Join the Reconciling Witness at Denver Judicial Council Meetings

For background information, please read Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell's post, "Judicial Council's Review of Retired Clergy Performing Same-Gender Weddings." The Judicial Council will also be hearing arguments to reconsider Decision 1032.

Witness Location:

UMC Judicial Council
Embassy Suites Hotel -- Denver
Thursday, April 23, 2009

Dear Friends,

As some of you may know, the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church is meeting this week/end in Denver.  Among other things, they will hear arguments to reconsider Decision 1032 which basically allows a pastor to decide whether or not someone may join the church--a decision that arose out of one pastor's decision to exclude a gay man from joining the church.  As people of the open hearts, minds and doors...this is NOT ok.  The Judicial Council will reconsider this decision as part of their spring meeting.

We'd like to show up and bear witness to our belief that "ALL MEANS ALL." We want them to know we are praying for them and urging them to help the church live fully into its mission to be OPEN.  And as visitors to our city, we want to welcome them with Christian hospitality to Denver and the Reconciling Methodists that fill our churches.

Here are the plans:

10:00 a.m. Thursday, April 23rd
Embassy Suites Hotel
4444 Havana St (just north of I-70 on Havana)

Please go first to the Reconciling Ministries hospitality area which is the restaurant area of the hotel.  We will meet here at 9:30 a.m. to touch base, pray for the council members, and our witness.  Iliff students will bring some signs and I'll have keys for us to carry with us (a gift from the NY conference) to symbolize that all (should) hold the keys to membership in the UMC. The open session begins at 10:00 a.m.  You're welcome to attend the open session, and you are invited to stay around during the closed session.  Stay and pray.  Let them see the rainbows as they head out to lunch or for breaks.  We have the hospitality area for the day; you're welcome to stay as long as you like.

Here's what you can do:

Show up--this is a witness of presence most of all.

Wear your rainbow stoles clergy!  Wear your RMN t-shirts/buttons/pins. RM Network people, bring your stoles from Convo.  Bring extras.

Bring a sign to hold up outside the room or outside the hotel.

Wear a smile. Pray for the Council. Welcome them. Pray for our Church.

We need a photographer!!! Who would like to attend and take pictures of the day's events?

Send this out to people you know! Ask your clergy to attend. Ask your laity to attend. The more people, the stronger our presence.

Please contact me directly if you have questions or would like to lend a hand.  Please let me know if you're planning to be there!  If anything changes between now and Thursday I'll send another e-mail.  Let's make sure the JC knows the Reconciling Ministries presence here in Denver representing our connection around the world.

Peace,
Mariah Hayden

Please pass this on!!

Rev. Mariah Hayden
Grant Avenue UMC
revmariah@gmail.com