"I call upon someone in authority in this house to apologize to my colleague Scott Jones, and to the people of Oklahoma, who have been insulted once again. We live in uncertain and difficult times. Oklahomans are losing their jobs and are fearful about the future. I for one don’t want my elected officials spending another moment debating the efficacy of a prayer offered on their behalf as they go about the job we sent them here to do—serving the people of Oklahoma who elected them—and that means all the people. We are all Oklahomans, so . . .
Judge not, lest you be judged."
Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers, Mayflower UCC, Oklahoma City
I want to thank the sixty-four legislators who had the courage to do the right thing that day. Although I am not in any of their districts, I am glad to know someone represents my voice. I believe that the majority of Oklahomans would agree with me in protecting free speech, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state.
Rev. Dr. Kathy McCallie, Church of the Open Arms, Oklahoma City
"This building, all of this marble and granite, this stone and metal, is not any one person’s building, it is OUR building – and that includes everyone, those we agree with and those we don’t. Refusing to record the words of a person who prayed for the well-being of all in the room simply because you don’t agree with who he loves is, frankly, ridiculous. Do this in your own house of worship if you must, but not here."
Pastor Chris Moore, Norman United Church of Christ
Following the press conference, the J&W Commission submitted a letter to the Speaker of the House and the 20 representatives who voted no to request an apology. Click here to see letter
Rev. Dr. Scott Jones, Pastor of Cathedral of Hope, Oklahoma City,was invited by Representative Al McAffrey to serve as the House Chaplain and offer the prayer to open the House session on 2/11/09.. "In what legislators are calling a first, one fifth of the Oklahoma House voted February 11th to strike from the record the prayer offered by Rev. Scott Jones." (United Church of Christ News).
Many churches in the Kansas/Oklahoma Conference are Open & Affirming Churches. ONA is "shorthand" for Open and Affirming, the designation for congregations, campus ministries, and other bodies in the United Church of Christ which make public statements of welcome into their full life and ministry to persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
Open & Affirming UCC Churches in Kansas and Oklahoma:
Plymouth Congregational Church Lawrence, Kansas
First Congregational UCC Manhattan, Kansas
Central Congregational Church Topeka, Kansas
Grace UCC Abilene, Kansas
Norman UCC Norman, OK
Cathedral of Hope, Oklahoma City
Church of the Open Arms Oklahoma City, OK
Mayflower Congregational Church Oklahoma City, OK
OpenTable UCC Owasso, OK
Community of Hope Tulsa, OK
Fellowship Congregational Church Tulsa, OK
The United Church of Christ National Coalition for LGBT Concerns. (http://www.ucccoalition.org/programs/ona/)
