On Saturday, September 17, Indiana Equality will hold a statewide “Stop The Amendment” Summit hosted at LifeJourney Church from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. The purpose is to discuss strategy for defeating efforts to amend Indiana’s Constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage. All interested persons are welcome. To register, email lponterio@indianaequality.org.

Around fifty people from Jesus MCC filled the Indiana Senate chamber gallery today to protest the passage of HJR6, legislation that would amend Indiana’s Constitution to discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.

They disrupted the proceedings with chants of “Stop hating, stop dividing, stop pandering!” and “Wrong side of history!” Pastor Jeff Miner was escorted out of the Senate chamber shortly after the protests began, and not long after the entire group was ordered to leave and escorted out. They held a brief prayer gathering in the Capitol Rotunda.

The protest was covered by Fox59 and the Indianapolis Star, so look for a report on tonight’s news, in tomorrow’s Star, or on their websites.

Posted on Monday afternoon
Fox59.com: Church organizes protest against gay marriage amendment ban.
IndyStar.com: Ind. Senate gallery closes after gay-wed outbursts

For more information contact

Rev. Jeff Miner
Jesus Metropolitan Community Church
2950 East 55th Place
Indianapolis, IN 46220
www.JesusMCC.org
(317) 260-9620

Released Monday morning, March 28, 2011.

When the Indiana Senate convenes today, a large group will be present to vigorously protest Senate action on H.J.R. 6 — legislation that would amend Indiana’s Constitution to discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.

The protest is being organized by Jesus Metropolitan Community Church, Indianapolis. Many congregants will take time off work to travel to the Statehouse to “bear spiritual witness” against the legislation.

Rev. Jeff Miner, Senior Pastor, says, “At a time when our State faces so many challenges, I can’t believe the Republican Party of Indiana is insisting on legislation that promotes hate and division. What they’re doing is evil. It’s pandering to the religious right. Using the Constitution to target a group of people for discrimination is un-American and un-Christian. In our country, all people should be treated equally under the law.”

Protestors will carry signs asking: “Would Jesus discriminate?”

Their protest chants will include: “Stop hating, stop dividing, stop pandering!”; “Wrong side of history!”; and “Jobs, not hate!”

Melody Merida, Minister of Congregational Care, says, “In the past, every time legislators have voted to discriminate, history has judged them harshly. We want to remind our legislators that both God and history will hold them accountable for their vote. Sometimes the legislature tries to do something so wrong, so awful, God’s people have to cry out against it.”

Jesus Metropolitan Community Church is a congregation of 400 located on the northeast side of Indianapolis. We are a church that is passionate about Jesus and serious about the Bible. Because of that, we celebrate the full diversity of God’s creation. We believe Christians should be leading the charge for equality, not resisting it.

We need 50 people from Jesus MCC (and beyond) who are willing to pack the Senate balcony this coming Monday from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Can you be 1 of the 50?

On March 23, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to send H.R. 6, without amendment, to the full Senate for a vote on Monday. H.R. 6 will begin a process to amend Indiana’s Constitution to deny LGBT couples equal protection under the law. Using the Constitution to deny rights is as low as it gets.

Although the Senate is certain to vote in favor, we have a spiritual obligation to bear witness against this evil act. We also want to send a signal that, if legislators continue to push forward in this process, they will pay a heavy price.

Our plan is to pack the balcony and chant slogans until we’re ordered to leave the balcony. Once that happens, we’ll chant outside the governor’s office, then hold a brief prayer vigil in the rotunda. (We will not do anything illegal or anything that could lead to arrest. This will be a peaceful demonstration.)

If you can be there (Monday, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm), please email pastorjeff@jesusmcc.org ASAP! We need a minimum of 50.

There will be an organizing meeting for participants at church Sunday evening at 6:00 pm to make sure everyone knows what to expect, and is well coordinated, for Monday. Please share this email with any inside and outside the church who might be interested.

(An earlier version of this notice included incorrect times. The times listed above are correct.)

Rev. Jeff Miner, Senior Pastor, Jesus Metropolitan Community Church
March 16, 2011

I am Rev. Jeff Miner, Chair of a statewide coalition of justice-seeking clergy and congregations called ICON, the Interfaith Coalition On Nondiscrimination. I also serve as Senior Pastor of Jesus Metropolitan Community Church, Indianapolis.

It makes me weary to stand before you today. We’ve done this before. But hate keeps raising its ugly head. When we should be looking forward, you keep trying to tug us backward.

Three brief points.

First, a multitude of people of faith in Indiana are disgusted with what you are doing here.

Today I will distribute a letter signed by 137 Hoosier clergy from across the state — clergy who represent thousands of Hoosiers — who are begging you to stop hating, stop hurting, and stop dividing people. Focus on something positive; do something life-giving.

Second, what you’re doing has nothing to do with defending the Bible or marriage.

Throughout history the Bible has often been twisted to justify discrimination — against women, against African Americans, against Jews, and now against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. It seems that God gets blamed every time we sinful humans want to justify hurting another unpopular minority.

The truth is, God is love — that’s what the Bible teaches. And the acid test of our love, Jesus taught, is how we treat those who are most vulnerable in society. But in complete and utter disregard for these vital teachings, you are about to strip a whole class of people of their basic civil rights. As a follower of Jesus, I am confident that if he were testifying today, he would scold you and weep, and would say to gay, lesbian and transgender people everywhere — I have come to save you . . . from my followers.

Does anyone here really believe that straight marriages are falling apart because of gay people? Is anybody here really that silly? Let’s cut through the hypocrisy. This legislation is about pandering to the prejudices of extremists on the religious right. And pandering is a sin.

Third, you will be held accountable by God and history for the vote you cast today.

Those who vote yes will be on the wrong side of history. Your name will go down in infamy with leaders like those in Indiana in the 1920s who pandered to racism. And some day your great-grand children will be ashamed. I beg you, don’t do this to your legacy.

God of mercy, God of justice, help these legislators to see how much their actions are hurting people. Change their hearts, O God. Turn them into courageous leaders who care more about justice than votes. Amen.

Once again Indiana’s legislature is considering a proposal to amend our State Constitution to define marriage in a way that targets gay and lesbian people. The process begins Monday morning at 10:30 am when a Committee of the House holds hearings in the main House Chamber. The hearing will be streamed live at http://www.in.gov/legislative/2441.htm. To become law, the proposal would have to pass in the current legislative session, then again in two years, then be ratified by a referendum of Hoosier voters.

We’ve been through this process before. The same amendment was adopted by the legislature in 2005, but failed when it came back to the legislature in 2007. Indiana is the only state that has successfully defeated an attempt to amend its Constitution to discriminate against gay and lesbian people. Our church was a key factor in that defeat, working with a coalition of churches and synagogues we founded (ICON, the Interfaith Coalition on Nondiscrimination), and a coalition of civil rights groups (IE, Indiana Equality).

Now, once again, we must rise up to defend fairness. As before, our Church will be at the center of the effort, working closely with coalition partners. On February 3, volunteers in our Church office processed a letter, mailed to every single Indiana legislator, vigorously opposing this new effort. The letter was signed by 137 clergy from across the State of Indiana! This letter will surprise many legislators who think all people of faith oppose LGBT rights.

Because Republicans control both the Indiana House and Senate, it will be very difficult to stop passage of the proposal this session. Although you are welcome to attend the House Hearing on Monday, no big push is planned for that event. The next big event will take place on IE’s Lobby Day on Monday, February 21 (Presidents Day), at the Statehouse. Training will be provided in the morning, then in the afternoon we will speak to our legislators in groups. To register, go to IndianaEquality.org.

We are in active dialogue with our IE and ICON coalition partners about how Jesus MCC can be most helpful in this session of Indiana’s legislature. Let’s begin lifting prayers for God’s help and seeking God’s wisdom for how to proceed.

Fifty-six activist leaders from around the world received copies of The Children Are Free at the 24th Worldwide Conference of the International Lesbian and Gay Association in Vienna, Austria, in November, 2008.

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The Interfaith Coalition on Nondiscrimination is partnering with the film Inlaws & Outlaws to raise awareness of the importance of GLBT family recognition. This new film will be shown on July 17 at 7:00 pm at Jesus MCC. Tickets are $10, and can be purchased in advance at the church on Sundays. All proceeds benefit ICON.  Watch the trailer:

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Would Jesus Discriminate? Round 3

People have heard it preached for years that homosexuals are condemned as wicked and perverse people but for many there’s a quiet voice that asks a nagging question — how does such a hateful message square with religious teachings that stress love and full acceptance?

Rev. Jeff Miner, Senior Pastor of Jesus Metropolitan Community Church, Indianapolis, believes that quiet voice in our hearts and minds is trying to tell us something about the difference between bigotry and religious truth.

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The second round of our Would Jesus Discriminate? campaign ended on May 19.

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Would Jesus Discriminate? Round Two

Late last week, 22 billboards went up across the Indianapolis metro area asking Hoosiers to re-examine their assumptions about what the Bible says about homosexuality. The response has been swift and violent.

Two of the billboards have already been defaced. One, located on the east side of Indianapolis (at the intersection of 10th Street and Mitthoeffer), proclaims, “Jesus affirmed a gay couple. Matthew 8:5-13.” It has been marred with bright red paint that says “lie, lie, lie.”

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This week marks the beginning of an unprecedented media campaign that will challenge Hoosiers to re-examine their assumptions about what the Bible says about homosexuality. The message will be everywhere — on 22 billboards across the Indianapolis metro area, on two thousand yard signs, and on hundreds of t-shirts and bumper stickers.

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