The Reconciling Ministries Digest

(Note: Because of the nature of many websites, some of the links to external news sources in this digest may have expired.)

1. New Reconciling Congregations in NY and CT
2. A Season of Hope and Expectation
3. Gifts of Hope
4. First Openly Lesbian Episcopal Bishop Elected
5. Ugandan's Wait in Anticipation
6. Call To Action
7. Let Us Pray
8. Contribute & Connect

 New Reconciling Congregations in NY and CT

In an unanimous decision of the charge conference, Christ Church United Methodist of Troy, NY affirmed a welcoming statement and decided to affiliate as a Reconciling United Methodist Congregation. Lay leaders describe this declaration of hospitality as “a logical decision for us because Christ Church is a church that is diverse and active in social issues.” The congregation approached this decision after many months of workshops, informal discussions, sermons and worship opportunities, and a congregational “suggestion box” into which were placed questions, concerns, and suggestions for the drafting of their welcoming statement. The congregation now proclaims:

God intends the church to be a community that embodies love, grace, and justice for all people.  As a Reconciling Congregation, we therefore affirm the sacred worth of and welcome persons of any sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, marital status, race, ethnic background, economic condition, and physical or mental ability as full participants in our community of faith.  God’s love includes everyone, as does Christ Church United Methodist.

To learn more about Christ Church United Methodist please visit their website at: http://www.christchurchtroy.org

 

Diamond Hill United Methodist Church of Cos Cob, CT has a long history of welcoming persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities; therefore, they have amended their mission statement to reflect the Christ-like values of the community. After a discernment process which included a letter to the congregation, a bible study, and publishing the proposed addition in the Sunday Bulletin, Diamond Hill unanimously affirmed the newly amended mission statement and decided to affiliate with RMN. 

Diamond hill’s Mission Stament begins:

WE ARE a community of Christians who are drawn together by our journey of faith. We welcome all, unreservedly. Our aim is to nourish people who seek Christ’s sacred way of living.

And the amended paragraph states:

WE FAITHFULLY DISAGREE with the discriminatory policies of the United Methodist Church regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gendered individuals and families. Though we recognize there remain differences of opinion among us, we at Diamond Hill United Methodist Church, as a Reconciling and Welcoming Congregation, believe that we are called to be reconciled to God and to one another.*

To read the entire mission statement and their explanation of the discriminatory policies of the UMC, visit Diamond Hill’s website at http://www.diamondhillumc.org/mission.php.

 A Season of Hope and Expectation

From time to time we like to highlight resources that we find useful.  One of those resources is "Out In Scripture" from the Human Rights Campaign. From Out In Scripture:

Out In Scripture is a collection of over 175 conversations about the Bible. With the skilled help of 100 diverse scholars and pastors, from over 11 different denominations, you will discover a fresh approach to Scripture. Here you can be honest, question and go deeper.

Out in Scripture is a great devotional resource as you consider your life of faith and put that faith into action. It is also especially helpful for preachers preparing sermons based on the Revised Common Lectionary.

The Bible’s not about beating you up, but lifting us all up. It includes the seeds of liberation and justice. You, too, can be out in Scripture.

---

A Conversation About This Week's Lectionary Bible Passages

by Alton B. Pollard III, Shively T.J. Smith, Michael Joseph Brown
Human Rights Campaign: Out In Scripture - For The 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year C

Luke 3:7-18 narrates a conflict between John the Baptist and the crowds who came out to hear him. Hold on a minute! Maybe it is not a conflict after all. John, who lives on the margins of society, tells the crowd that they must bear "fruits worthy of repentance" (Luke 3:8). This scene is recorded in Matthew 3:1-12 as well. In that scene, John addresses Pharisees and Sadducees, but in today’s text it is the entire crowd. In Matthew the tension of conflict is unalleviated, but in today’s passage the tension dissipates quickly. John challenges his hearers to act in ways that demonstrate that they have had a change of thinking. It is a challenge that faces us as well.

Many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people experience hypocrisy when they interact with those who believe that they are open and welcoming. They claim to embrace diversity, including sexual diversity, but they continue to acts in ways that perpetuate the marginalization of LGBT people. Church, in particular, can be a difficult place for LGBT people because it is often one of the places in our society where mixed messages are sent. One large African-American congregation, for example, claims to embrace all of God’s children, but silently refuses to perform a same-sex commitment ceremony, even though such ceremonies are allowed by the larger denomination. The verse "Bear fruits worthy of repentance" means that our practices must coincide with our rhetoric (Luke 3:8).

The crowd’s response to John’s challenge highlights the importance of practices: "What then should we do?" (Luke 3:10). This is the good news in today’s passage: there are people who are willing to bear fruits worthy of repentance. There are individuals and communities who are willing to respond to the gospel’s call for a transformed society. Although it will involve a careful examination of their attitudes and behaviors, they are willing to closely look at their lives for the sake of the new world it will create. Shively T.J. Smith comments, "In this passage from the gospel of Luke, the writer calls on hearers to reflect on why they respond as they do to God’s activities within the world." In today’s lesson these people are described as being in a state of "expectation" (Luke 3:15). They are excited because they are open to the movement of God. Shively adds, "Regardless of one’s socio-political standing, ethnicity and gender, we are called not only to believe in the coming of Christ, but to live our lives in such a way that reflects the just and compassionate love we experience in Christ." In the season of Advent, we celebrate the movement of God that transforms communities into welcoming places for LGBT individuals.

Philippians 4:4-7 reminds us that when we embrace such transformative thinking and practices, we open ourselves and our communities to a radically new state of affairs. Paul says, "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). In another text, Paul characterizes the Christian life as one of peace (Romans 5:1). When LGBT people and their supporters embrace an inclusive vision and practice of community, they live lives "which [surpass] all understanding" (Philippians 4:7)....

To Read The Rest of This Devotional Please Visit Out In Scripture

 Gifts of Hope

As we come to the end of 2009, remember that all gifts to RMN processed before 1 January 2010 are tax deductible in 2009. You can make an online donation of any amount today by going to www.rmnetwork.org and clicking on the donate button. Call Carl Davis, Director of Development at (773) 736-5526 or e-mail for more information.

Do you want to donate to RMN but are uncertain about doing so at this time because of the current economy?

You know that during times of economic recession it is more important than ever to protect financial resources, so here are 4 ways to support RMN without impacting your current cash flow.

Please consider these methods to make the most effective year-end gift to RMN possible:

1. Your Will To Help. Perhaps the best way to help RMN’s long term financial success without impacting your immediate cash flow is to leave RMN a bequest in your will. Leaving RMN a percentage of your estate or a specific amount in your will ensures the long term financial success of RMN. Your gift can be structured in a way that helps protect the value of your estate for other heirs because your estate’s gift to RMN is tax deductable.  Please contact us for more information about estate planning. If you care enough about RMN to leave us in your will, we would love to know.

2. US Savings Bonds. Do you, like many Americans, have US Savings bonds sitting in a desk drawer or safety deposit box? Now may be the time to use those resources. Did you know that in 2010 all series H and E Bonds will stop earning interest and become dead assets?  If you own H or E series bonds, now is the time to cash in those bonds as they will never rise in value. Doing so will result in taxable income for the year you cash in the bond. But, your new tax liability on savings bond income may be offset with a corresponding charitable contribution to RMN. Also, consider cashing in your bonds and donating the whole value to RMN as a way to support RMN without impacting your monthly cash flow.

Find out the value of any US Savings Bond by going to www.treasurydirect.gov/BC/SBCPrice. You can also go to www.treasurydirect.gov to find out if you have any savings bonds you may have forgotten about over the years.

3. IRA Gifts. Making RMN the beneficiary of a Traditional IRA is a great way to support RMN through tax advantaged giving. You pay no tax on the money you contribute to your Traditional IRA, and if RMN is the beneficiary of the IRA, RMN will pay no tax at the time of withdrawal because RMN is tax exempt. This freedom from tax results in a higher net gift to RMN than would be otherwise possible. If you have a Traditional IRA, making RMN the beneficiary is a great way to support RMN without impacting your financial stability. And, if you, like 70% of Americans, do not itemize your income tax return, giving a Traditional IRA to RMN is a way you can still make a tax advantaged gift.

It is important that RMN is listed as the beneficiary of the IRA directly instead of allowing the IRA to belong to your estate, to be given to RMN through your will in order to avoid taxes to your estate, thus lowering the value of your IRA before RMN receives the gift. Optimize your giving potential by making RMN the beneficiary of your IRA this year.

Making RMN the beneficiary of your Traditional IRA costs you nothing at this time and is a highly effective way to be a major donor to RMN’s long term success. If RMN is your IRA’s beneficiary please let us know.

Converting to a Roth IRA in 2010?

Many people will be converting their Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA in 2010 because for the first time any taxpayer can have a Roth IRA. If you will be converting to a Roth IRA and RMN was the beneficiary of your Traditional IRA please consider the following-

Since a Roth IRA is funded with post tax dollars, there is no tax advantage to making RMN the account’s beneficiary. Therefore you should consider funding your gift to RMN through another vehicle, leaving your Roth IRA to a non-charitable beneficiary.

When you convert to a Roth account you will incur a tax liability at the time of conversion. Therefore please consider making your donation to RMN in the year of your IRA conversion instead of making RMN the account’s beneficiary.

This action can offset your tax liability when it is incurred, help RMN with needed funds now, optimize your tax situation and allow an individual heir to receive an inheritance from your estate’s post tax Roth IRA funds.

4. Gifts of Stock. Many people's portfolios include stock, and many donors find it convenient to use stock as a way of making their gifts to RMN. So if you're planning a gift, have a look at your stock portfolio. Those that have appreciated in value allow you to be able to potentially make a gift much larger than what you originally planned and you will benefit from the tax savings as well.

How does this double tax break work? First of all, it's important to remember that stocks that have appreciated in value from what you originally paid for them will be subject to capital gains tax at the time they're sold.

In making a gift, if you were to sell the stock and use the proceeds as your donation, you would be forfeiting a hefty amount in capital gains tax. Instead, by donating the stock itself instead of the proceeds from the sale of the stock you will avoid capital gains tax altogether, amounting to substantial cash savings for you. And the full value of the stock will be available to use as a gift and consequently the value of the charitable deduction you claim will be higher and the amount of money RMN can use to accomplish our mission is higher as well. Call our office today to arrange a gift of stock. It is easy, safe and convenient, but call soon so we can process the gift this tax year.

Call Carl Davis, Director of Development at (773) 736-5526 or e-mail for more information.

Neither the author, the publisher nor Reconciling Ministries Network are engaged in legal or tax advisory service. For advice or assistance in specific cases or whether to make certain a contemplated gift fits well into your overall circumstances and planning, the services of an attorney or other professional advisor should be obtained.

The purpose of this article is to provide general gift, estate, and financial planning information. Watch for tax revisions. State laws govern wills, trusts, and charitable gifts made in a contractual agreement. Advice from legal counsel should be sought when considering these types of gifts.

 First Openly Lesbian Episcopal Bishop Elected

Reconciling Ministries Network wants to congratulate Rev. Canon Mary Glasspool, the first openly lesbian bishop elected in the Episcopal Church.  We celebrate as we see the hope of a reconciled body of Christ made real.

---

 From Goshen to Global Stage: Episcopalians in LA Elect Lesbian Bishop

By John Sullivan, Times Herald-Record, Posted: December 09, 2009

A former Goshen resident who once played the head nun in her high school musical has been thrust into the global spotlight as the first openly lesbian bishop elected in the Episcopal Church.

The Rev. Canon Mary Glasspool, 55, was elected an assistant bishop Saturday as the second woman ever in the 114-year history of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

She is also the first openly gay priest elected as a bishop in the Episcopal Church since the Rev. V. Gene Robinson in 2003 in New Hampshire.

Glasspool is a canon in the Baltimore-based Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. Her formative years, however, were spent in Goshen, where her late father, the Rev. Douglas Glasspool, served as rector of St. James Episcopal Church for 35 years. Glasspool is also the older sister of Village Clerk Meg Strobel.

To Read the Full Article Please Visit: Times Harold-Record

 Ugandan's Wait in Anticipation

On October 13 2009 Member of Ugandan Parliament, David Bahati, introduced a bill that would make homosexuality a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment or death if the person is also HIV positive.  This bill has sparked a fire storm of outrage from peoples of all denominations and nationalities.  To view the view the bill in its original form click here.

On December 7, 2009 General Board of Church and Society release this statement in their news letter Faith In Action.

---

Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act - 60 U.S. Christian Leaders Protest Bill

By Linda Bales Todd, Director, Louise & Hugh Moore Population Project, General Board of Church & Society

Last week millions of people around the globe commemorated World AIDS Day by calling for access to prevention, care and treatment, as well as affirming human rights of all persons. We celebrated the overall reduction in new AIDS infections around the world and the efforts to end stigmatization this disease.

In the midst of celebration, however, a serious issue was raised in several forums that relates to Uganda, an African country that has made significant reductions in numbers of AIDS cases.

Sixty theologically and ideologically diverse U.S. Christian leaders and organizational leaders have united to condemn a bill under consideration in the Parliament of Uganda that would make homosexual behavior punishable by life imprisonment or even death.

Given U.S. Christian groups’ extensive history of involvement in Uganda, these numerous Catholic, Evangelical and Mainline Protestant leaders — including several members of the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships — felt especially compelled to speak out against the “Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2009” as an affront to Christian values and call on all U.S. Christian leaders to join them.

The act, if passed, the bill would violate basic human rights by:

1. increasing the criminal penalty against homosexuality to life in prison;
2. limiting the distribution of information on HIV to populations most at risk;
3. establishing a death penalty for anyone engaging in “serial” same-sex relations and for relations in which one partner is HIV-positive or under 18 years of age, and
4. imprisonment for anyone who fails to report to the government the identities of those they believe to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

Violates human rights

This bill not only violates human rights, but will compromise gains made in the fight against AIDS.

It violates the United Methodist Social Principle statement on “Equal Rights Regardless of Sexual Orientation” (¶162J). The Social Principle states:

Certain basic human rights and civil liberties are due all persons. We are committed to supporting those rights and liberties for all persons, regardless of sexual orientation. We see a clear issue of simple justice in protecting the rightful claims where people have shared material resources, pensions, guardian relationships, mutual powers of attorney, and other such lawful claims typically attendant to contractual relationships that involve shared contributions, responsibilities, and liabilities, and equal protection before the law. Moreover, we support efforts to stop violence and other forms of coercion against all persons, regardless of sexual orientation.

 Call To Action

This Thursday, December 10th is Human Rights Day and December 13th is Human Rights Sunday. Now is the perfect time to speak up and let our voices be heard on behalf of Human Rights in Uganda. Below are template letters provided by GLAAD. Please feel free to copy, paste, and modify the content to make it personal.

---

TEMPLATE FOR LETTER TO YOUR FAITH LEADERS—adapt as needed

Dear Faith Leader:

I am writing to ask you to be part of a surge of faith leaders who are speaking out against criminalization of gay and transgender people around the world.

Right now Uganda is on the brink of passing a law that would allow execution gay people who are so-called “repeat offenders.”  Under the proposed law, gay rights supporters could be imprisoned and Ugandans in other countries could be extradited if they are thought to be gay. Uganda already punishes gay people with life imprisonment. This latest draconian proposal in Uganda is gaining international attention and is compelling actions.

Regardless of how you and your faith tradition views the role of gay people in your communion, it is time that conservative, mainline and progressive faith leaders work together to eliminate laws that take away life and liberty based on who you are and what you believe.

Please join religious and government officials throughout the world who are speaking out.

• The United Church of Christ Global Ministries  department spoke out;
• The Episcopal Presiding Bishop  Katharine Jefferts Schori issued a statement;
• Canon Gideon Byamugisha, a prominent member of Uganda's Anglican Church, took a stand and described the bill as "state-legislated genocide;”
• Swedish, British and Canadian government officials have urged Uganda's President Museveni to drop the law.

Sexual orientation, gender identity should not be used as grounds for suspension of human rights. Nor should beliefs or expressed opinions about these concerns be grounds for legal action.  It is time to eliminate imprisonment, execution and persecution of gay and transgender people.

Possible Actions you and your organization can take:

• If you oversee many congregations, email a pastoral letter for Human Rights day
• Issue a press release and hold a press conference on Human Rights day
• Write a letter to the Udandan Minister of Ethics and Integrity;
• Preach a sermon about all of us being created in God’s image;
• Contact faith leaders in your tradition and other traditions and urge them to write letters and take a public stand.

 

Please feel free to adapt the template below to send a letter to Uganda’s Minister of Ethics and Integrity.

 

---

Template for Letter to Minister of Ethics and Integrity—adapt as needed.

Hon. Dr. James Nsaba Buturo
Minister of Ethics and Integrity
Office of the President, Parliamentary Building
P. O. Box 7168
Kampala, Uganda

Honorable Minister Buturo:

As leaders and members of faith communities we are gravely concerned about the proposed “Anti-Gay Law.” Some faithful religious people believe gay people should have a full and equal role in church leadership; other faithful religious people do not.  Regardless of these beliefs, there is consensus about basic civil liberties for all people. We share a belief that all people are created in the image of God, and that honesty before God and our fellow human beings is essential to a just and equitable society.

In this light we express our concerns that the proposed “anti-gay” legislation would increase the atmosphere of fear imposed on families and communities on the basis of perceived gender identities and sexual orientations. We ask you and other official in Uganda to stop pursuing this law. The law will lead to official and unofficial violence against people based on perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. This in turn will work against building communities of openness and trust with families where all members are valued and cherished.  We believe that the responsibility incumbent upon people of faith and good will across the globe is to respond to hate with compassion, charity, and love. We strive to do that in this letter and our appeal to you as a person of good will and a public servant.

Uganda is a diverse population with people of many faith traditions. As people of faith, we believe that state impartiality on spiritual matters is critical for the maintenance of peace and the enjoyment of religious freedom for all Ugandans. What we share as members of diverse traditions is the firm conviction that we are called to love all people fully and equally, and to accept the place of every person as part of God’s creation.

As Minister for Ethics and Integrity, you represent the government of Uganda. We ask for your pledge to honor the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights which affirms the equality of all people. With sincere respect, we call on you today, to publicly lead Uganda in becoming a model nation, working towards ending all discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. We call on you to replace oppression with acceptance of diversity; hatred and violence with love, and compassion for all.

Sincerely,

Your Name

 Let Us Pray

This Advent we pray for our brothers and sisters who do not associate this season with hope but with pain and loneliness.  We pray that they would find peace and comfort in the knowledge that they are a part of global family.  We pray for our brothers and sisters in Uganda as they await the final decision on the Anti-Gay bill.  We pray for their leaders, that their hearts would be softened and that the scales would be removed from their eyes so that they might see the err of their way.

Please let us be part of your support and let us know how we might help. One way is to let us pray for you. We invite you to send your prayer requests to us and be counted in the weekly offering of joys and concerns. You may email these requests to prayer@rmnetwork.org.

 Contribute & Connect

Do you have a story, poem, essay, thoughts, etc. that you would like to see in a future FlashNet? Is your Reconciling Community connected to a social networking group like Facebook or Myspace? If so send an email to James.

 

---

Reconciling Ministries Network strives to provide its members with current and relevant news through a multitude of outlets. Take a moment to visit some of the links below to view our news articles, discussions and videos.  If you would like to submit news that you feel others would benefit from you can do so through one of these venues or send it to rmnetworknews@gmail.com.

 

Come Find Us on These Different Social Networks