Stonewall riots -- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -- The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. They are frequently cited as the first instance in American history when people in the homosexual community fought back against a government-sponsored system that persecuted sexual minorities, and they have become the defining event that marked the start of the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world.
First Pride march -- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -- On November 2, 1969, Craig Rodwell proposed the first gay pride parade to be held in New York City by way of a resolution at the Eastern Regional Conference of Homophile Organizations meeting in Philadelphia:
"That the Annual Reminder, in order to be more relevant, reach a greater number of people, and encompass the ideas and ideals of the larger struggle in which we are engaged-that of our fundamental human rights-be moved both in time and location. We propose that a demonstration be held annually on the last Saturday in June in New York City to commemorate the 1969 spontaneous demonstrations on Christopher Street and this demonstration be called CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATION DAY. No dress or age regulations shall be made for this demonstration. We also propose that we contact Homophile organizations throughout the country and suggest that they hold parallel demonstrations on that day. We propose a nationwide show of support."
In 1974 David Sindt began the movement for the full inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people of faith into the life and ministry of the Presbyterian Church when he stood up on the floor of the General Assembly in Baltimore with a simple, handmade sign which read:
IS ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE GAY?
Presbyterians for Lesbian & Gay Concerns (PLGC) was begun by the Rev. David Bailey Sindt in 1974. He began writing letters to persons he knew or had heard of, inviting them to join the "Presbyterian Gay Caucus (PGC)."
The More Light Church movement began soon after the close of the 190th General Assembly in 1978. Several congregations began adopting policies explicitly welcoming lesbian and gay members and guaranteeing their full participation, including ordination to offices of deacon and elder if elected by the congregation and found qualified by the session.
1992 Takoma Park Presbyterian Church becomes a More Light Church
[statement available on TPPC website]
1996 TPPC adopts Addendum to its More Light Statement
[statement available on TPPC website]
Now, therefore be it resolved that the Session of Takoma Park Presbyterian Church authorizes the pastor, or her or his designee, to conduct ceremonies of blessing and celebration of covenants between people of the same gender; and Be it further resolved that the Session of Takoma Park Presbyterian Church authorizes the use of the sanctuary and other church facilities for the purpose of conducting ceremonies of blessing and celebration of covenants between people of the same gender.
General Assembly meets in Albuquerque -- 1996
In all the hotly debated issues in the church this year, one in particular stands out with far-reaching implications for the life of the church. The 208th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (1996), meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, voted to send to the presbyteries for their affirmative or negative vote, the following amendment to the Book of Order, G-6.0106, to renumber the present paragraph as "a" and by adding a new section "b" to read as follows:
"b. Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to life either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage of a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the Confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders or ministers of the Word and Sacrament." [As amended]
This proposed amendment to our denomination's Book of Order was drafted by the General Assembly Committee on Ordination and Human Sexuality. It was this committee's job to recommend a response to the many proposals from many different presbyteries to "do something" about the controversy over homosexual ordination. The committee presented this amendment to the General Assembly in their report, together with a Preamble which described the committee's reasons for recommending the amendment. After making a few slight modifications, the General Assembly approved the committee's recommendation by a vote of 313 in favor and 236 against (57% to 43%).
July 2010 The PCUSA General Assembly meeting in Minneapolis voted to adopt amendment 10-A.
June 2011 A majority of Presbyteries in the US have voted to ratify amendment 10-A, which removes the current Section G-6.0106b from the Book of Order and adds other wording to the Book of Order. This change will take effect in July 2011.
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