United Church of Christ to Be First Mainline Denomination to Financially Support 'Gay Games'

Christian Post ^ | 06/27/2014 | Jessica Martinez

[SeekAndFind]

The left-leaning protestant denomination United Church of Christ announced that it will sponsor the sporting event "Gay Games 9" in August as the first mainline denomination to provide major financial support.

The event, which takes place every four years and attracts LGBT athletes, will be hosted in Cleveland, Ohio, home of the UCC's national headquarters, where church leaders will help organize events for 30,000 participants in an effort to embrace the LBGT community.

"Serving as a major sponsor of Gay Games 9 is a perfect fit because of the UCC's longstanding commitment to social justice issues," said the Rev. Dr. J. Bennett Guess, a UCC national officer and its first openly-gay church executive, in a statement. "We pride ourselves on being a bold voice for progressive Christianity and look forward to offering the UCC's trademark 'extravagant welcome' to the athletes, volunteers and spectators."

UCC's Gay Games 9 sponsorship is part of the denomination's "Faith in Cleveland" campaign, a program which aims to "invigorate communities nationwide," according to the denomination's website.

Although the UCC considers the partnership an opportunity to demonstrate its diversity – inclusivity and acceptance of all – it's also providing significant financial backing because the event is expected to draw in $50 million in revenue for the local economy.

Out of the UCC's over 5,000 congregations in the U.S., nearly 1,500 based in northeast Ohio have also affirmed their support for the games and have had their financial contributions matched by the denomination.

Furthermore, the UCC's major sponsorship of Gay Games 9 adds another "first" to the denomination's long list, as it is the first mainline denomination to affirm equal marriage rights for same-sex couples and the first to ordain an openly-gay man.

[Fester Chugabrew]

How loving and kind of them to support activities that spread dishonor and disease!

[SoConPubbie]

Sorry, but when you support the Sodomites, you quit being Christ-Like and you forfeit the privilege of being called Christian.

This denomination has gone way past being Lukewarm and is now supporting something God calls an Abomination.

They are no longer a Christian church.

[GeronL]

Presybterian Commies USA will be along shortly and then the Mormons

[Alex Murphy]

The left-leaning protestant denomination United Church of Christ announced that it will sponsor the sporting event "Gay Games 9" in August as the first mainline denomination to provide major financial support. The event, which takes place every four years and attracts LGBT athletes, will be hosted in Cleveland, Ohio, home of the UCC's national headquarters, where church leaders will help organize events for 30,000 participants in an effort to embrace the LBGT community.

How does that even work? Can a 100-meter sprinter choose to run in any direction on (or off of) the track? Is it fair to deny them a medal if they choose to perform a completely different sport than that particular event requires? What if they were born to throw a discus instead of sprint?

The jokes write themselves.

[Boogieman]

No, it doesn’t work that way. When you are supporting the active spread of sinful behavior, you are no longer a “mainline” Christian denomination. You’ve taken yourselves out of that category.

[Quality_Not_Quantity]

UCC's longstanding commitment to social justice issues

I would like to ask what part of 'social justice' relates to the range of ailments, syndromes and diseases brought on by the LGBT lifestyle that are most often avoided by a celibate or monogamous heterosexual one.

[lightman]

In August of 1197 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) estabalished a "Full Communion Partnership" with the United Church of Christ through the adoption of the "Formula of Agreement" with the Reformed.

Therefore:

Lutheran (EL C S*A) Ping!

* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.

Be rooted in Christ!

[rstrahan]

United Church of Christ cannot be considered ‘mainline’. Always been a fringe denomination.

[faithhopecharity]

the new Religious Olympics...
big time entertainment...
thrilling...
really close contests...

watch
the PCUSA,
the Episcopals,
the Muslim/IslamoNazis/Hamas/PA/AlQuaida/Muslim Bros., and
now
the UCC...
all race straight to Hell!

[ravenwolf]

Any one ready to take a second look at the great harlot of Rev 17 ?

[MamaB]

Many years ago, I was told to avoid all churches with united in the name. Does anyone know about that?

[SeekAndFind]

The only two big Uniteds that I know of are the

United Church of Christ

and

United Methodist Church

I’d avoid both ( however I know of a few LOCAL churches of the UMC that are still trying their darned best to reform the UMC. I am not optimistic ).

[Jay Redhawk]

Gay Olympics? I bet the wrestling matches are a real hoot! I want to go vomit now.

[MamaB]

Thanks. I think we were talking about the UMC when I was told that.

[jimmyo57]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCWz9U0MtoI

[shove_it]

"Now, the sporting event draws thousands of athletes to participate in 36 competitive sports, a festival village, cultural and social events ... "

Thankfully these sports and activities were not described in detail in the article.

[SeekAndFind]

I don’t want to know what goes on inside the festival village or the athlete’s dorms.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Called it.

There are certain denominations, and certain particular versions, that one just knows are going to pony up to this nonsense.