UPDATE:
Don's
request for transfer was refused by a vote of 27-64. Don rocked,
however, To turn away a minister with obvious gifts, experience,
and deep faith because of prejudice (sorry, but however you look at it, that is
all it is) reminds us that we have yet a long way to
go. Don with his wisdom, compassion and cane, reminds
me of Gandalf! He inspires me. If you would like
to send an email to Don, you can find his email address on the left sidebar
of our church's webpage. I am sure he would love to hear from you!
By
the way the picture below is from the Martin Luther King, Jr. parade in Kingsport in January of
2012. Don had marched with King in Memphis
during the garbage workers' strike.
But prejudice is irrational and silly.
Here is Don's statement of faith and personal journey.
Here is the speech I plan to give at presbytery.
The Rev. Dr. Don Steele has been a Presbyterian minister
for 42 years.
When he was ordained, I was eight.
He has a Ph. D. in Ethics and Spirituality.
Somewhere along the line he learned the difference between right and
wrong.
He has served as a minister of congregations across the United States from West
Virginia to New Mexico.
How many sermons do you suppose Don has preached in 42 years of ministry?
How many weddings? How many Bible studies has he led? How many cups
of coffee with parishioners struggling with issues and with confidences that he
will take with him to his grave? How many prayers has he
shared with parishioners in hospitals and in homes and in his study? How
many funerals in 42 years? I know of one important one at least to
me. This summer he held on to me while I held on to the body of my
dead son. He was there with my family in my home. He was there as
we sent Zach to his final rest at the crematorium. Don is still
there for us. What does it take to be a minister? You tell
me.
He was the dean of the Doctor of Ministry and Continuing
Education Programs at McCormick Theological Seminary. In
addition to administrative duties he taught master’s level and doctoral level
courses.
He taught ministers how to be ministers.
There is no one in this room who is more qualified to be a PCUSA minister than
The Rev. Dr. Don Steele.
Already in this presbytery, he has been working.
He was responsible for distributing a $10,000 grant on behalf of the
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to flood victims in Washington County.
He serves on boards in Carter
County for those
suffering domestic violence and poverty. He serves with me in my
congregation. I ask him for advice. He knows what to do. He
has experience in the ministry. It would be silly not to welcome
him with trumpets into our presbytery.
Prejudice is really a silly thing. When you
prejudge people without knowing them you miss out. It’s a
waste. We are not missing out in Elizabethton.
Whether you decide to miss out or not, that is your
call. It won’t affect us and it won’t affect Don.
But it will make the presbytery look kind of silly.
Even still, we will be here. We will welcome
and celebrate and be blessed by the gifts and skills of those who land on our
doorstep even if they drive from Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, Morristown, and Meadowview,
VA to be with us. The
denomination is moving in the direction our congregation has been
charting. If you would like to join with us in this bold adventure
of following Jesus we would love to work with you.
Call us. We would love to help congregations get
over this stifling and silly prejudice.
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