First Congregational United Church of Christ Ashland

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Quentin Brown
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First Congregational United Church of Christ Ashland 717 Siskiyou Blvd Ashland, OR 97520 541-482-1981 ucc@opendoor.

1 First Congregational United Church of Christ Ashland 717 Siskiyou Blvd Ashland, OR Dear Rogue Valley Community: Open Letter from Ashland UCC Members and Friends November 19, 2017 The First Congregational United Church of Christ Ashland (UCC) is a progressive Protestant Christian community of faith and service. Our congregation is a place where our members seek to know God in the spirit of Jesus Christ and to gain strength and support for our spiritual journeys and ministries. Central to our faith is our belief that Christ calls us to participate in God s reign of justice, peace, and compassion on earth. We seek to live out an inclusive vision in which all may safely and respectfully participate in every aspect of the church s life, its worship, ministries, governance, and leadership. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, ability, race, economic class, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. In 2016, there was a series of negative exchanges between two congregants and other UCC congregants. Those exchanges included these two congregants attacking staff, lay leadership, and other UCC members, both verbally and in writing. After months of intervention by consultants and mediation experts, the attacks continued to escalate. It was then that the UCC council, elected by church members, released the aggrieved members and prohibited them from entering church property. Their assertion that this action was taken at the direction or request of a pastor, is patently false. This is the only time in present memory, which goes back some 50 years, when our church felt it necessary to take such an action. If you are reading this letter, it is likely because one or both of these individuals have again harassed a member of our congregation or clergy online or in a public forum; they continue to malign us. They have accused staff and congregants of corruption, of being a fascist church, unethical, publicly dishonest, abusive, an exercise in hypocrisy, and so on. One has verbally attacked and physically intimidated members of our congregation in a variety of public settings a coffee shop, the Growers Market, and on public sidewalks. They have challenged a variety of groups about the use of UCC facilities for meetings and events, and worked to change the venue. These words and actions go far beyond civil disagreement; the inflammatory actions hurt our pastors, employees and congregation. While we continue to wish them peace, we will no longer remain silent.

2 Each time a member of our community yields to expressions of hatred, our community is weakened. Allowing these ongoing attacks to go unanswered is not healthy for anyone. There is already too much hatred in the world. We must stand up to it wherever it shows itself and especially when it happens in our own community. We will not allow this behavior to interfere with the sanctity of our church or the work of our faith community, which benefits so many and has for years. If you have any question about who we are or what we stand for, we invite you to come and worship with us energetically Sunday mornings or quietly Tuesday evenings. The Church Council and the following members and friends of the Ashland UCC stand with our pastors, staff, and fellow congregants against unwarranted personal attacks and verbal harassment. We hope you will do the same. Very truly yours, John Love, Moderator Church Council Members: Linda Anderson Tonya Graham Michael Lessmeier Joanna Niemann Julia Roupp Richard Schaeff Kay Lynne Sherman Congregants: Laura Hughes Hagie Bob Miller

3 Lucy Strasburg Donna Swanson Jim Stumbo Mary Anne Southam Brystan Strong Joyce Seebart Jim Martin Sherri Morgan Ronald Dulaney Guthrie Swartz Saundra L. Theis Eldon A. Seebart Gerald Brooks Tege Phillips Denise Miller Donna L. Stuart Lawrence H. Theis Mary T. Martin

4 Michael Niemann Reverend Paula Sohl Ward Wilson Sherrill Rinehart Kim Stein Reverend Mark Goodman-Morris Marianne Jessop Linda S. Wilson Marilyn Love Cheryl Goodman-Morris Bob Jessop Dorothy Brooks Janice Trieglaff Laurie Carter Robert M. Carter Cynthia Scherr Maureen Hicks Brad Roupp Carol Custodio DeeAnne Everson

5 Wendy Wysong Leighton Catherine Foster Constance Alexander Denise Krause Donald A. Wilson Harley King Jeff Straub Livia Genise Jane Perkins Pam Vellutini Marilyn Gibbons Teri L. Wilson Hedy Schoonover Lou Sequeira Karl Wilderson Marsha E. King-Rosine Kelly Straub Anne Beaufort Dianna Warner E. Laurie True

6 Edward Hungerford Jessica Leonard Marsha E. Bennett Sheila Hungerford Kathleen King Mark Weir Kenneth Brown Michael Stone Robert Bell Lo Smucker Karen Staal Gretchen King

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