Reconciling Ministries Network

Street Theatre Challenges Pastoral Leadership

2009-11-18T14:30:28-06:00

by Peter L. DeGroote

Self-appointed “messengers” of God recently tried to get arrested by demonstrating in front of the Justice Department in Washington. Their goal was to use their arrest to challenge the protection of glbt from hate crimes by way of the 1st Amendment guarantee of free speech. (They see the law as a threat to their hate mongering.)

First, a summary: I am relying on the reporting of Dana Milbank writing in the Washington Post on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 under the title The Messengers of God can’t get arrested in this town. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/16/AR2009111603248.html)

Act 1: The “messengers” proclaimed such things as:

• Rev. Paul Blair: Anything other than sex "between a male and his wedded wife, is a perversion, and the Bible says that homosexuality is in fact an abomination."

• “Rev. Rick Scarborough, quoting Scripture, listed ‘homosexual offenders’ along with thieves, drunkards, swindlers and idolaters as those unwelcome in the kingdom of God. To fail to call homosexuals to repent of their sin and come to Jesus is the highest form of cowardice and sin."

• Rev. Jim Garlow: "Had people listened to our plea, there would be tens of thousands of people who had not died of a dreaded disease. This breaks our heart to see people die of AIDS."

Act 2: Milbank then notes that their “prayers were not answered. Nobody was arrested, which wasn't surprising: To run afoul of the new law, you need to ‘plan or prepare for an act of physical violence’ or ‘incite an imminent act of physical violence.’"

Act 3: Then the street theatre got interesting (again quoting from Milbank’s article):

• Instead of getting arrested, the ministers got something else: “A couple of dozen gay activists, surrounding them with rainbow flags and signs announcing ‘Gaga for Gay Rights’ and ‘I Am a Love Warrior.’ By the end, the gay rights activists had taken over the lectern and the sound system and were holding their own news conference denouncing the ministers.”

• Chuck Fazio, from DC Podiums “was hired by the religious conservatives to provide the sound system for the event, but upon learning of their cause, he decided to donate his proceeds to the gay rights activists and to give them a chance at the microphone before shutting down the amplifiers.”

Postscript: It seems like fun all around but I am troubled:

• A reader gets the impression that these self-proclaimed “messengers” represent Christianity and the Church.

• I don’t know what reporter Dana Milbank knows about the deep divisions in the church over glbt issues but I do know that if we do not show up at these kinds of events we have only ourselves to blame if our views are not reported.

• The failure of any clergy to demonstrate a different perspective reinforces the views of those young people who claim that the church is a source of oppression.

• I didn’t know about it in advance. I’m retired but still closely connected to the reconciling activities of Foundry UMC. We know a lot of what’s going on. Still, we never heard about this. Had I known, I would have donned a collar, made a sign, called a few others, and gone. Our information systems need work.

While this event occurred in Washington, similar events take place in many communities. To one degree or another, my troubled thoughts apply to those events as well. However, not to be lost are the underlying challenges to pastoral leadership that need to be thought out.

Bishops seek younger membership by 2019

2009-11-16T14:54:44-06:00

By Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell

(United Methodist News Service headline, November 5, 2009)

At the age of 76 and as a 3rd generation Methodist/United Methodist, I like many others, am pleased that our United Methodist Bishops have expressed this commitment. My family tells me that my mind sometimes makes "peculiar" connections. When I read the story with the above title, I thought of President Ronald Reagan's often-quoted words; "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall". Reagan's comments about the Berlin Wall have been remembered as we observe the anniversary of the fall of that wall.

One of the ways the Bishops and all of us could reach out to younger membership is for us to begin the process now of "bringing down" words and legislation in our Book of Discipline related to our statement in the Social Principles; "The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching." It is time for us to acknowledge that our words and legislation on homosexuality have been a "wall" separating "old United Methodism from what must become "new" United Methodism"

I have found an illustration in how we might begin to do this in what for some will be viewed as a strange place; The Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. In 1983, Missouri Synod Lutherans developed a resolution in response to the criticisms about the anti-Semitic statements in Volume 47 of Martin Luther Works - On the Jews and Their Lies.

They stated; "Resolved, That while, on the one hand, we are deeply indebted to Luther for his rediscovery of the Gospel, on the other hand, we deplore and disassociate ourselves from Luther's negative statements about the Jewish people, and by the same token, we deplore the use today of such sentiments to incite anti-Christian/and or anti-Lutheran sentiment;..."

It is difficult for us as individuals and as a denomination to admit that Biblically sanctioned words and actions of exclusion, separation and segregation of blacks and women, have now been rendered obsolete and represent superficial Biblical interpretation. General Conference legislation and Book of Discipline language, indicate we have moved from exclusion to inclusion of women and blacks. Younger United Methodists and potential United Methodists, will be watching and learning as we begin to delete words and legislation about Gay and Lesbian persons that have been demeaning and divisive stumbling blocks for so many for too many years.

Young people that I know and many of us who are not-so-young, have wondered why we have never consistently declared that sexism, racism, classism, militarism, etc when "practiced", are "incompatible with Christian teaching". Yet for years, we have allowed our language about the "incompatibility of homosexuality" to shape our negative and punitive legislation about LGBT persons and same gender couples. If we are serious about younger membership and much of the present less-than-young membership, we will allow the "new occasion" of the 21st century, to provide reason and rationale for "tearing down our walls."

Impartial, Compassionate God of All Lives

2009-11-08T05:00:00-06:00

Adrienne Trevathan

Tune: St. Denio (same as "Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise")

Impartial, compassionate God of all lives,
In Christ you have shown us your love actualized,
Incarnate and weak in the arms of the poor,
Destroying all systems that keep closed the door.

Unholy, unjustified fear we incite,
When we shun our neighbors yet cling to our rights.
Your children still wander the streets left in pain,
We pass laws against them to prove our disdain.

Creator of beauty, we stand not in pride,
We do not assume you will stay on our side.
For yours is the sacred, untarnished by sin,
A refuge for outcasts that all may come in.

Our hope is your freedom for both great and small,
To strive for perfection and know all means all.
We challenge and question each law without grace,
Affirming the image of Christ on each face.

All honor we give you, O help us to see,
Your children are worthy to claim victory.
And so let our actions flow out of our praise,
To seek transformation, your kindom to raise.

The Cause of so much Pain...

2009-11-06T05:00:00-06:00

By Joey Heath

This is a part of a conversation I have been having with friend who happens to believe that homosexuality is against God's will. After I wrote it to him I felt like it was something worth sharing with other cause I realized I had just poured my heart out to him. I would also like to note that out of respect for him these are only my words and nothing he has said.

For me I am simply told to be celibate and alone because I know I will never be attracted to women. I'm told because of that fact, I must turn my sexuality off. That is why I see it as so different. You are not being told to turn your sexuality off just channel it to a proper place. There is no option like that for me. I tried to turn it off and many people I know have as well, spending years trying to do just that only to meet with defeat. It cant be that they didn't try hard enough or believe enough because I know people who have done some really crazy things, I'm talking extreme measures, in the name of turning it off. Do you know what the result was? For me it was that so much of my life became consumed with staying focused on not allowing my attraction that it took over. My focus was not on God anymore and I saw it happening but felt powerless to do anything because I felt to only other option to fighting my "sinful desires" was to let them roam free. All this led to was depression and separation from God. I was a mild case. I have heard of so much worse, things like people attempting to cut off their own genitals because they felt like that was the source. Where is God in this pain that is experienced by so many of God's children? Since when was being obedient to God so painful all you want to do is die because you don't feel like you have the strength to even lean on Christ? Why would God allow such suffering in God's people who are only trying to be obedient?

Those are questions that are tough to answer. Those questions are why I do what I do and why I want to be a minister, so that I can help easy the pain and suffering of others. God is love not pain and suffering. I didn't originally intend to write this much but I hope it helps you see why i am so passionate about this. It has never been about my own sexuality. I would give it up in a heartbeat if I felt that was God's will. For me it is about the pain and suffering I see that I know God has called me to ease, and use that to bring hope and joy back to the LGBTQ people of faith and those who have wandered from their faith.

Maine and a Personal Concern About Heterosexism

2009-11-05T08:54:44-06:00

By Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell

The Vote by a Majority of the Voters in Maine to prohibit Same Gender Marriage when "connected" to the 30 other states that have done something comparable, now means that 31 states have aligned themselves with the hetereosexist legislation of the United Methodist Church re; homosexuality and same gender couples.

A PERSONAL CONCERN ABOUT HETEROSEXISM

Whenever I encounter persons or institutions that in conversation or action, express attitudes of pre-judgment, prejudice, bias and bigotry toward homosexuality and homosexual persons, I wonder if I am in the presence also of unacknowledged and/or unresolved racism?

I do that because as an African American, I have experienced racism face-to-face and I know that despite the differences between the history and reality of racist and heterosexist words and actions, there are within each, threads of similarity.

But, there is a more personal reason. I realize that even though I have experienced racism first hand, that does not mean I have adequately dealt with the bits and pieces of racism within me. And, more importantly, I know that despite my years of activism to confront and conquer racism, I have not exorcised from my being, residuals of sexism, classism and anti-Semitism. The task of confronting the residuals of the above "isms" within ourselves and others, requires persistent and consistent prayer, reflection and action.

A perusal of our United Methodist Book of Discipline suggests that directly/indirectly we have addressed the dangers of anti-Semitism, racism, and classism, but despite our language of the "sacred worth" of all persons, (including homosexuals), our negative assessment of "the practice of homosexuality" and the punishment imposed upon those who acknowledge that they do, reveals our heterosexism.

The vote in Maine when linked with similar actions in other states, ought suggest that the United Methodist Church ought begin now to prayerfully plan and act to reform and transform our current heterosexist words and legislation. The United Methodist Church in the 21st century has an opportunity to say that no longer will our legislation give direction, aid and comfort to Americans who believe that a vote of the majority has the right to limit the rights of those who are numerical minorities. When we do that, we will offer a "gift" to the USA that will not be forgotten!

The "Music" of Noah's Curse May Be Over, but the "Melody" Lingers On

2009-11-04T09:44:18-06:00

Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell

One of the joys as well as challenges of "downsizing" as one attempts to settle into what will probably be his/her last home is to re-discover books that have been forgotten. "It" was in one of the boxes that had been set aside to be opened at a later date. When it was time to open that box, "It" peered out at me. "It" was NOAH'S CURSE, The Biblical Justification of American Slavery, Stephen R. Haynes, Oxford University Press, 2002.

Of course, finding the book prompted me to revisit those words in Genesis 9:24-27 that served as the Biblical justification for slavery and racial segregation: "When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him (Telling his brothers of Noah's nakedness) he said, 'Cursed be Canaan; lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.' He also said, 'Blessed by the Lord my God be Shem; and let Canaan be his slave. May God make space for Japheth, and let him live in the tents of Shem: and let Canaan be his slave.'"

Stephen R. Haynes in the Preface utilizes the thoughts in Ham and Japheth in America; The Mythic World of Whites in the Antebellum South, by Thomas V. Peterson to write; "Peterson defines myths as shared cultural symbols that uphold a social order. According to this definition, the story of Noah and his sons functioned mythically in the Old South inasmuch as the characters and actions it narrated symbolized Southern cultural beliefs, institutions and attitudes, successfully bringing together whites' racial stereotypes, political theories, religious beliefs and economic realities."

I suggest the melody of Noah's Curse has lingered because we have seen how First Timothy 2: 11,12 was and still is being used by some to deny ordination to women. And, Romans 1: 26, 27 is used by the United Methodist Church to say in our Book of Discipline, "The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching." (The Nurturing Community, 161 F, "Human Sexuality").

Who among us is able to explain how/why the use of the First Timothy passage to once deny women ordination in the Methodist Church and Romans 1 to deny ordination to same gender loving persons who affirm their relationship/commitment, does what "Noah's Curse" did to justify slavery and racial segregation?

And, how and for whom does Romans 1 symbolize, "cultural beliefs, institutions and attitudes that bring together (sexual) stereotypes, political theories, religious beliefs and economic realities"?

If we could determine who among us has the need to make of the Romans 1 passage a Pauline Curse" to deny same gender loving persons a place of equality in the UMC, we might "turn a corner" that we should have turned years ago. Our failure to learn from our history of mis-use of Biblical passages is being passed on from generation to generation.

Why do I care so much? I care because having known mistreatment by the Church because of my race, I have been impatient with the mistreatment my Church has imposed on persons because of their gender and/or their sexual orientation. And, I do not want our 5 year old grand daughter who attends a United Methodist Church every Sunday with her parents, to grow up in a denomination that seems to need some group to "curse", year after year after year.

Opposing Homophobia and Heterosexism Resolution (#2043, 2008 BOR)

2009-11-03T16:05:10-06:00

WHEREAS, homophobia is the discrimination of people perceived to be non-heterosexual, regardless of the victim’s actual sexual orientation or sexual identity; and,

WHEREAS, heterosexism is a self-justifying system of homophobia that:

1) perpetuates stereotypical categories of what is essentially “masculine” and what is essentially “feminine,”

2) provides a privileged status for people who identify as culturally defined heterosexuals, and

3) discriminates against persons who, regardless of their sexual orientation or sexual identity, do not appear to fit within the particular category defined as appropriate for their gender; and,

WHEREAS, actions rooted in homophobia and heterosexism, including violence, threats, ridicule, humiliation, discrimination, isolation, and rejection, is damaging to persons of all sexual orientations and identities,

WHEREAS, homophobia and heterosexism are manifestations of sexism in general in that they foster stereotypes based on arbitrary distinctions of gender categories,

WHEREAS, the United Methodist Church is committed to the eradication of sexism (#48, 2004 Book of Resolutions),

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that The United Methodist Church strengthen its advocacy of the eradication of sexism by opposing all forms of violence or discrimination based on gender, gender identity, sexual practice or sexual orientation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the General Board of Church and Society provide resources and materials aimed at educating members of the local churches about the reality, issues, and effects of homophobia and heterosexism and the need for Christian witness against these facets of marginalization.

Adopted by the 2008 General Conference

This link takes you to the General Board of Church and Society Website and resources for combating homophobia and heterosexism. http://www.umc-gbcs.org/site/c.frLJK2PKLqF/b.5473163/k.911A/Homophobia_and_Heterosexism.htm

Take a look and continue the struggle to make the world a better place for all people!

Fear

2009-10-30T18:48:40-05:00

By Egeria

Today I shared a meal with two UMC preachers who are trying to navigate riptides of fear within their congregations. They had disagreed with each other about voting for the "All Means All" amendment, and they both disagree with me about what I see as a positive roll for Reconciling United Methodists advocating for full inclusion of LGBTQ persons. Both have welcomed gay and lesbian couples and baptized their children; both hear from members who fear this will lead to lots of gay couples joining (Read that as "too many.") Our meal was a first effort to discuss our visions of local churches and the global UMC in a small, friendly, but disagreeing group.

What came up repeatedly was the fear that some congregants feel toward people who are different: immigrants, ex-offenders, LGBT, students, poor people, people of other races, people wearing rainbow stoles. Some members might acknowledge that churches must care for such people but say "I can't talk to them" or "I won't feel at home here if there are too many of them." These two pastors wanted to address the fears expressed by these members. At the same time, both pastors held a vision of the church as being for all people, with a message that is needed just as much by people who see themselves as the in crowd as by those who want to hear a clear welcome.

Now, this sort of fear can work in the other direction too. I have felt out of place in groups where everyone appeared to be considerably more prosperous than I am. I have been the only white woman at some black church services, where the other worshipers have been extremely gracious; but I have also heard from a black friend whom I first met in such a situation that she had felt suspicious toward me at first. At the RMN Convocation a non-Methodist gay activist asked his gay friends "What are all these straight people doing here?"

We have been told "Fear not." How do we do that?

A Memoir on the Day Hate Crime Legislation was Signed

2009-10-28T15:25:24-05:00

By Peter L. DeGroote

I am sitting in an office at Foundry United Methodist Church. Six blocks down the road, President Obama is signing legislation adding sexual orientation and gender identity to our hate crimes laws. It has been 30 years since passage of the original hate crimes law (1979) and 13 years since the last failed attempt at amendment. (This amendments includes protection based on gender and for those with disabilities and adds resources to help local governments investigate hate crimes.)

The original law came as part of the civil rights tide that washed over this country during the 60’s and 70’s. That was when we began to understand our oppression was also a denial of our civil rights.

People began to come out. The public reaction often seemed like a game of whack-a-mole. Whenever someone decided to live a more authentic life by being honest about his or her sexual identity there were many around ready to knock them back into silence and conformity. That included family and police. Law enforcement was an openly hostile institution just as capable of rendering violence as others.

I joined Foundry in 1980, a year after passage of the original hate crimes legislation. During the early years of that decade little footprints were painted on the sidewalks of the DuPont Circle neighborhood in which Foundry is located. They marked the spot where gay men had been physically attacked and, in a few cases, murdered.

The violence had a profound impact on the entire neighborhood. It is one reason Foundry is a Reconciling Congregation and why most of the nearby churches have an open and welcoming attitude toward LGBT folks. Being a witness to violence, or knowing someone who has been beaten or killed, or realizing that such an act occurred just down the street calls up human capacities of compassion as well as questions about what it is we mean by justice.

During this time some of us who were members of Foundry began a bible study program that, after several years, launched a congregational discussion that ultimately led to Foundry’s becoming a Reconciling Congregation. Later, as clergy I had the privilege of being appointed to Foundry for a couple of years, one of which included the 10-year anniversary of the passage of the Reconciling resolution.

By then discussions had gone much further. The language of gay/lesbian was gone. The initials had grown to LGBTI. The term sexual preference, suggesting that we make a choice in our affectional ties/attractions was finally abandoned. In its place was sexual orientation. Gender identity emerged as term describing personal characteristics that many of us had to learn about—and many of us are still learning.

Along with all of those developments was emergence of the clear understanding that those tools by which we were being oppressed had to do with civil rights. In addition to hate crimes protection, we seek rights to military service, protection from discrimination in housing and employment, and marriage equality.

Civil rights are the product of the civil society, os which the church is only a member. The UM Church, claims it is committed to upholding the civil rights of all people to include LGBT people. We’ll get the civil rights, then we’ll see what the church does.

Now, as a retired pastor, I am once more sitting here in the DuPont Circle neighborhood, in an office at Foundry, assisting in an interim way, only for a few weeks. On this fateful day I should celebrate but I feel strangely quiet. Maybe that will change tomorrow evening when we all go down the road just a little to Asbury United Methodist Church where DC clergy in support of the proposed marriage equality law in Washington have called us to join in Soulful Voices for Marriage Equality—a Faith Celebration.

The beat goes on!

Open Letter to Bishop Wandabula About Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill

2009-10-26T10:59:27-05:00

Dear Bishop Wandabula,

Warm greetings in the name of Jesus Christ.

I am writing to you in view of the Ugandan Anti-homosexuality Bill 2009 that proposes death penalty for homosexuals. I am requesting for your voice and position on this matter. I know you are respectable and influential religious leader in Uganda. You are also doing a tremendous job for the expansion of the gospel of Christ not only in Uganda but the entire East Africa Annual Conference. I have heard some of your preaching about social justice, peace, non-discrimination and reconciliation. I wish these adjectives could also apply to wonderful LGBTI persons in your loving country, Uganda.

As the influential bishop of the East Africa annual conference you cannot look on and watch your own parliament of Uganda enact harsh laws against homosexuals who are also the children of God. I am begging you in the name of God to advise your government to stop this inhumane bill from becoming law.

This bill will make life unbearable for LGBTI persons in Uganda who are our brothers, sisters, friends and flock. You are aware God’s love does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of sexual orientation.

It would be interesting to know from your perspectives on the following questions;

Do you support the discrimination, segregation, stigmatization, repression and the killing of homosexuals as a solution to homosexuality in Uganda?
Do you support the Ugandan Anti-homosexuality Bill 2009 that proposes death penalty for homosexuals?
What is the position of East Africa Annual Conference on the Ugandan Anti-homosexuality bill 2009?
What do you propose for the LGBTI allies who “promote homosexuality” in Uganda and the larger East Africa Annual Conference (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Southern Sudan)?

I wish you could influence other influential Christian leaders in Uganda using your central office about the negative implications of this bill.

Thank you for your possible timely intervention to help our suffering brothers and sisters in Uganda.

Peace and Justice,

Rev.John Makokha,
Other Sheep Country Coordinator-Kenya/Riruta UMC Minister