July 29, 2015

Dear Goshen City Council members:

We are Christian clergy from the Church of the Brethren, Lutheran, Mennonite, Presbyterian,
and United Church of Christ faith communities who pastor citizens of Goshen, and we urge you to
support the proposed change to the Goshen Civil Rights ordinance.
As is widely known, there is a divisive debate in much of the Christian church about sexual ethics
and biblical morality. Those of us who have signed this letter are not of one mind on these issues.
However, we stand united for the proposition that no person should suffer housing,
vocational, access to public conveniences and accommodations, or educational discrimination due
to their sexual orientation or gender identity. This is consistent with clear statements from most
denominations including United Methodist, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Mennonite, Episcopal,
Evangelical Lutheran, etc. which repudiate acts of discrimination and prejudice against sexual
minorities.
The proposed amendment is not simply an aspiration or a wish; it extends real protection against
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. These protections join others
already available against discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, and national origin. This
change does not grant special rights to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Instead, it
extends basic civil rights to those who too often live in fear of being exposed and ostracized.
Additionally, this ordinance does not impact the practices of any faith community in that churches
and religious institutions are constitutionally exempt from laws of this sort. It also does not address such
contentious issues as marriage.
Rather, this ordinance puts before the council a straight-forward question: Shall we exclude some
of the most vulnerable from our citys protections against job, housing, and educational discrimination?
In our Christian tradition, we understand that how our society protects and cares for the least
among us is pivotal to how God judges us (Matthew 25:31-46).
Therefore, we ask you to support the pending amendment to the Goshen Civil Rights ordinance.
It is for the good of Goshen that we join the 19 states and the 185 cities and counties nationwide
including 9 in Indiana that already provide protection of this sort.
Sincerely,
David Araujo
Deron B. Bergstresser
Kay Bontrager-Singer
Jane Stoltzfus Buller
Amy Kulesza DeBeck
Julia Gingrich
Alan L. Griffin
Gwen Gustafson-Zook
Dawn Yoder Harms
Linda Sue Hewitt
John Hickey

Merle Hostetler
Jessica King
Marty Lehman
Eric Martin
Brenda Hostetler Meyer
Keith Graber Miller
David Moser
Rachel Nolt
Steve Norton
Brenda Sawatzky Paetkau

Marilyn Rudy-Froese
Dan Schrock
Karl Shelly
Jeremy Shue
Tim Stair
Adam Tice
Phil Waite
Bev Weaver
Daniel Yoder
Mary Lehman Yoder

(signers are representing themselves; not necessarily their congregations)