Drops of Water

Published Daily During GC 2004 by Affirmation: United Methodists for
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns

May 3, 2004 GC 2004 Issue 4

Come Pray With Us

Prayer Vigil Planned Day Of LGBT Votes

We understand several votes related to full inclusion of lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons in the church will take place
on Tuesday. Prior to these votes, people will gather at 6:30 a.m.
Tuesday at Smithfield Church, in the Common Witness Hospitality
Space, to begin a prayer witness and procession.

Once before in 1964 progressive Methodists gathered at Smithfield for
prayer and procession around General Conference. They prayed for the
end of segregation and the end of the Central Jurisdiction. On
Tuesday, we join their prayers and historic actions to end
segregation and injustice in the United Methodist Church.

All those who would like to "have the mind that was in Christ and
walk as Jesus walked" (as suggested by John Wesley) are invited to
come to Smithfield Church at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. We will proceed from
there to the Convention Center where we will kneel in prayer.


Drops of Water
By Diane DeLap

I was probably about 8 or 9 years old when I first saw the Flume
Gorge in New Hampshire's Franconia Notch State Park. I remember we
were on our annual vacation to New Hampshire, and had rented a
lakeside cabin on Silver Lake, NH. We were on one of our "day trips"
as my mother called them. These were usually opportunities for my
parents to gaze at beautiful mountain scenery, while I sat, bored, in
the back seat of the car, wishing I was back at the lake swimming.

This time though was different. Following a short walk into the
woods, we came upon the most amazing sight I had yet seen in my young
life. The Flume Gorge is a 10 to 15 foot wide, 70 foot deep, crack
in the granite extending 800 feet into the base of Mount Liberty
through which a small stream cascades. Beginning at "Table Rock" at
the top, water flows down, around, and through several of the most
amazing waterfalls, coursing through the gorge that it has cut
through the basalt that solidified in a crack in the solid granite of
the mountain. It was astounding to me then to realize that this
small stream had cut its way through solid rock.

I have been back to the Gorge several times, and a few years ago I
even took my own bored pre-teen son to the Gorge and watched that
same sense of wonder come over his face. Each time I return I am
reminded that lasting change does not just come through cataclysmic
eruptions, but can also come through the slow erosion of a persistent
force on a seemingly impregnable object. The eroding effects of that
small stream of water are clearly visible on Table Rock, and even
more so when I stand in the Gorge and realize that this deep crack
was formed by the persistent flow of water through time. I'm
sure that many of us have had similar experiences, maybe at the Grand
Canyon or some other natural wonder.

The United Methodist Church is in a time of struggle. The last
General Conference was, to many, a cataclysmic event that brought
turmoil and destruction. I have spoken to many people who attended
GC2000 who were shocked and dismayed by the attitude of exclusion and
distrust that was fostered by the actions of the General Conference.
I have heard the voices of those who say that we need to move on from
issues of inclusion and get on with the "business of the Church."
When I hear that, I always wonder what their idea of the "business
of the Church" is, if it does not put a priority on inclusion of
those who have been most marginalized by society. I am also
concerned about others who seem to feel that the battle is un-
winnable and who, in frustration, give up, many times abandoning the
church.

To both sides of the conflict, Affirmation's General Conference 2004
theme speaks of our commitment to the long, tiresome, thankless task
of being the drops of water that will eventually wear away the rocks
of exclusion and bigotry. Based on Holly Near's and Meg Christian's
1970's song "The Rock Will Wear Away", it declares our solidarity
with those of our number from the past who have given themselves to
the effort, as well as those who will come in the future to continue
our efforts. To those who hope by continuing a policy of exclusion
based on distrust, misinformation, lies, and distortions, we say that
we are here at this time to continue to be like drops of water to
wear your opposition down. When we are gone, others will
take our place to continue the struggle. The day will come when the
rock of bigotry will wear away, and the light of God's love for all
his people will come shining through like the sun shining through the
forest into the darkness of the Flume.


"Can we be like drops of water falling on the stone
splashing
breaking
dispersing in air
Weaker than the stone by far but be aware that
As time goes by the rock will wear away

"And the water comes again.
And the water comes again.
And the water comes again."

Meg Christian & Holly Near, Singers & Songwriters, ® 1976
Thumbilina
Music BMI/Hereford Music ACAP

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Corporate Meeting Reported

Affirmation held its annual corporate meeting at 2 p.m. May 1 in the
Common Witness space at Smithfield United Church.

Three new council members were nominated and elected. An additional
three candidates were nominated, but could not be contacted regarding
their willingness to serve. They will be added to the candidate pool
and will be contacted prior to the fall council meeting.

Ken Rowe and Peggy Gaylord gave a brief history of the organization,
as well as updating the membership on what we've been doing since GC
2000. Mary Gaddis gave a report from the Strategic Visioning team.
A full report on the visioning process will appear in the spring or
summer quarterly newsletter.

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Delegates: Please Vote What's on Your Heart
If Not You, Who? If Not Now, When?

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Lunch Videos Repeated

If you missed the lunch time video and discussion sessions on
transgender or bisexuality issues last week, you have one more chance
to see them. Diane DeLap, an Affirmation council member, will host
the lunch time discussions Monday and Tuesday from 12:45 to 1:45
p.m. The transgender issues discussion will be Monday, with the
bisexuality issues discussion on Tuesday. They will be held in a
room off of the Common Witness space at Smithfield United Church.


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SoulForce Info


Anyone interested in contacting SoulForce to volunteer in their
efforts here at GC is invited to call Marylee Fithian at 707-953-
2353. Marylee is one of the United Methodist SoulForce coordinators.


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Daily Events at GC

Hospitality Room at Smithfield United is open 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.
weekdays through Thursday, May 6.

Weekday Breakfast and Legislative Briefing For Delegates (Volunteers
and Visitors welcome) 7 - 8 a.m. Smithfield United.

Weekday Common Witness Delicious and Affordable Lunches for delegates,
volunteers and visitors at Smithfield Church, 620 Smithfield St.,
between 12 noon and 1:30 p.m.

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Love Makes a Family Photo Exhibit


Love Makes a Family is an exhibit of photographs and interviews with
families that have lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members.
Through first-person accounts and positive images, this exhibit seeks
to challenge and change damaging myths and stereotypes about LGBT
people and their families. Love Makes a Family helps in the process
of dismantling the destructive power of prejudice and intolerance,
thereby making the world a safer place for all families.


Love Makes a Family is being shown in the meet-here.com space at 945
Liberty Ave., just two short blocks from the convention center and a
block from Smithfield United Church, during regular open hours,
generally 6:30 a.m. to midnight.


Love Makes a Family was arranged to be at General Conference by the
Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference Reconciling Ministries and
Affirmation.

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Send it to AffirmationNewsletter@yahoogroups.com.


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Drops of Water

Drops of Water is published each day the conference is in session
during General Conference 2004 by Affirmation: United Methodists for
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns, PO Box 1021,
Evanston IL 60204-1021. Email: UMAffirmation@.... Web:
www.umaffirm.org

(c) 2004 Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
and Transgender Concerns

Only Affirmation's spokespersons, Peggy Gaylord and Ken Ian Rowe, may
represent the official positions of the organizations. All articles
in Drops of Water reflect the opinions of the individual authors and
are not necessarily the official position of Affirmation: United
Methodist.

Coeditors:
Judy WestLee
Gary Shephard


Drops of Water is sponsored by the Red Lion Hotel in Bakersfield, CA

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Affirmation's Mission Statement

Affirmation: United Methodist is an activist caucus of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender people, our families, and friends,
organized to speak for ourselves. Together we:

-Proclaim a gospel of respect, love, and justice;
-Relentlessly pursue policies and processes that support full
participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in
all areas and levels of The United Methodist Church;
-Overcome the barriers that diminish our common humanity by excluding
or judging people because of their race, gender, class, or physical
abilities;
-Empower people to undertake works of inclusion and justice where
they are.



Drops of Water Issue 4 May 3, 2003