As pastors serving within the GLBT and allied communities, we are concerned that the emerging discourse in the wake of the Obama presidential victory and the passage of Proposition 8 has exacerbated tensions between and among members of the communities we serve and the African American community in particular.  The targeting of a segment of African American voters who voted for Obama and also in favor of Proposition 8 is leading to scapegoating and is doing nothing to create meaningful conversations about racism and homophobia.  We urge all those we serve, and especially those of us in the GLBT community who are white, to consider these points:

1. It was church-going voters of every race who aided the passage of Proposition 8, and this is a painful acknowledgment on our part. As clergy we believe it is imperative that we find ways to engage Roman Catholics, Mormons and Evangelical Christians in face to face dialogue.

2. The GLBT community has not always distinguished itself in regard to issues of importance to communities of color. People do not necessarily think of the GLBT liberation movement as a movement that stands in solidarity with supporters of affirmative action, social justice for immigrants, or economic equality for all.  Rarely have we mobilized in large numbers against racism in the Castro and in LGBT neighborhoods across the country, nor have we spoken out adequately against the gentrification of African American neighborhoods in which the LGBT community plays a part.  For these reasons, the LGBT community is not perceived as allies with communities we hope to engage in our efforts to secure equal marriage rights for same-sex couples, and could lose support from LGBT people of color for whom marriage equality is only one issue among many others (and not necessarily the most important one).  For the sake of healing within the GLBT community among people of all colors, and for the sake of healing in our country, we must address this failure within our movement.

It is not in any of our interests to perpetuate this conflict as the Gays versus the Blacks. This analysis ignores the large numbers of GLBT people of color, and fails to credit our straight friends and families of every race who opposed Proposition 8. Let us usher in a renewed commitment among GLBT people to work to secure civil and economic rights for all people, and a commitment to engage in dialogues that humanize all of us in one another's eyes. This is our call to action, not only to renewed activism on equal marriage, but to reconciliation between and among the GLBT communities and the African American communities as well.  This is our prayer, and our intent.

[signed]

Dr. Karen Oliveto
Glide Memorial United Methodist Church, San Francisco

Rev. D. Mark Wilson
Tapestry Ministries, Berkeley

Rev. Jim Mitulski
New Spirit Community Church, Berkeley

Bishop Yvette Flunder
City of Refuge United Church of Christ, San Francisco

Rev. Lea Brown
Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco

Rev. Penny Nixon
Congregational Church of San Mateo

Pastor Jeff Johnson
University Lutheran Chapel of Berkeley

Rev. Roland Stringfellow
Bay Area Coalition of Welcoming Congregations/Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies at Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley

I am writing to you today to share with you the very good news that MCCSF has a new Associate Pastor: Rev. Jeff Bert.

Jeff was ordained as an MCC clergyperson in 2006. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in 2006, and is currently serving as a staff pastor at MCC of Greater St. Louis is St. Louis, Missouri. His first Sunday with us will be on August 17, 2008.

I am thrilled that Jeff is joining our ministry team, and I want to thank everyone who came to one of the four forums we held over the past two months, and everyone who shared with me their input and hopes regarding the future person who would fill this position.

Along with many people in the congregation, I also spoke with leaders in our denomination who I respect and who I know have a great love for our church; without exception all of them recommended Jeff highly. As Associate Pastor Jeff’s duties will primarily be focused on providing and coordinating pastoral care and congregational life programs. In addition to having solid experience in both of these areas, Jeff is also a person of great spiritual maturity, with a loving, kind, and caring nature. He is very excited about serving our congregation (see his message below) and is serious about his commitment to both our present and our future.

Once Jeff and I had both experienced a time of discernment about his calling to this position, and once we both were in agreement that we felt called to proceed, I asked the Board of Directors what our next steps should be. They determined that they wanted to interview Jeff, and then decide whether or not to make a recommendation regarding hiring him for the position. I am very pleased to say that the MCCSF Board of Directors is extremely enthusiastic about Jeff (see message from the Board below), and were very happy to give me a “green light” to offer the position of Associate Pastor to him.

In the weeks ahead Jeff will be bringing closure to his ministry in St. Louis and packing up to move his life here to San Francisco. Of course, our gain is also going to mean loss and sadness for the congregation of MCC of Greater St. Louis. I ask that you join me in holding Jeff, that congregation, and their senior pastor Rev. Dr. Carol Trissell in our prayers as they navigate their good-byes and time of transition ahead.

Great things are happening here at MCCSF! Thank you for your participation in this process, for your patience along the way, and for your faithfulness as we continue to move forward into our future, and into our dreams.

With faith, hope, and love,

Lea

The Board of Directors is very pleased with the call of Rev. Jeff Bert as our Associate Pastor. We interviewed Jeff and were impressed with his passion around congregational care, social justice, and empowering our congregation to strengthen our community through spiritual development and building relationships with one another.

We strongly feel that with Jeff as a part of our ministry team, we will have the staff we need to fully support our community and our vision, mission, and overall goals. We are grateful to Jeff for his willingness to embrace his calling to our congregation, and to say “yes!” to a bright future with MCCSF.

We hope that you will join us in praying for the staff and congregation of MCC of Greater St. Louis during this time of transition for them, as well as in saying a very enthusiastic “welcome” to our new Associate Pastor, Rev. Jeff Bert.

MCCSF Board of Directors