So, there is this dilemma. I have found myself become the Chair of the Reconciling Ministries Committee, largely because I bitched too much that the previous Chair had done little, and seemed rather too squeamish with suggestions that I had made regarding trolling gay leather bars for potential converts. With these new responsibilities thrust upon my shoulders, I sought refuge in boning up (forgive me Jesus, for I have sinned) on Robert’s Rules of Order. I am frequently the first to comp;ain that, when a motion has been moved and seconded, that we do not actually vote on the fucking motion, before it is approved. Yet, I, myself, am no parliamentarian. I would rather just talk about things, and try to act more like a think tank than a committee. (Recall, if you will, that a zebra is a horse designed by a committee.) I would prefer that our group designation be changed to Reconciling Ministries Think Tank. That having been said, let us proceed to think.
I would be remiss if I did not neither mention nor consider the fact that churches in general are dying a slow death. The older members are dying. The newer (potential) members are indifferent. We live in a world in which many sources attempt to ridicule any belief in God, a superior being that watches over us all, Jesus Christ, The Holy Ghost, or Allah. George Carlin spoke on Religion and God:
being as nasty as he could be about the belifs of Christians.Lawrence Ferlinghetti reciting his own parody of the Lord’s prayer in The Last Waltz: To great applause, Ferlinghetti insults all those who are believers. What neither Ferlinghetti nor Carlin can insult is the sentiment expressed by John Wesley:
Do all the good you can.
By all the means you can.
In all the ways you can.
In all the places you can.
At all the times you can.
To all the people you can.
As long as ever you can.
So, with regards to Wesley’s admonitions, how can we do good in reference to LGBTQ - the community of those who are Lesbian, gay bisexual, transvestite, or Queer? My belief is that it is not so much that the church must “make amends” to members of that community. The Church must reach out to the families of such individuals, and help them to understand their family members and to accept them. Their sons or daughters, sisters or brothers must also be seen as human and that their sexual orientation is not a state of sinfulness. in this way, we can do good.
At the same time that many will aver that their efforts are not intending to “fill pews”, the fact is that churches need people to show up. The services need to appear to serve the needs of the potential parishioner ( tither). I believe that, increasingly, the parents and relatives of Lesbian and gay children feel a need to have a church congregation that commiserates with them, and accepts their ways of dealing, on an emotional level, with the family members involvement with the gay and Lesbian world. If a person in the LGBTQ community finds that a particular church is working with members to understand the lifestyles of Lesbian and, gays, etc. it seems likely that thyat information will be forwarded. Such a church may find an increase in attendance if for no reason that the feeling of being accepted in ti “normal” society.
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