| Are hearts, minds, doors truly open?
I am writing in response to a letter from the Rev. Steward H. Frazier Jr. in the June 9 UMConnection. I wonder if some of those who oppose the full inclusion of homosexuals into every level of church life and ministry ever thought of the exclusion of lepers. In Jesus' society they were excluded not only from the temple and synagogue, but from even having social intercourse with relatives and friends. However, Jesus never treated them in this manner. His love was open to everyone. Loyalty to God and his son, to me, means following the all-inclusive forgiving love of our Savior. At Foundry UMC, we welcome everyone, regardless of sexual orientation. I have been overjoyed with the depth of Christian faith and wise spiritual leadership that these men and women consistently give to the church. We need to be extremely sensitive to the needs of those who have felt abandoned, condemned and vilified by members of the Christian church. Jesus was very forceful, critical, and even angry at the leaders of the Jewish faith who were more concerned with rigid legalistic rules than they were with loving behavior and concern for those on the fringes of society. Do we really have 'Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors?' Adele Hutchins
Foundry UMC, Washington, D.C. Appalled at the accusations
I am appalled, but not shocked, at the accusations that Bishop Felton Edwin May made against Gov. Ehrlich of not being pro-life because he allowed the execution of a convicted multiple murderer to take place. While I have no problem with the bishop speaking out against the death penalty, I would have a lot more respect for him and his point of view if he had taken a similarly strong stand on the partial birth abortion issue and the abortion issue as a whole. Unfortunately, the bishop's apparent liberal political views seem to keep him from being pro-life. It was this attitude of The United Methodist Church that has forced us to leave the denomination. It has been a very difficult decision for us to leave a church we have been a part of for almost 15 years, and to leave the only church my children can remember being a part of. I hope that one day the leadership of The United Methodist Church will wake up and begin to rely solely on biblical correctness and not political correctness. Until they do, they will be faced with concerns over an ever-shrinking denomination. Jeff Maley
Formerly of New Market UMC | 
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