HAS
HAS BEEN
HAS BEEN DES4@CRIBED AS A SMALL BIBLE BELT.
BIBLE BELT. FOR MANY, RELIGION PLAYS AN
IMPORTANT ROLE IN THEIR LIVES.4@
BUT FOR SOME, THE TRADITIONAL
TEACHINGS HAVE MADE A LIFE OF
FAITH DIFFICULT.
TONIGHT 13 ON YOUR SIDE'S NOAH
FROMSON SHOWS US HOW A SMALL4@
GROUP OF CHURCHES HAVE CHANGED
THEIR WAYS TO BE MORE
INCLUSIVE.
4@
INCLUSIVE. 4@ NATS
4@ NATS
4@ NATS THEIR STEEPLES ECLIPSE THE
TREETOPS
5:30 REV. WIERSMA
"THERE'S A WEALTH A PLETHORA OF
CHURCHES IN THE AREA."4@
4@
4@ SOME
4@ SOME ARE NESTLED IN 4@ NEIGHBORHOODS
NATS
NEIGHBORHOODS NATS OTHERS LOOK MORE LIKE COMPLEX'S
- ABSORBING INTERSECTIONS 4@
29:17 REV. DOZEMAN
"I THINK IT'S LIKE 170 IN THE
HOLLAND COMMUNITY." 4@
NATS MUSIC
BELOW THE SANCTUARY IN THE
BASEMENT OF ONE OF THEM.4@4@
NATS
A SMALL GROUP CONGREGATES FOR A
MONTHLY CLASS NATS MORE OF A4@
DISCUSSION NATS LED BY LEXI SCOTT 50:52 LEXI SCOTT
"I'M NOT ENTIRELY COMFORTABLE
ALWAYS BEING IN FRONT OF4@
EVERYONE, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE
SOMEONE IN MY LIFE WHEN I
COULD'VE
DESPERATELY USED THAT."
SHE RUNS THE INCLUSION PROGRAM
AT FIRST UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH, THE FIRST CHURCH WHERE
SHE AND HER WIFE CHELSEA NATS
WHO
SINGS IN THE CHOIR NATS FEEL
LIKE THEY BELONG. 4@
50:10 LEXI SCOTT
"IT'S AN AMAZING FEELING TO BE
HERE AND NOT FEEL LIKE I'M BEING
STARED AT
OR WATCHED. I CAN COME AND
WORSHIP AND HOLD MY WIFE'S
HAND."4@
IT'S NOT JUST THE RAINBOW FLAGS
AND QUILTS THAT MAKE LEXI FEEL
WELCOME, BUT A DECISION FIRST 4@
UNITED MADE
25:19 -REV. DOZEMAN
"WE EXIST FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT
YET HERE" ONE THAT BREAKS WITH
25:19 -REV. DOZEMAN "WE EXIST FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT YET HERE" ONE THAT BREAKS WITH4@
THE TRADITIONAL METHODIST VIEW.
25:40 REV. DOZEMAN
"IT IS OUR CALL AND IT IS OUR
PASSION HERE AT HOLLAND FIRST TO
NOT ONLY
INCLUDE THEM IN THE CHURCH, BUT
RAISE THEM UP TO LEADERSHIP
POSITIONS WITHIN OUR FAITH
COMMUNITY."
REVE4@REND TANIA DOZEMAN SAID A
MAJORITY OF MICHIGAN'S
METHODIST CHURCHES OPPOSE THE
DENOMINATION'S
TRADITIONAL LANGUAGE SURROUNDING
MARRYING AND
ORDAINING LGBTQ PEOPLE. BUT THE
CHURCH'S DECISION TO BECOME A 4@
RECONCILING CHURCH COULD COST
DOZEMAN HER JOB.4@
27:44 REV. DOZEMAN
"IN SCRIPTURE THERE IS A VERSE
ABOUT LAYING YOUR LIFE DOWN FOR
ANOTHER PERSON, AND I'M READY.
I'M ALL IN" 49:14 LEXI SCOTT
"IT IS AMAZING TO BE SUPPORTED
IN THAT WAY AND IT'S REALLY KIND
OF FOREIGN
FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME IN THAT
COMMUNITY."
NATS
COMMUNITY." NATS A HOLLAND COMMUNITY WITH MORE
THAN 150 CHURCHES, WHERE
JUST A HANDFUL WILL MARRY AND
ORDAIN LGBTQ PEOPLE.4@
59:23 REV. WIERSMA
"OUR DENOMINATION HAS BEEN
MOSTLY CONSERVATIVE, AND WE'VE
BEEN MORE 4@
OF A PROGRESSIVE VOICE."
GORDON WIERSMA IS A PASTOR AT
HOPE CHURCH, A REFORMED CHURCH
OF AMERICA CONGREGATION ACROSS
THE STREET FROM FIRST 4@
UNITED. THEY'VE BEEN FULLY
INCLUSIVE FOR ALMOST A DECADE.
54:45 AND 2:42 REV. WIERSMA
"WE'RE RESPONSIBLE TO RECEIVE
THE GIFTS OF OUR4@
CONGREGATION AND THAT'S WHAT
ORDINATION AND MARRIAGE ARE
BOTH ABOUT.WE'VE BEEN MISSING
OUT ON PEOPLE'S GIFTS
AND SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING
NICE WE'RE DOING, THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT
ENRICHES WHO WE ARE
NATS4@
25:59 REV. FRY
"THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS THE
MAKINGS OF LEADING TO A 4@
DIVISION WITHIN OUR OWN
DENOMINATION IN NORTH AMERICA."
MAKINGS OF LEADING TO A 4@ DIVISION WITHIN OUR OWN DENOMINATION IN NORTH AMERICA."@
KENT FRY OF THIRD REFORMED
CHURCH SAYS NOT JUST HIS
CONGREGATION,
BUT MANY RCA CHURCHES ARE
DIVIDED OVER RECONCILIATION.4@
HE'S TRYING TO BRIDGE THE GAP,
AS THE DENOMINATION WORKS OUT
ITS 4@
STANCE.
28:12 AND 27:14 REV. FRY
"WE HAVEN'T LANDED SOME
PARTICULAR PLACE, AND THAT WE'R@
STILL DISCERNING ON THIS
PARTICULAR ISSUE AND WALKING
WITH PEOPLE.IT'S
NOT JUST A MATTER OF FOCUSING ON
THE ISSUE ON A THEOLOGICAL AND
THEORETICAL LEVEL, WE'RE DEALIN@
WITH REAL PEOPLE AND WE
NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND."
A GROUP OF REAL PEOPLE WHO,
WIERSMA SAYS, STILL FEEL THEY 4@
CAN'T BE TRUE TO THEMSELVES IN A
COMMUNITY BRIMMING WITH
FAITH.
2:00 REV. WIERSMA
"WE STILL HEAR STORIES OF
VIOLENCE OF EXCLUSION DONE4@ TO
2:00 REV. WIERSMA "WE STILL HEAR STORIES OF VIOLENCE OF EXCLUSION DONE4@ TO@
PEOPLE OF VIOLENCE THAT PEOPLE
TURN ON THEMSELVES THAT'S
VERY MUCH REAL."
BITE FROM JENN ADAMS ABOUT
SUICIDE
REVEREND JENNIFER ADAMS IS THE
PASTOR AT GRACE EPISCOPAL IN4@
HOLLAND. SHE ALSO RUNS OUT ON
THE LAKESHORE, THE ONLY LGBTQ
RESOURCE CENTER IN THE AREA. SHE
SAYS XYZ
BITE ABOUT THE PRESSING NATURE
OF THE ISSUE. 4@
NATS ORGAN
LEXI NATS: "SINCE WE'RE AT
CHURCH, I THOUGHT WE'D START
WITH AN
OPENING PRAYER SO IF YOU'D JOIN
ME."4@
LEXI'S ONLY WORKING WITH 20 OR
SO PEOPLE ON FIRST'S LOWER
LEVEL. BUT SHE'S GRATEFUL
52:40 LEXI SCOTT
"WE ARE ON A JOURNEY AND
EVERYONE IS."
TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE4@
30:40 REV. DOZEMAN
"THERE WILL ALWAYS BE WORK WE
NEED TO DO.
OPEN THEIR HEARTS IN FAITH. 4@
52:35 LEXI SCOTT
"IT WILL BE DONE AND OVER WITH
WHEN EVERYBODY IS LOVED EQUALLY
AND WELCOME AND APPRECIATED AND
CELEBRATED FOR THE GIFTS THAT
THEY OFFER AND NOT FOR WHO THEY
LOVE."4@
SEVERAL PASTORS OF THESE
RECONCILING LAKESHORE
CHURCHES MEET ON THE FIRST
TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH FOR A
MEETING
CALLED "OUT IN FAITH" TO LISTEN,
SHARE STORIES AND SUPPORT THE
LGBTQ COMMUNITY. BACK TO YOU.
4@
AND THOSE MEETINGS TAKE PLACE AT
THE LAKESHORE 4@