Conn. Taxpayers Teach Men How to Talk Like Women

Although no one can change their DNA, hormones and repeated sex-change surgeries, along with tons of makeup and carefully chosen clothing, can fool people into believing a man appears to be a woman — that is, until he opens his mouth to speak.  However, speech-language pathologists funded by Connecticut taxpayers are improving the odds of fooling most of the people most of the time.

"You can be well kept, present well, but if your voice is masculine, you get pegged right away."
-- Sylvia Wojcik, a 66-year-old Connecticut man who pretends to be a woman

"In order for a man to become a woman … he has to take female hormones, have radical surgery on his genitalia, have breast augmentation surgery, take voice lessons (or either voluntarily change his vocal patterns), undergo various forms of cosmetic surgery, grow his hair to a woman’s length and then style his hair to a woman’s style, and then he must begin dressing in women’s apparel and using women’s accessories. After having done all that – he still has man shoulders, man hands, man hips, a man beard (unless he undergoes massive electrolysis therapy), and his DNA still screams 'male!'"
-- Pastor Carl Gallups

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

All American Taxpayers Now Fund Elderly Sex Changes

Secret Government-Paid Child Sex Change Surgery in Oregon

President Obama's New 'Free' Sexual Mutilation: Gay Agenda

President Obama Floods Gay Agenda with Taxpayers' Money

Also read Transgenderism is a 'Delusion' According to Victims and Professionals

-- From "Finding their voice: Speech clinic helps transgender clients" by The Associated Press 8/7/15

Speech pathologists at the University of Connecticut . . . Speech and Hearing Clinic offers speech therapy to teach transgender people how to develop a voice that matches the sex they identify with.

Clients spend about an hour a week in group sessions and another 90 minutes in one-on-one work with speech and language pathologists.

Clinic director Wendy Chase says it’s more involved than simply changing a voice’s pitch. She says clients work on everything from resonance to delivery to hand gestures.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "UConn speech clinic joins growing ranks of those helping transgender clients find their voice" by Pat Eaton-Robb, Associated Press 8/7/15

The program at UConn is in its fourth year, with about a dozen people participating at any one time. The typical participant will spend an hour a week in a group session, and another 1 1/2 hours working one on one with a speech pathologist.

They learn not only how to change the pitch of their voice, but also its resonance (males speak more from chest, women from the head) and delivery (men tend to be more staccato, women more fluid).

Literature in the field dates back 50 years, but until the past 20 years only a handful of people were doing voice work with transgender people, and the work is still in its infancy, Chase said.

UConn charges clients $192 for a voice evaluation to determine what needs to be changed. It's then $10 per session for individual treatment and $25 per semester for the group sessions.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Taxpayers pay for transgender men to speak like women" posted at World Net Daily 8/15/15

The University of Connecticut receives aid from taxpayers but is currently facing a financial crisis, despite a recent $10.9 million increase in support from the state. The university has a deficit of more than $18 million, and President Susan Herbst argues the school will be forced to make cuts unless the government provides additional money.

The university is also reeling from the loss of millions of dollars in grants from the National Science Foundation, a government agency responsible for funding a large share of scientific research performed at American college and universities.

The federal government suspended more than $4 million in grants after two professors at the university were accused of using grant money to make no-bid purchases of equipment from companies they controlled without reporting the conflict of interest.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

In addition, read how the Gay Agenda transgender objectives are being advanced by President Obama and across the Obama administration; and by private businesses; as well as via public schools and throughout academia -- and funded by taxpayers.

Lawsuit: No Cross-dressing in Conn. Boys Detention

After a 16-year-old male, who has been in state care with a traumatized history since age 5 and who now pretends to be a girl, assaulted staff and fought with girls at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School for girls, he then was relocated to an adult prison for women.  But after another violent outbreak, he was relocated to the Connecticut Juvenile Training School for boys in Middletown, and now attorneys are suing the state child welfare and prison officials demanding an appropriate facility for this violent boy who thinks he's a girl.

". . . it is psychologically damaging and harmful for a transgender female to be placed in a male facility and to be unable to express herself as female."
-- Lawsuit on behalf of Jane Doe

For background, read Transgenderism is a 'Delusion' According to Victim

And also read how public schools indoctrinate children in transsexualism, and read about parents misdirecting toddlers.

-- From "Lawsuit: Detained transgender teen treated as boy" by The Associated Press 10/21/14

A 16-year-old transgender girl being held at a boys' detention center alleged that staff members are repeatedly referring to her by her male birth name and male pronouns, forcing her to wear boys' uniforms and banning her from wearing her wig and makeup.

One of the girl's lawyers, Aaron Romano, criticized the youth agency for what he called inconsistent treatment. He said that while she has been receiving hormone therapy under the agency's care, she's being treated like a boy at the detention center.

The girl's lawyers, state Child Advocate Sarah Eagan and the state chapter of the ACLU have been calling on officials to move her to a more appropriate setting with mental health counseling.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Transgender Youth Accused Of Assaulting Staff In Middletown" by Josh Kovner, The Hartford Courant 7/13/14

A brief statement from DCF said only that the youth, known in court filings as Jane Doe, "assaulted another youth and a staff member at the girls Pueblo Unit and also destroyed state property."

The locked Pueblo unit is on the campus of the former Riverview Children's Hospital in Middletown.

DCF in April won permission from a state judge to transfer the youth to adult prison, citing her history of assaulting staff members in several juvenile treatment settings, including a serious assault against a treatment worker in a Massachusetts facility in late January.

Lawyers for DCF said the department could no longer care for her. The transfer to an adult prison, with no criminal charges pending against the youth, prompted widespread outrage from children's advocates and civil rights groups.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Transgender Girl Moved to Male Facility in Middletown" by Lucy Nalpathanchil, WNPR Connecticut Public Radio 7/14/14

The attorneys for a transgender teen in the custody of Connecticut's Department of Children and Families want a judge to oversee her care. This comes after DCF moved her to an all-boys facility after she allegedly assaulted a youth and staff member over the weekend.

. . . Her case is back in the news after DCF relocated her over the weekend from a psychiatric center for troubled girls to the state's detention center for juvenile boys.

DCF said in a statement on Sunday, "Because there is no suitable place on the Pueblo unit for Jane Doe that can ensure the safety of youth and staff, we have placed her at Connecticut Juvenile Training School in a single room separated from the boys."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Judge orders Massachusetts to pay for inmate’s sex-change surgery" by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe 9/4/12

In the first decision of its kind, a federal judge has ordered state officials to provide a taxpayer-funded sex-change for a transsexual prisoner, after finding that the treatment is the only adequate care for the inmate’s gender identity disorder.

“This fact that sex reassignment surgery is for some people medically necessary has recently become more widely recognized,” [District Court Chief Judge Mark L.] Wolf wrote in a landmark 127-page ruling Tuesday. “Denying adequate medical care because of a fear of controversy or criticism from politicians, the press, and the public serves no legitimate penological purpose. It is precisely the type of conduct the Eighth Amendment prohibits.”

The judge did not say who should perform the surgery or where it should be conducted, leaving those decisions to state officials. The cost of the surgery ranges from $7,000 to more than $50,000, depending on the extent of cosmetic work, according to informational surgery and transgender websites.

It was not clear how much postsurgery care would have to be provided, though the state would bear that cost as well.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read ObamaCare Pays for 'Transgender' Sexual Mutilation — Gay Agenda

And read President Obama's DOJ Forces Girl into Boys Locker Room

NY Methodist Bishop Allows Same-sex Marriages

Bishop Martin D. McLee announced that he will no longer require clergy in his New York region of the United Methodist Church (UMC) to abide by the denomination's restriction on pastors performing same-sex weddings.  However, denomination leaders are preparing to put another bishop on trial for violating that restriction. Schism seems inevitable.

For background, read Homosexualists Say, Take Methodist Denomination by Force and also read Bishop Melvin G. Talbert Breaks UMC Covenant via 'Gay Marriage'

-- From "Methodist Bishop to End Trials for Ministers Who Perform Gay Weddings" by Sharon Otterman, New York Times 3/10/14

As the first sitting United Methodist bishop to publicly make such a pledge, Bishop Martin D. McLee instantly became a leading figure in a decades-old movement within the United Methodist Church, the country’s second-largest Protestant denomination, to extend equal recognition and rights to gay and lesbian members. Though Bishop McLee said that he hoped his approach would heal the church’s deep divisions over homosexuality, more conservative Methodists warned that his actions would push the denomination closer to an irrevocable split.

. . . Bishop McLee, who oversees about 460 churches in lower New York State and Connecticut, agreed to drop all charges against [the Methodist minister and retired dean of Yale Divinity School, Dr. Thomas W.] Ogletree; in exchange, he asked only that Dr. Ogletree participate in a dialogue about the church and its stance on matters of sexuality. Promoting dialogue, the bishop said, could be a model for other United Methodist bishops to follow.

. . . about 1,500 United Methodist ministers around the country have pledged to officiate same-sex unions in defiance of the rules, including 217 clergy in the New York Annual Conference. Bishop McLee’s move, said Dorothee Benz, who leads a pro-gay rights group, Methodists in New Directions, shows that “the bishops are starting to catch the same drift.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "United Methodist Church won’t defrock former Yale Divinity School dean who performed gay wedding" by Jim Shelton, New Haven Register 3/10/14

Bishop Martin D. McLee of the church’s New York Annual Conference said his district agreed to a “cessation” of church trials against Methodist clergy who officiate at same-sex weddings. The district will organize public forums for a “spiritual conversation” about the issue.

“Church trials produce no winners,” McLee said. “Church trials result in harmful polarization and continue the harm brought upon our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.”

Gregory E. Sterling, the current dean of [Yale Divinity School] said he was “immensely relieved” at the outcome of Ogletree’s case.

“This would have been seen as an example of Christianity hurting humans and human rights, rather than supporting human rights,” Sterling said.

The resolution only applies to the New York Annual Conference . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Conservative Methodists Upset by UMC Bishop's Decision to Drop Church Trial of Pastor Who Officiated Son's Gay Wedding" by Michael Gryboski, Christian Post Reporter 3/12/14

"We are deeply disappointed in the decision to negotiate a settlement that contains no consequences for Dr. Ogletree's disobedience," [conservative leader Rev. Tom] Lambrecht told The Christian Post. "Such a decision puts the will of individuals above the requirements of our church covenant and nullifies the will of the General Conference, which has been prayerfully and democratically arrived at and sustained for over 40 years."

Lambrecht also told CP that Bishop McLee's decision to halt church trials for UMC clergy who perform gay weddings "is a green light for clergy to disregard our church covenant and Discipline."

"The commitment sets a pattern for other bishops and annual [regional] conferences to follow, and it increases the distrust and division within the church," said Lambrecht. "This course of action by the bishop reneges on the commitment he and the entire Council of Bishops made in 2012 to continue to uphold the Discipline, despite our disagreements."

John Lomperis, director of the United Methodist program at The Institute on Religion and Democracy, told CP . . . "Bishop McLee has ensured a prolonging and an intensification of our denomination's internal conflicts. No wonder his region is losing members so rapidly."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "United Methodist bishop may face trial for presiding at gay wedding" by Renee K. Gadoua, Religion News Service, Washington Post 3/13/14

Complaints have been filed against [Bishop Melvin G. Talbert,] a United Methodist bishop who presided over a same-sex wedding of two men in defiance of his denomination’s rules prohibiting such ceremonies.

According to a statement from the [UMC] Council of Bishops on Thursday (March 13), Talbert “has violated the sacred trust of his office.”

The church’s disciplinary process could lead to a trial and the loss of Talbert’s clergy credentials. Several other United Methodist clergy face possible trials, as the denomination grows increasingly polarized over church law over ministry to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "The Coming Methodist Schism" by Rod Dreher, The American Conservative 3/11/14

A Methodist pastor responded to my request yesterday for someone within Methodism to explain what’s going on in the church in light of the news that the Methodist pastor who conducted a marriage service for his gay son would not be tried in church court for violating church discipline. Will there be a schism? I asked. The pastor responds:

You ask will there be a schism? Yes. . . .

Your second question was how do you avoid one?  I do not see how.  The covenant, and that is what the Book of Discipline is, has been broken.  There is no fixing it. . . .

Finally you ask if it is desirable to avoid schism.  Two years ago I would have said at all costs.  Now I do not think we should avoid it and indeed I think the sooner we get it over with the better all involved will be. . . . I want to pastor my flock, lead worship, preside at the sacraments, preach the word, and serve the least of these.  I do not want to argue about things on which the Bible is clear. . . .

. . . The UMC is in decline in the US, slower then our fellow mainline denominations but declining nonetheless, and that pace of decline will soon pick up as more and more of our members die off. . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Liberal 'Churches' Continue to Wither as well as Liberal 'Churches' Conforming to Decadent Culture

In addition, read President Obama's National Cathedral is the Seat of Apostasy

For myriad attacks on the Bible and Christian faith, read CBS Gives Voice to Atheists, Heretics, & Apostates

Conn. School Censors 'Controversial' Pro-life Kids

Principal Lee Panagoulias of Branford (Connecticut) High School told the Students for Life club that their pro-life message is just too controversial, and so unlike other student clubs, the pro-life student organization is not allowed to display beliefs or even discuss the subject matter during school hours with other students.

“The First Amendment protects everyone, regardless of the speech that you’re presenting to the student body, regardless of whether it seems controversial to the administration.”
-- Sam Bailey-Loomis, president and founder of the BHS Students for Life

For background, read Washington School OKs Gay Message, but Censors Pro-life Students as well as California School Loses Lawsuit Against Pro-life Student

And also read Planned Parenthood 'Special Forces' Raid Schoolyards

In addition, read Parents Want Obama-paid Abortionist out of Their School



-- From "Branford Student Pro-Life Group Leader Claims Discrimination by School Administrators" by Steven M. Mazzacane, The Branford Seven 3/10/14

The website LifeNews.com is reporting that Sam Bailey Loomis, who leads the group, and her fellow members have faced resistance from [Principal] Panagoulias dating back to February of 2013.

. . . The article states that, according to Bailey Loomis, she had approached Panagoulias about hosting events to inform others about her club, and after a series of postponements, something the article calls “delay” tactics, ultimately informed her that “the club could not hand out pro-life literature, clipboard, or set up an information table in the commons area during lunch.”

The article is extremely vague when it comes to stating what the exact requests were and what the circumstances were. It is not known if other students are allowed to hand out literature during lunch, or what issues would be raised if it were allowed.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Branford High Students for Life club’s censorship claim draws national attention" by Mark Zaretsky, New Haven Register 3/11/14

Bailey-Loomis said that since the controversy began, “I have had people talk about me online, talk about me to my face ... I have had an angry mother complain about me to the Board of Education ...”

“We cannot sit back while our pro-life students are denied their constitutional rights and bullied by their school administrators,” said Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, in the release. “At Branford High School, there is double standard for pro-life students, and we intend to expose this injustice and correct it.”

Last week, the Alliance Defending Freedom group sent a letter to Branford High and Branford Public Schools on behalf of Branford High School Students for Life “requesting that they end their discriminatory behavior against the group,” the release said.

This not the first time the group has made news. In September 2012, members wrote several messages in chalk on school walkways as part of National Pro-Life Chalk Day, which were quickly erased by school staff.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Connecticut High School Administration Censors Pro-Life Student Group" by Kristan Hawkins, LifeNews.com 3/10/14

. . . In the past few weeks, Mr. Panagoulias denied Sam and her club the ability to invite others to join the group in the form of clip boarding and handing out literature to students during lunch. The school has also told Branford High School Students for Life that they can only host events after school, a restriction not imposed on other student groups.

When planning the spring semester, Sam met with her principal to ask permission to host events and inform others about her club, going out of her way to be above reproach and adhere to the school’s policies. She came prepared with the Branford High School Student Handbook and made it clear that their proposed events were well within the student guidelines and were similar to those that other students clubs had been approved to do. The principal then told Sam he would “think about it” . . .

Sam Bailey-Loomis, President and Founder of Branford High School Students for Life remarked, “I hope that the Branford Public School system will respect the students at Branford High School by not acting as a barrier to the student body’s equal access to essential information regarding life. I am proud to be on the front lines alongside abortion abolitionists in high schools and colleges across the country to safeguard our rights, stand up for the preborn, and make a lasting impact on our campuses.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Answer this: Can YOUR Child Pass the Test -- to be Born?

Also read Lead Abortionist Asks, Who Cares When Life Begins?

Connecticut School Teaches 'Gay Love' on Stage

Hartford High School principal Adam Johnson said that the school's theatrical presentation of "Zanna, Don't!," which promotes homosexual behavior, will help students become successful in life. The initial performance saw scores of students walk out, despite the attendance mandate, at the first instance of male-on-male love-making, yet amid all the controversy, students were numbed into a very accepting attitude by the next performance.

"We know there's a lot of attention here on Hartford High. … This is a time to enjoy, to learn, and to observe. We conduct ourselves in a certain way. … There are some things here that are of an adult nature. We treat you like the young adults that you are."
-- Executive Principal Jack Baldermann, lectured to students

-- From "Gay kiss in Conn. HS play causing controversy" posted at WABC-TV New York 10/21/11

School administrators are catching flack, but they are standing by their decision to make the homosexual-themed play mandatory for students.

About 40 students stormed out, and principal Adam Johnson says he was bombarded with calls and emails.

"Many people interpret this as advancing a political agenda, and that's not what my job is," he said. "But when I think about the world that our students live in and need to be prepared to be successful in, that's what this is all about."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Connecticut High School Play's Gay Kiss Scene Causes Uproar" reported by Huffington Post 10/21/11

. . . several audience members walked out; the unhappy viewers included a number of uniformed members of the school's football team, which principal Adam Johnson described as "almost symbolic."

Many of the parents also showed apprehension, one even showing up at the school with a Bible in tow speaking about homosexuals in, according to CBS, an "unflattering manner." Yet Principal Johnson showed no regrets over his decision to include the kiss.

While there were negative reactions there was also a strong support for the performance and its message of acceptance. After the performance there was a talk back session with students and administrators where an open dialogue was started discussing issues of the LGBT community.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Kiss In 'Zanna Don't!' High School Musical Triggers Walkout By Students, Football Players At Hartford Public High School" reported by Huffington Post 10/19/11

The plot of “Zanna Don’t!” involves a high school where homosexuality is the norm and heterosexuals are the outcasts.

“There are always circumstances [in organizing these programs] under which the values of the student or their family come into play," Johnson said, adding, “It’s a balancing act of individual values and the expectations of the school … [and] it was interesting, actually, seeing the apprehension."

Johnson had received calls from concerned parents in the weeks leading up to the musical's opening but he stood firm and stated that he believed it was important to show gay "intimacy" in the same way that society shows straight intimacy.

“When one teacher asked if I wanted to remove [the kiss], I said absolutely not,” Johnson said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Cheers This Time For Gay Kiss" by Vanessa De La Torre, Hartford Courant 10/21/11

[Today,] roughly 400 students watched the anti-bullying musical that a week earlier spurred a walkout and national notoriety. Leadership Greater Hartford's Quest program partnered with the nonprofit True Colors to produce the play at Hartford High to promote tolerance for gay youth.

When the [male actors kissed], playful hoots rang out. Three boys immediately got out of their seats and started to walk out, although one seemed to reconsider after a quiet talk with a school staffer.

Throughout the musical, many students cheered and applauded for both same-sex and heterosexual displays of affection. Some expressed "awws" . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Gay play at school creates parental uproar" by Karla Dial, World News Service 10/21/11

The play, staged by a local community theater group and starring local high school and college students, is a musical set in an alternate universe where everyone is gay, except for a few closet heterosexuals. The songs feature raunchy lyrics and two boys share a kiss onstage -- which prompted several students to leave the auditorium.

"This is as important of a topic to discuss as anything in math, anything in social studies," [Principal Adam Johnson] said. "I'm completely glad that we did it."

Peter Wolfgang, director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, said he would like the state to require parents to give explicit permission -- known as an "opt-in" law -- for their children to attend such events.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Methodist Clergy Buck Bible, Church - Science Also

Over a hundred New York (& Connecticut) Conference United Methodist pastors have signed a document proclaiming that they will perform same-sex "marriages" in defiance of the denomination's Book of Discipline, and are making statements concerning homosexuality that contradict not only the Bible, but even contradict medical science by claiming existence of a "gay gene."

". . . the church's stand against same-sex marriage and the ordination of gay and lesbian clergy is 'out of step' and 'behind the times in its thinking.'"
-- Rev. Vicky A. Fleming, Bethel United Methodist Church of Bethel, Connecticut

For background, read Renegade Methodist Clergy for Same-sex 'Marriage' and also read Methodists Ignore Own Rules re: Lesbian Pastor as well as Baby Jesus with Two Lesbians: Methodist Nativity

-- From "Methodist Ministers Pledge to Perform Gay Marriage Despite Ban" by Lindsay Christ and Rashed Mian, Long Island Press 10/16/11

The We do! Methodists Living Marriage Equality project consists of 161 clergy members, 703 lay people and six congregations representing 67 United Methodist congregations who will risk their standing and jobs with the church by announcing their support for equal rights for the LGBT community.

One of the pastors involved is Rev. Jeff Wells of the Community United Methodist Church in Massapequa.

The pastor first heard about the movement last spring, and signed on over the summer. While signing the pledge won’t get him in trouble, if he performs a gay wedding charges could be brought against him. These charges could lead to a trial and ultimately get Wells’ clergy orders taken away.

The General Conference of the United Methodist Church, where the rules that govern the denomination are set, will meet in April 2012. Wells said that the bishops are aware that the movement has been going on . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Area United Methodist clergy pledge to perform same-sex marriage" by Nanci G. Hutson, Staff Writer, Danbury News Times 10/21/11

These clergy, and their like-minded colleagues across the country, recognize this is a controversial stand, one that has divided congregations. Pastors who defy church law can jeopardize their ordination.

The ministers, however, say the issue is at the heart of their faith.

Sexual orientation is part of an individual's born identity, and to condemn that would suggest "God made a mistake, and that's not what we're about," Fleming said.

The Rev. Charles Ferrara of New Life Community Church United Methodist in New Fairfield signed another pledge, an open letter to the national United Methodist Council of Bishops from 113 pastors across the country who oppose same-sex marriage.

Area ministers said the discipline that might be enforced against pastors willing to perform same-sex marriages is likely to differ geographically. The East Coast and West Coast tend to have more liberal views on human rights issues and are less likely to punish a pastor who disagrees with the discipline.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Group of Methodist Ministers Succumb to Gay Agenda!" by John Shore, Huffington Post 10/20/11

So I set up the interview [with Rev. Sara Lamar-Sterling, First & Summerfield United Methodist Church of New Haven, Connecticut].

"Are you scared you might lose your job for doing this?" I asked . . .

"No, not really," she said cheerily. "There are many steps that would have to happen in order for any of us to actually lose our positions within the church."

"But it could happen, right?" I asked . . .

"It's in the realm of possibilities, yes. But it's not anything I'm afraid of. In any account, the much bigger picture, for we who have come out in favor of marriage equality, is the fact that gay and lesbian people are excluded and discriminated against every single day of their lives. That's what really matters here. They're the ones really bearing a risk out in the world. Compared to theirs, our daily risk is much smaller."

"Have you been having to put all this together in secret?" I asked . . .

"No, not in secret," said Rev. Lamar-Sterling disappointingly. "We've been openly working on this for years. And we have our website, which is our main communication tool. We've always been very open about talking about this, and sharing our purposes and goals, and collecting signatures and so on. It's all been very aboveboard. A great many people within the Methodist church believe in marriage equality, and so we've just been honored to facilitate and advance that conversation. And through initiatives like 'We do!' we look forward to doing a great deal more of this in the future."

"How did your church take this radical move on your part?" I asked her. . . .

"They love it," she said. "They're a reconciling congregation, so they've been very excited about the whole project. In fact, I actually had to slow them down a bit. I had to explain to them how this is a process, how we needed to work within the larger body of the New York Annual Conference, to bring everyone along at the same time. But they've been absolutely supportive of this every step of the way."

"The same sort of thing we're doing here in the NYAC is currently going on in 11 other Methodiest conferences," she said.

"Ultimately, I and others who believe in the sanctity of marriage equality would like the language of 'The Book of Discipline' to be changed to reflect full affirmation of gay and lesbian equality. But will those changes be made in 2012? They very well might. But either way, it will ultimately happen. I'm confident that Christ will guide the United Methodist Church to become the welcoming, just and reconciling church it was meant to be."

To read the entire opinion column above, CLICK HERE.

Also read African Methodists Vote to Keep United Methodist Church on 'Straight and Narrow'

Who Owns Church Property in ECUSA?

As apostasy grows in the leadership of mainline denominations, local congregations of Bible-believing Christians withdrawing en masse from the denomination find themselves in court as the denomination seizes the property.

UPDATE 10/3/11: Connecticut Supremes take church property from parishioners, gives to apostate ECUSA

UPDATE 2/21/11: Anglican Parish in Virginia Votes to Settle Land Dispute

-- From "Could battling Anglicans wind up in the same buildings?" by Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post 6/10/10

The three-year-old legal dispute over nine Virginia churches [includes] the credentials of Anglican conservative priests being yanked by the Episcopal Church and conservatives threatening Episcopal leaders with trespass if found on the disputed properties. All this happened after the congregations, mostly in Northern Virginia, voted in 2006-2007 to break away from the Episcopal Church, which conservative congregants believe has strayed dangerously from Christianity.

Since the votes (which launched the legal cases), the small groups of people in some of the churches who wanted to remain Episcopalians have met in other churches and in coffee shops, waiting for the case to be resolved. Today the Virginia Supreme Court ruled against the conservatives, but the case will likely go on for months or years more.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Calif. high court to hear church's property appeal" by The Associated Press 6/9/10

The California Supreme Court has decided to hear an Orange County church's appeal to keep its beachfront church property, despite breaking away from the main Episcopal Church.

St. James Anglican Church, a theologically conservative breakaway church, has waged a nearly six-year fight to keep the church property instead of returning it to the Diocese of Los Angeles.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Click headlines below for previous articles on this subject:

Episcopal Diocese Boots Christian Congregation in Favor of Muslims

As Homosexualists Enter, the Sacred Leave Episcopal Church

ECUSA Loses Church Property to Exiting Christians

Gospel Stamped 'Return to Sender' at U.S.P.S.

U.S. Postal Service backs down on threat to arrest Christian evangelist outside building, but Gospel tracks banned by court order on private property near U.S.P.S. mini-center

-- From "Postal worker threatens Christian with arrest" By Chelsea Schilling © 2010 WorldNetDaily 3/3/10

A Christian man is now allowed to hand out religious tracts to passersby outside a Michigan post office after a postal worker initially threatened him with arrest if he did not immediately leave the area.

Michael Shanton peacefully distributed the religious leaflets to interested people from a sidewalk in front of the Farmington Hills, Mich., post office for about eight weeks in 2009, the Alliance Defense Fund reported.

On Sept. 24, 2009, a postal worker ordered Shanton to leave or he would be arrested. The worker said literature distribution is not allowed on federal property, according to ADF. Shanton immediately left the area for fear of arrest.

In a letter to the U.S. Postal Service, ADF attorneys argued that distribution of religious literature is protected by the First Amendment and that the sidewalk is a traditional public forum.

The Postal Service sent a March 1 response letter stating that Shanton will not be prohibited from distributing Christian literature outside the post office.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Manchester Court Case" by Lidia Ryan, NBC Connecticut 3/4/10

The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear the case of a Manchester church-operated post office that was banned from displaying religious items

In 2003, Full Gospel Interdenominational Church in Manchester [Connecticut] was sued for displaying religious items in a small post office it operates. Bertram Cooper, a Jewish resident, sued the church because he said he was so uncomfortable with the Christian displays, that he stopped using the post office called “Sincerely Yours” even though its location was most convenient for him.

The issue was one concerning separation of church and state – whether a government operation should be associated with religion. In August 2009, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Cooper deciding that the post office had to remove all religious items from its counter even though it also displayed a sign saying that the U.S. Postal Service does not endorse the religious viewpoint expressed.

The ban applied only to “Sincerely Yours,” and did not extend to all contract postal units, or CPU), which are add-on post offices at small businesses or establishments.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Connecticut Gov. Signs Same-sex Marriage into Law

In 2005, Connecticut was one of only two states with legal civil unions. We've come a long way, baby.

-- From "Gov. Rell Signs Gay Marriage Bill" The Hartford Courant 4/23/09

Both the House and the Senate spent hours yesterday debating Senate Bill 899, which passed only after an amendment was added that provides an exemption to groups who object to same-sex marriage on religious grounds.

Opponents of same-sex marriage said the compromise amendment was necessary to protect religious liberties.

Today, Connecticut and three other states permit gays and lesbians to marry and several other states, including New Hampshire and New Jersey, permit civil unions.

Under the terms of Senate Bill 899, the civil union law will expire in October 2010 and all existing civil unions will be automatically converted to marriages.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.

Christians Snooze as Same-sex 'Marriage' Sweeps Nation

While homosexual advocates are concentrating on the destruction of marriage in all of New England by 2012, the Iowa Supreme Court’s approval of same-sex marriage on Friday is "icing on the cake."

Time is running out; there's ONE way to preserve marriage: A federal amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Oops!  Too late - UPDATE 5/9/13: 'Gay Marriage' Sweeps New England

-- From "A Push Is On for Same-Sex Marriage Rights Across New England" by Abby Goodnough, New York Times 4/5/09

Massachusetts has allowed same-sex marriage since 2004, and Connecticut began allowing it last fall. The Vermont Legislature just voted to let same-sex couples marry, and supporters hope to gather enough votes to override a veto promised by Gov. Jim Douglas, a Republican.

New Hampshire is not far behind; its House of Representatives approved a same-sex marriage bill last month. The legislatures in Maine and Rhode Island are considering their own versions, though they are not as far along in the process.

Across New England, advocacy groups have been raising money, training volunteers and lobbying voters and lawmakers as part of a campaign they call “Six by Twelve,” led by the legal advocacy group that persuaded the Supreme Courts in Massachusetts and Connecticut to allow same-sex marriage in 2003 and 2008.

As in most New England states, voters in Iowa cannot initiate constitutional amendments, a common strategy for blocking same-sex marriage elsewhere.

And at least six states outside New England (Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Washington) have same-sex marriage bills before their legislatures this year . . .

Critics say the success of the movement in New England is largely because courts and legislatures, not voters, are making the decisions. Voters have approved constitutional bans on same-sex marriage in 26 states since the Massachusetts law, a landmark, took effect; the constitutions of four other states also limit marriage to heterosexuals.

New England is also the least religious region of the country . . .

“We have a very methodical way of going out and training folks in the communities on this as their own personal issue,” said [Betsy Smith, executive director of EqualityMaine], who has a staff of 10 full-time field organizers. “They talk to their family and neighbors and co-workers, whether they are gay or straight, about how important it is for everyone to have access to marriage.”

“Every time we talk about this issue we break down barriers,” said State Representative James Splaine of New Hampshire, an openly gay Democrat who sponsored the bill that will now move to the State Senate. “And if we are not successful this year, we will be eventually.”

New England is “probably considered nutty by a lot of the country,” said Gary Buseck, legal director for Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, and so the Iowa decision could have more national resonance.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.

Connecticut Legislature to Overthrow Catholic Church Hierarchy

Bishop William E. Lori explains to Catholics that a bill to restructure the Roman Catholic Church into controlling parish boards is intended to neuter the church leadership in order to enable legislative success of the Gay Agenda.

-- From "Catholics angry over proposed law" Connecticut Post 3/9/09

Saying it would undercut the Catholic Church's financial hierarchy, the state's bishops on Sunday urged parishioners to fight a proposed state law that would allow them to control their individual parish's financial affairs.

[Senate Bill 1098], introduced last Thursday by the Legislature's Judiciary Committee -- chaired by Sen. Andrew J. McDonald, D-Stamford, and Rep. Michael Lawlor, D-East Haven -- caught many Catholics by surprise, who first heard about it during weekend Masses.

In a statement read at Fairfield County Masses, Bridgeport Bishop William E. Lori delivered a harsh rebuke to the proposal, charging it "directly attacks the Roman Catholic Church and our faith" and was a "thinly-veiled attempt to silence the Catholic Church on the important issues of the day, such as same-sex marriage."

The bishops' announcement touched off an immediate uproar from parishioners who saw the proposal as an affront to their traditions.

Mary Sholomicky, 49, of Stratford, heard about the proposed law by attending the noon Mass at Our Lady of Grace parish. "It was quite a shock because of the First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the right to practice religion. If I didn't want to do that, I'd live in China. Any person of any religious denomination should really be nervous. They are targeting Catholics now; who knows who's next down the road six months, six years."

. . . Paul Lakeland, the Rev. Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., professor of Catholic Studies and chair of the Catholic Studies Department at Fairfield University: "This legislation is not an interference with the free exercise of religion," he said, noting bishops would still retain their say over doctrinal matters.

To read the entire article (above), CLICK HERE.

UPDATE 3/12/09

From "5,000 Angry Protesters Descend on Capitol" by Tom Monahan, NBCConnecticut.com 3/12/09

The bill might have been withdrawn, but 5,000 Roman Catholics, and other opponents of a bill that would essentially change the way the Catholic Church governs itself, made their feelings known Wednesday at the state Capitol.

Tuesday, the co-chairs of the [Senate] committee canceled a public hearing on the bill, saying they wanted an opinion from Attorney General Richard Blumenthal on its constitutionality.

Rep. Michael Lawlor and Sen. Andrew McDonald, co-chairmen of the Judiciary Committee, introduced the controversial measure at the request of a group of Catholics in Fairfield County.

The opponents of the bill had planned to testify against the proposal if the hearing was held Wednesday. And, despite the cancellation of the hearing, they showed up anyway.

More than 4,000 Catholics from around the state, along with others concerned about the church-state issue, rallied outside the Capitol.

While the rally took place outside, another 1,000 people were in a hearing room and four overflow rooms at the Legislative Office Building.

They were testifying before state lawmakers at an informational hearing, urging them to make sure that legislation of this type never be brought up again.

To read the entire UPDATE article, CLICK HERE.

Reaction to Losing on Election Day

"When conservative Christians lose at the polls, they react with quiet disappointment, reevaluation of political parties and traditional loyalties, and prayer for our nation and its leadership. But when the radical homosexual community loses an election, they fight back – literally."

-- From "Homosexuals not so 'gay' in California" commentary by Judge Roy Moore © 2008 WorldNetDaily 11/26/08

Americans who believe in traditional moral values like the right to life and one-man-one-woman marriage suffered a disappointing loss with the election of Barack Hussein Obama as president of the United States. The most liberal, pro-abortion president in our history, Obama also supports civil unions between people of the same sex. Conservatives were also frustrated by the rejection of pro-life measures at the polls in Colorado and South Dakota, and the failure of a law requiring parental notification for an abortion by a minor in California.

The homosexuals' response to the passage in California of Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman, has been marked by violence, hatred and anti-religious bigotry. Earlier this year, the California Supreme Court struck down Proposition 22, a law passed in 2000 wherein the people of California had declared marriage to be only "between a man and a woman." Once again voicing their support for traditional marriage this Nov. 4, Californians approved Proposition 8, joining 29 other states where, by an average vote of 67 percent, the biblical definition of marriage has been protected in state constitutions. Proving to be the sorest of losers, thousands of angry homosexuals took to the streets to protest Proposition 8, even attacking Mormon and Christian churches in the process.

. . . Those who claimed that Proposition 8 was about "hate" are now showing what hate really looks like.

Homosexual riots in the streets and physical attacks on people of God seem more fitting for Sodom and Gomorrah than America. But those disturbing reactions reveal that radical homosexuals seek more than "tolerance" – they will not stop until they impose their immoral lifestyle on the rest of us, even to the point of making their perverse behavior legally sanctioned by law. Any setbacks are met by violent public tantrums and personal attacks.

While we must never adopt the unlawful and hateful tactics of radical homosexuals, Christians must continue to oppose their immoral agenda in our schools, courts and political establishments. We must pray for those who like the people of Sodom are still blinded by their sins. Finally, pray for our country and a return to the moral foundation that made us a great nation.

To read the entire commentary, CLICK HERE.

Legal Same-sex 'Marriage' Wedges Apostasy into Churches

The legalization of homosexual 'marriage' is effectively being used to pressure weak church leadership into abandoning Scriptural Authority in favor of politically-correct acceptance by the popular culture.

The following secular news media story is a case study of success of the 'gay agenda' in corrupting the church

-- From "Same-Sex Couples First Must Find A Willing And Able Cleric" by Elizabeth Hamilton, The Hartford Courant (Connecticut) 11/21/08

As [the lesbians] knelt on the altar in the soaring main sanctuary of Immanuel Congregational Church, [they were married] with the "blessing of Christ's church" . . .

Just because the [Connecticut] law says homosexual couples can marry, it doesn't mean clergy have to perform the ceremonies, or even have the authority to do so.

United Church Of Christ ministers . . . belong to one of the few mainline Christian denominations that are allowing their clergy to choose how they respond to the new law, along with Reform and Conservative Jews.

Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists, Presbyterians, Evangelical Lutherans, Orthodox Jews and a variety of other denominations have clearly stated policies that clergy are not permitted to perform marriage rites for same-sex couples.

For many of these religious groups, the twin issues of same-sex marriage and the ordination of openly homosexual clergy have been divisive — some, like the Episcopal Church and the Methodists, have suffered painful schisms because of disagreements over the church's position about biblical authority and homosexuality.

In California, for example, United Methodist ministers defied orders from their bishop last summer and performed same-sex marriages before the law was overturned on the Nov. 4 ballot.
The American Baptist Church also allows its clergy to make up their own minds when it comes to marrying same-sex couples.

Connecticut Episcopal Bishop Andrew Smith said this is the first time in history that the state's definition of marriage no longer agrees with that held by the church.

Smith gave his permission in 2006 for Episcopal priests in his diocese to perform "pastoral blessings" for same-sex couples who have been joined in civil unions. He has extended that permission to allow for such blessings at same sex wedding ceremonies, but priests may not actually officiate at the weddings.

But at the denomination's annual conference last month, 26 clergy and lay people signed a resolution that passed by a two-thirds vote, imploring that Smith allow his priests the right to exercise their own discretion when officiating at same-sex marriages. Smith said he would take the resolution under advisement.

Obadiah Ballinger, the religious organizer for the advocacy group Love Makes a Family, said she has heard that some clergy, including Episcopal priests, "are working creatively within their guidelines" to participate in same-sex marriage ceremonies.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.

Connecticut Voters' Options to Reverse Same-sex Marriage

On Friday, the state Supreme Court ruled that Connecticut would be the third state, after California and Massachusetts, to allow gay marriage. The court said Connecticut's 2005 civil union law doesn't give same-sex couples the same status as married heterosexual couples.

-- From "Marriage ruling not the end of debate in Conn." by Pat Eaton-Robb, Associated Press 10/11/08

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Now that the Connecticut Supreme Court has ruled same-sex couples have the right to wed, opponents of gay marriage are pinning their hopes on an infrequent ballot question in a longshot bid to block the unions.

Every 20 years, voters can force a convention during which delegates can rewrite the entire constitution. It's a long, painstaking process that could cost millions and, by coincidence, it's on the ballot this November.

Unlike California, where next month's ballot referendum will decide whether to outlaw gay marriage, Connecticut voters are being asked to consider only if they want a constitutional convention. If so, convention delegates would be appointed by the state General Assembly, which is largely comprised of Democrats who are sympathetic to same-sex issues.

"The real battle will be Election Day," [said Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut.] "Even in a state with a legislature as liberal as ours, we have defeated our opponents year after year through the legislative process. They could never have gotten same-sex marriage through the Democratic process. Democracy is gay marriage's worst enemy."

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.