Church won't hold funeral for gay man

An Arlington church volunteered to host a funeral Thursday, then reneged on the invitation when it became clear the dead man's homosexuality would be identified in the service.

The event placed High Point Church in the cross hairs of an issue many conservative Christian organizations are discussing: how to take a hard-line theological position on homosexuality while showing compassion toward gay people and their families.

Mr. Sinclair, 46, died Monday. He was a native of Fort Worth, a Navy veteran who served in Desert Storm helping rescuers find downed pilots, and a singer in the Turtle Creek Chorale, said his mother, Eva Bowers. He did not belong to a church.

His brother, Lee, is an employee and member of High Point, a nondenominational mega-congregation led by the Rev. Gary Simons. Mr. Simons is the brother-in-law of Joel Osteen, nationally known pastor of Houston's Lakewood Church.

When Cecil Sinclair became ill with a heart condition six years ago, church members started praying for him out of love for his brother, Mr. Simons said Thursday. And when Mr. Sinclair died of an infection, a side effect of surgery intended to keep him alive long enough for a heart transplant, a member of the church staff was immediately sent to minister to the family, he said.

I thank you for your service to our country and am so very sorry for your loss. Thank you for taking the time to fully explain the situation. I am very sorry you’ve been treated this way. May you have comfort in your time of loss.

And for the yet unreported "rest of the story":

The church had initially agreed to the service because the deceased was the brother of a church employee. However after the church discovered the man was a homosexual and that the memorial service would celebrate the homosexual lifestyle with suggestive photos and music from an openly gay men's chorus, the church's pastor, Gary Simons, withdrew the offer to host the event in the sanctuary. The church secured another location, and catered lunch, at the church's expense, that would meet the needs of the family and not subject their sanctuary to being used to celebrate homosexuality.

As Pastor Simons told his congregation this past Sunday, "This decision was not based on hate or discrimination but upon principle and policy. We cannot glorify homosexuality as a lifestyle." Unfortunately, reporters who are sympathetic to the homosexual agenda refuse to see the incident for what it is--an exercise in religious freedom. Churches and clergy have every right to refuse their services or property for activities that violate their religious beliefs. However, as Pastor Simons would say, that doesn't mean he or his congregation have any less compassion for the man's family. It simply means they refuse to honor a lifestyle that is sinful in God's eyes.

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