CONNECTIONS
UPUMC
• Thinking About Joining UPUMC? Adult Sunday School Class begins Sunday, May 7, 11:30am, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Education committee meets with lunch, Sunday, May 7, 12:45pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Staff-Parish Relations Committee meets Monday, May 8, 6:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Administrative Council meets Monday, May 8, 7:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Outreach Committee meets Tuesday, May 9, 7:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.

THE COMMUNITY
• Benefit Concert for the North Portland Tool Library at the White Eagle, 836 N Russell. 50% of proceeds go to the NPTL. Wednesday, May 10, 5pm-1am.

THE LARGER CHURCH
• Oregon-Idaho Reconciling United Methodists gather Saturday, May 13, 10am-2pm, Potluck lunch, Lebanon UMC, Lebanon, OR. Finalizing Annual conference presence.
• Pioneer UMC Style Show/Luncheon/Tea, Saturday, May 20, 1pm. Tickets $8. Reservations: 503-286-2105
• Sing Out, Speak Up for Justice, Christ the Reconciler UMC, Sunday, May 21, 2:30pm, Sunnyside Grange Hall, SE 132nd and Sunnyside Drive.

FUTURE EVENTS, FOR YOUR CALENDAR
• St Johns Parade, Saturday, May 13, begins at noon.
• The Laramie Project at Southridge High School, May 26 and 27 $7. www.southridgetheatre.org
• Children’s Sunday School goes to Camp, Wednesday-Saturday, August 16-19, Suttle Lake Camp. See note.
• Third Annual All-Church Retreat at Camp Magruder on the Oregon Coast, Friday-Sunday, September 15-17, 2006.

WEEKLY AT UPUMC
• Choir practices Sundays at 9:30am, Tuesdays at 6:00pm, Sanctuary.
• Men’s Group, Tuesdays, 10am, Narthex.
• Alcoholics Anonymous, Narthex, Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays at 8pm, weekly.
• Overeaters Anonymous, Wednesdays at 7pm, Saturdays at 3pm.
PLEASE DON’T GO HUNGRY. WE HAVE FOOD IN OUR PANTRY, LOCATED IN THE HALLWAY LEADING TO ERROL STEPHENSON HALL, TAKE WHAT YOU NEED.

THE NURSERY IS STAFFED DURING WORSHIP FOR CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN SCHOOL AGE. SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN ARE INVITED INTO THE SANCTUARY UNTIL THE ‘PASSING OF THE PEACE’; THEN THEY GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL.

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Cooper's Corner
Occasional Memo


We are, of course, hurt and sickened but not surprised by the refusal of the Judicial Council to reconsider its earlier action assenting to the refusal of a pastor to allow a gay man to join a United Methodist Church. The majority on the Council were obviously stung by the backlash over this decision, calling those of us who felt that the majority had overstepped its bounds by interpreting a part of the Book of Discipline that wasn't there(!) 'cavalier'. At the same time in a later paragraph, the Fateful Five indicated that they have deep respect for those who opposed its decision. The statement, which many of you have read by now, is defensive in tone, self-righteous in spirit, and clearly a damningly revealing reflection of the biased closed-mindedness of the majority on the Judicial Council of the denomination with 'Open minds.....'.

This decision of the Judicial Council will prove to be a landmark decision in the corporate life of our denomination. It is a p art of the history of the United Methodist Church, it is a defining moment in the present, and it will prove to haunt us in the generations ahead long after, pray God, it is overturned, as one of the more shameful moments in our legacy.

Who was the author (and I show my ignorance here) who said something like, 'the past is never behind us. It isn't even ever the past!' All of our life experiences are connected the one to the other and it isn't as easy as it seems to 'move on and leave the past behind you.' Perhaps it isn't even possible. Our lives and our memories of our experiences are not linear, but are composed of those experiences in life which make up the essence of who we have become and are becoming because of them.

Yes, of course, we must move ahead now and keep the cause of justice for all people ever more present in the life of our church, wherever we are and whatever God has called us to be doing in these moments. But it is also necessary to mou rn, to grieve, to experience the anger and the disappointment as well. Turning from this too soon will only push our feelings and emotions down and they will become a part of our souls,
leaving us with growing sarcasm and cynicism.

Progressives are by nature activists to one degree or another. Our focus is often outward rather than inward sometimes to the neglect of our inner life. In this moment in our life experiences as progressive United Methodists, I urge us to take care of our souls.

Spend time in prayer, in whatever form you pray. Spend time with friends and colleagues. When you feel like giving up, know that the cause of justice is never without its advocates. It is not solely dependent upon you. It is okay for you to take a temporary rest when you are tired. Your progressive soul will not let you stand idle for long! Neither will your friends and allies allow you to retreat beyond what is right and good for your spirit.

We need also to stay i n reality. Neither a sense of doom or a sense of denial is in order. The task before us is daunting but not hopeless. We are not alone. The future is on the side of those who fight for inclusion. Often the greatest progress is made in the Church and in society after what seems to be apparent as a defeat that is a harbinger of the future. .

Most of all, let us never forget who we are and whose we are. Let us stay focused upon the one who taught us how to live. Let us stay in tune with the one who taught us what it means truly to give his all to bring about the Kin-dom. Let us keep our ears and our hearts open to the one who still says to us in our time, 'Follow thou me.'

The South Africans had a little song that they sang during the struggle against apartheid. It was simple and to the point. 'Never give up, never give up, never give up, no never give up. Never, never, never, never---never no never give up.'

Stay in touch with yourself, with one another, with God . Stay focused on what is real and committed to what is true. Be well in body and soul. Never give up. Never. Never. Never.

Your brother,

Chuck Cooper, President
Oregon-Idaho Chapter
Methodist Federation for Social Action

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CONNECTIONS
UPUMC
• All-church potluck and forum, featuring Rev. Ron and Diane Ray, former pastoral family and missionaries in Kenya, Sunday, April 30, 11:30am, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Thinking About Joining UPUMC? Adult Sunday School Class begins Sunday, May 7, 11:30am, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Education committee meets with lunch, Sunday, May 7, 12:45pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Staff-Parish Relations Committee meets Monday, May 8, 6:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Administrative Council meets Monday, May 8, 7:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Outreach Committee meets Tuesday, May 9, 7:30pm, Errol Stephenson Hall.

THE COMMUNITY
• North Portland Candidate Forums co-hosted by UPUMC and the Portsmouth Neighborhood Association, Tuesday May 2, 7-9pm, UPUMC sanctuary. Childcare will be provided.
• Rally to Save Dafur, Pioneer Courthouse Square, Sunday, April 30, 1:30-3pm.

THE LARGER CHURCH
• Oregon-Idaho Reconciling United Methodists gather Saturday, May 13, 10am-2pm, Potluck lunch, Lebanon UMC, Lebanon, OR. Finalizing Annual conference presence.

FUTURE EVENTS, FOR YOUR CALENDAR
• St Johns Parade, Saturday, May 13, begins at noon.
• The Laramie Project at Southridge High School, May 26, 27 and 28, $7. www.southridgetheatre.org
• Children’s Sunday School goes to Camp, Wednesday-Saturday, August 16-19, Suttle Lake Camp. See note.
• Third Annual All-Church Retreat at Camp Magruder on the Oregon Coast, Friday-Sunday, September 15-17, 2006.

WEEKLY AT UPUMC
• Choir practices Sundays at 9:30am, Tuesdays at 6:30pm, Sanctuary.
• Men’s Group, Tuesdays, 10am, Narthex.
• Alcoholics Anonymous, Narthex, Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays at 8pm, weekly.
• Overeaters Anonymous, Wednesdays at 7pm, Saturdays at 3pm.
PLEASE DON’T GO HUNGRY. WE HAVE FOOD IN OUR PANTRY, LOCATED IN THE HALLWAY LEADING TO ERROL STEPHENSON HALL, TAKE WHAT YOU NEED.

THE NURSERY IS STAFFED DURING WORSHIP FOR CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN SCHOOL AGE. SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN ARE INVITED INTO THE SANCTUARY UNTIL THE ‘PASSING OF THE PEACE’; THEN THEY GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL.

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75 LGBT Clergy speak to the United Methodist Church!

Special Flashnet! Wednesday, March 19, 2006

The Reconciling Ministries Network Digest

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RMN MISSION STATEMENT: Reconciling Ministries Network is a national grassroots organization that exists to enable full participation of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in the life of the United Methodist Church, both in policy and practice.

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Reconciling Friends,

75 of our LGBT Clergy have come together to issue a letter to the United Methodist Church. As you learned in Sunday School, it is the people who make up the Church. We are seeking your help in furthering the spread of this letter until it reaches everyone in the UMC.

We have sent out a Press Release and the Letter itself to national media and interested groups. We hope that it will be picked up and publicized.

Please read the Press Release and the actual Letter below. Then send it to your local newspaper and media, your Annual Conference leaders and newspaper, and your own pastor and congregation.

We believe the list of 75 will grow as more of our pastoral leaders learn of its message and wish to be included.

Sue Laurie
RM Network
Ph: (773) 736-5536

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PRESS RELESASE Contacts:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Susan Laurie
773.736.5526
Rev. Troy Plummer
773.315.9225

Letter from 75 UMC Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Clergy Notes Defrocking Fears yet a Continued Commitment to Service

On Eve of UMC Judicial Council, Clergy Insists On Inclusion of LGBT Community and Say Hundreds Still Serve Silently in Church

(Chicago – April 18, 2006) —In an unprecedented move and at great personal risk 75 United Methodist Church (UMC) lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) clergy issued a letter to UMC church leaders today seeking full inclusion in the life of the church and outlining their deep fear of coming out of the closet because, like Beth Stroud, they will be stripped of their ordination credentials. The letter also reaffirmed their commitment to serve the Church.

The 75 signatories were collected by the Reconciling Ministries Network. The list includes clergy from every jurisdiction in the UMC and represents a unified voice of hundreds of others who serve the church in silence at all levels.

The letter is released exactly one week before the Judicial Council meets in the Kansas City area to continue to interpret Church policy. Last October, the Judicial Council, which acts as the church’s supreme court, ruled in favor of a pastor who withheld church membership vows to an openly gay man. The decision has erupted a firestorm of controversy in the denomination. At next week’s meeting, the Judicial Council will decide whether or not to revisit the case.

“For 35 years the UMC has been on a slow but steady course to exclude LGBT people from the life of the church as a whole,� Rev. Troy Plummer, a minister based in Chicago said quoting from the letter. “Many in our denomination support this dismembering of Christ’s Body. Yet even while our sister Beth Stroud was stripped of her ordination credentials, hundreds of LGBT clergy continue to serve the church faithfully at every level of leadership.�

The 75 clergy reminded United Methodists that “you are the church that opened our minds and hearts to God’s irrevocable call into ministry.� Serving the church at every level, they “have embodied God's presence in worship and in your lives, blessing your marriages, responding to midnight calls, holding your hands, wiping your tears, and laying your precious loved ones to rest.�

The Methodist denomination has been wrestling with the issue of homosexuality since 1972, when it declared homosexuality “incompatible with Christian teaching.� Since that time, legislation has been passed preventing the ordination of “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals.� The ban against homosexuals extended from clergy to the laity when an October 2005 Judicial Council ruling allowed a pastor to withhold membership vows from a gay man.

"This letter represents hundreds of clergy from around the United States who are giving their heart and soul to the United Methodist Church and its ministry through work in local congregations and specialized settings,� said Dr. Joretta Marshall, chair of the Reconciling Ministries Network. “Their voices and experiences are silenced out of fear of losing their standing in the church and, as a result, fear of losing their ability to respond to the call of God for their lives. It is a tragedy that so many good pastoral leaders have to hide and live in fear when they have gifts and graces in abundance to share."

While the debates around homosexuality will continue in the church, the signers of the letter emphatically state that “even with the most restrictive legislation, LGBT people will still be raised up through the UMC's Sunday School and youth programs. They will hear God’s voice calling them into ministry, and Boards of Ordained Ministry will continue to find them called and gifted candidates, regardless of their sexual orientation.�

The Reconciling Ministries Network is a grassroots organization that works to enable full participation of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in the life of the UMC. The full text of the letter appears below, although the names of the 75 signers will remain private to protect and preserve their ministries.

Additional clergy are welcomed to confidentially add to the number of signers in a secure way. For instructions on how to do so, contact Jennifer Soule, Attorney At Law, at 312-616-4422 (indicate "RMN confidential respondent" when calling).

# # #

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All Who Find Religion Strange
Psalm 118; Mark 16:1-8
April 16, 2006
By Rev. Dr. Jeanne Knepper

Christ has risen and forever lives to challenge and to change all whose lives are messed and mangled, all who find religions strange. Christ is risen, Christ is present, making us what he has been—evidence of transformation in which God is known and seen.

Oh, there are so many longing for that evidence, evidence that God is real and present in this messed and mangled world, so many who twist in the hard space between strange religions that demand impossible beliefs and a terrifying and lonely emptiness. Singer Libby Roderick has captured that longing in her lyrics:

I wish I still believed in angels hovering somewhere in the air
Living just to do for humans what the humans do not dare
I wish I felt them all around me when the pain comes bursting through
I wish I still believed in angels, but I still believe in you.

For all of those who find religion strange, and I know that includes some of us, we might be the only evidence they see of a transformation in which God can be known and seen.

But let me tell you a story, a story of death and resurrection, a story of Theresa. When I first met Theresa, she only had a couple “good hours� a day. The rest of the time she slept, recovering from an illness that had nearly killed her. She was a bright, engaging woman, and over time, as she recovered more of her energy, she told me a good deal of her story.

Theresa was a chiropractor who had also trained in massage therapy. A virus spread through the practice where she worked with others. Most of her co-workers were sick for a while and then recovered. So did Theresa, partly. But then she passed out, entered a coma she would stay in for weeks, caused when the virus attacked her pancreas, shutting down insulin production. Theresa, who had not been a diabetic before the illness, spent those months in a diabetic coma, hovering between life and death.

As she told me of her experiences of that time, she used language I’d read elsewhere, spoken by others who had what we call “near death� experiences. She talked of a warm and loving light, and of being in the presence of Jesus, of feeling a tremendous warm love that surrounded and assured her, then told her she had living yet to do.

Theresa was not a religious woman before her experience, but she came out of it with a profound trust in God. At the center of everything, she knew, she truly knew, was a deep and abiding love. Although she came back to her healthy self slowly, and had many challenges that her disability and profound lack of energy caused, she did not lose heart. Beyond all trouble, beyond all economic challenges, beyond all disability and struggle with a mind that had been starved for oxygen, beyond all of that, Theresa knew that there was a God, a God of love more profound than anything she could explain. And the knowledge of that love made everything else okay, even when it wasn’t. Theresa could trust God. It was enough.

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