90 20 2500 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/877fc5f2790d7e3c8d55aa8855cd187f.jpg e87ddd0c829f5cd63ba5b66c8f824c62 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/1ab0460bbda7f4dcc93369cb55270366.jpg 7c350e99639b891a2827efe080925f83 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/c6550f29e30ee82883eccb756a567075.jpg 67c3ca1e3aebedf2595fd524e11661f5 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/7a10d9a3825534b260e054e4f1ae0120.jpg 5db859b59d52044c627024ab766b8036 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document The Friend February 15, 1963 "Towards a Quaker View of Sex" The unofficial group of Friends who since 1957 have been examining sexual problems and morals have now completed an essay, TOWARDS A QUAKER VIEW OF SEX, which is to be published in a few days' time by the Home Service Committee. "The origins of this pamphlet", as the Introduction states, "lie in problems brought by young Quaker students, faced with homosexual difficulties who came to older Friends for help and guidance. It appears that the Society of Friends as such had little to say to people troubled sexually, and that at the same time many friends were in serious doubt whether the Church's traditional view spoke to this condition. The need was clear for research into sexual problems and morals: and for Friends to ask themselves where their responsibility lay. A group of concerned members of the Society accordingly gathered in 1957 to re-examine through thought and prayer this most difficult of problems. It has met regularly ever since and includes those with experience in teaching, penology, marriage guidance, psychiatry, biology, psychology and the law." The members of the group are: KENNETH C. BARNES, Headmaster of Wennington School; ANNA M. BIDDER, research worker and teacher in zoology, Cambridge University; RICHARD FOX, Senior Registrar, Bethlem Royal, Maudsley Hospital; ALASTAIR HERON, Fellow of the British Psychological Society, Direct of the Medical Research Council's Unit on Occupational Aspects of Ageing; G. JOYCE JAMES, housewife, one-time marriage guidance counsellor (who was unable to attend during the last year); KENNETH NICHOLSON, Headmaster of the Friends' School, Saffron Walden; MERVYN PARRY, teacher of educational subnormal children; LOTTE ROSENBERG, consultant psychiatrist and child psychiatrist; ALFRED TORRIE, consultant psychiatrist; KEITH B. WEDMORE, barrister-at-law; and one member who for professional reasons must remain anonymous. The essay, not having been discussed by the Society, does not of course purport to be an "official" statement. It is reviewed by John Ounsted, Headmaster of Leighton Park School, in the article below. __________________________ "Oh dear--not sex again!" a Young Friend was heard to remark recently. It is a comment with which many of us must sympathise, knowing how many other good things ought to claim our time and attention; and after the very full discussion which took place in these columns and in Friends' circles generally a year ago one cannot perhaps reopen the subject without some good excuse. The excuse is that the comment on our sexual situation made by this new pamphlet is "different from all the rest." What is our sexual situation? It is a situation of every increasing "knowledge" in the sense that more and more people know and openly discuss more and more "facts" about sex in its widest sense; and yet of more and more confusion as the welter of information and of rival dogmatic statements becomes more than our minds can deal with. We rejoice to see many old misconceptions (like those about masturbation) abandoned; but find equally numerous new ones in their place. It is impossible to know how much sexual unhappiness there used to be, but we know for certain that (and I mean among the most modern and enlightened of people) there exists and enormous amount of it today. Into this situation two classes of serious doctrines are propounded (quite apart from the influence of fiction, entertainment and advertising whose actual effect on people's actions is, no doubt, much greater than either). One, now quite respectable enough to be published in Pelicans and broadcast on the BBC advocates far greater permissiveness in every direction, and in particular recommends that there should be more or less extensive heterosexual experience, including coitus, in the period between puberty and marriage; but that after marriage there should, on the whole, be faithfulness between the partners until death (or divorce). The other, while advocating (what has a\often not been displayed in the past) the utmost charity towards those who disagreed with it, or who agree with it but fall short of their own ideals, expounds the "traditional Christian belief" part of which contradicts the former doctrine in stating that love relations outside marriage must never extend to coitus. The previous publications of the Home Sevice Committee (including Harold Loukes's admirable pamphlet Christians and Sex: A Quaker Comment) have fallen in the latter group. Now comes TOWARDS A QUAKER VIEW OF SEX which, as indicated above, is radically new in its approach. It has been produced by a group of eleven Friends (rather than a specialist group, as the list at the head of this article shows), who have met monthly over a period of five years. Their starting point was the need to discover how to advise Quaker undergraduates facing homosexual difficulties, and although they have moved on to cover the whole field this origin is significant for its influence on their thinking throughout. Three chapters chiefly describe the facts about contemporary behaviour; the fourth is entitled "A New Morality Needed". The fifth gives practical guidance to any Friend who may have to give advice on sexual problems. There follows a practical appendix listing sources of professional help for more serious cases, and an admirable book list. Two more appendices giving some scientific theories about sex and descriptions of the less common abnormalities might well have been omitted except that they include the important and far too little publicised fact that apparent sexual compatibility in premarital intercourse may be associated with impotence or frigidity after marriage--one of the many compelling reasons for advising an engaged couple against "trial marriage". The first way in which this pamphlet is "different" lies in its insistence on our facing the reality (Friends might be expected to lead other Christians in doing this) that there occurs an enormous quantity and variety of socially unacceptable sexual behaviour, not simply among don't-cards or delinquents but among good and sincere people of the sort who may be or become the pillars of society and indeed the Society of Friends; and that the consequences of this for the individuals involved may or may not be disastrous, depending on how the situation is handled. It reminds us that shoe considered socially acceptable may well, nevertheless, be leading lives which fail to create sexual happiness for themselves and their marriage partners. It tells us that the Friend asked for advice must be unshockable and free from emotional prejudice if he is to be of help. (I wonder if this is wholly true? Does not experiencing the fact that he has given a severe emotional shock to the person he respects enough to have turned to counsel often awaken someone for the first time to knowledge of the truth about himself?) All the same, it usefully emphasises (in relation to being "shocked") that fear of masturbation and of homosexuality tends to make the practice of them more frequent, and that both sorts of adolescent homosexuality flow naturally into heterosexuality and marriage. Secondly, it emphasises the wrongness of the current tendency to take sexual relationships casually and superficially or in isolation from other aspects of life; and the need for what would be my definition of charity, namely, that all relationships should be warm, deep, and personal. There is a good section explaining where Friends come into all this: that their historic insistence on full equality of the sexes should lead to their being especially awake to sexual problems; that their attitude of search for new light should free them from old formulas when those prove ineffective; that their refusal to divide the sacred from the secular should enable them to study God's purpose even in places where some Christian prejudice might make it seems that he was not present at all; that the wide sharing of pastoral duties consequent on the "priesthood of all believers" makes readiness to give sexual counsel a widely shared responsibility (and has the incidental advantage of making it more easy to accept that those who give such counsel are also normal men and women with sexual problems of their own). All Friends who expect to be giving sexual advice are recommended to read this pamphlet and think about it with great care. It will make them think, and it needs intensive thought. It was easy to find much praise; it is very much harder to explain what one has against the pamphlet without quoting it as a whole. But, when it comes to the main point, I found it disappointing. The Devil could cite it to his purpose, as the writers indeed frankly recognise in talking of "the permissiveness we appear to support". Looking at my notes I find I could provide plenty of texts from it to support my own beliefs about sex (which cannot be fully expounded in this review): The social codes changes...the truly religious (code) is changeless and eternal. There must be a morality of some sort to govern sexual relationships. We believe that there is indeed a place for discipline. In the power of the Holy Spirit there are no dangers from which strength cannot be gained, no apparent disaster which cannot be transformed into spiritual opportunities. Most people...would agree that the family as a social unit should be safeguarded and sexual practices that threaten its stability vigorously discouraged. [Friends recognised this by having a "Marriage and Parenthood Committee". The tendency to look at sex in isolation from parenthood is one of the chief faults of modern sexual thinking, and one from which this pamphlet is by no means free. Does laying down this Committee imply a change of belief about this?]* But I think the authors do not share my beliefs. And if they do, they certainly don't make it clear that they do. Indeed, a lack of clear statement both in detail and of the overall implications of the work is its principal weakness. As an illustration of the style of expression throughout: "Neither are we happy with the thought that all homosexual behaviour is sinful." I do not suppose there is anyone who would be "happy with the ought": the question is whether the authors are or are not stating their believe that not all homosexual behaviour is sinful. More important than such details is the overall confusion produced in the reader by balancing any statement that seems clearly weighted on one side with another (sometimes quite separate) giving the opposite emphasis. The idea which could be put: "This is a very complicated matter; almost anything might be true" is sound enough as a starting point for most issues, but not positively helpful as a conclusion. Confusion is produced, too, by attaching (as is common) extreme wide meanings to the words love and sex. For example, "any personal relationship between two people carries a sexual element"; and commending "love" in eternal triangle situations in such terms as to make it uncertain whether they believe (my tentative conclusion is that they do believe) that in some cases this should involve being on coitus terms with two different partners at the same time. Love is not merely, confusingly, almost identified with sex and sex with coitus; it is also (which is a logical enough consequence) set in antithesis to duty. But is it not the experience of most Christians that love by all Christian definitions is something which both produces duty and grows by duty, that the two are inextricably bound and mutually nourishing, like the symbiotic partners in a lichen? When Professor Carstairs was believed to have stated in his BBC Reith Lectures that it would be beneficial to our society if premarital coitus took place more freely and frequently, Free Church, Anglican and Catholic leaders took the opportunity to reiterate publicly the traditional Christian view that coitus should take place only within marriage. Supposing a Friend were to lay before Yearly Meeting a concern that Friends should state the same, and that this pamphlet were a "document in advance", what would happen? One might have expected the Quaker Committee to agree with one view of the other, or to propound a new one. It does none of these things. Instead of being called TOWARDS A QUAKER VIEW OF SEX the pamphlet might have been called AWAY FROM A TRADITIONAL CHRISTIAN VIEW OF SEX; for it seems to reject the latter, chiefly by reference to the many abuses which have arisen from the traditional view (for example, ill-treatment of illegitimate children, imprisonment of homosexuals, unloving marriages), abuses that many Christian-traditionalists clearly recognise are only abuses and not part of their code. It equally seems to reject the Carstairs view; but instead of producing a third way simply nails its colours firmly to the fence: "...how difficult it has been for us to come to definite conclusions as to what people ought or ought not to do." Is there not a contradiction between this reason for rejecting a moral absolute, "We think it is our duty not to stand on a peak of perfectionism", and the following fine and inspiring passage which perhaps presents the final positive message of the pamphlet?-- The challenge to each one of us is clear: accustom yourself to seeking God's will and the experience of his love and power, become used in your daily life to the simple but tremendous spiritual fact that what God asks he enables, provided only and always that we will to do his will. In other words: "All you've got to do is to be a saint and you'll find your sexual actions are not sinful, as neither are your others". For us poor sinners, so given to blinding ourselves with self-centred desire, isn't the traditional Christian code of chastity, taking in its total Christian context of charity as defined above, more likely to clear the mists and give us a glimpse of God and his will? John Ounsted ___________________________ *The passage in brackets is, of course, John Ounsted's comment, not a quotation from the report. Discussion on BBC Television The report will be the subject of a discussion in "Meeting Point" on BBC Television on Sunday (February 17) at 6:15 p.m. Kenneth Barnes and Anna Bidder will be questioned by Paul Ferris, of The Observer, and a psychiatrist. The report, price 3s. 6d., is obtainable from the Home Service Committee or the Friends Book Centre, both at Friends House, Euston Road, London, NW1. 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 Review in The Friend, 15 Feb 1963 Description An account of the resource The Friend, the weekly communications vehicle of the London Yearly Meeting, published a pre-release review by John Ounsted that was respectful but critical. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Reproduced by permission of The Friend, February 15, 1963, pp. 180-183. https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/dc0c61d42ab4da8edfba76c43977af26.jpg 79ced77af08da0b1924d214d7775fc7c 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 YouTube Video A video hosted on YouTube. YouTube ID Eleven-character ID assigned by YouTube b2lMb-58MH4 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 Rewriting the Script: A Love Letter to Our Families Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Produced and Directed by Friday Nite Productions, a Toronto-based collective of South Asians. 2001. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2lMb-58MH4 Subject The topic of the resource A video that focuses on how family members respond when other family members come out as GLBT. Description An account of the resource The video features, among others, Rupert Raj with his sister Amala. They and other families discuss the coming out of family members. While these families experienced minimal trauma (in the form of parents and siblings choosing to accept and adjust), some commentators note that coming out can present a spiritual crisis for all when the family is unwilling to allow a flexible adjustment. Strict religious beliefs and social mores often dictate this rigidity. This is why a person coming out can feel great shame and believe there will be no acceptance of their gender or sexual identity. Even when the child is a cisgender gay or lesbian, they still may commit suicide upon seeing no acceptance of who they are. The video notes that suicide can be a way of not having to confess to the family that one is queer. It was not yet known when this early film was made that the rate of suicide attempts is highest for trans people. The risk rises even higher when the trans person feels compelled to change or modify their biological sex to align with their felt gender, as Rupert Raj did. The video makes the point that in South Asian societies coming out places one immediately at odds with culture and religion which are obstacles the survivors and their relations must navigate. As a result of the stresses generated, some who come out abandon religion altogether, and others seek to find space within their faith or create new forms of faith more suitable to them. However, the video does acknowledge how ancient South Asian religious traditions have always provided space for sexual differences and gender variance that the dominant religions do not. https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/cfece401f081d15d4a9e0734a4b7e5b0.jpg cad63b87b023834c958f67551ae9b51c https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/31309e415559cb2527def5cfe9ecf48e.jpg 83745598006770b4483203ce15172c4e 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. Rich Horton Stole Text Rich Horton Cleveland Heights, Ohio Father, Elder, Church School Teacher who lost his opportunity to serve the church when he claimed his identity as a gay man He left the Presbyterian Church (USA) for another denomination in which he is welcome Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) #NAME? Contribution Date 1996 Contribution Story Rich Horton is a friend to members of Noble Road Presbyterian Church, a long-time More Light congregation in Cleveland Heights, OH. Rich's stole was included with a few others we received from Noble Road in 1996. 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 306 Title A name given to the resource Rich Horton Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Cleveland Heights, Ohio (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Rich Horton and Noble Road Presbyterian Church Horton, Rich More Light Presbyterians for LGBT Concerns Ohio Ordination Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Theology Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Richard (Dick) Hetz Stole Text In Honor of THE REV. RICHARD (DICK) HETZ From Donn Crail West Hollywood, California The Rev. Dick Hetz was the pastor of Baldwin Park Presbyterian Church in San Gabriel Presbytery (now a More Light congregation) in the 1970's. Though a gay man, Dick remained "technically" in the closet, and in 1980 was appointed as Stated Supply of West Hollywood Presbyterian Church during the years that Chris Glaser was there as Director of the Lazarus Project. Though essentially filling that role, Chris could not be called as pastor of the church because the "definitive guidance" of the denomination did not allow him, as an openly gay man, to be ordained as Minister of Word and Sacrament. Dick remained moderator of the WHPC session until his untimely death in 1983. In the history of the gay liberation struggle in the PCUSA Dick Hetz played an early and significant part. Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1997 Contribution Story This is one of fifteen stoles from members, elders, deacons, and pastoral staff at West Hollywood Presbyterian Church (WHPC). West Hollywood Presbyterian Church is a historical icon in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community as well as the Welcoming Congregations movement. WHPC was at the forefront of the civil rights movement in Los Angeles and in the early 1960's began to close each service by singing the civil rights anthem "We Shall Overcome" - a tradition that continues to this day. As early as 1964 (five years before the Stonewall rebellion), West Hollywood Presbyterian Church hosted what is believed to be the first openly Gay Men's "Rap" Group in the city of Los Angeles and the church began to minister to the spiritual needs of the Gay & Lesbian community who had been drawn by its message of inclusiveness. Soon nationally known spiritual author Chris Glaser would launch "The Lazarus Project" at WHPC - A program to advocate for Gay & Lesbian spiritual and human rights. In October of 1984, WHPC called an openly gay man, the Reverend Dan Smith, to serve as its pastor. Dan continues to be the only minister in the country serving a Presbyterian congregation who went through the entire call and installation process as an "out" gay man. While proudly continuing its tradition of progressive spirituality and activism, this multi-cultural congregation feeds approximately 4,000 hungry and homeless people each year, builds homes for economically-challenged families under the "Habitat for Humanity" program, offers an HIV Spiritual Support Group, provides a "Children's Church" program and continues to openly take stands on political issues involving civil rights. West Hollywood Presbyterian also claims to espouse a theology that is "perhaps the most pro-feminist in Los Angeles." 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 400 Title A name given to the resource Richard (Dick) Hetz Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Hollywood, California (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Donn Crail, on behalf of West Hollywood Presbyterian Church AIDS California Civil Rights Movement Clergy Activist Feminism Glaser, Chris Hetz, Richard Lazarus Project Ordination Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Smith, Dan Theology https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/71073063f17ea8b27ed1995ba4fa4220.jpg 905a4229bc906fc51b1d4ba8a5bb24b0 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/79bc22897b7446ab309b273db6312aae.jpg f2a96986abe569f411cf9bdcaa7f66e6 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. Richard Benesh Stole Text RICHARD BENESH Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1996 Contribution Story This is one of about thirty stoles donated to the collection over the years by the members of Rutgers Presbyterian Church in New York in honor of their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members, many of whom hold leadership positions within the congregation and in the Presbytery of New York City. Established in 1798 in lower Manhattan, Rutgers has a long history of involvement in social justice and community development issues. Rutgers is a More Light congregation, working for the full inclusion of LGBT persons in the life and leadership of the Presbyterian Church. Along with More Light Presbyterians, Rutgers is a sponsor of Presbyterian Welcome (an affiliate of That All May Freely Serve) and the Covenant Network in their common pursuit for the end of discrimination against LGBT persons in the Presbyterian Church. 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 267 Title A name given to the resource Richard Benesh 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, New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Rutgers Presbyterian Church Covenant Network of Presbyterians More Light Presbyterians for LGBT Concerns New York New York City Ordination Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/6bbe970f13ad2bd734b77ff76a6b07bb.pdf eef07dec873aea1aeec80b06b582e07e 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 Richard Daller's Address https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/628ac7227e161dc3b8c9be3b402e5330.gif c91cebb9cd84bcd9a889a44ca77a8529 Hyperlink A link, or reference, to another resource on the Internet. URL https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/about/richard-fox-obituary 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 Richard Fox obituary Description An account of the resource Obituary of Richard Fox published on the web site of the British Epilepsy Association. 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. Richard H. (Donated by First Presbyterian Church, Ewing NJ) Stole Text RICHARD H. New Jersey Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1998 Contribution Story This is one of sixteen stoles donated by First Presbyterian Church of Ewing, NJ on behalf of members or friends of the congregation. We have no other information about this individual. 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 446 Title A name given to the resource Richard H. (Donated by First Presbyterian Church, Ewing NJ) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Ewing, New Jersey (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource First Presbyterian Church New Jersey Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Richard Palleschi Stole Text RICHARD PALLESCHI First Presbyterian Church Ewing, New Jersey After hearing the preaching against homosexuality in the Roman Catholic church, leaving the church in my youth, and abandoning all faith and spirituality (as well as sexuality) in my twenties, I was finally able to come out to myself and others and found a church where all were truly welcomed. My faith and spirituality are mine again. My activity in the church surprises me: serving on a Presbytery Task Force, speaking to church groups, singing in choir. The church has given me personal strength and an understanding of homosexuality. I have watched my church's first openly gay Deacon take our church community to the next plane from "The Pines" to the church, I am reminded of what we all want and need from each other: compassion and understanding. Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Roman Catholic Church Contribution Date 1998 Contribution Story This is one of sixteen stoles donated by First Presbyterian Church of Ewing, NJ on behalf of members and friends of the congregation. As evidenced by this story from a former Catholic, First Presbyterian has a number of members who found themselves "exiled" from other churches and denominations. 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 231 Title A name given to the resource Richard Palleschi Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Ewing, New Jersey (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource First Presbyterian Church Catholic New Jersey Palleschi, Richard Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Roman Catholic 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. Richard Rossiter Stole Text Rev. Richard Rossiter My name is Richard Rossiter, and I am a former United Methodist pastor who served congregations for sixteen years in the Colorado and West Michigan Annual Conferences. I chose to relinquish my credentials on February 4, 1996. After serving nearly three years as an openly gay United Methodist Pastor in Coloma, Michigan, I needed to "let go" of my childhood church in love. The United Methodist Church would not honor my blessed relationship. During those difficult days, it felt like I continued to be part of an abusive relationship… it was time to let go and live authentically with myself, my life-partner and God. Today, I have reaffirmed my ordination with the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC) and am serving again as pastor! My spiritual gifts and talents are being used in a denomination that affirms and celebrates my gay soul and my relationship. What a blessing UFMCC is to the world! Today is the fourth anniversary of my choice to relinquish my United Methodist ordination. How appropriate that on this day I would write this letter and send this stole. I rejoice in the mystery of it all and pray often for the United Methodist Church. I live with my life-partner, the Rev. Perry Wiggins in Oak Park, Illinois. He and my children, Elizabeth and Matthew Rossiter, continue to be precious gifts to me. Denomination United Methodist Church Metropolitan Community Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story Richard Rossiter and his partner, Perry Wiggins, were both ordained United Methodist ministers. Richard relinquished his ordination in 1996, and now serves as a pastor in the Metropolitan Community Church. In a poignant note, Richard mentions that this stole was made on the fourth anniversary of his relinquishing his ordination -- clearly this was the UMC's loss and the MCC's gain! In addition to his own stole, a Signature Stole honoring Richard was donated by Coloma, MI United Methodist Church, the last United Methodist church that Richard served (#635). Perry, who also gave a stole to the collection (#510), is attempting to retain his ordination in the UMC as retired clergy. 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 511 Title A name given to the resource Richard Rossiter Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Oak Park, Illinois (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Richard Rossiter Clergy Activist Illinois MCC Methodist Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Rossiter, Richard Theology United Methodist Church Wiggins, Perry 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. Richard Rossiter Stole Text This stole is given and signed by members and friends of Coloma United Methodist Church in Coloma, Michigan. It honors the Rev. Richard T. Rossiter, who served as their pastor from 1992-1996. His last 2 1/2 years he served as an openly gay UM pastor. He relinquished his ordination on Feb. 4, 1996. In Honor of Rev. Richard T. Rossiter Denomination United Methodist Church Contribution Date 2000 Contribution Story Richard Rossiter and his partner, Perry Wiggins, were both ordained United Methodist ministers. Richard relinquished his ordination in 1996, and now serves as a pastor in the Metropolitan Community Church. This Signature Stole, donated by Coloma, MI United Methodist Church, was made to honor Richard. Colma UMC was the last United Methodist congregation that Richard served. In addition to this Signature Stole, Richard has given his own stole to the collection (#511). Perry, who also gave a stole to the collection (#510), is attempting to retain his ordination in the UMC as retired clergy. 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 635 Title A name given to the resource Richard Rossiter Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Coloma, Michigan (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Coloma United Methodist Church Clergy Activist Methodist Michigan Ordination Reconciling Ministries Network (formerly Reconciling Congregation Program) Rossiter, Richard United Methodist Church Wiggins, Perry 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. Richard Sprout Stole Text RICHARD MPC Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1998 Contribution Story Richard Sprout is an ordained Elder at Montclair Presbyterian Church. His stole was sent to us along with a Signature Stole from Montclair (stole #417). Richard was active in the national leadership of Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, one of two organizations that merged to form More Light Presbyterians. Montclair Presbyterian Church has been a More Light church for twenty years, and for many years has been in the forefront of social justice work on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and in society. 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 416 Title A name given to the resource Richard Sprout Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Oakland, California (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Richard Sprout and Montclair Presbyterian Church California Clergy Activist More Light Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns Ordination Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Sprout, Richard https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/5d59d46307ba90cfced2ba2dfd06e6f6.png c589aa7bd39f6a33f29b242b242f11f4 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 Richard Waitzkin Subject The topic of the resource Queer Spirit Podcast Description An account of the resource Richard Waitzkin is a psychotherapist and one of the founders of Portland’s new and terribly exciting Equality Community Center, which houses organizations serving the LBGTQ+ community, including Equality Maine, Maine TransNet, GLSEN, and SAGE Maine, as well as allied organizations, such as the Maine Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations, the Maine Jewish Film Festival, Democracy Maine, and the Cambodian Community Association of Maine. A native of Ohio, Rich as a young adult served as a VISTA volunteer and teacher’s aide in California before moving east. In Massachusetts, he received two masters degrees, one in education and the other in social work. After moving to Maine, he worked on the frontlines in the early days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, sat on the Governor’s commission on AIDS, attended the first regional training to provide HIV counseling and testing, volunteered as an AIDS buddy, and contributed to Maine’s first AIDS hospice facility. About his work as a psychotherapist, Rich writes, “As our lives unfold, we’re challenged mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Psychotherapy can provide a safe environment to focus on the growth and healing required of us to become the best we can be in all roles and aspects of our life. Over these many years in practice, I've found the work of healing, growth, and personal transformation to be a sacred process.” Rich lives in Portland, loves to work in his yard and on his old house, and dances in both public and private. 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 Richard Waitzkin https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/df5abb334d593679ae6c14b8f34a8742.jpeg 31d1c7a3355bb1cd0ee1eeca84137d26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Historical Development of BIPOC Trans-spiritual Leadership Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard Wright Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Biography https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/richard-wright https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/8ba80e9045413bf69bdd11a5c2006ca3.png deb81c385919ecb293f8ebec68d899af Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Upstairs Lounge Fire Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Text Any textual data included in the document June 28, 1973 AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT FROM THE RECTOR In view of the uproar caused by the Memorial Service at St. George’s on Monday night for the Rev. “Bill” Larsen and others who died in New Orleans worst fire Sunday night, I wish to point out the following: <ol><li>St. George’s is not a private club but the House of God.</li> <li>The Rector is given authority of the canons of the church to arrange services at all times.</li> <li> The group asked me for permission to hold their memorial service at St. George’s. In good conscience I could not turn them away. Do you think Jesus would have?</li> <li>Bill Larsen, a fine humble, devoted Christian and Minister of that group was trying to exercise his pastoral duty that night at the bar.</li> <li>The group asked us not to give the service any publicity and we in turn asked the press not to publicize this, but since they are always looking for stories for the public they paid scant heed to our request.</li> <li>The small chapel on Magazine Street used by this group could not begin to hold the 50 or 75 or more persons who attended the service.</li> <li>God’s Church exists to help all people, regardless of who they are or what they do.</li> <li>While there has been considerable criticism from some of our own members, and from a few outsiders, most of which has been relayed not to me but to several ladies of our parish (who are not the authority), there is a mounting number of people in the community, both clergy and lay persons, who are voicing their entire agreement that the memorial service was a very Christian thing for St. George’s to permit, and the question again comes up, “Would Jesus have barred these grief-stricken people from His Church, or would he have welcomed them?”</li> </ol>Therefore, if any considerable number of St. George’s members still feel that our church is to minister only to the select few, and not to the whole community, then I should seriously consider resigning as your Rector in the near future, so the Bishop and the Vestry can look for someone else. (signed) William P. Richardson, Jr. P.S. I love you all, even if you violently disagree with me. But remember, we must try not to be Pharisees, thinking we are better than others. At all times I try to follow what I believe to be the Lord’s Will, and the Christian attitude. Upon returning from India the last of July, I shall decide what course of action to take. 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 Richardson Circulates Statement to Congregation Description An account of the resource In an open letter to the congregation, Richardson states pointedly his reasons for permitting the memorial service at St. George’s and offers to resign if opposition is too great. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived St. George’s records by Rev. Richard Easterling. https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/964358068ace2fcf7a8e5b43b9c480d6.jpg f1b5902b3b0d30ec9adb3aa00a925ada Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Upstairs Lounge Fire Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Text Any textual data included in the document To the Editor: Thank you for the spring 1991 issue. It is excellent. I have a some additional information for you concerning your article, “Closeted Gay Bishop Dies of AIDS.” In 1971 I attended a summer seminar at General Theological Seminary on “Homosexuality, Women’s Liberation and Communal Living.” I returned home to St. George’s Church in New Orleans where I was rector, determined to do all in my power to support lesbians and gay men. The local Metropolitan Community Church met in our chapel for some months. Then they found their own small church. From time to time I attended their afternoon service, and I came to know their minister, Rev. Bill Larsen, quite well. He often came to see me regarding their scrambled liturgy and what to do about it. The night of June 24, 1971 some 30 or more members of the MCC group and friends were at an upstairs bar. A man who was drunk fire-bombed the stairs. The windows had iron bars over them. As a result, nearly all those there were burned to death. My phone rang at 3 a.m. telling me of this. I was grieve greatly, for included among those who burned to death was Bill Larsen, my friend. The next morning a member of the MCC called to see if they could have a memorial service that evening at St. George’s. I agreed, providing they would not make a big splash over it. The Rev. Troy Perry flew in that evening and assisted with the service. Some 80-90 persons attended. I warned the TV people not to take pictures, and asked the reporters to play it low-key. They did. Bishop Iveson B. Noland, who was later killed in a plane crash in New York, phoned me early the next morning. He said, “Bill, this is the Bishop. Have you read the morning paper?” I said, “Yes, Bishop, I have.” “Is it true that the service was at St. George’s Episcopal Church?” “Yes, Bishop, it was.” “Why didn’t they have it at their own church?” he asked. I replied, “For the simple reason their small church holds about 18 persons. Without any publicity we have over 80 present.” “What am I to say when people call my office?” I replied, “You can say anything you wish, Bishop. But do you think Jesus would have kept these people out of His church?” I heard later the Bishop had a hundred calls, and I got hate calls and letters. Only one member of our vestry supported me. Later, I was stopped by many people on the street for doing such a Christian thing. Later that week I was asked if we could have another memorial service the next Sunday afternoon at St. George’s. I had to decline for I was just leaving for a month’s trip to India to visit friends, and I knew I would have to be present for such a service. It was then that the late Bishop Finis Crutchfield offered the Rampart St. Methodist Church for that service. I am still very active in lesbian/gay affairs, though our Integrity group eventually folded. I have spoken several times before our City Council and before our Diocesan Convention regarding lesbian/gay issues, but to little avail. But I’m not giving up! Cordially, (The Rev.) William P. Richardson, Jr. New Orleans, LA 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 Richardson Recalls Memorial Service Backlash Description An account of the resource Richardson writes a 1991 letter to the Voice of Integrity, newsletter of the national LGBT Episcopal group, telling the story of the June 25th memorial service and its aftermath. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived The Voice of Integrity, Volume 1, Number 2 Summer 1991. https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/51fc452f1a02e3227b8fec68d40793fc.jpg 1c6d7394ec34f63b8a5c221f33c54b0f https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/1f5a64c4b0a759cbcdeeae8ec3393549.jpg 255baeb02508eb9ede276b5a919628f8 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/ef79dac7a8398a0e23b65d38690d19f7.jpg f0e404866bafb1d926cd32d62bc7c084 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. Rick (Church of the Covenant, Boston MA) Stole Text RICK Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) United Church of Christ Contribution Date 2001 Contribution Story This is one of 52 stoles donated to the Shower of Stoles collection by members and staff of Church of the Covenant. Although each of the stoles is unique, all of them are tied together by the inclusion of a piece cloth from a common bolt of blue and ivory material somewhere in the stole. Rick's stole includes colorful images of stained glass windows, buttons in the shape of animals, and cross formed from round buttons. Covenant is both a More Light and Open and Affirming Congregation. Their strong and public advocacy on behalf of LGBT persons in the life and leadership of the church has drawn many LBGT persons to become a part of the Covenant church family. Their 52 stoles represent the largest subset of stoles given to the collection by any one congregation. Church of the Covenant, a federated United Church of Christ and Presbyterian Church, is steeped in history. Located just off the Boston Commons, the Gothic revival building erected in the mid-1800's was one of the first churches built in the Back Bay area. In the 1890's the sanctuary was completely redecorated by Tiffany Glass and Decorating Co., including the creation of an extraordinary set of Tiffany stained-glass windows and a chandelier that is said to be the first electrified light installed in a public building by Thomas Edison. Covenant's history of social justice and human rights work is equally rich. When I visited Covenant, I was intrigued to learn that the church was a designated stop along the "Boston Women's Heritage Trail." One of Covenant's members, Abbie Child, was the head of the Women's Board of Missions of the Congregational Church in the late 1800's. Another member, Dr. Elsa Meder, was one of the first women ordained as an elder in the Presbyterian Church. Elizabeth Rice and Alice Hageman, ordained in 1974 and 1975 respectively, were the first women to serve as pastors at a Back Bay church. When they were joined by Donna Day Lower, the church became the only one in the United States with three women clergy. Since opening the "Women's Lunch Place" in 1982, the church has served as a haven for poor women and their children. It is fitting, then, that one of the Tiffany windows is "Four Women of the Bible," including Miriam, Deborah, Mary of Bethany, and Dorcas. Covenant remains on the forefront of work for equality and justice, and is active in the LGBT Welcoming movement in the Boston area and beyond. Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 769 Title A name given to the resource Rick (Church of the Covenant, Boston MA) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachusetts (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Church of the Covenant Boston Clergy Activist Feminism Massachusetts More Light Presbyterians for LGBT Concerns Open and Affirming in the UCC (ONA) Ordination Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Theology United Church of Christ Women and Religion https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/00ecbe469382113399a78ce61746e0aa.jpg ba533152eb24ad6e612678a2438ed467 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/17bca3c0c1ea6c7ec110b5755bcc9167.jpg aa4030b83acfcc76c7289f171c057c5b 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. Rick (One of a group of eighteen Lutheran college students in New York) Stole Text RICK ELCA NY Denomination Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Contribution Date 2001 Contribution Story This is one of eighteen stoles made by an group of LGBT Lutheran college students in NY; sixteen are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and two belong to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), a far more conservative branch of American Lutheranism. All eighteen stoles have been patterned identically out of rainbow colored felt; each has a first name in block letters on one panel, and either "ELCA" or "LCMS," and "NY" on the second panel. The eighteen students represented by these stoles came to know each other by meeting at an ecumenical event, and they decided to keep meeting together informally. The students were particularly concerned with providing support for one of their two new LCMS friends. Although this young man was not "out" to anyone outside the group, he had been mercilessly abused by his family and his church on the mere suspicion that he was gay, and he feared for his life. Almost all of the other students are "out," but instead of simply trying to push their friend out of the closet, out of his church or away from his family, they chose instead to "sit with him," to be patient, offer their friendship and support, share in Bible study, and provide a listening ear until the young man's fears subsided and he could "find his own way." These stoles were given to me when I directed a display of stoles at the Tang Museum on the campus of Skidmore College in 2001. One of the ELCA students drove to Saratoga Springs, NY to deliver the stoles and tell me their story. As an act of solidarity with their one friend, all eighteen chose to put only their first names on the stoles. The student who delivered the stoles talked with me for quite awhile, but he, too, chose to tell me only his first name and he left no contact information. Although I don't know these students beyond the bit that they chose to share with me, I am touched by their story and impressed with the bond of faith and friendship they have formed. When I asked how their friend was doing, the student smiled and said, "He's getting his spiritual life back." And, he added, "He has changed our lives, too." Martha Juillerat Founder, Shower of Stoles Project 2006 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 817 Title A name given to the resource Rick (One of a group of eighteen Lutheran college students in New York) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant New York (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource A Group of Lutheran College Students Evangelical Lutherans of America (ELCA) Lutheran New York https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d813a411b7abf84eb78e7633ef627f59.jpg 0ddcfdc92eb16e82ca82e3ae85b254ce https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/3d522386f01b934797cb12842eb54ecc.jpg bef17866915dc63f6412c41603716425 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. Rick Fisher Stole Text RICK FISHER DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Rick Fisher, who lost his position as a full-time church musician after "coming out" to the church's pastor, dedicates this stole "On behalf of the many gay musicians who serve and have served the church." Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1995 Contribution Story This stole was one of the original 80 stoles that were on display on Sept. 16, 1995 when I set aside my ordination before Heartland Presbytery (see stole #1 for details). Rick Fisher was the well regarded full-time Director of Music at a large church in New Jersey when he came out to the church's senior pastor; he was fired shortly thereafter. This devastated Rick, a man of great talent, immense integrity and deep faith He was unemployed for a time before finding work in Missouri. He managed to keep his sense of humor, though. That Christmas he and his partner, Randy Hite, sent their friends a letter with several photos of either Rick or Randy standing next to the "Wecome To..." sign for every state they crossed driving from New Jersey to western Missouri, including a couple of unflattering shots taken in the middle of the night for which one or the other had been rousted from nap. Rick's artistic talents and business acumen have been welcomed in Kansas City. He is now the Executive Director of the Heartland Men's Chorus, one of the most highly respected smaller-city choruses in the United States. Rick's stole has a unique place in the Shower of Stoles collection for several reasons. Shortly after being fired from his New Jersey job, Rick sent us a stole of the sort that would be worn with a choir robe. It was the first stole received from someone who was not an ordained pastor or elder. It is significant that Rick chose not only to represent himself with this stole but also to dedicate it to all gay musicians who have served the church. Because it is obviously the stole of a musician it has caught the eye of other musicians; as a result the collection now has over two dozen stoles from professional church musicians. 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 57 Title A name given to the resource Rick Fisher Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Kansas City, Missouri (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Rick Fisher Fisher, Rick Hite, Randy Missouri Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Theology https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/58420ca4232cd3768d88b5823e02cfe6.jpg bb0bf2f1452b9e0f8fa4fab7d31f881f Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Dr. Rick Huskey, M.D., D.Min., M.Div., a co-founder of Affirmation: United Methodists for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns, was born May 19, 1950 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rick grew up in southeast Minneapolis, in the University of Minnesota community. At the beginning of junior high school, Rick's family moved to suburban Golden Valley. Rick's mother, a third-generation Methodist Christian, lead the family into attending the Golden Valley United Methodist Church, where Rick and his brother were confirmed. He attended the Robbinsdale School District, graduating from Robbinsdale Senior High School in 1968, with honors. Rick received a scholarship to attend St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where he majored in religion, with minors in classics, philosophy and urban studies. He served as a secretary for the student body government. While an undergraduate student at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, Rick helped organize the Northfield Gay Liberation Front in 1971. After graduating cum laude from St. Olaf in three years, he began seminary studies at Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. He completed the course work for his Master of Divinity Degree in two years. While attending the United Methodist General Conference in Atlanta in May, 1972, as part of a seminary class, Rick met openly gay minister Gene Leggett from Texas. Rick and Gene quickly became colleagues and lobbied for acceptance of gay and lesbian clergy there. That General Conference adopted the infamous "we do not condone..." clause in the waning hours of the conference. Back at seminary in the fall of 1972, Rick was instrumental in the formation of Chicago Gay Seminarians and Clergy, along with fellow seminarians John Yoakam (Chicago Theological Seminary), David Sindt (McCormick Theological Seminary), David Blix (University of Chicago Divinity School) and Bill Krick (Garrett Theological Seminary). The following spring Huskey and Leggett traveled the East Coast together (in Huskey's Dodge Dart) and began building a network of gay and lesbian United Methodist clergy. After receiving an M.Div. degree from Garrett and a D.Min. degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 1974, Rick returned to Minnesota where he served as associate pastor at Good Samaritan UM Church in Edina. The following May, during a conversation about pastoral appointments with Bishop Wayne Clymer, Rick informed the bishop that he was gay and asked to begin a ministry with gay and lesbian Christians in Minnesota. Huskey understood that his ministry was following in the footsteps of John Wesley, Methodism's founder, who in 1732 ministered to the "homosexual" Tommy Blair in Oxford's Bocardo Jail. This ministry was documented in Wesley's Oxford Diaries and confirmed by the diaries of other "Holy Club" members. Among the diary listings are John's private visitations, running errands, teaching religious catechism, and serving as legal defense in young Blair's "buggery" charge. The bishop removed Huskey from his parish position, placing him on "voluntary location." Two years later, the Minnesota Annual Conference voted to put Huskey on "involuntary location," thereby ending his ministerial career in the church. Over 100 gay men and lesbian from the area participated in a "kneel-in" demonstration protesting Huskey's "de-frocking" during the ordination service at the conference session. During this time, Rick continued to organize gay and lesbian United Methodists. In the summer of 1975, he, Steve Webster (Madison, Wisconsin), Ernie Reagh (New York) and Gene Leggett convened the first national meeting of gay and lesbian United Methodists. During this meeting at Wheadon UM Church in Evanston, this group named itself The United Methodist Gay Caucus. In the spring of 1976, Huskey and other members of the UM Gay Caucus met in Oklahoma City to make plans for a presence and participation in the 1976 General Conference in Portland, Oregon. During the General Conference, Rick was editor of "Blair's Blurbs" the daily newsletter of the Caucus and participated in discussions with delegates and visitors to the Conference as well as demonstrations and witnesses. In the summer and fall of 1977, Huskey was one of the lead organizers of demonstrations against Anita Bryant's campaign to repeal the St. Paul (Minnesota) ordinance that banned discrimination in employment and housing. Huskey continued his involvement in Affirmation, as the UM Gay Caucus was later renamed, and the Reconciling Congregation Program (founded in 1984) in the years following, including participating in the decision of his home church (Wesley UM. Church in Minneapolis) to become a Reconciling Congregation. However, more of his energy was poured into beginning a new ministry career--in medicine. He studied medicine in the Dominican Republic from 1978-1981 and did his clinical rotation at the University of California in San Francisco in 1980-81. Subsequently, Huskey did post-graduate research and training at the University of California Davis Medical Center (1982-83), Hennepin County Chest Clinic and Minneapolis Indian Health Board (1984-87), the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (1987-1991) and Albert Einstein Medical Center and The Philadelphia Geriatric Center, affiliated with Temple University Hospitals in Philadelphia (1991-93). In 1993, he began a geriatric medical practice in Washington, D.C., and worked in several clinics and hospitals there. In 2002, he became the Associate Medical Director and Chair of Geriatric Medicine at the Medlink Hospital and Nursing Center in Washington, D.C., and after three terms as Chair of the DC Board of Nursing Home Administration, he became the Emeritus Chairperson. In 1988, Huskey arranged for the beginning of a United Methodist Gay and Lesbian Archives by donating his collection of papers and documents to the United Methodist Archives at Drew University. He has actively campaigned and worked to get the papers of other early United Methodist gay and lesbian leaders added to this collection. In the mid 1990's, Huskey was named historian for Affirmation. In 1998 Huskey helped establish the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's National Religious Leadership Roundtable. He represented Affirmation in the organizing and initial meetings. In spring 2000 Dr. Huskey was editor of Affirmation's newsletter at the General Conference, "Table Manners," and was the medical contributor on aging gay men's health issues in "The Coming of Age," in Men Like Us: the GMHC Complete Guide to Gay Men's Sexual, Physical and Emotional Well-Being. Rick lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and commutes to his practice in the District. He is the attending physician for over 200 seriously ill nursing home patients. Dr. Huskey cares for patients in their final, end-of-life status. He cares for the sickest elderly in the community, and incorporates home care visits into his practice. He yet expects to be ordained an Elder in the United Methodist Church as an open gay man with a call to ministry. (This biographical statement was written by Rick Huskey with assistance from LGBTRAN staff Mark Bowman.) Biographical Text Dr. Rick Huskey, M.D., D.Min., M.Div., a co-founder of Affirmation: United Methodists for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns, was born May 19, 1950 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rick grew up in southeast Minneapolis, in the University of Minnesota community. At the beginning of junior high school, Rick's family moved to suburban Golden Valley. Rick's mother, a third-generation Methodist Christian, lead the family into attending the Golden Valley United Methodist Church, where Rick and his brother were confirmed. He attended the Robbinsdale School District, graduating from Robbinsdale Senior High School in 1968, with honors. Rick received a scholarship to attend St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where he majored in religion, with minors in classics, philosophy and urban studies. He served as a secretary for the student body government. While an undergraduate student at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, Rick helped organize the Northfield Gay Liberation Front in 1971. After graduating cum laude from St. Olaf in three years, he began seminary studies at Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. He completed the course work for his Master of Divinity Degree in two years. While attending the United Methodist General Conference in Atlanta in May, 1972, as part of a seminary class, Rick met openly gay minister Gene Leggett from Texas. Rick and Gene quickly became colleagues and lobbied for acceptance of gay and lesbian clergy there. That General Conference adopted the infamous "we do not condone..." clause in the waning hours of the conference. Back at seminary in the fall of 1972, Rick was instrumental in the formation of Chicago Gay Seminarians and Clergy, along with fellow seminarians John Yoakam (Chicago Theological Seminary), David Sindt (McCormick Theological Seminary), David Blix (University of Chicago Divinity School) and Bill Krick (Garrett Theological Seminary). The following spring Huskey and Leggett traveled the East Coast together (in Huskey's Dodge Dart) and began building a network of gay and lesbian United Methodist clergy. After receiving an M.Div. degree from Garrett and a D.Min. degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 1974, Rick returned to Minnesota where he served as associate pastor at Good Samaritan UM Church in Edina. The following May, during a conversation about pastoral appointments with Bishop Wayne Clymer, Rick informed the bishop that he was gay and asked to begin a ministry with gay and lesbian Christians in Minnesota. Huskey understood that his ministry was following in the footsteps of John Wesley, Methodism's founder, who in 1732 ministered to the "homosexual" Tommy Blair in Oxford's Bocardo Jail. This ministry was documented in Wesley's Oxford Diaries and confirmed by the diaries of other "Holy Club" members. Among the diary listings are John's private visitations, running errands, teaching religious catechism, and serving as legal defense in young Blair's "buggery" charge. The bishop removed Huskey from his parish position, placing him on "voluntary location." Two years later, the Minnesota Annual Conference voted to put Huskey on "involuntary location," thereby ending his ministerial career in the church. Over 100 gay men and lesbian from the area participated in a "kneel-in" demonstration protesting Huskey's "de-frocking" during the ordination service at the conference session. During this time, Rick continued to organize gay and lesbian United Methodists. In the summer of 1975, he, Steve Webster (Madison, Wisconsin), Ernie Reagh (New York) and Gene Leggett convened the first national meeting of gay and lesbian United Methodists. During this meeting at Wheadon UM Church in Evanston, this group named itself The United Methodist Gay Caucus. In the spring of 1976, Huskey and other members of the UM Gay Caucus met in Oklahoma City to make plans for a presence and participation in the 1976 General Conference in Portland, Oregon. During the General Conference, Rick was editor of "Blair's Blurbs" the daily newsletter of the Caucus and participated in discussions with delegates and visitors to the Conference as well as demonstrations and witnesses. In the summer and fall of 1977, Huskey was one of the lead organizers of demonstrations against Anita Bryant's campaign to repeal the St. Paul (Minnesota) ordinance that banned discrimination in employment and housing. Huskey continued his involvement in Affirmation, as the UM Gay Caucus was later renamed, and the Reconciling Congregation Program (founded in 1984) in the years following, including participating in the decision of his home church (Wesley UM. Church in Minneapolis) to become a Reconciling Congregation. However, more of his energy was poured into beginning a new ministry career--in medicine. He studied medicine in the Dominican Republic from 1978-1981 and did his clinical rotation at the University of California in San Francisco in 1980-81. Subsequently, Huskey did post-graduate research and training at the University of California Davis Medical Center (1982-83), Hennepin County Chest Clinic and Minneapolis Indian Health Board (1984-87), the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (1987-1991) and Albert Einstein Medical Center and The Philadelphia Geriatric Center, affiliated with Temple University Hospitals in Philadelphia (1991-93). In 1993, he began a geriatric medical practice in Washington, D.C., and worked in several clinics and hospitals there. In 2002, he became the Associate Medical Director and Chair of Geriatric Medicine at the Medlink Hospital and Nursing Center in Washington, D.C., and after three terms as Chair of the DC Board of Nursing Home Administration, he became the Emeritus Chairperson. In 1988, Huskey arranged for the beginning of a United Methodist Gay and Lesbian Archives by donating his collection of papers and documents to the United Methodist Archives at Drew University. He has actively campaigned and worked to get the papers of other early United Methodist gay and lesbian leaders added to this collection. In the mid 1990's, Huskey was named historian for Affirmation. In 1998 Huskey helped establish the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's National Religious Leadership Roundtable. He represented Affirmation in the organizing and initial meetings. In spring 2000 Dr. Huskey was editor of Affirmation's newsletter at the General Conference, "Table Manners," and was the medical contributor on aging gay men's health issues in "The Coming of Age," in Men Like Us: the GMHC Complete Guide to Gay Men's Sexual, Physical and Emotional Well-Being. Rick lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and commutes to his practice in the District. He is the attending physician for over 200 seriously ill nursing home patients. Dr. Huskey cares for patients in their final, end-of-life status. He cares for the sickest elderly in the community, and incorporates home care visits into his practice. He yet expects to be ordained an Elder in the United Methodist Church as an open gay man with a call to ministry. (This biographical statement was written by Rick Huskey with assistance from LGBTRAN staff Mark Bowman.) 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 Rick Huskey Affirmation Methodist Rick Huskey UMC United Methodist Church