Dear FUMCOG family,
Included in this e-mail is a message from members of Beth Stroud's FUMCOG support group, who have details to share about activities the week of Beth's trial.
In addition, a special prayer service will be held at FUMCOG on Sunday, November 28, 2004, at 5 p.m., and will include communion. This time of prayer will strengthen and encourage us for the following week. Please plan to join us.
As we come to this place that we have been anticipating for more than a year, let's be in prayer for Beth and for our vision of a church that is inclusive of all God's people.
Fred Day, Melody Porter, and Beth Stroud
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Dear FUMCOG Friends,
As you know, Beth Stroud will be facing a church trial very soon; she has been charged with "practices declared by the United Methodist Church to be incompatible with Christian teaching" because of sharing honestly about her sexual orientation, and could possibly have her ordination taken away from her. For all of FUMCOG and friends, it will be important to have a chance to support Beth at this trial, which will take place at Camp Innabah, in Northern Chester County.
Therefore, in addition to the invitation to join the poster-making party after church on the next two Sundays (at FUMCOG, exact location to be announced), we are sending you:
An invitation . . .
To stand outside in December,
to pray, to sing,
to hold signs, to warm one another like good casseroles,
to be present for Beth and bear witness to the faith.
December 1, 2 and possibly 3
At Camp Innabah, (45- 50 minutes by car from FUMCOG)
Time - 9:30 am until about 4 or 5. These times may change.
Carpooling is strongly encouraged. Directions will be posted. We will keep a list of offer a ride/want a ride if you can't make your own arrangements. If folks would prefer to take public transportation, there is also a good chance we may be able to meet commuter trains at the Paoli or Downingtown stations, which are convenient to Innabah. Schedules will be posted soon.
Regarding getting inside to actually watch part of the trial. There will be sections reserved for Beth's family, for church officials and for the press. Aside from that, we know that the trial will be open to the public, but we don’t yet know how the remaining seats will be allocated.
We do have information that the hate groups will be there, and that will be uncomfortable. We will not engage them, or try to shout them down in any way, but we will be there, present, to provide a different face of Christian Witness.
Please e-mail Anne Ewing (annec.ewing@verizon.net) for any further information, or to let her know you are coming and what you might need.
Anne Ewing, Melody Porter, Jerry Rardin, and Nancy Tkacs |
