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The Newsletter of the Interfaith Working Group
April 1999
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Billy Jack Gaither
It was first reported on March 4 that Billy Jack
Gaither of Sylacauga, AL, was beaten to death, then
burned on a pile of tires because he was gay.
A Birmingham News story called him a
"loyal Bible-reading son who took care of his disabled
father, a hard working employee, a trusted friend."
The New York Times News Service said he sang
in the Baptist Church choir; the extensive
Philadelphia Inquirer coverage ommited his
religion. President Clinton denounced the murder.
Wire serices said 400 people marched down
Broadway in a New York City political funeral.
The Birmingham News said that the 225
seat
Covenant Metropolitan Community Church
overflowed with people from across the state to honor
Gaither and call for an end to hatred against
against gays. They also reported that a measure to
repeal Alabama's ban on interracial marriage cleared
a legislative hurdle only after lawmakers made sure
it wouldn't lead to legal recognition of same-sex
marriages.
Thoughtful editorials and columns about Gaither,
hate crimes, sexual orientation and diversity were
in the Talladega Daily Home, the
Birmingham Post-Herald, and the
San Antonio Express-News. A column in the
Charleston (WV) Gazzette (probably
written before news of Gaither's murder), made
a connection between two proposed state laws,
a hate-crime law and the Defense of Marriage Act:
"It is a very short and slippery slope from 'you
shouldn't marry,' to 'you shoudn't live here' and
'you shouldn't work here.' These are the kind of
messages that fuel the fear and bigotry that make
hate crimes possible."
Equality Begins at Home/IGNITE '99
IGNITE '99 drew about five-hundred people on March 23
to the capitol building in Harrisburg for a vigil
for victims of hate crimes and rally on the capitol
steps, followed by lobbying; it was organized by the
Statewide PA
Rights Coalition (SPARC)
and the
National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) as part of Equality
Begins at Home (EBAH), a week of lobbying for equal
rights for sexual minorities in state capitols.
Speakers at the vigil, organized by
Equal Partners in Faith,
included Laura Montgomery Rutt;
IWG Coordinator Barbara Purdom;
and Peggy Campolo and
IWG supporter
Rev. Marcia Bailey, both of
Central Baptist
Church in Wayne. (A large group of Central
Baptist folks came). During the rally IWG
supporter Rev. Marcus Pomeroy, also of Central Baptist,
delivered an inspiring speech; NGLTF's Paula Ettelbrick
told the crowd that 6,000 met in Austin for the Texas
rally, and Candace Gingrich also spoke; then folks
went to visit legislators about specific bills
to amend the Ethnic Intimidation Act to include
sexual orientation, and a bill requiring state police
to collect and report statistics of crimes committed
against gay men and lesbians because of their orientation.
Other EBAH events drew hundreds of people, some thousands,
and others only handfuls in places where even that
was significant. Participation in Alabama and
Arizona of some state representatives, and of Barney
Frank in Florida, was noteworty; the rainbow flag
flew over the capitol building in Hartford, CT all
week; Missouri and Tennessee each had their first
rally for GLBT rights, and North Dakota now has
a statewide group to lobby for GLBT rights.
United Methodist Church
A church jury found Rev. Greg Dell of
Broadway United Methodist in Chicago
guilty on March 26 (vote: 10 to 3) of
disobediance to the order and discipline of the
denomination for celebrating his twenty-third
same-sex union. Dell is suspended as of July 5,
until he signs a statement saying he will comply with the ban
on same-sex unions or until the provision is removed
from the Book of Discipline or modified. Officials
chose that date because Dell is performing a mixed-gender
wedding on July 3. The Chicago Tribune
wrote that Dell said he will never sign such a
statement. Also from the Tribune:
Bishop C. Joseph Sprague, of the
Northern Illinois Conference
(he brought the charges, but opposes the rule)
said "I have an idea that God isn't smiling tonight;"
and Rev. Gayle Felton,
Reconciling Congregations Program, said
"The danger is that feelings are so deep that it
threatens the church with division, even schism...
while actions in one don't automatically affect
the others, I do think that all of the denominations
are watching each other carefully."
A complaint was filed by
California-Nevada Bishop
Melvin G. Talbert against sixty-nine ministers who
participated in the Sacramento ceremony. The
Conference Committee on investigation will decide
whether to bring charges. In his statement, Talbert
said, "I will uphold the law, but I will not be
silenced, I will continue speaking out against the
law and will continue working to change the position
of our church to be more in keeping with the teachings
and compassion of Jesus."
An Oklahoma pasor resigned after complaints that
she blessed a same-sex union. Almost two-hundred
United Methodists from eastern North Carolina had
what the Fayetteville Observer-Times
called an "open honest discussion" about homosexuls
in the church. Rev. Maurine Waun, associate pastor
at
First UMC
of Pittsburgh, has written
More than Welcome, a book urging churches to
bless same-sex relationships (Chalice Press,
a
Disciples of Christ
publishing house). The
Arizona Republic had extensive coverage on
a visit by Rev. Jimmy Creech (he plans to do another
same-sex union in April).
CORNET's web page shows
a photo of a man in Louisville, KY, wearing a sign
saying "I'm Gilbert Schroerlucke, a United Methodist
minister. I support Greg Dell Chicago United Methodist
Minister, on church trial for performing a samesex
union. Homophobia not homosexuality is a sin."
A UMC news desk release noted the reassignment of the
senior pastor of
First UMC of Marietta, GA, which
redirected its general church apportionments, partially
in response to church officials who "advocate for
full acceptance of homosexuality."
Episcopal Church
Five Anglican Archbisops, a President Bishop, a
Presiding Bishop and a former Presiding Bishop signed
a letter to
Presiding Bishop
Frank T. Griswold
requesting that he "examine the directions apparantly
proposed by some in your Province and take whatever
steps may be necessary to uphold the moral teaching
and Christian faith the Anglican Community has
received." Griswold invied them to visit and query
bishops and diocese representatives, and listen to the
experience of homosexual persons, as mandated by the
Lambeth resolution on human sexuality. The
Houston Chronicle reports that the U.S. Bishops,
meeting in Texas, agreed "to avoid votes on controversial
gay rights issues" during the denonimation's convention
in 2000. The Fort Work Star Telegram's
religion editor wrote that the church is
"already splintered" and concluded with a quote from
Patrick Henry: "The gentlemen may cry, peace, peace!
But there is no peace." The Boston Globe and
AP wrote about St. Paul's in Brockton, MA, which
voted to secede over Massacusets diocese ordination
and marriage policies. The Los Angeles Times
reported on the premiere of a new play based on
the trial of Bishop Righter at the Pasadena Playouse.
A Dallas Morning News story said the Episcopal
Church is "headed toward a schism over gay rights." They
also published a
letter from the Rev. Jan Nunley,
rector of
St. Peter's and St.
Andrew's Church in Providence, disagreeing with their
assesment of the situation" "What is at stake is
the basic question of whether Episcopalians will
hold to the historic truth that there is but one
baptism into one Body of hrist - or rather maintain
that there are two baptisms, seperate and unequal: one
for heterosexuals, and one for everybody else.
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Permanent Judicial Commission of the
Presbytery of Southern New England
upheld the election of elder
Wayne Osborne to the session of the
First Presbyterian
Church of Stamford, CT (not a
More Light
church). Two members of the congregation who filed
the original charges have appealed the decision to
the Synod of the Northeast. The
West Jersey Presbytery
voted 81-61 to receive an openly gay man as a
candidate for the office of Minister of the Word
and Sacrament. A new book by Nile Harper,
Urban Churches: Vital Signs; Beyond Charity,
Toward Justice (1999, william B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co.) contains stories of twenty-eight flourshing
urban churches, three of them More Light.
In Delaware
Legislation to prohibit workplace discrimination based
on sexual orientation was defeated by the Delaware
House of Representatives 18-15 with eight not voting.
In Washington, DC
The Washington Post wrote that the
African Unity Luncheon at
Temple Baptist Church
drew 200 GLBT African Americans and local clergy
"for a public and forthright examination of
discrimination against gay men and lesbians in the
black church."
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
On March 17 the ELCA
News Service released a story
entitled: "ELCA Bishops Comment on Gay and Lesbian
Hospitality Report," noting that the bishops
"expressed strong concerns and strong support" for
the report from the ELCA Division for Outreach.
The denomination's historical support for the civil
rights of all people is mentioned, and denominational
resolutions and letters from the Bishops urging
congregations to welcome all people. Eight bishops
are quoted, four on each side. The negative quotes
include an objection to welcoming congregations
displaying rainbow flags, a remark that gays are a
small percentage of the population, and a suggestion
that the report include congregations with a
"traditional view." Positive comments focused on
the value of the report to congregations trying to
reach out, and the need for ministries for people with
AIDS. Rev. Robert W. Mattheis, bishop of the ELCA's
Sierra Pacific Synod "reminded the bishops" of
Billy Jack Gaither.
In San Francisco
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Mayor
Willie Brown led a wedding service for 190 same-gender
couples in the City Hall Rotunda. The city prodced
a seven-layered, rainbow-colored cake with two brides
and two grooms. All of the newlyweds were crammed onto
the majestic rotunda staircase and introduced individually.
Vouchers
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge has proposed a voucher
program that would pay for students to attend religious
schools. Article III, section 15 of the Pennsylvania
Constitution provides that "[n]o money raised for the
support of the public schools of the Commonwealth shall
be appropriated to or used for the support of any
sectarian school."
Americans United suggests that
people contact the governor and their state
representative and senator.
Promise Keepers Coming Back
The
Promise Keepers
will be at the First Union Spectrum
July 23 and 24. As before,
Equal Partners in Faith
will be organizing a religious response.
Letterhead Changes
Welcome to Rabbi Carl S. Choper, Temple Beth Shalom
in Mechanicsburg, PA. Rabbi Choper will be added in
the next printing, while the Philadelpha Chapter
of Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (PLGC)
will be removed. PLGC recently merged with the
More Light Churches Network to form
More Light Presbyterians,
currently without an
active chapter in Philadelphia.
Out and About
In addition to writing letters, the web
site, the email list, and this newsletter,
the IWG coordinators continue to carry out the mission in
person: IGNITE '99; a Journalism class
at Temple University Center City in March; workshops
at Beyond Inclusion
in New York City and the
Interfaith Public Policy Briefing in Washington DC
coming up in April; SundayOUT on May 2,
Marching in the Light on May 16, and the
Pride Parade every June. Call if you have a class,
workshop, or adult education session where
you would like an IWG representative to speak.
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