UCC - Memphis Pride gets momentum from UCC-led coalition

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Memphis Pride gets momentum from UCC-led coalition

> Written by Jeff Woodard
> June 27, 2011

Once holding its collective finger on the pulse of the civil-rights 
struggle, Memphis, Tenn., increasingly has its heart set on nurturing 
a trend that shows the community at-large valuing LGBT rights.

"It's been painful to see some of these LGBT people remain silent on 
this issue for so long," said the Rev. Cheryl Cornish, senior pastor 
of First Congregational UCC of Memphis for the past 23 years. "In the 
past two to three years in Memphis, gay and lesbian rights have 
become more of a coalition rights and justice agenda.

"What has started to happen is that more citywide civil-rights 
workers, unions and people like that have really started to 
appreciate that they have a stake in dealing with gay rights, too," 
she said. "It's just been a huge development in this community. The 
church has had a pivotal role in pulling together that wider 
coalition. Historically in Memphis, lesbian and gay folks have really 
had to stand on their own."

While New Yorkers celebrate the end of Pride Month by reveling in 
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's signing of the state's gay-marriage bill, 
Cornish's church champions 20 years as an Open and Affirming (ONA) 
member of the UCC.
The Rev. Cheryl Cornish of First Congregational UCC in Memphis, Tenn. 
(Photo provided)

"The gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender population has been part 
of the fabric of our mission in the community for a long time now," 
said Cornish. "There has been a tenacity among them, but it's not an 
easy climate in the Bible Belt. Any bill that comes along to protect 
gay rights is usually soundly defeated. There are not a lot of 
churches that are welcoming."

One catalyst Cornish cites occurred three years ago during "likely 
the biggest gay rights rally ever held in Memphis, on our church 
steps after a church service. It was a gathering of about 500 folks, 
which for Memphis is huge. It was in support of an 
anti-discrimination bill on the level of the county commission."

Cornish says her church supports same-sex couples through the 
adoption process and has created a supportive community. "We want to 
say, 'We see them, we vouch for them, they're a healthy family, we 
stand by this family unit.' A church voice is incredibly helpful."

The church serves area youth, in part, by donating meeting space to 
The Memphis Area Gay Youth (MAGY). "We have provided meeting space 
for them for the past 10 years, and we support their gay prom, hold 
receptions and offer educational programs," said Cornish.

In a high-profile incident three years ago, a Memphis student was 
outed by his teacher. First Congregational provided a critical 
presence to the student, a witness of extravagant welcome through 
compassionate actions.

"It's a pretty conservative environment, with this huge Love in 
Action rehab program," said Cornish, referring to a 30-day "gay 
reparative therapy" group based in Memphis. "They can be very 
abusive. Parents can stick their kids in these programs, and they're 
virtually locked there."

Cornish also lamented the recent passage by the Tennessee state 
senate of the "Don't Say Gay" bill., which bars teachers from 
discussing homosexuality with elementary and middle-school students. 
"Teachers can't name anyone who is gay," said Cornish. "They can't 
acknowledge homosexuality as being a reality, an experience. The need 
to pass this legislation is its own kind of crazy homophobia."

Adds the Rev. Arlene Nehring, senior minister at Eden Church UCC in 
Heyward, Calif., "As one colleague said to me many years ago, 'Reason 
can't renew what reason didn't put there.'

"Homophobia is not a terribly rational thing, so intellectual 
discourse and exchange of social scientific medical data is only 
going to go so far," said Nehring. "Hearts have to be changed. Hearts 
change because of relationships and feelings and empathy and deep 
sharing, not only on a biblical, spiritual and social level, but also 
on a human level.

"The UCC is good at pulling research and exchanging theological 
ideas," added Nehring, "but unless we've heard each other's pain and 
challenge, we probably really don't get it. We need to create space 
for deep sharing.

Neil Genson, who has served for 14 years as church office manager at 
First Congregational UCC in Alameda, Calif., said of his church, 
"We've been involved with the Alameda schools with the anti-bullying 
curriculum and the ecumenical National Coming Out Day in Alameda, 
getting other faith communities to march down the street together 
with us in celebration."

The Rev. Laura Rose, senior minister of the longtime ONA Alameda 
church, is widely regarded as a pioneer in developing anti-bullying 
curriculum. (Rose recently began a three-month sabbatical and was 
unavailable for comment for this story.)

"The ONA experience is not just about gay people, which is what I 
think (opponents) tend to think it is," said Cornish. "It's about a 
whole way of living faith and developing community and understanding 
God's calling to justice. That's what really gets opened up in this 
process, whether or not gay folks particularly come to your church. 
That seems to be a helpful witness to people."