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For Immediate Release, Monday December 23, 2013
By Affirmation: United Methodists Co-spokesperson Tim Tennant-Jayne
Affirmation is angered and embarrassed by the actions of Bishop Peggy Johnson, the trial court, and the Board of Ordained Ministry of the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference. Reverend Frank Schaefer stood up to injustice and discrimination while living out his ordination vows by performing a wedding for his gay son.
Reverend Schaefer’s treatment is an inevitable consequence of The United Methodist Church’s unjust doctrine around its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQI) members. However, it is also inevitable that just people will rise up against power structures that perpetuate injustice. Now is the time to claim the authority to live out our Christian journeys with integrity.
The Affirmation Council stands with all who are ready to boldly engage our United Methodist Church’s power structures and demand full inclusion of all people. Now is the time to claim our power as people who understand that Christmas is about love, not apathy; hope, not fear; joy and openness, not hiding; and peace based in justice, not exclusion.
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For Immediate Release, Wednesday August 11, 2010
By Affirmation Co-spokesperson Tim Tennant-Jayne
Affirmation United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and
Queer Concerns joins our voice in celebrating the recent judicial decision
declaring Proposition 8 unconstitutional. We recognize that this is only
one step in a journey that still has a distance to go. We hope that the
courts will soon allow same-gender marriages to continue in California. As
a grass-roots organization that makes decisions by consensus, we promote the
democratic process of popular opinion and decision making. However, we also
recognize that at times the majority decisions are not the most just or
Christian. Fortunately, the courts of the United States governmental system
allow for the minority to receive equal treatment. Affirmation United
Methodists look forward to the day when the United States government and The
United Methodist Church acknowledge God's love in opposite-gender and
same-gender relationships.
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As an independent voice of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer
people, Affirmation 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.
How to Contact Us:
umaffirmation_at_yahoo.com
<http://www.umaffirm.org/> http://www.umaffirm.org
Past Affirmation press releases are available at:
<http://group.yahoo.com/group/UMAffirmation_PressRelease/messages>
http://group.yahoo.com/group/UMAffirmation_PressRelease/messages
To receive our press releases, send a blank email to:
UMAffirmation_PressRelease-subscribe_at_yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to our news service, UMCalledOut, send a blank email to:
UMCalledOut-subscribe_at_yahoogroups.com
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For Immediate Release, Thursday April 8, 2010
By Affirmation Co-spokesperson Tim Tennant-Jayne
The mainstream media has had quite a number of articles and editorials
lately about the United States military policy commonly referred to as Don't
Ask Don't Tell, or DADT. Technically, this is supposed to mean that
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people don't talk about their
personal lives and officials won't ask about them. Yet in reality, DADT is
what the military uses to prohibit LGBT persons from serving in the U. S.
armed forces. Or to remove them, once officials discover a person's secret.
This results in fewer job and career options for Queer folk, in highly
skilled individuals forced to lie about their true selves to live out their
calling, and in thousands of dollars lost training individuals who are then
not allowed to serve their country. This is an issue that many alternative
media sources serving Queer folk have frequently discussed and reported on
for years.
Finally, after a change of leadership in Washington, D. C., it looks like
there may actually be a realistic opportunity to revoke DADT. President
Barack Obama campaigned on a promise to remove it. In his recent State of
the Union address he called on the leadership of the United States to repeal
this law. The Pentagon has discussed this. Congress has begun the process
of holding hearings about it.
Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and
Queer Concerns is very pleased to see these developments. We hope that the
leadership of this country will come to its senses and repeal DADT. While
this is not a directly church related law, we are encouraged by the removal
of any and all anti-queer legislation.
Ideally, the Church, and specifically The United Methodist Church, should be
at the forefront of social justice in our society. Yet unfortunately, that
is not often the case. Civil society gave women the vote decades before the
church allowed women to serve as clergy. The Methodist Episcopal Church
chose to fracture into several denominations rather than integrate racially.
And even after re-forming into The Methodist Church, decided to continue
segregating the Central Conference. Hopefully, Congress will repeal DADT
and one more form of legal discrimination will end. Ideally The United
Methodist Church will recognize the wisdom of this decision and soon follow
secular society's lead.
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As an independent voice of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer
people, Affirmation 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.
How to Contact Us:
umaffirmation_at_yahoo.com
<http://www.umaffirm.org/> http://www.umaffirm.org
Past Affirmation press releases are available at:
<http://group.yahoo.com/group/UMAffirmation_PressRelease/messages>
http://group.yahoo.com/group/UMAffirmation_PressRelease/messages
To receive our press releases, send a blank email to:
UMAffirmation_PressRelease-subscribe_at_yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to our news service, UMCalledOut, send a blank email to:
UMCalledOut-subscribe_at_yahoogroups.com
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For Immediate Release, Monday October 5, 2009
By Affirmation Co-spokesperson Tim Tennant-Jayne
Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns encourages all members to attend the National March for Equality. On October 10-11, 2009, we will gather in Washington, DC from all across America to let our elected leaders know that now is the time for full equal rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people. We’ve had a moment thrust upon us by the election of President Barack Obama and the spirit of hope and change. We will gather. We will strategize. We will march. And we will leave energized and empowered to do the work we need to do in every community across the nation. This is only the beginning.
All United Methodists attending the March are encouraged to contact Chip Aldridge at caldridge_at_wesleyseminary.edu for information about a time and place for United Methodists to gather during the weekend.
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As an independent voice of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer people, Affirmation 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.
How to Contact Us: email: umaffirmation_at_yahoo.com Affirmation web: http://www.umaffirm.org/um/
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For Immediate Release, June 23, 2009
By Affirmation Co-spokesperson Tim Tennant-Jayne
As is the sexuality of all of God's children who are lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, straight, or queer!
Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns supports and congratulates the Reverend Diana Holbert, for her courage and strength in preaching the truth about homosexuality. Rev. Holbert is the pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Dallas, TX. While other clergy seek to continue spreading distortions of God's message, Rev. Holbert courageously preached the truth of God's gift of homosexuality. Her congregation is blessed to have this strong person as their pastoral leader. The United Methodist Church is blessed to have her as one of their clergy persons.
In true David vs. Goliath fashion, the Rev. Holbert was willing to dispute the message coming out of a much larger congregation. As she prepared to do so the forces of ignorance rose up in fear. Her sermon was mocked even before she was able to preach it. Unable to stand the light of God's truth and love, those who obtain power by demeaning us sought to cloud the issue by questioning her message. Rev. Holbert persevered with preaching God's message to her congregation.
We applaud the Rev. Holbert for her courage to speak out. We hope her shining example will empower others within this denomination and in all faith traditions to recognize God's love of this varied gift of sexuality. Love of another person is indeed a rich gift from God. Let us all celebrate it and proclaim its value.
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As an independent voice of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer people, Affirmation 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 is an activist, all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization with no official ties to The United Methodist Church.
How to Contact Us: email: umaffirmation@... Affirmation web: http://www.umaffirm.org/um/