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The "three sisters" --
working for justice in a more inclusive Church
by Luca Negro, Presbyterian News Service
LOUISVILLE June 9, 2001 "Presbyterians will be
the first to break through the log jam of bigotry," is the
prediction - and the wish - of Jimmy Creech, keynote speaker at
Saturday's Celebration Dinner sponsored by three Presbyterian
gay-affirming groups: More Light Presbyterians, That All May Freely
Serve, and the Shower of Stoles Project.
The "three sisters" are struggling for a
"more inclusive" church, and particularly for the full
participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender believers in the
life of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), including their access to
ministry, barred by current ordination standards ("fidelity within
the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in
singleness").
More than 400 people took part in the event - almost one sixth of the
overall participants in this 213rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.). Michael Adee, national field organizer of More Light
Presbyterians, stressed the recent expansion of the movement, which now
has member congregations or chapters in 42 states, plus the District of
Columbia.
Martha Juillerat, director of Shower of Stoles
Project, shared some of the personal stories lying behind this colorful
collection of liturgical stoles: grey stories of Christian leaders
barred from serving their faith communities because of their sexual
orientation.
"If the Church cannot employ us, we will employ
ourselves," said Jane Adams Spahr, director of That All May Freely
Serve, as she explained the organization's project to develop a network
of regional partnerships to employ openly lesbian/gay persons as
"evangelists", to spread the good news of God's love for
everyone.
Creech is a former United Methodist minister, who lost
his job for performing two "covenant ceremonies" for same-sex
couples, thus violating the laws of his church. "The church has no
right to 'confer' marriage,'" said Creech, "because it is the
relationship that generates it. The task of the church is to celebrate
and support the commitment of the spouses," be they
"straight" or gay. Creech sees no reason why a same-sex union
should be called other than a "marriage." The question of
ordination of lesbians and gays for Creech is similar to the recognition
of same-sex unions. Of course, "ordination is the right of the
church, but it's only the church's confirmation of God's call, it's not
the call itself." To require that a minister be heterosexual or
chaste means "to trivialize ordination."
At the end of the dinner, More Light Presbyterians
presented awards to individuals, congregations and groups for their
distinguished engagement for the full participation of gays, lesbians,
bisexuals and transgender persons to the life of the church: the Rev.
Tricia Dykers-Koenig; who is strategy coordinator of the Covenant
Network of Presbyterians, two Kentucky congregations (Central
Presbyterian in Louisville and Central Presbyterian in Owensboro) and
the More Light chapter at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological
Seminary.
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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