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The Pendulum NEWS Thursday, March 1, 2006 • Page 5 Bumbry begins second term From p, 1 “I think we grow because we have to so students can experience the serv ices that Elon offers us that most schools don’t have, so we’re going to have to increase the tuition or let more people in. I think a gradual increase of students is what we’re looking at.” Bumbry holds several leadership positions outside of SGA and Residence Life. He has been the vice president of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity for the last two years. He was also freshman class vice president and sophomore class president. Bumbry has also worked with ESTV and the Office of Admissions. A self-described “double minori ty,” Bumbry, who is both black and gay, believes that diversity is crucial to improve Elon’s campus life. “We’ve got diversity issues,” he said. He encourages all students; “Embrace your identity; welcome in other cultures, this is a school that really needs an increase in diversity and minority students.” “Try and appreciate each other. I think we have a lot of cliques at Elon and I think we need to live more on a broad scale and maybe I’m being ide- Jessica Frizen/ Photographer Bumbry works at his computer in his SG/A office. alistic, but I think we need to just con tinue to have an open mind about each other.” Although noting that “the buck doesn’t stop here,” Bumbry urges stu dents who have concerns to bring them to SGA. “You can’t get anything done by complaining behind the scenes,” he said. “You can only get things done by going to the source.” Contact Timothy Rink at pendu- lum@elon.edu or 278-7247. Local church supports gay rights Pastor, members build an ‘accepting, diverse’ church affiliation Bethany Swanson Reporter Grace United Church of Christ has an altar, a pulpit, collection bins and hymnals. There is a pastor, a choir and cooing babies interrupting the sermon. Yet there are no organs or stained glass windows. There is ncrt even a real physical church building, but there is acceptance of gay rights and diversity. Every Sunday at U a.m., this newly formed congregation of about 40 individuals affirm their beliefs in God, diversity and acceptance in tiieir make-shifl church in a dining hall at the Barringer Center in Elon Homes for Children. When Grace United Church of Christ opened its doors Jan. 8,2006, it did so amid »ntroversy. fa July 2005, the United Church of Christ General Senate passed a resolution regarding same-sex unions. The resolution, litled General Synod 25, confirmed the Church’s open and affmning belief that welcomes and includes gay, les bian, bisexual and transgender individ uals into what their Web site calls “the fill! life of church." The resolution gave equal marriage rights to homosex ual couples within the faith of the United Church of Christ. For many churches following the doctrines of the United Church of Christ was unacceptable and they chose to dis affiliate themselves. According to one Web site, some 88 churches across the United States with drew their association with the United Oiurch of Christ Of those 88,18 are in NcMth Carolina, and four are in the Buriington area. By many, they are con sidered “lost churches” for their dissen sion. Rev. Phi! Hardy was a pastor at one such church. Union Ridge United Church of Christ in Burlington voted to withdraw their affiliation. Hardy and many of his congregation disagreed with this decision, and chose mstead to remain associated with the Church and its doctrines. They created Grace United Church of Christ “1 have the deep conviction that the church should break down barriers rather than segmenting us and breaking us apart,’^ Hardy said. “We want to cre ate a place where diversity can happen, where people who are different can live together.” About a fourth of the current con gregation is new members. The rest followed him from Union Ridge. Hardy and many members of the congregation said that their church has been met mostly by positive reactions, though locally there have been some mixed feelings. Choir member Helen Brown is a former member of the congregation at Union Ridge. “We believed very strongly in the doctrines of the UCC; we wanted to cany out their vision,” she said. Rev. Hardy’s, mother. Maty Anne Hardy, also ixnuly believes in the United Church of Christ’s mission of acce|^a»ce and diversi^ in the cwn- inuiuiy, ‘"In' the 'sei^ of openness, there’s not anything that God would not Uke abcsat this," she said, Foimer kind^^gaiten teacher Janet Lee saying ^t she feels it is ItnpCQiant ijbat children tinderstand that !Ve i^e all God^s children, no matter what'""' ^ ^ ConUfct Bethmy Sw^on at pen- dtdim^etm,eSi\or a# 275-7247
Elon University Student Newspaper
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March 2, 2006, edition 1
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