Grace Community United Church of Christ will close its doors this weekend, but the pastor who says his decision to publicly support gay-marriage rights unwittingly thrust it on a path toward financial ruin plans to find a new home for his small congregation.
He has faith that his flock will follow.
The Rev. Oliver White, 69, had hoped fundraising would keep the predominantly African-American church on St. Paul's East Side open after a Seattle investor demanded full payment on a high-interest loan.
But after a well-publicized Internet campaign raised only about $56,000 of the $200,000 the church needs to pay off its debt, White has decided to call it quits. He will close Grace Community United and look for a new home elsewhere for what remains of his once-bountiful congregation.
9 Comments
Good for him for standing by his convictions. Shame in NOM for celebrating the demise of an African-American congregation due to financial difficulty during a tough economy.
It's sad when anyone goes so far astray that they end up destroying so much. Rev. White drove his congregation away with his radical ideas that very few of them could accept. Hopefully he will take a close look at his own actions and mend his ways.
Why does NOM only cite the participation in the civil rights movement of black pastors, who oppose civil marriage equality? Wouldn't an honest organization.....Oh, that's right, NOM....nevermind.
@JC - Because NOM is fighting for the rights of traditional marriage, so of course they are going to post articles showing their point of view. Surely the opposition is doing the same thing on their websites. I don't believe NOM ever said they were neutral in this arena.
@ How is NOM fighting for "the rights of traditional marriage"? All I see them doing is fighting against the rights of gays and lesbians with a special focus on opposing civil marriage equality.
The phrasing NOMies insist upon makes it sound as if providing for civil marriage equality means an end to so-called "traditional marriage". This is absurd. Not only do heterosexuals continue to get 'traditionally married" in states with civil marriage equality, they do it at a higher rate than in other states!
And you are dead wrong about the opposition. In my experience pro-LGBT blogs cover news from a pro-LGBT perspective, but they cover both good news and bad news and at least attempt to present the whole picture. NOM just puts out pure propaganda on this blog.
Just the book of Jeremiah, coming to pass.
I love the picture they put up of Rev. White.
Very flattering, lol.
This foolish pastor failed to realize the fact that the majority of blacks do not support gay "marriage." Doesn't sound like he learned his lesson.
@Jacob: "Shame in NOM for celebrating the demise of an African-American congregation due to financial difficulty during a tough economy."
What a bunch of bull. This wasn't due to "a tough economy." This was due to the pastor's foolish decisions: first to support gay "marriage" and then to take out a high-interest loan to "pay bills" and use the church building as collateral. God doesn't want the buildings meant for believers to gather and worship him to either promote homosexuality or be used as collateral on a loan.