::DISCLAIMER-This is a true story about something that has been happening without my knowledge at the church I have been going to in San Diego. This is MY opinion of the situation and nothing more. I BELIEVE IN EQUAL RIGHTS FOR GAYS. If you don't I suggest you stop reading now::
I have been going to a small Methodist church in San Diego for the past year. Small, nothing too crazy, a little quaint church whose Pastor is an old family friend of my husband's. Over the last couple of months, her (the pastor's) parents have become ill and she decided to take family leave to help care for them.
Enter new pastor and exit me (I haven't been to church in over a month because I have been out of town and I work at the hospital every other weekend). I haven't even talked to any of my church buddies in a while because everyone has just been so busy. Well tonight when I got home from work I found a letter in my box from one of the more predominant couples in my church, stating that the are leaving our church and the methodist faith.
...because our new minister is Gay, that they aren't O.K. with that.
I am Christian, I believe strongly in Jesus Christ and what he taught while he walked the Earth (because I believe he really did). Well Jesus touched lepers and healed them, he shared meals with sinners, washed the feet of paupers, you think he would turn his hand away from someone for who he/she decided to love?
My husband was raised Methodist but I was raised Congregationalist, the most liberal Christian Sect there is. We are both very tolerant people, and both of our faiths share similar views of homosexuality. The UCC was the first Protestant faith to ordain an openly Gay man in 1972 (and the first faith to ordain a women might I add). Over the last decade the Methodist faith has also become much more tolerant of openly gay members of their faith and of their ministry.
Which is what I guess got this particular couple all bent out of shape.
An ad from the UCC God is Still Speaking campaign
It hurts that people are so judgemental of Gay people in this country, we have come a long way but we still have a long way to go. I will never accept that God would judge a murderer and a Gay man as the same "sinner."
Jesus is Love, not just one kind of love.
I am going to church this Sunday, and I will greet this new pastor with open arms. (my buddies at church say that he is really good). I'll report back later ;-)
Enter new pastor and exit me (I haven't been to church in over a month because I have been out of town and I work at the hospital every other weekend). I haven't even talked to any of my church buddies in a while because everyone has just been so busy. Well tonight when I got home from work I found a letter in my box from one of the more predominant couples in my church, stating that the are leaving our church and the methodist faith.
...because our new minister is Gay, that they aren't O.K. with that.
I am Christian, I believe strongly in Jesus Christ and what he taught while he walked the Earth (because I believe he really did). Well Jesus touched lepers and healed them, he shared meals with sinners, washed the feet of paupers, you think he would turn his hand away from someone for who he/she decided to love?
My husband was raised Methodist but I was raised Congregationalist, the most liberal Christian Sect there is. We are both very tolerant people, and both of our faiths share similar views of homosexuality. The UCC was the first Protestant faith to ordain an openly Gay man in 1972 (and the first faith to ordain a women might I add). Over the last decade the Methodist faith has also become much more tolerant of openly gay members of their faith and of their ministry.
Which is what I guess got this particular couple all bent out of shape.
An ad from the UCC God is Still Speaking campaign
It hurts that people are so judgemental of Gay people in this country, we have come a long way but we still have a long way to go. I will never accept that God would judge a murderer and a Gay man as the same "sinner."
Jesus is Love, not just one kind of love.
I am going to church this Sunday, and I will greet this new pastor with open arms. (my buddies at church say that he is really good). I'll report back later ;-)
Good for you... I'm Catholic and unfortunately we get a bad rap to not liking gays, but I'm with you. Jesus loved all people, regardless of who they were, who they associated with, or what they did with their lives. We should love and welcome all people in the same way. I'm so glad to hear that you are going to welcome your new pastor. It's the right thing to do.
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