American Baptists approve new gay-friendly association

                                                                                      from Short Spots, August 2003 Vol. XVI, No. 7

During the biennial meeting of the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. in Richmond, VA, 27-30 June, the group's governing board recently approved the creation of a regional association designed for gay-friendly churches. The denomination's General Board established the Evergreen Baptist Association, which was formed by churches that felt ostracized by the more conservative -- and much larger -- American Baptist Churches of the Northwest. Many of the congregations opposed the larger group's stance on sexuality issues. [ABP]