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Meet to Plan Strategies of Inclusion Violence 1000 Cross Sectarian Lines to Fight Bias Based on Dogmas Ecumenical Welcoming Church Group Raises Over $40,000 |
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Compiled By GayToday
The Welcoming Church Movement is a grassroots effort being made in churches throughout the United States and Canada to work for full inclusion. Over 1000 churches have already declared themselves "Welcoming", and several more each week have become part of the movement.
Denominational leaders proclaiming the message of full inclusion included Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), who spoke at the WOW Banquet on Saturday night, August 5. John H. Thomas, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ was unable to attend, but issued a letter stating, "This ecumenical gathering of welcoming movements is a bold witness to the radical nature of the Apostle Paul's command to 'welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us, for the glory of God'. Grace is offered to those churches which are prepared to embody it." At the Banquet, over $40,000 was raised in an effort to expand the Ecumenical Welcoming Church Movement. Attendees attended several workshops, worship services and plenaries on a variety of topics by nationally renown leaders such as Rev. Herbert W. Chilstrom, retired Evangelical Lutheran Presiding Bishop; The Right Reverend Steve Charleston, President of the Episcopal Divinity School; Rev. Jimmy Creech, former United Methodist who was defrocked by the church for performing a holy union ceremony for two men; Dr. Rev. Bill Johnson, United Church of Christ and first openly gay person ever ordained; Rev. Irene Monroe, doctoral candidate at Harvard Divinity School, teaching fellow of Rev. Peter Gomes; Rev. Janie Spahr, an openly ordained lesbian in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and National Evangelist for "That All May Freely Serve"; and many other religious leaders and activists, including Urvashi Vaid from the Policy Institute of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and Mandy Carter, a lesbian activist and member of the People of Color of Faith Initiative of Equal Partners in Faith. Mark Bowman, Coordinator of the WOW2000 Conference declared: "This was truly a historic event that would have never taken place without the hundreds of volunteers, speakers, presenters and worship leaders who are called by their faith to work for a truly inclusive Christian Church. Despite exclusive policies proclaimed by several denominations this summer, we are proclaiming God's love for all people and we are renewing our commitment to work together for a fully inclusive church. " |
