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Soulforce Email Update - May 2, 2008In this Email Update:
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Report from the Soulforce 10th Anniversary Reunion & Direct Action at the 2008 United Methodist ConferenceThe last six days have been an emotional roller coaster for our Soulforce delegation at the United Methodist General Conference in Ft. Worth, Texas: from the joyful celebration of our 10th anniversary to the anger and grief we experienced when the delegates (by just 84 votes) decided to continue their policies of intolerance and discrimination. The weekend kicked off with a "Picnic in the Park with Transgender People of Faith." Hosted eloquently by Soulforce board member Judy Osborne, the event was a forum for transgender folks to share their stories and concerns with an eager audience in General Worth Square, directly across from the Conference. (Bill Carpenter, Director of National Actions, managed to reserve the Square for the entire week!) UMC pastor Drew Phoenix challenged the UMC to live its "Open Hearts, Open Minds and Open Doors" slogan and welcome and include ALL. Soulforce was proud to co-sponsor this event with Affirmation UM, Institute for Welcoming Resources, and TACT -- Transgender Advocates of Central Texas. On Friday night, April 25, we filled a ballroom at the DFW Marriott to celebrate our 10th Anniversary. We wish you could have heard Peggy Campolo's rousing tribute to Soulforce, to our Co-founders, Mel White and Gary Nixon, to our Executive Director, Jeff Lutes, and to the entire Soulforce board and staff. That night we also premiered our rousing and deeply moving 10th Anniversary DVD edited by J.D. Sebastian. Along with our Soulforce vigil buttons and T-shirts we received copies of the 76-page booklet, Soulforce: 1999-2006, written by Kara Speltz with photos that bring our history back to life.
On Saturday night, we gathered under the stars in that same park for a screening of the amazing new documentary, For the Bible Tells Me So, a film winning prizes and changing hearts and minds across the nation. In a Q&A session after the film, Dan Karslake, the film's producer said, "Without Soulforce this film would not have been made." On Sunday morning, April 27, we continued our vigil and at lunchtime sponsored our second picnic in the park -- this time featuring two civil rights heroes, Rev. James Lawson and Rev. Gil Caldwell. The standing-room-only crowd cheered as these two courageous African-American leaders of the United Methodist Church elucidated the connections between racism, sexism, classism, and heterosexism. (See video below.) We are grateful for the co-sponsorship of Celebration Community Church. On Monday, as we stood vigil in the rain singing "We shall overcome," United Methodist delegates and visitors joined our protest. On Tuesday and Wednesday the vigils continued. Then on Wednesday afternoon, April 30, the United Methodist delegates voted to leave in their Book of Discipline these tragic words: "We do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider the practice incompatible with Christian teaching." When the news of that decision was announced Soulforce volunteers stood hand-in-hand outside the convention center sharing tears of grief and anger with our friends from Affirmation and the Reconciling Ministries Network who have waited 36 years for their Church to end the suffering; yet the suffering goes on. On Thursday, following the disappointing vote by the General Conference, over a dozen LGBT faithful and allies laid themselves down at the entrance to the convention center. Their bodies and cross-shaped chalk outlines on the pavement symbolized the wounds of the church and the violence perpetuated by the misguided UMC policies. As the delegates found their way inside through the maze of the outcasts, affirming Scripture was invoked in the streets. This powerful die-in moved many to pause and pray. At the end of the hour, participants and allies were joined by Bishop Donald Ott who led all in reconciling prayer. Just two hours later, members of the reconciling coalition were invited in to bear their witness on the floor. Over one hundred LGBT persons and allies formed a human cross in the aisles and delivered a proclamation to the assembly ending with "We stand with those who've been forced out and who've never come in, who already affirm one another as beloved children of God, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity." Then dozens of delegates joined participants in covering the communion table and cross with black cloth. The powerful moment culminated in an impromptu emotional speech by Bishop Melvin Talbert, who called on the general conference to reconsider its tragic decisions regarding LGBT people. As a result of the concerted reconciling witness in Fort Worth, an agreement has been reached to form a dialogue group between twelve Bishops and twelve representatives of the LGBT and allied community. The reconciling witness was organized and carried out by the Reconciling Ministries Network, Mosaic, MFSA, Parents Reconciling Network, Soulforce, and many others. While we recognize the potential of this dialogue, we must not cease to ask when the negotiations will end and justice will begin. When will the negotiations end? When will leaders of the Christian churches finally have the courage to stand for the full acceptance of LGBT people? Whatever happens next, Soulforce and our allies will be there continuing our efforts to change minds and hearts through relentless nonviolent resistance. For photos go to www.soulforce.org/album/2. To watch the video that was played during the Soulforce 10th Anniversary Reunion go to www.soulforce.org/article/1316. To watch the video of Rev. James Lawson and Rev. Gil Caldwell speaking go to www.soulforce.org/article/1357. It's Not Too Late To Celebrate!Even if you could not attend the 10-year Anniversary Reunion and Direct Action, you can be a part of the festivities by making a donation in honor of ten years worth of struggle to end religion-based oppression. During our first years as a fledgling justice organization, Soulforce volunteers challenged the antigay policies of the mainline Christian denominations by going directly to the source. Since then, we've broadened our horizons to protest injustice on college campuses, state capitals, and now mega-churches. We've helped mobilize young adults to take a more active role in securing a future free from discrimination. We trust you agree that Soulforce must carry on this important work. Our next ten years starts now and we are looking for TEN individuals to give $10,000 -- our TEN for TEN Campaign! We realize that only a few Soulforce supporters are of means to contribute $10,000 personally. For the rest of us, we can celebrate TEN years worth of justice work by helping to raise Ten Thousand Dollars in Ten Days -- just in time to give needed support to the American Family Outing. Can you chip in today? Sponsor a Family in the American Family Outing Leonard Pitts Column on Rev. James Lawson
For The Bible Tells Me So on DVDFor The Bible Tells Me So has been powerfully moving audiences in theaters across the United States. This past Saturday, Soulforce organized an outdoor showing of For The Bible Tells Me So in the park outside the 2008 United Methodist Conference. Here is what critics have said about the film:
For The Bible Tells Me So is now available on DVD. Order a copy for yourself and your friends at First Run Features or Amazon.com.
The goal of Soulforce is freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious and political oppression through the practice of relentless nonviolent resistance. Thank you for your continued interest in the important work that Soulforce is doing. You received this email at %%emailaddress%% because you are subscribed to the Soulforce Email List. To read past Soulforce email alerts go to www.soulforce.org/email. To modify your account details, please click here. To unsubscribe please click here or simply reply to this email with the word REMOVE in the subject line. If you received this email from a friend, you can sign up for the Soulforce email list by going to www.soulforce.org/subscribe. To donate to the ongoing work of Soulforce please go to www.soulforce.org/donate. Soulforce, Inc., P.O. Box 3195, Lynchburg, VA 24503 |
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Bright and early the next morning -- that's 6 am -- we boarded shuttle buses to travel to the Convention Center downtown and begin our work with the delegates. Following an intense training in nonviolence by longtime Soulforce friend and former board member Jimmy Creech and founder Mel White, more than 100 of us formed vigil lines, sang, prayed and handed out "Why We Vigil" flyers to delegates and visitors alike as they arrived at the Convention Center. Thus began a week long vigil distributing our case against the antigay policies of the United Methodist Church to 1100 delegates and at least another 2000 visitors to their General Conference at the Ft. Worth Convention Center.
