Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie

Together, with Jefferson Smith, we'll reconcile with the police and reform a broken system

The recent decision by the Portland Police Association (PPA), the police union, to endorse Jefferson Smith has caught some by surprise. After all, Smith has been on record supporting the goals of the Occupy Wall Street movement and was the only candidate for mayor critical of the effort to remove protestors from downtown Portland last fall. Some, myself included (and a Smith supporter), have been openly critical of the PPA for their efforts to fight reform of the Portland Police Bureau and to protect officers clearly guilty of wrong doing. What makes for this election year marriage?

My latest on Blue Oregon.

John Edwards Is a Sinner, Yes. But a Criminal? Via @HuffPostRelig

As a husband, he failed. As a father, he failed. Yet these seem to be issues best left to be resolved between Edwards and God, not a court of law. There is every reason to believe the case against Edwards is overreach.

My latest on The Huffington Post.

Vandalism at Mars Halls Church Must Be Condemned @PastorMark @MarsHill

As a critic of Mars Hills Church and their teachings on homosexuality and women, I've been open about my concerns about the decision of this Seattle based mega church to open a Portland location.  I wrote an Open Letter to church leaders in August 2011 expressing my concerns but also welcoming them to Portland and encouraging dialogue.  While they never responded to me directly I was gratified that they did meet with leaders of the Q Center, representatives of Portland's LBGTQ community.

Today's news that vandals - calling themselves "Angry Queers" - broke windows in the church is deeply upsetting. There is no excuse for this act of violence and it must be condemned.  I call on the Portland Police to treat this as a hate crime against all people of faith, regardless of religious tradition or belief.

Portland is a better city than this.  If Mars Hills Church represents the worst of Christianity, and I believe it sadly does, those responsible for this attack represent the worst of Portland.

My prayer tonight is that we learn to all practice tolerance and work towards a better society where the LGBTQ community is fully welcomed, as I believe God calls us to do, without the use of violence.

- Rev. Chuck Currie 

 

Brian Schweitzer's Reprehensible Comments

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat, made absolutely reprehensible comments yesterday regarding Mitt Romney's Mormon faith.  We've seen repeated attacks this election year against Romney's Mormonism from GOP figures and conservative religious leaders  - including Robert Jeffress who I called out in a debate on FOX News Live last summer - but this is the first attack that I'm aware of by a mainstream Democrat.  The Obama campaign, as Politico notes, "denounced the comments, and his team has declared Romney's religion off limits."  That's what I expect from this president.  Religious bigitory has no place in this campaign.

Why Are Religious Leaders Opposing GOP Budget? #p2 #faithfulbudget

Why are religious leaders across the nation standing up and opposing the GOP budget written by Paul Ryan and endorsed by Mitt Romney? Because it lifts up the wealthiest and leaves the rest behind.  As this graph shows, it doesn't pass what people of faith have called the moral test of leadership:

We can do better. Learn more at Faithful Budget.

Roman Catholic Bishops Blast GOP Budget #faithfulbudget

The U.S. Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops have blasted the House GOP proposed budget - written by Paul Ryan and endorsed by Mitt Romney - in strong terms.  I applaud their statement even as it comes late and after leadership was shown by many other faith leaders in opposing the GOP effort to gut America's critical safety net.

The New York Times reports:

“Major reductions at this time of economic turmoil and rising poverty will hurt hungry, poor and vulnerable people in our nation and around the world,” the Rev. Stephen Blaire, bishop of Stockton, Calif., and the Rev. Richard E. Pates, bishop of Des Moines, wrote for the conference. “A just spending bill cannot rely on disproportionate cuts in essential services to the poor and vulnerable persons; it requires shared sacrifice by all.”

For House leaders, the letters could sting. Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio is Catholic. Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, the chairman of the House Budget Committee and the architect of the House spending plan, has said that his Catholic faith informed his decisions.

For people of faith, opposing the GOP budget shouldn't be a partisan political issue.  This is a moral issue.  I'm deeply gratified the bishops seem to understand that and hope they will show the same energy in fighting these budget proposals as they have in engaging in a misguided war against health care proposals that promote the common good.  

Celebration of Life For Judy Bright: Photos and Video

A Celebration of Life for Judy Bright, my mother, was held this Saturday in Cathlamet, Washington.  You can download a copy of the order of service here.

Photos from the weekend with family and from the service can be viewed here:

Memorial Weekend For Judy Bright

And the eulogy I gave for my mother is now online. Other portions of the service may be made available later:

Eulogy For Judith F. Bright, ARNP, CNM, MPH from The Rev. Chuck Currie on Vimeo.

Our family is all deeply appreciative of the hundreds who attended the service and the many more who have reached out with cards, e-mails, flowers, donations to charities and phone calls.

Related Post: Judy Bright 1949-2012

4/24/12 Update: The full service is now available to watch online:

Judy Bright 1949 - 2012

Update: The Celebration of Life for Judy Bright has now been set for Sat., 4/14 at 2 pm at Wendt Elementary School in Cathlamet, WA (265 South 3rd Street). All are welcome. More information is available on Facebook.  Cathlamet is about 1.5 hours from Portland.  Check out this Google map for directions.

Judith Frances Bright, certified nurse mid-wife, advanced nurse practitioner, and public health administrator, died on April 3, 2012 from complications related to peritoneal cancer.  Judy, as she was known to family and friends, was born in Columbia, SC., on June 12, 1949, to the late C.O. "Rock" Bright and the late Frances Crout Bright.  She graduated from Columbia's Dreher High School in 1967.  Judy attended the University of South Carolina, obtained her nursing degree from Charleston Southern University in 1971, a certificate in nurse midwifery from the Medical College of South Carolina in 1975, and later obtained a bachelor of nursing degree at Linfield College, and a master of public administration at Lewis and Clark College, both in Portland.

She worked in public health settings across the South before the family moved to Oregon in 1979.  Judy worked a brief stint at St. Vincent Hospital before going into private practice as a certified nurse midwife in Forest Grove.  She later returned to public health with a position at the Washington County Health Department and then as director of the Beaverton Planned Parenthood office.  Judy later became the founding director of Healthy Steps Clinic, a program of Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington, that provided maternity care to low-income women.  After over ten years, she left Healthy Steps and eventually accepted the position as director of the Wahkiakum County Department of Health and Human Services in Cathlamet, Washington.  Due to declining health, she retired on January 1, 2012. 

Judy was active in many causes from public schools to public health over her lifetime.  The Cathlamet Women's Club named her "Citizen of the Year for 2011" for her various activities.  They cited not only her professional accomplishments but her service as a 'board member of the Wahkiakum County Search and Rescue as well as Training Coordinator for the Search and Rescue K9 Unit and, further, as a member of Flotilla 71 U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary."  In recognition of this award from the Cathlamet Women's Club, President Barack Obama wrote Judy a personal note on January 30, 2012 saying: "I want to congratulate you on this achievement and thank you for your abiding commitment to public service."

Her favorite activities included volunteering as an EMT with the Cathlamet Fire Department, quilting (she made beautiful quilts for many family members), training her dog Noble in Search and Rescue, and traveling to Mexico with her husband John. 

Judy is survived by her husband of 17 years, Dr. John C. Thomas of Cathlamet, WA.; brother and sister-in-law Dr. and Mrs. C.O. Bright, Jr. of Columbia, S.C.; and by her three children: The Rev. Chuck Currie and his wife Liz Smith Currie (Portland, Oregon), Jennifer L. Currie and her significant other David Stout (Hillsboro, Oregon); and Heather C. Currie Medders and her husband Richard Medders (Hillsboro, Oregon).  She is also survived by her step-son Charles Thomas (Portland, Oregon), and nieces Tonya Bright Gramann (Grenville, S.C.) and Dr. Debra Bright Huss (Lexington, KY).  Judy took great pride in her five grandchildren: Dylan Michael Medders, Devin Bright Medders, Ian Rock Bertrand (Currie), Frances Bright Currie, and Katherine Chalmers Currie.  She took great joy each year in bringing them all to the Bald Eagle Festival and in celebrating their achievements in school and athletics.

Most of Judy's immediate family was able to travel together this past November to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for a special Thanksgiving celebration.

The family invites you to contribute, in lieu of flowers, to the Wahkiakum County Search and Rescue K9 Unit or the American Cancer Society.

Update: A Celebration of Life was held on Saturday, April 14th at 2pm at Cathlamet's Wendt Elementary School.  Photos and video of the service can be found here.

On April 4, 2012 the flag at the Wahkiakum County Courthouse was lowered to half-mast in honor of Judy Bright.