Good news to mention: opponents of two new state civil rights laws here in Oregon – one banning discrimination in the work place against gays and lesbians and the other extending civil union benefits to same sex couples – have failed in their effort to collect enough signatures to force a vote on recalling the measures.
Over the last two decades the Religious Right has placed ballot measure after ballot measure before the voters attempting to curtail civil rights for the GLBT community.
The fights have always been ugly and cost millions. It is a relief that this time we won’t have to spend energy here in Oregon debating once again the merits of providing basic civil rights for all people.
On the other hand, I have to give credit where credit is due. Without these ballot measures Oregonians would have never have been forced to confront the issue of civil rights for gays and lesbians so directly. Our churches, for example, might never had to wrestle with the theological implications of saying to another “your life is not deserving of equal protection under the law.”
Most people know that these anti-gay campaigns have been waged by Christians. Fewer know that these campaigns have also been opposed by Christians – Christians who have come to an understanding that God’s justice, love, mercy, and grace is available to all. Without these anti-gay campaigns over the years fewer congregations in the Christian community would have ever declared themselves to be “Open and Affirming” or “Welcoming” or “Reconciling.”
No one knows the full extent of the damage done to people over the years as the initiatives have been debated. The stress has to be enormous on people who know their rights are actually going be voted on. That takes a toll, no question.
But the Religious Right never anticipated that one result of their efforts would be to extend the openness of many churches. The anti-gay movement in Oregon has helped many to reject the more narrow impulses of Christian tradition and to shine a light of hope where before for many there was only darkness and emptiness in our sanctuaries.
Members of the Community of Welcoming Congregations
Our Member Congregations
- Buddhist
- The Dharma Center, Klamath Falls ⇒
- Catholic
- Journey/ Koinonia Catholic Community, Portland ⇒
- St. Andrew's Catholic Church, Portland ⇒
- St. Francis Of Assisi Catholic Church, Portland ⇒
- St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, Portland ⇒
- Catholic / Lutheran
- Mission Of The Atonement, Beaverton ⇒
- Christian
- Abiding Grace Fellowship, Vancouver ⇒
- Divina Communis Projects, Portland ⇒
- Church Of The Brethren
- Peace Church Of The Brethren, Portland ⇒
- Disciples Of Christ
- The View Christian Church, Portland ⇒
- Episcopal
- St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Eugene ⇒
- St. Stephen's Episcopal Parish, Portland ⇒
- Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Portland ⇒
- Jewish
- Keshet Jewish Group, Portland ⇒
- Jewish (conservative)
- Congregation Neveh Shalom, Portland ⇒
- Jewish (liberal)
- Congregation Shir Tikvah, Portland ⇒
- Jewish (reconstructionist)
- Havurah Shalom, Portland ⇒
- Temple Beth Israel, Eugene ⇒
- Jewish (reform)
- Congregation Beth Israel, Portland ⇒
- Jewish (renewal)
- Lutheran ( E L C A )
- Augustana Lutheran Church, Portland ⇒
- Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Portland
- Central Lutheran Church, Portland ⇒
- Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church, Portland ⇒
- St. James Lutheran Church, Portland ⇒
- M C C
- Metropolitan Community Church Of Portland, Portland ⇒
- Mormon
- Affirmation ( Queer Mormons ), Portland ⇒
- New Thought
- New Thought Ministries Of Oregon, Beaverton ⇒
- Portland Center For Spiritual Growth, Portland ⇒
- Pagan
- Sister Spirit, Portland ⇒Portland, OR
- Sister Spirit, Portland ⇒
- Presbyterian Church ( U S A )
- Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, Portland ⇒
- Southminster Presbyterian Church, Beaverton ⇒
- St. Mark Presbyterian Church, Portland ⇒
- Quaker
- Fanno Creek Worship Group, Beaverton ⇒
- Freedom Friends Church, Salem ⇒
- Multnomah Monthly Meeting, Portland ⇒
- Unitarian Universalist
- Atkinson Memorial Church, Oregon City ⇒
- Eastrose Fellowship Unitarian Universalist, Gresham ⇒
- First Unitarian Church, Portland ⇒
- Michael Servetus Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Vancouver ⇒
- Mid-Columbia Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Hood River ⇒
- Unitarian Universalist Community Church Of Washington County, Hillsboro ⇒
- Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Of Corvallis, Corvallis ⇒
- Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Of Klamath County, Klamath Falls ⇒
- Wy'east Unitarian Universalist, Portland ⇒
- United Church Of Christ
- Ainsworth United Church Of Christ, Portland ⇒
- All People's United Church Of Christ, BendBend, OR
- Beavercreek United Church Of Christ, Beaver Creek ⇒
- Bridgeport United Church Of Christ, Portland ⇒
- Christ The Healer United Church Of Christ, Beaverton ⇒
- Clackamas United Church Of Christ, Milwaukie ⇒
- Congregational United Church Of Christ, Klamath Falls ⇒
- First Congregational Church Of Vancouver, Vancouver ⇒
- First Congregational United Church Of Christ, Corvallis, Corvallis ⇒
- First Congregational United Church Of Christ, Portland, Portland ⇒
- First Congregational United Church Of Christ, Salem, Salem ⇒
- Forest Grove United Church Of Christ, Forest Grove ⇒
- Hillsdale Community United Church Of Christ, Portland ⇒
- Kairos - Milwaukie United Church Of Christ, Milwaukie ⇒
- Lake Oswego United Church Of Christ, Lake Oswego ⇒
- Meridian United Church Of Christ, Wilsonville ⇒
- Parkrose United Church Of Christ, Portland ⇒
- United Church Of Christ Congregational Of The Dalles, The Dalles ⇒
- Waverly Heights United Church Of Christ, Portland ⇒
- Zion United Church Of Christ, Gresham ⇒
- United Methodist Church
- First United Methodist Church, Corvallis ⇒
- First United Methodist Church, Portland ⇒
- Metanoia Peace Community United Methodist Church, Portland ⇒
- Micah's Village - Christ The Reconciler UMC, Clackamas ⇒
- Morningside United Methodist Church, Salem ⇒
- University Park United Methodist Church, Portland ⇒
- Vancouver Heights United Methodist Church, Vancouver ⇒
Affiliated Members
- Act for Action - Theater for All, Portland ⇒ PO Box 14162Portland, OR 97293
- Interfaith Spiritual Center, Portland ⇒ 4619 N. MichiganPortland, OR 97217
enter on Going Street - Justice and Witness Ministry Team - CPC UCC, Portland ⇒ c/o Aleita Hass-HolcombePortland, OR 97239
0245 SW Bancroft Suite E - PFLAG Clackamas County, Oregon City ⇒ Meetings at Atkinson Memorial ChurchOregon City, OR 97045
710 Sixth Street - PFLAG Pendleton, Pendleton ⇒ P.O. Box 755Pendleton, OR 97801
- PFLAG Portland, Portland ⇒ P.O. Box 8944Portland, OR 97207
Campus Ministers and Chaplains
- Rev. Dr. Karen Wood, Willamette University ⇒ Willamette University,
- Rev. Gwen Morgan, Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital ⇒
