My definitive memory of him will always be during the time we lay face down in the streets of Danbury, Connecticut, fingers interlocked behind our backs, while three cars’ worth of cops drew down on us and asked where the gun was and he kept his cool enough to explain, "…there’s a black cap gun on the passenger side of the back seat…" But today, one of my oldest friends and occasional guestblogger, the award-winning poverty journalist Colin Asher, has his first great and important piece published in the Boston Globe:

Cambridge Welcoming is a mission of the United Methodist Church that ministers to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Methodists, people unlikely to worship with another congregation. Their purpose is seemingly at odds with the teachings of the United Methodist Church, whose governing document, the Book of Discipline, says the church "does not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider[s] this practice incompatible with Christian teaching."

Like most major religious groups, the United Methodist Church has been struggling with the issue of homosexuality for years. Cambridge Welcoming was born from that conflict.

 I’ve had doubts about the success of a lot of people I’ve met in my life, and most of all I’ve doubted myself. But I’ve never doubted Colin once. He’s never given me any reason to. (Aside from the "Smile Without Fail" vocals.)

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