Resolution Calling Upon the Churches of the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ to Support Non-Discriminatory Policies Within Our Congregations and the Maine Human Rights Act
(Submitted by Woodfords Congregational Church, U.C.C., The Congregational
Church in Cumberland, The Broad Bay Congregational United Church of Christ
in Waldoboro, Phippsburg Congregational Church, U.C.C., The First Congregational
Church, U.C.C in Houlton, the First Congregational Church (“Old South”) in
Farmington, and the First Congregational Church, U.C.C. in Waterville.)

WHEREAS, the prophet Micah proclaimed that that which the Lord requires of people of faith is “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God,” (Micah 6:6-8) and Jesus taught that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31), without being judgmental (Matthew 7:1-2) nor disparaging of others (Luke 18: 9-14); and

WHEREAS, the congregations of the Maine Conference seek to celebrate diversity and overcome differences, and many have within their membership gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, and

WHEREAS, the Tenth through Fourteenth General Synods have adopted resolutions encouraging the human rights of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people within the United Church of Christ; and

WHEREAS, the executive Council of the United Church of Christ adopted in 1980 a program of Equal Employment Opportunity, which does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of sexual orientation; and
WHEREAS, the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ previously passed a resolution supporting sexual orientation as a protected class under the Maine Human Rights Act in September 1997; and

WHEREAS, many parts of the Church have remained conspicuously silent despite the continuing injustice of institutionalized discrimination in the areas of housing, employment, and access to public accommodation; and

WHEREAS, the Church has often perpetuated discriminatory practices and has been unwilling or unable to accept and affirm the full humanity of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender persons, and thus contributed to their sense of isolation, ostracism and fear of loss of employment and other discriminatory practices; and

WHEREAS, the voices of faith that presently receive the most publicity are those whose theology includes a selective interpretation of the Bible with an emphasis on judgment and exclusion; and

WHEREAS, we are called by Christ’s example, to proclaim release to the captives and set at liberty the oppressed (Luke 4:18) and told that “faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” (James 2:17)

THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ will:

• Call upon its pastors and congregations to remove from their Bylaws and Personnel Policy Manuals policies that are discriminatory,
• Voice support for the amendment adding sexual orientation to the protected classes of the Maine Human Rights Act, which was signed by the governor on March 31, 2005,
• Faithfully and actively oppose any movement to rescind any portion of this act; and
• Encourage all those in the Maine Conference to lead in opposition to question One in the November 8, 2005 Election thereby upholding the Maine Human Rights Act.