The preacher at the Inaugural Prayer Service did a great job

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

I. didn't. like. that. she. sometimes. spoke. like. this.

But it was a very inclusive, inspiring message. I liked it.

[Beaverhausen]

1. Are you talking about Sharon Watkins? I thought she was great

I'm not a believer, but I'd go to her church. She is an example of a "good" christian.

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

2. me too (go to her church, im christian)

[Rainbowreflect]

3. I am a member of the Disciple of Christ church too.

My brother has worked with Rev. Watkins and really likes and admires her.

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

4. She seems very inclusive. Is Disciple of Christ a liberal denomination?

[Rainbowreflect]

5. Yes, it is.

My church has a female minister, who we met at a peace rally, and gay members of our church. And I live in a very red state.

[Irishonly]

10. Our church has a female pastor also

We have gay members also and many of our members are very active in protests against the invasion and social issues.

[dsc]

6. yes and no

It is a very decentralized denomination that has many liberal churches. But there are many very conservative denominations as well. It is a racially mixed church but some of the churches are still segregated and the black disciples churches are often quite conservative doctrinally. On edit put some of before the churches.

[Critters2]

7. Actually, the first integrated church I ever attended was my grandparents' DOC

church in Rantoul, IL. We worshiped there often when I was a child, and it was an important learning experience for me. There were AA kids in the Sunday School classes, and AA adults in the leadership of the church. My grandparents were very close to some of the AA families in that church. Probably the most integrated church I've ever seen, because it always seemed effortless for them.

I wish the UCC and DOC would just merge already!!

[dsc]

8. I don't think they ever will now

The UCC went entirely open and affirming which cost them denominations in my part of the country. Some Disciples churches would also leave over that issue.

[Critters2]

9. The UCC is decentralized, too. General Synod can't tell local churches what to do.

Decisions about being Open and Affirming are made by local congregations. Some are, most aren't. Yet.

[dsc]

11. that isn't what was reported in this area

It was a big deal with some fairly large Raleigh and Virginia UCC congregations deciding to stop being UCC over it. I had given the UCC major props for this and guess I have to take them back somewhat.

[Critters2]

12. No judicatory in the UCC--General Synod, Conferences, Associations,

can tell another judicatory what to do. So, General Synod affirmed marriage equality, and encouraged congregations to do the same. But it has no power to make them do it. The media reported it as if it were canon law, like it would be for Methodists or Presbyterians. But our structure doesn't work that way. But once General Synod, which is a representative body, makes a decision, local congregations will often consider the issue seriously.

We still deserve some props. We were the first Christian denomination to ordain a gay pastor...Bill Johnson in 1972.

[dsc]

13. ah, not quite but close

the MCC did that but it is church for gay folk so that might not really count. You do deserve major props though for being as open as you are.

[Critters2]

14. From the UCC website:

1972

The UCC's Golden Gate Association ordains the first openly gay person as a minister in a mainline Protestant denomination: the Rev. William R. Johnson. In the following three decades, General Synod urges equal rights for homosexual citizens and calls on congregations to welcome gay, lesbian and bisexual members.

[dsc]

15. I don't think the MCC is considered a mainline Protestant Denomination

but we are a Protestant church. It formed in 1968 and had gay ministers from the get go. Technically the UCC was the second Protestant denomination to ordain a gay minister.

http://www.mccchurch.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=About_Us&Template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=662#Intro

[Critters2]

16. Really, though, it goes without saying that the MCC would have gay clergy.

The trick, it seems to me, is to get straight people to approve the ordination of a gay man. In 1972, that was an accomplishment.

[dsc]

17. true

you may have even had gay clergy before we had straight clergy.