so, bethany united methodist church chose a very high-quality program to go into this space. so, it will not be a play-based day care center. we have started this process over a year ago. so, the community is aware of that, bethany united methodist church is looking to put a preschool, and particularly our preschool in their location. so, we have attracted a lot of attention. we have begun the application process. and we have met with over 100 of families. we have well over 100 applicants. and i can tell you that over 90% of the applicants live in the neighborhood. and what's making this preschool so attractive to them, of course, not only the high-quality educational program, but the fact that we are in their neighborhood and at walking distance. a lot of the families that have come to meet with me complain about having to get in their car and drive their child to a preschool, you know, in another neighborhood. they're really excited to walk their children to school. so, i really want to impress that upon you this evening that this is a big attractive feature for the local c

that's all what you have been able to create over the years in your commitment to temple united methodist church. district 11 has the unfortunate distinction of not supporting same sex marriage. we didn't have a good turnout against prop 8 in district 11 in 2008, yet i know your church has been a place, a supporter of same sex unions and officiated some of them as well and i want to thank you for your courage and commitment and one that resonates throughout your community. we look up to you for that. last year there was a massacre, we made sure we just didn't watch what was on tv in horror, but we came together and called for change and your voice was part of our event. i want to say thank you for all of your great contributions, to the neighborhood, all of your great work. you are going to move on to a church in northern california . you are going from one congregation to 92 congregations. i know you have made it a lifelong commitment to bring your vision and connection to places around the world that you can create a place that we can be proud of here in the neighborhood. we want to thank you

i am the pastor at bethany united methodist church, sometimes secretary. that's how my name got on. i am so happy this day finally came. and then waiting for this hour and now it's come and my thank you to the people of item 12. thank you, thank you, thank you. [laughter] >>> we moved back into our building in july of last year. after being gone for three years in the mission, while we remodeled our 1907 building. and the coming home was wonderful. the community has welcomed us. and in the backs of our minds the whole time we were planning, what are we going to do with this building during the week? because the membership isn't there, but there's some great space. and, so, we did a lot of talking, a lot of thinking about what is the best use for this community and for us to be involved in. and we had a couple of different ideas, but the one that spoke to us the most was some kind of preschool, and we were very fortunate to get connected with the director of her academy in sonoma, and we went and we visited and we talked and we measured and we started the process of saying, let's see

items 13 a and b out of order for case numbers 2012.1307cv for 1270 sanchez street (bethany united methodist church), request for conditional use authorization and off-street parking variance. >> good afternoon, president fong, members of the commission. tom wang planning staff presenting conditional use and variance application for 12 70 sanchez street. project sponsor seeks conditional use authorization pursuant to planning code sections 209.3f and 303 to establish a child care facility. the [speaker not understood] academy providing less than 24-hour care for 15 or more and up to a maximum of 45 children at the bethany united methodist church, 12 70 sanchez street. and based upon the project sponsor's statement, the proposed child care facility will be allowed to accommodate up to a maximum 45 children. according to the total square feet of outdoor activity areas and the rest room capacity, the child care center general license and requirements of the state of california. the proposed child care facility would occupy the fellowship hall and the nursery within the church. these two spaces are not

roads has served as the pastor of the temple united methodist church in my neighborhood for the past 13 years and more than just taking care of a church and the congregation he's been able to provide a wonderful service. i'm hoed

the church we're talking about is a united methodist church. arriages, but cnn's christine romans spoke to the pastor and asked him if the controversial move has upset anyone in his church. >> the congregation has been unusually unified. we have heard lots of support all through the congregation. the leadership council is around 18 members and all of those 18 members voted unanimously for this statement. so we are an unusual congregation. we have a number of gay and lesbian members. probably a quarter of our members on sunday morning are probably lgbt. we have a number of couples in our church that have been together for a long time. and their loving relationships has been an example to all of our members in our congregation. >> what are you hoping to achieve? are you hoping to make a statement for both methodists and the country as a whole? what do you hope to achieve from this? >> well, i think that we hope to be a witness to our own denomination. we know that in our denomination we have great statements wanting to be in ministry with lesbian

for everyone here, thank you for [ applause ] good morning and welcome to the united methodist churchf the resurrection. it is easter, and what a great morning it is to have all of you here. welcome to all of you who are worshiping in the narthex, and welcome to all of you in the sanctuary. as we begin our worship service and before the gathering -- right before the gathering prayer and after the gathering prayer, there's going to be a time when we go to good friday, a time when we understand the agony of the cross and those six hours when jesus suffered for us. we must have these moments before we celebrate easter. and so now let us center our hearts for the gathering prayer. let's pray. o gracious holy god, we're so very thankful to gather here on this easter morning. we know, lord god, that as we come, we come with joy and with anticipation of all the ways that you make us new because of your son, jesus the christ. y od, i would just pray for each and every person who has come here and for all those online and out in the narthex and for everyone gathered on easter throughout the ch

it's a united methodist church and denomination doesn't allow for same-sex marriage either. statement. it reads, we the leaders of green street church, see people in same-sex relationships as completely worthy of the sacrament of marriage and reject a notion they are second-class citizens in the kingdom of god. joining us from winston-salem, north carolina, kelly carpenter, senior pastor of the green street church. thank you for joining us to talk about this controversial move. you made a decision just weeks before the supreme court hears arguments on the issue. why are you making this statement now? >> it was a process that took place. we studied it over the last few months. we wanted to get things out of the way before holy week which begins tomorrow. we're also aware of what was being faced with the defense of marriage act that is under review before the supreme court. we wanted the people to know that there's not just an issue in the legal sphere but also in the sphere of the church as well. >> you know, the interesting thing to me here is that the methodist church doesn'

. >> the united methodist church posted a fairly positive story about the church and featured the story on its home page. do you think religious organizations can pave the way here? they said the culture is is already ahead of where the church is, but maybe the church can pave the way for some legal changes. >> that's a great question. and you look at the role of churches and civil rights movement and when you look at the role really of societal movements, they often leap ahead of the law. and we're seeing that right now with this is an example. the fact this can happen in winston salem, again, it's the fifth largest city here in north carolina. you know, this is really unprecedented and you know, among methodist churches, you have some others in places like austin and chicago and of course, california, that that have enacted similar moves like this, but not in the deep south. not in north carolina. this is really important what's happening here. >> give me a brief answer. do you think we'll see marriage equality in your lifetime? >> in north carolina? well, you know, i write about mann

the united methodist church doesn't recognize them either. nday, the green street church had enough. the pastor wrote it is unconscionable that our denomination denies ministry to some while making available to others based on the identity of lgbtq people. green street church went public with its decision after sunday services and even invited the local media to ask questions. >> just part of who we are as a church. we're a welcoming community. one of our phrases we like to use on sunday mornings is all means all. whoever wants to come here and worship with us is welcome. >> all means all. the pastor says the culture is changing and the polls prove this point. support for marriage equality has grown steady, but we don't need a poll to answer the question, what would jesus do about marriage equality? the church believes it has the answer. i'm joined by steven petro who wrotes civil behavior, a column on lbgt issues "the new york times." amendment one was a setback, so how meaningful is it for green street and other churches to take a stand with

at first pastor neal tollboom of the united methodist church in morristown, new jersey, believes fixings damaged steeple will be a relatively simple mission. >> steeple's been around for about 140 years. we hired a company to go up and take a look at the condition of the steeple. >> the work which is still in progress two weeks later begins november 3rd, 2011. it's about 1:30 in the afternoon when the worker's bucket becomes wedged against the steeple. they're stuck 122 feet in the air. church officials call the morristown fire department, who raise up their own ladder, but it's too short. next they try the neighboring town's ladder truck. >> second ladder was -- had maybe another 3 to 4 feet of reach above what the original ladder was because of our positioning and our angle, but it still wasn't close enough. >> the pressure is on. a crowd has gathered and word is out to the local new york city news media. a police helicopter arrives, but it's too dangerous for it to get close to the bucket. so rescue from above is out. and rescue from below is impossible. the firefighters really need

ah, man, the church, it's my home, and what happened this sunday and tomorrow, while all of the united methodists are here, and while the academy people are here, is someway, somehow, there will be a spark ignited. i used this in my sermon sunday before last - or last sunday, that ashes - if you really want to find the spark in the ashes, what you've got to do is go over and fan the ashes, and the spark begins to ignite, and come to life again. and what we've got to do in the life of the church is some of us have got to make a stand - be courageous enough to risk everything, so the church can become the church. >> now, correct me if i'm wrong, i'm reading into what he's saying something along the lines of that relationship between doctrine and ethics and social dimension, that you recognize that you are applying christian doctrine on how you relate to your fellow human beings in the world. and i also get the sense with him, which is very real, that religious doctrine sometimes can be - as he said - it's like ashes that can fall on the pure, bubbly fire of a very effervescent and experiential reli