- Signatures: 103
- Goal: 1,000
- Deadline: 5-13-2007
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A Statement by Georgia Church Leaders about HB 1059, Georgia's Sex Offender Legislation, and the impact both on and of the Church. Please only sign if you are a Christian Leader in Georgia (Pastor, Prayer Group Leader, Ministry Member, or other Christian Leader).
| Number | Date | Prefix | Name | City | State | Zip/Postal Code | Name of Church or Ministry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 103 | 4:33 pm PDT, Jul 17 | Mrs. | Anonymous | Rome, | Georgia | 30165 | Pleasant Hill Baptist Church |
| 102 | 12:14 pm PDT, Jun 25 | Mr. | Anonymous | cumming | Georgia | 30041 | Freedom Tabernacle |
| 101 | 8:11 am PST, Mar 5 | Anonymous | Calhoun | Georgia | 30701 | Living Water Ministries | |
| 100 | 5:13 pm PST, Dec 1 | Mrs. | Arintha G. Warren | Atlanta | Georgia | 30331-2507 | OUR LADY OF LORDS |
| 99 | 8:57 pm PDT, Jul 23 | Mrs. | debra lee | franklin | Georgia | 30217 | pleasant hill baptist church |
| 98 | 3:31 am PDT, Jul 20 | Rev. Rodney L. Beavers | Atlanta | Georgia | 30032 | Baptist | |
| 97 | 6:04 pm PDT, Jul 17 | Mrs. | Monica Brown | McRae | Georgia | 31055 | Church of God |
| 96 | 11:38 am PDT, Jun 12 | Ms. | Anonymous | Murrayville | Georgia | 30564 | |
| 95 | 10:08 am PDT, May 14 | Mr. | jr ryals | millen | Georgia | 30442 | The bible said if you don't forgive sex offenders your heavenly father will not forgive you. |
| 94 | 4:46 am PDT, Apr 24 | Anonymous | dacula | Georgia | 30019 | mount vernon baptist | |
| 93 | 2:59 am PDT, Apr 4 | Amy Kyte | Gainesville | Georgia | 30506 | ||
| 92 | 9:59 am PDT, Mar 31 | Helen McDaniel | auburn | Georgia | 30011 | ||
| 91 | 9:49 am PDT, Mar 31 | Tonya Brady | auburn | Georgia | 30011 | None, I am looking for a church. I did have on , but they made me feel unwanted. That is not the way a church should be. | |
| 90 | 9:06 am PST, Feb 24 | Ms. | Katrina Smith | Covington | Georgia | 30014 | Team Jesus Ministries |
| 89 | 7:46 pm PST, Feb 10 | Ms. | Teresa Altman | Alma | Georgia | 31510 | FIRST COMMUNITY CHURCH OF ALMA |
| 88 | 9:20 pm PST, Feb 9 | Jeffrey Taylor | Alma | Georgia | 31510 | First Community Church of Alma | |
| 87 | 6:51 pm PST, Feb 1 | Mr. | Donald Pender | Waycross | Georgia | 31502 | First Community Church |
| 86 | 11:51 am PST, Jan 30 | Bryan Taylor | Alma | Georgia | 31510 | First Community Church of Alma | |
| 85 | 5:08 am PST, Jan 22 | Ms. | Angela Fleagle | LaFayette | Georgia | 30728 | |
| 84 | 3:21 pm PST, Jan 19 | James Piper | POrterdale | Georgia | 30070 | RedeemedMinistries | |
| 83 | 5:25 am PST, Jan 17 | Pat Hix | Dallas | Georgia | 30157 | ||
| 82 | 5:18 pm PST, Jan 16 | Byron Johnson | Decatur | Georgia | 30032 | ||
| 81 | 12:59 am PST, Jan 16 | Vicki Piper | Porterdale | Georgia | 30070 | Redeemed Ministries "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so" | |
| 80 | 5:32 pm PST, Jan 13 | Michael Dodson | LaFayette | Georgia | 30728 | ||
| 79 | 7:34 pm PST, Jan 10 | Anonymous | Castleford | Armed Forces Americas | 00000 | ||
| 78 | 1:20 pm PST, Jan 10 | Terri Sullivan | Stratham | New Hampshire | 03885 | ||
| 77 | 9:25 pm PST, Dec 21 | Barbara Spragg | Sanford | Florida | 32771 | First United Methodist | |
| 76 | 9:33 am PST, Dec 21 | Mrs. | Anonymous | CANTON | Georgia | 30114 | |
| 75 | 3:25 pm PST, Dec 18 | Colleen Reiter | Atlanta | Georgia | 31139 | IMEC, Inc. | |
| 74 | 8:02 am PST, Dec 18 | Ms. | Joy Potts | rome | Georgia | 30161 | church @ northside |
| 73 | 10:15 am PST, Dec 16 | Mrs. | Ashley Dodson | lafatette | Georgia | 30728 | Heart Of Worship Tabernacle |
| 72 | 9:53 am PST, Dec 16 | Mr. | Edwin Flener | Trion | Georgia | 30753 | Heart of Worship Tabernacle |
| 71 | 9:42 am PST, Dec 16 | Mrs. | Jeanne Flener | trion | Georgia | 30753 | Heart of Worship Tabernacle |
| 70 | 8:11 pm PST, Dec 13 | Ms. | Miriam Jay, Minister | Ocilla | Georgia | 31774 | |
| 69 | 6:55 am PST, Dec 12 | Ms. | maria Denney | Leander | Texas | 78641 | |
| 68 | 9:29 am PST, Dec 4 | Mr. | ED MOORE | STOCKBRIDGE | Georgia | 30281 | THE PSALM PROJECT INTERNATIONAL |
| 67 | 8:47 am PST, Dec 4 | rhonda fazenbaker | Frostburg | Maryland | 21532 | ||
| 66 | 9:32 pm PST, Dec 2 | Mr. | Stan Lore, Minister | Columbia | South Carolina | 29223-5554 | One-to-One Prison Ministries Serving Lee Arrendale State Prison and individual men and women incarcerated in GA. |
| 65 | 5:48 am PST, Dec 2 | Anonymous | Dacula | Georgia | 30019 | ||
| 64 | 11:54 am PST, Dec 1 | Mr. | Scott M. Hollis | Woodstock | Georgia | 30189 | Sovereign Grace Church |
| 63 | 8:34 am PST, Dec 1 | Anonymous | Ft Valley | Georgia | 31030 | AT His Feet Women's Minitry | |
| 62 | 6:51 am PST, Dec 1 | Mark Brock | Lawrenceville | Georgia | 30043 | Cornerstone Church | |
| 61 | 12:28 am PST, Dec 1 | Mr. | robert hayden | alpharetta | Georgia | 30004 | |
| 60 | 10:43 pm PST, Nov 30 | Pastor Sheila Tillman | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania | 18017 | Vision Lights | |
| 59 | 8:27 am PST, Nov 30 | Rev Lonnie Turner | Conyers | Georgia | 30013 | DOOR OF HOPE Team Thrust for the Nations | |
| 58 | 7:22 am PST, Nov 30 | Jim Powers | Tucker | Georgia | 30084 | How can the church minister to their needs if they are forbidden even to be present at the church? | |
| 57 | 1:21 pm PST, Nov 29 | Johnny R. Lee | Goldsboro | North Carolina | 27533 | Reflections of Freedom | |
| 56 | 12:33 pm PST, Nov 29 | Ms. | Ronnie Kaigler | Atlanta | Georgia | 30331 | |
| 55 | 11:50 am PST, Nov 29 | Mrs. | trenda colrman | summerville | Georgia | 30747 | |
| 54 | 10:26 am PST, Nov 29 | Mrs. | Wanda Sue Knight | Cedartown | Georgia | 30125 | Union Grove Baptist Church, Youth Director |
| 53 | 5:14 am PST, Nov 29 | Anonymous | abilene | Texas | 79601 | hilcrest church of christ | |
| 52 | 4:19 am PST, Nov 29 | Carole Scott | Smyrna | Georgia | 30080 | Raleigh United Methodist | |
| 51 | 7:55 pm PST, Nov 28 | pastor larrl martin | canton | Georgia | 30115 | souls harbor church |
Statement of Faith and Concern On HB 1059’s Church Restrictions
As Christian leaders in Georgia, we are deeply troubled by the implementation of HB 1059, Georgia’s Sex Offender Legislation. We believe that HB 1059 runs counter to the Church’s mission of inclusion and hospitality, of sharing God’s love and grace and message of redemption.
We believe “God shows no partiality.” Acts 10:34. If we are a community, it is because of our one Lord, in whom we are one body. “We were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free …. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you.’” 1 Cor. 12:13, 21. In line with this passage, we believe that we must refrain from casting stones ourselves, and instead are called to live out Christ’s command to love. Throughout the gospels he reiterates, “love your neighbor as yourself” Luke 10:27, and even further to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” Matthew 5:44.
We believe we were not brought into this community because of our righteousness, rather we came as sinners. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:8. This welcome extends to sexual sins. “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.” Mat. 21:31. When the law commanded that the woman caught in adultery be stoned, Jesus answered, “let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone” and declined to condemn her himself. John 8:3-11.
We believe that the Church lives out our community by offering that same love offered to us. We welcome the stranger and “the least of these.” Mat. 25: 38-40. If they can’t come to church and be welcomed, where can they go? The church was founded by outcasts.
It is with great concern, then, that we watch the implementation of HB 1059:
We are concerned for our church communities. We reaffirm our dedication to the vision of the Church as an inclusive community of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation, committed to the restoration of broken people and communities. We know that the Church must be responsive to the feelings and needs of existing and potential victims and survivors of sexual assault. We also understand that in order to be a truly welcoming Christian community, a Church must embrace every sinner, even those subject to HB 1059. This legislation leaves us uncertain about how we may truly welcome all members of our community.
In spite of this uncertainty, the Church must become a place of safety and healing for all. We must implement safety measures for the children of the Church and community. We must offer pastoral care, counseling, and healing to those who have been grievously harmed by persons on the registry. And we must help people who have committed sexual offenses rebuild their lives and strive to reduce the likelihood of re-offending.
We rejoice that we are part of the living Christian tradition -- a tradition that promotes the common good, expresses a consistent moral framework for life, and highlights the need to provide a collective safety net to those individuals in society who are most in need.
HB 1059 hinders the Church’s mission of inclusion, of love and grace and healing. Our mission takes balance and care on the part of the Church. It is not a mission we may neglect. It is not a mission we can leave solely to the blunt edge of HB 1059, which seeks public safety solely through the method of exclusion.
We are convinced that our faith tradition offers better alternatives than those contained in HB 1059, alternatives that can hold offenders accountable and challenge them to change their lives; reach out to victims and reject vengeance; restore a sense of community and resist the violence that has engulfed so much of our culture.
We believe “God shows no partiality.” Acts 10:34. If we are a community, it is because of our one Lord, in whom we are one body. “We were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free …. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you.’” 1 Cor. 12:13, 21. In line with this passage, we believe that we must refrain from casting stones ourselves, and instead are called to live out Christ’s command to love. Throughout the gospels he reiterates, “love your neighbor as yourself” Luke 10:27, and even further to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” Matthew 5:44.
We believe we were not brought into this community because of our righteousness, rather we came as sinners. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:8. This welcome extends to sexual sins. “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.” Mat. 21:31. When the law commanded that the woman caught in adultery be stoned, Jesus answered, “let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone” and declined to condemn her himself. John 8:3-11.
We believe that the Church lives out our community by offering that same love offered to us. We welcome the stranger and “the least of these.” Mat. 25: 38-40. If they can’t come to church and be welcomed, where can they go? The church was founded by outcasts.
It is with great concern, then, that we watch the implementation of HB 1059:
We are concerned for our church communities. We reaffirm our dedication to the vision of the Church as an inclusive community of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation, committed to the restoration of broken people and communities. We know that the Church must be responsive to the feelings and needs of existing and potential victims and survivors of sexual assault. We also understand that in order to be a truly welcoming Christian community, a Church must embrace every sinner, even those subject to HB 1059. This legislation leaves us uncertain about how we may truly welcome all members of our community.
In spite of this uncertainty, the Church must become a place of safety and healing for all. We must implement safety measures for the children of the Church and community. We must offer pastoral care, counseling, and healing to those who have been grievously harmed by persons on the registry. And we must help people who have committed sexual offenses rebuild their lives and strive to reduce the likelihood of re-offending.
We rejoice that we are part of the living Christian tradition -- a tradition that promotes the common good, expresses a consistent moral framework for life, and highlights the need to provide a collective safety net to those individuals in society who are most in need.
HB 1059 hinders the Church’s mission of inclusion, of love and grace and healing. Our mission takes balance and care on the part of the Church. It is not a mission we may neglect. It is not a mission we can leave solely to the blunt edge of HB 1059, which seeks public safety solely through the method of exclusion.
We are convinced that our faith tradition offers better alternatives than those contained in HB 1059, alternatives that can hold offenders accountable and challenge them to change their lives; reach out to victims and reject vengeance; restore a sense of community and resist the violence that has engulfed so much of our culture.
Note: This Statement of Faith and Concern On HB 1059’s Church Restrictions petition was submitted by Christian Leaders of Georgia. ThePetitionSite.com is a free service provided to help concerned citizens rally support for issues they believe in. The opinions expressed by this petition do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of ThePetitionSite.com or Care2.com. There is no express or implied endorsement of this petition nor any newsletter offers (except those from Care2.com) by Care2.com, Inc, ThePetitionSite.com, or our sponsors. If you believe this system is being abused, please contact customer support.
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