcoming will probably bring visitors. So what ifyou aren't in an urban area, or a college town, and you can't tell if there are any gay men, lesbians, or bisexual people around town? Does it make sense to raise the issue? Sure it does. There are probably closeted people there. Also, all areas will likely have family members of gay men, lesbians, or bisexual persons. Evangelism is sharing God's love in word and action. It involves us in transforming the world from hate to love, from oppressive structures to "just" communities, from religion as a purity code to religion as a corporate condition of the heart, wherein we choose to live in right relationship to God and neighbor. This will be good news to the lesbigay community and anyone else who has ever been made to feel that their ostracism and persecution from the church or society was the will of God. We need to put an end to Bible abuse. God shows no partiality and the Bible is GOOD NEWS. ~ Notes lSee Donald Kraybill, "Impious Piety," Upside Down Kingdom. Scottdale, PA Herald Press, 1978, ch. 8. 2The term "kindom" is used by many people; originator unknown. See Ada Maria IsasiDiaz, "Solidarity: Love of Neighbor in the 1980s," Lift Every Voice. ed . Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite and Mary Potter Engel. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1990, p. 33. 3John Knoebel, "Non-Traditional Affluent Consumers," American Demographics. Ithaca, NY, p. 8. 4Ibid., p. 7 5Overlooked Opinions, 3162 N. Broadway, #2, Chicago, IL 60657. Editor's note: In general, a sample this large would safeguard reliability, but given the hiddenness of part of the lesbigay population, one must acknowledge that the sample may be skewed toward lesbigays who are more "out," more oriented to the lesbigay community, and/or more consumer oriented than the total lesbigay population might be if we could get a truly random sample of it. Martha Scott, Ph.D., is an ordained elder in theNorthern Illinois Conference and has served churches for the last nineteen years. She now directs the Office of Field Education and Church Relations and is lecturer in Preaching and Practical Ministry Skills at the University of Chicago Divinity School. GROWTH ABOUNDS IN WELCOMING CHURCHES Church/Location Official Decision Membership Membership to be Welcoming Then Now McKinley Memorial Presbyterian 1980 Champaign, IL St. Mark's Lutheran 1984 San Francisco, CA Wallingford UMC 1984 Seattle, WA Northeast UCC 1989 Indianapolis, IN Second Congregational 1992 Bennington, VT 191 207 163 487 l56 270 151 179 303 340 Open Hands 20 n InTER-FAITH cominG OUT DAY IERVICE ....... . --ersity Catholic Center. -fundamentalist Catholic stus who objected to the co-sponsorof the inter-faith service by the niversity United Methodist Church, located at the center of the campus of the Univer:: of Wisconsin-Madison, hosted an er-faith celebration of National Com. g Out Day on Sunday, October 10, _93. Nearly 200 persons attended the ~:ice which was co-sponsored and pported by fourteen local churches d synagogues. -rhe service was widely advertised as ".itness for the overcoming of indiference, fear, hatred and violence rough understanding, truth, love and mpassion." It drew substantial front e coverage from local newspapers mainstream and lesbian/gay. It also ': a small group who picketed the ur interfaith service grew out of an rmal gathering of members and ers of local faith communities who e responding to threatening letters oed by University Church and other . congregations kn own to have n a welcoming stance towards les. .5, gays, and bisexuals. In addition o-hosting this service, participating communities intend to maintain a a. network for mutual support and mstry. . 'niversity United Methodist Church so signed on as a co-sponsor of a sees of events organized by the Ten Pert Society (an officially recognized ,-sbigay student organization at the -ni\-ersity of Wisconsin-Madison). The rpring 1994 By Iteven E. UJeb/ter Ten Percent Society reciprocated by publicizing the interfaith service as the opening event of their Coming Out Week. What is National Coming Out Day? National Coming Out Day is a holiday created by the movement for the equal rights oflesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people. Itoriginated as a commemoration of the first nationwide march on Washington which occurred in October of 1987. That march is credited with reinvigorating the lesbian and gay movement by giving greater viSibility to sexual minorities which share the experience of being "in the closet" and who seek liberation through "coming out." As a "secular" holiday, National Coming Out Day lends itself well to interfaith celebrations in much the same way as Thanksgiving Day, a holiday which does not belong to any one faith tradition. Our Witness and Outreach: A Truly Recondling Event Our interfaith service began with a guided meditation by the ReverendJonaluJohnstone, a local Unitarian pastor, who led us through the spiritual isolation and darkness of the "closet" into the liberating experience of "coming out." This meditation set the tone for the rest of the service, underscoring the spiritual dimensions of this shared experience of many lesbians and gays, spiritual dimensions which are also relevant to non-gay persons. The choir of University United Methodist Church sang the hymn "These Things Shall Be" by John Addington Symonds, a gay man in 19th century Victorian England. (Unitarian hymnal has an inclusive version.) It is a hymn particularly appropriate to Coming Out Day because its author lived "in the closet" in Victorian England, but chose to "come out" to the future by writing of his private struggles as a gay man and taking care that the manuscript would be preserved to be published in 1984 as The Memoirs of John Addington Symonds.l Those who gathered were addressed by Wisconsin State Assemblywoman Tammy Baldwin, an out-of-the-closet lesbian representing a Madison state assembly district, and Professor Joanne Elder, a Quaker and member of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. The interfaith service, which was titled "Coming Out, Coming Together", was truly a reconciling event. Itbrought together persons of a wide range of ages, thirty members of a Unitarian youth group, lesbian, gay and heterosexual persons, lay and clergy, Catholics, Lutherans,Jews, Quakers, United Methodists, Unitarians, Presbyterians, and United Church of Christ. And as the service began, some persons left the picket line and accepted an invitation extended to them by members of University Church to attend the service, .. Note IGrosskurth,.Phyllis, editor, The Memoirs of John Addington Symonds. New York: Random House, 1984, Steven E. Webster participates in lay leadership at University Church and is active as a lay preacher in various Wisconsin pulpits. His unsuccessful attempt to secure ordination in the United Methodist Church as an openly gay person received nationwide attention in 1974 and led him to join in the founding of Af firmation in 1975. University Church considers the campus of the University of Wisconsin to be its primary field of mission. 21 BECOMING A LESBIAN EVANGELIST: Model for £) N£)tion£)1 Outre£)ch Ministry The Presbyterian Church u.s.A. says in the Book of Order that it is called to be Christ's faithful evangelist by: • "participating in God's activity in the world through its life for others by healing, reconciling and binding up wounds . .. • "ministering to the needs of the poor, the sick, the lonely, and the powerless . .. • "engaging in the struggle to free people from sin, fear, oppression, hunger, and injustice . .. • "undertak[ingl this mission even at the risk of losing its life, trusting in God alone as the author and giver of life, sharing the gospel, and doing those deeds in the world that point beyond themselves to the new reality in Christ. " When my call to the co-pastor position at Downtown United Presbyterian 1ti By J()oie Ad()ms 5pi\hr the Book of Order and from pondering the word "evangelist" the vision came and DUPC Co-pastor Rose Mitchell called to share the group's vision with me: DUPC would seek a partnership with Spectrum, Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Concerns, in San Anselmo, California where I was serving as Executive Director. DUPC would create and fund a special mission project and Spectrum would serve as the hiring body and fiscal agent. This mission project would be called "That All May Freely Serve." I would then move from being Spectrum's executive director to being an evangelist. I would be homebased in San Rafael, California, through Spectrum. I would be given the opportunity to translate, live, speak our truth, spread the good news of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people. We would be talking about integrating our JY. Coni and I listened, prayed, and spoke with our family. We walked the beach near the Golden Gate Bridge, holding hands and watching the waves roll in at dusk. We smiled to one another. "I know," she said, and she waited. She always waits for me to come to what she intUitively knows deep inside. "You were born to do this work," she said. "Maybe there'll be times that we can do this together." "When you can break free from your work," I said. She smiled at me and answered "I h ope so." We walked qUietly back along the shore, holding hands. It was dark by then. We drove home and held each other tightly all night. I woke up very early the next morning. After telling my staff at Spectrum, Coni and I called DUPC and I said "yes, I would become an evangelist." On the Road On February 28. 1993, I said goodbye as executive director of Spec- I '".. , t, .UI 1\ ::;!: ~. ~ 1111 • ,,", I • "., ,,'~ ....... ~. I III nl~~IOtI~~ .... .r::""f;::~all."IIJIIII~!!Jm::m;!~~1II1*lm:·~:.·l a ~ ~ "":: :: 'Hlln ft 1.. : ~~,... lll1ih;' •~.-~;iiiiil.... 7.1111 ;;..::1::: :.:.:. ~"....Jel. ---:kt. ...._ ... .-.. 8 .. 1::1 ~'1 1111 ~I •••ln~'.H""'rJm111 HThatAl1 May Freely Serve" ' ~ 1~, ,,~al; ~ I~'~ Church (DUPC) in Rochester, New York was denied by the General Assembly PermanentJudicial Commission in November of 1992, a group of faithful Downtown Church members and committed friends gathered and asked, "How can we bring into concrete form the Good News of the gospel for our day? How can we make concrete an inclusive vision of ministry?" Through prayer and discernment upon reading this particular chapter in sexuality and spirituality as well as inviting heterosexual allies and friends to join us in a movement of the spirit. What a vision! A friend of mine said, "You have always been an evangelist, you have always spread God's good news of inclusiveness. This work would take you across the country to do what you already do so well." trum. The next day I flew to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, my home town, as a lesbian evangelist. From that moment on, I have experienced a spiritual opening far beyond what I could have dreamed. I have witnessed in the people across this country a yearning for truth-telling, for authenticity, and for delving deep into God and themselves -a partnering with God. I have clocked thousands of miles on several airlines and met thousands of people who have shared their Open Hands 22 stories of the heart, grappled with me m asking their difficult questions, cried, laughed, b een angry, open, cranky, .•opeful, and despondent. I have witnessed the most sacred of oments: a woman preparing to die in Burlington, Vermont saying good-bye to er partner, her former husband, and eir children; a mother coming out to er son in Portland, Oregon; a mother d father telling me of a stained glass .ndow soon to be put in their church noring their gay son who died of -DS. I have met college students askb hard questions in their own lives ut sexuality and spirituality; pastors ishing to be all of who they are with elf congregation s; seminarians rough tears saying "I know I have been ..ed to this work, Janie. I don't want lie about who I am, for it is a gift to who I am. Please help me deal with .15 pain." I have also received (and ob_~5si\'ely answered) thousands ofletters m across this country. I am deeply ched by the openness and care that mes across the pages. Talking about sexuality and spiritu; helps people talk from deep inside. ;";.5 one woman in Atlanta put it, "We n't even talk about heterosexuality, let ne homosexuality." And she smiled me and said, "But I guess we will '." Another person in Los Angeles d. ". . . as an older person, we never <.ed about these things. But you know ~at, 1 found out I'm talking about a of deep things I never talked about iVre." Another yelled at me at a gath...g. "I hate you,]anie Spahr, for makme think about things I don't want ink about." ':herever we go, we are astounded .He people and the truth-telling that rs. Whether we are in a meeting or e-on-one, we know that we have been uch with the angels of God. In fact, ..ave been in touch with God Her1have never known as clearly as I -e come to know this year the text, . where two or three are gathered in -name, so I am in the midst of you." eam Effort his ministry is a huge team effort fro m the touring partners like ..ny Davidson who travel with me, to :rng 1994 Susie and Cyndy who spend many God's inclusive love and a vision of an hours each week in San Rafael, Califorinclusive church where everyone has nia getting the administrative tasks access to the table and to leadership. T done, to Stan and Suzanne who run the Information Office at DUPC in RochJanie Adams Spahr, ester, New York, to people every place D.Min., lesbian fem inist in between. We are touched by the wonPresbyterian minister der of God's people and well aware of and evangelist, is the the tremendous effort being done so mother of two sons, Jim that we can be on the road again and and Chet. Her life partagain and again. ner, Coni Staff, is a Being a lesbian evangelist is an amazUFMCC minister. ing experience -an incredible opportunity to spread -and to receive back Artist: Patricia Wygant [jar the ''That All a hundredfold -the good news of May Freely Serve" logo] REACHING ,out ISA WAY OF 1.:1 FE ByRosemaryC.Mitchell Th~ D9wntown Church (DUPC) has a long ,history ?fihv6lvement in social justice issues. From the days of the. Ladies Missipnary Society that reached out to "stranger girls" who had found theirway to Rochester, New York on t~.e:Erie .CanaI, to inyolvemenf in Temperance (an early women's movement), to declaring ourselves a Sanctuary Church and a More Light Church, Downtown's members have never he~itatedto preach, discussi or get involved in the issues. It is "8 way of Hfe for us. Members expea that difficult topics or situations will be addressed il:) sermons and talked about in adult classes ANDthat we will move to action as? faith com~unity. Declaring ourselyes a More ~JghtChurch in 1979 just made sense.The decision followed a great dear of intentional study and discussion. Since 1979 there have been courses on Sexyality and Spirituality orHomosexuality and the Bible every year, This continuing education of our congregation has increas?d·the comfort level and the ability of members to articulate their own beliefs., During the firstyear following pur call to Janie Spahr to serve as a co-pastor, ,no one"left and no one witbdrew their financial pledge! Almost everyone who has joined BUPC in the last three or four years is coming. back aft:f years away. from the church -and they're looking for a church which reflects their "sixties" values of inclusivity, participatory decision-making,aod an open discussion of ·theologic~lissues. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons have trusted us. . and our words that we are inde~d ·. a Vl{elcoming chyrch and that membership means full membership..Having gay and lesbian members actively participate has increased the understanding and knowledge of our whole congregation. As strangers have become friends and shared .their stories with us, they have been a real gift to qur lifetogethef as God's household of faith . Rosemary C. Mitchell, M.Div.,.has been a full-;..timePresbyte'rian pastor since'}977 and hasserved churches in Needham, Massachusetts, Washington, D. C. and Rochester, New York, She has co-authored two volumes entitled Birthing~and BI.essings: Liberating Warship far the Inc:/usive Church. She is married and the mother of three terrific children. 23 WELCOMING SEXUAL MINORITY PERSONS: A Checklist By Partners in Reconciliation of the Metanoia Peace Community HOW can congregations welcome sexual minority persons? This checklist was created by fourteen sexual minority persons from four denominations who gathered with Rev. Joyce McManus especially to help create this list. All had searched for congregations where they could feel welcomed and affirmed. All had struggled to help their home congregation understand the ways they had felt excluded because of their sexual orientation. Several had changed churches when they found their congregation unwilling to listen to their experiences. Basic Welcoming Responses o l. People in the congregation initiate and value conversations with newcomers. o 2. People in the congregation recognize new persons the second time they come. o 3. The language used in conversations reflects an awareness of diversity in family units: e.g., asking about spouse rather than husband. o 4. Printed materials include the words gay, lesbian, bisexual. o 5. Inclusive language is used. (Three men agreed: if a church hasn't worked through inclusive language issues, it probably isn't ready to welcome me.) o 6. People in the congregation express genuine interest in getting acquainted, even when conversations focus on homosexual concerns or relationships. o 7. Newcomers are seen as persons, not as an issue or objects of study. o 8. Being Single is honored graciously. Assumptions about sexual identity or the desire to "cruise" are held in check. o 9. Stereotypes are challenged; e.g., that you are only homosexual if you are in a relationship or that all single homosexuals are looking for a sexual encounter. 010. Care is taken not to "out" anyone. 011. Congregational members acknowledge that new persons may be a couple, and then follow the visitors' lead. Some may wish to acknowledge a relationship publicly; others may not. Integrating Sexual Minority Persons into a Congregation o l. Couples' events and classes are usually open to same sex couples. o 2. Most congregational activities are not segregated by age and sex. o 3. Anniversaries of same-sex couples are celebrated in the same way as anniversaries of heterosexual couples. o 4. Sexual minority persons who have skills and interest in working with children and youth in the congregation are welcome to do so. o 5. Persons are asked to serve on committees because of their gifts and abilities, not as token representatives. o 6. The congregation's welcoming task force or committee is not always chaired by a gay or lesbian member. This committee is integrated into the churcns committee structure, not ad hoc. o 7. There are times and places where sexual minority persons can congregate as a group to be with people who have the same sexual orientation (without other members getting upset or panicked). o 8. In phone and picture directories, family units are recognized as such. o 9. Greeters or liturgy teams are mixed, not always malefemale teams. 0 10. Members of the congregation are offered opportunities to learn about the history and experiences of gay and lesbian people. These programs are well received by the whole congregation. o 11. Current events within the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community are announced and celebrated. Political Solidarity in the Midst of Uncertainty o 1. The congregation identifies itself openly as a community where sexual minority persons are welcomed and included. 24 Open Hands _ Leaders disavow the "Don't make waves" position, recognizing that silence supports discrimination and alienation of homosexuals. 3. The congregation devotes resources and staff support for developing new ministries with and for sexual minority persons. .. 1embers of the congregation receive training in how to respond to derogatory comments that belittle homosexual or bisexual persons. -: he congregation organizes or endorses public activitles which support civil rights for sexual minority persons. ...{embers of the congregation initiate conversations with -heir friends, sharing their experiences with sexual mirity persons. hnisters are actively involved in welcoming commitlees or advocacy work. ~"""'~iU Peace Community is a United Methodist Reconciling Co ngrePortland, Oregon. Partners in Reconciliation is a ministry of A PASTOR' S FOOTNOTE By Joyce McManus ave spent the last ten years of my life working with egations around concerns of church growth and a'. Most congregations perceive that they are friendly e coming and they are friendly -to theirfriends! ',ever, until members of a congregation take on den of seeing t hemselves through t he eyes of the -=..r~lT\er they often are not welcoming to new persons. ge you to go back through the list and look at your through the eyes of a female visitor who is a 'nority person. Ask yourself, "What is the likeliat the people who speak to her will be sensitive in arguage to the fact that she may be a lesbian even =,h she has not identified herself as such? If during 2r COllcerns, she mentions the loss of her friend to someone sitting near her speak to her after ~._"""T'chin. specifically mentioning her prayer request? In on are there illustrations that include gay per. I your lesbian visitor see any printed material assures her t hat she too is welcome and wanted SIng this list as a resource, evangelism or outreach ttees might discover new ways to welcome sexual ltv persons. e McManus, M. Div. , was called in 1993 as a cor of Metanoia Peace Community, a Reconciling gregation of the United Methodist Church in PortOregon, to direct the ministry of Partners in Recon- PASTOR-IN-EXILE: Another Model of Outreach Metanoia Peace Community is a new, unconventional, more biblically-based United Methodist congregation whose vision emerged from the World Peacemaker Group in Portland, Oregon in mid-1985. Begun by John Schwiebert, an ordained United Methodist minister, and supported by the bishop and annual conference, Metanoia began worship services in June 1986. In 1988 Metanoia declared itself a "Sanctuary Church" and in 1990 a "Reconciling Congregation." Members and sojourners of Metanoia are encouraged to live together and share resources, where possible, as an expression of Christian community. Every member is expected to be accountable to her/ his peers through participation in a Covenant Discipleship Group of four to eight persons who meet weekly in homes of members. Metanoia Peace Community currently has two clearly defined missions. The older of the two is the Peace House/Grief Watch Mission. Nine Metanoians live together at 18th Ave Peace House sharing income. Another income-sharing community is being formed a block away. Other members share living space and expenses, but not income. Four full-time "missioners" oversee the Peace House and run a program known as Perinatal Loss which ministers to parents who are experiencing grief follOWing the death of a son or daughter. The second and newer mission of Metanoia is Partners in Reconciliation which has several goals: • to create within the larger church and the wider public a climate ofunderstanding in which gay people and straight people are able to respect and trust each other; • to foster healing and reconciliation in response to the current climate of fear, hate, and mistrust which has given rise to antihomosexual ballot measures in Oregon; • to overcome the real fears of persons who perceive sexual minority persons as "queer"; • to challenge our sister United Methodist congregations and the United Methodist Church as a denomination to fully include and value sexual minority persons. A major effort of this mission is the support of the full-time public ministry ofJoyce McManus, a United Methodist clergywoman and a lesbian, both as co-pastor of Metanoia Peace Community and as a sexual minority activist in the wider church and community. Joyce serves in defiance of the United Methodist denominational policy against the appointment of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals" as pastors. She is officially on leave of absence from the Northern Illinois Conference, where she had previously served as a pastor, prior to "coming out" as a lesbian in June of 1993. She serves with Metanoia as a "pastor-inexile" in anticipation of the day when the United Methodist Church will end its discriminatory policy and allow her to be formally appointed by a bishop to the position she now holds or to some other pastoral assignment. .. This article was excerpted from "What Is Metanoia Peace Community?" written by Metanoia's co-pastor John T Schwiebert. 994 25 priate referrals. If a young person comes out to you or another youth group member, know where to locate help. Social and support groups are often the best emotional and spiritual healers for these W hy should you and your church reach out to lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth in whatever capacity you are able? The number one reason is that lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth can contribute to your group. Their unique culture, history, and experiences can bring new energy to topics such as relationships, politics, biblical interpretation, historical figures, humor, art, and many other subjects. You may be able to put lesbigay youth in touch with their history and culture. Your efforts on behalf of lesbigay youth can also help stem many of the difficulties they face because of homophobia, including but not limited to: isolation, violence and harassment,l suicide,2 high school drop out,3 substance abuse,4 homelessness,5 family tension, and strained relationships. These difficulties are not rare cases. In the last year, in SWAGLY (a lesbian and gay social support group in Worcester, Massachusetts) three members dropped out of school due to overwhelming harassment. Two young people were turned out of the house for at least one month. Almost all members were at some time frustrated that they could not pursue truth-based relationships with family and friends. All in a group ofless than fifteen members! Homophobia affects more than lesbigay youth. Raising issues in mixed youth groups may also help youth with lesbian or gay parents, young people experiencing a close friend's coming out process, young heterosexuals dehumanized by their homophobic actions against others, and those locked into rigid gender roles. You may also help stem premature sexual activity, a homophobia-driven dysfunction which many youth engage in to assert their heterosexuality or as an attempt to convert from homosexuality. How you can reach out Raise the issue. Openly integrate lesbian, gay, and bisexual people into your language. Be a role model. If you are lesbigay, help young people learn social skills such as combating internalized homophobia and coming out. If you are heterosexual, demonstrate to youth how to affirm and appreciate all people regardless of sexual orientation. Support your youth ministers', public school teachers' and youth leaders' efforts to provide homophobia and sexuality education and outreach to lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth in your local or regional youth groups. Train youth leadership. Sponsor workshops. Provide appro- LeUlM"",Youth This was the front panel of the brochure for the first social-support Together youth group in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul Twin Cities area. Begun in 1984 it provided a safe source of support for over 1000 youth during its ten-year history. Wingspan Ministries of St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church (an RIC church) offered staff time and financial support for this youth-run, adult-supported group. "Leadership development became a major emphasis of the youth group, " says Leo Treadway, who served as a Ministry Associate for the Wingspan Ministry of St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran ~hurch and an adult leader of LGYT. "Youth became speakers for profeSSional organizations and for other youth programs, as well as Peer Educators for the local Youth and AIDS Project. They had a phenomenal impact on groups such as the Boy Scouts and United Way." While LGYT itself has closed, it served as a model for some of the dozen support groups in the Twin Cities area. The area also now offers District 202, a drop-in center which A safe source of friendship & support opened in 1993. for lesbian. gay, and b,sexual youth Cartoon by Allison Bechdel GraphicS by design: Robert W. Schmitt Open Hands young people. More severe difficulties may warrant professional help. Research your referrals. Be sure they are sensitive to lesbian, gay, and bisexual concerns and will not inflict emotional damage.6 Create a comfortable environment. Make office and youth group meeting spaces lesbigay friendly with positive posters and pamphlets. Use affirming language. Be sure special events and publicity reflect inclusiveness. Encourage your youth group to explore your denomination's "welcoming church program." (See page 3 for list of program leaders and addresses.) Reach out beyond your immediate circle of youth contacts. Find ways to advertise that reach the larger youth community in your area . ... Notes lThe Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, Making Schools Safe for Gay and Lesbian Youth, 1993. State House, Room 111, Boston, MA 02133. 2Paul Gibson, "Gay Male and Lesbian Youth Suicide, "Report ofthe Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suidde. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1989. 3Joyce Hunter and Robert Schaecher, "Stresses on Lesbian and Gay Adolescents in Schools," Sodal Work in Education, (Spring 1989). 4Gary Remafedi, "Adolescent Homosexuality: PsychOSOcial and MediCal Implications," Pediatrics 79 (No.3, 1987). 5Gabe Kruks, "Gay and Lesbian Homeless/ Street Youth: Special Issues and Concerns," Journal of Adolescent Health 12 (No.7, 1991). 6John C. Gonsiorek, "Mental Health Issues oj Gay and Lesbian Adolescents, "Journal of Adolescent Health Care 9 (No.2, 1988). Gregory Anderson, B.A., Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude in SOciology and music, serves as the Coordinator of the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/ Gay Concerns Youth and Young Adult Outreach Program. 26 OU~'RI~ CH IMAGES AND OUTREACH Carl 5., and Johnson, Sally A. Energizing the Congrega: Images that Shape Your Church's Ministry. Louisville, 'estminster;John Knox, 1993. This book offers five imhurch: pillar, pilgrim, survivor, prophet, and servant explores how each type of church moves from worship at e"1ter to its own approach to outreach. H. \Villiam. Faith before Faithfulness: Centering the f.usive Church . Cleveland, OH: The Pilgrim Press, 1992. es decline of members and influence of "mainline" hes, then proposes that churches shift their identity mainline" to "inclusive-evangelical." R~claims the cone\'angelical" and "conversion" from exclusive evangelicals ere most liberal churches relegated them). Provides (ful insight into the need to move from a church growth egy to a spiritual growth strategy -all while maintaining -won ideals of tolerance, political involvement, diversity, stice" in our pluralistic congregations. Includes ten. study guide in appendix. en)' M. Church in the Round: Feminist Interpretation of Church. Louisville, KY: Westminister/John Knox Press, 3 l\'hile not specifically focused on evangelism, this book es a vision of the inclusive church, with all members fully around a common table of hospitality. TS OF EVANGELISM onimer, and Johnson, Alan. The Great Commission: ical Models for Evangelism. Nashville: Abingdon, 1992. hat the "great commission" is often quoted in evangeaterials -usually out of context -Arias provides a gh exegesis of material in all four gospels. Johnson es a very helpful 24-page study guide. c.; \11;,\:,~Cmann, Walter. Biblical Perspectives on Evangelism: LivIn a Three-Storied Universe. Nashville: Abingdon, 1994. res evangelism in the Bible; offers an image of evange. as a "drama in three scenes"; challenges the church to nk its current practices and methods. ::er, Donald E. A Conspiracy of Goodness: Contemporary 11'tages of Christian Mission. Nashville: Abingdon, 1992. Calls r recovery of an "apostolic" mission; speaks of outreach to e marginalized; and offers wonderful contemporary images or mission: "global gardeners", "bridge builders", "star rowers", and "fence movers." MODELS 'FOR OUTREACH Bos, A. David. A Practical Guide to Community Ministry. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993. Examines a growing movement where local churches join ecumenically to minister to immediate neighborhood needs. Page, Patricia N. All God's People Are Ministers: Equipping Church Members for Ministry. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1993. A survey of methods and resources, with a focus on ministry as reconciliation and as friendship. Schaller, Lyle E. Innovations in Ministry: Models for the 21st Century. Nashville: Abingdon, 1994. Identifies emerging models for ministry, especially laity-driven ministries which are shifting from small, local churches toward large, seven-day-aweek regional churches. Also identifies a "Key Church Strategy" where large churches with discretionary money are encouraged to start highly focused multisite ministries. Stallings, James O. Telling the Story: Evangelism in Black Churches . Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 1988. As the preface says, "this book is about stories -personal, cultural, and God's ... It is about evangelism that must always tell the story of God's loving and liberating activity in the lives of people and in the world through Jesus Christ." Explores the use of story in the black church tradition. Two helpful reflection activities at the end of the book. Whitlock, Katherine. Bridges of Respect: Creating Support for Lesbian and Gay Youth. Philadelphia: AFSC, 1988. Introductory material about youth needs. Extensive resource listing. AFSC also publishes a newsletter, "Crossroads: Supporting Sexual Minority Youth." AFSC, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19lO2. MARKETING AND ADVERTISING STRATEGIES These resources explore concepts of marketing! advertiSing, with strategies for implementing plans without large budgets . Klein, ErJca Levy. Write Great Ads: A Step by Step Approach. New York: John Wiley &: Sons, Inc., 1990. Levinson, Jay Conrad . Guerrilla Marketing Attack. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989. Marketing without much money. Ramacitti, David F. Do It Yourself Advertising. New York: AMACOM, 1992. How to do quality ads. Rice, Craig S. Marketing Without a Marketing Budget. Holbrook, MA: Bob Adams, Inc., 1989. How to work on a shoestring. Roman, Kenneth, and Maas, Jane. How to Advertise. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1976. A profeSSional guide; what works, and what doesn't. Shawchuck, Norman, et al. Marketingfor Congregations: Choosing to Serve People More Effectively. Nashville: Abingdon, 1992. A thorough treatment of marketing. ng 1994 27 Welcome New Churches Many readers commented on the impressiveness of the combined list of "welcoming" churches in the last issue and the fact that our movement has grown by 22 percent over the last year. The combined list will be published annually (in the Winter issue). We will continue in each issue to profile churches that have recently joined the movement. First Presbyterian Church Yorktown Heights, New York With a long history of inclusiveness, the First Presbyterian Church strongly objected to the November 1992 denial ofjanie Spahr's call by their denomination. A member of a neighboring More Light church came to speak and the church decided to work toward a More Light statement. To ensure dialogue and congregational participation, the process included sharing personal stories, hearing a therapist talk about sexual orientation and homophobia, viewing a video, and closing with an open forum. Then, in a meeting described by the pastor as a "most spirit-filled, spiritmoved meeting," the church's governing board adopted its More Light stance. The church sees this step as a continuation of its ministries of justice and social involvement. Good Samaritan Church Pinellas Park, Florida Located on the edge of St. Petersburg, this 248-member congregation is attentive to justice issues and ecumenism. The only Presbyterian (U.S.A)/United Church of Christ congregation in the state, it is doubly committed to implementing its More Light/Open and Affirming stance! The congregation began dialogue and education on lesbian and gay concerns fifteen years ago. Through association with a crisis hotline, the church learned of the fears and hardships facing adolescents as they come out. This concern developed into "True Expressions," a ministry with high school students and young adults coming to terms with their homosexuality. The congregation also houses a Head Start center and has begun a local AIDS ministry. Noble Road Presbyterian Church Cleveland Heights, Ohio "I've always known Noble Road was inclusive. I guess some people just need it in writing," said one member about the church's recent decision to become More Light. Over the past three years, this 200-member congregation has discussed scripture and homosexuality, heard the stories of gay persons, and studied the issues facing the larger church. Information and assistance was sought from other More Light churches. A retreat of the church's governing board focused on homosexuality and the church. A few persons were unhappy More Light Conference The 10th annual conference of the More Light Churches network will be held at Grace Trinity Church in Minneapolis from May 6-8, 1994. "From Dialogue to Ministry" is the theme with keynoters John Fife, former moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and Christine Smith, professor of preaching at United Theological Seminary. To register, call St. Luke Presbyterian Church at 612/ 473-7378. about the More Light decision, while several families with gay members have come out. The dialogue continues. ............... "T,AT,AT.Q OPEN -II-[!~!~: J "T,AT,AT.Q OPEN AND AFFIRMING College Street Congregational Church Burlington, Vermont "A church with an open mind and a warm heart," College Street is a 157member, inner city congregation. It is part of the Joint Urban Ministries Project, seven downtown churches which minister to people living on the streets, addreSSing basic n eeds that aren't met by other programs. The church's aNA commitment continues a long tradition of social activism that began with its founding by suffragettes and abolitionists in 1860. Members of the church participated in Burlington's Pride March and the congregation looks forward to becoming more informed and active on ONA issues. First Congregational Church Holliston, Massachusetts A 700-member suburban congregation, First Congregational offers creative worship which responds to tradition and change with an emphasis on the inclusiveness of God's love in Jesus Christ. It has an exciting music program including youth, adult, and bell choirs. With dynamic lay leadership, the church provides numerous ministries for the community, including a weekday nursery/day care. Its ONA commitment is posted in the church and explained in new members' classes. Open Hands 28 a Lutherans Concerned/North America International Assembly Lutherans Concerned/North America will celebrate their 20th an'ersaryin Charlotte, North Carolina from July 14-17, 1994. The theme "God's Own People." Keynote speaker will be the Rev. Barbara dblad, a visionary in gay and lesbian ministry who has been heard ';lillions of people on her Protestant Hour radio broadcasts. Bant speaker will be Dirk Selland, a u.s. submarine officer who came . to his Navy chaplain as a result of President Clinton'spromise to the ban on gays and lesbians in the military and was subsequently .e of few openly gay members of the armed services to testify at the '.s. Senate hearings last spring. Selland will speak of his Lutheran ongregation's reaction and their eventual renewal. For information, a:: 704/366-9416. 1994 Storrs Congregational Church Storrs, Connecticut Located on the scenic campus of the University of Connecticut, this diverse congregation of 500 members is highly committed to ministry with the university and wider community. With 35 other churches, it participates in the Windam Area Interfaith Ministries which serves the needs of people in the inner city and rural areas. Storrs Congregational was a "pilot church" for the UCC sexuality curriculum, "Created in God's Image," and now helps train other churches wishing to use the materials: [ RECOYHRISTJ Lutheran Student Movement of Canada Saskatoon, Saskatchewan The second RIC ministry in Canada, this Lutheran Student Movement chapter voted unanimously to declare itself RIC in January. The LSM chapter not only made a stand for justice and committed themselves to including lesbian and gay students in their spiritual community, but earned the much-anticipated # 100 position on the RIC roster. Peace Lutheran Church Alexandria, Virginia Reacting to their study of the ELCA Sexuality Study draft last summer, Peace members decided to become RIC because they "did not want to be understood as a congregation which was not embracing of gay and lesbian people." The congregation has a history of working against exclusivity in all its forms, of generous giving to many community t United Church of Tampa a, Florida l=oundational to the Gospel message .ts a stand in love and solidarity with r. oppressed and marginalized, f \vhom are us, and to that end ommitted to being a Just Peace pen and Affirming church." To 126 members explore and hen these commitments, First ed provides a variety of opportuni.or worship and education. Its "en study, "Rescuing the Bible from mentalism" will address interpreof scripture as it relates to homola and misogyny. Beginning at Easthe church plans to offer two "ship services on Sunday. A new ng group will offer a time of supand worship for women of the h. As part of its ONA commitment, ,-ongregation has placed an ad in '-ea's gay/lesbian newspaper. Good Samaritan Church Pinellas Park, Florida See Good Samaritan listing under More Light. Southwest United Church of Christ Portland, Oregon A growing congregation celebrating its tenth anniversary, Southwest UCC takes seriously the task of making the Gospel relevant in today's world. Its 80 members have decided not to own church property; they meet in the Franciscan Renewal Center. The congregation is active in mission to the homeless of Portland and involved in justice concerns in Central America. The church's ONA process deepened relationships among members and increased their awareness of the need for churches to make public witness to God's inclusive love. The congregation is part of an ecumenical group of churches that gathers to share resources and stories related to "welcoming ministries." 29 •••••••••• •••••• •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • •••••••• charities, and of participation in justice work, all under the motto "What would Jesus do?" ---RECONCILING ---' Grace United Methodist Church Santa Cruz, California One of the trademarks of this 100member congregation is it "feels like family." Grace is a fairly stable congregation with many older, long-time members. Its ministries include English as a Second Language classes and feeding homeless women and children once a week. The congregation has discussed becoming a Reconciling Congregation for about five years and made this commitment last fall. RIC List Surpasses 100! A recent flurry of new Reconciled in Christ congregations in Canada, Iowa, Illinois, and the District of Columbia has brought the total number to 102 congregations and campus ministries, nine synods, and the national Lutheran Campus Ministry. This is a wonderful milestone, which reflects an enormous amount of effort, love, dialogue, and relationship-building by tens of thousands of Lutherans across the U.S.A and Canada. RIC Congregation Risks Expulsion for Gay Pastor The Rev. Ross Merkel, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Oakland, California has been removed from the clergy roster of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) by an ELCA diSciplinary panel for "persisting more than five years in a homosexual relationship." The congregation has indicated that they have no intention of replacing Merkel, so it is expected that charges ............................................... .............. . ~ RCP Celebrates 10 Years with Tour of Original Musical Drama In a gala celebration of its 10th anniversary, the Reconciling Congregation Program (RCP) is commissioning an original musical dramatic presentation which will tour and be performed in fifteen different cities this June. Written by Tim McGinley, minister of music at Broadway United Methodist Church, Indianapolis, HOME: The Parable of Beatrice and Neal will premiere on Friday, June 10th in Chicago. HOME is derived from the story of Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10, with modern • musical elements from the Roman mass. The RCP is recruiting performers to rehearse the production in Chicago and then perform it in cities throughout the midwestern U.S.A. This tour promises to be an inspiring witness to the accomplishments of the RC movement in the past decade and a proclamation of the message of God's unconditional love to thousands of persons. If you would like to assist with the tour or help produce a local performance, contact the RCP office. Call (312) 736-5526 for final schedule will be filed against the congregation. The outcome of that trial will likely be the expulsion of St. Paul from the ELCA Merkel came out to the congregation in a sermon last June and introduced his partner of five years. Although this was a "public secret" within the congregation which supported Merkel in his relationship, Bishop Lyle Miller offered Merkel the choice of resigning or facing charges. St. Paul Lutheran Church was the second congregation to join the Reconciled in Christ program. Under Merkel's leadership over the last fourteen years, St. Paul has become a growing, vibrant urban congregation with an uncommonly strong feeling of "family," involvement in a variety of ministries, generous financial support of the synod and ELCA, and a deep commitment to ministry with lesbian and gay people (particularly couples), at-risk youth, and people with AIDS. St. Paul preSident Paul Basting noted that in the wake of Merkel's sermon, one person left the congregation and thirty have joined. Tentative Rep 10th Anniversary Tour Schedule 6/ 10 Chicago 6/11 Indianapolis 6/ 12 Nashville 6/ 13 Louisville • 6/ l4 Charleston, WV 6/15 Pittsburgh 6/ 16 Cleveland 6/ 17 Toledo 6/ 19 Columbus 6/21 St. Louis 6/22 Kansas City 6/23 Cedar Rapids 6/ 24 Minneapolis 6/ 25 Madison 6/ 26 Chicago 30 Open Hands 'V IIDEO PROJE CT DIRECTOR Congregation Program is seeking an mrnaKer to develop new educational videos. reative stage through final L'nnu,lPrI ne of lesbian/gay/bisexual concerns vItae/qualifications to: RCP 3801 :\. Keeler Ave. ChIcago, IL 60641 Fax 312 736-5475 TELL US! hen Dld You First Find Open Hands? How Has Open Hands Changed Your Life? How Does Open Hands Nurture Your Faith Journey? \Vrite or fax us a few sentences! \;e'll share them during our 10th Anniversary Year! 3.J'1ni\-ersary of Editor, Open Hands 3801 N. Keeler Chicago, IL 60641. •.. embers and friends of welcoming es will be among the multitude s from around the world gath. ew York City during the week -26. ThIS week marks the 25 th :~he Stonewall Rebellion, contact Jan Griesinger at 6l4/ 593-7301. June 23, 7:30 P.M.: Eucharist at Church of St. Luke's in the Fields in IT" Who Subscribes to Open Hands? r;J Gender Women ................ ...................... 52% Men .......................... ................. 48% Orientation Lesbian/Gay ...... ................. ...... 47% Bisexual .................................. ..... 8% Heterosexual ............................. 45% Race White ......... ...... ................. ......... 95% People of Color .......................... 5% ffi Age Q:) Under 30 ..................................... 4% ~ 30-60 .......................................... 75% ?'\ ~ lo.. Over 60 ........................... ........... 21 % ;:s Church Status V) -E Laypersons ............................... 50% .\:: .J::> u Clergy/ church professionals ...... 50% .:c: Denomination ;:s V) ~ United Methodist .................... 57% = United Church of Christ .... ..... 9% :i! Presbyterian ......................... ....... 7% ~ Lutheran .. ................ .... .. ... ... ........ 5% E Episcopalian ............................... 5% ~ ] MCC ........................ .................... 4% 's. Roman Catholic .............. ........... 2% Others .... ......... ........................... 11% [h ~ eginnin g of the mod"ement in the U. S. ally Eucharist e Cathedral of e ::,ponsored by the emonal. Greenwich Village, with openly gay bishop, the Rt. Rev. Otis Charles, as celebrant. Sponsored by Integrity. June 24 12:00 Noon: "Hands Around the God-Box: An Interfaith Prayer Vigil to End Homophobia in the Church" at the Inter-Church Center, 475 Riverside Drive. Sponsored by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC) in coalition with other Christian groups. June 25, 7:45 P.M.: "Celebrating Stonewall 25: A Generation of Faith." Worship celebration featuring the Rev. Troy D. Perry as the main speaker. Sponsored by UFMCC; seating on first-come, firstserved basis. June 27-30: National Retreat of American Baptists Concerned at Madison Avenue Baptist Church. For information, contact Rick Mixon at 510/465-8652. Camp and Sing An ecumenical "choir camp" for gay, lesbian, and bisexual Christians is being sponsored by the United Church Coalition for Lesbian &: Gay Concerns from June 19-21 at the campus of Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. This first Annual Ecumenical Institute of Sacred Choral Music for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Christians (if you can say that in one breath, you have great singing potential!) will culminate in a major concert with 200 singers. The concert will perform in New York City on the evening of June 23rd during Stonewall 25 festivities. Cost of the camp is $125 per participant, including room and board. For more information, contact Rev. Christine Leslie at 908/ 598-0862. g 199 31 Lesbians Needed for Research Projects Here are two opportunities for lesbians to participate in research projects, one on aging issues and the other on spiritual journeys. Over-60 lesbians are being sought to complete a questionnaire on demographic, legal, and financial matters related to preparation for incapacity or death. Confidentiality is assured. Send name, address and phone number to: Rev. Elinor G. Galusha, Aging Studies Program, University of Iowa, 430 Fairway Terrace, SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403; 319/ 363-8430. Lesbian Christians -and those who have left the church -are needed to complete a survey about their spiritual journey For a survey form or for more information, contact: Social Psych Project, PO Box 1222, Plaistow, NH 03865-1222. Responses will remain confidential. A nominal monetary compensation will be provided. Job Announcement Rep Outreach Staff The Reconciling Congregation Program will hire a full-time outreach staff person to begin in late summer 1994. This position will have primary responsibility for expanding the national RC movement through various outreach programs. Application deadline June 15, 1994. For complete job announcement, contact RCP office at 3121736-5526 or fax: 3121736-5475. QTY. BACK ISSUES AVAILABLE Unique Resource on (!jeen _ __ Be Ye Reconciled (Summer 1985) Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual _ _ A Matter of Justice (Winter 1986) (!-(ands Concerns in the Church for _ _ Our Families (Spring 1986) Christian Education • Personal Reading _ _ Our Churches' Policies (Summer 1986) Published by the Reconciling __ Images of Healing (Fall 1986) Congregation Program In conjunction Research Projects • Worship Resources __ Minorities within a Minority (Spring 1987) with More Light, Open and Affirming, Ministry & Outreach and Reconciled in Christ Programs. __ Sexual Violence (Fall 1987) _ _ Building Reconciling Ministries (Spring 1988) __ Living and Loving with AIDS (Summer 1988) o Please send me the back issues indicated ($5 each; 10+ @ $3). __ Raising Reconciling Children (Fall 1988) o Send me Open Hands each quarter ($16/year; outside U.S.A. @ $20). __ Sexual Ethics (Winter 1989) _ _ Lesbian &Gay Men in the Religious Arts (Spring 1989) __ The Closet Dilemma (Summer 1989) Enclosed is payment of $ OR ___ Images of Family (Fall 1989) Charge $ to my VISA MASTERCARD (Circle one) __ Journeys Toward Recovery and Wholeness (Spring 1990) __ The "Holy Union" Controversy (Fall 1990) # Expiration __/__. __ Youth and Sexual Identity (Winter 1991) Signature _ _ _________________ _ __ Lesbian/Gay Reflections on Theology (Spring 1991) _ _ The Lesbian Spirit (Summer 1991) __ Bisexuality: Perceptions & Realities (Fall 1991 ) Name _______________________ _ _ Creating Alliances: Working for Change (Winter 1992) Address _______________----=-______ __ Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals in Ministry (Spring 1992) __ Our Spirituality: How Sexual Expression and Oppression City/State/Zip ___________________ Shape It (Summer 1992) Daytime Phone ___________ __ Aging and Integrity (Fall 1992) _ _ Welcoming Churches: Ecumenical Movement (Winter 1993) Local Church _____________~~_ ___ __ Rethinking Family Values (Spring 1993) Denomination ___________________ __ Biblical Interpretation (Summer 1993) __ Responding to the Right: Strategies for Change (Fall 1993) Send to: Open Hands, 3801 N. Keeler Avenue, Chicago, IL 60641 _ _ Celebratingthe Inclusive God: Worship (Winter 1994) Phone: 312/736-5526 Fax: 312/736-5475 _ _ Reaching Out Boldly! Evangelism (Spring 1994) 32 Open Hands 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 Open Hands Vol 9 No 4 - Reaching Out Boldly! Evangelism with a Welcoming Flavor 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 Website A resource comprising of a web page or web pages and all related assets ( such as images, sound and video files, etc. ). URL https://www.transadvocate.com/open-letter-to-my-black-transbrothers_n_10194.htm 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 Open Letter To My Black Transbrothers Subject The topic of the resource Monica Roberts, a black trans sister offering praise and honoring the leadership of her black trans brothers following the much too close suicides of Marcelle Cooks-Daniels and Alexander "Bear" Goodrum. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived https://www.transadvocate.com/open-letter-to-my-black-transbrothers_n_10194.htm https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/026cdb53c9d01a6356d2acee7d58ee93.png 7f2299d122f950b199e4759586470956 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 Queer Spirit Podcast Description An account of the resource Podcasts from WMPG.org and 90.9 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 Ophelia Hu Kinney Subject The topic of the resource Queer Spirit Podcast Description An account of the resource Ophelia Hu Kinney (she/her/hers) is the wife of a fearless reformer, the daughter of loving immigrants, and the sister of a hopeful romantic. She is the Director of Communications at Reconciling Ministries Network, an organization advancing LGBTQ justice and inclusion in The United Methodist Church. She is also the Worship Coordinator at HopeGateWay in Portland. She describes herself as a garden-variety queer woman who lives with her wife in Scarborough. She blogs about leaving evangelicalism for the Christian wilderness at QueeringTheKindom.com. And because Tamara and Ophelia are Facebook buddies, Tamara is ready to brag about her friend and mention that Ophelia recently won NYC Midnight’s 100-word Microfiction Challenge with her story “Honeysuckle.” It’s a thoughtful and emotionally rich story -- which perhaps tells you something about Ophelia herself. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Marvin Ellison and Tamara Torres-McGovern Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Ophelia Hu Kinney https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/cf000b65fe523a9add2a13c9289350ac.jpg 951f8358fc0e0b1009894a61fdaefa6a 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 Vimeo Video A video hosted on Vimeo Vimeo ID Character ID assigned by Vimeo 311021346 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 Oral History Interview with Rupert Raj (2016) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Vimeo: The ArQuives https://vimeo.com/311021346?embedded=true&source=vimeo_logo&owner=52643297 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/beb2bd9aff79c879c39450d00e24b4f3.pdf de0ac2f250dbbc63450f65d52a1854ab 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. 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 Ordination Paper https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/ba3a3ea63601310cede74bc57eee608c.pdf 7dfd2e0da604a86478329fa0b9e393e0 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 Ordination Service Invitation https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/fecbc1ececa5cd63f7741a463acfcb23.jpg e268c902d0e21db53825ab2186d12d43 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 YouTube Video A video hosted on YouTube. Embed Code The html embed codes for this object. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/H-yprOLmRkc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound <p>“United We Stand”</p> <p>written by Tony Hiller and John Goodison<br /><br /> There's nowhere in the world that I would rather be <br /> than with you my love.  <br /> And there's nothing in the world that I would rather see <br /> than your smile my love. <br /><br /> For united we stand,<br /> divided we fall.<br /> And, if our backs should ever be against the wall, <br /> we'll be together, together, you and I .<br /><br /> And if the world about you falls apart, my love,<br /> then I'll still be here. <br /> And if the going gets too hard along the way, <br /> just you call, I'll hear.</p> For united we stand, <br /> divided we fall.<br /> And, if our backs should ever be against the wall, <br /> we'll be together, together, you and I. 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 Original Recording of “United We Stand” Description An account of the resource This popular song (recorded by the Brotherhood of Man) is the anthem sung regularly by Upstairs Lounge patrons gathered around the piano. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Used by permission of Tony Hiller Music. https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/34a252322d553e393d8fa95625fd3d4b.jpg c570ba120bcbb09937112932a95a973e 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 Other lesbian mother with other B’nai Mitzvah child, 1993 Description An account of the resource Both this photo and the last are of a lesbian couple with their twins, who are both being B'nai Mitzvah'd. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived CBST Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource James Estrin (Courtesy of Sara Krulwich and Lynn Paltrow) 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. Our Story Stole Text This green stole comes from a Pastor and family in Minnesota whose child is a lesbian. It comes with the desire for the church to learn to listen to its gay and lesbian children. Until we are able to hear their stories and recognize that these are children of God, baptized and taught in our congregations of the grace of God, this will remain an unresolved issue for the church. Our earnest prayer is that the church will find the courage to listen to those stories and to recognize them in the leadership of the Holy Spirit, calling us to a new day and a new approach to this part of God’s created people! This is not a moral issue! It is an issue of who some of us are created to love! And the gift of being able to love is a gift which has the power to open us to the love of God. Let’s keep talking until we have room in the church for all of God’s children. In Christ’s Service, An ELCA Pastor and Spouse Stephen D. and Nancy A. Bohling Denomination Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Contribution Date 2015 Contribution Story Originally a part of the collection of stoles housed by ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation, this stole was donated by them to the Shower of Stoles Project in 2015. 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 1229 Title A name given to the resource Our Story Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Minnesota (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Pastor Stephen D. and Nancy A. Bohling Bohling, Nancy A. Bohling, Stephen D. Evangelical Lutherans of America (ELCA) Lutheran Minnesota Theology https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/48b2891b452ad256f6f84e003e1d2634.jpg 1cf2abec34cb955391940e8d0c6a0ae1 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 Queer Spirit Podcast Description An account of the resource Podcasts from WMPG.org and 90.9 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 OUT Cast Radio Poster Subject The topic of the resource Queer Spirit Podcast Description An account of the resource Promotional banner for OUT Cast Radio Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Marvin Ellison