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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1990)
jumt out V Novwmbar 1990 T 1 7 Just news Portland church to welcome gays local United M ethodist church has an- nounced its intention to actively w el come gay m en and lesbians into its fel low ship and to include their concerns in its life and m inistry. T he new pol icy is reflected in the unanim ous decision o f m em bers o f M etanoia Peace C om m unity to becom e a “reconciling congre gation,” a congrega tion w hich seeks to heal the w ounds due to prejudice against hom osexuals in the church and in society at large. M etanoia Peace com m unity is the 45th U nited M ethodist C ongrega tion in the United States to adopt this stance, and the second in O regon. Last year the Estacada U nited M ethodist church voted to becom e a reconciling con gregation. The M etanoia C ongregation celebrated its inau guration as a reconciling congregation at a special w orship service w ith m usic by the choir from the M etropolitan Com m unity Church. In a “ Statem ent o f R econciliation” m em bers o f the M etanoia church acknow ledge that “w e are ju st beginning a journey which, if undertaken in full faith and sincerity, w ill ultim ately reach out to include all individuals who have suffered the pain o f alienation.” Pastor John T . Schwiebert said that, though there are already gay m en and lesbians in virtually every congregation, m any feel they m ust hide their sexual identity because o f w idespread prejudice against hom osexuality. T hey live in silent fear o f being recognized and treated as m orally inferior by the heterosexual m ajority. “W e w ant to be a congrega tion where all persons, regardless o f their sexual af finity, are regarded equally; w here G od’s good gift o f sexuality can be openly celebrated in all its vari ety; and w here the sam e high standard o f uncondi tional love can be encouraged for heterosexual and hom osexual persons alike.” The M etanoia congregation also plans to w ork with other reconciling congregations to encourage a broadening o f the U nited M ethodist C hurch’s d e nominational position regarding homosexuality. The present official stance for the denom ination is som e w hat am biguous: according to the denom ination’s Book o f D iscipline, hom osexuals are regarded as “persons o f sacred w orth,” but at the sam e tim e, hom osexuality is seen as “incom patible with C hris tian teaching,” and “avow ed, practicing hom osexu als” are barred from ordination as clergy. A one w om an has been ordained bishop) w hile 26 percent disapproved. O n the other hand, 64 percent are opposed to the sanctioning o f relationships be tween members o f the same sex, w hile 21 percent are in favor. O n the subject o f non-sexist language, 49 percent were against additions o r changes to the lit urgy and the psalm s w ith 27 percent approving such changes. T he p o ll included a representative sam ple o f Episcopalians from across the country and was com m issioned by the presiding bishop o f the church, the M ost Rev. Edm ond L. Brow ning, in anticipation o f the church’s triennial general convention slated for 1991. Copies o f the survey are available from the Episcopal Parish Service, D ep t 9040, W ashington, DC, 20061-9040. Deborah Becron GR] Broker John Terrill CRI Broker Periteli Jenkins Broket, Vancouver Kathy Tyiinger M illio n ! Club Bonnie F na Salea Assoc. Marilyn Frankel Sales Assoc. 91 Y E A R S G a y ordination in Canada he G eneral C ouncil o f the United C hurch o f C anada voted 302 to 74 to reaffirm its 1988 policy statement holding that any o f its mem bers should be eligible for consideration for ordina tion as m inisters, regardless o f sexual orientation. A fter the 1988 decision, thousands o f m em bers and about 70 clergy left the denom ination. Som e who opposed ordination o f homosexuals stayed within the denom ination and form ed a group called C om m u nity o f C oncern (COC), establishing chapters across the country and claim ing a m em bership o f more than 50,000. CO C has spearheaded a tw o-year battle to persuade the council to rescind the 1988 policy. It succeeded in getting the church to invite congrega tions to offer their opinion on the policy to the G en eral Council; more than 1,250 congregations replied, w ith the overw helm ing m ajority voicing opposition to it. A sessional com m ittee o f 26 com m issioners gathered for five days prior to the council to discuss the issue, w ith a majority concluding that any amend m ent o f the statem ent “w ould send an unacceptable m essage to the church o f retreat from the justice po sition established by the church in 1988.” After hours o f debate the G eneral C ouncil agreed, acknow ledg ing that the church is “not o f one m ind,” on issues o f hum an sexuality and fitness for ordained m inis try but assuring church m em bers that their concerns had been listened to and urging them to seek unity am id their theological diversity. — The C hristian Century T Million $ Club Million $ C lub M artin Gi Sales Assoc. Sally Corliss Sales Assoc. Sales A jsoc Sales Assoc O F E X P E R IE N C E ! Bridgetown Realty was founded in 1979 to provide the highest level of professional real estate service in a caring and intelligent manner. We specialize in orchestrating a match of people and property that is sensitive both to individual lifestyles as well as realistic financial considerations. W e are members of the Oregon Multiple Listing Service and the Portland Board of Realtors. In addition to residential sales, we transact apartment complexes and 1031 tax-free exchanges. We also handle beach property acquisitions along the North coast. 1431 NE Weid 1er Portland, OR 97232 FAX (503) 281-2037 Cruelty-Free Gins CRUELTY FREE COSMETICS, CLOTHING, SOLAR PRODUCTS, JEWELRY. SCULPTURES, MUSIC. GREETING CARDS. AND CHILDREN'S GAMES AND TOYS. ECOLOGY HOUSE A Charismatic church serving the entire community , Gifts of Environmental Consciousness Prayer Praise and Healing F o r in fo rm a tio n a n d s e rv ic e tim e : G a y and lesbian 287-9370 Bridgetow n Realty PORTLAND, OR • BOULDER, CO • PORTLAND, ME Pastor Juanita Gates (503) 287-7759 Pastor Judy Allen (206) 892-6861 2300 N.W. 30th, Portland 341 S.W . M orrison Portland, O regon 97204 (503) 223-4883 OPEN: M-F 9:30-9 • Sat. 10-7 • Sun. 11-6 Jewish group W om en bishops approved; g a y unions rejected m ajo rity o f m em bers o f the E p isco p al Church believe w om en should be ordained as bishops, b u t m o st are still adverse to same-sex unions, according to a poll on the church’s spiritual health. A lthough the survey concentrated on all aspects o f church life, one m ajor section in cluded the three m ost controversial issues facing the church today: w om en’s ordination; the sanctioning o f homosexual relationships; and inclusive (i.e., non sexist) language in the B ible and the liturgy. Findings showed that 66 percent o f those sampled approved o f ordaining w om en as bishops (w om en can be ordained as deacons and priests already, and A to gather ongregation Beth El Bin ah is sponsoring the first Southw estern R egional C onference o f the W orld C ongress o f G ay and Lesbian Jew ish O rganizations. T he conference w ill be held in Dallas, Texas, Dec. 14,15, and 16. T he theme o f the conference will be: “On Being Gay, Lesbian, and Jew ish .” T here will be a variety o f topics discussed, guest speakers, and Havdalah and Shabbat services. T he conference’s purpose is to educate and present individuals an opportunity to m eet other gay and lesbian Jew s throughout the country. For m ore in form ation call (214) 840-3553, or w rite to: C ongre gation Beth El Binah, P.O. Box 64460, Dallas, Texas 75206. C v-"? -y- • '• • •••-. ,-! A -'.'-V tf'. K a - - FA 'V ________ _____ ___________ .... , . uDstem csW Gyjtecology /■•l-'-W . ii'- '. • rv. v' J '■ A A ilpt j *V , — ri. / ’f i f i : ' ;•» I V- • • • ..r; v a a MejtrGp^Iita*n"Clinic ’ / * 7 * "V 'K b .* .'* * *•*. "A M * 520 Portland, Oregon 97210 .A«* The Reverend M atthew N elson is an ordained m inister in the U nited Church o f C hrist , ,