Yes, I know the church has voted, and usually that settles it for me, but this time I do not agree with the decision that gay people cannot be a part of the church.

Years ago, my father was denied church membership because, as a banker, he wrote insurance policies. Some of the people who voted him out came to him for insurance policies later. When insurance was no longer considered to be "sin," the church leaders revisited my father's membership status, but because he was unwilling to discontinue wearing a tie, he was again denied membership.

My family suffered the consequences of those decisions. I am sure that many of you in my age group (65-80) can recall other instances where the church has been wrong.

In the days of slavery, some church people used the Bible to prove that it was right to own slaves. Other church people laid their lives on the line to provide an underground railroad to freedom for many slaves. Today my husband and I feel God has called us to put our lives on the line in a different way.

We do not like conflict and feel much more comfortable when brothers and sisters live together in peace. However, we cannot accept the kind of peace that shames our gay brothers and sisters for being who they are (using terms borrowed from Lewis B. Smedes in his book, Shame and Grace).