Page 8A
FAITH
East Oregonian
Friday, November 13, 2015
Mormon LGBT rule backlash spreads among faithful
By BRADY MCCOMBS
Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY —
New Mormon church rules
targeting gay members and
their children have triggered
a ¿restorm oI bacNlash Irom
church members oI all Solit-
ical bacNgrounds
Mormon scholar 3atricN
Mason said the symbolism
oI targeting Nids has riled uS
even conservative, orthodox
Latter-day Saints who don’t
usually get on the LGBT
bandwagon or question
church decisions
Under the new rules,
issued last weeN, children
living with gay Sarents are
barred Irom being baSti]ed
until they’re AIter that,
they can be baSti]ed only
iI they disavow same-sex
relationshiSs
The Solicy also maNes
gay marriages a sin worthy
oI exSulsion It marNed a
dramatic detour Irom the
religion’s recent Sush to carve
out a more comSassionate
stance on LGBT issues
³The surSrising imSact
has been the amount oI
SeoSle who are conIused
and troubled and disturbed
and, IranNly, reSulsed,´ said
Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, File
In this Monday, Nov. 9, 2015, file photo, Weston Clark speaks to a crowd during a
rally to celebrate all families, sponsored by Equality Utah and the Utah Pride Center,
in Salt Lake City.
Mason, associate SroIessor oI
religion at Claremont Grad-
uate University in CaliIornia
and +oward : +unter Chair
oI Mormon Studies ³And
these aren’t Must Srogressives
and LGBT advocates They
are saying µThis doesn’t Ieel
right This doesn’t square
with me´’
+e said the Iurious blow-
bacN is leading to widesSread
sSeculation that church
leaders are worNing on
revisions to the Solicy, which
was leaNed to the Sublic aIter
being emailed to local church
leaders around the world
Because the rules were
made in the church hand-
booN, and not considered
doctrinal change, Mormon
leaders have wiggle room iI
they choose to revise them
The Church oI -esus
Christ oI Latter-day Saints
sSoNesman Eric +awNins
didn’t immediately have any
comment on the sSeculation
The new Solicy Srobably
directly aIIects only a small
number oI Mormon Iamilies
because not many same-sex
couSles with children are active
in the church, Mason said But
it also could imSact children
who have one gay Sarent
Mason said one Sossi-
bility Ior revisions would
be to address rules Ior
children with only one gay
Sarent, SerhaSs those with
Sarents who are divorced
In Sast generations, many
gay Mormon men married
women at the encouragement
oI church leaders as a way to
overcome what the religion
calls ³same-sex attraction´
)or the Sast several
years, the church has tried to
walN a delicate tightroSe oI
becoming more gay-Iriendly
while holding onto its belieI
that God intended marriage to
be exclusively between a man
and a woman Leaders gave
multiSle sSeeches Sreaching
a ³Iairness Ior all´ aSSroach
that encourages comSassion
Ior gays while Srotecting
religious liberties
The church bacNed a land-
marN Utah state law Sassed
this year that added anti-dis-
crimination Srotection Ior
LGBT SeoSle while shielding
religious rights
Members had bought into
the new message oI comSas-
sion and begun Sutting those
lessons into action, Mason
said +e called the rules
the most damaging Sublic
relations move by the church
since it urged members in
to banNroll and suSSort
CaliIornia’s gay marriage ban
Church leaders said the
changes were designed to
reiterate the conservative
Iaith’s doctrinal oSSosition
to gay marriage and Srovide
clarity to lay leaders around
the globe asNing questions
aIter last summer’s US
SuSreme Court ruling legal-
i]ing same-sex marriages
The revisions also allow
children oI gay Sarents the
chance to mature beIore
maNing a decision about
whether to Iully invest in a
Iaith that shuns their Sarents’
sexuality
“We don’t want the child
to have to deal with issues
that might arise where the
Sarents Ieel one way and the
exSectations oI the church
are very diIIerent,´ ' Todd
ChristoIIerson, a member
oI the Iaith’s 4uorum oI the
Twelve governing body, said
in a video exSlaining the
changes
TemSest in a cuS What’s StarbucNs Christmas ÀaS all about"
By ADAM GELLER
AP National Writer
AP Photo by Elaine Thompson
In the beginning, there was a
SaSer coIIee cuS — bright red on toS,
shading to a darNer cranberry below
That much seems beyond doubt
But the brew-haha oI suSSosed
outrage that has sSilled Irom it since
the StarbucNs coIIee chain served uS
what looNed, at ¿rst glance, liNe a
seasonal throwaway, is increasingly
hard to ¿gure
A weeN ago, a selI-described evan-
gelist named -oshua Feuerstein,
who lives outside Phoenix, Sosted
a video on FacebooN critici]ing
StarbucNs Ior trying to “taNe Christ
and Christmas´ out oI the holiday by
designing cuSs devoid oI seasonal
symbols
Ever since, controversy — or, at
least, lots and lots oI comment — has
ricocheted around the Internet, taNen
as evidence that SeoSle were either
similarly uSset, or uSset that others
were uSset
Feuerstein’s video has garnered
millions oI views, and has been
Sronounced by Sundits as the latest
3EN'LETON — The
Faith Center Church each
year helSs Iamilies in need
by suSSlying ThanNsgiving
dinners The Iree meal
includes a Iro]en turNey, ham,
Sotatoes, canned vegetables,
margarine and a gravy mix
Families interested
in receiving a Iree
ThanNsgiving meal must
call the church oI¿ce and
register ThanNsgiving meals
will be distributed to those
registered Tuesday, Nov 25
Irom 5- Sm at the church,
10 S Main St, with a
Srayer oI blessing
Faith Center exSects to
distribute 25-30 Iree meals,
which are available on a
¿rst-come, ¿rst-served basis
Leaving a message does not
guarantee a meal The church
will call to con¿rm those
who will receive a meal
For more inIormation,
or to register, call the Faith
Center at 51-2-5
Gospel singer to
share at Aglow
WALLA WALLA — A
Iemale vocalist and
songwriter honored by the
Country GosSel Music
Association is Ieatured guest
at this month’s Walla Walla
Aglow Community meeting
Cherrie SimSson will
share about -esus through
word and song Saturday
Irom 10 am to 1230 Sm
at Whitman Court, 305 Ash
St, Walla Walla A Ireewill
oIIering will be taNen Ior the
event, which includes lunch
Aglow, which started
in 1, is an international
organi]ation that seeNs to
minister to its members and
share God’s word in the
community Everyone is
welcome to attend
For more inIormation,
call Paula McKee at
50-220-10 or 'arya
TucNer at 50--1
For more about Aglow, visit
wwwagloworg
Redeemer church
sets work party
PEN'LETON — A Iall
clean-uS day is Slanned at
ESiscoSal Church oI the
5edeemer
PeoSle are invited to
bring yard tools to raNe and
gather leaves In addition,
inside SroMects also need to
be comSleted as well
The eIIort will run Irom
am to noon at 21 SE
Second St, Pendleton
AIterwards, SarticiSants are
invited Ior a no-host luncheon
in downtown Pendleton For
more inIormation, contact
redeemerchurch1#gmail
com or 51-2-30
Christmas have joined Feuerstein’s
call to action — and some question
its Sublic suSSort Many oI those
commenting about it online exSress
irritation or bemusement that anyone
could be angered by a SaSer cuS,
desSite scant SrooI that widesSread
oIIense was taNen
“II I were a touch more cynical,
and maybe I am, I’d thinN the one who
is winning this war is, maybe, Star-
bucNs,´ said Steve -ones, a SroIessor
at the University oI Illinois at Chicago
who studies the social and cultural
consequences oI the Internet
BAHA’I FAITH
Church
BRIEFLY
Faith Center offers
turkey dinners
troSe in longstanding comSlaints by
some religious conservatives that
American comSanies, government
oI¿cials and others are waging a “War
on Christmas´
Indeed, thousands oI SeoSle have
sounded oII on Twitter and other
social networNs, many aSSending the
“MerryChristmasStarbucNs´ meme
that Feuerstein coined Ior what he
urged could be a movement to reas-
sert the holiday’s rightIul sSot in the
American marNetSlace
But Iew oI the voices who have
Sreviously decried the ruination oI
“The Unity of All
Mankind”
Directory
Pendleton Baha’i Center at
1015 SE Court Place
Devotions Sundays @
11:00am; Everyone invited!
(541) 276-9360 visit us at
www.pendletonbahais.org
241 SE Second St. Pendleton
(541)276-3809
www.pendletonepiscopal.org
W o r
Sunday Morning Worship 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday Worship Noon
Wednesday Evening Prayer
and Pot Luck 6:00 p.m.
s h i p w i t h u s !
All Are Welcome
Come meet Jesus at
OPEN HEARTS – OPEN DOOR
www.graceandmercylutheran.org
585 SW Birch, Pilot Rock, OR 97868
(541) 443-2500
prbconline.blogspot.com
Sunday School: 9:30 am
Worship Service: 10:45 am
Wednesday Services:
Kids’ Club: 6:00 pm
Youth Group: 7:00 pm
Sunday Worship 9:00 a.m.
Sunday School 10:00 a.m. (Nursery Provided)
Fellowship, Refreshments & Sunday School
Check Out our Facebook Page or Website for
More Information
541-289-4535
Scripture, Tradition
and Reason
Tom Inch, Pastor
Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church, ELCA
164 E. Main St. / P.O. Box 1108
Hermiston, Oregon 97838
Gladys Ave & 7th Hermiston
Fr. Dan Lediard, Priest. PH: 567-6672
Family service 9am Sunday
FIRST SERVICE 8:30 AM
SECOND SERVICE 10:30 AM
712 SW 27 TH ST.
541-276-1894
www.fcogpendleton.com
FAITH LUTHERAN
CHURCH
Living Word
Christian Center
in Mission for Christ LCMC
Sunday Worship Service
10:00 AM
Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 PM
Bible Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM
Sunday Worship . . . . . . . . . . . 10:30 AM
210 NW 9th, Pendleton ELCA
-Presbyterian Church (USA)-
201 SW Dorion Ave.
Pendleton
Join us Sundays
9:30
Sunday
Worship
9:30 am am
Sunday
Worship
10:30 am Fellowship
11:00 am Sunday School & Adult Class
Service of Worship - 10:00 am
Children’s Sunday School - 10:20 am
Fellowship - 11:00 am
www.pendletonpresbyterian.com
~Come and be at Peace~
Open Hearted...Open Minded
on 1290 KUMA noon each Sunday
NEW HOPE
COMMUNITY CHURCH
1350 S. Highway 395, Hermiston
Sunday Worship Services
English- Pastor Dave Andrus
9:00 & 10:45 am
Spanish- Pastor Genaro Loredo
9:00 & 10:15 am
Classes for kids during all services
For more information call
Sharon Miller, Pastor
( Oregon Trail Room )
401 Northgate • Pendleton
278-8082
www.faithpendleton.org
www.livingwordcc.com
Community
Presbyterian Churc h
Faith Center Church
Red Lion Hotel
P eace L utheran C hurch
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
555 SW 11th, Hermiston
567-9497
Nursery provided for all services
“Proclaiming God’s word,
growing in God’s grace”
3202 SW Nye Ave Pendleton, OR
541-276-7590
Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM
Sunday Bible Classes 9:45 AM
Sunday Youth Group 6:00 PM
Mon. Community Women’s Study
9:30 AM & 6 PM
Awana Kids Club (K-6th grade)
Wed Men’s Study 6 PM
MOPS meeting the 1st Thur of the Month
6 PM
All People
Are Welcome
Grace Baptist Church
Sunday School - 9:30 AM
Worship - 10:45 AM
6:00 pm
Wed Prayer & Worship - 7:00 PM
PENDLETON BAPTIST
CHURCH
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
541-567-8441
First United
Methodist
Church
Worshiping God
Loving People
14 Martin Drive,
Umatilla, OR
922-3250
108 S. Main • 276-9569
Worship: 10 AM Sunday
School at 11:30
Sr. Pastor, Ray O’Grady
pendletonfaithcenter.org
352 SE 2nd Street
Pendleton, OR
541-276-2616
Sunday Worship
10:30 am
Seventh-Day
Adventist Churc h
Saturday Services
Pendleton
1401 SW Goodwin Place
276-0882
Sabbath School 9:20 am
Worship Service 10:45 am
Sunday Worship 9am
Open Hearts, Open Hands, Open Doors
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
FUMCPendleton
Services are broadcast every Sunday
on KUMA-1290 AM @ 11am
Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor

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Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.
Mid-Week Children & Youth ‡ Weekly Adult Life Groups
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St. Paul Anglican Church, APA
T HE C OUNTRY C HURCH
Currently Located at 119 SW Quinney Pl.,
Home Church in Pendleton @ Sunridge Estates
541-303-1261
Holy Communion - 1st & 3rd Sunday
Morning Prayer - 2nd, 4th & 5th Sunday
All Services - 10:00am Sundays
The Rev. Fr. Vincent Varnas
facebook.com/stpaulanglicanchurchapa
32742 Diagonal RD
Hermiston OR 97838
Sunday School 10 am
Worship 7 am
Evening Service 7 pm
Bible Study Wednesdays 7 pm
Firestarter Youth Ministry
(Ages 12-17)
Monday @ 6 pm
Pastor James Becker