UMW conference vs. Indigo Girl Emily Saliers

[suzer1013]

Well, I got to posting this late -- I guess they wanted letters in by yesterday. But I thought y'all might be interested in knowing this was happening. I got this from the Reconciling Ministries newsletter I get by e-mail (RMN Network is the GLBT affirming part of the UMC).

The Indigo Girls are one of my favorite, favorite groups! Their music packs a punch, and so many of their songs are truly spiritual. Anyway, thought you might be interested to know about this. If I'm not mistaken, Emily grew up in the UMC -- don't know if she still affiliates herself with it or not.

Susan



1. STOP ATTEMPT TO DIS-INVITE INDIGO GIRL AND FATHER FROM UMW ASSEMBLY

RENEW, the women's arm of the conservative Good (sic) News movement,
has started a campaign through their newsletter to urge the Women's
Division of the UMC to dis-invite Don Saliers and Emily Saliers from the
United Methodist Women's Assembly. They are asking the right-wing to write
letters and emails to Dr. Jan Love, CEO of the Women's Division, and
want to prohibit Emily and Don from being keynote speakers solely on the
basis that Emily lives openly as a lesbian.
See: http://www.renewnetwork.org/Newslett...pring_2006.pdf

RMN urges you to write emails to keep the Saliers scheduled appearance
to Dr. Jan Love (jlove@gbgm-umc.org).

The Rev. Dr. Don E. Saliers is a professor of theology and worship at
Candler School of Theology of Emory University. He is very well
respected not just as a scholar, but as a church musician. He is an elder in
the UMC and has contributed greatly to our Book of Worship, as well as
our denominational and ecumenical movements of liturgical renewal.

Emily Saliers is half of the folk-rock group, the Indigo Girls. She is
Don's daughter. Emily has been an activist for many social causes,
including LGBT issues, peace issues, the environment, democracy in Mexico,
gun control, global health issues, nuclear issues and more.

Jossey-Bass recently published a book co-written by Don and Emily
entitled, "A Song to Sing, A Life to Live: Reflections on Music as Spiritual
Practice". They have presented at the National Cathedral and will
present this summer at the first annual "Growing in the Spiritual Life"
conference. Together they wrote a chapter in "Way to Live," a great book
about spiritual practices written for youth.

Write to demand that RENEW’s prejudiced attempt to exclude good
programming be dismissed.

ACT NOW:
Email Jan Love today at jlove@gbgm-umc.org;
forward this information to others and ASK THEM TO RESPOND BY
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29.

Other contact information:
Dr. Janice Love
Chief Executive Officer
Women’s Division
475 Riverside Drive
New York, NY 10115;
212-870-3752

[Vanessa White]

Thanks for the info suze. I just sent off an email to Dr. Love- the Indigo Girls have been a source on inspiration to me personally and musically for many years now. They are tremendous human beings. Peace, Vanessa

[Vanessa White]

I just wanted to let everyone know that I did email Dr. Jan Love about the Saliers family appearing at the UMW assembly in May, and I did not expect an email response. Although it was probably a standard response, it was a response, and the email stated that Dr. Love has received around 2,000 emails as of 4-4-06 encouraging the assembly to welcome Don and Emily Saliers with open arms, minds and hearts. Anyway, it helped me to feel a little more positive about making the active choice to be a Methodist person after reading her email. I will post any other updates I hear of. Thanks again Suze. Peace, Vanessa

[suzer1013]

Thanks for the update, Vanessa! I do hope Emily and her dad will be allowed to present their program. I believe I read that the responses in support of Emily speaking greatly outnumbered the responses against her (7 to 1, I think).

And thanks for e-mailing the UMC about this. Every voice counts.

Susan