http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2012/11/12/lightning-hits-quapaw-quarter-methodist Comments On: Lightning hits Quapaw Quarter Methodist by Max Brantley en-us Copyright 2013 Arkansas Times. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Arkansas Times readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Arkansas Times. robert@arktimes.com (Arkansas Times Webmaster) Sat, 18 May 2013 00:00:01 -0500 Sat, 18 May 2013 21:00:00 -0500 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
It's a process. I doubt the Episcopal church just spontaneously decided one day to allow gay clergy. Will we succeed without causing a complete break with the global UMC? Who knows? That may be coming.

But we're not just going to give up and not even try. We're going to work to change as many minds as we can.
Posted by Mordy]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:49:42 -0600 Arkansas Times
Here, nobody ever asks where one goes to church and we don't do gradations of bigotry so of course I'd no IDEA there were Methodists within Methodism who did not support that church's anti-gay equality stance, nor any clue about a "Reconciling Ministry!"

From now on, should anyone tell me they're Methodist, I'll ask for clarification.

It shouldn't take long for the "global" church to get your message, since all those Reconciling Ministries like yours doubtless withhold tithed funds from from the bigoted main church.

Or is it, "We oppose your anti-gay position. Here's more money?"

Enlightenment is SO confusing.
Posted by Norma Bates]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:34:32 -0600 Arkansas Times
Miz Norma: >>No, you don't. <<<

O, yes ma'am, we do. Harold has already posted the church's official statement, but I invite you to come over and hang out with us and see the works that go along with our faith. I am probably about as old fashioned and curmudgeonly about those issues as they come, but even I'm finding a lot of new insight and learning to be a whole lot more tolerant.

I guess the lesson to be learned is that the Lord sends his rain (and his lightning) on the just and the unjust alike...
Posted by Pscyclepath]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 15:27:52 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by couldn't be better]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:33:38 -0600 Arkansas Times
http://arkansasmatters.com/fulltext?nxd_id…

Is there an electrician in the house, or maybe Towerdog? I have a question: would a lightning rod would have protected the building?

I'd like to lightning-proof my house. I have a small tower on my roof for Internet access, and I dread the possibility of blowing out every computer in the house with one lightning bolt.

Speaking of Towerdog, he has one of the best avatar photos on this blog -

http://www.arktimes.com/arkansas/towerdog/…
Posted by radical centrist]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:01:27 -0600 Arkansas Times
--Doowle
Posted by eLwood]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:05:43 -0600 Arkansas Times Here's our welcome statement:
Drawn together by the loving grace of God, we of Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church believe that there are no inherent barriers to living in relationship with Christ. We welcome into our faith community people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, physical and mental abilities, economic means and family structures.
So son't damn us because of the bad practices of the global church, practices that we are actively working to change.
Posted by rainbowharold]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:59:35 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by NB Lives In Pangburn Trailer Home]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:43:30 -0600 Arkansas Times
If anyone would like more information on the Reconciling Ministries, you can find it here: http://www.rmnetwork.org
Posted by Mordy]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:21:18 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Norma Bates]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:20:08 -0600 Arkansas Times
No, you don't. That's why that lesbian Methodist minister was defrocked three or four years ago. So she couldn't "fully participate."

Why lie?
Posted by Norma Bates]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:18:39 -0600 Arkansas Times
For those of you who don't know, QQUMC was formed when Winfield UMC decided they needed to move out of "dangerous" downtown to WLR. Those against the move felt that you couldn't truly do God's work if you separated yourself from the ones he commanded you to serve.

We feed the poor and homeless twice every Sunday - breakfast and lunch. Yes, we actually let poor people into our church! Revolutionary! And we distribute food through a food pantry twice a month. We were the first Reconciling Ministry church in the state of Arkansas, which means we believe all people, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation should fully participate in the Methodist church. Our congregation is a mosaic of races, ages, and sexual orientations.

But we struggle...strangely enough, our brand of worship doesn't seem to appeal to the average Arkansan. We don't have comfortable seating, state of the art audio/video systems, or a children's area that looks like Disney World. We barely meet our modest budget, and while we hope that insurance will cover most of this damage, whatever we do have to pay will further strain us. But we're a hardy group - used to adversity. If I know the good people of QQUMC as well as I think I do, we'll persevere, and continue serving the marginalized in our community.
Posted by Mordy]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:12:26 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Citizen1]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 11:58:02 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by mrprincipal07]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 11:49:01 -0600 Arkansas Times
Moral: If whatever happens = Good, it's Setab Amron. If whatever happens = Bad, it's Satan. So whatever, don't ask, keep the faith, keep tithing.

LIKE it!
Posted by Norma Bates]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 11:26:15 -0600 Arkansas Times
From wiki:

"The Book of Job begins with an introduction to Job's character—he is described as a blessed man who lives righteously. God's praise of Job prompts Satan to challenge Job's integrity and suggesting that Job serves God simply because he protects him. God removes Job's protection, allowing Satan to take his wealth, his children, and his physical health in order to tempt Job to curse God. Despite his difficult circumstances, he does not curse God, but rather curses the day of his birth. And although he protests his plight and pleads for an explanation, he stops short of accusing God of injustice."
Posted by the outlier]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 10:23:03 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by DeathbyInches]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 10:08:30 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by bopbamboom]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 10:05:41 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by eLwood]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 09:29:08 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Self Appointed Arbiter]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2012 08:54:30 -0600 Arkansas Times