UPDATE 12/4/11 @ 6 p.m.
PIKE COUNTY, Ky. (WSAZ) -- Dean Harville is relieved his church will not be keeping people out because of their race.
"The healing process can begin," he said.
Some members of the congregation at Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church took issue with Harville's daughter Stella and her black fiancé attending recent services.
They voted last Sunday to ban interracial couples from attending their services.
Stacy Stepp has been the pastor at the church since August. He says he was against the ban from the beginning.
"As pastor I did everything I could to vote this down, not even let this come before a vote," Stepp said.
The church is a member of the Sandy Valley Conference. Stepp says Saturday the conference deemed the ban null and void because it conflicts with state and federal equality laws.
"As far as I'm concerned and the church as well, they're more than welcome to come back," Stepp said. “We welcome all people, whether it be race, color, creed, we welcome all people to come worship with me and this church.”
Sonny Hereford works in Washington D.C. The Huntsville, Alabama native was involved with the Civil Rights Movement when he was a child in the '60s.
"I had to be here today," Hereford said.
Hereford, like many others across the country, was stunned by the ban.
He left the nation's capital in his car at 2:30 Sunday morning to attend service at Gulnare.
"It's not the racist confederate flag, hood wearing community here that some people might have thought it was," Hereford said. "Everybody, men and women, were tearful as they greeted me. I couldn't help but be tearful myself. (It was a) very, very emotional day."
Hereford and the Harville family say they're now satisfied with this conclusion.
"There are no hard feelings,” Harville said. “I forgave them, and we’ve got to move on."
Members of the Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church met Saturday to take a vote on the ban.
Last Sunday, some members of the church voted to prohibit interracial couples from joining their church.
After learning of the church's decision, the National Association of Free Will Baptists issued a statement Thursday saying, "It is our understanding that steps are being taken by the church in question to reverse its decision. We encourage the church to follow through with this action. Leaders from the local conference and state association in Kentucky are working with the church to resolve this matter."
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12/2/11
PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP/WSAZ) - The pastor of the Pike County church where the congregation voted to not accept interracial couples as members says the decision is unlikely to stand.
Stacy Stepp, pastor of Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church, says he believes state and national Free Will Baptist associations will stand with him and other members of the church who oppose the ban.
Stepp also said he is seeking another vote on the issue, perhaps as early as Sunday.
Many members of the congregation did not vote last Sunday on a statement that everyone could attend services, but that interracial couples could not join the church or have a part in worship services. Of those who did vote, 9 favored it and 6
On Thursday, the National Association of Free Will Baptists issued the following statement on the issue.
"Recently, the action of a Free Will Baptist church in the state of Kentucky raised questions regarding the position of the National Association of Free Will Baptists on interracial couples. This statement is intended to bring clarity to the subject.
The National Association of Free Will Baptists does not have an official policy regarding interracial couples because it has not been an issue in the denomination. The Free Will Baptist Treatise neither condemns nor disallows marriage between a man and woman of different races.
Free Will Baptists have historically championed the rights and dignity of all people, regardless of race. The denomination’s leadership in the abolition movement is evidence of that fact. Free Will Baptists currently spend millions of dollars each year to take the good news of Jesus Christ to people of every race.
Many interracial couples are members of Free Will Baptist churches. They are loved, accepted, and respected by their congregations. It is unfair and inaccurate to characterize the denomination as racist.
It is our understanding that steps are being taken by the church in question to reverse its decision. We encourage the church to follow through with this action. Leaders from the local conference and state association in Kentucky are working with the church to resolve this matter."
The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights Executive Director John J. Johnson also issued this statement.
“I was saddened to read about Stella Harville who is white and her African fiance Ticha Chikuni as she expressed their deep hurt by her childhood church’s vote to disallow interracial couples as members. This must have been especially painful after Mr. Chikuni sang as a solo the old Christian Hymn, “I Surrender All,” while Ms. Harville accompanied him sometime earlier for this very congregation.
“I am encouraged and uplifted by the community’s disapproval of the church’s vote to deny membership to couples who are not of the same race. I am proud of the other churches in the Eastern Kentucky community and its many citizens who are being vocal about their support of tolerance, respect and mutual understanding of all people. The majority of Kentuckians are determined to welcome and embrace all people.”
Suzie Harville, who is engaged to a black man originally from Zimbabwe, is no longer welcome at the church. Neither is her fiancée, Tichna Chikuni.
Some members of Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church voted Sunday to prohibit interracial couples from joining their church. They're welcomed to attend, just not so welcomed to stick around for too long.
“It’s racism. That’s what you call it,” said Dean Harville, who is Suzie’s father. He has attended Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church for more than 30 years -- a place he has seen his family grow.
“I treat him like I’d treat my own son,” Dean Harville said of his future son-in-law. “You couldn't find a nicer man.”
The couple, who met in college, recently attended services at Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church – a small country church about 15 miles north of Pikeville, Ky. During their visit, Suzie sang a song, and Tichna played the piano.
“The pastor said they can't sing in the church anymore,” Dean Harville said. “Then he said, ‘Furthermore, take your fella back to wherever she got him from.’ “
Then, came a policy voted on and approved by a local majority banning interracial couples from joining the church.
“It’s a travesty,” Suzie said. “The church crossed the line when they denied mine and my fiancée’s rights to worship in a public place."
The policy specifically mentions interracial couples. WSAZ.com’s Carrie Cline wondered, as an African American, would she be allowed to join the church.
“As of right now, no,” Dean Harville said.
It's a policy that's not sitting well with the majority of the community.
“They're really showing their ignorance,” Cliff Pelfry said.
Melvin Thompson, former pastor of Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church, spearheaded the ban.
Cline spoke with Randy Johnson, president of the Pike County Ministerial Alliance. While he said the church’s action is disturbing, he said the local religious community prays for peace and wants the rest of the world to know this is not how all Pike County churches think and act.
About 40 people attend services on a typical Sunday at Gulnare Freewill Baptist. This measure passed by a vote of nine to six. Dean Harville said more people were present, but they wouldn't take a stand.
The National Association of Free Will Baptists does not have an official policy regarding interracial couples because it has not been an issue in the denomination. The Free Will Baptist Treatise neither condemns nor disallows marriage between a man and woman of different races.
Free Will Baptists have historically championed the rights and dignity of all people, regardless of race. The denomination’s leadership in the abolition movement is evidence of that fact. Free Will Baptists currently spend millions of dollars each year to take the good news of Jesus Christ to people of every race.
Many interracial couples are members of Free Will Baptist churches. They are loved, accepted, and respected by their congregations. It is unfair and inaccurate to characterize the denomination as racist.
It is our understanding that steps are being taken by the church in question to reverse its decision. We encourage the church to follow through with this action. Leaders from the local conference and state association in Kentucky are working with the church to resolve this matter.
Members at the Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church voted Sunday on the resolution, which would not allow interracial couples to place membership or be used in worship services or church functions. The vote was 9-6.
Church member Dean Harville says an appearance at the church by his daughter and her boyfriend, a native of Africa, prompted the vote.
Harville says the couple visited and sang a song at the church in June.
Member Melvin Thompson crafted the resolution but said Wednesday that he is "not racist." Thompson says the matter is an internal affair of the church.
Harville says he plans to ask members too change their decision during services Wednesday night.
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