Hello
Friends,
There
has been much confusion among Friends at Stony Run regarding this minute, which
leads me to believe that other Meetings will find themselves in a similar place. Friends question "Where/who
did this minute come from?" "What's its history?" and "Why
should we consider it?"
Also
questioned was the use of the word "queer" in the name of the FGC
gay/lesbian et.al. group.
Different “Yes,” Special
“No” (http://www.fgcquaker.org/connect/fall05/different_yes_special_no.html)
This page explains
the why Friends use “queer” as an identification. It says in part, “there is a multitude
of ways to ‘be queer.’”
To
answer questions of origin and process, and others that Friends may have, below
are online sites that provide needed background information.
What is Friends for
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Concerns?
http://www.quaker.org/flgbtqc/whatis.html
This page explains
this faith community within the Religious Society of Friends.
Epistle of 2004
http://www.quaker.org/flgbtqc/2004epistle.html.
This is the epistle that came out of
the Second Month, 2004 Midwinter Gathering of Friends for Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender and Queer
Concerns and sheds light on the spiritual truth that “We are all baptized into
one body" and that "when one member suffers, all members suffer with it.” I Corinthians 12.
FGC Good News Bulletin,
November 2002, FGC Minute on LGBTQ Friends
http://www.fgcquaker.org/library/fgc-news/bulletin-2004-11.html
This page reports the approval of the minute by Central Committee.
FGC Epistle on LGBTQ
Friends
http://www.fgcquaker.org/library/fgc-news/lgbtq-minute.php.
This page gives
further process/history of the minute. It ends with “We invite Friends to dwell
deep, to “know one another in that which is eternal,” to consider the words of
this minute and epistle....”
These
web pages will be helpful to those who consider Friends General Conference's
minute on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Concerns.
Lamar Matthew, Baltimore Monthly
Meeting, Stony Run
