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Jesse · 01-13-2015, 05:50 PM

Family: Lakewood church refuses funeral service because woman was gay

By Jesse Paul
The Denver Post

A Lakewood minister refused to hold a memorial service on Saturday for a mother of two at his church because the woman was gay, family and friends said Tuesday."Her casket was open, flowers laid out and hundreds of people sitting in the pews," supporters said in a Facebook post. "He collected money for the funeral and has yet to return it."
Vanessa Collier was 33 when she died on Dec. 29, leaving behind her wife and children.
"You will not find Jesus at New Hope but you will find hypocrisy," said a sign carried at a demonstration outside the church Tuesday by about four dozen family members and friends.

A copy of the program for Vanessa Collier's funeral. (Jesse Paul, The Denver Post)

"Indignity in death," read another placard.
Security guards were stationed in front of the church.
"Give us an apology!" protesters chanted.
Family members said the church pastor ordered them to remove from the church a photo of Collier kissing her wife.
Friends and family said they had to move the memorial service across the street to a funeral home on Saturday. Pallbearers moved the casket to a Hearse and drove it across the street, while others carried flowers they had brought to the church.
"A church turning away a funeral. Who has ever heard of anything like that happening?" said Jeanette Arguello, a family friend.
A representative for New Hope Ministries, where the pastor, Ray Chavez, is based, declined to comment before hanging up on a Denver Post reporter.

A biography on the church website says Chavez founded the church in 1981 with his wife, Lola. It says the church "is a place where those bound by drugs, alcohol, gangs and violence can find an 'Ounce of Hope.'"
David Campanella, area manager for Newcomer Funeral Home, said they handled all of the funeral services for Collier's family. At the last minute the ceremony for Collier was moved from the New Hope Ministry church to the funeral home.
"Certain events were not going to be allowed to take place according to the church," Campanella said. "In talking with family we decided it would be best to have the services here."
"If the story is true, it truly is appalling that a family would have to go through this," said Rex Fuller, a spokesman for the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Colorado. "It's just a really tragic situation."
Friends said Collier's death was "unexpected," and they said family members did not want to discuss the cause. Thornton police are investigating Collier's death as a possible suicide, said spokesman Matt Barnes.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JesseAPaul
Staff writer Jordan Steffen contributed to this report.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_27...-because-woman

01-13-2015, 05:50 PM	#63
Jesse Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Transguy Preferred Pronoun?: He Relationship Status: single Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Central West Coast of Florida Posts: 5,204 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 34,866 Thanked 17,793 Times in 3,939 Posts Rep Power: 21474855	Family: Lakewood church refuses funeral service because woman was gay By Jesse Paul The Denver Post A Lakewood minister refused to hold a memorial service on Saturday for a mother of two at his church because the woman was gay, family and friends said Tuesday."Her casket was open, flowers laid out and hundreds of people sitting in the pews," supporters said in a Facebook post. "He collected money for the funeral and has yet to return it." Vanessa Collier was 33 when she died on Dec. 29, leaving behind her wife and children. "You will not find Jesus at New Hope but you will find hypocrisy," said a sign carried at a demonstration outside the church Tuesday by about four dozen family members and friends. A copy of the program for Vanessa Collier's funeral. (Jesse Paul, The Denver Post) "Indignity in death," read another placard. Security guards were stationed in front of the church. "Give us an apology!" protesters chanted. Family members said the church pastor ordered them to remove from the church a photo of Collier kissing her wife. Friends and family said they had to move the memorial service across the street to a funeral home on Saturday. Pallbearers moved the casket to a Hearse and drove it across the street, while others carried flowers they had brought to the church. "A church turning away a funeral. Who has ever heard of anything like that happening?" said Jeanette Arguello, a family friend. A representative for New Hope Ministries, where the pastor, Ray Chavez, is based, declined to comment before hanging up on a Denver Post reporter. A biography on the church website says Chavez founded the church in 1981 with his wife, Lola. It says the church "is a place where those bound by drugs, alcohol, gangs and violence can find an 'Ounce of Hope.'" David Campanella, area manager for Newcomer Funeral Home, said they handled all of the funeral services for Collier's family. At the last minute the ceremony for Collier was moved from the New Hope Ministry church to the funeral home. "Certain events were not going to be allowed to take place according to the church," Campanella said. "In talking with family we decided it would be best to have the services here." "If the story is true, it truly is appalling that a family would have to go through this," said Rex Fuller, a spokesman for the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Colorado. "It's just a really tragic situation." Friends said Collier's death was "unexpected," and they said family members did not want to discuss the cause. Thornton police are investigating Collier's death as a possible suicide, said spokesman Matt Barnes. Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JesseAPaul Staff writer Jordan Steffen contributed to this report. http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_27...-because-woman __________________ “You’re so hard on yourself. Take a moment. Sit back. Marvel at your life: at the grief that softened you, at the heartache that widened you, at the suffering that strengthened you. Despite everything, you still grow. Be proud of this.”