Comments for Kevin Jennings

Comment on Mother’s Day by Larry Garland

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:05:39 +0000

Wow! The widow’s mite was transformed into a miracle by moving the money to a place and a people for whom a dollar or two can still make a significant difference.

In one of my previous lives (as an insurance agent for New York Life), I once heard the proceeds check (i.e., death benefit) from an insurance policy described as being “the last love letter you can ever send to a loved one.” Emotionally over the top? Of course it is. Does that make it any less true? Of course not. Such motherly sacrifice is the “evidence of things unseen”: “By their fruit ye shall know them.” Okay, so both quotes are ostensibly misapplied here. I still think they are apropos. Mothers are prone to sacrifice, full of faith, and guilty of good works. God bless mamas, one and all (but especially Kevin’s–and mine!).

Comment on Random Thoughts from Germany and Poland, July 2007 by bxpansive

Thu, 22 May 2008 22:45:04 +0000

Given what I’ve learned from rabbinical observations of the past couple of thousand years, as well as just the past 50-60, it would seem that the Master of the Universe takes way more into account than our rather narrow perceptions. Things happen on quite a long timeline, much longer than our short lives, not to mention non-linearly and with great complexity, and so it is easy to dispair, especially if we are looking for justice. Goodness, on the other hand, is found even in the foulest of places and times, as survivors of many of the tragedies mentioned above attest. If we take the opportunity to add light to the world, it is quite a success. It has been said that a even a little light dispels a great deal of darkness.

Comment on Report from Appalachia, Day Two: C is for Coon by wrestlefreestyle150

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:30:31 +0000

Thanks, Kevin, for your insightful reflections. It’s good to see you posting more frequently. Our LGBTQ youth have an Edna to thank for safe havens in our education system and that Edna is you. Our Day of Silence in West Bend, Wisconsin was the most contentious yet, thanks to the efforts of the religious right. This journey isn’t easy and no one ever said it would be. But because of visionaries like you, our work is made easier. Thank God for Kevin.

Comment on Thoughts on Holy Thursday by wrestlefreestyle150

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:25:13 +0000

Kevin -

Thanks for your witness in the midst of hostility and persecution. The saints have gone before us and have experienced the same - but by the grace of God, they, and you, have persevered in the name of Jesus Christ. The reign of God will only be complete when all of God’s children sit at the table together. Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Comment on Thoughts on Holy Thursday by Banderson61

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:07:00 +0000

Kevin
Admittedly I have not read enough about you, however what I have read is clear, you and the ones that follow your miss-guided life style seem to pull from the bible a verse or scripture that somehow aligns with your theology. In your Holy moment blog, yes Jesus did and does command us to Love one another, he does not ever imply immorality. We need not go any further than Genesis 2:24 for Gods plan, a union between a Man and Women. Kevin, you can interrupt the bible to make you case, you alone will stand before God and account for your actions. In close, I will love my brothers and sister, however the lfe style and false teaching you and your follows align with is nothing new, Paul at Corinth led the same charge myself and others believe. I will pray for you. That is what Jesus would do and say.

Comment on Thoughts on Holy Thursday by peacemongernc

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:08:47 +0000

Kevin, I was at that Presbytery meeting. I felt so uplifted by everything you said, and my heart just sunk when the first guy got up to speak when you were done. I’ve been told that he speaks against something at every Presbytery meeting, though. I was just made an elder in January so that was my first meeting. I was the second person who stood up to talk and I said that it was clear to me that the Holy Spirit is guiding you. I meant it. I wished I could have said more, but I had no idea where to go from there. I believe it is somewhat poetic that you were at my first presbytery meeting because inclusion and open affirmation in the PCUSA for GLBT folks is important to me. My heritage as a Presbyterian goes back at least to the early 1700s and at times I’ve been ready to leave the denomination over this… so far my need for ancestor worship has overcome my need to worship in an open community. That’s pretty sick, huh? :)

I believe the story of Peter’s Vision (Acts 10) is key in understanding the role of Gentiles (us) in the church today. Those rules you quote from the OT are part of a body of rules that exclude probably everyone at that Presbytery meeting from inclusion in the church. It wasn’t until Peter had a vision that compelled him to include Gentiles in the early church that it was even a possibility for any of us to be included. That vision was one that made it clear to the church that the inclusion of all of God’s children is what the church is called to aspire to. That vision told us that shellfish and poly-cotton blends are not the deal breakers that they used to be. “The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’” (Acts 10:15)
I told this to another elder at my church and she said that no one had had a vision like Peter that said that GLBTs were “clean”. I told her that this is where she is wrong. This vision has come to Christians everywhere, and it is only the bad theology and narrow-mindedness of the church that hasn’t accepted it. I once preached on this passage (I’m not a minister, I’m a seminary school drop out (I think it should be sung to “Beauty School Drop-out” from Grease), so I preach from time to time) and I said that I thought the most amazing thing about the story is that when Peter’s colleagues questioned him about what he had done, after he had eaten with and baptized the Gentiles, they said “Okay!” and decided that Gentiles were in. This is the part that our churches today don’t seem to be able to do. We are so deafened by our orthodoxy, that we can’t see hear the revelations that God is showering down around us.

At the end of that meeting there were several calls for having someone come to speak representing the “other side.” It was all I could do not to say, “Well, sure! Hey! I know! Let’s have someone come who de-gays people, and we can have someone from the Klan, and someone who is involved in modern day slavery (the bible says it’s okay, you know) and the anti-ordaining-women folks and we’ll just have a big ol’ tailgate, back-to-the-dark-ages party! They can all share their side of the story because, by God, we are going to be fair!! I’ll bring the confederate flag and someone else bring the wooden crosses and gasoline! Yee Haw!”

It is very true that there needs to be a dialogue and those sorts of comments aren’t a good place to start. But it sure feels like after all this time we should be PAST “starting.” We should be getting somewhere by now. This is why I envy Peter. He said “God told me…” and his people said “Okay, the Gentiles are in…” and that was that. Well, except for the circumcision issue. That got a lot of ink.

Anyway, I want you to know how glad I am that you were at my first meeting and that maybe you moved the dialogue ahead a few inches. You spoke so well, and you represented the issues flawlessly. You are truly gifted in your diplomacy! Thank you!

Shannon Ward
Huntersville, NC