Lincoln news : NE legislature, workplace discrimation, EVENTS

NE RUM's and friends :     Another year of great spiritual awakenings! love your neighbor!

www.RMNetwork.org  for the lastest info with General Conference of the UMC coming April 24  - May 4 in Tampa, Florida for two weeks!

Thanks to Brandi and PFLAG Hastings for sending us this news on workplace discrimination and the NE legislature -  be watching and advocating :  making calls and talking to your neighbors as well as legislators !

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Events coming :

Lighten the Burden IV Conference for the UM church : on HIV AIDS is April 22, 2012 : the day before General Conference, Tampa, Florida - Register for $10 for one day conference  : if you are going or encourage others to go!www.umglobalaidsfund.org


Feb 24 : 2 PM, Meetup about UM Global AIDS fund, AIDS Ambassadors  : Baristas, G island

March 10 :  Saturday:  9:30 to 11:30 AM, Clay Class with Nancy Fairbanks, local Potter : at TRINITY UMC : creating pottery from slabs of clay and textures : $15 PREPAID before class :  contact mandy smidt :brianmandy2001@yahoo.com :  to register or call the church :  must prepay to have fun creating with clay!  Thanks Nancy for offering the class!  Site will be TUMC or nancy's place. YOU will be notified.

March 23 - 25 :  Horizons of Faith Weekend at Omaha First UMC :  Joerg Rieger, Theologian

April 1 :  5 PM, Trinity UMC, G Island for Salads, then 6 PM Faith umc for soups and 7 PM First UMC for desserts!

Come to the Mission Bowl of Sharing Progressive Meal with THREE churches in UM4GI and friends : Three MISSION causes : going green with bowls by Nancy Fairbanks or Bring Your own bowl for the same cost : $15 per person - tickets will be sold in march!    If you can bring a salad or bread contact marge lange for the first course at TUMC.

April 13 :   FRIDAY night : 7 - 9 PM, 4th Annual G Island HIV AID Concert, Trinity UMC, Grand Island:  Gollaher Chapel with local musicians raising the roof in song, tell your friends, jewels of love and info too - HIV AID testing at new site : Old Walnut Parish Nurse office : across from the church in the parish nurse office two times a month and also Central Health Center:  call for info at Trinity UMC, 308-382-1952

Freewill donations  at the concert : to the TUMC Emergency HIV AIDS Fund : emergency medical assistance to clients at NAP kearney, bring cookies, bars and cupcakes for intermission :  contact maureen if you can do the coffee that evening and help washing mugs etc!   mvetter@charter.net

April 16 :   MONDAY:  Potluck and Clergy Panel about GLBT affirmation, 6 PM at Hastings College, Hazellrigg Student Union, Hastings, NE -  Bring food to share with Alliance GSA students for dinner -  carpool and meet at 5: 15 pm at Trinity UMC -
Maureen and Wendy Smith, NE Email Contacts, Main Email contacts, Local contact, PRN contacts

Send Email offerings to NE Statewide Reconciling Network :  Make checks to RMN and then send to Maureen Vetter, 4422 Drake lane, G Island, NE 68801 - we hope to send some before General Conference from our statewide Network! Thanks to a donor for sending $100 this past MONTH!
We will list all donors by summer! Support RMN ministries and work for a fully inclusive UMC!

Bishop celebrates marriage equality in Washington

See the RMN blog on the  RMN website and a copy below for good news!  www.RMNetwork.org

 

It is also posted on our Nebraska Statewide Reconciling Network Facebook -  search Nebraska Statewide Reconciling Network to find us -  also a NE blog : www.nebraskarum.blogspot.com

 

Bishop Celebrates Washington Marriage Equality

Recently, Bishop Grant Hagiya of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska Annual Conferences publicly expressed his disagreement with UM policy regarding same-sex marriage. We at Reconciling Ministries Network, together with our friends at Methodist Federation for Social Action and Affirmation: United Methodists, would like to thank Bishop Hagiya for speaking out in favor of our cause.
Read Bishop Hagiya's letter below.

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35 I greet you in the very name of our Lord, Jesus Christ! Difficult letters, like difficult conversations are never easy. However, God never promised us easy, and there are times when we must take up the cross and walk in faith. I write today not representing the United Methodist Church, for only General Conference can do that. So, even though I write this letter as your Bishop, I hope it will also be received as your friend in Christ. With the signing by Governor Gregoire of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Washington as of June 7th, the state joins six others in recognizing this union. Personally, I celebrate the signing into law of the legalization of same-sex marriage for our state. It is an historic moment for the people of this geographic region, and it marks a secular turning point in the liberation of those who have too long been oppressed in our current times. I celebrate with those who will be free to enjoy equal health and security benefits through the state institution of marriage. I also personally grieve over our United Methodist Church polity that will not recognize same-sex marriage. I believe that it is wrong, and we should work for a more inclusive and humane response. The reason for this stance is that I believe that Jesus Christ is the incarnation of God's divine love for the entire creation, and no one should be shut out from God's embracing Grace. God's Grace is so pure and encompassing that anything that attempts to limit or control this love must be transformed. In all humility, I realize that this represents my faith, and even though I must live by what I believe, I am fully aware that equally devout United Methodists have different views. To force my faith onto someone who has a different or opposing view is also to limit God's divine love. I believe the loving example we must set is to come together for dialogue in mutual respect. Respectful dialogue means that we listen to one another honestly and openly. Dialogue does not mean that each side tries to win the other over with an opposing point of view, but pauses to hear the honest thoughts and feelings of the other side. I deeply respect those who have different views on this issue, and even though I share my faith perspective here, I do not presume that this must be their truth as well. I believe that all human nature is flawed, and that God holds the only "Truth" with a capital "T". We humans can only approximate the truth, and no person has a monopoly on it. Our Pacific Northwest Annual Conference has been deeply divided by this very issue in the past. People have been hurt, self-righteousness has abounded, and lives have been damaged. This is not an embodiment of God's divine Grace, and I pray that we can respond differently in the future. If we are to truly live by God's love, then we need to treat each other with the respect of any creature made by God's hand. All of us have the dignity and self-worth of a child of God. I am not asking for a tepid and false peacefulness. We will disagree and not see eye-to-eye. I am not looking for an all-encompassing harmony in our present reality, but these great issues that divide us will not go away, and I call on all of us to enter into a civil dialogue that speaks of mutual respect. When such social issues threaten to pull us apart as the Body of Christ, I invite every United Methodist into the art of Holy Conferencing. Our times call upon us to model the love of Jesus Christ through our love for one another. Even though we will disagree, I believe in my very bones that God is at work in the world, and in our lives. We have been shown a glimpse of God's spiritual vision: where the wolf and lamb lie together, where water springs from the desert, and where weapons of war will be turned into instruments of life-giving peace. I hold that vision before you on this day, and I also hold all of you in my prayers. As we continue as the "people of the way" let Christ be our guide and salvation, and let love rule our hearts and minds. Be the Hope, Bishop Grant Hagiya

MFSA Feb 16 2012

See the link for a story about Nebraskan Zach Anderson receiving an MFSA scholarship to GC.
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=dinh7qdab&v=001uhMSa17EQAeOIqpw0yKcO-Z3sjeHWXNXPab231VlbgyylF2lMSH4g5cBlkcE7x3QOv7_bKvjKBn3ol2u_FGiwZeeB_J67wQZq7UmL2XEor0bH-r1-JgMxW38vMA-0trG

HRC Equality Buying Guide

More than ever, consumers are sending a message to businesses that they are watching. They are watching to see if the businesses they patronize understand and honor issues important to them, giving buying power to issues ranging from LGBT inclusiveness to environmental protection. Corporate social responsibility has become an imperative for a successful business. With Buying for Workplace Equality, we hope to harness that power by providing you with the most accurate review of a business's workplace policies toward LGBT employees.

Whether you are buying a cup of coffee or renovating your home, by supporting businesses that support workplace equality you send a powerful message that LGBT inclusion is good for the bottom line. We hope that you will use this guide as one component when determining if a business's social practices make it worthy of your dollars.

http://www.hrc.org/apps/buyersguide/index.php?utm_source=Convio&utm_medium=email&utm_term=link-1&utm_campaign=BuyersGuide-2012#.T0L2n1yqCP4