79 20 2479 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Sacred Worth Group at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington DC Stole Text Sacred Worth at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington D.C. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole arrived along with thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of the United Methodist Church. "Sacred Worth" is a group of LGBT students who took their name from a declaration of the United Methodist Church that "all people are of sacred worth." In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles.” In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 653 Title A name given to the resource Sacred Worth Group at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington DC Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Sacred Worth Group at Wesley Theological Seminary Clergy Activist Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Signature Stole (Dumbarton United Methodist Church, Washington DC) Stole Text DUMC Dumbarton UMC Washington, DC 3-5-2000 Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of thirteen stoles given to us by Dumbarton UMC in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. (Note: A “signature stole” is one that is covered with the signatures of both gay and straight members of a congregation, denominational governing body, or other organization. These stoles serve the dual purpose of showing support for LGBT persons, while also protecting their anonymity by including their names as "one among many".) Dumbarton is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the life and leadership of the United Methodist Church. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 652 Title A name given to the resource Signature Stole (Dumbarton United Methodist Church, Washington DC) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington, District of Columbia (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dumbarton United Methodist Church Ally Methodist Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Washington, D.C. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous ("I came out as a lesbian when I was seventeen -- just a couple of years after I first discussed my sense of call to the ministry with the youth pastor... at my church...") Stole Text ANONYMOUS I came out as a lesbian when I was seventeen -- just a couple of years after I first discussed my sense of call to the ministry with the youth pastor who led the Methodist Youth Fellowship at my church. After coming out, I stayed away from the church for a few years, believing that I would not be fully welcomed and that the church has too often stood on the side of injustice. However, I never felt wholly apart from the church. I returned to active participation in wonderful congregations that welcomed my whole self, whole-heartedly. Still, I set aside my sense of call, exploring other avenues of work, and hope that some other work would answer the call I felt. This whole time, I was open about being lesbian in all areas of my life -- with my family, with all my friends, at my college, and at every job I have held. I have never had to compromise being out -- until now. My sense of call to the ministry never left me, always kept nagging at me, until I finally argued it out with God, and came to accept this calling with real joy. The power of that call and the depth of my roots in the Methodist tradition have led me to where I am today: a United Methodist clergywoman, currently serving my first appointment. I love the church and I love being a pastor, but I wonder all the time how long I will be able to do this. What is the cost to myself -- and to my partner? Do I have integrity if I am not "out?" Will I recognize it when the cost is too high? I know that I hold back some part of my energy from my congregation, from fear of not being safe. The closet robs the church of my full ministry. I am submitting this stole anonymously, because of the United Methodist policy that says that I cannot be ordained nor serve as a pastor in this denomination. I look forward to the day when my name can be attached to this stole. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This anonymous stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles.” In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 648 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous ("I came out as a lesbian when I was seventeen -- just a couple of years after I first discussed my sense of call to the ministry with the youth pastor... at my church...") Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, -- Unknown (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Anonymous Methodist Ohio Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church United States Women and Religion Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Paul Abels Stole Text Rev. Paul Abels 1937-1992 Rev. Paul Abels, Ohio native and Drew Seminary graduate, was pastor of Washington Square United Methodist Church in New York City from 1973 until his retirement in 1984. In 1977 he announced his homosexuality and also performed several covenant ceremonies for gay and lesbian couples. (He continued performing such ceremonies until his death.) In 1978 he was asked to take a leave of absence by Bishop W. Ralph Ward. Paul refused and the New York annual conference upheld his ministry at Washington Square church. The bishop asked the Judicial Council to review Paul's status and in 1979 the Council ruled that Paul Abels was in "good standing' and in "effective relation" with his congregation and could remain at Washington Square. In 1982 Paul himself entered into a Christian covenant with his life partner, Thom Hunt, at Washington Square UMC in New York City. Paul took an early retirement just before the 1984 General Conference. He died of complications from AIDS in 1992 in Rensselaerville, NY. Paul Abels is greatly missed but he has left us with his sense of compassion and social justice for all God's children, Christian or Jew, black or white, gay or straight. As the pioneer that he was, he understood and lived out in a deep way the hospitality of God. A quote of Paul's was: "I pray that we will experience the liberating love of God as shown through Jesus Christ, and grow more responsible in our love and care. Then our relationships will have the authenticity of the gospel, and our lives shall show forth praise." Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story The Rev. Paul M. Abels, Pastor of Washington Square United Methodist Church in New York City from 1973-1984, was the first openly gay installed parish pastor in a major Christian denomination. He served during a time of cutting-edge social justice work for the church; it was home to the Harvey Milk School of lesbian and gay youth and the Gay Men's Health Crisis Center. Known as the "Peace Church" due to its antiwar activism during the Vietnam War, Washington Square hosted dozens of other activist groups over the years, from the Black Panthers to community housing development organizations and a variety of dance, theater and music groups. (Washington Square has since merged with Church of All Nations and Metropolitan-Duane United Methodist Churches.) This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles.” In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Click <a href="https://www.lgbtran.org/Profile.aspx?ID=2">here</a> to read Paul Abels' biographic profile in the LGBTQ Religious Archives Network's Profile Gallery. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 647 Title A name given to the resource Paul Abels Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant New York City, New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Ann Price Freeman Abels, Paul AIDS Clergy Activist Freeman, Ann Price Marriage Equality Methodist New York New York City Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous ("This stole was given to me at my ordination into the Methodist Church... thirty-seven years ago...") Stole Text ANONYMOUS This stole was given to me at my ordination into the Methodist Church (now the United Methodist Church) thirty-seven years ago. I have been an effective pastor and conference leader, respected and admired by most people in the churches that I have served and in the Annual Conference. As a gay man, I have grown weary of having to live in fear that the wrong person may find out the real me that God created, and I am deeply hurt by having the Church to which I have given so much tell me that it does not want me because of who I am. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us along with a second stole (#642) in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles.” In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 643 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous ("This stole was given to me at my ordination into the Methodist Church... thirty-seven years ago...") Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Anonymous Methodist Ohio Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous ("As a person preparing for ordained ministry, I have submitted a "symbolic" stole in purple, the Church's color of preparation and anticipation...") Stole Text ANONYMOUS As a person preparing for ordained ministry, I have submitted a "symbolic" stole in purple, the Church's color of preparation and anticipation. As a gay man, I struggle frequently to reconcile my sexual identity with the United Methodist Church's current laws that consider me to be "incompatible with Christian teaching." I pray for the day when gay men and lesbians will truly be recognized as "individuals of sacred worth," eligible for full participation in all of the rites, ceremonies, and offices of the Church. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole on behalf of an anonymous candidate for ministry was given to us along with a second stole (#643) in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles.” In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 642 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous ("As a person preparing for ordained ministry, I have submitted a "symbolic" stole in purple, the Church's color of preparation and anticipation...") Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Anonymous Methodist Ohio Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church United States Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Sterling Rainey Stole Text Music Ministry Sterling Rainey I am organist-choir director at the First United Methodist Church in San Rafael, CA, a position I have held for almost 45 years. I am a gay man, have an 18 year relationship with my partner and am completely open with my sexuality. My church has been totally supportive and affirming of my music ministry. I became a Certified Director of Music in the United Methodist Church over 30 years ago, a recognition by the church of my academic qualifications and continuing study in the field of worship and music. Last year when the church ended the ministries of <a href="https://www.lgbtran.org/Profile.aspx?ID=21">Jimmy Creech</a> and Greg Dell, ministries surely blessed by God, I felt it imperative that I make a statement of support for these servants of God and also the ministers threatened with the same punishment for their dedication to treating all people equal, a position the United Methodist Church does not seem to espouse. I resigned my certification voluntarily in protest of these actions. I am contributing this stole as a symbol of my unity with all those whose orders of one kind or another have been taken away because of who they are and what they stand for. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. It is one of at least two dozen stoles in the Shower of Stoles collection honoring professional church musicians. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles.” In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 640 Title A name given to the resource Sterling Rainey Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant San Rafael, California (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Sterling Rainey California Church Trials Clergy Activist Creech, Jimmy Dell, Gregory Methodist Ordination Rainey, Sterling Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Mark Haberman Stole Text Mark Haberman's first home was a seminary apartment at Drew Theological Seminary where his father was studying for ministry in the United Methodist Church. While yet a child, Mark sensed God's call to ministry through the corporate worship of God. Throughout twenty-four years, he served in music and program ministry in three United Methodist churches in Minnesota, Iowa, and Idaho, first as a layperson, later as a diaconal minister and finally as a deacon in full connection. Following the dissolution of his marriage, Mark chose to be "selectively out" for over five years before leaving the church in 2000. He now serves as a non-profit program manager. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story Mark Haberman originally gave us this stole anonymously. After "coming out" and leaving the United Methodist church, Mark wrote us in 2002 and asked that his story be amended to include his name. Mark is one of at least a dozen people represented in this collection who had hoped to follow a parent in the ministry but could not fulfill that calling because of their sexual orientation. This stole in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 634 Title A name given to the resource Mark Haberman Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Mark Haberman Clergy Activist Haberman, Mark Idaho Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/afc4c789f8845b178edc2e6669766572.png b03ddfbad3198db39b17efb531b99cbf Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous ("I am a clergy person beginning my ministry in the state of Wyoming...") Stole Text ANONYMOUS I am a clergy person beginning my ministry in the state of Wyoming. I have sacrificed a piece of my life by answering God's Call to be in ministry in the United Methodist Church. This sacrifice is living in a small faith community where it is assumed I am heterosexual, knowing full well, I cannot freely pick my friends or fall in love when that opportunity arises. The symbol I have chosen for this stole comes from the Laramie community. In response to the brutal murder of a gay college student and the continued sentiments of unholiness expressed by many churches, the yellow band with the green circles simply stands for "No Hate!" I don't believe there is a more perfect Christian message. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 632 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous ("I am a clergy person beginning my ministry in the state of Wyoming...") Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Wyoming (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Anonymous Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church Wyoming Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous (United Methodist Diaconal Minister, Alabama) Stole Text ANONYMOUS United Methodist Diaconal Minister, Alabama Consecrated, June 1988 Surrendered, August 1996 Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us by a woman to honor her friend; other identifying information was withheld at the request of the donor. This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 631 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous (United Methodist Diaconal Minister, Alabama) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Alabama (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Withheld Alabama Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Steven Olofson Stole Text Honoring Steven Olofson and other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender United Methodists, from Ardis Vetesk Chapman, member of Wesley Church in Bethlehem, PA. Jesus drew circles that left no one outside. His invitation and ministry is for all. How dare the United Methodists disagree with him? Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of two stoles in the Shower of Stoles collection honoring Steven Olofson; Steven's own stole is #629. This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 630 Title A name given to the resource Steven Olofson Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Bethleham, Pennsylvania (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Vetesk Ardis Chapman Chapman, Vetesk Ardis Clergy Activist Methodist Olofson, Steven H. Ordination Pennsylvania Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Steven H. Olofson Stole Text Steven H. Olofson I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a life long United Methodist and I am a gay man. In the UMC I have served as a Certified Lay Speaker, Lay Delegate to Annual Conference, Lay Conference Council representative and I stood as a witness/sponsor for a Deacon and an Elder at their ordinations. On the local church level: Lay Leader, Trustee, Church Council and choir director. I started a gospel band, which ministered to Western New York and Pennsylvania for 6 years and recorded an album with them. I was heterosexually married for 9 years. I firmly believed that God would see how sincere I was in wanting to be like the conservatives were telling me to be. Yet at no time was there any indication from God that He had any plans on changing me, not even after years of prayer, fasting, counseling, begging and crying for as long as I can recall knowing my attractions. Yet after we decided to divorce because I finally admitted to myself and my wife that I was gay, I put myself into exile from the church because I thought God would no longer want me. I was wrong! I have now been in a monogamous relationship with my partner (Robert) for 11 years. I had thought I was alone, I was again wrong. I have met so many others that felt the same way I did. I also know of many that could not handle it because of the pressure and assaults that are hurled at lesbian and gay persons that they gave up on faith. Some gave up on their lives. How many have left the church or left this world without knowing Jesus because they were told they were not welcome? How many teens have given up on their lives because of the intolerance toward them for the way that God created them? I can answer that easily, TOO MANY! My other burning question is how can we allow people to pick and choose scripture as our level of tolerance permits? Example: Why is the "Holiness Code" statement on men with men shoved down our throats yet others are ignored? If it a 'moral thing' then those that see fit to protest at funerals of gay people should picket funerals of divorced persons too, but they don't. It's bigotry and how can our denomination permit this to continue? The issue should not be dividing our church. Please work toward peace, understanding and tolerance of OUR differences and stand up against hate. It is our diversity that makes the UMC strong and vital. Infighting weakens and hurts all of us. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of two stoles honoring Steven Olofson. The second one was donated by Vetesk Ardis Chapman (stole #630). Steven's own stole features the word "PEACE" in bold letters. The last lines of his story contain a prayer for all United Methodists: <blockquote> Please work toward peace, understanding and tolerance of OUR differences and stand up against hate. It is our diversity that makes the UMC strong and vital. Infighting weakens and hurts all of us. </blockquote> This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 629 Title A name given to the resource Steven H. Olofson Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Steven H. Olofson Clergy Activist Olofson, Steven H. Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church United States Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Kevin "Rev. Kev" Johnson Stole Text REV. KEV UNITED METHODIST WISCONSIN ANNUAL CONFERENCE FM, E 1979 LOA 1982 HL 1993 … Making tents … Waiting, Praying Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This is one of two stoles honoring Kevin Johnson, who was removed from active ministry in the Wisconsin Annual Conference after being "outed" by a member of his congregation. Kevin's statement on "making tents" refers to his secular employment. The term originated with the Apostle Paul, who worked as a tentmaker in order to finance his evangelistic ministry. A second stole honoring Kevin was donated by John and Ginny Kruse (stole #505). Ken gave us this stole in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Click <a href="https://www.lgbtran.org/Profile.aspx?ID=23">here</a> to read a biographic profile of Rev. Kevin Johnson in the LGBTQ Religious Archives Network's Profile Gallery. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 625 Title A name given to the resource Kevin "Rev. Kev" Johnson Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Wisconsin (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kevin Johnson Clergy Activist Johnson, Kevin Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church Wisconsin Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous (Donated on behalf of anonymous clergy and laity in Eastern Pennsylvania by the Eastern PA Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action) Stole Text ANONYMOUS After hearing the stories of people associated with our conference it became obvious that even the simple act of submitting a stole was endangering these people. It was their belief that the identification of their conference and service to the church would jeopardize their ministries and their safety, even if their name was withheld. Therefore, this stole is donated by the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action in honor of ANONYMOUS clergy and laity: - Those people in our conference who were called by God but were not confirmed by the church because of their sexual orientation - Those people in our conference who have resigned their membership in the conference because of their sexuality and who, therefore, have denied their call from God, and - Those people in our conference who are presently engaging their call from God through active service but live in fear of punishment because of their sexuality. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. It reflects the essence of a true ally: one who will stand with, and speak for, those who cannot speak for themselves. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 623 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous (Donated on behalf of anonymous clergy and laity in Eastern Pennsylvania by the Eastern PA Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Pennsylvania (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action Church Trials Methodist Ohio Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church United States Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Jan Everhart Stole Text JAN EVERHART I was a General Conference delegate in 1988 and 1992, and have held a number of leadership positions in my conference. For seventeen years, I served as a parish pastor. I left parish ministry for the sake of my integrity and the health of my family. My partner and I shared our story with the congregation where we had shared only part of our lives for nine years, so that they would understand why we were leaving. Presently it is so painful to attend the UMC for worship that we have joined the Metropolitan Community Church, although our roots are Methodist and we hope, someday, to return. Denomination United Methodist Church Metropolitan Community Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 621 Title A name given to the resource Jan Everhart Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jan Everhart Clergy Activist Everhart, Jan MCC Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Church of Christ United States Women and Religion Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Donna M. Webb Stole Text DONNA M. WEBB DIACONAL MINISTER CHRISTIAN EDUCATOR Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. Sheboygan UMC is a Reconciling congregation, working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons into the full life and leadership of the United Methodist Church. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 620 Title A name given to the resource Donna M. Webb Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Sheboygan, Wisconsin (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Wesley United Methodist Church Clergy Activist Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) United Methodist Church Webb, Donna M. Wisconsin 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. Elizabeth Gillis Stole Text ELIZABETH GILLIS FROM JOANNE AND PHIL GILLIS This is one of her Dad's stoles she had hope to one day wear. (Elizabeth's dad is a retired United Methodist pastor.) Her mom made the stole. Elizabeth went two years to Union Seminary, New York City, before leaving for another profession. Lovingly presented by Elizabeth and her parents, Joanne and Phil Gillis. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. It is one of at least a dozen stoles representing United Methodists who had hoped to follow a clergy parent into the ministry but chose not to, or were prevented from doing so, because of their sexual orientation. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 613 Title A name given to the resource Elizabeth Gillis Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Joanne and Phil Gillis Clergy Activist Gillis, Elizabeth Gillis, Joanne Gillis, Phil Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church United States Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous (Donated by Cynthia Griffith Koski in honor of a member of Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conference) Stole Text HONORING A MEMBER OF PENINSULA-DELEWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE Retiring at this Annual Conference living now in Maryland (still within conference bounds). Sending this stole in honor of a gifted and called parishioner's son, who I encouraged in ordained ministry -- only to learn that he is openly (now) gay. A great loss for our denomination. We must be about change. God is weeping. Rev. Cynthia Griffith Koski Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. The last line in this brief narrative speaks to most of the stories in the Shower of Stoles collection: God is weeping. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 612 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous (Donated by Cynthia Griffith Koski in honor of a member of Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conference) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Rev. Cynthia Griffith Koski Clergy Activist Koski, Cynthia Griffith Methodist Ohio Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church United States Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Anonymous ("This stole comes from a respected annual conference member, large church pastor, 2000 United Methodist Conference delegation member...") Stole Text ANONYMOUS United Methodist Ordained Elder This stole comes from a respected annual conference member, large church pastor, 2000 United Methodist Conference delegation member. The depth of my sense of call has caused me to have to hide much of my true self, give up a relationship of true love, and go into places which often seem like exile. I pray for the day my church reflects the gracious love of the God who sustains me in the journey. It must and will come. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This anonymous stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. It is representative of dozens of United Methodists who have been forced to choose between following their call and hiding their true selves, or coming out and abandoning their call -- a choice no one should ever have to make. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 610 Title A name given to the resource Anonymous ("This stole comes from a respected annual conference member, large church pastor, 2000 United Methodist Conference delegation member...") Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Anonymous Methodist Ohio Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church United States Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Thomas Martin Stole Text AIDS STOLE From Rev. Thomas Martin Pacific Northwest Conference I became involved in the Conference Task Force on AIDS Ministries early in its inception in the early 1990's. A significant program of the Task Force has been "Strength for the Journey" retreats for persons living with full-blown AIDS. While not all, many of the men and women not only struggled with the disease but also the Church's rejection of their homosexuality. One of the first activities at the retreat is a white sweatshirt with a current logo which the participants paint with colorfast paints. At my first retreat I invited the participants to sign my sweatshirt and this became part of the tradition. I call the sweatshirts my personal AIDS quilt for over 90 of the signers have died. The retreats always close with a prayer for healing, footwashing, and communion. One year I had stoles with the logo made of linen for use in the final service. Several of the participants signed my stole and since then I have worn it many times during services of communions as a reminder of the folks who became an important part of my spiritual journey. As a Christian I do not believe that physical death is the ultimate tragedy. It is spiritual death. Many in the church have practiced spiritual genocide on the Gay and Lesbian community. The lack of faith in the movement of the Holy Spirit in the heart of each believer (good Wesleyan style) has led these folk to assume the role of defenders of God and, indeed in many cases, have become God themselves (so they act). There is no humility in words or actions that prevent the Holy Spirit from working out her will in the hearts of the earnest seekers. Unfortunately the rhetoric (and rules formed out of opinions -- read Wesley's sermon "The Catholic Spirit") has less to do with earnestly seeking after God's will than it does with human fear and distrust. Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story This stole was given to us in advance of the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. In 1999, the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) inquired about the possibility of having a display of the Shower of Stoles at the General Conference the following April. At the time, there were only around twenty United Methodist stoles in the collection. We decided to introduce the Shower of Stoles to the Reconciling community by bringing the twenty UM stoles and about a hundred others to RMN’s Convocation in Denton, TX over the Labor Day weekend. Stoles started to trickle in during the fall, and by February they began coming in droves. In all, we received 220 United Methodist stoles – the vast majority of them arriving within eight weeks of the Conference. Thanks to a monumental effort by a number of volunteers who pitched in to help record, inventory, sew labels and make last-minute repairs, all of the new stoles were present in Cleveland. Twenty more people brought stoles directly to Cleveland, bringing the total number on display to 240. Towards the end of the General Conference, twenty eight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender United Methodists and allies stood on the Conference floor in silent protest over the Conference’s failure to overturn the ban on LGBT ordination – a profound witness and act of defiance for which they were later arrested. As these twenty eight moved to the front of the room, another 200 supporters stood up around the balcony railing, each wearing one of the new United Methodist stoles. Hundreds more stood in solidarity as well, in the balcony and on the plenary floor, wearing symbolic “stoles” made from colorful bands of cloth. A group of young people from Minneapolis, members of a Communicant’s Class, had purchased bolts of cloth the preceding evening and stayed up all night cutting out close to a thousand of these “stoles." In less than eight months, a handful of stoles had grown to become a powerful, visible witness to the steadfast faith of LGBT United Methodists nationwide. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 607 Title A name given to the resource Thomas Martin Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Unknown, (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Rev. Thomas Martin AIDS Clergy Activist Martin, Thomas Methodist Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Theology United Methodist Church United States