The UCC fights back

[jefferson_dem]

The UCC fights back

Both Trinity United Church of Christ and its (mostly white) parent church are trying to fight back against the unexpected storm in which they find themselves:

TUCC: http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/03/an_attack_on_the_church.php

Nearly three weeks before the 40th commemorative anniversary of the murder of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.’s character is being assassinated in the public sphere because he has preached a social gospel on behalf of oppressed women, children, and men in America and around the globe.

UCC: http://www.ucc.org/news/chicagos-trinity-ucc-is.html

"Trinity United Church of Christ is a great gift to our wider church family and to its own community in Chicago," says UCC General Minister and President John H. Thomas. "At a time when it is being subjected to caricature and attack in the media, it is critical that all of us express our gratitude and support to this remarkable congregation, to Jeremiah A. Wright for his leadership over 36 years, and to Pastor Otis Moss III, as he assumes leadership at Trinity."

<SNIP>

Rev. Gray, a member of First Congregational UCC in Indianapolis, has worshiped several times at Trinity UCC and is most impressed by the overflowing sense of welcome it extends to visitors.

"When you're Euro-American, the people are so exceedingly gracious, warm and welcoming. They hug you and say, 'Welcome to our church!'"

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0308/The_UCC_fights_back.html

[Window]

1. Good for them.

:kick:

[donheld]

2. Bring it on. They need to do this.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. Blood everywhere!!!

What? Peacefully? Fuck.

[leftofcool]

4. Good! Keep Wright on the front page

[wndycty]

8. You would ROOT for this wouldn't you. . .

. . .very nice. When politics by destroying people.

[anonymous171]

5. OMG!!! HATE CHURCH!!!

:sarcasm: :kick:

[FrenchieCat]

6. But who will fight for them?

that is the question.

Will the Regressive Party (my new name for the Democrats) do this?

[angie_love]

7. K and R.

Its sad that a church is reduced to 30 second soundbites.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

9. Praise the Lord...Good for them. Quite frankly, if the white folks who are members of and vistors

to Trinity UCC feel welcomed and included that's good enough for me.

[Tarheel_Dem]

10. happy to be the 5th k&r..........(eom)

:kick:

[BlackVelvet04]

11. As long as they aren't white women, maybe.................

"behalf of oppressed women, children, and men in America and around the globe."

[kwassa]

13. why do you say that?

[K Gardner]

12. K&R

[Garbo 2004]

14. Remember when TV networks refused to run some UCC ads because they showed acceptance of gays?

CBS, NBC refuse to air church's television advertisement

United Church of Christ ad highlighting Jesus' extravagant welcome called
'too controversial'

CLEVELAND -- The CBS and NBC television networks are refusing to run a
30-second television ad from the United Church of Christ because its
all-inclusive welcome has been deemed "too controversial."

The ad, part of the denomination's new, broad identity campaign set to
begin airing nationwide on Dec. 1, states that -- like Jesus -- the United
Church of Christ (UCC) seeks to welcome all people, regardless of ability,
age, race, economic circumstance or sexual orientation.

According to a written explanation from CBS, the United Church of Christ is
being denied network access because its ad implies acceptance of gay and
lesbian couples -- among other minority constituencies -- and is,
therefore, too "controversial."

"Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other
minority groups by other individuals and organizations," reads an
explanation from CBS, "and the fact the Executive Branch has recently
proposed a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a union between a
man and a woman, this spot is unacceptable for broadcast on the UPN] networks."

Similarly, a rejection by NBC declared the spot "too controversial." http://www.wfn.org/2004/11/msg00231.html

FAIR action alert at the time: http://www.fair.org/activism/church-ad.html

Here's the UCC ad CBS/NBC said they wouldn't run:

"The Bouncer"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8710684234586455338&q=UCC+advertisements+gays&total=4&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2