Minute: Poplar Ridge Meeting, on Sexual Orientation

Poplar Ridge Monthly Meeting

The following minute was forwarded to us from Farmington-Scipio Regional Meeting for consideration: Our experience has been that spiritual gifts are not distributed with regard to sexual orientation or gender identity. Our experience has been that our Gatherings and Central Committee work have been immeasurably enriched over the years by the full participation and Spirit-guided leadership of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer Friends. We will never go back to silencing those voices or suppressing those gifts. Our experience confirms that we are all equal before God, as God made us, and we feel blessed to be engaged in the work of FGC together.

Poplar Ridge approved the following minute, forwarded it to Fall Gathering where it was on the agenda but deferred, and would still like to have it considered by Farmington-Scipio Regional Meeting.

While we cannot speak for the experience of Friends General Conference Central Committee, we agree that spiritual gifts are not distributed with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity, and we affirm that we are all equal before God. Our Quaker testimony guides us to an all-embracing practice of human equality.

Approved Sept. 11, 2005