STAR-BULLETIN / JANUARY 2003
At the Father Damien statue at the state Capitol, the Rev. Vaughn Beckman speaks during a rally in support of homosexuals. Beckman, who is gay, was recently fired by leaders of First Christian Church in Makiki.
Makiki church leaders
oust gay pastorInternal politics and his public
activism led to the move, says
the Rev. Vaughn Beckman
Leaders of a small Makiki church have fired their openly gay pastor. The minister and some congregation members say the dismissal was a mixture of internal politics and reaction to his public activism.
On Sunday, about 30 First Christian Church members and a few community supporters attended the last service to be led by the Rev. Vaughn Beckman, whose three-year contract was ended 10 months early by a 5-3 vote of the church board of trustees.
"This church has become a beacon of light and hope for people who have no one standing with them," Beckman told the congregation Sunday. "I leave you with a question. In this time, in this moment of history, as a church of Jesus Christ, what is our greatest commitment, serving others or serving ourselves?"
The 75-member church at 1516 Kewalo St. has seen larger crowds drawn to interfaith services and educational panels during the minister's tenure. His activities included efforts for Muslim-Jewish-Christian understanding and just working conditions for immigrant workers, in addition to issues concerning the homosexual community.
It is one of a handful of island churches that declared themselves "open and affirming," a distinction by which Protestant denominations indicate acceptance of homosexuals as members. The congregation, affiliated with the Disciples of Christ, voted for that open-door policy more than 10 years ago. It is a stand that is unpopular in the current climate of vocal opposition against the homosexual lifestyle by some fundamentalist Christians.
Beckman said he was told by a board member who voted for his ouster that "we knew you were openly gay, but it didn't mean it has to be in the papers all the time."
But Beckman said he also ran afoul of internal politics. Board members tried to make changes in his working conditions that were not in the contract, he said. The changes included an evaluation system, in which even a nonmember could an file anonymous critique of the minister, and a job description "that was a list that would micromanage me like an employee in a store."
Church treasurer Vickie Whitman said the board action was taken because of "a communications issue."
"It was not a sudden thing," Whitman said. "It was an ongoing issue for two years."
Both Whitman and trustee Diane McGaughey said Beckman's sexual orientation was not an issue. "It is a personnel matter, between the board and Vaughn," McGaughey said.
But a supporter disagreed Sunday. "I think it is at least a little bit about his gay activism. It's sad, because Vaughn has contributed so much to a network of people in social justice issues," said Gene Corpuz, an officer of Dignity Honolulu, an organization of homosexual Catholics.
"It was a dumb decision," said Dorothy Cornell, a 10-year member of First Christian. "We were here for 100 years and no one noticed. Now when people know us as open and affirming, it's the worst possible time for him to go."
Cornell said the congregation was not told in advance that board members sought to oust the minister. "I think we should replace the whole board," she announced during the service.
Beckman joined an American Civil Liberties Union suit that unsuccessfully tried to force the Hawaii Christian Coalition to accept homosexual organizations in a July 5 Family Day parade, and accused the city of unconstitutional support of a particular religious view because of its co-sponsorship of the July 5 events at Kapiolani Park.
When a deliberately set fire damaged the first floor meeting hall and classrooms at First Christian Church on Aug. 27, the ACLU declared the blaze a possible hate crime aimed at the gay minister or the congregation. The charge briefly put the church in the national spotlight.
Federal investigators have not classified it as a hate crime, a federal offense involving a violent act motivated by bias.
"We are continuing our investigation," said Tracy Elder, resident agent-in-charge of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. "We've got numerous interviews we've conducted, and we're still conducting interviews both here locally and on the mainland."
Beckman is president of the Interfaith Alliance of Hawaii. He is a founder of the local Friends of Sabeel chapter, which works for justice for Arab refugees in Palestine.
With other church leaders, he has demonstrated for fair wages and working conditions for Hawaii hotel and restaurant workers. He was previously executive director of the Council of Churches in Santa Clara County, Calif., where the county presented him a "Unity in Diversity" award.
