Bishop Mark Webb
324 University
Avenue
3rd
Floor
Syracuse,
NY 13210
Good evening,
Bishop Webb. I hope this finds you
well. I am writing in support of
Reverend Steve Heiss and his support of LGBT marriage equality. Unlike many of the folks you may be hearing
from, I am neither a Bible scholar nor what I would consider an activist. I am just a mom of two beautiful children,
ages 10 and 13, and I struggle every day to keep my faith in the future world
they will live in – a world that I hope will be ruled more by kindness and gentleness
than by intolerance and rules that benefit some while compromising others. A world that will prove that it matters more
what is in your heart and how you treat others than the color of your skin, the
size of your bank account, or who you were destined to love. And I pray that they will always have a
“Steve” in their lives.
Steve has, quite
simply, inspired me, by example, to live by this underlying value: to do no
harm and try to do as much good as we can – to live as a kind disciple of
Jesus, or as close as our imperfect selves will allow. And because of Steve, I am trying to teach my
children to live the same way.
He has even
captured the heart and intellect of my husband, who does not have faith in
organized religion and has rejected the church, but he does have faith in
Steve.
What incredible
power - to inspire future generations to believe in themselves and believe in
their ability to create a better world according to Jesus’ teachings. And not by blind faith in rules that haven’t
kept up with the world we live in today, but by questioning how to do and be
more and better. How could the United
Methodist Church ask for more than that?
It may not seem
like I am connecting my thoughts to the issue of LGBT marriage equality, but rather
to Steve specifically. But here it is – Do
you ever ask yourself if you would have had the courage to stand up against the
persecution of Jews, or the enslavement and mistreatment of African American people? Do you wonder what you would have done? This is your historic moment.
It is not enough
for you and those around you to stand behind the current, uninspired, legal
stance of the United Methodist Church.
As a disciple of our God, you owe him more than that. You owe him the courage to stand for what is
right, kind, tolerant and scary to some - the courage that Jesus lived and died
for and the courage that Steve has and lives every day.
I am confident
that you can help us figure the right way through this. A way that will not minimize the power and
good of a man more like Jesus than anyone I have ever known. And a man uniquely qualified to guide us
through a critically important moment in the United Methodist Church. Thank you for considering my thoughts, and
take good care.
Sincerely,
Lesley Frey
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