Reconciling: Early Beginnings (2-19-12)

By Ginny Finch

An important moment in church history occurred nearly 27 years ago, when the male members of Dumbarton went to Whitman Walker Clinic to experience what it was like to talk with a gay person. Under the leadership of former Dumbarton pastor Rev. Mary Kraus and Wesley Seminary’s Rev. Chip Aldridge, Dumbartonians shared their experiences in the church’s Reconciling process at an adult ed session on Feb. 19.

One participant recalled a children’s story on the equality of left- and right-handed people. Another reported seeing photos of different kinds of families on the church bulletin board.  Still another remembered  the late Francis Stevens of civil rights fame, who constantly urged reconciling advocates to “hang in there.” A lesbian woman and life partner expressed her joy in being treated like a spouse. A heterosexual clergy woman thanked Dumbarton for giving her the courage to speak out.
 
Kraus and Aldridge also invited Dumbartonians to share their dreams about Reconciling’s future. For one Dumbartonian, the future is a call to action: “We need to elect bishops who will not only work to change Methodist policies but who  say, ‘I will not participate in discrimination in the church’ “