Tears from Obama

 The following post comes from Northaven members Bill Stoner and Jim Lovell, and was written after yesterday's inauguration.

Tears from Obama

STONEWALL!!!

         It was not so long ago that I had to keep the name “Stonewall” secret, lest family or friends question why it interested me. But Monday, there it was for the whole world to hear, brought into our full society and elevated to legitimacy by an American president.

"We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths -- that all of us are created equal -- is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall..."
-- Barack Obama 

         “…Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall…” With that phrase Obama touched so many millions of lives with hope and pride, so many young kids struggling with who they are because our society and our religious leaders make them suffer—in the name of Christianity.
         Jim and I were literally shocked to hear Obama say it. Truly shocked. It came out of the blue and grabbed us to tears. Here was a president, a president, equating a battle launched by drag queens fighting cops to such lofty milestones as the fights for the rights of women and blacks.
         Seneca Falls, N.Y.: 1848, about 300 people, mostly women, but also for the first time and very notably some men, held a convention aimed at furthering women’s right to vote. It launched the national campaign for the long struggle for equality that, sadly and amazingly, is still being fought in Congress—165 years later.
         Selma, Alabama: 1965, about 500 blacks marching peacefully in support of voting rights were savagely attacked by police when they refused to disperse, using tear gas and clubs. It became known as Bloody Sunday. Two days later, Martin Luther King came to Selma and led another march, but the national attention and condemnation of Bloody Sunday led police to allow King’s march. But Selma became the energy that fueled a struggle as old as the Emancipation Proclamation, but one that brought us a black president. Twice.
         (Did you all notice Speaker Boehner’s weird tan made him darker than Obama?)
         Stonewall Bar, New York City: It was 1969, an era when many cities routinely raided bars catering to gays. When laws prohibited the gathering of more than 2-3 men. When you absolutely knew you’d be fired if your employer knew—or even suspected—you were queer. I was 25, knew I was gay, and lived two lives.
         You lived in fear of being discovered for being who you had no control of being. So you hid, and lied, and lied a lot. I hated the lying more than being gay scared me. You moved to another city, bigger, easier to hide in. And lied some more to those back home.
         You lived without love because the law was always watching, hating. You listened to sermons, read articles, learned of new laws condemning you, sentencing you to hell, calling you the scourge of mankind.
         I listened to then President George W. Bush make a special nationally televised announcement from the White House about 3 years into his first term. He was calling for an amendment to the Constitution prohibiting same sex marriage. I’ve never forgotten his words:
         “Failure to do so will mean the end of our society as we know it.”
         Stonewall was, according to its neighbors, a quiet bar that posed no problems. It somehow became a magnet for drag queens and everybody got along. But then it was okay for cops or anybody to hate fags, especially sissies in dresses. So they frequently raided the Stonewall, sometimes arresting sober people for being drunk. Sometimes just shoving them around. Until that summer night, as the paddy wagon began loading up customers, and the drag queens had had enough and began fighting the cops.
         Of course, the gays lost, a mess of them went to jail, but the next night drew a small crowd at the Stonewall, and the cops came again, and the next night a larger crowd, and the “Stonewall riots” lasted a whole week, becoming the rallying cry for half a century.

“It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law -- for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well."
-- Barack Obama


         Since you are reading this, you at least in some measure willingly associate with two gay men. How far you assimilate or accept us is as varied as you are.
         Jim and I married Aug. 10, 2011, in Des Moines, not because we felt a need to cement our relationship, or prove a point to anyone. We mainly married to honor all those “pioneers” who fought for our right to marry, who fought the cops outside a drag bar, who lost jobs and families, who were beaten just for being gay, who were tied to a fence to die, who rallied around and cared for AIDS sufferers when no one else did or would.
         We didn’t exchange rings in our ceremony. Instead, we felt that our relationship, now nearly 18 years of it, made rings  of understanding and knowledge of gay people to ripple out to family and friends, like the multiple circles when a stone is dropped in water.
         We don’t know where Obama’s bold, brave, and historical ideas on gay’s rights are going. As we’ve learned as a country, you can pass all the laws you want. Changing minds is a whole different obstacle.
         But because of those Stonewall drag queens, ever since, very, very slowly at first, but now picking up greater speed, the nation is learning just how boringly normal gays are. And it is working exponentially: as more gays successfully come out in all walks of life, younger ones entering the battle have support for coming out, and they inspire others, and so on.
         But the battles are still raging: churches and politicians all across the country are working very hard to deny gays just about anything they can: benefits, employment, marriage, adopting. And as they rally the troops against us, it continues the mindset that gay bashing (as in clubs, pipes) is alive and well.
         If women are still having to fight for equal pay, equal promotions, and their right to not be subject to our government raping them with a sonogram probe—we have no delusions that the fight for gay’s rights will be anything but a long, long road.
         But, hallelujah, dear Lord, Barack Hussein Obama, gave us one helluva big boost.  Amen!

From Tourves,
Bill and Jim

A message for JoAn Dwyer

Dear Friends,

Please excuse my delay in sending this email. Since "Agatha" came, my internet has been out, Mary's flight was canceled and she couldn't return from the States and I have been in San Juan and San Pablo. We were quite fortunate in the two villages where we work, because there were no major mud slides and nobody died here. However, the other villages around the lake lost houses and people died. Sorry I don't have the stats with me, but we will send them later. We just want you to know that we are both okay, as well as the clinic and our houses. The staff and local volunteers are all okay, as well as their houses and families. We opened the clinic on Monday, 5/28 after the storm hit over the weekend and were open all week. (We didn't have a water supply but managed, and were able to find drinking water in small containers. The roads to our villages were blocked for several days, but are open now.)

Thank you so much for your emails of concern......we appreciate you and all of your support of our ministry. This storm was compared to Hurricane Stan (Oct, 2005) and this time there were fewer lives lost, but the economic impact will be greater because of the high number of displaced families and the overall damage. Guatemala City was affected by the eruption of Volcano Pacaya on Thursday (that's when the airport was first closed), and there were 4-story sink holes from "Agatha". However, the outlying areas were hit very hard by the incredible rains and subsequent mud slides.

Please keep us and the Guatemalan people in your prayers. It will take a lot of relief work and working together to help heal the wounds, both physical and emotional. ( I treated a 41-year-old pastor with Bach Flower Remedies for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder on Wednesday. His only child, an 11-year-old boy, died a month after Hurricane Stan and he lived in the Colonia that was wiped out by that hurricane.)

We feel your love and prayers,
Muchisimas gracias,

JoAn Dwyer & Mary Micikas
Individual Volunteers in Mission
United Methodist Church

--------------------
ODIM Organizacion para Desarrollo de la Indigena Maya
Callejon Cho'Cruz 0-25
Barrio Jucanya
Panajachel, Guatemala, C.A.
Cell Phone: 011 502 5215-8608
(in Guatemala, dial 5215-8608)

MegaMarch 2010

Church in Society Commission invites you to join Northaven members and members of our sister church, Christ's Foundry UMC, as we participate in the 2010 MegaMarch in support of comprehensive immigration reform and the DREAM Act.

MegaMarch 2010
Saturday, May 1st
March begins at 1 pm at the Cathedral of Guadalupe
2215 Ross Ave
Dallas, TX 75201




A picture from the 2006 MegaMarch, taken by Northaveners.








If you would like to travel downtown together, please see the following information:

11:15 am
Meet at for lunch at Urban Taco in Mockingbird Station. Click here for their website.
(NOTE: You don't have to join us for lunch to go with us downtown...but if you'd like to, please feel free...)

12:14
Catch the DART train downtown

12:30
Meet our Christ's Foundry UMC friends

1 pm
March begins


Five things are being asked by March Organizers:
1) Wear a white shirt or white t-shirt.
2) Bring an American Flag if you have one.
3) Bring bottled water for yourself.
4) Bring a trash bag (Last march we cleaned up after ourselves and we earned kudos from city officials. Fold the bag in your back pocket and take it out when you see trash on the route).

By all means NO disrespectful signs toward any group.

Positive signs supporting: Comprehensive Immigration Reform and our Immigrant Brothers and Sisters.

If you are planning to join us, please call the church office or let someone know so that we will be looking for you.

Give Your Input on the Mission Statement

Authorized by our Leadership Council, and facilitated by Church in Society Commission, the Northaven Community is invited to engaged in a process of discernment which could lead to an expansion of our church's mission statement.

Specifically, the idea is to ask: "Does our statement need to say more about our mission to the world, specifically to the poor and the oppressed? And, if so, what should it say?"

This process does not seek to replace the current statement, approved in the 1990s, but to expand on the question "What are we called to *do* in the world?"
Therefore, for four weeks the congregation is invited to provide input and feedback on what that mission statement should include.

To "prime the pump" Church and Society has drafted four sample statements to get you to thinking and to praying about what it should be. They are:

* "Northaven seeks to extend God's love to the world through ministries of compassion, peace, justice and reconciliation."


* "Northaven understand our mission to embody God's love and justice in the world with special preference for those who are most vulnerable and marginalized."


* "Jesus described his mission in Luke 4 as being anointed, "to preach good news to the poor, te proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord". Jesus' mission is Northaven's mission in the world."


* As one body of Christ, we pray that God's Holly Spirit will empower us for the awesome and challenging task off spreading God's love and justice throughout our community and world.

Leave comments below about these statements, or about another statement of your own choosing. Or, on Sundays, leave a comment on at large display in the Atrium.

Email update from JoAn Dwyer

Below is an email update from Northaven member, JoAn Dwyer, about our mission in Guatemala...

Dear Friends,
As the year draws to a close, we are planning the 2010 projects for ODIM. Guatemalans are feeling the same economic crunch that is felt worldwide. For the Tzu'tujil and Quiche' people we work with along the southwest border of Lake Atitlan, it is manifested in no jobs and no food for the family. The need for the clinic in San Juan has been obvious as we have had 1150 patient visits since we opened April 13. This represents 511 families, mostly from San Juan La Laguna and San Pablo La Laguna. Majority of our patients are women and children.

On Tuesday, Nov 3 in San Pablo the medical team from Colorado saw Veronica, a seriously dehydrated and malnourished 2-year-old girl who weighed 15 pounds. On Monday morning the mother followed up at the clinic in San Juan, bringing all 4 of her children (ages 2-11) because she is afraid to leave them at home with their abusive father. We provided money for transportation, vitamins and shoes for all 5 of them, and more Carnation Instant Breakfast for Veronica. Mom will be coming back to the clinic to ensure health for her children.

Please help us to continue the necessary services we are providing through ODIM by making a contribution. There are lots of Veronicas here who depend on us. We believe that by working together, we can make a difference in the 2 small villages of San Juan and San Pablo La Laguna.

You may send your check, payable to Interfaith Action International to
Dale Conger-Cross
Interfaith Action International
2850 Skyline Dr.
Lemon Grove, CA 91945

Thank you in advance for your support..........and your prayers.
With deep gratitude,
JoAn Dwyer
Mary Micikas

Individual Volunteers in Mission
United Methodist Church
Guatemala

P.S. Please send us an email with the date and amount of your gift.
--
ODIM Organizacion para Desarrollo de la Indigena Maya
Callejon Cho'Cruz 0-25
Barrio Jucanya
Panajachel, Guatemala, C.A.
Cell Phone: 011 502 5215-8608
(in Guatemala, dial 5215-8608)

Christ Foundry Groundbreaking

Please join our friends at the Christ Foundry Church for their groundbreaking ceremony:

Sunday, November 15 at 3 pm.

Parking will be at Walnut Hill UMC. Please arrive early so that you can catch the shuttle buses to the Christ Foundry location. There will be no parking onsite, as it's a construction area.

Park at:

Walnut Hill UMC
10066 Marsh Lane
Dallas, TX 75229
(See map below...)

For years now, the members and friends of Christ Foundry have dreamed of a new church building. That building is now becoming a reality!



Northaven has been proud to be one of the original partner churches with Christ's Foundry, and celebrates this milestone with them. We've helped in the fundraising, through the "Bell Campaign" that raised more than 30 bells for the project.

Here's a video about the great things happening at Christ's Foundry:



Hope to see you there!

Here's a map to Walnut Hill UMC


View Larger Map

Texas POWs Bound By Survival

Northavener Janice Henderson had a nice story on KERA this morning, detailing the lives of World War II POWs from Jack County.

Find the link here.

From the KERA website:

"On Veteran's Day, we commemorate the men and women who have served our country. But for one group of Veterans who survived as Japanese prisoners of war, today is a reminder of the strength and sacrifice that formed the foundation of a bond that still exists today. Freelance writer Janice Henderson has more"

Luther Prunty, one of the men interviewed for this story, is the father of Northavener, Gail Bialas. The Henderson's and Gail's family have family homes very near each other in Jack County, but did not meet until they were all members of Northaven...and did not know the family connection until very recently!

Thanks, Janice, for putting this out there!

A good reminder on Veteran's Day.

Pictures from the Texas Freedom Network event with Charles Haynes

Thursday night, Northaven hosted an incredible event with Dr. Charles Haynes of the First Amendment Center. Sponsored by the Texas Freedom Network, Dr. Haynes talked about issues of separation of Church and State and, specifically, current issues in Texas regarding social studies standards for Texas schoolchildren.







Click here to see pictures from this event.

More than 200 persons attended the event. We're grateful to our friends at the Texas Freedom Network for such quality events for people of faith.

Allen Ross Freedom Parade Video

Here is a short video from last year's (2008) Allen Ross Freedom Parade, showing Northaven's entry from the perspective of the crowd. It gives you a good sense of what it's like to be in this important event.

Allen Ross Freedom Parade Pictures

Click here to see pictures from Northaven's participation in this year's Allen Ross Freedom parade.






This link leads to a brief video clip from last year's (2008) parade, which will give you a sense of what it's like for the many thousands of people who line the parade route each year.

Immigration Reform Vigil

Here is a video from KXAS Channel 5, covering the Immigration Reform Prayer vigil that was hosted at Northaven Church on August 23rd, 2009.



And here are some pictures posted by the sponsoring organization, "Welcoming Immigrants Network."

Guatemala Mission Trip 2009

Click here to see pictures from Northaven's 2009 Mission trip to Guatemala.



Our members joined other Methodists from Wellspring UMC in McKinney and Grace UMC in East Dallas for the 2009 mission trip to Guatemala. Ten team members spent a week laying stucco on a soon-to-be- completed dental clinic in the Tz’utujil Maya community of San Juan las Laguna on Lake Atitlan. The clinic is a project of Northaven’s JoAn Dwyer, a long term missionary in Guatemala.