Oklahoma Silent Protest
Some 50 people stood outside the site of the Oklahoma Annual Conference's 2019 session holding stoles and other sacred items of LGBTQ+ people in support of their ordination. (Photo by Scott Spencer).
Members of the Oklahoma Annual Conference encountered some 50 people engaged in a silent witness May 29. The demonstrators held stoles belonging to LGBTQ+ clergy, according to a Facebook post by the Rev. Scott Spencer, who took the photo above.
Carla Hinton of The Oklahoman amplified Rev. Spencer’s post:
“About 50 United Methodists gathered outside OCU's Freede Center for about 30 minutes, holding up clergy stoles and other sacred items belonging to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. People walking into the meeting sessions of the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference were given opportunities to see the items and read the stories connected to them.
“The Rev. Scott Spencer, one of the demonstration's organizers, said the items on display were part of the Shower of Stoles Project, a collection of more than 1,000 liturgical stoles and other sacred items representing the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of faith.
“He said the items belonged to LGBT individuals who were either prevented from ordination by a faith group or those whose clergy credentials were stripped from them after ordination.”
Ms. Hinton also quoted Oklahoma conference communications director, Rev. Joe Harris, who said he thought the demonstration was respectful. Rev. Spencer told Ms. Hinton that the goal was for the demonstration to make its point about allowing LGBTQ ordinations without disrupting conference proceedings.
Media Mentions as of May 30, 2019
Ohio Church Stands Up Against Its Denomination on Gay Rights – Patheos (blog)
No resolution yet for St. Petersburg Methodist pastor who performed same-sex weddings – Tampa Bay Times