Resolution: The Connecticut Conference, UCC, Our Churches and Their Relationships with the Boy Scouts of America

WHEREAS, In the gospel, Jesus declares "...I was a stranger and you welcomed me...Truly, I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of those who are members of my family, you did it to me"; and as part of the Great Commandment, Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 25:35-40 and Matthew 22:39-NRSV); and

WHEREAS, Paul wrote "the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ....Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." (I Corinthians 12:12 and 27); and

WHEREAS, The fifteenth General Synod (1985) of the United Church of Christ encouraged "a policy of non-discrimination in employment, volunteer service and membership policies with regard to sexual orientation; and encouraged associations, conferences and all related organizations to adopt a similar policy as well as a Covenant of Openness and Affirmation of persons of lesbian, gay and bisexual orientation within the community of faith"; and

WHEREAS, In 1989, the 122nd Annual Meeting of the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ declared the Conference to be Open and Affirming and "called upon member congregations to adopt a similar non-discrimination policy and covenant of openness and affirmation"; and

WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court has recently (June 2000) upheld the right of the Boy Scouts of America to set membership criteria; thus effectively allowing them to exclude homosexuals as members or leaders; as professional or nonprofessional employees; and

WHEREAS, discrimination against anyone based upon sexual orientation is seen by many churches as a justice and human rights issue, rooted in our understanding of God's inclusive love and care for all persons and all creation;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the delegates to the 135th Annual Meeting of the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ, request the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ to convey to the National Council of Boy Scouts of America our belief that discrimination against anyone based upon sexual orientation is contrary to our understanding of the teachings of Christ;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we request our Board of Directors to ask the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America to enact a membership policy, which bases exclusion on sexual misconduct rather than sexual orientation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we invite all congregations that sponsor Boy Scout troops to prayerfully and thoughtfully consider the implications of such sponsorship.

Presented by First Congregational Church of Guilford, Inc.