UCC pastoral letter to LGBT community

A pastoral letter to our lgbt brothers and sisters, friends and allies

The following is a pastoral letter to our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) brothers and sisters, friends and allies. It has been prepared jointly by Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, Interim National Coordinator of the United Church of Christ (UCC) Coalition for LGBT Concerns, and Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer, Executive and Minister for LGBT Ministries in Wider Church Ministries of the UCC. Please read and distribute to others.

November 3, 2004

Dear Friends,

Grace to you and peace on this day after the election.

There is much that needs to be said. But we write, primarily, to let you know that you are not alone.

The past several months leading to this day have been both momentous and tortuous. We have been buoyed by a Supreme Court decision that abolished "sodomy laws" in this nation, by the Massachusetts Court decision and subsequent legal marriages, by the boldness of municipal officials in San Francisco, Oregon, Mew Mexico, and New York who authorized marriage licenses in their communities, and there have been countless other acts of courage and witness for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons and their families.

We've also endured an onslaught of political slander that has driven a wedge throughout our communities, debasing and devaluing our relationships in efforts to write discrimination into both federal and state constitutions. And today, we are faced with the reality that 12 states have enshrined bigotry and hate into their constitutions.

From Mike:

"For me it has been difficult to consistently shield myself from the personal dimensions of these attacks and I have found it to be, at times, a very painful process."

From Rebecca:

"I find myself moving between shock and anger. So much hatred, so much ignorance, so much fear."

We imagine that many of you are feeling some of these same emotions. There is much to grieve today.

From Mike:

"However, I want to share with you my vision. We knew going in to this election that regardless of the result, the holy work of justice and peace would still be before us. And through all the organizing and valiant efforts to make a difference we have succeeded to some degree, even though the outcome is not the one we desired.

"We must, I believe, claim our own victories through all of this. As a people of faith, we are called to keep the larger vision before us and know that where we have made new friends and created new partnerships in this mission, we have won important gains in our journey toward equality and justice. An issue worth fighting for is worth fighting and losing, and fighting and losing again and again, until we fight and win. So let us echo the confident words of the spiritual, 'We shall not give up the fight, we have only started.'"

From Rebecca:

"Today I am reminded of a powerful lesson Elsa Tamez, Latin American Biblical scholar, shared with me and others several years ago. She says, "Imagine if you will, the women and John, standing at the foot of the cross, witnessing first Jesus' dying and, finally, his death. There they stood—companions with him in life; co-creators of this movement of extravagant welcome, healing and justice; fellow dreamers of the kin-dom of God come near to earth—and now they were witnesses to his death.

"They were devastated. And all they could do was bear witness. All they could do was look upon his death. All they could do was wait.

"But Elsa went on to remind us that the verb in Spanish for 'wait' is ‘esperar.’ To wait is ‘esperar.’ To sit, to witness, to take in, to realize. But ‘esperar’ is much more than that. ‘Esperar’ is also to hope.

"When we are called by God to be bearers of justice and healing and radical love, we WILL also be called to be witnesses to crucifixions. We WILL be called to be witnesses to losses and defeats and hatred. But those of us who are called to ‘esperar’ are called beyond crucifixion to resurrection. We are called beyond the realities of defeat to God's promised kin-dom."

And so together we write to thank you all. Thank you for your hard work, your love, your support, your stick-to-it-ness, your gifts of time, talent and energy, your prayers and your faith. "God IS turning the page!" as our sister, Yvette Flunder has said, and it is a joy to be on that page with you. We praise and thank God for you and are confident in the hope that does not disappoint. For if it is God's will, then there is nothing in heaven or earth that can stop it. Let us continue to be vigilant, creative in our efforts, just in all our actions and loving through all we do to make of our churches and our world the open and affirming, multi-racial, multi-cultural, just peace, accessible to all communities of mission God calls us to be.

Blessings and peace to you all,

Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer
Minister for LGBT Ministries
UCC Wider Church Ministries

Rev. Rebecca Voelkel
Interim National Coordinator
UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns

[LGBT Letter, 3 November 2004, at the United Church of Christ web site]