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Gay Issues Split Church Coalition

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Three congregations in Kalamazoo, Mich., are pulling out of an ecumenical ministry that serves meals to the poor because they deem the host church too liberal on gay issues -- its pastor publicly supported the city's gay rights ordinance, recently upheld by voters.

Centerpoint Church has already left Martha's Table, a group of eight churches providing Sunday services and meals for the needy at First Congregational Church, and Agape Christian Church, and Word for Life Church of God plan to do so at year end, the Kalamazoo Gazette reported Wednesday.

First Congregational pastor Matt Laney (pictured), who spoke out in favor of the gay rights measure passed by the Kalamazoo city commission a year ago and upheld by voters last month, said the three departing congregations have made it clear they don't want to be "guilty by association" with his church and its acceptance of LGBT people. "It's incredibly disappointing," Laney said.

He said the five churches remaining in Martha's Table plan to continue the ministry's work, and he is trying to recruit other churches to join.

Agape senior pastor Ron Vestrand confirmed to the Gazette that gay issues were at the heart of the split. "We felt that Matt's stance on homosexuality as a valid Christian lifestyle violated our biblical worldview," he said.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.