Longview church sets celebration

The public is invited to join the Longview United Methodist Church in celebrating five years of becoming a reconciling congregation at events set for May 16-18.

"Our First Five Years of Diversity" is the theme of the weekend. It is highlighted by a rooftop lighthouse wrapped in rainbow colors and displaying a flashing beacon.

More than 50 stoles from the national Shower of Stoles Project will be on public display Friday, May 16, 4-8 p.m., and Saturday, May 17, 1-7 p.m., followed by the movie, "For the Bible Tells Me So."

The Shower of Stoles is a collection of more than 1,000 liturgical stoles and other sacred items representing the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people of faith. These religious leaders have served in 31 denominations, and faith traditions in six countries, and on three continents, according to the group’s website.

The movie is a Sundance Film Festival documentary that is even-handed and well done. It shows interviews of people who hold varying spiritual views on homosexuality, revealing the decisions and emotions associated with their understanding and the experiences that have affected them.

“For the Bible Tells Me So” is being sponsored by Lower Columbia PFLAG -- Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Light refreshments and opportunity for discussion will be available after the movie. Light refreshments also will be available following the concert.

The Portland Gay Men's Chorus will perform for the first time in this area, 6 p.m., Sunday, May 18, at the church, corner of 30th Avenue and Pacific Way, in a community outreach concert that will benefit our local Community Health Partners, which offers medical, dental and other health programs to people who need help.

Guest preacher for the Sunday service at 10 a.m. is the Rev. Carlyle Martin. He served Longview Methodist about six years ago at the time it studied homosexuality and then voted to affiliate with the national Reconciling Ministries Network. RMN works for full inclusion of gays in the life of the Methodist Church. Martin and his wife Linda owned the Stone's Throw Retreat Center when they lived in Castle Rock. He now is pastor at Audubon Park United Methodist Church in Spokane.