by Heather Tirado Gilligan
Donations to the connectional ministries of the United Church of Christ increased by over a million dollars in 2007 following its endorsement of same-sex marriage in 2005.
UCC's controversial decision a few years ago was a move that some said would lead to financial ruin for the national church. But instead, the opposite has happened, national church leaders said. During 2007, voluntary contributions to Our Church's Wider Mission, the denomination's shared fund for connectional ministries, totaled $29,637,048, up from $28,409,202 during the previous year, according to year-end financial reports.
The UCC General Synod approved a nonbinding resolution in support of same-sex marriage by an overwhelming margin in 2005, with the support of 80 percent of elected church representatives. The resolution called on UCC churches to study and support the need for equal liturgical rites and civil marriage laws for same-sex couples.
When the resolution passed, the UCC became the first mainline Christian denomination to call for the legalization of same-sex marriage. That decision led to more than 200 of UCC's 5,900 congregations leaving the denomination, according to the national UCC. Eighty-five other congregations, however, took steps to join UCC.
Looks to me like equality is good for business! Read the rest of this news at it's source, The Bay Area Reporter.
5 comments:
This is really a pretty simple thing all politicians and groups should understand. Virtually no homophobe in this country really cares about gay rights, including marriage equality. They may care enough to hold a picket sign every once in a while, but not to wage a serious movement over it.
On the other hand, at least 10% of the entire population - glbt people and their closest allies - are willing to invest material wealth, hours of their time and endless amounts of energy to promote glbt equality.
That's why we're going to win, and that's why the homophobes will eventually lose - and probably sooner than many of us would think.
The UCC has lost over 2 million memebers since 1980
They are a political action commitee masquerading as a denomination
They support Rev Wright and his hateful racism
They continue to lose churches nationwide
Most of the churches are conservative - the national leadership is left liberal and trys to push its agenda down to the local churches. The "Still Speaking" campaign that was launched to slander Catholics and any other church who wouldn't affirm homosexuality, was only adopted by 20 percent of all the curches nationwide.
Its another sad example of people wanting special rights and special treatment at the expense of others
Just as in the Episcopal Church, the liberals do not care if they splinter the denomination and drive people away.
It is a good thing gthat donations are up for the Church's wider mission which includes helping the poor and needy around the world after disasters and other calamities. But, of course , the national office spins this as happening in spite of the synod's "blessing" of same sex unions.
You realize, don't you that the national office has no binding tie over the local churches?
and the adoption rate of congregations performing same sex harriages is minute
If you want the real story on the UCC National office go to;
http://ucctruths.blogspot.com/
You know Ryan, you make a really good point. I hadn't ever thought through the money factor, but it makes quite a bit of sense. If that case you're right, we are going to win sooner than later!
ignorance is bliss
You know what else is bliss Paul? Living in a world where people who hate their neighbor for being gay are looked at with the same distaste as any other type of discrimination.
Bliss is seeing the American Dream of equality come true....finally!
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