The United Church of Christ said that Jesus’ message of extravagant welcome extends to all, including SpongeBob Squarepants – the cartoon character that has come under fire for allegedly holding hands with a starfish. “Absolutely, the UCC extends an unequivocal welcome to SpongeBob,” the Rev. John H. Thomas, the UCC’s general minister and president, said, only partly in jest. “Jesus didn’t turn people away. Neither do we.”

For that matter, Thomas explained, the 1.3-million-member church, if given the opportunity, would warmly receive Barney, Big Bird, Tinky-Winky, Clifford the Big Red Dog or, for that matter, any who have experienced the Christian message as a harsh word of judgment rather than Jesus’ offering of grace.

http://www.ucc.org/news/r012405.htm

but

The Reformed Church in America’s New Brunswick Theological Seminary, one of the nation’s oldest schools for training mainline Protestant clergy, has retired its president, the Rev. Norman Kansfield, and reprimanded him for officiating at his gay daughter’s wedding.

Kanfield’s daughter, Ann, is a financial writer and editor for the UCC-related United Church Foundation in New York.

In an interview at the seminary, Kansfield said he had not done anything to hurt his denomination. A former pastor and seminary librarian, Kansfield is considered among the RCA’s most learned theologians.

“People presume I have been on a crusade,” said Kansfield, a strapping man with a shock of white hair. “In point of fact, I’m a conservative theologian. I would not do anything that goes against the church.” http://www.ucc.org/news/r021405.htm