In a Move to "promote greater unity" Don't Bring Your Black Ass Into This Church
Interracial Couple Banned From Kentucky Church
Dec 1st 2011
In a move to "promote greater unity" among its body and the Pike County community it serves, a small Kentucky church voted to ban interracial couples from membership and from participating in certain worship activities, Kentucky.com reports.
Though reminiscent of some Jim Crow-era mandate, the Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church actually made the decision earlier this month, following a visit from 24-year-old Stella Harville, daughter of the church's secretary and clerk, and her 29-year-old fiance, Ticha Chikuni, a native of Zimbabwe.
According to Harville's father, Dean Harville, Stella brought Chikuni to the church in June where they performed a song for the congregation.
Following the visit, former pastor Melvin Thompson told Harville that his daughter and her fiance could not sing at the church again. Thompson later proposed that the church go on record saying that while all people were welcome to attend public worship services there, the church did not condone interracial marriage.
His proposal, which was accepted by a 9-6 vote last week, also suggested that married interracial couples be prohibited from becoming members and used in worship activities, except for funerals.
"It's not the spirit of the community in any way, shape or form," said Randy Johnson, president of the Pike County Ministerial Association, according to Kentucky.com.
While Pike County and the surrounding community come to grips with the church's decision, researchers at Ohio State University and Cornell University say black-white marriages in the United States are soaring, increasing threefold, from 3 percent in 1980 to 10.7 percent in 2008. Huffpo
Pike church takes stand against interracial couples
By Bill Estep
A small Pike County church has voted not to accept interracial couples as members or let them take part in some worship activities.The decision has caused sharp reaction and disapproval in the Eastern Kentucky county.
"It's not the spirit of the community in any way, shape or form," Randy Johnson, president of the Pike County Ministerial Association, said of the vote.
The issue came up at the Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church, said Dean Harville, a longtime member who serves as church secretary and clerk.
Attendance is usually around 40 people for a Sunday service at the church in the Johns Creek area, Harville said.
Harville said his daughter Stella Harville, who is pursuing a master's degree in optical engineering at a school in Indiana, brought her fiancé, Ticha Chikuni, to church in June and played the piano as he sang.
The couple performed I Surrender All, said Stella Harville, who is 24.
Chikuni, 29, who works at Georgetown College, is black. He is a native of Zimbabwe.
Stella Harville grew up in the church and was baptized there, but she is not a member, Dean Harville said.
Dean Harville said Melvin Thompson, who had been pastor for many years, told him in August that his daughter and her fiancé couldn't sing at the church again.
Thompson stepped down as pastor in August, citing health issues, but he refused Harville's requests to drop the issue, Harville said.
The new pastor, Stacy Stepp, said the couple could sing at the church if they wanted, Harville said.
In early November, Thompson proposed the church go on record saying that while all people were welcome to attend public worship services there, the church did not condone interracial marriage, according to a copy of the recommendation supplied by the Harvilles.
The proposal also said "parties of such marriages will not be received as members, nor will they be used in worship services" or other church functions, with the exception of funerals.
The recommendation "is not intended to judge the salvation of anyone, but is intended to promote greater unity among the church body and the community we serve," the copy supplied to the Herald-Leader read.
Members at a business meeting decided to put the matter before the whole church. Last Sunday, nine people voted for the proposal and six voted against it, Harville said.
There were more people in attendance, but some didn't want to take a stand, he said.
Harville said the resolution was motivated by racism and has given the church, the community, the county and even God a black eye.
"It sure ain't Christian. It ain't nothing but the old devil working," Harville said.
Thompson, who owns a hardware store, told the Herald-Leader on Tuesday that the proposal has been taken out of context, but declined further comment.
Stella Harville said it has been hurtful that some members of her church family made such a decision.
"They're the people who are supposed to comfort me in times like these," she said.
East Kentucky Broadcasting, which owns several radio stations, first reported the story about the vote on Monday.
Hundreds of people have since posted comments disagreeing with the decision, said reporter Shannon Deskins.
Johnson, with the local ministerial association, said the reactions have included heartbreak and disbelief.
"Most of us thought that we'd moved well beyond that," he said.
Harville said he plans to ask the conference of churches to which Gulnare Freewill Baptist belongs to overturn the vote.
Even if that happens, however, "I don't think I'll be able to go back there," his daughter said. Kentucky.com
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