Kessler Park United Methodist Church has made its stance on inclusion in the Boy Scouts clear to its members today.
The church posted on its Facebook that it hoped the National Council votes this week to “adopt the resolution eliminating heterosexuality as a requirement for a youth’s participation in scouting.”
Troop 5 is charted by the church and is one of the oldest troops in Dallas. Methodist churches are the second-largest sponsors of troops nationwide.
“Our church, we would assert, has long experience attempting to reconcile diversity, security, and godliness,” the post reads. “We believe that Christ’s teachings, as well as the Scout Oath and Law which flow from Christ’s words, call us to welcome all persons of good will in the training of children to become wholesome adults.”
The BSA National Council will vote on the resolution to only admit gay youth at its meeting later this week.
Read Kessler Park UMC’s full statement below.
As the charter organization of Boy Scouts Troop 5 and Venturing Crew 5, Kessler Park United Methodist Church wishes to take a clear stance in anticipation of the National Meeting of the Boy Scouts of America on May 23: The BSA’s 1,400 voting delegates should adopt the resolution eliminating heterosexuality as a requirement for a youth’s participation in scouting. In the wake of that vote, BSA’s leadership should proceed apace to draft a subsequent resolution eliminating heterosexuality as a requirement for an adult’s participation as a volunteer in scouting.
As the single digit implies, Troop 5 is one of the oldest scout troops in Dallas; and Oak Cliff, the community in which KPUMC operates, was one of Dallas’ first neighborhoods to benefit from racial desegregation and openly gay residents. Our church, we would assert, has long experience attempting to reconcile diversity, security, and godliness. We believe that Christ’s teachings, as well as the Scout Oath and Law which flow from Christ’s words, call us to welcome all persons of good will in the training of children to become wholesome adults. As a practical matter, we witness on a daily basis the contributions that gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and trans-gendered individuals make to our community. Oak Cliff would be measurably less without them; our church would be measurably less without them.
The members of Kessler Park United Methodist Church entrust our pastor David Carr to respond to any questions on this matter from the press, the BSA, or concerned parents. Rev. Carr can be reached at (214) 942-0098 or dpcarrs@gmail.com. Please note that KPUMC, not Troop 5 or Crew 5, has issued this statement.
