From: UfmccHq@aol.com Date: Fri, 29 May 1998 17:18:11 EDT Subject: ACTION ALERT: Fred Phelps To Picket MCC San Francisco N E W S F L A S H From The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches CONTACT: The Rev. Jim MItulski, Senior Pastor Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco Tel. 415/863.4434 or 415/865.2751 E-Mail: Mitulski@aol.com The Rev. Fred Phelps, pastor of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas and notorious anti-gay crusader, has announced a picket of Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco for Sunday evening, May 31st. Phelps promotes a rabid hatred of gays and lesbians, frequently picketing the funerals of persons who have died from AIDS-related complications. His signs typically carry messages such as GOD HATES FAGS, AIDS CURES FAGS, THANK GOD FOR AIDS, FAGS BURN IN HELL, NO TEARS FOR QUEERS, etc. The Rev. Troy Perry and the Elders of UFMCC call upon all people of goodwill to uphold the Rev. Jim Mitulski and the Rev. Penny Nixon and the congregation of MCC San Francisco in prayer throughout the coming weekend. A Public Statement by The Rev. Elder Troy D. Perry, Founder and Moderator Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches May 29, 1998 Shame on Fred Phelps. Shame on anyone who claims to represent God and yet promotes a message of hate and intolerance. And shame on Fred Phelps for bringing his brand of spiritual intolerance to Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco this weekend. For too long, organized religion has attempted to erect barriers between God and gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons. This is no longer acceptable. Those days are over. For 30 years, the congregations of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches have worked to tear down spiritual barriers... to promote spiritual justice for all people... and to share a message of hope and affirmation. On behalf of the 42,000 members and adherents of the UFMCC, I salute the Rev. Jim Mitulski and the Rev. Penny Nixon, as well as the many friends and members of MCC San Francisco, for the empowering message they are sending to gay, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons around the world. By your presence and actions this weekend, you are boldly telling the world that we are not afraid anymore. We will not be intimidated. As we stand at the dawn of a new millennium, I continue to pray and work for the day when all people of faith recognize the gifts and inherent value of our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered brothers and sisters. The friends and members of MCC San Francisco are living out the very best of true spirituality. You have met hate with love. Despair with hope. Attacks with genuine service. You are truly living out the words of Jesus who said, "You are the light of the world." May your light continue to burn strong and bright. Long after the curses of Fred Phelps have been forgotten, MCC San Francisco's message of love and faith will continue to touch and inspire lives. Please know, too, that I have invited friends around the world to join with me in surrounding the congregation of MCC San Francisco with our love and prayers throughout this weekend. You are the light of the world! /signed/ The Rev. Elder Troy D. Perry Moderator of UFMCC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PRESS ADVISORY Sunday 11 AM - Event Date: Sunday, May 31, 1998 11:00 AM Place: Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco 150 Eureka Street (3 blocks west of Castro; b/w 18th & 19th St.) San Francisco Media Coordinator: Allen White 415.280.0265 POWER OF GAY CONGREGATION'S SPIRITUAL VALUES RESPONSE TO PLANNED PICKETING BY HOMOPHOBIC BAPTIST MINISTER On Sunday morning, May 31, 1998, at 11:00 AM, hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people will join together to reaffirm their Christian values at the Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco, 150 Eureka Street (3 blocks west of Castro, b/w 18th and 19th St) in San Francisco's Castro District. The service is just hours before Rev. Fred Phelps, Pastor of Topeka's Westboro Baptist Church, and his church members, say they will picket the Metropolitan Community Church. The Rev. Jim Mitulski and the Rev. Penny Nixon, co-pastors, believe the most powerful and effective response to Phelps will be the strong demonstration of Christian love and compassion experienced at the 11 AM service and later in the day at 7 PM. The services, they said, will explore a response that is consistent with church values and the spiritual teachings of a religious tradition of non-violence. They will focus on a theology of love, not hate, which reinforces a commitment to overcome evil with good. Both services will reflect a thriving congregation where many are in meaningful family relationships and the power of prayer is credited for joyous and fulfilling lives. Phelps is primarily noted for picketing at funerals. He attempted to picket the funeral of Randy Shilts at Glide Church and picketed the funeral of President Bill Clinton's mother. His web site is www.godhatesfags.com. Phelps has labeled the Metropolitan Church a "self-proclaimed sodomite church." In fliers faxed to media he manipulates Bible scriptures saying "Sodomite holy communion is not eating bread and drinking wine, but eating feces and drinking semen." He adds, "San Francisco fags are brute beasts - dogs eating vomit." The Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco has, for 29 years, served the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Now, one of the largest and most active churches in the city, meals are served three days a week to the poor and same sex marriages are performed regularly. It is also where more funerals have been conducted for young men who died of AIDS than any other church in America. The Metropolitan Community Church is affiliated with the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, a denomination with churches throughout the world. (END) ADDENDUM: E-Mail messages of support and encouragement may be sent directly to the Rev. Jim Mitulski at Mitulski@aol.com ______________________________________ FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT: ______________________________________ James N. Birkitt, Jr., UFMCC Communications Department 8704 Santa Monica Blvd., 2nd Floor West Hollywood, CA 90069 Tel. (310) 360-8640 Fax: (310) 360-8680 E-mail: info@ufmcchq.com website: http://www.ufmcc.com