Pension Law Includes Important Protections for Same-Sex Couples Under
Federal Law: Human Rights Campaign Helps Secure Key Provisions to
Assist GLBT and Other Americans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE from HRC
August 17, 2006

WASHINGTON - The Federal Pension Protection Act passed by Congress and
signed into law today by President George W. Bush contains two key
provisions that will extend important financial protections to
same-sex couples and other Americans who leave their retirement
savings to non-spouse beneficiaries.  The bipartisan provisions in the
bill are a step forward in equality and stem from a continuous effort
led by the Human Rights Campaign.

"There is a large group of Americans that are left behind in
traditional pension benefit models.  We need to do better to keep
these groups from falling through the cracks," said Senator Gordon
Smith (R-OR).  "I am pleased that the pension reform legislation takes
an important step to fill this gap by equalizing treatment in
retirement savings vehicles for non-spouse beneficiaries."

"We need to address the economic and legal barriers that affect many
American families -- from providing equal access to family law, to
equal opportunities in the workplace. All families need to be able to
plan and save for their future," said Congressman Benjamin L. Cardin
(D-MD).

"For gay couples and all Americans with non-spouse beneficiaries,
death and taxes weren't only certain, but also times of great and
unequal financial difficulty. Today marks an important day for
fairness under the law in America," said Human Rights Campaign
President Joe Solmonese. "For four years, the Human Rights Campaign
worked closely with members of Congress to secure these provisions and
carefully guide them through the political process. In a challenging
political climate, we persevered and helped to secure critical federal
protections that will make difficult times for domestic partners a
little easier."

The first provision allows the transfer of an individual's retirement
plan benefits to a domestic partner or other non-spouse beneficiary
(sibling, parent, child, etc.,) when the individual dies.
Specifically, the surviving partner (or other non-spouse beneficiary)
will now be able to transfer his or her deceased partner's retirement
funds into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and either draw down
the benefits over a five-year period, or over his or her own life
expectancy.  In the past, surviving same-sex partners or other
non-spouse beneficiaries in similar situations were typically forced
to withdraw the entire amount as a lump sum and incur immediate tax
charges. In addition, this action often bumped the survivor into a
higher tax bracket because the withdrawal was counted as taxable
income to the beneficiary.

The second provision, which addresses retirement plan hardship
distributions, allows gay couples (and others with non-spouse,
non-dependent beneficiaries - siblings, parents, children, etc.,)
similar access to laws that permit people to draw on their retirement
funds in the case of a qualifying medical or financial emergency. In
the past, the federal law covered only the spouses or dependents of
employees when it came to accessing retirement funds during an
emergency.

"This bill provides much needed support for non-spousal beneficiaries
and will have meaningful impact," said David Ratcliffe, National
co-leader of Merrill Lynch's LGBT Professional Network, and Director
of the firm's Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Management.
"Specifically, passing these provisions means that when families are
at their most vulnerable, they will have new options under the law
that should alleviate some of the stresses that come in to play with
the loss of a loved one."

A fact sheet on the difference this measure makes in the lives of gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans can be found at
http://www.hrc.org/pensionbill/ .

The pension reform legislation (H.R. 2830/S. 1783) was introduced on
June 9, 2005, and passed Dec. 15, 2005, by a 294 to 132 vote. It was
introduced in the Senate on Sept. 28, 2005, and passed Nov. 16, 2005,
by a 97 to 2 vote. Following passage in both Houses, several months
were spent negotiating differences between the two bills. Final
Congressional action was taken Aug. 3, 2006, when the Senate passed by
a 93 to 5 vote an amended version of the House legislation. President
Bush signed the measure into law on August 17, 2006 at the White House.

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender political organization with members
throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides
campaign support and educates the public to ensure that LGBT Americans
can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

-30-


Two Key Provisions in Pension Protection Act Secured by
Human Rights Campaign:

Working without fanfare and very closely with members of Congress for
more than three years, the Human Rights Campaign secured two important
protections that assist gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
Americans in the Pension Protection Act signed into law on August 17,
2006.   The Act includes provisions allowing non-spouse beneficiaries
to roll over retirement benefits, and adding non-spouse beneficiaries
to the retirement plan hardship distribution rules.  The two
provisions extend important financial protections to same-sex couples
and other Americans who name non-spouses as their retirement plan
beneficiaries.

Allowing Non-spouse Beneficiaries to Rollover Pension Funds (Sec 829)
The first provision allows the transfer of an individual's retirement
plan (401k, etc,) benefits to a domestic partner or other non-spouse
beneficiary (sibling, parent, child, etc.,) when the individual dies.
Specifically, the surviving partner (or other non-spouse beneficiary)
will now be able to transfer his or her deceased partner's retirement
funds into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and either draw down
the benefits over a five-year period, or over his or her own life
expectancy.  In the past, surviving same-sex partners and other
non-spouse beneficiaries were typically forced to withdraw the entire
amount as a lump sum and incur immediate tax charges. In addition,
this action often bumped the survivor into a higher tax bracket
because the withdrawal was counted as taxable income to the beneficiary.

Adding Non-spouse Beneficiaries to Retirement Plan Hardship
Distribution Rules (Sec 826)

The second provision, which addresses retirement plan hardship
distributions, allows gay couples (and others who list non-spouse,
non-dependent beneficiaries, such as siblings, parents, children,
etc.,) similar access to laws that permit people to draw on their
retirement funds in the case of a qualifying medical or financial
emergency. In the past, the federal law covered only the spouses or
dependents of employees when it came to accessing retirement funds
during an emergency.

Here are some scenarios that better illustrate the differences these
laws make:

Under Former Rollover Pension Rules:
Amy, 61, and Sandy, 63, have been together for 30 years. Amy works for
a small business with no retirement plan and earns $30,000 a year.
Sandy works at a company where she has saved for retirement for many
years. Sandy has a $162,000 balance in her 401(k) plan when she dies
suddenly. Amy is required to receive Sandy's entire retirement plan
distribution in one lump sum.  As a result, Amy is forced into a 33
percent marginal tax bracket rather than the 15 percent tax bracket
she would have been in based on her earned income.  Amy's federal tax
liability for the year goes from $2,980 to $49,360.  Because of the
steep taxes paid on this withdrawal, the total balance received by Amy
is reduced by tens of thousands of dollars, eating away at the
resources intended to finance retirement.

After the HRC-Supported Provision Passes:
In the same scenario, Sandy's sudden death again leaves Amy
devastated. But under the new law, Amy is able to roll Sandy's 401k
funds over into an inherited IRA where she can either take them out
over a period of five years or over her own life expectancy.  Amy
avoids a large tax penalty and is able to use Sandy's 401k funds to
finance retirement as planned.

Under Former Hardship Rules:
John and Paul were together for 20 years and had a two-year-old son
when Paul was diagnosed with cancer. The costs for Paul's treatment
were high and they needed help. John turned to his 401k plan but under
the former hardship distribution rules, they did not qualify and were
unable to withdraw funds from their retirement plan to help them
during this emergency - something a married couple would have been
able to do. Instead the couple had to max out their credit cards at
high interest rates.  While Paul survives the cancer, their steep
credit card payments mean their son's college saving plan is put off
for years and they are never able to find the same financial footing
they once had.

After the HRC-Supported Provision Passes:
John and Paul are in the same situation. But under the new hardship
rules, they can now access John's retirement funds to cover the costs
for Paul's medical bills. Surviving the cancer, Paul, John and their
son are able to enjoy the rest of their lives together and begin
saving for their son's college immediately.


Conclusion:
Retirement plan funds can provide important protections to families
even before the plan participant reaches retirement age. However,
unfair penalties existed for individuals with non-spouse
beneficiaries.  The new provisions passed by Congress and signed by
the President give all families fairer access to the funds needed in
times of significant vulnerability.


For more information visit the Human Rights Campaign website at
http://www.hrc.org/estateplanning/

Luis Vizcaino | Phone: 202/216.1547 | Cell: 310/869.5700
Brad Luna | Phone: 202/216.1514 | Cell: 202/812.8140

Communion representative to confer with some Episcopal Church bishops

Anglican Communion Secretary General to lead discussion of 'difficult
issues'

By Mary Frances Schjonberg
Episcopal News Service
Friday, August 18, 2006


[ENS] The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Dr. Rowan Williams,
has asked two Episcopal Church bishops to convene a small group of
fellow bishops in New York in the first half of September "to discuss
some of the difficult issues facing the Church and to explore possible
resolutions."

The Anglican Communion Office's News Service issued the following
statement August 18:

"Following consultation with the Presiding Bishop[,] the Archbishop of
Canterbury has asked Bishop Peter Lee of Virginia and Bishop John
Lipscomb of Southwest Florida to convene a small group of bishops from
the Episcopal Church (USA) to meet together to discuss some of the
difficult issues facing the Church and to explore possible
resolutions. Along with Bishop Griswold, those invited include Bishop
Katherine [sic] Jefferts Schori, Bishop Bob Duncan, and Bishop Jack
Iker. The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion will also
attend. The first meeting will be taking place in New York in the
first half of September."

The meeting has been in the works since the Episcopal Church's 75th
General Convention in June, according to Canon James M Rosenthal,
director of communications in the Anglican Communion Office.

The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Rev. Canon
Kenneth Kearon, attended the convention. At the time he commended the
Episcopal Church for the "very careful way they have taken seriously
the requests of the Windsor Report, and you see this seriousness in
the way that business is being conducted on this particular issue at
Convention."

Rosenthal said that Kearon will be "facilitating" the meeting in
September.

He added that the Anglican Communion Office is a "very proper and
appropriate place to begin" a conversation of this importance.

"The Anglican Communion Office has been responsible for many of the
meetings and committees that have been given the portfolio for
concerns of church unity in the midst of our diversity," Rosenthal
said. "This meeting could well be an important step in that continuing
work."

Those meetings and committees include the Lambeth Commission on
Communion - which issued the 2004 Windsor Report - and the Panel of
Reference, established by Williams in response to the Anglican
Communion primates' Communiqué from Dromantine, Northern Ireland, in
February 2005. The panel is meant to consider situations "where
congregations are in serious dispute and unwilling to accept the
episcopal ministry of their bishop" or where Williams' "attention is
drawn to other grave situations," according to the mandate published
on the panel's pages of the Anglican Communion's website
( http://www.aco.org/commission/reference/index.cfm ).

Duncan is bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and moderator of the
Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes (NACDP). Also
referred to as the Anglican Communion Network (ACN), the group
consists of 10 dioceses and individual congregations who object to
various positions taken by previous General Conventions.

Iker is bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth, one of the three
remaining dioceses in the Episcopal Church that do not recognize the
ordination of women. He announced on June 19, one day after Nevada
Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori was elected as the 26th Presiding
Bishop, that he and the diocesan Standing Committee were asking
Williams for "alternative primatial oversight." In the Episcopal
Church, the Presiding Bishop is designated "chief pastor and primate,"
but does not exercise primatial oversight regarding dioceses or
bishops.

Since then, six other bishops and standing committees, including
Duncan, have asked for an alternate relationship with another primate,
citing actions of the 2003 and 2006 General Conventions. In no case
have the dioceses' conventions approved such requests.

The Rev. Martyn Minns, rector of Truro Church in Fairfax, Virginia—in
Lee's diocese—is to be consecrated August 20 as a bishop in the
Anglican Church of Nigeria, with oversight of the Convocation of
Anglicans in North America (CANA), originally called the Convocation
of Anglican Nigerian Churches in America.

Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola asked that Minns remain Truro's
rector. But Lee has told the Virginia diocese that Minns' consecration
is "an affront to the traditional, orthodox understanding of Anglican
Provincial Autonomy."

While Southwest Florida's Lipscomb has said the recent General
Convention failed to respond properly to the Windsor Report, he has
repeatedly maintained that he is committed to the Episcopal Church. At
a recent clergy day in the diocese, he questioned the requests for
"alternative primatial oversight" and said "rather than working toward
division, I believe we should be working for the reconciliation of
parties." Full story available at
http://www.dioceseswfla.org/ezine/7-8clergyday.htm .

The announcement of the meeting came three weeks after Texas Bishop
Don Wimberly invited a limited number of bishops to a meeting
September 19-22. In a letter to invitees, he said that the aim of the
meeting was "to arrive at a common response to the current
circumstances of the Episcopal Church—one that will insure an
unimpaired relation between bishops who uphold the requests of the
Windsor Report and the Archbishop of Canterbury and the other Primates
of the Anglican Communion." Wimberly has not released the list of
original invitees or a current list of those who have accepted his
invitation.

He wrote in the letter that the two Church of England bishops
scheduled to attend the meeting—N.T. Wright of Durham and Michael
Scott-Joynt of Winchester—"having had thorough discussions with
[Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams], are coming with his
blessing to discuss with us the nature of our future relation to the
See of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion." The Archbishop of
Canterbury has not commented on Wimberly's statement.


-- The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg is national correspondent for the
Episcopal News Service.

American Baptist church ousted for openly affirming gays
By Hannah Elliott
Associated Baptist Press
Published September 1, 2006

FLINT, Mich. (ABP) -- On Aug. 29, Woodside Church became the first
American Baptist congregation in Michigan to be disaffiliated by its
local "sister churches" because of its stance on homosexuality.

The North Area Baptist Association, a 10-county group of Baptist
congregations belonging to the American Baptist Churches-USA, voted
18-3 to break ties with the church because of its acceptance of gays.

According to church leaders, Woodside will remain a Baptist
congregation, although the 275-member church might have to join with a
Baptist association in a different state.

"We believe Jesus, as we know him and understand him through the
gospels, teaches us to love everyone just as they are without
judgment," Woodside pastor Deborah Kohler said in the story. "There is
nothing they can do to keep us from being Baptists. We can find other
churches to connect with."

The showdown over homosexuality has been brewing for several months.
In May, Woodside Church decided to join the Association of Welcoming
and Affirming Baptists, a pro-gay organization. That act made some of
the convention's more conservative churches begin the process of
disassociation.

The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists has 55 member
congregations nationwide. Member congregations publicly endorse all
church members "without regard to sexual orientation or gender
identity, and who have joined together to advocate for the full
inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons within
Baptist communities of faith," according to the group's website.

Ken Pennings, the executive director of the group, said that by
approving the vote to disassociate, the North Area Baptist Association
has "severed itself from one of its most vital, healthy, energetic,
Christ-centered congregations."

"This [decision] tells me volumes about the North Area Association,r"
he told Associated Baptist Press via email. "One only need visit
Woodside Church on a Sunday morning to experience Woodside's
extravagant welcome of all people, openness to the movement of the
Holy Spirit, commitment to religious liberty, peace and justice, depth
of spirituality, emphasis on intergenerational communication and
development, and involvement in community affairs."

The vote came as no surprise to Woodside Church members, according to
The Flint Journal. The church has a well-known standard of affirmation
with no regard to sexual orientation.

An August executive committee letter to the regional board reminded
members that, in accordance with American Baptist bylaws, Woodside
Church has the right to affiliate with another American Baptist group
in a different area or region.

Michael Williams, the executive minister of American Baptist churches
in Michigan, told ABP the executive board is trying to find middle
ground in the dispute.

"What all of this is highlighting for us is the tension that Baptists
often have; it's the tension between local church autonomy and
interdependence," he said. "For us in Michigan, that's the profound
issue."

In a statement on the church's web site, Pastor Kohler said Woodside
has always been a unique congregation on the "cutting edge of
social-justice issues," and that same focus continues to play a major
role in its identity.

The church is the city's oldest Baptist church, according to the
Journal. It also affiliates with the United Church of Christ.

American Baptist Churches-USA have roughly 1.5 million members in the
United States.

-30-

Global South meeting issues communiqué
By Matthew Davies
Friday, September 22, 2006

[Episcopal News Service] A meeting of Global South Primates, held
September 19-22 in Kigali, Rwanda, has issued a communiqué criticizing
the 75th General Convention's response to the Windsor Report and
announcing that "some of us will not be able to recognize" the
Episcopal Church's next Presiding Bishop "as a Primate at the table
with us" at the next Anglican Primates' Meeting, set for February 2007
in Tanzania.

The communiqué -- which expresses regret that the Convention "gave no
clear embrace of the minimal recommendations of the Windsor Report" --
is available in full online at:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/41/75/acns4193.cfm

The communiqué stated that 20 of the Anglican Communion's 38 Provinces
were represented at the Rwanda meeting, but signatories among the
Primates in attendance were not included with the statement. It is
unclear how many, or which, Primates endorsed the communiqué.

According to the communiqué, the 20 provinces represented were:
Bangladesh**, Burundi, Central Africa, Church of South India, Congo,
Indian Ocean, Jerusalem and Middle East, Kenya, Myanmar, Nigeria,
Philippines**, Rwanda, Southern Africa, South East Asia, Southern
Cone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, West Indies  (** not
present but represented).

The Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop-elect, Katharine Jefferts
Schori, will become the first woman to lead an Anglican Province when
she formally takes office on November 4.

The communiqué asserts that she "cannot represent those dioceses and
congregations who are abiding by the teaching of the Communion" and
proposes that another bishop, "chosen by these dioceses, be present at
the [Primates'] Meeting so that we might listen to their voices during
our deliberations."

In a June 19 statement, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan
Williams, sent his greetings to Jefferts Schori offering his "prayers
and good wishes as she takes up a deeply demanding position at a
critical time."

He noted that she will bring "many intellectual and pastoral gifts to
her new work," and acknowledged, with gratitude, "the strength of her
commitment to mission and to the Millennium Development Goals," but
also recognized that her election would have "an impact on the
collegial life of the Anglican Primates."

The Global South Steering Committee is chaired by Archbishop Peter J.
Akinola of Nigeria, a leading critic of recent actions taken by
Anglican Provinces that affirm and uphold the full inclusion of gay
and lesbian people in the life of the Church.

Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, Primate of the Church of the Province
of Southern Africa, who attended the Kigali meeting, has been at the
forefront of issues of peace, justice and reconciliation throughout
the Anglican Communion and has repeatedly delivered a message of "open
and loving support for our gay and lesbian members."

The Kigali statement says that Jefferts Schori's position on human
sexuality is in "direct contradiction of Lambeth 1.10 [resolution of
the 1998 Lambeth Conference] and the historic teaching of the Church."

On the day of her election, Jefferts Schori said: "I believe that God
welcomes all to his table, those who agree and those who disagree. The
Episcopal Church always has been a strong voice for including a
variety of opinions; the marginalized are welcomed at the table."

Referring to the response of the 75th General Convention to the
recommendations set forth in the Windsor Report, the communiqué stated
that "the actions and decisions of the General Convention raise
profound questions on the nature of Anglican identity across the
entire Communion."

General Convention responded with six resolutions that commit to
interdependence within the Anglican Communion, express regret for
straining the bonds of affection, affirm pastoral care, and urge
restraint in consecrating bishops "whose manner of life presents a
challenge to the wider church."

The Anglican Communion Listening Process and the development of an
Anglican Covenant also received support in both Houses of Convention.

The Kigali communiqué noted the development of an Anglican Covenant,
one of the recommendations of the Windsor Report, as a "sign of
promise" and affirmed "the extraordinary progress made by the Global
South task group" in the Covenant's development.

"We believe," the communiqué noted, "that an Anglican Covenant will
demonstrate to the world that it is possible to be a truly global
communion where differences are not affirmed at the expense of faith
and truth but within the framework of a common confession of faith and
mutual accountability."

The communiqué acknowledged that a growing number of congregations are
receiving alternative oversight from bishops in other provinces --
arrangements that are in contravention of the Windsor Report and the
canons and constitution of the Episcopal Church -- and that "in recent
days we have received requests to provide Alternative Primatial
Oversight for a number of dioceses."

In light of this "unprecedented situation in our Communion that has
not been helped by the slow response from the Panel of Reference," the
communiqué said: "We have asked the Global South Steering Committee to
meet with the leadership of the dioceses requesting Alternative
Primatial Oversight, in consultation with the Archbishop of
Canterbury, the Network and the 'Windsor Dioceses,' to investigate
their appeal in greater detail and to develop a proposal identifying
the ways by which the requested Primatial oversight can be adequately
provided."

The Network refers to the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and
Parishes (NACDAP) led by Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan and composed
of 10 of the Episcopal Church's total 110 dioceses.

A group of Episcopal bishops with differing perspectives, who met with
Anglican Communion Secretary General Kenneth Kearon in New York
September 11-13, was unable to reach an agreement on how to meet the
needs of those dioceses that have asked for oversight with a Primate
other than the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.

The constitution of the Anglican Consultative Council, the Anglican
Communion's main policy-making body, makes no provisions for
alternative primatial oversight. Neither do the Constitution and
Canons of the Episcopal Church.

The communiqué also said that "the time has now come to take initial
steps towards the formation of what will be recognized as a separate
ecclesiastical structure of the Anglican Communion in the USA,"
however, the Archbishop of Canterbury continues to recognize the
Episcopal Church as the U.S.-based Province of the Anglican Communion.

The meeting asked the Global South Steering Committee "to develop such
a proposal in consultation with the appropriate instruments of unity
of the Communion," according to the communiqué.

The communiqué affirmed a commitment by the Primates "not to abandon
the poor or the persecuted wherever they may be and in whatever
circumstances," such as the Rwanda genocide that claimed almost 1
million lives 12 years ago.

It also acknowledged the "agonizing situation in the Sudan,"
commending the terms of the Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement
between the North and the South, but vowing not to ignore the
continuing atrocities in Darfur. "We invite people from all of the
Provinces of the Anglican Communion and the entire international
community to stand in solidarity with the men, women and children in
Darfur, Sudan," the communiqué stated.

Positive developments in Burundi were also noted, as were encouraging
signs that an end to the conflict in Northern Uganda was in sight and
that the upcoming elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
offer "promise for a peaceful future."

The communiqué recognized the challenges between Christianity and
Islam "and the complex issues that we must now confront at every level
of our societies throughout the Global South. We recognized the need
for a more thorough education and explored a number of ways that allow
us to be faithful disciples to Jesus Christ while respecting the
beliefs of others. We condemn all acts of violence in the name of any
religion."

The group -- which claims to represent more than 70 percent of the
active membership of the worldwide Anglican Communion -- recommits
itself "to the abiding truth of the Holy Scriptures and the faithful
proclamation of the whole Gospel for the whole world," but also "to
the vision of our beloved Communion as part of the One, Holy, Catholic
and Apostolic Church."

-- Matthew Davies is international correspondent for the Episcopal
News Service.

ELCA Task Force on Human Sexuality Works to Finalize a Third Study
ELCA NEWS SERVICE
September 22, 2006

       CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The task force coordinating studies in
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) concerning
human sexuality met here Sept. 15-17 to work on finalizing the
text of "Set Free in Christ: Talking about Human Sexuality" -- a
study guide designed to engage the 4.85 million-member church in
thoughtful discussion and theological discernment on topics that
may be addressed in an ELCA social statement on human sexuality.

      "We're signing off on a study, not a social statement," said
the Rev. Peter Strommen, bishop of the ELCA Northeastern
Minnesota Synod, Duluth, and task force chair.  "Our objective is
to finalize text that gives the ELCA a discussion tool to engage
in before the social statement on human sexuality is written," he
said.

      The current overall work of the Task Force for ELCA Studies
on Sexuality is the development of a social statement on human
sexuality for the ELCA.  The 2001 assembly mandated the church to
engage in studies on human sexuality.  The first emphasis dealt
with questions about the blessing of same-gender unions and the
ordination of people in committed gay or lesbian relationships,
in which the task force issued its report and recommendations on
homosexuality in January 2005.  The 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly
took action on those recommendations.  The second emphasis is the
development of a social statement on human sexuality.

      A proposed social statement on human sexuality is due in
early 2009.  The proposed document will be presented to the ELCA
Church Council with a request by the task force to place the
document on the agenda of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly for
action.

      Set Free in Christ: Talking about Human Sexuality, is the
third in a series of studies developed by the task force under
the banner of "Journey Together Faithfully," said the Rev. Roger
A. Willer, senior research associate, ELCA Church in Society.

      The first study looked at common convictions held among ELCA
predecessor church bodies regarding sexuality, said Willer.  The
second study focused on homosexuality and ministry issues, such
as same-sex blessings and ordination.  The third study takes the
journey further in that it broadens the focus to aspects of human
sexuality in this society that have not been extensively covered
in either of the two previous studies.  The conversations and
feedback from all three studies will be considered in the task
force's work to develop a first draft of a social statement on
human sexuality, he said.

      "Each chapter of the (third) study is dedicated to a
different aspect of human sexuality," said Willer.  "We'll talk
about sexuality and power, sexuality in economic situations,
sexuality and culture, sexuality and social institutions such as
marriage and a number of other topics, many of which have not
been broached in our other discussions.  So what does it mean for
us, as a church, to have (some) common convictions about
sexuality in terms of the contemporary complexities of life,
where people are living longer, getting married later in life,
feeling economic insecurity and more?" he said.

      "The task force is aiming the study at the church basement,
that is, settings where members can talk together about faith and
morals.  Still, we hope the study will be used in college
classrooms, campus ministry settings and senior citizen homes,"
said Willer.  "There's a wide array of places in which the study
can be used (in addition to) congregations," he said.

      "One of the most unique parts of our study is that we're
grounding it in an evangelical ethic that's been very beautifully
articulated through the Lutheran tradition," said Strommen.  The
New Testament Book of Galatians will serve as the biblical
framework for the conversation, he said.  It "is not all that
directly applicable to human sexuality, but we're saying, 'let's
go there first,'" said Strommen.

      "The themes in Galatians are often called the 'Epistle of
Freedom,'" said Willer.  "Galatians will help set the framework
for conversation and return us to the basics, that we are saved
by God's grace through faith.  Grounded in that freedom to seek
the neighbor's good, what does it mean to be sexual beings?" he
said.

      Set Free in Christ: Talking about Human Sexuality will be
available to the church starting Dec. 4, 2006.  Copies of the
study may be pre-ordered through Augsburg Fortress Publishers,
Minneapolis, the publishing ministry of the ELCA.   The task
force will receive responses to the study through Nov. 1, 2007.

- - -

      Audio comments from the Rev. Peter Strommen related to this
story are on the ELCA Web site at
http://media.ELCA.org/audionews/060921A.mp3 .

      Information about the work of the Task Force for ELCA
Studies on Sexuality is available at
http://www.ELCA.org/faithfuljourney on the ELCA Web site.


For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@...
http://www.elca.org/news
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 23, 2006-Integrity expressed deep concern over the Kigali
Communiqué issued yesterday by representatives of 20 "Global South"
Anglican provinces following a conference in Rwanda.

"The most troubling part of the communiqué for me is that some
archbishops will not recognize our new Presiding Bishop, Katharine
Jefferts Schori, at the February 2007 Primates Meeting," said
Integrity President Susan Russell.

"This unprecedented declaration by members of our wider Anglican
family is a blow to those working for reconciliation within the
Communion.  How are we going to discuss and resolve our disagreements
if there are those who are not willing to come to the table?"

Russell added, "The communiqué also made it clear that the represented
provinces are determined to pursue a 'separate ecclesiastical
structure' for conservative Episcopal dioceses and parishes in the
United States.  This can only drive us further apart rather than bring
us closer together."

Russell concluded, "We all need to be in prayer for the Archbishop of
Canterbury at this time.  May the Holy Spirit grant him the wisdom and
courage to do what needs to be done to preserve both the unity and the
integrity of the Communion."


PRESS CONTACTS

The Rev. Susan Russell, President
president@...
714-356-5718 (mobile)
626-583-2741 (office)

Mr. John Gibson,
Director of Communications
jhngb@...
917-518-1120 (mobile)

BACKGROUND

http://www.globalsouthanglican.org/index.php/comments/kigali_communique/

Integrity
620 Park Avenue #311 | Rochester, NY  14607-2943
800-462-9498| info@... | www.integrityusa.org

Ndungane disavows Global South Communiqué

Monday, September 25, 2006,

[Anglican Church of Southern Africa] Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane
of Cape Town has distanced himself from the communiqué issued last
week after a meeting of 'Global South' Anglican leaders met in Kigali,
Rwanda.

Although 20 Anglican Provinces were represented at the September 19-22
meeting, not all the attendees endorsed the resulting communiqué and
Ndungane was unaware of its contents or planned dissemination, he said
in a September 24 statement that clarified some details about the
four-day meeting.

Ndungane was present at the Kigali meeting but was not consulted on
the document, he explains, describing parts of it as "not consonant
with the position of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa" whose
bishops unanimously issued a strong call to work for unity within the
Anglican Communion, in early September. In particular, Ndungane
dissociates the Southern African Province -- one of 12 Anglican
Provinces in Africa -- from proposals to develop alternative church
structures in America, and to sideline Bishop Katharine Jefferts
Schori, who will become Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in
November.

He also chides the group for being "so dominated by an inordinate
influence from the United States" rather than learning the lessons of
black and liberation theology and black consciousness, in order to
concentrate on their own priorities.

In a lengthy statement, Ndungane argues that the "due processes of
Anglicanism" should be followed as the Anglican Communion wrestles
with its differences over homosexuality. He warns against giving the
impression "of being loyal Anglicans only when it suits" and
attempting to pre-empt the outcome of the debate within Anglicanism's
governing structures.

Ndungane concludes by offering "a plea from the heart" to his fellow
church leaders to "hold fast" to the heart of Anglican identity and
practice. He calls on them to "step back from the brink" at which the
Kigali communiqué appears to place them, saying that to act
precipitately puts the essence of Anglicanism at risk.

"We do not have a God who is slow to act," Ndungane says. "We can have
confidence to let him lead our church forward."

----------------

The full text of the statement follows:

September 24, 2006

I thank God for the fellowship I enjoyed with my brother Primates of
CAPA and the Global South, in Kigali last week, as we shared concerns
about the Anglican Communion and other matters of common interest.

I wish to offer this clarification of the position of the Anglican
Church of Southern Africa, in light of the potentially misleading
impression that our Province has endorsed the Communiqué issued at the
end of the meeting. Whereas Canon Livingstone Ngewu and I were present
in Kigali, neither of us were made aware even of the possibility of a
communiqué in the name of the Primates of the Global South, prior to
its release.

While I may well concur with some sections of the text, there are
others which are certainly not consonant with the position of the
Anglican Church of Southern Africa, as articulated only earlier this
month by our Synod of Bishops and our Provincial Synod. This is
particularly the case in relation to Section 10.

As a general point, I want to comment that whereas I fully endorse the
rationale for a body such as the Global South, which can help us
address some of the power imbalances between North and South that
exist within the Church and more generally, I am surprised that we
allow our agenda to be so dominated and driven by an inordinate
influence from the United States. This flies in the face of the
experience of those of us who are steeped in black and post-colonial
theology, the theology of liberation, and black consciousness. It is
hard to understand why we continue to act in response to the North to
such a great extent, rather than making use of our freedom to
concentrate our energies on the priorities of our own people and
Provinces.

That said, there is no doubt that the tensions within the Anglican
Communion, arising from actions within North America, raise serious
and problematic concerns for our future. Yet I am deeply disturbed by
the tenor of our approach, as reflected in this communiqué. To me, at
least, it appears in places that there is a hidden agenda, to which
some of us are not privy. For example, I am unable to understand why
there seems to be a deliberate intention to undermine the due
processes of the Anglican Communion and the integrity of the
Instruments of Unity, while at the same time we commit ourselves to
upholding Anglican identity, of which these, as they have continued to
evolve over the years in response to changing needs, are an intrinsic
part. Thus, for example, recent meetings of the Primates, in which the
Global South played a very full part, requested various actions from
the Archbishop of Canterbury, which he has been assiduous in pursuing;
such as setting up the Lambeth Commission, the Panel of Reference, and
now the Covenant Design Group. Yet there seems to be an urgency to
obtain particular outcomes in advance, pre-empting the proper
outworking of the bodies for which we called.

Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. As Peter writes in his second
letter, 'Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one
day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.
The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but
is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to
repentance.' We do not want the best of Anglicanism to be cast aside,
and so to perish! And to allow the due processes of these bodies, and
the Instruments of Unity, to be followed through will take such a
short time in relation to the life of God's Church over two millennia.

I must also say that I am disturbed by the apparent zeal for action to
be taken against those deemed not in compliance with Lambeth
Resolution 1:10, with a readiness to disregard ancient norms of
observing diocesan autonomy. Though this was upheld within the Windsor
Report's recommendations, it is of course a practice that was adopted
in earliest times by the universal church. It was thus ironic that
that the feast of Theodore of Tarsus fell during our meeting: as
Archbishop of Canterbury, in 673 he summoned one of the most important
Synods of our early tradition. In addressing both the rights and
duties of clergy and religious, its decisions included the
requirement, already acknowledged elsewhere, of bishops to work within
their own dioceses and not to intrude on the ministry of others. We
are in danger of giving the impression of being loyal Anglicans, and
loyal members of God's One, Holy and Apostolic Church, only where, and
insofar, it suits us!

We must also be careful to avoid creating, in effect, episcopi
vagantes. This is a difficult and complex area, which Resolution 35 of
the Lambeth Conference of 1920 addressed when it said 'The territorial
Episcopate has been the normal development in the Catholic Church, but
we recognise that differences of race and language sometimes require
that provision should be made in a Province for freedom of development
of races side by side; the solution in each case must be left with the
Province, but we are clear that the ideal of the one Church should
never be obscured.' In our time too, we must do all that we can not to
obscure that ideal of the one Church.

I am also more than a little wary of calling into question the
election processes of another Province in the way the Communiqué
suggests, in relation to the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church.
This introduces a completely new dimension into our relationships
within the Communion, the reciprocal implications of which we have not
considered. I would feel more confident if we addressed this question
as a part of the more comprehensive reassessment of the nature of the
Communion for our times, which is underway not least through the work
of the Covenant Design Group.

An added concern for me is the apparent marginalisation of laity,
clergy and bishops in the debate within the Global South. I was
particularly glad that circumstances allowed me fully to consult both
my fellow bishops, and our Provincial Synod, immediately in advance of
the Kigali meeting. For a fundamental and indispensable element of our
Anglican identity is that we are both episcopally led and synodically
governed. I long for a consultative process that fully engages the
whole Body of Christ, recognising that 'to each one, the manifestation
of the Spirit is given for the common good' (1 Cor 12:7). Primates do
not have sole monopoly on wisdom and knowledge at this crucial time,
nor indeed at any other!

In light of this, I also want to clarify what may be to some the
ambiguous wording of section 14. CAPA Primates 'received' the draft
'The Road to Lambeth' in the sense of agreeing to give it full
consideration. However, we recognised our inability to commit our
Provinces to this, or indeed any other text, without consulting them.
It is precisely for that consultation that we are referring it to our
Provinces for study, with the expectation that comments will be made,
and a final text agreed in the new year. Our 'commending' should not
be interpreted as 'endorsing' the text as it currently stands – it
remains a draft.

To my brother Primates of the Global South and CAPA, I therefore offer
a plea from the heart. Let us hold fast, in word and deed, to the true
marks with which we believe the Lord has graced and gifted us as
Anglicans – yes, our rootedness in Scripture as our primary
touchstone, but also in our Tradition and our use of Reason. The
Windsor Report has done us an invaluable service in beginning to
address how we understand and recognise these and what they mean for
us today, and the Archbishop of Canterbury has offered further vital
insights in his reflections 'The Challenge and Hope of Being an
Anglican Today.' I have offered my own thoughts in 'Heartlands of
Anglicanism' and I am sure there is more to be said. But I am also
sure that if we fail to carry forward the 'three-fold strands' not
just of Scripture, Tradition and Reason, but also of what Archbishop
Rowan has so eloquently described as 'reformed commitment to the
absolute priority of the Bible for deciding doctrine, a catholic
loyalty to the sacraments and the threefold ministry of bishops,
priests and deacons, and a habit of cultural sensitivity and
intellectual flexibility that does not seek to close down unexpected
questions too quickly' – that if we fail to carry forward these, then
we certainly relinquish our ability to claim that we stand
authentically within Anglicanism.

In the book of the Prophet Isaiah, we read that 'those who wait upon
the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings
like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not
be faint.' We want the Anglican Communion to rise up, renewed and
strengthened, on eagles' wings. It is for us to wait upon the Lord. We
do not have a God who is slow to act. We can have confidence to let
him lead our Church forward, through the ways he has so often done in
the past. In our concerns for the Anglican Communion which we love, we
do not have to be precipitate and risk losing much of what it is we
wish to preserve and enhance.

And so I also offer a call to my brother Primates, that we step back
from the brink at which the Kigali Communiqué appears to place us. It
is certainly the case that we need changes within the life, and
structures, and processes of the Anglican Communion. Yet part of the
strength of our heritage is that intrinsic to our life, structures and
processes is a considerable flexibility and openness to change that
has allowed us to evolve – creating and amending Instruments of Unity,
for example (and I am thinking here particularly of the ACC) in
response to God's calling to be faithful in our mission and ministry
to his people and his world. We are now in need of such evolution, to
preserve the very best of the heart of Anglicanism – and working in
conformity with this essence of Anglicanism will most effectively
preserve that 'best' which has been God's continuing gift to us over
the centuries.

Two weeks before our meeting in Kigali, the Synod of Bishops of the
Anglican Church of Southern Africa issued a statement which spoke of
the gift of tolerance and grace in the face of the pains of divisions
among ourselves with which we have had to deal in our past. The
breadth of current divisions also find expression within our Province.
Yet we remain convinced that what unites us far outweighs what divides
us, and that we must therefore both choose and strive, with deep
sacrificial love, for the Anglican Communion to remain united.

Our God surely is a God of surprises. As one of my predecessors as
Archbishop of Cape Town said, 'God still works his purposes out, in
spite of the confusions of our minds.'

May that be so! Amen!

Archbishop disciplined for performing same-sex marriage
Marites N. Sison
Anglican Journal News
September 29, 2006

Archbishop Terence Finlay, the retired bishop of the Anglican diocese
of Toronto and metropolitan (senior bishop) of Ontario, has
acknowledged he officiated at a same-sex marriage of a lesbian couple
in a United Church in Toronto and has expressed the hope that
Anglicans would "reflect on this with understanding."

"Yes, I did participate in a marriage of two dear friends who happen
to be gay. One of whom, I have known for many, many years," said
Archbishop Finlay, when asked by the Anglican Journal to confirm
reports about his involvement in the ceremony that took place over the
summer. "The couple I married are very close friends of our family.
I've known one since she was a small child; her father was one of my
theological professors and he was an honorary assistant in one of my
parishes and over the years, our families have remained very close."
It was out of a "long journey of love, friendship, support and
familial relationship with this particular person and her partner"
that Archbishop Finlay said he "came to the conclusion that their love
for one another was part of God's divine love and it was appropriate
that that be deeply blessed."

Archbishop Finlay, who made headlines in the early 1990s for firing a
priest for maintaining a homosexual relationship, has said in recent
years that he has reached a new place in his understanding of
homosexuality. He said he was not trying to make a statement or
encourage other clergy to defy the church's marriage canon, which
allows the sacrament for a man and a woman only.  "I'll be quite clear
that it wasn't done as a publicity stunt to make waves. I married two
people who love each other deeply; they care about the church and I
believe their commitment has been blessed by God," he said.

The archbishop, who retired in 2004, said that as a consequence of his
action, he has been "admonished" and has had his licence to officiate
at marriages suspended by the diocesan bishop of Toronto, Colin
Johnson. Bishop Johnson could not be reached for comment.

In a memo issued Sept. 1 to clergy of the diocese and obtained by the
Journal, Bishop Johnson did not name Archbishop Finlay as the cleric
who presided at a same-sex marriage during the summer. He stated that
he had "reprimanded him in writing, admonished him not to do so again,
and suspended his licence to officiate at marriages until the end of
2006." The act of presiding at a same-sex marriage breached Canon XXI
of General Synod, On Marriage in the Church, wrote Bishop Johnson.
"Same-sex marriages are not authorized at this time in the diocese of
Toronto and I do not condone diocesan clergy officiating at such
marriages, whether in the Anglican church or elsewhere." He added:
"While there is considerable debate and indeed discord within the
diocese and across the Anglican Communion about whether an individual
diocese (or even parish) might have authority to authorize the
blessing of same-sex unions, the matter of marriage falls clearly
under the jurisdiction of the General Synod canons in the Anglican
Church of Canada."

(The Anglican Church of Canada's governing body, General Synod, will
meet in June 2007 to decide, among others, on the issue of same-sex
blessings.)

The bishop also reminded clergy that, "Our oaths as ordained persons
(i.e. people under Orders) require all of us to uphold the discipline
of the canons, even if some of us feel called to work to amend or
repeal them."

Bishop Johnson, who had served as Archbishop Finlay's executive
assistant for 11 years prior to being elected as his successor in
2004, wrote that he was "very disappointed" that he had to admonish
and discipline the unnamed cleric and expressed "trust that it will
not be necessary to do so again."

Archbishop Finlay said he understood Bishop Johnson's actions. "He was
quite right to call me on the carpet and to admonish me. I officiated
at the wedding of a same-sex couple even though the wedding took place
in a United Church and the United Church minister signed the licence."

While he does not regret having presided at the same-sex wedding,
Archbishop Finlay said he regrets "any pain or embarrassment I caused
him (Bishop Johnson). " He added: "I'm very aware of the difficulties
of decisions, the decisions that a diocesan bishop faces and that
certainly was part of my thoughts and prayers."

(In 2003, while he was diocesan bishop, Archbishop Finlay admonished a
priest in his diocese for performing a same-sex blessing without his
consent.)

Archbishop Finlay's declined to comment on what impact his action
would have on Rev. Jim Ferry, the Toronto priest he fired in 1992 for
maintaining a homosexual relationship. Mr. Ferry, then the parish
priest of St. Philip's, in Unionville, Ont., had revealed his
homosexual relationship to Archbishop Finlay, who later asked him to
resign his post. When Mr. Ferry refused, Archbishop Finlay fired him
and placed him under inhibition, banning him from exercising his
priesthood anywhere in the Anglican Communion. A Bishop's Court later
upheld Mr. Ferry's dismissal after a trial that generated local and
international media coverage.

"Life in the church was very different in those days, " said
Archbishop Finlay. "All I can say is that I recently spoke at a
gathering, and at that time, I said one of my deep regrets was that
although I tried to find ways to restore the licence to Jim and to
Joyce (Barnett) and Alison (Kemper), I wasn't able to do it." (Ms.
Barnett and Ms. Kemper, both Anglican deacons, were married in civil
rites in 2003; Rev. Sara Boyles, parish priest of Toronto's Holy
Trinity Church, subsequently blessed their union and, later, was
publicly admonished by Archbishop Finlay for not respecting his
refusal to give permission to perform the same-sex blessing.)

Archbishop Finlay also said he had reflected about how his action
relates to the Canadian church. "I think our church has waited a long
time and has discussed this issue over and over and in this particular
situation, time just run out for me. It's no secret that for many
years now I've been in favour of the local option (allowing individual
dioceses to decide whether to allow same-sex blessings) and I tried to
encourage the church to look at that as a way of addressing the way
which the whole sexuality issue has deeply divided some people," he
said. "As an active bishop I've followed and I've upheld the oaths of
the office that I took and particularly around the issue of unity in
the church. But for me now, this issue has moved from one of unity to
one of justice."

Archbishop Finlay expressed the hope that Anglicans across the country
would "reflect on this (his action) with understanding and recognize
that we are a family that can contain with it enormous diversity;
gifted people from all sorts of different persons. And that this is
the journey of one person."

More objections voiced to Kigali communiqué
By Matthew Davies
Thursday, September 28, 2006

[Episcopal News Service] Another Anglican Primate from the Global
South has raised concerns about the lack of adequate consultation
regarding the contents of a communiqué issued after a group of Global
South Anglican leaders met in Kigali, Rwanda, September 19-22.

Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane of Cape Town was the first to disavow
the Kigali communiqué in a September 24 statement.

That was followed by a September 28 statement from the Episcopal
Church in the Philippines (ECP) which clarified that its Prime Bishop,
the Most Rev. Ignacio C. Soliba, "did not attend the meeting and was
not a signatory to the so-called Kigali Communiqué."

The communiqué was not signed, but was followed by a list of 20
"Provinces Represented," including Burundi, Central Africa, the Church
of South India, Congo, Indian Ocean, Jerusalem and Middle East, Kenya,
Myanmar, Nigeria, Rwanda, Southern Africa, South East Asia, Southern
Cone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, and the West Indies.
Bangladesh and the Philippines were listed as "Not present but
represented." There are 38 Provinces in the Anglican Communion.

It is unclear how many, or which, Primates actually endorsed the
communiqué or saw it in its final form prior to publication on the
Internet.

The Philippine statement also offered greetings on behalf of the
province to Presiding Bishop-elect Katharine Jefferts Schori and
welcomed her election. "The Episcopal Church in the Philippines will
extend an invitation for her to visit the Philippines in early 2008
for the renewal of our historical ties and covenant relationship," the
statement said.

The Kigali communiqué announced that an unspecified number of the
Primates present at the meeting would not be able to recognize
Jefferts Schori "as a Primate at the table with us" at the next
Anglican Primates' Meeting, set for February 2007 in Tanzania.

Ndungane, in his September 24 statement, revealed that although he was
present for part of the meeting, he was not consulted on the document.
He described parts of it as "not consonant with the position of the
Anglican Church of Southern Africa," whose bishops unanimously issued
a strong call to work for unity within the Anglican Communion in early
September.

Archbishop John Chew, Primate of the Church of the Province of South
East Asia and secretary of the Global South Provinces in the Anglican
Communion, countered that a draft agenda had been sent out to the
Primates ahead of the meeting.

"Furthermore, a Communiqué drafting committee chaired by Archbishop
Bernard Ntahoturi of Burundi was unanimously appointed," Chew said.
"Both Archbishop Ndungane and Canon Ngewu were present throughout the
time these decisions were made."

The Kigali communiqué is not the first statement to be issued in the
name of Global South primates or provinces without a clear indication
of individual signatories or the full endorsement of provinces listed.

Two statements issued on November 2, 2003 and April 16, 2004 were
signed on behalf of the Global South Primates by Archbishop Peter
Akinola of Nigeria, a leading critic of actions that endorse the full
inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the life of the Church.

In a March 2004 interview with Episcopal News Service, Archbishop
Joseph Marona of the Episcopal Church of Sudan denied signing a
statement titled "ECUSA has separated itself," saying that he had been
traveling at the time and there had been "an assumption...that I may
have said that." Full interview:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_32616_ENG_HTM.htm

The third Anglican Global South to South Encounter, which met in
Alexandria, Egypt, in October 2005, also issued an unsigned communiqué
but noted that "a total of 103 delegates of 20 provinces in the Global
South" were represented.

At the Egypt meeting, one Primate recalled that the delegates were
shown a prepared communiqué, but that it was later indicated that all
Primates present at the meeting had accordingly signed the statement.

A letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, that
emerged from that meeting was also questioned by three of its alleged
signatories, who said its contents had neither been discussed nor
approved, the Church Times reported.

"The Primates of the West Indies, the Southern Cone, and Jerusalem and
the Middle East all objected to the letter. One described it as 'an
act of impatience,' one as 'scandalous,' and the other as 'megaphone
diplomacy,'" the article revealed.

A November 17, 2005 response to the letter by Lambeth Palace noted
that Williams is committed to the Windsor Process and added, "If this
letter is a contribution to that process of debate, then it is to be
welcomed, however robust. If it is an attempt to foreclose that
debate, it would seem to serve very little purpose indeed."

Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, in a September 28 statement, raised
concern that portions of the Kigali communiqué "that take issue with
the actions of the Episcopal Church in advance of hearing from the
advisory group, and before the Covenant has an opportunity to be
developed, are inconsistent with the Windsor process" which, he says,
"requires patience and respect for one another."

He cited General Convention's Resolution A165 which affirmed the
Episcopal Church's commitment to the Windsor process.

Griswold also noted, with concern, the communiqué's recommendation
"that there be a separate ecclesial body within our province."

"The suggestion of such a division raises profound questions about the
nature of the church, its ordering and its oversight," he said. "I
further believe such a division would open the way to multiple
divisions across other provinces of the Communion, and any sense of a
coherent mission would sink into chaos."

Such a recommendation, Griswold said, "appears to be an effort to
preempt the Windsor process and acting upon it would create a fact on
the ground, making healing and reconciliation -- the stated goal of
the Windsor process -- that much more difficult to achieve."

Responding to the claim that some of the Primates would not be able to
accept Jefferts Schori at the table with them, Griswold said: "The
role of primates is to bear witness as fully as possible to the life
and complexities of their own provinces. I have sought to bring to the
primates' meetings the wide range of opinions and the consequent
tensions within our own church. I have every confidence that Katharine
will do the same."

He further noted that "the voices from dioceses that the Kigali
communiqué fears will not be heard seem to be well represented among
the primates themselves."

Griswold agreed with the communiqué's declaration that "the challenges
facing our Anglican structures can be a distraction from the work of
the gospel," and was encouraged by the time "devoted to such concerns
as poverty eradication, HIV/AIDS, peace building and evangelization."

He noted the Episcopal Church's commitment to the United Nations'
Millennium Development Goals. "[I] pray that our mutual concerns will
allow us to work together for the healing and reconciliation of the
world, and thereby find the source of our healing and reconciliation
as a Communion."

-- Matthew Davies is international correspondent for the Episcopal
News Service.

Presiding Bishop reflects on Camp Allen, Kigali statements
Deputies' president echoes important clarifications
By Mary Frances Schjonberg
Thursday, September 28, 2006

[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold reaffirmed,
in a September 28 letter to the bishops of the Episcopal Church, that
the process initiated by the 2004 Windsor Report is "a process of
mutual growth which calls for patience, mutual understanding and
generosity of spirit rather than stark submission."

Griswold wrote to the members of the House of Bishops, reflecting on
the recent meeting of 21 Episcopal bishops at Camp Allen, Texas, and
the gathering of Global South Anglican leaders in Kigali, Rwanda.

In his reflections he wrote that the people of the Episcopal Church
are "making our best efforts within our church to be faithful to the
Windsor process."

He questioned the Global South leaders who called for a separate
Anglican identity in the United States, as well as those members of
the Episcopal Church who are also "working to achieve such an end."

Griswold challenged the declaration of some of the Global South
primates who claimed to be unable to accept Presiding Bishop-elect
Katharine Jefferts Schori's leadership.

He also refuted claims that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan
Williams, had initiated the Camp Allen meeting or delegated two Church
of England bishops to speak at the meeting on his behalf.

Griswold wrote that he agreed with the Kigali statement's declaration
that "the challenges facing our Anglican structures can be a
distraction from the work of the gospel." Working for healing and
reconciliation in the world can lead to the same in the Communion, he
wrote.

The full text of Griswold's September 28 letter is available here
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_78170_ENG_HTM.htm

Meanwhile, House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson said September
28 that the "clarifications" in Griswold's letter were "very important."

"The Windsor Report was issued as one part of a process. The
responsibility for the response to the Windsor Report belongs to the
General Convention of the Episcopal Church, a bicameral legislature
with representation from lay and clergy as well as bishops," Anderson
said in the statement issued after Griswold's letter was released. "At
the 75th General Convention, our response was made… [W]hen decisions
affecting the whole Episcopal Church are made, representatives of the
whole Episcopal Church need to be present for the conversations as
well as the possible decision making."

Anderson called the Kigali communiqué "a truly unilateral act."

The full text of Anderson's statement is available here
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_78189_ENG_HTM.htm

A statement issued at the end of the meeting of Global South leaders,
held September 19-22 in Kigali, Rwanda, criticized the General
Convention's response to the Windsor Report.

The statement called for the creation of a separate Anglican church
structure in the United States and said that some of the primates
would not be able to recognize Jefferts Schori's standing as the
leader of the Episcopal Church when the Communion's primates gather in
Tanzania in February. The statement asked that those diocesan leaders
who are in conflict with the Episcopal Church be allowed to choose
another bishop to represent their views at the Primates Meeting.

The text of the Kigali statement is available here
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/41/75/acns4193.cfm

A group of 21 Episcopal Church bishops who met at Camp Allen in Texas
at the same time as the Kigali meeting said September 22 in a letter
to their colleagues in the House of Bishops that they support the
Windsor Report and believe that the 75th General Convention "did not
adequately respond" to the report and subsequent statements. The
bishops pledged to "care for all God's children in our dioceses" and
did not call for a separate Anglican church structure in the U.S.

The letter also thanked the two Church of England bishops who attended
the meeting held at the Episcopal Diocese of Texas' Camp Allen
Conference and Retreat Center, northwest of Houston.

The text of Camp Allen Episcopal bishops' statement is available here

Fort Worth Bishop Jack Iker, who attended the Camp Allen meeting and
is one of eight Episcopal Church bishops who have asked for a
relationship with a primate other than the Presiding Bishop, has said
that some of the bishops meeting at Camp Allen received a summary of
the Kigali statement via telephone late September 19, three days
before it was issued.

Iker's interview is on the website of Stand Firm, a group claiming on
its website to represent "traditional Anglicanism in America."
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/1224

Texas Bishop Don Wimberly's late-July invitation to the Camp Allen
meeting said that the two Church of England bishops would attend the
meeting and "having had thorough discussions with [Archbishop of
Canterbury Rowan Williams], are coming with his blessing to discuss
with us the nature of our future relation to the See of Canterbury and
the Anglican Communion."

Griswold wrote that such an interpretation was not correct.

"It is important for you to know that the Texas meeting was in no way
held at the Archbishop's initiative nor was it planned in
collaboration with him," Griswold told the bishops. "The two bishops
from the Church of England did not attend as delegates of the
Archbishop, nor were they empowered to speak on his behalf except to
give the message that `the bishops meeting are bishops of the Catholic
Church in the Anglican Communion.' "

Griswold wrote that Williams and he have both "always encouraged
exchanges of views, as have I."

"At the same time, such encouragement does not necessarily imply
affirmation of or agreement with points of view expressed in the
course of such exchanges," he wrote.

When Jefferts Schori attends the Anglican Primates' next meeting, set
for February in Tanzania, she will be able to carry out the primates'
role of bearing witness "as fully as possible to the life and
complexities of their own provinces," Griswold wrote.

"I have sought to bring to the primates' meetings the wide range of
opinions and the consequent tensions within our own church. I have
every confidence that Katharine will do the same. Furthermore, the
voices from dioceses that the Kigali communiqué fears will not be
heard seem to be well represented among the primates themselves."

In her statement, Anderson questioned the communiqué's claim that
Jefferts Schori's views are unique and make some primates unable to
accept her role. Anderson noted that both Griswold and his predecessor
Edmund Browning hold many of those views.

"What is unique is her gender in the circle of primates. That seems to
be their biggest objection. I note with sadness that the Kigali
communiqué does not extend the courtesy of referring to Bishop
Jefferts Schori as a bishop, where everyone else is referred to with
titles. It adds a low note that is not worthy of the faith espoused in
the document," Anderson wrote.

Griswold's letter to the bishops said that the 75th General Convention
affirmed its commitment to the Windsor Process in Resolution A165

"It also needs to be said that the assessment of the responses of the
Episcopal Church to the Windsor process is not the responsibility of
self-chosen groups within the Communion," Griswold wrote. Taking issue
with those responses before the processes set up under the Windsor
Report have had a chance to be implemented is "inconsistent with the
Windsor process, as are continuing incursions of bishops from other
provinces into our dioceses."

He said that the Kigali statement's call for a separate Anglican
structure in the United States and the efforts of some within the
Episcopal Church to achieve that end "appear to be an effort to
preempt the Windsor process."

Griswold wrote that he is "glad to know that a great deal of time at
Kigali was devoted to such concerns as poverty eradication, HIV/AIDS,
peace building and evangelization," noting the Episcopal Church's
commitment to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

Griswold wrote that he prays "that our mutual concerns will allow us
to work together for the healing and reconciliation of the world, and
thereby find the source of our healing and reconciliation as a Communion."

-- The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg is national correspondent for the
Episcopal News Service.

Judicial Council sets oral hearings for two cases
A UMNS Report
By Neill Caldwell*
September 29, 2006

The highest court of the United Methodist Church will hear oral
arguments from people concerned with two cases that will appear on its
Oct. 25-28 docket.

The Judicial Council will hear oral arguments beginning at 9 a.m.,
Oct. 26, at the Vernon Manor Hotel in Cincinnati. Only interested
parties or their designees have the right to address the council
during the oral hearings, but the hearings are open to the public.

The first case involves legislation enacted by the 2004 General
Conference, and the second will address action by the Kansas East
Annual (regional) Conference.

Dr. James Holsinger, president of the Judicial Council, granted
requests for oral hearings for a case brought by the Commission on
General Conference, which is responsible for planning the 2008 top
legislative body of the denomination.

Delegates to the 2004 General Conference session welcomed the
Protestant Methodist Church of Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) into the
denomination as an annual conference, but the assembly declared that
only two delegates would represent the million-member conference at
the 2008 meeting in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Commission on General Conference is asking Judicial Council if
that action is constitutional since the legislation runs contrary to
the church's Book of Discipline, which sets out a representation
formula according to the number of clergy and lay members of an annual
conference. If that determination were to be used, the Cote d'Ivoire
Annual Conference would be entitled to as many as 70 delegates - more
than any other delegation. The size of General Conference is limited
to 1,000 delegates, so the size of other delegations would have to be
proportionally reduced if the Cote d'Ivoire contingent grew in size.

The Kansas East item is related to a previous Judicial Council ruling,
handed down a year ago and upheld in April. In Decision 1032, the
council ruled that the pastor in charge of a local church has the
power to determine who may be taken into membership of that
congregation. The decision stemmed from a case in South Hill, Va.,
where the pastor refused to admit an openly homosexual man into church
membership.

At its session in June, the Kansas East Annual Conference passed a
resolution that stated: "No pastor in the Kansas East Conference shall
deny membership into a Kansas East United Methodist church solely
based on the candidate for membership being a self-avowed, practicing
homosexual." Immediately following approval of the petition, a motion
passed which requested a declaratory decision by the Judicial Council
on the non-discrimination petition.

The council has a full slate of 20 items on its docket for the Oct.
25-28 session.

*Caldwell is editor of the Virginia Advocate, the newspaper of the
United Methodist Church's Virginia Annual (regional) Conference.

Controversial New Book Tackles Black-church Homophobia
October 6, 2006 (for immediate release)

Cleveland--Attempting to break "hundreds of years of silence," a new,
controversial book argues that pervasive homophobia in the
historically black church has reached "crisis" proportion.

"The black church's teaching that homosexuality is immoral has created
a crisis for lesbian and gay Christians in black churches," the Rev.
Horace L. Griffin, an Episcopal priest, writes in the preface of his
new book, "Their Own Receive Them Not: African American Lesbians and
Gays in Black Churches."  The book is being officially released on
October 15 by Cleveland-based The Pilgrim Press.

"This black-church-sanctioned homophobia produces a lot of twisted
black people," he writes.

Griffin, who is black and gay, grew up in a Missionary Baptist church.
Based on his life and church experience, he has witnessed how "black
church leaders and congregants have been resistant and even closed in
treating gay and heterosexual congregants equally or, in many cases,
of simply offering compassion to gay people."

In his 240-page hardcover book, he now attempts to deconstruct the
history and legacy of homophobia in the black church using a
sociological, theological and biblical lens.

Comparing the plight of black gays and lesbians to "a game of Russian
roulette," where the children of the church are no longer welcomed by
the church, black lesbian and gay Christians find themselves in
"no-win situations," he says. The end result robs them of "their soul,
if not their integrity, family and lives."

Griffin, who teaches pastoral theology and directs field education at
The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in New York
City, says black church leaders use the Bible to oppress gays and
lesbians in a similar fashion to the approach once used by white
church leaders to oppress blacks during slavery and segregation.

The black church's "sexual secrets," says Griffin, have led to tragic
outcomes, including a quiet complicity with the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
"Even after two decades of AIDS research … African American ministers,
for the most part, display almost no change in their attitudes that
AIDS is God's retribution on the 'sinful,'" he writes.

Griffin also believes the church's "secrets" have led to
less-than-honest sexual practices among its members.

"Until black church leaders adopt different Christian approaches,
'Down Low' practices will continue," Griffin writes in reference to
closeted, sexual activities of some black men with other men.

The book's arrival on bookstore shelves comes at a time when the
worldwide Anglican Communion is facing schism over issues related to
homosexuality. The divide has pitted the largely white Episcopal
Church in the United States against the more-conservative and growing
Anglican churches in Africa.

Griffin says the black church often "rewards" its gay and lesbian
ministers and members for staying in the closet.

"Everyone within black churches realizes that there is reward and
acceptance for those presenting themselves as heterosexual, while
[out] gays and lesbians encounter ridicule and condemnation," Griffin
writes. "Even in churches where it is 'known' that the pastor is gay,
black church Christians are content to remain in the church if the
pastor is willing to present himself as heterosexual with a wife and
children."

"Their Own Receive Them Not" (ISBN 0-8298-1599-6) has been shipped to
members of the RNA.  Other writers and reviewers may receive a copy by
contacting the publicity department of The Pilgrim Press.

Contact:  Aimee J. Jannsohn, publicist
                The Pilgrim Press
                700 Prospect Avenue
                Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1100
                (216) 736-3761
                ajannsohn@...

DVD assists with dialogue, not debate, about homosexuality
A UMNS Report
By Linda Bloom*
October 9, 2006

A DVD resource that offers a practical guide to discussions about
homosexuality and the church while putting "a real human face" on the
issue is now available to United Methodists.

The resource was produced by the United Methodist Commission on
Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns and United Methodist
Communications.

According to the Rev. Greg Stover, a member of the Commission on
Christian Unity, the DVD "will provide a practical, general resource
about how a group of people can engage in divisive, controversial issues."

The purpose of the resource is not to change people's opinions, he
added, but "to grow an understanding of our own views and the views of
others."

Jan Love, who served with Stover as co-chairperson of the commission's
Task Force for Dialogue on Homosexuality and the Unity of the United
Methodist Church, agreed with that assessment.

"In the search for Christian unity, one topic that trips us up more
frequently than most is that of homosexuality," Love said. "We know
how to debate this issue with great passion, but we often do not know
how to hold productive discussions about our different convictions,
discussions that honor the integrity of each person's faith journey."

The 2000 United Methodist General Conference, the denomination's top
legislative body, asked the commission to sponsor a series of
dialogues "on issues related to homosexuality and the unity of the
church." In its Book of Discipline, the church holds the practice of
homosexuality to be incompatible with Christian teaching, but it also
states that gays and lesbians are people of sacred worth.

In 2002 and 2003, dialogues were held with the Council of Bishops,
General Council on Ministries, racial-ethnic caucuses, and youth and
young adults. Smaller regional listening events also occurred in
places such as Cincinnati; Lubbock, Texas; Canton, Ohio; White Plains,
N.Y.; Marietta, Ga.; West Sacramento, Calif.; and Oslo, Norway.

One of the outcomes of the process is the DVD resource. "We hope that
it models how Methodists and other Christians can search for the light
of Christ in each other, even when we disagree," Love said.

"It not only helps us to have conversations but also invites us to do
it in Christian conversation," said Stover, who pointed out that
worship is at the center of such conversation.

Tool for conversation

"Can We Talk...?"  includes two DVDs and a CD-ROM with downloadable
documents. DVD 1 has an introduction and historical overview and
offers personal stories, perspectives on homosexuality, and a summary
of the four dialogue sessions.

DVD 2 offers information about setting up dialogues on the local
level; presents biblical insights, thoughts on the nature of the
church and ministry options; and provides worship materials.

Those materials represent a tremendous amount of work done by the
commission, particularly during the 2000-2004 quadrennium, according
to the Rev. Betty Gamble, a retired staff executive involved with the
project.

"We intend to offer it to the church as a tool to use as they see
fit," she said. "We have tried all along to keep the material and what
we did balanced."

She noted that the DVD resource does not present solutions to
divisions over the issue of homosexuality but provides a usable tool
"to keep the conversation going."

The DVD resource sells for $39.95 and can be purchased from EcuFilm,
where it is listed as DVD 6191. Orders can be placed by regular mail,
phone, fax, online and e-mail.

To order online, visit www.ecufilm.org. E-mail orders can be sent to
csc@.... To order toll free by phone, call (888) 346-3862 from 7
a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 2
p.m. Friday. Fax orders can be sent to (615) 742-5499 at any time.
Mail orders can be sent to EcuFilm, 810 Twelfth Avenue South,
Nashville, TN 37203.

*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.

NOTE: Audio and photographs are available at http://umns.umc.org.

Consultation will study impact of 2 church court rulings
October 12, 2006
By Vicki Brown*

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) -- A United Methodist agency is sponsoring a
February consultation to study rulings by the denomination's highest
court in the case of a pastor who blocked a homosexual man from church
membership.

The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry will
gather a diverse group of bishops, seminary professors and pastors to
probe the implications of Judicial Council decisions that upheld the
right of the Rev. Ed Johnson, pastor of South Hill (Va.) United
Methodist Church, to deny membership to a practicing gay man.

The Rev. Jerome King Del Pino, top staff executive of the Nashville
agency, said the heated debate across the denomination in the wake of
the council's decisions highlights the need for focused, careful and
deep-running dialogue about the theological, ecclesial and pastoral
implications of the council's action.

"What is needed now is less emotional heat and more theological
light," Del Pino said.

Johnson was placed on involuntary leave in 2005 by his clergy peers in
the Virginia Annual (regional) Conference after he blocked a
practicing gay man from taking membership vows in the church. Bishop
Charlene P. Kammerer upheld the action, but at the Judicial Council's
fall meeting last year, the court found in favor of Johnson and
reinstated him.

In Decision 1031, the Judicial Council ruled that Johnson's due
process rights were violated when the conference transformed an
administrative complaint against him into a judicial complaint. And in
Decision 1032, the council ruled that the pastor in charge of a local
church has the authority to determine a person's readiness for
membership. The council rejected appeals to reconsider those decisions.

Panel members

Hendrik Pieterse, director of scholarly research and book editor, is
organizing the Feb. 15-16 consultation, to be held at the Learning
Center at the United Methodist Board of Discipleship in Nashville.

Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker of the Florida Annual Conference and
retired Bishop Melvin G. Talbert of Brentwood, Tenn., have agreed to
take part in the discussion. Scholars participating in the meeting are
the Rev. William Abraham, Perkins School of Theology, Dallas and the
Rev. Rex D. Matthews, Candler School of Theology, Emory University,
Atlanta. Pastors are the Rev. Mark Horst of First United Methodist
Church in Stillwater, Minn., and the Rev. Martin D. McLee of Union
United Methodist Church in Boston.

"The issue of homosexuality is important in its own right and merits
ongoing, thoughtful analysis, but this consultation is not a
referendum on homosexuality," Pieterse said. "Instead, our aim is to
offer a space for careful reflection on a set of theological issues
raised by the council's decision that can have far-reaching
implications for how United Methodists understand the meaning of
membership, the nature of the church and the integrity of the church's
appointed leadership."

"Our hope in gathering a theologically diverse group of church leaders
in Nashville next February is not only for much-needed theological
clarity on the issues but also for a shared theological framework that
can guide United Methodists across the globe as they engage these
issues in their places of ministry," Pieterse said.

Statement planned

After the group considers papers dealing with the theological
implications of the rulings, the members will attempt to craft a
statement outlining the results of their deliberation. The statement
may include points of disagreement or agreement, agreed-upon insights
or conclusions, as well as any desire for further dialogue.

"Regardless of which side of the debate one takes, it is clear that
the Judicial Council's actions will have fundamental implications for
the nature and practice of leadership in the United Methodist Church
in the future," Del Pino said. "As the agency overseeing the church's
licensed and ordained leadership, (the board) is pleased to offer a
hospitable space in which these issues can be debated in the best
spirit of Methodist conferencing."

*Brown is an associate editor and writer in the Office of
Interpretation, United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

HRC STATEMENT ON NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT DECISION RECOGNIZING
SAME-SEX COUPLES' CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO EQUAL BENEFITS AND PROTECTIONS


WASHINGTON - Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese made the
following statement regarding today's ruling in Lewis v. Harris - a
court case in which the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that same-sex
couples have a constitutional right to receive the same state
benefits, protections, and obligations as opposite-sex married
couples.  The court ruled that the legislature must either amend its
marriage law to include same-sex couples or provide these benefits,
protections, and obligations by some other means such as civil unions.

Said Solmonese:

"Today, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples
should have the same rights and obligations as heterosexual couples.
This is, at its core, a pro-family, pro-equality decision.  It is now
in the hands of the legislature to do the right thing, and recognize
that all New Jersey families should have the protections that only
marriage provides.

"We congratulate and commend the work of Lambda Legal and the
plaintiff couples who had the courage and resolve to bring this case
forward.

"This decision recognizes that New Jersey's constitution protects all
families. The legislature should not go down the path of separate but
equal, but rather should embrace marriage equality.  We commend Garden
State Equality and will work with them and other allies to make this a
reality.

"The New Jersey decision only involves the protection and benefits of
civil marriage - not religious ceremonies. This case does not affect
religious institutions' freedom to decide if they want to honor and
recognize same-sex unions.

"Although this case is a major step forward in ending discrimination,
a Federal law, the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, denies same-sex
couples over 1000 protections, and puts these couples at risk that
they will not be recognized as families when they cross state lines.

"Our great country has a tradition of expanding legal protections, as
was done for voting rights and other civil rights protections.
Combating discrimination of all kinds is a fundamental American value.
The Human Rights Campaign applauds this decision."

Lambda Legal filed this case in 2002 on behalf of seven same-sex
couples who were denied marriage licenses. In November 2003, the trial
court ruled against the plaintiffs, and on June 14, 2005 the
intermediate appellate court upheld the decision. On February 15,
2006, the New Jersey Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case.
Today, all seven justices concluded that same-sex couples were
entitled to the equal benefits and protections of marriage.  Three of
those seven went further and concluded that the New Jersey
constitution requires full marriage equality.

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights
organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end
discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that
achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

- 30 -


Lewis v. Harris: New Jersey Court Rules That Same-Sex Couples Must
Receive The Same Rights And Benefits As Opposite-Sex Couples
Frequently Asked Questions

What does this decision mean?

The court ruled that same-sex couples and their families have a
constitutional right to the same benefits and protections that other
New Jersey families take for granted.  It ordered New Jersey's
legislature to provide these benefits and protections to same-sex
couples.  The legislature can do this by amending its marriage laws to
include same-sex couples, or it could enact a system, such as one that
provides for civil unions, to extend equal benefits to same sex
couples.  New Jersey already has a domestic partner law that provides
certain protections to couples.

The court gave the legislature 180 days to adopt the necessary
legislation.

When can I get married or enter into a civil union?

The court's decision is effective as of April 23, 2007.  By that time,
the state legislature must have adopted legislation to provide equal
benefits and protections to same-sex couples, either as marriage or
through some parallel system.

What about federal benefits?

Although gay and lesbian couples will have equal access to the rights
and benefits of marriage in the state of New Jersey, they remain
ineligible for the 1138 federal benefits that are afforded to married
couples and their families, including the ability to collect Social
Security survivor benefits and file a joint federal tax return.  HRC
is working to remedy these inequalities in the United States Congress.

Does this decision impact religious institutions?

No.  Even if the state legislature chooses to provide rights and
benefits to same-sex couples through marriage, religious institutions
in New Jersey remain free to decide if and how to recognize or perform
marriages for same-sex couples.  Some will and some won't.  This case
and others like it deal only with the civil institution of marriage,
through which the state grants eligible couples certain rights,
benefits and recognition.

My partner and I don't live in New Jersey.  Can we get married or
enter into a civil union there?

New Jersey does not have a residency requirement for marriage.  The
court ruled that even if the legislature adopts a parallel scheme for
same-sex couples, such as civil unions, it cannot be any more
difficult to enter into a civil union than into a marriage.  So
out-of-state couples will be able go to New Jersey to marry or enter
into a civil union, depending on how the state legislature proceeds.
However, because many states have passed discriminatory laws or
constitutional amendments, your marriage or civil union might not be
recognized in your home state.

What happens if I live in New Jersey, get married or enter into a
civil union here, and travel out of state?

Many states have laws explicitly stating that they will not recognize
out-of-state marriages or other forms of relationship recognition for
same-sex couples.  The federal "Defense of Marriage Act" purports to
give states the right not to recognize marriages between same-sex
couples.

What happens next?

The court gave the state legislature 180 days, until April 23, 2007,
to remedy the constitutional violation and extend all the rights and
benefits of marriage to same-sex couples.

Can this decision be appealed?

No.  The case was brought under the New Jersey state constitution and
cannot be appealed beyond the New Jersey Supreme Court.

How can I find out more about this decision?

You can read the court's decision at
http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/courts/supreme/a-68-05.doc.html.

Are there other lawsuits on marriage anywhere else?

There are lawsuits pending in California, Connecticut, Iowa and
Maryland.

Is it a good idea for my partner and I to get married or enter into a
civil union?

Obtaining state recognition of your relationship is not only an
important personal decision, it is an important legal decision.
Before deciding to marry, consult the following resource:
http://www.glad.org/marriage/tips+traps.html If you have further
questions about your own circumstances, it is a good idea to talk to a
lawyer.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 25, 2006
Luis Vizcaino | Phone: 202/216.1547 | Cell: 310/869.5700
Brad Luna | Phone: 202/216.1514 | Cell: 202/812.8140

N.J. court gives gays marriage rights; but not the right to call it
'marriage'

By Robert Marus

TRENTON, N.J. (ABP) -- The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Oct. 25 that
the state's constitution requires that marriage rights be available to
same-sex couples on an equal basis with heterosexuals. But the court
left state legislators to decide whether to refer to the unions by the
name "marriage" or a different term.

The decision leaves New Jersey in a situation akin to Vermont's, where
legislators in 2000 passed the nation's first law legalizing "civil
unions" for same-sex couples. Vermont's civil unions, which followed a
similar court decision, offer the same rights and benefits as marriage
without using the name.

All seven justices agreed the New Jersey Constitution requires the
state to extend to gay couples the same rights as married couples.
However, only three justices said those rights include equal use of
the term "marriage," while the four-justice majority said use of the
term is not guaranteed.

"The state has not articulated any legitimate public need for
depriving same-sex couples of the host of benefits and privileges"
that married couples enjoy, wrote Justice Barry Albin, who authored
the majority's opinion. "There is no rational basis for, on the one
hand, giving gays and lesbians full civil rights in their status as
individuals and, on the other, giving them an incomplete set of rights
when they follow the inclination of their sexual orientation and enter
into committed same-sex relationships."

Vermont and Connecticut have civil-union laws that provide identical
benefits to same-sex couples as married heterosexual couples.
Massachusetts, following a decision by its highest court, legalized
same-sex marriage in 2004.

New Jersey already has a domestic-partnership law that grants to
same-sex couples some of the rights and responsibilities of married
heterosexuals. However, Albin noted that the statute does not provide
gay couples or their children with equal protection of the law in
several critical areas, such as adoption rights.

In the latest decision, Lewis v. Harris (No. A-68-05), the New Jersey
court unanimously agreed that the state constitution's
equal-protection provision, coupled with the fact that other state
laws ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, requires a
remedy for such disparate treatment of same-sex couples.

The majority determined that such a decision "leaves the legislature
with two apparent options. The legislature could simply amend the
marriage statutes to include same-sex couples, or it could create a
separate statutory structure, such as a civil union, as Connecticut
and Vermont have done."

That result would fall short for the plaintiffs -- seven same-sex New
Jersey couples -- and most of the nation's gay-rights organizations.
They have argued that granting marriage rights without the term
marriage creates a "separate-but-equal" structure.

Albin addressed that argument. "Raised here is the perplexing question
-- 'what's in a name?' -- and is a name itself of constitutional
magnitude after the state is required to provide full statutory rights
and benefits to same-sex couples?" he asked. "We are mindful that in
the cultural clash over same-sex marriage, the word 'marriage' itself
-- independent of the rights and benefits of marriage -- has an
evocative and important meaning to both parties."

But Albin said the legitimacy that the term "marriage" would bestow on
gay couples would best be delivered through legislative, rather than
judicial, action. "The great engine for social change in this country
has always been the democratic process," he wrote. "Although courts
can ensure equal treatment, they cannot guarantee social acceptance,
which must come through the evolving ethos of a maturing society.
Plaintiffs' quest does not end here. Their next appeal must be to
their fellow citizens whose voices are heard through their popularly
elected representatives."

But Chief Justice Deborah Poritz, in an opinion joined by her two
fellow dissenters, said the term "marriage" is as integral to the
rationale cited by the majority as marriage's attendant rights and
benefits.

"Labels are used to perpetuate prejudice about differences that, in
this case, are embedded in the law. By excluding same-sex couples from
civil marriage, the state declares that it is legitimate to
differentiate between their commitments and the commitments of
heterosexual couples," she wrote. "Ultimately, the message is that
what same-sex couples have is not as important or as significant as
'real' marriage, that such lesser relationships cannot have the name
of marriage."

The ruling is the first major legal victory for gay-rights groups
since the Massachusetts decision. The highest courts in two other
states -- New York and Washington -- both recently rejected similar
lawsuits filed by gay couples.

Several state laws and constitutional amendments banning same-sex
marriage have passed by wide margins since 1998, but poll numbers
since then have indicated a general trend toward wider acceptance of
gay marriage.

Eight states have proposals banning gay marriage before voters in the
Nov. 7 elections. One prominent gay-rights opponent said the New
Jersey decision should create a backlash that will boost the chances
of those gay-marriage bans passing.

"Today's decision should give momentum to the eight states with
marriage-protection amendments on the November ballot," said Tony
Perkins, president of the Washington-based Family Research Council, in
a statement released shortly after the New Jersey ruling. "By
mandating that the New Jersey legislature enact same-sex 'marriage' or
civil unions, the court ignores the unique benefits of marriage
between one man and one woman. Society gives benefits to marriage
because marriage gives benefits to society."

-30-

UCC's North Texas Association grants standing to 4,300-member
Cathedral of Hope
Written by J. Bennett Guess
United Church of Christ News
Sunday, 29 October 2006

Nearly a year to the day after members of Cathedral of Hope in Dallas
voted to request affiliation with the UCC, the denomination's North
Texas Association of the South Central Conference voted to grant
congregational standing at its fall meeting on Oct. 28. The
affirmative vote was by an "overwhelming majority," one observer
described it.

With 4,300 members, Cathedral of Hope becomes the UCC's fourth largest
congregation. The good news of the Association's vote was shared with
Cathedral of Hope members on Oct. 29 during the congregation's annual
meeting.

"This is an historic day in the life of the Cathedral of Hope," said
the Rev. Jo Hudson, senior pastor and rector. "We are blessed to be a
full partner in ministry with the North Texas Association and the
United Church of Christ. We celebrate that our values of compassion,
inclusion, tolerance and hope in service to the world by following
Jesus are consistent with those of the United Church of Christ. We are
proud to be a part of such a diverse body of churches and people."

The Rev. John H. Thomas, UCC general minister and president, said he
welcomed the decision of the North Texas Association.

"We will be enriched by the vitality of Cathedral of Hope's ministry
even as we hope that incorporation into our 50 year history will be a
gift to them," Thomas said.

In accordance with the denomination's grassroots governance style,
issues related to congregational standing and ministerial authority
are dealt with at the Association level, meaning that Associations act
on behalf of the UCC nationally when it makes decisions, such as
receiving churches or ordaining ministers. Decisions by Associations
cannot be overruled by the denomination's Conference or National settings.

The Cathedral of Hope touts itself as "the world's largest liberal
Christian church with a primary outreach to lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender people." Its local and national ministries, outreach
programs, pastoral counseling, and web-based and TV media touch
thousands each day.

The Cathedral of Hope began exploring UCC affiliation many years ago
when, in 1997, a congregational vote authorized consideration of the
move. Over the years, various lay leaders gathered information on the
UCC and completed preliminary evaluations.

In 2003, consideration of the UCC was again discussed by the
congregation when the church voted to disaffiliate from the Universal
Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. In January 2005, the
church's board of directors instructed its affiliation and expansion
committee to resume exploration of affiliation in earnest. A
congregational vote to request UCC affiliation was overwhelmingly
approved on Oct. 30, 2005.

Earlier this year, Cathedral of Hope's leadership voted to participate
in the UCC's Stillspeaking Initiative and church leaders received
training related to the denomination-wide media and hospitality campaign.

In joining the UCC, Cathedral of Hope becomes another in a series of
sizeable southern churches to join the UCC in recent years. Four years
ago, the 5,500-member Victory Church in Stone Mountain, Ga., became
the UCC's second largest church when it was received into the UCC's
Southeast Conference.

On Sept. 30, the Missouri/Mid-South Conference received the 300-member
Holy Trinity Church in Memphis. And, earlier this year, the 300-member
Garden of Grace Church in Columbia, S.C., the 250-member Holy Trinity
Church in Nashville, Tenn., and a new African-American church start,
Unity Worship Center, in Montgomery, Ala., also became part of the
Southeast Conference.

Arizona voters nation's first to reject amendment banning gay marriage
By Robert Marus
Published November 8, 2006
Associated Baptist Press

WASHINGTON (ABP) -- Gay-rights supporters and opponents both claimed
victory after the Nov. 7 midterm elections, with voters in seven
states approving gay-marriage bans and Arizona becoming the first
state in the country to reject such an amendment.

Although 27 other states since 1998 have approved amendments to their
state constitutions banning gay marriage, Arizona voters bucked the
national trend.

With 100 percent of the state's precincts reporting by midday Nov. 8,
according to the Arizona secretary of state's website, the measure
failed narrowly, with 51.4 percent opposed to Proposition 107 and 48.6
percent in favor.

In the seven other states where marriage bans passed, most received a
comfortable majority. Nonetheless, the margins were narrower, on
average, than in the 13 states that approved similar bans in 2004.

"It's clear that fear-mongering around same-sex marriage by the GOP
and the extreme Christian right is fizzling out," said Matt Foreman,
executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, in a
Nov. 8 statement. "It doesn't have the juice it had just two years ago
-- people are getting sick of it."

Surprisingly narrow margins of victory Nov. 7 for marriage amendments
in two conservative states encouraged gay-rights supporters as well.

In South Dakota -- overwhelmingly rural and with high percentages of
white Catholic and evangelical voters -- the marriage amendment passed
on a 52-48 percent vote.

And in Virginia, voters approved the measure on a 57-43 percent vote.
That matches the margin of victory for a 2004 anti-gay-marriage
amendment in much more liberal Oregon.

Most of the 2004 gay-marriage amendments passed by majorities of 70
percent or more. But on Nov. 7, such ballot measures garnered support
exceeding 60 percent in only three of eight states -- Idaho (63
percent), South Carolina (78 percent) and Tennessee (81 percent).

Either way, the constitutions of a majority of states in the Union now
explicitly ban same-sex marriage. Many of those also ban "civil
unions," which are legal arrangements approximating the status of
marriage, for same-sex couples.

That shows Americans still oppose gay marriage and continue to fear
that judicial decisions in the future will impose legalized same-sex
marriage on an unwilling populace, according to the head of one
conservative Washington think tank.

"We see once again [that] when traditional marriage is put to the
people they will support traditional marriage," said Jim Tonkowich,
president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, in a statement.
"Americans across this nation are taking their voice to the ballot box
to reign [sic] in activist judges whose actions have undercut
democracy, the will of the people, and marriage, our most basic social
institution."

In a related matter, Colorado voters also rejected a bid to institute
domestic partnerships for same-sex couples. As of late afternoon Nov.
8, it appeared that voters had rejected by a 53-47 percent margin a
proposition to create the marriage-like relationships.

Primate's Theological Commission - PRESS RELEASE

Nov. 21, 2006 -- The Primate's Theological Commission of the Anglican
Church of Canada has issued a 'Statement on the Discussion of the
Authority of Scripture in the Windsor Report'.

Meeting in Winnipeg November 17-20 2006, in the context of prayer,
Bible study and worship, the Commission discussed the nature,
authority and interpretation of Scripture as they relate to the
current debate within Anglicanism about the blessing of same-sex
unions. It considered paragraphs 53-62 of The Windsor Report of the
Lambeth Commission on Communion published in October, 2004 and
concluded that they are an important contribution towards the
articulation of a clearer consensus in the Anglican Communion on
the nature, authority and interpretation of scripture. The statement,
adopted unanimously, contains both affirmations of the Windsor
material and notes to the church.

(The Windsor Report Response Group, a committee established by the
Council of General Synod, is preparing a response to the whole of the
Windsor Report that will be considered by the General Synod in June,
2007. A summary of this work is online at www.anglican.ca)

The Primate's Theological Commission was appointed by the Primate of
the Anglican Church of Canada. It is made up of Anglicans with
theological expertise. Terms of reference and membership of the
Commission may be found at www.anglican.ca. Bishop Victoria Matthews
of Edmonton chairs the Commission.

The most recent work of the Commission is the St. Michael Report on
whether the blessing of same-sex unions is a matter of doctrine,
published in May, 2005 at the request of the General Synod and the
Primate. This Report is before the church for study, and its
conclusions will be debated by the General Synod in June, 2007.

For further information, please contact The Rt. Rev. Victoria
Matthews, 780-439-7344, bishopv@... or Canon Alyson
Barnett-Cowan, 416-924-9199 ext 281, barnettcowan@...

The statement follows:

Statement of the Primate's Theological Commission
on the Discussion of the Authority of Scripture in the Windsor Report

The Primate's Theological Commission commends the reflections of the
Windsor Report on scripture (§§53-62) as an important contribution
towards the articulation of a clearer consensus in the Anglican
Communion on the nature, authority and interpretation of scripture.

In particular, we affirm:

    1. its emphasis upon the central role of scripture in Anglican
belief and life, recognizing that reference to the authority of
scripture in historic Christianity means "the authority of the triune
God, exercised through scripture". (§54);
    2. its affirmation of this authority as an aspect of "the dynamic
inbreaking of God's kingdom", rather than "a static source of
information or the giving of orders" (§55);
    3. its insistence that worship is the primary context in which the
Church hears scripture as "the vehicle of God's authority" and "God's
living and active word", while exhorting that "it is the
responsibility of the whole Church to engage with the Bible together;
[and] within that, each individual Christian, to the fullest extent of
which they are capable, must study it and learn from it, thoughtfully
and prayerfully." (§57);
    4. the responsibility of bishops (together with other clergy and
lay leaders) to function as teachers of scripture (§58);
    5. that "questions of interpretation are rightly raised, not as an
attempt to avoid or relativise scripture and its authority, but as a
way of ensuring that it really is scripture that is being heard" (§59);
    6. the "call to the whole Anglican Communion to re-evaluate the
ways in which we have read, heard, studied and digested scripture. We
can no longer be content to drop random texts into arguments,
imagining that the point is thereby proved, or indeed to sweep away
sections of the New Testament as irrelevant to today's world,
imagining that problems are thereby solved. We need mature study, wise
and prayerful discussion, and a joint commitment to hearing and
obeying God as he speaks in scripture, to discovering more of
the Jesus Christ to whom all authority is committed, and to being open
to the fresh wind of the Spirit who inspired scripture in the first
place."(§61)

We note that:

    1. given the Windsor Report's very high expectation of "Christian
leaders chiefly within the Anglican tradition, of bishops ­ as
teachers of scripture", the Anglican Church of Canada (and possibly
other parts of the Communion) must place renewed emphasis on the
biblical and theological formation of bishops, clergy and lay leaders.
To this end we applaud the Archbishop of Canterbury's initiative and
call for Theological Education in the Anglican Communion.
    2. we recognise in the above affirmations the historical Anglican
doctrine of scripture as set forth in the Articles, the Ordinals, the
Catechism, the Lambeth Quadrilateral, and the Solemn Declaration of 1893.

from the Human Rights Campaign

NEW JERSEY LAWMAKERS TAKE TWO PRO-EQUALITY STEPS FORWARD
State Legislators Pass Civil Unions Law; Non-Discrimination Policy
Protects Transgender Individuals

For Immediate Release: Thursday, Dec. 14, 2006

WASHINGTON — In a one-two step, New Jersey lawmakers passed two pieces
of legislation today that are seen as positive steps forward for gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality in that state. The first
piece of legislation, Senate Bill 362, which adds gender identity and
expression to the state laws prohibiting discrimination in employment,
housing and public contracts, overwhelmingly passed both the Senate
and Assembly. In addition, the New Jersey Legislature passed a bill
creating civil unions for same-sex couples that extends all of the
state-level spousal rights and responsibilities. Both bills are headed
to Gov. Jon Corzine's desk where he is expected to sign both measures.

"Although it is disappointing that the Legislature did not grant
same-sex couples full marriage equality today, it is gratifying that
we are achieving pro-active advances for equality instead of having to
defend ourselves against attacks," said Joe Solmonese, president of
the Human Rights Campaign. "These advances for same-sex couples would
not have been possible without the tireless work of Garden State
Equality. We are honored to stand beside them as we continue to pursue
full equality for same-sex couples in New Jersey."

"The Human Rights Campaign has been a great partner, along with other
groups, in helping us build a grassroots campaign in support of full
marriage equality," said StevenGoldstein, chairman of Garden State
Equality. "We look forward to continuing work with them."

Recently the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that it is
unconstitutional to deny same-sex couples state-level spousal rights
and responsibilities. Since that time, the Human Rights Campaign has
joined forces with Garden State Equality and other coalition groups to
prompt the Legislature to extend full marriage equality to same-sex
couples. The court ruled that the Legislature must either amend its
marriage law to include same-sex couples or provide these rights and
responsibilities by some other means such as civil unions.

"We knew the fight for marriage would neither be easy nor quick, but
the country is on a clear trajectory toward equality and we must never
give up until we reach that point," said Solmonese. "It is incumbent
upon us to continue the energy and dedication we have brought to this
fight since day one. And we must not stop until we achieve full equality."

When Corzine signs Senate Bill 362 into law, New Jersey will become
the ninth state to ban discrimination against transgender individuals.
A map of these states can be found at:
www.hrc.org/stateantidiscriminationmap. Additionally, during the
education about this bill, Garden State Equality aired the first
television commercial in American history on transgender rights. This
ad can be viewed at: http://www.gardenstateequality.org/ad.htm . For
several years HRC has been happy to support the work of the Gender
Rights Advocacy Association of New Jersey as they worked for passage
of this bill.

"HRC provided funds that proved instrumental to the success of
legislation to protect transgender workers in New Jersey," said Barbra
Casbar, political director of the Gender Rights Advocacy Association
of New Jersey. "Their resources enabled us to do proactive educational
and political outreach and participate on an equal basis with our
statewide LGBT and progressive partners and synergize with them in
delivering the message of full LGBTI equality. We thank the Human
Rights Campaign for their crucial financial assistance and educational
resources."

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights
organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end
discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that
achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

-30-

From The Anglican Church of Tanzania, ACNS 4227 12 DECEMBER 2006

Statement from The House of Bishops, Tanzania

A statement concerning the current situation in the Episcopal Church
(USA), in light of their June 2006 General Convention.

1. Mindful of the fact that the Anglican Church of Tanzania issued
statements in 2003 following the election, confirmation and eventual
consecration to the Episcopate of Gene Robinson a practising
homosexual clergyman, whereby we declared that henceforth we are not
in communion, namely, communio in sacris, with:

i. Bishops who consecrate homosexuals to the episcopate and those
Bishops who ordain such persons to the priesthood and the deaconate or
license them to minister in their dioceses;

ii. Bishops who permit the blessing of same sex unions in their
dioceses;

iii. Gay priests and deacons;

iv. Priests who bless same sex unions;

2. And because in their June 2006 General Convention, the Episcopal
Church (USA) did not adequately respond to the requirement made to
them by the Anglican Communion through the Windsor Report by their
failure to register honest repentance for their actions that were
contrary to the dictates of the Holy Scripture and the teaching of the
Anglican Churchas expressed in Resolution 1.10 of the 1998 Lambeth
Conference and thereby indicating that they were deliberately choosing
to walk apart from the rest of the Anglican Communion;

3. Therefore after its meeting on 7th December 2006 in Dar es Salaam,
the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Tanzania hereby
declares that its communion with the Episcopal Church (USA) is
severely impaired but the Anglican Church of Tanzania remains in
communion with those who are faithful to Biblical Christianity and
authority of Scripture who remain in the Episcopal Church (USA) or
have left or are considering leaving that church body for the same
reasons that we have stated above.

4. Further to the consequent state of the severely impaired communion,
the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Tanzania declares that
henceforth the Anglican Church of Tanzania shall not knowingly accept
financial and material aid from Dioceses, parishes, Bishops, priests,
individuals and institutions in the Episcopal Church (USA) that
condone homosexual practice or bless same sex unions.

5. The House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Tanzania declares
that we are committed to concerted prayer for renewal in the Anglican
Communion that will further the mission of Jesus Christ and will
render greater glory to God.

6. Finally, the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Tanzania
hereby mandates the Primate of the Anglican Church of Tanzania to
forward this statement to the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
(USA), to the Archbishop of Canterbury and to all the Primates of the
Anglican Communion.

Dar Es Salaam

Virginia bishop vows to care for remaining Episcopalians, assert
rights to departing congregations' property
Presiding Bishop says 'quick fix' of departing is not ultimate solution
Episcopal News Service
By: Mary Frances Schjonberg
Posted: Sunday, December 17, 2006

Bishop Peter Lee of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia said December 17
that he was saddened by the fact that, as of that afternoon, Nigerian
and Ugandan congregations were "occupying Episcopal churches."

Lee's statement came as eight of Virginia's 195 congregations
announced that their members had voted to sever ties with the
Episcopal Church and affiliate with the Anglican Church of Uganda or
the Anglican Church of Nigeria by way of the Anglican District of
Virginia, part of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America
(CANA). The members of the eight congregations amount to about 8,000
of the diocese's roughly 90,000 Episcopalians.

The Episcopal Church includes some 7,200 congregations in its 100
domestic dioceses, and about 150 in its 10 overseas dioceses and one
convocation.

The full text of Lee's statement is available here.

"We are saddened when individuals decide they must leave the Episcopal
Church, for we are diminished when any brother or sister departs from
the community," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said in
reply to a reporter's inquiry late last week.

"We live in a time and a society that is easily drawn to polarities.
These departures are taking place in most mainline denominations, and
are an expression of the anxiety of our times and the discomfort many
people feel in trying to live in tension. Anglicanism has always held
that living in the tension of comprehensiveness is our vocation. God
gives us a gift in the midst of that diversity, and we more fully know
both truth and God's will for us when we are able to embrace that
diversity. The quick fix embraced in drawing lines or in departing is
not going to be an ultimate solution for our discomfort."

The Associated Press reported that the vote margins were 90 percent at
The Falls Church, Falls Church and 92 percent at Truro Church, Fairfax.

Lee said he will convene a joint meeting of the diocese's Executive
Board and Standing Committee of the Diocese, with legal
representation, on December 18 "to consider the full range of
pastoral, canonical and legal obligations of the Church and our
responsibilities to those faithful Episcopalians in these
congregations who do not choose to associate with the Church of Nigeria."

In the meantime, Lee said, he has asked the leaders of "these now
Nigerian and Ugandan congregations occupying Episcopal churches to
keep the spiritual needs of all concerned uppermost in their minds at
this difficult moment in our Church history, especially continuing
Episcopalians."

He said that he will direct diocesan personnel to work with departing
members and those who remain loyal to the Episcopal Church to work out
agreements about sharing congregational property until those disputes
can be settled.

"Our polity maintains that all real and personal property is held in
trust for The Episcopal Church and the Diocese," Lee continued. "As
stewards of this historic trust, we fully intend to assert the
Church's canonical and legal rights over these properties."

According to the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church,
dioceses are created or dissolved only by acts of General Convention
(Articles V and VI) and dioceses create or dissolve Episcopal
congregations in their midst. Congregational property is held in trust
for the diocese, and the diocese holds property in trust for the wider
church (Canon I.7.4 of the Episcopal Church). Canon 15.1 of Virginia's
diocesan canons concurs with the national canons.

Patrick Getlein, secretary of the diocese, said the congregations that
were due to announce their vote tallies on December 17  are Church of
the Apostles, Fairfax; Church of the Word, Gainesville; Potomac Falls
Episcopal Church, Sterling; St. Margaret's, Woodbridge; St. Stephen's,
Heathsville; St. Paul's, Haymarket; The Falls Church, Falls Church;
and Truro Church, Fairfax.

Four Virginia congregations had previously announced their
disaffiliation with the diocese, according to Getlein. They are All
Saints, Dale City; Christ Our Lord Anglican Church, Lake Ridge; Church
of the Holy Spirit, Ashburn; and South Riding Episcopal Church, Fairfax.

Two other congregations have announced their intentions to put
Episcopal membership to a future vote, Getlein said. They are Church
of the Epiphany, Herndon, and Our Saviour, Oatlands.

Virginia diocese promises 'every encouragement' to Episcopalians
remaining in disaffected congregations
Presiding Bishop pledges partnership, urges entire church to pray and
work for healing
Episcopal News Service
By: Mary Frances Schjonberg
Posted: Monday, December 18, 2006

The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia said December 18 that it has the
agreement of people who voted December 17 to leave the Episcopal
Church that they will not attempt to transfer church property to their
ownership for 30 days.

In return, the diocese promised not to initiate any litigation
concerning the departures for the same amount of time, according to a
statement issued after Bishop Peter Lee, the diocese's Executive Board
and Standing Committee met in an emergency joint session the afternoon
of December 18.

"The Episcopal Church is going to be there in partnership with the
Diocese of Virginia to help bring healing in any way that we can, and
to continue to remind everybody that we are engaged in larger
mission," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori told ENS.

"If some people decide they need to go then our best recourse is to
bless their journey and to remind people that the door will remain
open and the porch light on," she said.

Eight of Virginia's 195 congregations announced December 17 that their
members had voted to sever ties with the Episcopal Church and
affiliate with the Anglican Church of Uganda or the Anglican Church of
Nigeria by way of the Anglican District of Virginia, part of the
Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA).

The Anglican Communion's secretary general, Kenneth Kearon, said in a
December 15 statement that CANA had "not petitioned the Anglican
Consultative Council for any official status within the Communion's
structures, nor has the Archbishop of Canterbury indicated any support
for its establishment."

The members of the eight congregations amount to about 8,000 of the
diocese's roughly 90,000 Episcopalians. The Episcopal Church includes
some 7,200 congregations in its 100 domestic dioceses, and about 150
in its 10 overseas dioceses and one convocation.

The eight congregations are "a very, very small percentage of the
church and the vast bulk of the church is healthy, is engaged in
mission and ministry, and that is going to continue," Jefferts Schori
said. "It will continue to bless the communities where those churches
are."

Jefferts Schori called on the rest of the Episcopal Church to
"remember to pray for everybody involved – those who feel a need to
leave and those who remain – to pray that those people and their
families can find some peace and remember that communities can reach
beyond this kind of division"

She said that Episcopal Church members everywhere ought to "continue
to be involved in mission and ministry in their own congregations" as
these issues are being resolved.

"There's plenty to heal in this world of ours," she said. "Most of us
are concerned about that and are working to follow Jesus' call to love
our neighbor."

"At this time of year it's appropriate to remember that Jesus came
among us and he wasn't welcomed everywhere he went. If some people
feel some rejection in these actions, it's not unlike that which Jesus
experienced. That's part of the Christian journey. It is what it means
to pick up your cross."

Lee said in the diocese's statement that "our primary concern is for
the membership of the Diocese of Virginia."

"In some of our churches where that membership has now been
significantly reduced, there are faithful Episcopalians who need to be
given every encouragement to establish structures necessary for their
continuity as the Episcopal Church," he said.

The Executive Board and Standing Committee said that they had
"authorized the bishop to explore all options with the Episcopalians
who remain and to take appropriate actions for their support and full
participation in the life of the diocese."

The Executive Board, Standing Committee and bishop also established a
seven-member property commission to meet with departing members to
discuss real and personal property matters on a case-by-case basis. It
will make recommendations to Lee, the Standing Committee, and the
Executive Board, according to the statement.

"As I have said previously, our polity maintains that all real and
personal property is held in trust for the Episcopal Church and the
diocese," said Lee. "As stewards of this historic trust, we fully
intend to assert the church's canonical and legal rights over these
properties. The members of the property commission are charged with
addressing those matters on behalf of the diocese on a case by case
basis."

According to the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church,
dioceses are created or dissolved only by acts of General Convention
(Articles V and VI) and dioceses create or dissolve Episcopal
congregations in their midst. Congregational property is held in trust
for the diocese, and the diocese holds property in trust for the wider
church (Canon I.7.4 of the Episcopal Church). Canon 15.1 of Virginia's
diocesan canons concurs with the national canons.

The full text of the diocesan statement is available here.

According to a statement of the diocese's website, the congregations
that announced their vote tallies on December 17  were Christ the
Redeemer, Centreville; Church of the Apostles
(http://www.churchoftheapostles.org/), Fairfax; Church of the Word,
Gainesville; Potomac Falls Episcopal Church, Sterling; St. Margaret's,
Woodbridge; St. Stephen's, Heathsville; The Falls Church, Falls
Church; and Truro Church, Fairfax.

The status of St. Paul's, Haymarket, which was due to announce its
decision December 17, remained unclear, according to the diocesan list.

Four Virginia congregations had previously announced their
disaffiliation with the diocese. They are All Saints, Dale City;
Christ Our Lord Anglican Church, Lake Ridge; Church of the Holy
Spirit, Ashburn; and South Riding Episcopal Church, Fairfax.

Two other congregations have announced their intentions to put
Episcopal membership to a future vote, the statement said. They are
Church of the Epiphany, Herndon, and Our Saviour, Oatlands.

--------
Episcopal News Service content may be reprinted without permission as
long as credit is given to ENS.

Large, viable remnant' wants to continue as Episcopal congregation
Determination to move forward outweighs sadness
Episcopal News Service
By: Mary Frances Schjonberg
Posted: Tuesday, December 19, 2006

The 30 or so members of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Heathsville,
Virginia, who opposed a recent vote by the majority of the
congregation and the rector to join the Anglican Church of Nigeria say
they want to continue as the Episcopal presence in their community.

"We are prepared to continue to operate St. Stephen's as an Episcopal
Church, and I think we have people who will agree to accept leadership
positions and to continue to carry on the work of St. Stephen's
Episcopal Church," said Dawn Mahaffey, one of the people who voted
against what some members are calling "the secession."

Sandra Kirkpatrick referred to that slowly organizing group as a
"large, viable remnant."

Their determination comes not without some pain.

"Two of the speakers who wished to secede from the Episcopal Church
told those of us sitting in the congregation that if we voted 'no' we
were imperiling our immortal souls, and that was hard to hear," said
Kirkpatrick, describing a discussion held during the week before the
voting began. "This was said lovingly by people who have been my
friends – dear friends – for over 10 years but they are very, very,
very convinced that they are dong the right thing in leaving the
Episcopal Church and they are acting genuinely worried about those of
us who are not."

Mahaffey said she does "truly love" the family she has at St. Stephen's.

"This is not personal. These people have been my family, and I, and I
don't think any of the others that have come to me, would harbor any
evil feelings toward our fellow parishioners," she said. "This has
been an issue around leadership and it's just been the way in which it
has been handled. I don't think it's been done in a kind and equitable
and fair way."

She called the actions of the vestry and the rector, the Rev. Jeffrey
Cerar, "divisive, irresponsible and manipulative."

At that meeting to discuss the resolutions, Margaret Cox, a St.
Stephen's member whose husband was rector from 1967 to 1972, said that
a resolution to take possession of the St. Stephen's property "sounds
like taking something that does not belong to you." She reiterated a
number of the bequests and gifts given to the parish through the
years, adding that "none of us owns this property; we only hold it in
trust."

Meade Kilduff, who was baptized at St. Stephen's on December 28, 1918,
told the same meeting that she liked the liturgy, the Episcopal
Church's history and tradition and the ways the Bible is emphasized
"again and again."

"Last but not least I like the inclusiveness of our church. It is our
gem," she said. "I want to assure you, there is at St. Stephen's a
loyal and substantial group of communicants committed to staying at
St. Stephen's as an Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Virginia."

Cox and Kilduff were part of a contingent that re-built St. Stephen's
congregation after it dwindled to about 24 communicants in the 1970s,
following a dispute with the diocese about vestry elections,
Kirkpatrick said.

"Now these ladies, they're ready to do it again," she said. "There is
a very staunch core of older people who don't want this to happen."

St. Stephen's is one of eight Diocese of Virginia congregations in
which a majority of members announced December 17 that they were
severing ties with the Episcopal Church and aligning themselves with
Anglicans in either Nigeria or Uganda. More information about the
Virginia votes is available here.

Heathsville is the county seat of Northumberland County in what is
known as the Northern Neck of Virginia, a peninsula that borders the
Potomac and Rappahannock rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. While the
jurisdiction known as the Parish of St. Stephen's dates to the 1650s,
the congregation of St. Stephen's was formed in the 1880s and,
according to the church's website, "struggled for decades to keep the
church open."

Mahaffey said there will be a meeting later this week to determine who
is involved and what exactly they want to do.

The Diocese of Virginia issued a statement December 18 saying it plans
to offer "every encouragement to establish structures necessary for
their continuity as the Episcopal Church." Meanwhile, the statement
said, the departing and remaining members of all eight congregations
have agreed to a 30-day "standstill" during which no actions will be
taken concerning church property.

A 40-day discernment period that led up to the vote felt like a
"force-feeding" on the part of the vestry, Kirkpatrick said. However,
the effort backfired in one small group as the members "managed to get
into a serious discussion of what we wanted as Episcopalians, what we
felt about our church and where our spiritual journeys had led us."

"At the end of this 40-day discernment period we had discovered each
other," she said "We had found that there were enough of us that
really cared to remain Episcopalians and really cared about being an
Episcopal Church presence in Heathsville that we were ready to go to
the consider expense of time, money and emotion to try and do this, as
opposed to just going elsewhere, which would be very, very easy to do."

Both Mahaffey and Kirkpatrick said that the decision at the 2003
General Convention to consent to the election of Gene Robinson as
bishop of New Hampshire prompted a change in the attitude of St.
Stephen's leadership, which only got more determined with time.

Mahaffey said that Cerar initially said at a congregational meeting
late in 2003 that he would try to work within the framework of the
Episcopal Church to make changes but that he would leave if he felt he
could not continue in the church. He said at that meeting that if he
left and if others joined him, they would not attempt to take over St.
Stephen's property, she said.

In December 2003, Kirkpatrick said, a vestry survey showed that the
majority of St. Stephen's members wanted to remain in the Episcopal
Church.

However, Mahaffey recalled, the perceived failings of the Episcopal
Church "became the topic of his sermons from that point forward. It
did not matter what the liturgy was for any given Sunday or what the
Gospel was, there was always a way to bring the topic around to that
issue. We very often got the message that the Episcopal Church had
sinned and needed to be repentant."

"It got to the point that our needs for pastoral oversight and
ministry were not being met because of the single-minded focus on this
issue. We were not hearing the Word and how that was applicable in our
daily lives. I don't think we were being ministered to in all of our
needs."

There was a "steady outgo of people who found this message
intolerable," Kirkpatrick said, and a "steady influx" of people who
approved of the leadership's position.

"Everyone down here knew that St. Stephen's was taking this stance,"
she said.

Mahaffey said the growing disaffection with the Episcopal Church "has
been very well staged."

"I think it has been sold to the congregation," she said. "Three years
of hearing it week after week after week."

The issue of homosexuality was the "precipitating event but it has
gone so far beyond that that I haven't even heard that mentioned in
probably the last year," Kirkpatrick said. "The first year it was an
issue, but not since. It has been: 'We know the truth and we are
telling it to you. If you don't accept this truth then you really
don't belong here."

"It is biblical inerrancy – taking the Bible seriously as a primary
source, taking the Bible literally in a lot of cases. There's very
much been from the pulpit and from everyone connected with the
leaving-the-Episcopal-Church-side that there is one way, there is one
truth and that they know what that one way and that one truth is… that
anyone [who] believes, says, [or] accepts the idea that anyone could
find truth in a religious life any way except through Jesus Christ in
this particular narrow revelation of him is not a Christian."

Because many members left St. Stephen's or didn't attend frequently,
some of them were declared ineligible to vote on either December 10 or
December 17, including Mahaffey's 21-year-old son.

Acknowledging that the pressures of college and work also kept him
away, Mahaffey said her son asked her a year ago: "Why would I want to
sit there and have to listen to being indoctrinated into leaving
something that I believe in?"

It is painful, she said, to have this example set for him.

Some have also questioned the ability of the parish's leadership to
hold the vote on two different days. Kirkpatrick said that many people
pushed to have the ballot boxes secured during the intervening days
and they were in fact held in the evidence room of the county
courthouse. A local paper featured a picture of the boxes being
brought back to the church on December 17.

After the vote was announced that day, Kirkpatrick said the rector
told the meeting that "he hoped that we continue as a congregation,
and that he wanted very much to be a pastor to everyone, whether they
voted yes or no, but that those of us who voted no should submit to
the will of the majority who had decided to leave the church."

Mahaffey said she's disappointed that the dispute came down to the
vote, which was 132-33 in favor of severing ties and 94-37 in favor of
trying to retain the church property. Those who opposed either motion
are not unanimous in their opinions about the Episcopal Church, she said.

"The bottom line of all of us that we can agree on is that it's not
worth what's going on here," she said.

When she moved to the area, Kirkpatrick, who has been an Episcopalian
for about 55 years, said she knew she was "more liberal in my
theology" than many of the friends she made.

"But we have all this time been a wonderful church where we might not
agree about things but we could talk about them, and grow and learn
from each other," she said. "I have grown a great deal here and I am
very, very grateful for the spiritual experience that I had at St.
Stephen's before all this happened."

Mahaffey agreed that St. Stephen's has "good, loving people."

"In many ways I feel that the back of St. Stephen's has been broken
and that neither side is going to be whole. We are now a broken
church. We are a broken parish. We are a broken family," she said. "It
could have all been prevented had what was promised to us in 2003 come
to fruition: that we work within the framework of the church to affect
change with things that we disagree . . . Now we're all going to have
to find a way to heal – both sides. But there is a loyal following of
Episcopalians at St. Stephen's and we don't want to be forgotten."

Northern California parish's ad about conflict in Episcopal Church
garners much reaction: Ad's objective was to broaden context of
neighboring rector's decision to leave

Episcopal News Service
By: Mary Frances Schjonberg
Posted: Monday, January 08, 2007

A full-page newspaper advertisement "meant to change the context" of
media coverage of the Episcopal Church appears to be meeting its goal,
according to the priest who wrote the ad's text.

The ad, titled "Sex, Religion, and the Culture Wars: An Open Letter to
the Community," ran on the back page of the local news section of the
January 7 issue of the Santa Rosa, California Press Democrat newspaper.

In the ad, under the sub-headline "Too Boring for the Culture Wars,"
the Rev. Matthew Lawrence, rector of Church of the Incarnation in
Santa Rosa, wrote that "sometimes the only Christians who receive
media attention are those who make the most noise with their extreme
views. Granted, they do provide entertainment value -- extremists are
fascinating. By contrast, most Episcopalians tend toward the boring
mainstream."

The ad is due to be posted on Church of the Incarnation's website
soon. < http://incarnation-sr.org >

Placement of the ad in the newspaper generated coverage by the Press
Democrat <
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070105/NEWS/701050305\
/1033/NEWS01
>
  and television stations in San Francisco and Santa Rosa, Lawrence said.

"What I'm proud of is that we got the media to change the context of
the story," he said. "Instead of it being a story about homosexuality
splitting the Episcopal Church, it became a story of how the majority
of Episcopal churches stand in affirmation of gays and lesbians
despite this one little church, and I think that shift in the context
of the story is really important and I'd love to see that happen in
other places."

In the ad, Lawrence wrote that "this letter is one local pastor's
attempt to shed some light on this overheated topic. I do not claim to
speak for every member of my church -- one thing we love about our
church is its diversity of opinions."

Lawrence told the Episcopal News Service that he got the idea for the
ad while talking to a reporter about the decision by the rector and
the majority of the members of St. John's Episcopal Church in nearby
Petaluma to leave the Episcopal Church.

As he talked to the reporter, Lawrence said: "It occurred to me that
the problem is that the vast majority of Episcopal churches are not
breaking away; that this isn't a huge issue for most of us. It's
really quite settled."

He said he thought about how the media "really amplifies the voice" of
the extreme sides of an issue and how "the moderate middle ground
doesn't get heard much."

Lawrence said he told his vestry that he was concerned that the
coverage of the Petaluma action would portray the Episcopal Church as
being split. He suggested to the vestry that they and he ought to "try
to balance the record, if you will, to try to make a statement that
this is not such a big controversy in the Episcopal Church as far as
we're concerned. It makes us sad that a couple of churches are leaving
but that doesn't represent the mainstream of Episcopal Church thinking."

The vestry agreed to spend the $1,800 the newspaper would charge for
the ad. He circulated a draft to some neighboring clergy for their
suggestions and the ad was published under his name.

Incarnation has a sign in its narthex saying it is a welcoming parish
but it is not known as being particularly activist, Lawrence said.

"It's not like we've made this a big issue in our lives, but it seemed
like it was about time," he added.

Incarnation has an average Sunday attendance of about 250, making it
the second-largest parish in the Diocese of Northern California. In
2005, its members pledged about $450,000.

"The response on Sunday from my congregation was absolutely stunning,"
he said. "I really did not expect them to be as enthusiastic and as
proud as they were."

The reaction overall has been "amazing," Lawrence said.

"I've been completely blown over. My inbox has got dozens of emails
from people who have written in to thank me for the letter," he said.
"It's running 10-1 in support of what I wrote."

In the ad, Lawrence wrote that "it is no coincidence that the few
Episcopalians who have left the church must travel to Africa, Asia,
and South America to find their support."

"Their sentiments do not fit well with an American constitution that
protects the rights of minorities against a tyranny of the majority,"
he wrote. "Episcopalians tend to accept as a 'given' the open-hearted
sensibilities of American democracy."

Readers of the advertisement are invited to a "candlelight evening
gathering of prayers and songs" on January 14, the eve of Martin
Luther King Day. The theme of the service will be "speaking out
against persecution and oppression."

"If you agree with the sentiments expressed in this letter, we invite
you and your loved ones to attend," Lawrence wrote in the ad.

The ad's conclusion lists -- with their phone numbers -- St. Patrick's
in Kenwood, St. Andrew's in Monte Rio, Holy Family in Rohnert Park and
St. Stephen's in Sebastapol, along with Church of the Incarnation as
being local Episcopal parishes that "support the direction taken by
our church to affirm gays and lesbians as equal partners in the
spiritual journey."

The ad also invited readers to comment on the letter by emailing
Lawrence or by contacting "your nearest welcoming Episcopal Church."

January 11, 2007
Pittsburgh pastor commits suicide in wake of TV probe
Dugan admitted to having sexual encounters with a man
by Evan Silverstein
PCUSA News Service

LOUISVILLE - A Presbyterian minister in Pittsburgh took his
own life late last year after learning that a local
television station was about to broadcast an expose on his
sex life that alleged illegal behavior.

The body of the Rev. Brent J. Dugan, 60, pastor of Community
Presbyterian Church of Ben Avon in suburban Pittsburgh, was
found Nov. 3 in a motel room in Mercer County, PA, located
about 60 miles north of Pittsburgh, according to local
newspaper reports.

The Mercer County coroner's office said Dugan died that day
of an overdose of alcohol and aspirin and ruled his death a
suicide, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said.

KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, which is owned and operated by CBS,
planed to air an investigation of Dugan in what the station
called "reports of public and illegal sexual behavior."

Dugan learned of the investigation after KDKA ran promos for
the scheduled broadcast, the Post-Gazette said. The
promotions, which did not identify Dugan, referred only to a
"local minister."

Dugan acknowledged in a letter he left behind for his
congregation, which he had pastored since 1988, that he had
occasional sexual encounters with a man who eventually
betrayed him by setting up a meeting at an adult bookstore
where KDKA-TV recorded him, according to the Post-Gazette.

The Post-Gazette said the reporter who conducted the
investigation explained during a broadcast that he had been
working on the piece for a month and had "uncovered illicit,
possibly illegal, activity by a local minister, activities
which at the very least violated the rules of his
denomination."

Ironically, the station decided the night before Dugan
killed himself not to air the story after it received
information from someone close to Dugan that indicated that
he was considering doing harm to himself, the Post-Gazette
said, adding that it was not clear if Dugan ever knew that
the station had decided not to run the segment.

A statement released by the session of Community
Presbyterian Church said, "we are a community in grief" over
Dugan's loss.

"As a favorite person to many of us, our beloved pastor is
now gone, and we will never understand all of the reasons
for his actions," the statement said. "But we will cherish
the many gifts he gave to us each week and each year as he
helped to make our lives full of the Word and grace of God."

The Rev. Jim Mead, pastor to Pittsburgh Presbytery, said in
a statement posted on the presbytery's Web site that "Brent
was and is deeply respected in this presbytery, known for
the fruit he bore in ministry, his caring and
thoughtfulness, and for his humble, missional leadership. He
was a very dear man."

Mead, who could not be reached for additional comment, read
the letter Dugan wrote to Community Presbyterian Church
during a Pittsburgh Presbytery meeting last month, according
to the Post-Gazette.

In the letter, Dugan apologized for the shame he believed he
had brought on the presbytery, the newspaper said. Dugan
said he had struggled with his sexuality all his adult life,
hoping to fall in love with a woman, but concluding he was
to devote his life only to his congregation, according to
the Post-Gazette.

Dugan said he did so until four years ago, when he became
close friends with a man who claimed to love him, and with
whom he had occasional sexual encounters, according to the
Post-Gazette. That man cajoled him into leaving specific
kinds of sexual fantasies on his answering machine, and then
betrayed him by setting up a meeting at an adult bookstore,
where KDKA-TV recorded him, Dugan wrote.

He urged his fellow pastors to renounce any sins they might
be tempted to commit and live pure lives. He also explained
that just before KDKA confronted him, he had accepted a call
to become pastor of a congregation in Northern California.

Dugan was a graduate of Edinboro College in Edinboro, PA;
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary; and Duquesne University in
Pittsburgh. Survivors include his mother, Joyce Lawson
(Dugan) Decker of Edinboro; and a brother, Brenda Petrick
Dugan of Cambridge Springs, PA.

Community Presbyterian church was formed in 1987 when Ben
Avon's two Presbyterian churches, Ben Avon Presbyterian
Church on Church Avenue and Woodland United Presbyterian
Church on Dickson Avenue, joined together due to declining
membership.

The Rev. Jean H. Henderson, interim pastor of Community
Presbyterian Church, said in a message she read at a
memorial service for Dugan that was later posted on the
church's Web site, that "forgiveness pours from our eyes and
our hearts and our mouths for you today, Brent. But peace in
our hearts? That will take a while, at least for me. Some of
us are having trouble forgiving ourselves that we couldn't
have prevented your suicide - that somehow we didn't hear
your silent screams and your masked loneliness. Peace will
come, Brent, maybe in the morning, maybe in the morning."

Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria, receives
death threat
Press Release from Changing Attitude
11 January 2007,  For immediate release

Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria, received a
hand-written letter delivered on 9 January 2006 to the location where
he is resident. The letter concludes with the threat to bathe Davis
Mac-Iyalla with acid unless he repents and is a final warning. Mr
Mac-Iyalla has already received four email threats, apparently from
the same source. The full text of the letter is printed below.

The letter was delivered during the night and found on Wednesday
morning. The letter notes that Mr Mac-Iyalla has not paid heed to the
numerous warnings and threats already issued. The writer or writers
have decided it is time to carry on with their action to redeem the
image of African Christian and moral values because Mr Mac-Iyalla's
very existence poses great danger to the youth of the Nigerian Church.
His total repentance and confession is demanded.

An email received before Christmas warned Mr Mac_Iyalla the he would
be used as a scapegoat to deter and teach others a bitter lesson
unless they separate themselves from such evil people.

The letter is anonymous, but ends with the title 'Save Africa against
same sex relationship'. The emails were identified as coming from Femi
Afolabi, save_ng_souls@....

There is no evidence that the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
is directly involved in the threats to Mr Mac-Iyalla's life. However,
whoever the individual or individuals are, they have the resources to
investigate the location of Mr Mac-Iyalla (which has never been made
public) and have travelled to deliver the letter and by implication,
to be physically present and able to carry out their threat. They see
themselves as emissaries expressing the views of the Church and
carrying out action appropriate to a gay member of the Anglican Church
of Nigeria.

Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria, said: "On
reading the letter, I felt immediately that my life was in great
danger and the person threatening me knows who I am and where I can be
found. I have felt very unsafe since the emails started to arrive, and
now fear for my life. I have been called by God to lead this work of
starting to change the attitude of my church, of which I am a faithful
member, and of lesbian and gay Anglicans in Nigeria. We will not be
intimidated by these threats. I continue to put all my faith in God
who has called me and protects me every day. I am committed to the
listening process and helping our supporters have confidence to tell
their story to the church."

"The church wants to threaten and bully me so that there will never be
any gay Nigerian Christian who is prepared to speak out. They may
dream that one day I will stand next to Archbishop Akinola and
publicly repent of being a sinner. I thought we lesbian and gay
Anglicans are the weak minority in Nigeria. I wonder how it has come
to pass that the church leaders are now so worried that they want to
destroy me. I am not ready to remain silent under these threats and
intimidation. I may be weak and fearful of the threats but I grow
stronger as time passes and I want to keep moving on and developing
the work of CAN."

The Revd Colin Coward, Director of Changing Attitude England, said:
"We are taking this death threat very seriously indeed. I am now even
more deeply concerned for Davis's safety and security. I believe the
threat is real."

"These people must be members of the Church of Nigeria who perceive Mr
Mac-Iyalla's very existence to be a threat to the Church. We urge
Archbishop Peter Akinola and Canon Akintunde Popoola, Director of
Communications for the church, to condemn this these threats to Davis'
life, and to help protect him by making it clear publicly that, as
Christian leaders, they abhor all violence against lesbian and gay
people, whether threatened or actual."

---------------

Text of the letter

5th January '07

Davis Mac-Iyalla, we told we see you but you don't see us. We greet
you but you don't know us. It has come to our notice that you don't
want to pay heed to our numerous warnings and threats and now we think
its about time to carry on with our action to redeem the image of
African christian and moral values - because your existence impose
great danger to our youths.

Accuse who you want or suspect who you like we don't really care what
you think or do, all we demand of you is total repentance and confession.

You who come from a reputable and decent family background has now
become a wonderer in the wilderness because of your stuborness.

We also know that your European friends are brainwashing you and using
you to achieve their mission in Nigeria and Africa.

This letter serves as a final warning to repent and be free or
continue and be bathed with acid.

From
Save Africa against same sex relationship

---------------------

For further information please contact:
Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director or Changing Attitude Nigeria
Tel. Mobile: +2348025866133
email davis@...

Revd Colin Coward, Director of Changing Attitude England
Tel.  Office: 01380 724908
Mobile: 07770 844302
email: colin@...

END

CHANGING ATTITUDE: WORKING FOR GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER
AFFIRMATION WITHIN THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION
www.changingattitude.org.uk
6 Norney Bridge
Mill Road
Marston
Devizes SN10 5SF

Legislation reflects range of young people's concerns
January 11, 2007
By Kathy L. Gilbert*

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (UMNS) - Young people from around the world
worked on legislation ranging from social issues to representation in
The United Methodist Church during a first ever global event held Dec.
28-Jan. 1.

"We got a lot accomplished for the voice of young people because a lot
of good legislation came from this gathering," said Katie Zilm, a
delegate from Song of Life United Methodist Church, Mesa, Ariz.

The Global Young People's Convocation and Legislative Assembly was
sponsored by the Division on Ministries with Young People, United
Methodist Board of Discipleship. The denomination's Book of Discipline
states that a global convocation of young people will meet every four
years "for the purpose of celebrating the mission and vitality of
young people in the United Methodist Church."

Voting delegates from the five jurisdictions of the United States and
from the seven central conferences in Africa, Asia and Europe
considered 44 pieces of legislation to send to the 2008 United
Methodist General Conference, which meets April 23-May 2, Fort Worth,
Texas.

General Conference, the denomination's top legislative assembly,
approved the creation of the Division on Ministries with Young People
at its last meeting, in 2004.

The legislation approved in Johannesburg was translated into French
and Portuguese, and in order to pass, had to receive a two-thirds
majority.

The two-thirds majority was important to Devin Mauney, a member of
Christ Church United Methodist, Tucson, Ariz.

"We wanted to accurately represent the voice of young people at this
convocation," he said. He noted there were two main streams of
legislation: young people's representation in the church and
statements on social issues.

Mauney serves on the United Methodist Commission on Communication.
Having strong young people's voices in the church's board and agencies
is important, he said. "I also appreciated the flexibility of the
legislation that said whenever possible we would like consideration
for appointive positions.

"On the other side we had a lot of statements on social issues," he
said. "We had one on war and peace that was very important. Young
people came out with a very strong voice on issues of homosexual
involvement in the church - what rights and privileges they have."

The youth passed legislation to ensure no person will be denied
membership or ordination in The United Methodist Church "because of
their differences." The denomination's Book of Discipline forbids the
ordination of self-avowed practicing homosexuals.

"The legislative process was full of youth and young adults and very
few 'mature' adults," said Nicki Spencer, a member of Theressa Hoover
United Methodist Church, Little Rock, Ark. "That was good."

Aarendy Gomez, a member of San Juan Mission Metodista Unida, Clanton,
Ala., agreed. "It was us that did all the legislation instead of the
adults."

Call for peace

The young people wrote a statement of concern on the human rights
situation in the Philippines, with the help of delegates from that
country.

In part, the statement says: "Human rights are in danger in the
Philippines. The image of God in every person is being assaulted in
many ways, including God's servants - bishops, pastors, deaconesses
and women, men and youth lay leaders. These prophet servants of God
have preached, with costly discipleship, the good news to the poor,
deprived and marginalized peoples of the Philippines."

The statement calls for United Methodist young people to pray for the
Philippines and to work with the United Methodist Youth and Young
Adult Fellowship in the country.

In another statement on war and peace, the young people said: "We are
those sent to the front lines of every war, by every nation and
organization which chooses to engage in war." The statement goes on to
say young people are "most affected by the insidiousness of war" while
having the least voice in decision making.

The statement affirms The United Methodist Church's stance on war and
peace as stated in the Social Principles, Paragraph 165, VI, Section C.

"We are the young people of The United Methodist Church. We affirm
God's clear call to be instruments of peace in all corners of the
world," the convocation said.

'Where we are headed'

In other action, the legislative assembly wrote a statement of concern
for poverty around the world; affirmed the church's campaign to
address malaria, "Nothing but Nets"; and called for $100,000 from
apportioned funds to be allocated to the United Methodist Global AIDS
Fund.

Additional legislation dealt with having youth and young adult
representation in the local church, annual conferences, jurisdictional
and central conferences, the Judicial Council and General Conference.

"We had an opportunity to sit down and talk with people with whom we
disagree," said Bryan Plummer, Tempe (Ariz.) First United Methodist
Church. "While we passed a lot of legislation that will be turned
down, I hope General Conference looks at this and sees where the
future of church leadership is. I hope we can start looking at ways
right now where we can reconcile where we are and where we are headed
as a church."

*Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in
Nashville, Tenn.

Groundbreaking conference gathers transgender Christian advocates
By Robert Marus
Published January 23, 2007
Associated Baptist Press

BERKELEY, Calif. (ABP) -- In an event organizers billed as the first
of its kind, about 40 transgender Christian leaders and their allies
joined counterparts from other faiths for a "Transgender Religious
Summit" Jan. 19-21 in California.

Sponsors said the meeting, hosted by the Pacific School of Religion in
Berkeley, was the second conference for the transgender religious
community -- and the first to be held at a Christian seminary. The
interdenominational school has students from multiple Christian
traditions and formal relationships with the United Church of Christ,
the United Methodist Church and the Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ).

While many moderate and progressive Christian denominations and other
religious groups have been engaged for decades in the debate over
homosexuality, transgender issues still remain on the edge of
Christian discourse. Most evangelical and conservative Christians
consider acceptance of transgender people to be outside orthodox and
traditional beliefs.

"Transgender" is a broad identity term, encompassing people who dress
and live as a different gender than the one assigned to them at birth,
those who have undergone partial or complete transformations to adopt
the physical attributes of a gender different than their genetic
gender, or people born with multiple or ambiguous sex organs.

Conference organizers said they aim to educate their faith communities
about special issues facing the transgender faithful.

"Transgender people of faith have a valuable perspective on our
national obsession with gender. They have struggled with the
unreasonable demands for conformity inherent in our collective life
yet have been able to discover a place of personal integrity," said
Erin Swenson, a transgender Presbyterian minister who spoke at the
conference, according to a press release from organizers. "They have
come to understand the balance between divine creation and the ongoing
responsibility that each of us has for our own self-creation."

The seminary's Center for Gay and Lesbian Studies in Religion and the
National Center for Transgender Equality co-sponsored the conference.
The press release noted that, even in liberal congregations and
denominations, issues related to transgender people can be quite
foreign to the church and ministers.

Attendees discussed ways to educate fellow believers about transgender
issues as well as the need for more worship and theological resources
inclusive of transgender believers.

Richard Lindsay, a spokesman for the conference, said the event was a
starting point. "The transgender religious community is a community
that's really in formation and that's really growing in its
understanding of itself," he said Jan. 23. "This is a movement that's
really coalescing at this point, so there will be more of these."

-30-

Central Texas Conference Reconciling United Methodists present

The Bible Says!  Or Does it?  The Prickly Issue Of Homosexuality

By Dr. John Holbert

10:00 AM
February 17, 2007
Glen Lake Camp, Glen Rose Texas
Registration starts at 9:30
Program begins at 10:00
$15.00 Person / $7.50 Student
Scholarships Available
RSVP by February 3, 2007


Schedule-Feb 17, 2006

9:30 Registration & Fellowship
10:00-10:15 Introductions and Announcements
10:15-12:00 Dr. John Holbert keynote address
12:00-12:45 Lunch (Included in program cost)
12:45-1:30 Q & A with Dr. Holbert
1:30-2:30 Small Group time
2:30-3:00 Small Group Reports
3:00-3:30 Action Opportunities
3:30 Closing Worship


Location:  Glen Lake Camp, Glen Rose Texas
Large Room in the Cafeteria Building

Who is invited?
Everybody is invited!

Do I need to RSVP?
Yes, please RSVP by Feb 3 if at all possible so that we can have an
accurate head count for lunch.


Help Us Spread The Word!
Call or email us to RSVP or for hardcopy brochures
Feel free to forward to like minded people

RSVP to:
John and Peggy Moore
505 Caduceus Lane
Hurst TX 76053
Phone: 817.268.3615
Email: johnmoore3018@...

Dr. Holbert is the Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics at
SMU.  His teaching specialties are Preaching, the Hebrew Bible, and
Literature and preaching.  His research interests are Preaching and
the Hebrew Bible, fiction and religion, and storytelling.  He's
published numerous books.  He's an Elder in the Central Texas Annual
conference, Co-editor of the journal Homiletic, and has been interim
senior minister at First UMC Fort Worth and Dallas.