Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 22:12:46 -0500 From: Jim Bailey Subject: Media advisory: Soulforce plans protest at Episcopal convention July 4th MEDIA ADVISORY Contact the Rev. Dr. Mel White (949)233-3592 June 26, 2000 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OPEN LETTER FROM SOULFORCE TO THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH USA To Our Sisters and Brothers in the Episcopal Church USA, We at Soulforce acknowledge gratefully that the ECUSA is far ahead of most Christian denominations on issues pertaining to God's gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered children. From the beginning of this tragic debate, Episcopal bishops, priests, and laity have taken courageous and costly stands for full inclusion of sexual and gender minorities. However, like you, we are painfully aware that there are fundamentalist forces working within the Anglican Communion in this country and abroad that would turn your entire denomination against us. We hope that Bishops and Deputies will not be swayed by these dangerous and regressive voices nor by the toxic rhetoric of Lambeth and Oporto. Whatever you decide in Denver, the hearings themselves will have tragic consequences. Every press release from Denver, every radio or television story, every newspaper or newsmagazine account that gives the fundamentalist forces another chance to repeat their false and inflammatory rhetoric contributes to discrimination, suffering and even death. In fact, the verdict is in. You know in your heart that homosexuality is neither a sickness nor a sin, that sexual minorities serve Christ and the Episcopal Church with courage and commitment. Will you allow those who ignore the scientific, historic, pastoral, personal, and even biblical evidence to win the day? That this debate has not been ended and may even be postponed for another three years breaks the heart of Christ. For that reason, Soulforce will be in Denver on July 4, 2000. From 1 p.m. we will stand in silent vigil as bishops and deputies arrive for their 2:00 p.m. "Opening Session." At 1:30 p.m. we will hold a press conference to thank Episcopal bishops, clergy, and laity who have led the way to full acceptance. At the same time, we will state clearly the great injustices being suffered by sexual and gender minorities at the hands of other Episcopal leaders and remind the media of the tragic consequences of this endless debate. At 1:45 p.m., we will kneel at an isolated exit for a Pray-In for the ECUSA and for the men and women who will decide its future. We invite bishops and deputies to speak at the press conference and even to join us in our act of civil disobedience. While we are praying, the Denver Police will warn us that we are an unlawful assembly. We will be arrested, booked, and fined. Your Convention will not be disrupted or disturbed by Soulforce. Our goal is to win minds and hearts through voluntary redemptive suffering. We're hoping the Denver Police will simply arrest us, book us, and charge us a small fine; but whatever it costs in jail time, fines or court costs, we will pay it to get our message out: THIS DEBATE MUST END! THE SUFFERING HAS GONE ON FAR TOO LONG! WE ARE GOD'S CHILDREN, TOO! We are aware of the concern voiced by some Episcopalians that our presence in Denver might jeopardize the delicate balance of progress for the LGBT community which has been made over the years. We appreciate and respect this position and assure you that we will do nothing to disrupt your hearings or alarm your bishops or deputies. While our allies are working for change on the inside, we will be on the outside saying to our GLBT sisters and brothers, never again will we allow this debate to continue (let alone be postponed) without taking our stand against it. It bears repeating: The debate itself has become the source of suffering. Whatever you decide, it is too late for millions who have turned from the church in anger and grief during these past decades of polite (and not-so-polite) debate. Gandhi says it clearly: "It is as much our moral obligation NOT to cooperate with evil as it is to cooperate with good." By allowing this debate to continue or by postponing it for a "more convenient day," we are cooperating with evil. If we err in taking this stand, we hope you will forgive us. We do it because we love Christ's body too much to allow it to continue as the primary source of suffering for our sisters and brothers. Once again, we invite you to join us. Take your stand in Denver. Go home with a civil rights misdemeanor on your record and the joy of doing justice in your heart. Sincerely, Mel White, Co-Chair PS: If you are even considering joining us in Denver (for the press conference and/or the civil disobedience) please sign up on the web at www.soulforce.org. That will get you on a temporary email list that will keep you informed every step of our Journey to Denver. A registration form is posted on the website. SPEND THE HOLIDAY WITH SOULFORCE IN DENVER July 4, 2000 Train in Nonviolence Picnic in the Park Stand Vigil at the Episcopal General Convention Get Arrested Go to Jail Get Out in Time For the Fireworks Celebrate Your Independence Day Doing Justice THE INVITATION TO A JULY 4 PICNIC IN THE PARK: Sisters and Brothers, For three decades we've waited patiently for Protestant and Catholic Church leaders to end their policies against sexual and gender minorities. Those same policies lead to discrimination, suffering, and even death. We cannot wait patiently any longer! On Tuesday morning, July 4, Bishops and Deputies of the Episcopal Church representing 2.5 million members and 7,500 parishes and missions in the U.S.A. will gather in the Denver Convention Center to begin their 73rd General Convention. We respect their First Amendment Right to gather and we will not disrupt their meetings in anyway. In fact, many who enter the Center that afternoon will be our friends in the struggle for equal rights. At a press conference at 1:30 p.m. we will thank those Episcopalians who have led the way to full acceptance. At the same time we will protest the great injustices suffered by sexual and gender minorities at the hands of other Episcopal leaders. And we will remind the media of the tragic consequences of this endless debate. At 1:45 p.m., the police will warn us that we are an unlawful assembly and arrest those who stay to pray. On May 10, in Cleveland, Ohio, at a similar United Methodist event, 191 Soulforce volunteers were arrested in an act of spiritual resistance. On June 14, 100 Soulforcees held a Pray-In at the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando. Thirty-five were arrested. Sunday, June 25, 2000 we gathered in protest at the Presbyterian General Assembly in Long Beach. July 4, we're going to Denver. Spend the summer with Soulforce. Put your body on the line. Tell the nation's religious leaders: THIS DEBATE MUST END. THE SUFFERING HAS GONE ON TOO LONG. WE ARE GOD'S CHILDREN, TOO! We are working closely with the Denver Police Department to be sure our July 4 direct action is safe and non-disruptive. At this point it looks like those who are arrested will be given a summons (like a parking ticket) and be released. You may pay your fine by mail. Or you can support us and not be arrested, and even change your mind either way at the last minute. If you sign up, we will keep you posted each step of the way. But you must be trained. Learn the full details at our training session, 8:30 - 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 4, at the St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 16th & Ogden. We will provide a Fourth of July Picnic Lunch and then move together to the press conference and direct action at the Convention Center at 12:30 p.m. If you are interested in learning more, <> today. The training is free and you are not obligated to join us even after being trained. But you must be trained and sign a pledge to nonviolence written by Dr. King in 1963. Gandhi and King both remind us that we were "created to do justice" and that until we have taken one step in that direction we will never know the real power and purpose of our lives. Join us. Get a civil rights misdemeanor on your record and the joy of doing justice in your heart. Jimmy Creech, Soulforce Chairman of the Board Kate Bishop, National Co-Chair for Soulforce Journey to Denver Carol White and Judith Nelson, Local Co-Chairs, Journey to Denver Mel White, Co-Founder, Soulforce SOULFORCE, P.O. Box 4467, Laguna Beach, CA. 92652 P: (949) 455-0999 F: (949) 455-0959 RevMel@aol.com www.soulforce.org