Affirmation Letter to the Council of Bishops

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Affirmation United Methodist

Affirmation Letter to the Council of Bishops

For Immediate Release, Thursday, November 15, 2012
By Affirmation: United Methodists Co-spokesperson Tim Tennant-Jayne

October 18, 2012

Bishop Rosemarie Wenner
and the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church

Council of Bishops Office
100 Maryland Ave NE
Washington DC 20002

Dear Bishops:

We write you as congregants of United Methodist Churches and fellow servants of the Good News of Jesus Christ.  This letter is to inform you that the Council of Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns supports the Western Jurisdiction, Bishop Melvin G. Talbert, and their call for Gospel Obedience.

The Council members of Affirmation: United Methodists were present earlier this year when the General Conference meet in Tampa, Florida, U. S. A.  We witnessed the voting on resolutions regarding this denomination and “homosexuals”.  Those decisions left many individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, with feelings of rejection by what we still consider our church.  General Conference did harm to us by causing deep pain.  Once again this denomination declared “homosexuality incompatible with Christian teaching.”  And so, in an organization that calls the church “a community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ”, we were told that as believers, we don’t exist.  We may be members, but we have no voice in this church.

Yet, during that time, we also witnessed Bishop Talbert’s clarion call for Gospel Obedience.  In the midst of our despair, his was a voice reminding us that the words in the Scriptures and in The Book of Discipline, declare ALL people to be beloved Children of God.

For this is a church which “affirms that all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God.  All persons need the ministry of the Church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self.”

We read in the Gospels, that after healing the centurion’s male companion, Jesus complimented him and said, “not even in Israel have I found such faith.”  Jesus could well have been referring to the members, volunteers, staff, and clergy of The United Methodist Church who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer.  It has never been, nor will it ever be, the position of Affirmation: United Methodists that persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer should withdraw from United Methodism.  We are a part of this church.  We seek to assist the church grow into being the Church of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Talbert’s call for Gospel Obedience is in the spirit of the celebration of the good gift of sexuality that is in The Book of Discipline.  We strongly urge you not to censure him for speaking this word God and of the Church.

Yours in Christian Love,

Laci Adams                                                                 Tim Tennant-Jayne
Co-Spokesperson                                                         Co-Spokesperson

Lyn Ellis                                                                      Stephen Mallett
Co-Coordinator                                                             Co-Coordinator

Johnny Gall                                                                 Walter C. Lockhart IV

Jan Olson                                                                    David Weekley

Deborah Weekley

-30-

 

As an independent voice of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer people, Affirmation: United Methodists radically reclaims the compassionate and transforming gospel of Jesus Christ by relentlessly pursuing full inclusion in the Church as we journey with the Spirit in creating God’s beloved community.

Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Concerns is an activist, all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization with no official ties to The United Methodist Church.

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A Prayer for Transgender Day of Remembrance

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For a list of those memorialized in 2012, click the candle.

This day is saturated with the Sacred, set aside to remember our beloved transgender family members, friends, and colleagues.

As we gather and grieve we also express our longing and hope for the liberation of all those who are oppressed, persecuted, and held in bondage to the powers of fear and hate.

Knowing that we are One with those we love, One with all whom are created through God’s diverse and unconditional love, One with transgender persons past, present, and future; we enter into the light within to sit in silence with the Holy One.

Time of silence (trust your own timing).

Generous and Creative are You, O God. We remember the Hasidic teachers who tell us, “Every breath shall praise God, every breath is a prayer.” May each breath today, tomorrow and for as long as I live be a prayer; a prayer for those no longer with me, a prayer for this day with all its potential, and a prayer for hope in a future which truly reflects Your love for all.

May all my words and actions today be grounded in my connection with You and with my Beloved Community as I name those I love _____________________.

You remind us through our one star, the Sun, whose light hides the swirling galaxies and beautiful array of stars in the night, that many other wonders may be hidden from our view and understanding. Grant me/us the gift of vision, awareness, and hope; and the grace to live in perpetual wonder and trust in Your love. May I/we respond to this day, even with its grief, as divine gift.

Sacred are You, Sacred is creation, Sacred are all my transgender companions.

Blessed is this time to remember, to give thanks, and to move forward in Hope.

Amen.

 

Image source: By Bangin (Own work) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC-BY-2.5], via Wikimedia Commons

A Ritual for Post-Election New Life and Hope

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From Reverend David Weekley on behalf of Affirmation: United Methodists

Opening Sacred Gesture
(e.g. lighting a candle, deep breaths, intoning sound, body gesture)

Prayer
Both comfortable and uncomfortable is my daily path this day Creating One, as I live with hope and anxiety between what is and what is still to become.

May my daily speech be more than a collection of old words, addicted to habits of thought.

Come and awaken me, Spirit of the New; Refresh me, Spirit of Hope.

You who make all things new, inspire me to new places of Life and of eager work, for I am too alive to be stagnant or to live in the past.

Tall are the walls that guard the old.

All change is a danger to the trusted order; but still the New creeps in, spreading among the cracking foundations.

I give thanks for the New I see, the New I experience, the New I am becoming.

Come, You who are forever-new and expand my heart with Hope.

Set my mouth, my hands, my feet, and my soul on fresh paths this day.

Inspire me to speak life-giving words and to creatively join You in giving shape to the New.

Teach me how to live with Hope and to dance along the new path that is mine this day.

Closing Sacred Gesture
(e.g. extinguishing candle, deep breaths, intoning sound, body gesture)

 

Image credits: By Dr B K Guha (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Thank You Letter from President Obama

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Deborah and I have been going through some of my archive files lately and came across the thank you letter I received from President Obama after I sent him a copy of In From the Wilderness.

Which made me wonder …

Think we could get the President to send a picture of In From the Wilderness at the Oval Office?

Let’s try. Everybody tweet this blog post to the President (@BarackObama and @WhiteHouse).

Tina’s great pic from Castle Rock needs a White House counterpart.

How about you? Where can you photograph your copy of In From the Wilderness? Share your pics and story with me and I’ll post them to the blog.

Clergy Blame LGBT People for Hurricane Sandy

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Please comment on and push out Dr. Nancy Wilson and Bishop Yvette Flunder’s op-ed that just went up today on the on-line National News section of the Washington Post. With cartoon-like clergy blaming LGBT people for Hurricane Sandy, and Maryland clergy saying we are worthy of death, and voter registration and obstacles rampant, Wilson and Flunder lay it all out as: UNNATURAL DISASTERS.

Please leave a comment when you have read this and post and tweet it — with feeling.

We need to remind people of the importance of voting.  This provides a great springboard.


 

In from the Wilderness Cross Country Edition

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In from the Wilderness in Idaho 9:01 AM July 31st

In from the Wilderness in Idaho

Most of you know David and Deborah officially moved from Portland, Oregon this weekend. Right now they are driving cross country to their new home in Boston.

Enjoy the journey with them and see where In from the Wilderness shows up next by following David’s Facebook page.

To keep up with other news and adventures in Sherman’s Wilderness, subscribe to this blog by entering your e-mail in the space provided in the right column of this page.

 

The Wind Beneath My Wings in Interweave Connect

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Interweave Continental, Inc.From the August 2013 issues of Interweave Connect, published by Interweave, a grassroots organization of Unitarian Universalists.

Written by Rev. David E. Weekley

The Wind Beneath My Wings

Reverend David Weekley

A good friend of mine is a gifted actor and writer, an activist for transgender, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer-identified people; and a bible scholar. He is a gay man, and we often discuss the role of allies within the TGLBQIA (Transgender, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual) community. He is my ally, but as a gay man does not speak for transgender people, believing transgender people need to speak for themselves. I am very adamant as well that while I can speak as a transgender man, I cannot speak for gay, lesbian, bisexual and queer-identified people. I can only be their ally. Our evolving conversation helps us sort through our respective roles as members of one oppressed group, and allies of others. It is a significant issue, because while we cannot live another person’s story, it is crucial that we understand one another’s experience to the best of our ability so we can better offer support, encouragement, and practical assistance whenever possible.

When I began my transition in the early 70′s I was completely dependent upon allies … (read the whole story at Interweave Connect, page 25–26)

Bright Spots Down Under

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The Guerrilla Angel Report posted earlier this month that new measures recommended by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Law Reform Advisory Council (Whew! Say that three times fast.) would delete the requirement of sex reassignment surgery (SRS) for legal ID change for transgender people. According to the Guerrilla Angel Report, it appears these changes are likely to occur and this would bring ACT in line with the rest of Australia.

In an article from The Canberra Times, ACT Human Rights and Discrimination Commissioner Helen Watchirs talks about the inhumanity of requiring people to have genital surgery to legally change their legal gender and calls the current legislation a violation of several human rights, including equality and privacy. She also discusses discrimination, harassment, and  intrusive questioning transgender and intersex people sometimes face when trying to use mismatched identification documents.

A report called Beyond the Binary: Legal Recognition of Sex and Gender Diversity in the ACT released by the Act Law Reform Advisory Council also recommends gender references on birth, death and marriage records be changed to include male, female and intersex.

Keeping our collective fingers crossed for the transgender community in Australia …

Image credit: By Ian Fieggen (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons