Badpuppy Gay Today |
Wednesday, 28 January 1998 |
Religious leaders throughout the nation have been signing a gay/lesbian supportive document known as A Madison Affirmation on Homosexuality and Christian Faith, primarily planned and promoted by Madison, Wisconsin's , Paul Kittlaus, a United Church of Christ Minister and Reverend Mel White, author of Stranger at the Gate, a memoir detailing a Christian fundamentalist's conversion to the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, a gay-friendly church founded by the Reverend Troy Perry in 1968. Christian clerics have not been alone, however, in signing the Madison document which says: "Jesus Christ calls us to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. As Christian clergy we embrace gay and lesbian persons as our neighbors. From our reading of scripture and from our pastoral experiences, we believe there is sufficient evidence to conlcude that homosexuality is neither sickness nor sin. For too long, homosexual persons have been condemned and mistreated by the followers of Jesus Christ. Sadly, the Bible has been misused in support of this condemnation. This abuse of scripture must end. "Heterosexual and homosexual persons are children of God, created in God's image. We invite Christians to prayerfully re-examine scripture and their consciences for any vestiges of hatred or prejudice against their homosexual brothers and sisters. "We strongly uphold the family as the basic social unit in which we are called to live together and to give and receive nurture and support. We often find the term 'family values' applied to only some Christian families. Gay and lesbian persons live among us as our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, uncles and aunts, nephews and nieces. We believe in the value of loving, committed families for all God's children. We support families who provide love and affirmation for each of their members. We are saddened and concerned by the breakdown of the family that stems from various forms of infidelity, violence, and failure to maintain long-term commitments - among heterosexual and homosexual communities. We commit ourselves to the encouragement and bless of relationships that meet the test of fidelity and loving nurture. ·
THE FOLLOWING HAVE SIGNED "A MADISON AFFIRMATION: ON HOMOSEXUALITY AND CHRISTIAN FAITH" (Congregations and/or denominations are listed for identification only) American Baptist The Rev. Authur E. Basile, First Baptist Church (American Baptist) The Rev. Mark M. Clinger, First Baptist Church (American Baptist) The Rev. Kent Mayfield, First Baptist Church (American Baptist), Serving First Unitarian Society as an administrator. Episcopal The Rev. John J. Fetterman, Grace Episcopal Church The Rev. Nancy L. Idenden, Grace Episcopal Church The Rev. Virginia Lund, St. Francis House-University Episcopal Center The Rev. Deacon Susan R. Mueller, Grace Episcopal Church The Rev. Patrick Raymond, St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church Evangelical Lutheran Church In America The Rev. Melissa J. Markquart, Faith Lutheran Church, Columbus The Rev. Janice Mynchenberg, CLCA interim pastor The Rev. Rodney D. Nordby, ELCA pastor The Rev. Harvey S. Peters, Luther Memorial Church The Rev. Mary M. Pharmer, St. Mark's Lutheran Church The Rev. Andrew D. Rogness, Advent Lutheran Church The Rev. Dennis N. Tollefson, Midvale Community Lutheran Church The Rev. Robert T. Voss, Lake Edge Luteran Church The Rev. Cynthia L. Wolf, Midvale Community Lutheran Church Madison Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends Lorene Ludy, Madison Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends Madison Church of Religious Science The Rev. Linda Wise, Madison Church of Religious Science Madison Campus Ministry The Rev. Denise Mosher, Madison Campus Ministry Moravian Church in America The Rev. Staci A. Marrese Wheeler, The Moravian Church in America United Methodist Church The Rev. Robert Milner Adams, United Methodist Church The Rev. Joan Derning, UMC The Rev. Kenneth Engelman, UMC (ret.) The Rev. Cecil Findley, UMC The Rev. John A. Kruse, UMC (ret.) The Rev. David P. Lyons, UMC The Rev Brian Rice McCarthy, UMC The Rev. Dianne Reistroffer, UMC The Rev. Dave Steffenson, UMC The Rev. David R. Werner, Crossroads UMC, Waunakee Presbyterian Church (USA) The Rev. Joy Bailey, Presbyterian Church (USA) The Rev. Mary Jean Bartholomew, Presbyterian Church (USA) (ret.) The Rev. E. Ellwood Carey, Presbyterian Church (USA) The Rev. David C. Dornack, Presbyterian Church (USA) The Rev. Hugh Drennan, Presbyterian Church (USA) The Rev. Shirley R. Funk, Presbyterian Church (USA) The Rev. Lyn Green H.R., Presbyterian Church (USA) The Rev. Calvin P. Harfst, Parkside Presbyterian Church The Rev. David F. King, Presbyterian Church (USA) The Rev. Linda Kuhn, Presbyterian Church (USA) The Rev. Scott Marrese-Wheeler, Presbyterian Church (USA) The Rev. Marilyn Sandin-Ross, Presbyterian Church (USA) The Rev. Diana Vezmar-Bailey, Presbyterian Church (USA) (exiled) The Rev. Daniel S. Yeazel, Dale Heights Presbyterian Church The Rev. Gervase J. Zanotti, Presbyterian Church (USA) (ret.) United Church of Christ The Rev. Carol B. Adams, Community of Hope-UCC The Rev. Edwin E. Beers, First Congregational UCC, Madison The Rev. William K. Conover, United Church of Christ The Rev. Peter Fabian, UCC The Rev. Aurelia "Ree" Hale, UCC The Rev. John C. Helt, UCC The Rev. Gail Irwin, Christ Congregational UCC, Clintonville The Rev. Tim Kehl, UCC The Rev. Paul L. Kittlaus, First Congregational UCC, Madison The Rev. David J. Michael, UCC The Rev. Robert Mutton, UCC, Southwest Association The Rev. Don Niederfrank, St. Pauls' UCC, Erin The Rev. Matthew Noffke, First Congregational Church UCC, Hartland The Rev. Doublas M. Pierce, Orchard Ridge UCC The Rev. Shari Presternon, Peace UCC, Stevens Point The Rev. Paul A. Quackenbush, McFarland UCC The Rev. William Rishel, First Congregational UCC, Plymouth The Rev. Karla Schmidt, Orchard Ridge UCC The Rev. Diana S. Shaw, First Congregational UCC, Madison The Rev. Phil Shively, Interim, Immanuel UCC, Darlington The Rev. Mark Stahlut, Kettle Moraine Parish, Mukwonago The Rev. Joanne Thomson, Middleton Community Church The Rev. Dr. Frederick R. Trost, Pastor, UCC The Rev. Bonnie B. VanOverbeke, UCC The Rev. Stephen Welch, First Congregational UCC, Oconornowoc The Rev. Charles W. Wolfe, Plymouth Congregational, UCC The Rev. Mark E. Yurs, Salem UCC, Verona Other clergy in support of the Madison Affirmation:
Lay Professionals in support of the Madison Affirmation :Catherine Coy, St. Paul's University Catholic Center Jan Johnson, Lake Edge Lutheran Church John K. Leonard, St. Raphael Cathedral ellsworth snyder, First Unitarian Society Maureen McDonnell, Roman Catholic Stephen J. Bullock, Roman Catholic George Hinger, Roman Catholic Judith A. Schoenherr, St. Benedict Center Fred Devett, St. Benedict Center Dianne Wilbes, St. Benedict Center Stuart Panish, St. Benedict Center John Barkel, Catholic Frieda Schowalter Barkel, St. Mark's Lutheran Bonnie L. Block, St. John's Lutheran Church Claire Wagner, OP, Sinsinawa Dominicans Charles D. Pfeifer, Madison Urban Ministry Sign in and/or support the Madison Affirmation: Yes, I support the Madison Affirmation ________________________signature ________________________print name ________________________address ________________________phone ________________________local church or denomination I contribute $______ for the ad and the continuing work in support of the Madison Affirmation. Make checks payable to "First Congregational UCC-MadAFF Fund" Send to: The First Congregational United Church of Christ, Madison 1609 University Ave., Madison, WI 53705 |
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