Subject: WOW2000: GLBT People to Celebrate Welcoming Church Movement 8/3-8/6
From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 23:43:52 EDT

"HOMOSEXUALITY IS COMPATABLE WITH CHRISTIAN TEACHING," WELCOMING CHURCHES 
PROCLAIM 

WOW2000 To Be the Largest Ecumenical Gathering and Celebration of Christians 
Working for the Inclusion of  Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons 
in Church and Society

*****************************************
PRESS RELEASE: May 30, 2000 - For Immediate Release 
Witness Our Welcome - WOW2000  
http://www.wow2k.org    
Media Contact: Laura Montgomery Rutt    
Phone: 717-627-7180 (media only)  
Email: [email-masked]
******************************************

Chicago - Over one thousand people are expected to assemble for the largest 
ecumenical gathering of welcoming churches and individuals ever held; Witness 
our Welcome 2000: God's Promise Is for You (WOW2000).  This historic event 
will be taking place August 3 - 6 in DeKalb, IL, at Northern Illinois 
University just outside Chicago, proclaiming that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and 
transgender (GLBT) people are made in God's image, and are part of the 
goodness of God's diverse Creation.

 The purpose of the event is to celebrate the progress of welcoming 
congregations and inspire even greater outreach to lesbian, gay, bisexual, 
transgender persons and their families.  WOW2000 will be a place where GLBT 
persons of faith, their families, and allies, can find affirmation and 
support for their faith journey. Individuals and representatives from all 
churches considering outreach to GLBT persons are welcome and encouraged to 
attend. Registration materials are now available, and hundreds of people have 
already registered. 

"The Welcoming Church Movement is changing the way Christians think about the 
inclusion of GLBT people in the church," declared Jacki Belile, WOW2000 
chairperson.  "WOW2000 will counter the too-often-heard Christian voices 
condemning GLBT people and instead publicly demonstrate God's all-embracing 
love and justice." 

Among the speakers who are participating in at WOW2000 are Rev. Janie Spahr, 
an openly lesbian Presbyterian minister and  founder of "That All May Freely 
Serve"; Rev. Jimmy Creech, who was defrocked by the United Methodist  Church 
for performing a union ceremony for two men; Rev. John Selders, an ordained 
minister in the United Church of Christ and coordinator for the Urban 
Leadership Project of The Night Ministry of Chicago; Rev. Dr. Gwynne Guibord, 
the chief ecumenical officer for Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan 
Community Churches; and many more.

Two recent announcements illustrate the breadth of the Welcoming Church 
Movement and the  understanding that homosexuality is NOT incompatible with 
Christian teaching:
1) The PCJ, the highest court in the Presbyterian Church (USA) decided that  
a gay man may be an ordination candidate and that ministers may bless same 
sex unions;  and, 
2) The Southeast Michigan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 
approved a Resolution calling for the Recognition and Blessing of same sex 
relationships.

"There are more than a thousand churches all across the United States and 
Canada that embrace and welcome GLBT people, their families, and allies," 
stated Mark Bowman, Executive Director of the WOW2000 Conference. "There are 
thousands of Christians in all denominations, who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, 
transgender and straight, of all colors, races, creeds, and abilities, who 
believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us love, compassion, and 
acceptance of the marginalized. The conference is designed to celebrate the 
power of the Welcoming Church movement at a time when our visibility is 
increasing."

To register, or for more information about sponsoring organizations, see 
http://www.wow2k.org, or call 800-318-5581.

NOTE: For press credentials, please contact Laura Montgomery Rutt, 
717-627-7180,  (FAX) 717-625-3878,  (email) [email-masked] .

Witness Our Welcome 2000: God's Promise is for You!   An historic ecumenical 
gathering of Welcoming Churches and their allies in the U. S. and Canada

Witness Our Welcome 2000 (WOW2000) is sponsored by this coalition of 
"Welcoming Church" programs:

SPONSORS

Affirming Congregation Programme (United Church of Canada)
Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (American Baptist)
Beyond Inclusion, Integrity, & The Oasis (Episcopal)
More Light Presbyterians (Presbyterian)
Open & Affirming Ministries (Disciples of Christ)
Open and Affirming Program (United Church of Christ)
Reconciling in Christ Program (Lutheran)
Reconciling Congregation Program (United Methodist)
Supportive Congregations Network (Brethren/Mennonite)

MAJOR FUNDERS

Broadway UCC (New York, NY) 
Chicago Temple Fund (Chicago, IL) 
E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation 
First United Church of Oak Park (Oak Park, IL) 
The Gill Foundation 
Philip A. Knutson Endowment 
The Riverside Church (New York, NY) 
United Church Board for Homeland Ministries Division of American Missionary 
ssociation 

PARTNERS

Church of the Covenant (Cleveland, OH) 
Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church 
Other Sheep 
Oxbow (Liberal Protestant Coalition) 
St. Paul's UCC (Chicago, IL) 
That All May Freely Serve 
The Other Side 
The Shower of Stoles Project 
Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches 

ALLIES

Christians of African Descent 
Dignity USA 
Equal Partners in Faith 
Gay Theological Journal 
HeartStrong, Inc. 
Lake Street Church (Evanston, IL) 
National Institute for GLBT Education 
Plymouth Congregational Church (Seattle, WA) 
Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ (Grand Rapids, MI) 

FRIENDS

First Congregational UCC (Madison, WI) 
Kentucky Fairness Alliance Religious Organizing Project 
Montclair Presbyterian Church (Oakland, CA) 
Presbyterian Partnership of Conscience 
Seattle First Baptist Church 
United University Church (Los Angeles, CA) 
Urbandale United Church of Christ (Urbandale, IA) 
Voices of Sophia 
Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual 

Learn how your organization or group can support or be visible at WOW2000, or 
how you can support us with a financial gift or as a volunteer. 
http://www.wow2k.org/Support.asp