>
>Dear Friends,
>
>Rev. Jane Dwinell, minister, First Universalist Parish, Derby Line,
>invites you to the following event:
>
>There will be a Candlelight Vigil at the First Universalist Parish,
>a UU congregation, on Sat. April 15 at 7 pm.  The church is located
>on Main St. in Derby Line, which is also Route 5.  White clapboard
>church, next to the Town Hall and Border Station.
>
>This Vigil has been called by the Rev. Dr. Arnold Thomas, Conference
>Minister of the VT Conference of the United Church of Chirst.  He
>writes: "Last Friday evening Dwight Walker's car was completely
>destroyed by fire.  Dwight is the pastor of the Coventry and Westfield
>Congregational churches.  He is also gay.  Even before the publication
>of an article in the Burlington Free Press, in which he was quoted as
>an openly gay pastor, Dwight has been the target of homophobic
>harassment.  These abuses have included anonymous threatening phone
>calls, his car being soaped with the word "fag", and now the most
>recent attack.  The circumstances surrounding the fire are suspicious,
>leaving us inclined to believe it was a hate crime.  The Department of
>Public Safety is still conducting the investigation as to the cause of
>the fire."
>
>Dwight has been active on the civil union issue.
>
>As may be true in your area, many of us in the Kingdom have received
>hate mail, death threats and other forms of harrassment as homophobia
>rears its ugly head.
>
>The Vigil is being held for all of us, as support, and as a message
>to the perpetrators that acts of violence and vandalism are intolerable.
>Many people of faith are in favor of civil unions and of civil rights
>that need to be available to all.  We will not be stopped by threats.
>
>Please come to show your solidarity and support and to find comfort in
>joining together, in strength, in peace, and in love.
>
>See you there!
>
>*************************************************************************
>*  Dorothy Mammen                                                       *
>*  Coordinator, Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force                     *
>*  [log in to unmask]                                              *
>*                                                                       *
>*  VT Freedom to Marry Task Force  VT Freedom to Marry Action Committee *
>*  PO Box 1312                     PO Box 1038                          *
>*  Middlebury, VT 05753            Middlebury, VT 05753                 *
>*  [log in to unmask]          [log in to unmask]                      *
>*  http://www.vtfreetomarry.org    http://www.vtmarriageaction.com      *
>*  (802) 388-2633                  (802) 388-2633                       *
>*                                                                       *
>*  Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can *
>*  change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever does.        *
>*                                 -- Margaret Mead                      *
>*************************************************************************
>
>
>
>
>
_____________________________________________

Kyla J. McLeod
Graduate Assistant
Center for Cultural Pluralism
The University of Vermont
phone (802)656-7990
Fax (802)656-3348