Champion City (false) News

I haven't forgotten.

Back in February, I used this blog to float a theory that EF Hutton launched Champion City News as a platform to spread false news. Specifically, Champion City News targeted LGBT+ people with false stories and unbalanced coverage in favor of the repeal of Springfield's recent LGBT+ anti-discrimination protections.

For a full history of this situation, you can read the first post, entitled "I Saw What You Did, EF Hutton," and the second post, "Proof that EF Hutton Owns Champion City News?"

Since then, the posting of new, original content on Champion City News seems to have slowed down. Most of the content is aggregated from third party news sites, with some content about local sports, local businesses, and other pieces.

Also, the Terms of Service page, featured heavily in my last blog post, disappeared within days of my writing. (Whoops!)

Perhaps page not "exsit"

I have not been obsessing over the site, mainly because I already made my point. And now that the repeal effort failed, it does not seem important to deliver a running commentary on their activities.

But I am still watching.

Why would I care? What does it matter?

Three Quick Reasons I am Still Keeping an Eye on Champion City News:
 
1) The stories targeting LGBT+ people are all still up on the site, including the vile piece about EF Hutton's alleged policy changes related to restrooms. Last I checked, the incendiary piece about LGBT groups "demanding" action against Amazon still pops up on the first page.

2) It's not cool that a company attempted to disseminate false news in our community. Not okay.

3) The previous attempts to stir up strife fell flat, but that does not mean there will not be any future attempts. If the "news" site tries any of this nonsense again, I want to be aware of it.

I got online recently to read EF Hutton's latest financial reports/disclosures because I was curious if Champion City News would be listed in some way as a subsidiary. Nope. Nothing listed. Although, they were late on their March filings and have filed for an extension...(UPDATE as of 5/31, those filings are now available)

Speaking of disclosures, I also uncovered some information that I chose not disclose in past posts. Well, "uncovered" is a strong word since all of this information is easily accessible on the internet. I'll admit, I have known this from the beginning, but I chose not to share it. 

Here's what I left out...

The editor of Champion City News is employed by EF Hutton. 

Disclaimer: I'm about to mention a specific writer/editor by name. This blog does NOT endorse or advocate the sharing of private social media content without the permission of the owner. Every screenshot below is public information and is readily available through a few simple internet searches.

This publicly available information is provided solely so readers can evaluate whether or not Champion City News is a reliable source. Although a specific individual is named in this post, this author does NOT endorse the harassment, interrogation, pestering, attacking, trolling, or otherwise inconveniencing involved persons in any way. DO NOT take this information as an opportunity to carry out any action which might negatively affect any person.

Here's the rundown:

1) Meggalife is EF Hutton's main platform of products. The Meggalife platform of services includes an e-magazine and an online news site, called Meggamag and Megganews.

Meggalife website, May 26, 2018

2) Meggamag and Megganews are both owned by EF Hutton, just like Meggalife.

Meggamag Terms of Service Page, May 26, 2018

Megganews Terms of Service, May 26, 2018

3) Blake Haley is an author/editor for all three websites.

Here is a page listing all of his articles for Champion City News:

championcitynews.com/author/bhaley on May 26,2018

Here he is writing for the EF Hutton e-magazine, Meggamag:

meggamag.com/author/blakehaley on May 26, 2018

And, here he is writing for the EF Hutton news website, Megganews:

megganews.com/author/blakehaley on  May 26, 2018

4) Blake Haley lists both Meggamag and Champion City News as his employer on social media.

Twitter, as of May 26, 2016:



Articles from Champion City News and Meggalife are tweeted side by side:



Facebook, listing positions at Champion City News and EF Hutton's Meggamag, as of May 26, 2018:




Blake and I interacted via email back when he was writing the Amazon/LGBT Groups article. Using the same email address where we previously corresponded, I sent the below email over a month ago.

I have received no reply.

Proof that EF Hutton Owns Champion City News?

The views expressed on this blog are mine alone, and they do not reflect the views and opinions of any group, board, organization, or employer I may be affiliated with.

In my last post, I addressed an article from Champion City News about EF Hutton. In that post, I addressed Champion City News and EF Hutton as if they were separate entities.

But I'll be honest... from the outset, I have suspected that Champion City News is not an independent news outlet. In fact, it has been my assumption that EF Hutton is behind the news site.

I made no such assertion in my last post, and when people asked me about it in Facebook comments, I refrained from speculating. I did not want to make assertions that I could not support (because, I apparently have more journalistic integrity than Champion City News does).

Sure, there were the rumors I'd heard from others, but those were all hearsay.

And yes, it's true that people have contacted me since my post circulated on Facebook... some of whom claim to have been at the company when EF Hutton launched the new website... but these eyewitnesses have asked to remain anonymous. Anonymous tipsters are often helpful, but they sometimes feel inadequate for proving anything beyond a shadow of a doubt.

So, I've had my suspicions, but I have not been able to draw any tangible connection between Champion City News and EF Hutton.

Until I read the Terms of Service.

I found something interesting, and I would like to share it with you. Before I do, I'll need to give you just a tiny bit of background information.

We are going to talk about Meggalife. What is Meggalife? It's a product/service/platform created by EF Hutton. This is no secret, there have been press releases about it and EF Hutton celebrates Meggalife as their brand. But, if you'd like to see proof, here's a picture from the Meggalife website linking Meggalife to EF Hutton. (I'll be sharing some screenshots here... if you have trouble reading the text in the images, you can click on each picture to enlarge it in most browsers, or follow the link to see the source).

Meggalife.com/pages/how

Not only that, the Terms of Service Page on Meggalife's website names the headquarters to be One Main Street, which is EF Hutton's address. Here, take a look:



These Terms also mention Megga, Inc. Megga, Inc. is a subsidiary of HUTN, Inc. HUTN, Inc. is the parent company of EF Hutton. You can read their most recent financial statement to see what I mean (this can be accessed by clicking here).

HUTN, Inc Financial Statement

HUTN, Inc Financial Statement

Okay, so what did I find?

I noticed an interesting link between the Champion City News website and EF Hutton's Meggalife website. And, believe it or not, it all came from the Terms of Service. (Terms can be accessed here for CCN and here for Meggalife).

Let's start small. Take a look at EF Hutton's Meggalife Terms of Service. When were they last updated?

Meggalife Terms of Service Page on Feb 16, 2018

The Meggalife Terms of Service were most recently updated on November 7, 2017. I wonder when the Champion City News Terms of Service were last updated.

Champion City News Terms of Service Page on Feb 16, 2018

Wow! Imagine that! The Champion City News Terms were also updated on November 7, 2017. What an interesting coincidence! (The domain registration says the site was registered on Jan 18, 2018, but obviously this content was prepared prior to that date)

Fun little coincidence there, but does it really prove anything? Not really. I mean, these are totally separate websites, with totally separate purposes, operated by totally separate entities. Aren't they? It's not like there are any other similarities here...

For example, take a look at how Meggalife is described in their Terms of Service:

Meggalife Terms of Service Page on Feb 16, 2018

Meggalife is described as "a diverse suite of internet products and services, all under the Meggalife banner." Champion City News is something else entirely. The Terms of Service over at Champion City News describe the news organization as...

Champion City News Terms of Service Page on Feb 16, 2018

"... a diverse suite of internet products and services, all under the Champion City News banner."

Hmmm. I guess Champion City News and Meggalife must have more similarities than I realized. Both of them seem to be a diverse suite of internet products and services, all under one banner. I thought CCN was just a news site, but apparently it's got a lot more going on.

Despite their apparent similarities up front, we all know that Meggalife and Champion City News have different functions. Meggalife is a product that allows users to accumulate points using a variety of social media platforms. These points can later be turned into cash value for a 401(k)! This is why the Meggalife Terms address matters such as points and 401(k)s.

See?

Meggalife Terms of Service Page on Feb 16, 2018

It makes sense for EF Hutton's Meggalife to include language in their Terms of Service to address points and 401(k) investments and all that jazz. After all, that's what this product is all about!

That's not the case with Champion City News. That site only exists to share news articles! There's no reason to expect the Champion City News Terms of Service to mention accrual of points or a 401(k). Right?

Champion City News Terms of Service Page on Feb 16, 2018

Oops.

I don't want to make any unfounded accusations here... but it is beginning to seem like Champion City News copied and pasted the Terms of Service from EF Hutton's Meggalife website, changing out the name of the product for the name of the news publication. 

It's almost as if someone took the text from one website and inserted it into the other website, probably assuming that no one would notice.  (After all, who reads the Terms of Service?)

That's not the only time it happens. Here are two side-by-side shots, discussing the accrual of Megga Points on EF Hutton's website and/or Champion City News Points on the CCN website.

Meggalife Terms of Service Page on Feb 16, 2018

Champion City News Terms of Service Page on Feb 16, 2018

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to gather and spend all of my News Points!!!

Here's the thing. I've linked both pages here in this post (again, you can read CCN Terms here and Meggalife Terms here). Except for the names, the wording is exactly the same from beginning to end. Someone has copied EF Hutton's Meggalife Terms of Service and pasted them onto the Champion City News website.

This next one is my favorite. Look at this Warranty Disclaimer from EF Hutton's Meggalife.

Meggalife Terms of Service Page on Feb 16, 2018

Now, take a look at the same section of the Champion City News Terms of Service. You can tell that the author performed a simple "find and replace" search on their computer, because the font switches to lower case. Plus, they forgot to change the word are to the word is.

Champion City News Terms of Service Page on Feb 16, 2018

Yeah. Drink that in. Champion City News "are" making you aware.

I think I have driven the point home, but since we're all here, take a look at one final example. Once again, you can see the font change to lower case in the second example, while the rest of the language remains the same.

Meggalife Terms of Service Page on Feb 16, 2018

Champion City News Terms of Service Page on Feb 16, 2018

Does this prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that EF Hutton is the owner and administrator of Champion City News? Is this the smoking gun? No, not exactly.

All it proves is that the administrator of Champion City News, for some reason, has borrowed the Terms of Service from EF Hutton's Meggalife website.

But it's odd, isn't it?

Why does this matter?

Why am I even talking about this? Who cares? 

Because, if this is true, it means we have a company in our midst which is actively trying to disseminate fake news in our community.

That term (fake news) gets thrown around a lot these days... so much so that I typically avoid using the phrase. 

But I have reason to believe EF Hutton is behind Champion City News. Not only that, I have reason to believe they are, possibly as recently as Friday Feb 16th, actively seeking opportunities to stir up false stories by contacting members of the community for comment.

Of course, you can decide for yourself what course of action might be best. For me, steering clear of Champion City News entirely feels like the safest bet.

I Saw What You Did, EF Hutton

You might have missed it, but EF Hutton recently engaged in a bit of political theater. I noticed, and I'm going to tell you all about it. I am also going to talk about the coverage of this incident, provided by the new website Champion City News.

This post is a little more pointed than my usual content, but having watched EF Hutton stage an apparent political stunt seemingly designed to stir up fear and spread misinformation, I have decided to respond.

The City Commission of Springfield, OH recently voted to add the words "sexual orientation" to the anti-discrimination ordinance. Shortly thereafter, a group of citizens who opposed the measure launched an effort to repeal the new law.

And EF Hutton allegedly made a statement of their own.

I will be referencing an article which appeared on the Champion City News website. The article can be accessed at this link, but I will post screen-grabs of the article below, in case the article is taken down. Comments posted under the article seem to have been deleted.

My response to the article is a fairly specific dissection, but I have tried to make things flow clearly. At the very end, I will make a few stray observations about Champion City News.

Let's start at the top. Here is a screen grab of the front page of Champion City News when the story first appeared on Feb 8th, 2018.

That's a photograph of a sign that was apparently posted inside EF Hutton's headquarters, located at One Main Street in Springfield, OH.

Okay... so allegedly EF Hutton has created gender neutral restrooms. Let's read on and see how this came about.



This article from Champion City News claims that EF Hutton changed all of their restrooms to "gender neutral" in response to the recently passed "LGBT Ordinance."

This headline frames EF Hutton's actions as "consequences" of the recent changes to the ordinance. This strongly implies that the actions taken were a direct result of the legislation, as if the law requires them to act as they have. I'll also note that the use of the word "consequences " here indicates bias (since consequences are usually associated with negative results).

The first sentence of the article states that EF Hutton has made "numerous changes to their policies" to ensure compliance with the recently passed anti-discrimination protections. These changes include making all restrooms gender-neutral, requiring mandatory employee training, and adding data collection to the Employee Policy Manual.

FACT CHECK: The recently passed Springfield legislation does not require local businesses to make changes to their restrooms or policies. These actions were conceived and carried out entirely by the policymakers at EF Hutton. The new ordinance prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in the areas of employment, housing, and public accommodation. The law does not require businesses to make any changes to restroom facilities or policies.

Permitting a person to use a public restroom that aligns with the gender identity they live every day does not require any changes to restroom facilities. 

We all expect some degree of privacy in the restroom. The new law does not require individuals to abandon all expectation of privacy while in the restroom. It has been, and continues to be, illegal to assault, harass, or harm others in a restroom (or outside of a restroom). The new ordinance in Springfield does nothing to change this.

The article goes on to state that urinals in EF Hutton's facility will be removed/disabled.

FACT CHECK: Anti-discrimination laws do not outlaw the use of urinals, nor do they require that urinals be removed or disabled. This apparent action was taken for one reason, and one reason alone: the policymakers at EF Hutton took it upon themselves to do so.

We learn in the article that EF Hutton distributed a memo to share their new policy changes. Besides declaring all restrooms to be gender neutral, the company has also apparently announced that all employees must attend "mandatory gender neutral training"and that the company will begin to collect data. These actions are again linked to the recent passage of the ordinance.

FACT CHECK: The new law in Springfield does not require businesses to provide mandatory training for all staff.

The article next tells us that employees were not happy with some of the changes.

FACT CHECK: Employee dissatisfaction with EF Hutton's policy change reflects solely on EF Hutton. EF Hutton's abrupt changes in their own company policy, which were not required by law and were distributed to employees in the form of a memo, created this situation. Blaming employee dissatisfaction on "consequences of the new LGBT ordinance" is deceptive and disingenuous.

Not only did the memo create a new policy for employees to follow, it included a newly formed process for filing complaints related to the policy changes. The article specifies that "a member of the company's legal department is assigned as a person to receive any complaints on the changes."

EF Hutton chose, of their own volition, to pass down sweeping policy changes in the form of a memo... and they included in this memo a procedure for employees to complain about these changes.

"We're taking away all of the urinals and making every restroom gender neutral, and you're required to attend mandatory training. Also, you should expect to share the restroom with people who don't share your biological sex. Here's the procedure for how to complain."

This is, of course, just my personal opinion, but perhaps employee dissatisfaction is not linked to the city's new law but to the sloppy policies EF Hutton invented and the manner in which they implemented them.

FACT CHECK: Methods of implementing the policy change aside, the fact still remains: EF Hutton created this situation themselves, acting outside the requirements of the law.

The article includes a quote from an employee who is against the new changes.

FACT CHECK: The employee cites dissatisfaction with EF Hutton's changes and attributes these changes to the new city law. The law does not require EF Hutton to take the actions they have chosen.

The employee states her belief that people would overwhelmingly vote against making "all public restroom facilities into unisex/transgender neutral." The law passed in Springfield, OH does NOT require all public restroom facilities to become unisex or gender neutral. Framing the criticism of EF Hutton's new policies in this manner is disingenuous.  

Required Gender-Neutral Restrooms?

As has already been stated, the Springfield Codified Ordinances do not require all restrooms to become gender-neutral. But is this the case in other cities? Have other cities and states passed laws requiring all restrooms to become gender-neutral? The answer is no.

FACT CHECK: Some places, like the State of California and the City of Seattle, WA, have passed specific restroom laws requiring gender-neutral bathrooms, but those laws ONLY apply to single-user bathrooms. In other words, across the United States, the small handful of restroom laws which exist simply say this, "If the bathroom is a single-user restroom, where one occupant enters at a time, then the restroom must be open to anyone and cannot be gender coded. All other restrooms (multi-stall) can remain the same, so long as people are permitted to use the restroom which corresponds with their gender identity."(Here's a running list of bathroom-related legislation, and here is a NY Times piece from last year giving a general overview of the issue up until 2017.)

Employee Complaint?

Let's take a look at this employee complaint, as cited in the article. We learn in the article that an employee filed a complaint shortly after the new restroom policy was implemented, utilizing the new procedure outlined in the policy change memo.

The article states that an employee complained because "a person they believe to be of the opposite-sex entered the bathroom there [sic] using." They believed their privacy to have been violated.

Let's stop right there for a second. Another person entering a public restroom is not grounds to complain about violation of privacy. If so, anyone could complain that their privacy has been violated any time another person occupies a public restroom in their presence... regardless of the perceived gender of the other person. Does this mean I can walk into a restroom and wait for another person to enter, then accuse that person of violating my privacy by seeking to use the same facility?

The article goes on to say, "They said they do not believe the person to be LGBT." There are some glaring logical flaws here.

First, this complaint seems to imply that entry to a particular restroom must be linked to a person's identity as an LGBT person. EF Hutton's policy stated that ALL restrooms are gender neutral. The policy was not, "LGBT people can enter any restroom they wish." The policy was, "all restrooms are open to all people."

The complaint seems to be saying, "The person entered the same restroom as me, even though they were not even LGBT!" EF Hutton's policy of gender neutral bathrooms was not contingent on LGBT identity. Referring to the situation in this manner implies that LGBT people received special treatment... a special license to go to whichever restroom they like while others can't. In other words, the complaint seems to be implying that "special status" as an LGBT person was needed to enter the same restroom, and that this person was violating this requirement by entering the restroom as a non-LGBT person. 

Speaking of which...

The complaint seems to indicate that the person involved is not LGBT. EF Hutton had just released a policy saying that all restrooms should be considered gender neutral... then someone apparently entered the restroom at the same time as someone of the opposite sex. This seems to be fully in accordance with the newly released company policy. How can this incident (in which a non-LGBT person entered a restroom which had been deemed gender neutral) be construed as a consequence of the newly passed legislation?

FACT CHECK: Laws like the one passed in Springfield do not permit men to enter women's restrooms or women to enter men's restrooms. Anti-discrimination entails allowing transgender men and transgender women to use the restroom that corresponds with the gender identity they live every day.

Furthermore, and I repeat... because EF Hutton decided to make all of their restrooms gender neutral, the incident cited in the complaint does not even constitute a violation of company policy.

EF Hutton's response to the complaint: "the company is required to comply with the new law and employees who work in Springfield must conform to the new law."

FACT CHECK: Once again, EF Hutton is claiming that the new city law requires them to make these changes to the restroom. The law does not require these changes, and they have taken it upon themselves to do this.

Moving on...

This next section of the article mentions required training "to prevent employees from violating the law," and also mentions data collecting procedures. EF Hutton again says that they must take the actions "to comply with the ordinance passed 4-1 on Jan 30th, 2018, by the Springfield City Commission."

FACT CHECK: Nope.

EF Hutton continues to blame the city ordinance for their policy changes, which are unpopular with their employees. The company spokesperson goes on to claim that many businesses have faced lawsuits because of similar legislation.

FACT CHECK: The Williams Institute and the Congressional Budget Office have done studies demonstrating that lawsuits for such cases are minimal.

The final paragraph of that last screen grab implies that all businesses in Springfield will adopt the same policy changes that EF Hutton has chosen.

FACT CHECK: There is no evidence to suggest that other businesses will follow EF Hutton's approach. In other cities where LGBT protections exist, there has not been a dramatic shift in which "all restrooms become gender neutral."

 Also, Champion City News refers to this new law as "the new Sexual Orientation Ordinance" which they abbreviate to SOO.

FACT CHECK: Despite conversational shorthand referring to this recent change as an "new ordinance," this is not a separate law. The City Commission voted to add the words "sexual orientation" to the existing prohibition of discrimination ordinance.

 

The article cites a referendum effort which was underway to repeal the ordinance. The article ends by stating, "Other businesses in the city limits are expected to make similar changes."

FACT CHECK: Again, the claim that other businesses will follow the approach of EF Hutton is completely unfounded.

Stray Observations About Champion City News:

According to the Champion City News website, this newly christened news outlet was born in January 2018.

Domain registration records show the official start date of the website to be Jan 18, 2018. The first reading of the ordinance took place at the City Commission meeting on Jan 16, 2018.

In a three week period, between Jan 22nd and Feb 9, Champion City News published seven LGBT-related stories. Blake Haley is the author of every piece, with the exception of the Jan 27th piece. These include:

1. Jan 22nd article entitled, "Springfield City Council Proposes LGBT Protected Class Ordinance." This article shared quotes from supporters and opponents of the ordinance, although it emphasized the unreliability of reports related to LGBT discrimination in the area.
2. Jan 27th piece, "Springfield's LGBT Ordinance: Opposing Sides Share Their Views." Three letters were published side by side. The first was a letter from Rick Incorvati on behalf of Equality Springfield, sharing a supportive view of the ordinance. There were two letters from opponents of the ordinance. One opponent remains anonymous, naming a group "Citizens for Common Sense." One opponent is a representative of a conservative values group from Columbus.
3. Jan 31st piece, "Sexual Orientation Ordinance Passes in Springfield." 
4. Feb 4th piece, "Exclusive: Effort to Repeal LGBT Ordinance Underway." Also appeared with the headline, "LGBT Ordinance May Appear on November Ballot." This article detailed the effort to get petition signatures for referendum to repeal the law. An email address was later added (see editor's note in article) to include an email address for those who'd like to sign the petition.
5. Feb 8th article, "Gay Rights Group Demands Amazon Blacklist Ohio for New HQ." This piece included a portion of an email from Rick Incorvati as a quote, but omitted an official response quote from Equality Springfield as delivered by Jack Legg.
6. Feb 8th article, "Springfield Employees React to LGBT Ordinance Consequences." Detailed above.  
7. Feb 9th article, "Organizers Meet to Assess Status of LGBT Law Repeal." Includes update of repeal effort, quotes from repeal supporters, and does not include any quotes from supporters of the ordinance.

Champion City News has had such an influx of coverage related to the LGBT ordinance, take another look at the ads which are popping up on their site:

Yes, that is an ad for all gay cruise. This ad is likely the result of a targeted advertising algorithm responding to the large volume of LGBT language on the site at the moment.

Finally, the ownership of the site is uncertain. According to domain records, the website is registered with a privacy service, meaning the owner and administrator of the site is withheld. A privacy service, called DomainsByProxy, gives their information in order to keep the true owner of the site undisclosed.



Other news sites, such as the Springfield News Sun and Dayton Daily News, list their registrant and administrator information, including contact information. The owner of Champion City News has employed the services of DomainsByProxy to keep from disclosing their identity. This service is perfectly legal, but it removes any sense of transparency and is typically employed when the creator of web content intends to keep their identity a secret.



UPDATE: Feb 14, 2018, added by Jack Legg at 1:17pm
On the morning of Feb 14, Champion City News ran an article covering the failure of the repeal effort. In the article titled, "SOO Repeal Fails," no supporters of the ordinance are quoted. The organizer of the repeal effort gives several quotes which include: 
1) Statement that repeal effort plans to keep fighting (with mention of supposed confidential strategies they are considering in consultation with lawyers).
2) Assertions about the negative effects, or lack of effects, this law will have
3) The assertion that all companies in Springfield "already have non-discrimination policies" and that LGBT protections are unnecessary
4) The accusation that certain City Commissioners had "a specific agenda" in passing this ordinance

Visiting Northminster Presbyterian Church

One aspect of my quest to become a better ally includes exploring some of the people and places in my community who have publicly expressed welcome to their LGBTQ neighbors. As part of this effort, I am visiting all seven churches who added their name to the Equality Springfield billboard project.

Today, I share about my final stop on the ally road trip: Northminster Presbyterian Church.

Why exactly did Northminster Presbyterian Church choose to add their name to the Equality Springfield billboard project? Pastor Dwight McCormick shares:

Northminster decided to add our name to the billboard as a result of a vote our leadership took and has continued to take each year since 2008. It was a vote to be more vocal and visible in our support of LGBTQ people. One of the factors in the decision was that, in some discussions with local clergy, we learned of a young person in Springfield who was told that she would go to hell for being a lesbian. We believe differently. The young woman (still in high school) subsequently died by suicide. While there were likely multiple factors contributing to her choice, her death made us feel convicted by the Holy Spirit to be more vocal in our support of LGBTQ people. We didn't want anyone else in Springfield to believe that God rejected people based on their sexual orientation. We believed that to remain silent about the expansiveness of the love of Jesus Christ and the inclusive nature of the Kingdom of God would be unfaithful. Therefore we agreed to join with Equality Springfield and other local churches in offering examples of congregations who are open and affirming of LGBTQ people in their worth and as fellow beloved children of God.

When I entered Northminster Presbyterian Church this past Sunday, the first thing I saw was a large, overstuffed shopping cart, filled to the brim with cans of soup. An attached sign explained that the church had been gearing up for "Souper Bowl Sunday." This is an annual tradition where members of the congregation gather as many cans of soup as possible, so they can donate them to a local food pantry. (Later, a church member would tell me that they hoped to surpass last year's soup-can record.)

For some people, a shopping cart full of soup might be a surprising feature to find in a fellowship hall. Having known the pastor and some of the people of Northminster for several years, I was not at all surprised.

Even though I was unfamiliar with this particular "Souper Bowl" tradition, I have noticed Northminster's active presence in Springfield before. This shopping cart does not represent a one-time "drive-by" ministry effort; members of Northminster regularly volunteer at the community food pantry where the cans of soup will be donated. In partnership with Clifton Avenue Church of God, Northminster seeks to connect meaningfully with members of the community by providing food and warm conversation on select Saturday mornings... the volunteers even take a shift cooking breakfast for all who attend.

Along with other community outreach efforts, Northminster Presbyterian offers a free community meal on the premises on the last Wednesday of every month. All are always welcome to attend.

When my wife and I arrived for the Sunday morning service, we were greeted warmly by numerous people and invited to participate fully in the activities of the morning. These activities included coffee and socializing before the service, and after the service too! They were even so kind as to provide us with a welcome gift (which included a coffee mug, a pen, some candy, and a pamphlet with introductory material about the church).

From the time we entered the building until the time we left, our experience with the people of Northminster was joy-infused. Laughter is a common occurrence during church functions (local readers of this blog will know of Pastor Dwight McCormick's service as a comedian, both inside and outside the church. The bringing of laughter is at the core of Dwight's gifting and ministry. Be sure to stop by the week after Easter to participate in Holy Humor Sunday).

Northminster seeks to provide a worship experience that satisfies church members and members of the community. They strive to live their faith through opportunities and activities internally and externally, remaining faithful to the changing needs of the world around them. They wish to consistently provide support and comfort to all friends and members of the congregation through assistance, prayer, and communication. By providing group and individual opportunities for spiritual growth and expression, Northminster seeks to nurture personal growth and faith.

As a component of their overall mission, Northminster has a long history of being supportive and welcoming to LGBTQ neighbors. As related in Rev. McCormick's comments above, the church has been a longtime supporter of Equality Springfield's faith community billboard project. In addition, Rev. McCormick will soon be featured on an ally-themed billboard in support of LGBTQ people. Several years ago, there was an active youth group designed to be a safe place for LGBTQ students and their allies. Northminster housed this group.

Why take all of these steps? To send a clear message of hope, hospitality, and love.

There is something uniquely powerful about joining others in their worship, not as outsiders, but as honored guests. As humans, we tend to gravitate toward the known, the familiar, the accepted. As such, it is possible for us to feel isolated, alienated, or singled out whenever we enter an unfamiliar environment. This is why hospitality is so vitally important. If we can learn to make space for others, and if we can learn to help others feel welcome in this space, we find ourselves at the heart of our mission as human beings: to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Northminster has worked hard to extend this sort of welcome to anyone who might cross their path. This welcome was on full display on Sunday morning, during my visit to their standard church service, but it extends far beyond the hour of worship and liturgy. This special welcome radiates from the building in the form of soup cans, coffee mugs, and uplifting billboards. This special welcome echoes throughout the region with every act of service, with every encouraging word.

And these closing words, borrowed from the church website, encapsulate the Northminster spirit:

Please remember how much you are loved by God. We strive to demonstrate the love of God here. Even though we falter we rely on God's grace to help us continue to live faithfully under Grace. We'd love for you to come and worship with us on Sunday mornings at 10am so that we can have the opportunity to meet you in person.

Thank you Pastor Dwight McCormick and Northminster Presbyterian Church for your years of tireless service and fearless hospitality. Our community is a better place because of your presence.

Visiting Covenant Presbyterian Church

One aspect of my quest to become a better ally includes exploring some of the people and places in my community who have publicly expressed welcome to their LGBTQ neighbors. As part of this effort, I am visiting all seven churches who added their name to the Equality Springfield billboard project.

Covenant Cares! Downtown. Mission Driven. Inclusive.Those are the words that greeted us on the front of the church bulletin as we were warmly welcomed on a very cold morning. This is the language that has been chosen to capture the mission and vision of the church. In our short time with this congregation, we saw abundant evidence of all these factors.

We saw, without question, how much Covenant cares for our community. Their commitment to the downtown area speaks of their central location in the city, but also their strong historical roots in this place. Their mission drives their activities, which are many. And in all they do, they seek to be as inclusive as possible, welcoming in people from all backgrounds and experiences.

My wife and I had the opportunity to visit Covenant on a very important Sunday: the final Sunday for Rev. Ray Stewart, who is retiring from his position as minister. Rev. Stewart began serving as Pastor of  Covenant back in 2007, and since then he has worked closely with the people of Springfield in various capacities.

Due to these special circumstances, Sunday's sermon included a bit of a retrospective, looking back on some of the marvelous things Covenant Presbyterian Church has been a part of over the years. Covenant has a long history of work among the poor and marginalized, including collaboration with organizations such as Rainbow Table, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Open Hands Free Store, and Safe Harbor House. There are always a variety of small groups, books studies, outreach efforts, ministry activities, and opportunities for creative expression. And, a series of annual events creates a rhythm of warmth and welcoming throughout the year.

The annual Alternative Christmas Market provides a place for neighbors to shop for Christmas gifts while raising money for a variety of worthy causes. This year, Covenant raised $12,745 through this effort. The proceeds were distributed among charities and ministries (all of whom were listed in the church bulletin).

Covenant Presbyterian Church is also instrumental in the organization of the annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. This is a time when people from different faith backgrounds come together in worship, including practitioners of Judaism, Islam, various Christian traditions, and other faith groups. Rev. Stewart's farewell sermon reminded everyone present, "We are a church that seeks to build bridges, not walls."

I could talk at length about the impressive scope of community involvement, both official and unofficial, coming out of Covenant Presbyterian Church. For the sake of brevity, allow me to summarize it like this: Covenant Cares.

What struck me about Rev. Stewart's comments, during this final sermon, was their wider focus on the community, outside the church walls. Some ministers might be tempted to focus only on those activities that have happened within church itself, or events that took place under their own personal guidance, but Rev. Stewart took time to talk about the city of Springfield at large.

There is much to be celebrated in this city, said Rev. Stewart. From the hard work and dedication of local business leaders, to arts and culture of Springfield, to our diverse community of immigrants... all of these factors make our community great. Rev. Stewart took time to celebrate various members of the congregation for the various works and initiatives they are involved in outside the church walls. The farewell sermon invited us to look to the past, remembering all the things which brought us to this point. Then came an invitation to look forward to all the new things still yet to come.

Another sign of the inclusive nature of this church was the presence of a sign-language interpreter on the platform for the duration of the service. Rev. Stewart took time to celebrate the work of the Clark County Deaf Community, which members of the church helped to create. Covenant has strong connections with the deaf community, including a variety of efforts to build relationships and resources for the hearing-impaired. Covenant also houses a preschool for young children and a lifeskills program for people with special needs.

In his final remarks, Rev. Stewart took a moment to acknowledge the beautiful, awe-inspiring sanctuary which serves as the central focal point of the church's collective worship.

It is here, in this sanctuary, that people gather for Sunday worship. Here is the space where numerous weddings and celebrations and concerts and vigils have taken place. Here is where hope and pain and triumph and struggle become interwoven, representations of the complex lives of those who enter.

The word sanctuary, in essence, means "safe place." By declaring their church to be inclusive, Covenant is using their sanctuary space to its fullest potential, welcoming in any and all people who need a place of refuge.

Rev. Stewart gave an illustration during his remarks, capturing the sacredness of such a space. He told of a friend who gave a tour of the church to a group of children. When they entered the cavernous room, the man whispered to the children, "Hush. Listen. You will not often encounter a space like this, where you can rest in the silence and be awe-inspired."

Sanctuaries are sacred. We need more sanctuaries. We need neutral spaces, welcoming spaces. We need spaces where people from all walks of life can come together without fear of judgement, alienation, or isolation. The people of Covenant Presbyterian have dedicated themselves to the tireless work of welcoming, and we are better for it.

For several years, Covenant Presbyterian Church has been a participant in the Equality Springfield billboard project in support of LGBTQ people, sending a message to the watching world that every person is welcome to worship and fully participate in the life of the church. No matter who they are, no matter who they love. 

Congratulations Rev. Raymond Stewart, on your forthcoming retirement! Thank you for your years of service at Covenant and in the Springfield community.

And thank you Covenant, for your continued welcoming presence, for your tireless acts of service, and for your hope-filled vision for this city. We are a better city because of you. 

Gay Christmas

Singer-Songwriter Tom Goss released a music video this year, hoping to capture the experience of LGBTQ people for whom the holidays are not very joyful.

For many LGBTQ people, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years, and other festive occasions are times of isolation, loneliness, grief, pain, and anger. Some of us in privileged positions like to think that everyone enjoys peace and comfort in the company of loved ones during the holiday season, but for many people this is not the case.

In writing his song, "Gay Christmas," Tom tapped into his own personal experience, hoping that his personal journey (being gay around the holidays) will speak to others in the LGBTQ community who have experienced similar hardships. Although the word "gay" is in the title, the message of the song resonates with people across the spectrum community.

“Gay Christmas,” Goss explained, is for those people “who have felt like an outsider on what is supposed to be the happiest time of the year.”

Tom is originally from Wisconsin, but he now lives with his husband in LA. This year, he made the decision not to go home for the holidays. This song is about that decision.

In an email to the Huffington Post, Tom said, “Too many of us have had to learn to accept less from our families when it comes to fully embracing us for who we are."

Especially in light of the current political climate, many LGBTQ people face the task of navigating dicey political conversations, insensitive comments, and blunt, unkind opinions. Tom cites as an example the patently discriminatory platform of the current presidential administration, which sought to ban transgender people from serving in the military, among other overt practices of discrimination.

“Yet we are expected to be the ones to forgive, to ‘move on’ and pretend everything is okay,” he said, “even as the current administration and GOP keep supporting anti-gay politicians and policies.”

As allies, one of the best things we can do is simply listen. Watch "Gay Christmas," in the video below (or click here to be redirected to Youtube). Don't get defensive... just listen. Try to put yourself in his shoes (this exercise will be easier for some of you than others).

Please remember, the holidays are not joyful for everyone. This season, do whatever you can to extend a kind word... a generous deed... an affirmation... a warm greeting... a thoughtful gift... a seat in front of the fire. Peace on earth, goodwill toward humankind. All humankind.

Revisiting Avery's Story: Implications for Allies

I recently had an opportunity to sit down with Avery Sledge for conversation and coffee. My last post, which you can read by clicking here, shared a bit of Avery's story as well as some insights about her journey as a community leader, minister, and teacher who happens to be a transgender person. 

Throughout the course of my conversation with Avery, certain insights also came to light which might be helpful for an emerging ally.

Based on my conversation with Avery, here are the top 5 Implications for Allies!

1) We all must check our preconceptions and assumptions.

At this point in history, we still live in a binary society. This means that the prevailing "majority culture" holds various associations when it comes to gender roles and gender "norms." In other words, there are lingering in our consciousness certain beliefs and assumptions about "things that men do" and "things that women do."

Avery noted that people are often treated differently when they do not conform to the prevailing notions of appropriate gender roles. When a person does not fit into the assumed norm, or when a person does not fall neatly into one of the preconceived categories we've created, there is often tension. This is often rooted in the incongruity between the observer's assumed understanding of gender roles and the actual reality of a living breathing person before their eyes.

One example of this disconnect between assumptions and reality comes each time Avery visits a hardware store. Avery has a great deal of mastery when it comes to plumbing, electrical work, and other household maintenance tasks, having worked in hardware for eight years, and yet when she walks around a hardware store, she notices a difference in the way people interact with her.

"My brain is the same brain. I still have all the same talents and experiences. But there is often an assumption that there has been an IQ drop. People assume helplessness, a lack of knowledge. It's as if they are asking, why would this lady want to walk around the hardware store?"

Spoken or unspoken, there are various assumptions in our culture about normalcy. One of the initial steps in coming to know people as they are, is ridding ourselves of these assumptions, or at the very least, questioning them with fierce scrutiny. Just because I find something to be normal or abnormal, does that make it so?

After all, as Avery reminded me, "Normal is just a setting on the clothes dryer."

2) Curiosity is natural and questions are welcome... but questions must be respectful.

It is acceptable to listen and learn from people with different life experiences, and Avery strives to create safe spaces where people can freely ask questions. In fact, Avery frequently plays a role in organizing forums, panel discussions, and lectures to educate others and foster dialogue.

However, this does not mean that potential allies should be careless in the way they engage. It is possible to be insulting and hurtful when asking questions. If our attitude is one of scrutiny and judgment, this will come through in our questions. The intent behind our questions should be to learn and to get to know a person better, not to steer others toward an opinion we already hold. Questions which are meant to disparage or cast doubt are not appropriate.

If someone has taken the tremendous risk of opening themselves up and becoming vulnerable, honor them by listening to their story. This is not a time for you to challenge them or ask accusatory questions.

You may find that your questions are rooted in ignorance. Perhaps you will be hurtful without realizing it. Your terminology may be unhelpful, but only because you lack the vocabulary necessary in that moment. This is okay. Do not be intimidated by your current lack of knowledge. Instead, be humble and posture yourself as a learner. By entering dialogue as a learner, you stand to gain much.

Similarly, do not forget politeness. Just because you are curious about something specific, it does not mean the topic is appropriate. Steer away from questions rooted in lurid curiosity, such as “How do you go to the bathroom?” or “Tell me about your genitalia.” You typically would not ask those questions in polite company... why would that be any different now?

Allies have a responsibility to stop and think about the tone and attitude they are presenting when asking questions. As we learn and grow, we will all make mistakes, and sometimes we will inadvertently be disrespectful. In those moments, we have a duty to listen carefully, apologize sincerely, and make necessary changes going forward.

3) Allies should learn from the stories of LGBTQ+ people, but they should not take ownership of stories that are not their own. 

Simply put, do not presume to speak on others behalf. When someone shares their story with you, do not assume that you have permission to share this story with others.

Whenever possible, allow others to share their experience in their own words. Someone's story is not something for you to appropriate, it is not a resource to be tapped. You can tell your own story with an intimacy no one else will ever have; do not rob others of this sacredness.

Whenever possible, allies should use their voices to amplify the voices of those who are being ignored or overlooked, without seeking the spotlight themselves. You may have the best intentions in your desire to share what you are learning, but do not overstep your bounds.

First, do not assume that someone wants their story to be widely shared. Just because they confided in you does not mean they want their story made public.

Second, do not assume that you are suited to fully capture the experience and perspectives of others in a way that is even remotely adequate. They are uniquely suited to share their own story, do not assume you have the authority to speak for them. Never talk ABOUT people when you can talk WITH people.

Avery practices this herself. Whenever she is asked to speak on behalf of LGBT+ people, she is careful to consider the voices of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people and include them whenever possible, so not to speak on behalf of a group that she herself is not a part of. L and B and G and T are often lumped together as a single category, but each letter represents a distinctive community. She is very clear that she can’t speak for every transgender person, for each person’s experience is unique. Avery is always cautious to clarify which community she is part of and to avoid speaking authoritatively on behalf of others whose experience differs from her own.

4) Allies offering support or resources should be doing so in an open-ended way, not with an ulterior motive or desired outcome in mind.

“When I was growing up, counseling was a threat.”

Avery shared with me about the type of counseling she saw being offered when she was growing up. In many cases, these services were not being offered in an open-ended way to honor the needs of the recipient, but to instead bolster the strength of someone else's desires.

In this approach, counseling was used not to meet people where they were and help them process what was going on in their lives. Instead, this "help" was designed to drive others toward a predetermined outcome. Some people try to talk others out of their identity, or raise questions about a person’s conclusions, or say hurtful things about alleged causalities and “reasons why” a person is the way they are. These approaches are not helpful.

Your first step as an ally is NOT to assume that the person you are talking to needs help. Them confiding in you about some aspect of their identity does not automatically mean they are facing a crisis, and it certainly does not mean there is something in the person you must work to change.

When those times come that a person needs some resources, such as counseling or other types of support, you should help them seek out safe, reliable, trustworthy providers who will offer guidance and counseling in an honest and non-manipulative way. There should be no ulterior motives.

Avery noted that science is increasingly showing medical, psychological, spiritual, emotional, and relational factors which must be considered in the care and well-being of transgender people. By the way, "psychological considerations" do not include an assumption that transgender identity is a disorder or treating a person as if they are deficient; it simply means to care for a person's mental health as well. 

5) Allies must respond to discrimination.

It's is simple as this: if you do nothing in the face of discrimination, you have sided with the oppressor. Constantly ask yourself, "Is my neighbor being mistreated? How can I help put an end to that?"

Check yourself to see if you are contributing to the negative experience of others. Seek to eliminate any personal actions that might harm others. Seek to use honoring language at all times. Avoid hurtful jokes and stereotypes. Go out of your way to befriend someone who is different than you.

For many people, this begins by simply acknowledging that discrimination exists. I cannot say it any better than Avery said it herself, in her conversation with the Facing Project:

Some are in denial. “We don’t need laws to protect against sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination because the police can’t tell you of any issues of hate crime…” they say. But there are still stories of intolerance that happen in subtle, benign ways…We have to make it clear that Springfield does not discriminate, in particular against the LGBTQ community. And by nondiscrimination, I mean we all subtly discriminate against the poor, we subtly discriminate against black people, we subtly discriminate against people of other religions, like Islamic folk….whether we want to or not, it’s because we are currently a dominant white, Protestant culture. That doesn’t just go for us, it happens everywhere. It’s a privilege we don’t want to give up. When push comes to shove, we retreat into our own, innate fears, innate grounding, or the way we were taught. And we all have that internal struggle on some level, if we’re honest with ourselves.

May we all seek justice, equity, and acceptance for all people in our sphere of influence, fostering an environment of perpetual learning and growing.

Thank you, Avery Sledge, for taking the time to help us learn and grow!