An Urgent Call for Names, from Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns.
The LGBT issue is still a physical life and death issue for many of our brothers and sisters, not just an issue of what the church is going to do with us or allow us to do. Yes, it impacts us if we can't have holy unions or be ordained--but if we're not alive, these issues are irrelevant.
We are looking for names of LGBT United Methodists (people who were somehow connected to the UMC however loosely--family, attendance, friends, partners, etc.) who were murdered or who committed suicide. Even if the name can't be published, we'd like to know of the instance. One suggestion is to create a web page of remembrance. Our intent is to focus on this message in our presence at General Conference 2004, April 27-May 7.
Please send names and/or stories to Peggy Gaylord, co-spokeperson of Affirmation at aMiracleToday@pronetisp.net or P.O. Box 2988, Binghamton, NY 13902-2988.