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Linda Campbell-Marshall (Camden, ME) Why I Signed the Declaration - Linda Campbell-Marshall (John Street UMC: Camden, ME) When I was called to ministry 39 years ago I had never even heard of a woman pastor. For many months I "argued" with God, explaining that I was a woman (as though God had not noticed) and that one had to be a man to be a pastor. When I shared my experience of call with others, all but one person (the Reverend Phillip G. Palmer, bless him) told me that "the Bible says" women must keep silent in the church. Some mocked me, others were hostile. But the strong sense of call would not go away. As a youth I was torn asunder. How could I be faithful to God when even God's book was at odds with the witness of my spirit? Like Job I felt trapped between internal and external witness. With the support of a few (precious few) and in the face of resistance by many, like Jeremiah I answered the fire within and now find myself in year 28 of parish ministry (including 8 in Superintendenency with 3 as Dean of the NEAC Cabinet) It is the witness of many that my ministry has borne and continues to bear fruit. What am I to do about what "the Bible says?" It is my belief that we are the people of a God who is continually doing "a new thing." I signed the NED because, in the face of my own experience, I cannot exclude anyone from God's family. It is not my place to do so. God is privileged to invite whomever God will to the table, whether to eat or to serve. In the act of signing and supporting the NED it is my prayer that I am affirming the sovereignty of the God who "does not judge as humanity judges". . . but looks to the heart. (June 2001) Why I Singed the Declaration - Ruth Cannon (UMC of Auburn: Auburn, ME) "With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?.... He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, But to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:6, 8
My participation in a class on the Bible and homosexuality entitled Claiming the Promise and my subsequent involvement with the Committee on Sexual Diversity at the United Methodist Church of Auburn, Maine have not resulted so much from personal concerns involving close friends or relatives who are gay, but from a lifelong interest in social justice issues. As a college student in the mid 1960's and a member of the New England Student Christian Movement, I became involved in the civil rights movement, attending numerous rallies, marches and protests. Although I grew up in a small Vermont village and did not know many people of African-American origin, I was angered that other human beings could be treated so unfairly just because of the color of their skin. As a student of American history, I questioned how our Declaration of Independence which states that "all men are created equal" could be so blatantly ignored and why black Americans were treated so much less equally than the rest of us. As a Christian, I believed that we were ignoring God's commandment to treat others as we would like to be treated and his directive from the above passage in Micah "to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God". In the years that followed I discovered that these same concerns which had consumed me as a college student, applied to many other groups in our society as well as people of color, and some of these situations did touch me very personally. I became aware of gifted women who did not receive the same employment opportunities or salaries as men, young people with learning disabilities or behavioral impairments who were institutionalized because they were "different", older people who were bypassed when it came to promotions and new job opportunities in favor of the younger generation, and especially my gay friends who were ostracized and sometimes tormented because of whom they chose to love. When opportunities presented themselves to speak or act against these injustices, I usually became involved, occasionally succeeding in implementing positive changes, but frequently wondering if it was worth the effort. It didn't take long for me to learn that confronting controversial issues could be personally risky as well as socially rewarding. My interest in the Bible and homosexuality was stimulated about five years ago when I read The Good Book, Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart by Peter Gomes. Rev. Gomes, a graduate of Bates College, in Lewiston, Maine is a black, gay man who currently teaches and preaches at Harvard University. Much like the study Reclaiming the Promise which was taught in our church in the spring of 2000, Peter Gomes believes that "those who use the Bible to denigrate homosexuals have taken the book's words out of its historical context". His hope is to show us that there is more than one way to read the Bible and to state his vision that the Bible is inclusive, regardless of race, gender, ethnic origin and sexual orientation. Last spring, I was naively optimistic that the United Methodist Church General Conference Session in Cleveland might move toward approving changes in the Discipline which would charge the church with being inclusive in its acceptance of homosexuality and would allow ordination of practicing gays. Like thousands of others, I was disappointed and discouraged when these changes were not approved. But a month later I was very encouraged and proud of the response from those New England Conference members who wrote, signed and stood up for the "New England Declaration". An article entitled "We Shall Overcome TODAY" in a recent issue of Katalyst, a publication of the Reconciling Ministries Network, discusses the need for both top-down and bottom-up approaches to change in church policy and practice when it comes to full inclusion of lesbians and gays in our ministries. As individuals we can sign up to become Reconciling United Methodists and as churches we can dialogue, educate and pray about God's requirement "to do justice and love kindness, and to walk humbly". My hope for the future is that we, as individuals and as churches, will be compassionate and welcoming toward all people regardless of "age, gender, ethnicity, cultural heritage, sexual orientation, economic reality or diverse ability". I believe that this is what Justice, Kindness, Humility and LOVE are really all about. (June 2001) Why I Signed the Declaration - Donald Rudalevige (Portland, ME) I cannot subscribe to that which excludes; therefore, I must support that which includes and brings the opportunity of God's Grace to all people. The New England Declaration is an affirmation of that inclusiveness of God that compels my signature. The United Methodist Church as an institution has made its rules, but when those rules come into conflict with what I believe to be the will of God for humankind, I must stand with my conscience. That does not mean that I leave the church, but rather work through the church to try and change its position. We have had a history of exclusion, beginning with race and with women, neither of which we have fully overcome and we now seek to be exclusionary of homosexuals. It seems to me perverse that the United Methodist Church continues to put so much energy into human sexuality when Jesus said so little about it, and then primarily to deny the possibility of remarriage after divorce which most Christians do not want to hear about, but spend so little time on the widening gap between rich and poor, the virtual slavery in which multi-national corporations hold large numbers of third world peoples, To not sign the declaration would have been much more difficult than signing it. (June 2001) Why I Signed the Declaration - Elizabeth "Liz" Gary (UMC of Auburn: Auburn, ME) I never had particular preconceived notions about homosexuality. I did not know anything about homosexuality until I was well into my teens. Once I learned about it, it puzzled me since I did not have those feelings myself. However, my parents never told me that it was bad or wrong. As an adult I talked with some of my friends about homosexuality. My friends had had more experience, since they knew people who were gays and lesbians. We talked about it and my friends expressed understanding and acceptance. I liked being able to talk and ask questions - we had many conversations about human sexuality and what a complex thing it all is. We concluded that there are ranges of variety when it comes to human sexuality. We talked about the continuum of sexuality and the realization it is also confusing for some to understand and accept. Through the years of my spiritual journey the scriptures have always been a source of knowledge, strength and comfort for me. When I read the Bible it speaks to my heart and my intelligence - I listen for the message that I believe scripture brings to me. I try to do this by reading scripture and interpreting it through reason, experience and tradition. Men, who lived during a particular time in history, wrote the Bible and the impact of the culture on their lives caused them to write scripture though the lens of that time. When I read the Bible that is part of what I take into consideration. It has led me to read the Bible using the overarching themes of God's love for us God's people. I believe God created and wants us to be people of love and caring for one another. I just cannot, through reason and experience, believe that God creates people and then expects them to go against all that their being tells them they are. Each person has to come to his or her own understanding of God and sexuality. I signed the New England Declaration because I wanted others to know where I stand - that for me God loves us as we are and all can minister, and be ministered to, regardless of sexual orientation. (June 2001) Why I Signed the Declaration - Miriam Chamberlain (Wexford, PA) Rev. Ron Markel, pastor of the Plainfield NJ UMC with whom I worked as an assistant while in seminary died of AIDS several years after I graduated. He was loved by his congregation and was a great help to me during my last year in seminary. He had such hopes for the church and for the acceptance of gays and lesbians not only in the congregations but in the ministry. He kept saying that it takes 20 years for a change to occur in the church. That was in 1984. It is time. I honor his name when I signed the NED. (May 2001) Why I Signed the Declaration - Donald Williams (Memorial Church: Taunton, MA) I signed the Declaration because the church I have loved all my life has become known for its emphasis on keeping people out. It's time for us to concentrate on welcoming people in. Never forget that "ALL we like sheep have gone astray" and grace is sufficient for everyone--even you and me. (May 2001) Why I Signed the Declaration - Scott Cliborn (Centraville UMC: Lowell, MA) Here are just some of the reasons I put my name on the NED. At last years conference my eyes were really opened to the injustices that many churches exhibit towards groups that don't fit into their acceptable list, especially the gay and lesbians. As I listened to the woman describe her horrid experience with the Catholic church, and the amazing turn around she found with her current congregation, I new that the NED was something that I should support. I have a cousin who is openly gay. He and I have had many conversations, and except for our differing lifestyles we share many of the same views. As a student at Syracuse University, I had a very dear friend who is a lesbian. One of the things that she told me was that for as far back as she can remember, when she dreams of a family she sees herself with a wife and kids. Not once did she recall dreaming of having a husband. Also at Syracuse there was an openly gay couple that worshipped with us every Sunday. What I found was that we had essentially the same fundamental belief in God and His love for us. There have been a lot of negative and derogatory statements made on this issue. Mine however is one of love and acceptance. Even though I don't quite understand the gay lifestyle, These experiences have led me to the belief that someone's sexuality is not something that they choose. I also believe that even if I don't agree with their lifestyle, I can't condemn them for it. (March 2001) |
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