Brief Notes

The workshop on Saturday, Nov. 5 (announced earlier) needs a
reservation. Contact Rich Peacock at rjpeacock@wowway.com or
248-321-7480 to tell him you are coming.



Rev. Amy DeLong was recently put on trial for violating the
prohibitions against homosexuality. She will be visiting the
Detroit area March 16-18, 2012. Save the dates! She will visit
Newburgh UMC, Nardin Park UMC, and Detroit Central UMC. Details
will be announced later.



Shane Claiborne of Keep Making Peace will be at University UMC in
East Lansing on Saturday, March 31, 2012. Save the date and check
back for details.

A Covenant of Conscience in New York

A Covenant of Conscience, promoted by Methodists in New Directions (MIND) of the New York Annual Conference, has now gotten 900 signatures from clergy, laity, and congregations. The group got its name from a t-shirt (really!) that plays on the denomination slogan: "Closed doors. Broken Hearts. We mind." Much of this is in response to gay marriage being legalized in New York.

The covenant says in part:

Therefore we, as congregations and as individual laypersons and clergy, declare our commitment to offer such means of grace to all persons on an equal basis. We refuse to discriminate against any of God’s children and pledge to make marriage equality a lived reality within the New York Annual Conference, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.
…
While the rite of Christian marriage officiated by our clergy and celebrated in our church buildings is denied by UMC law to same-sex couples, we affirm the New York Annual Conference’s 2010 resolution urging “clergy to minister equally to all members of their churches and to consider the conference’s call to inclusive ministries in deciding how to honor their congregants’ covenantal commitments.”
…
We, United Methodist clergy, in accordance with our ordination vows to “seek peace, justice, and freedom for all people,” commit to marrying all people, both gay and straight, who seek the blessing of the church, without bias or discrimination.

We, United Methodist laity, in accordance with our membership vows to “resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves,” commit to supporting our clergy in faithfully ministering to all, including through any consequences of their living fully into that duty.

We, United Methodist congregations, refuse to discriminate in the sacraments and rituals provided to our members and pledge the full and equal use of our facilities as we welcome and celebrate equally all couples and the families they may choose to create.

Such "defiance" gives me hope about next year's General Conference. At the very least that event will be interesting.

Rev. Ed Rowe to Receive Equality Michigan Award

Rev. Edwin Rowe, Senior Pastor at Detroit Central UMC, will be honored on Saturday evening, October 22, 2011 at Equality Michigan's Annual State Dinner. Rev. Rowe will receive the Ally In Faith Award.

This award is presented annually to an individual whose tireless efforts to bring about full equality for our LGBT brothers and sisters are being carried out through faith based organizations.

Rev. Rowe has been, for over 20 years, one of the most outspoken advocates for full inclusion in the United Methodist Church. As senior pastor of Detroit Central UMC, he was instrumental in leading his congregation to being an open, affirming and recognized reconciling congregation. Full inclusion means church membership, leadership, ordination and marriage. It is perfectly fitting that Rev. Rowe be honored at this time with this prestigious award.

Detroit Central UMC will have a table at this dinner. A limited number of tickets are available for this event for only $50.00. It is a $150.00/'plate dinner and through a generous gift from an anonymous donor, we are able to offer the tickets for this reduced price. The evening begins with a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m. followed by dinner and the awards ceremony.

The event will be held at The Henry (formerly The Hyatt) Hotel in Dearborn. The hotel is located directly across the street from Ford World Headquarters. Further information on the dinner itself is available at the Equality Michigan website: www.equalitymich.org. Further information regarding the special price tickets and seating with the people from Detroit Central UMC is available by contacting George Jonte @ 313-965-5422, Ext. 121.

Submitted by,
George Jonte
Coordinator-LGBT Ministries
Detroit Central UMC

General Conference Training and MFSA Retreat Set for Saturday, November 5

A great event is happening in our community on Saturday, November 5. The event will be held at Ypsilanti UMC, 209 Washtenaw Ave., Ypsilanti, MI 48197.

RMN (Reconciling Ministries Network) and MFSA (Methodist Federation for Social Action) will be gathering together for an all-day retreat and training. Joey Lopez, a jurisdictional organizer from the RM Network will be here to lead us in a day of training especially designed for local congregations. It includes activities that local congregations can be having during the time that our conference delegation is in Tampa, FL at the 2012 General Conference. These activities are intended to be an outpouring of support for the delegation. This is an event that should be attended by any clergy and lay people who have an interest in seeing our denomination move toward full inclusion - including membership, leadership, ordination and marriage for our LGBT brothers and sisters.

At this quadrennium, we have a better chance than we have ever had to have the clause, "the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching" removed from our discipline. This will be a giant step in leading us to full inclusion because the other parts will follow in a natural succession. Before Annual Conference this year, we went to great efforts to see that our Peace with Justice slate was a comprehensive list of those who would vote at General Conference for full inclusion. Our efforts paid off in that we elected 6 very progressive individuals out of 8 possible candidates to be our delegates in April 2012.

At the national level we are more organized than we have ever been in any previous quadrennia hence, why it is crucial that it happen this time.

I firmly believe that this one issue is at the forefront of what is stifling growth in the UMC. It's a sad commentary on our denomination when a recent survey revealed that 90% of the 18-35 age group who no longer attend church believe that hatred is being preached from our pulpits. The UMC stands alone with our other larger mainstream Protestant denominations on this issue. UCC, Presbyterian USA, ELCA (Lutheran) and Episcopal all have now voted for full inclusion. Presbyterian Church USA just ordained its first openly gay pastor just last week.

It's also a sad commentary on us when one of our own - a powerhouse pastor and leader - can no longer stay in our denomination over this issue and now the UCC is blessed to have her. Rev. Louise Ott left our denomination in 2010 and was ordained in the United Church of Christ. She is now serving as the lead pastor at Birmingham Congregational Church UCC. I firmly believe that she is leading a path out of our church for a lot of fine pastors. We don't have enough clergy to fill our pulpits as it is - we do NOT need to lose anymore because of the senseless clauses in our Book of Discipline.

Please join us for this informative day. It will be a day well spent in your church life.

In addition, MFSA will have its retreat that day and after the closing of the RMN Jurisdictional Training, they will convene to address those issues that were not adressed earlier in the day.

This event is free to attendees. Free will love offerings will be taken during the day to help defray the expenses of the use of the building at Ypsilanti First UMC and lunch to be served that day.

Further information about this day can be obtained from George Jonte - Coordinator of LGBT Ministries @ Detroit Central UMC (313-965-5422, Ext. 121; Rev. Rich Peacock (248) 321-7480
or Rev. Bea Fraser-Soots (248) 320-5108

Love Your Neighbor training session

A large part of the Sing a New Song convocation last August was devoted to contacting out General Conference delegates and telling them how we feel about LGBT inclusion in the United Methodist Church. The next part of that effort is the Love Your Neighbor Campaign. And the first part of that campaign is a training session to learn effective ways to contact delegates.

Love Your Neighbor training will be held on Saturday, November 5 from 9:30 to 3:30 at First United Methodist Church, 209 Washtenaw Ave., Ypsilanti. I strongly urge you to clear your calendar, save the date, and get your friends to come too. This is important work. More details will be posted as they come available.

Fall Potluck and Program

Dedicated Reconciling United Methodists are holding their Fall Potluck and Program on Sunday, October 23 at 5:00 pm. at Nardin Park UMC. We'll start with the meal. Please bring a dish to pass and your own table service. The program and worship will follow at 6:00. The program will be "A Modest Proposal Toward a More Inclusive UMC." It will be presented by Rev. Tom Macaulay, former Ann Arbor District Superintendent, and Rich Teets, co-chair of the Church and Society Committee of FUMC, Birmingham. The guest musician will be Rev. Elizabeth Macaulay. The evening will end with fellowship time at 7:00.

First Sunday Worship, October 2

Our service will be led by Rev. Monica William, associate pastor
at Birmingham First UMC. Fellowship time is 6:00, followed by worship at 6:30.

The DRUM leadership team is meeting at 5:00.