Posts Tagged ‘Safe Space’
A Response to Rev. Dr. David Gushee’s “Ethical Analysis of the ‘New Sanctuary Movement’”
Hearing Rev. Dr. David P. Gushee speak at The Reformation Project’s 2014 National Conference remains one of the more powerful experiences I have had in my time with our organization. I, a Venezuelan immigrant, sat in the front pew as he spoke a convicting and prophetic word. This word made me weep for my adoptive…
Read More10 Ways To Include LGBTQ People In Your Congregation
1. Hire LGBTQ leaders to serve in your congregation: 2. Host small groups conversations on LGBTQ inclusion: 3. Denomination-wide policy changes can lead the way: 4. Organize your congregation to show up at LGBTQ events: 5. A note to LGBTQ people—our presence makes a difference: 6. Believe Out Loud with inclusive language and church-wide statements: 7.…
Read MoreWhy Coming Out Isn’t For Everyone
Coming out is a powerful experience. It is a story that many people in the LGBTQ community have in common. Whether subtle or dramatic, disclosing one’s sexual orientation or gender identity is often met with celebration and praise. With the advent of inclusive religious institutions, scholars, and others who make a strong case of God’s…
Read MoreQueering Racial Justice Institute In Philadelphia Features Workshops Hosted By NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has always been on the front lines of Civil Rights since its inception, and this time is no different. The Queering Racial Justice Institute is the perfect space to learn and engage around the pressing issues of our time. Set to take place on Saturday,…
Read MoreFaith Leaders Launch Bilingual, LGBTQI-Affirming Trauma Support Network
Launching in response to the devastating killings in Orlando, the “Will Listen With Love” Project is a national support network comprised of pastors, therapists, spiritual directors and community support providers who have volunteered their time to offer safe and affirming space for grieving members of the LGBTQIA community and their allies to be heard. Unlike…
Read MoreWe Haven’t Done The Work
As I sit at my computer writing this, I am still overwhelmed by shock and grief. Like most, I woke up Sunday morning to the news of Saturday night’s horrific shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. Over the course of the day, I followed the updates with growing dread, as the death toll rose and…
Read MoreWhen Our Sanctuaries Are Desecrated
Lee en español ~ Read In Spanish A few years ago I found myself in Seattle, serving a congregation that very much reflected the reality of the city: white, middle-class, extremely progressive in their thinking, but with a lack of actual real life understanding of the realities of people of color. While there, it became…
Read MoreWhat Will Life Be Like For My Interracial, Interfaith, Queer Family?
There’s a scene in the first season of the television show “The Fosters” in which Lena, one of the mothers in a lesbian relationship, helps Jude, her foster son, remove polish from his nails after some kids at school harass him over it. She sits with him and explains that there are times when she…
Read MoreTransfaith Memorial Garden Provides Space To Grieve Loss
An interview with Chris Paige about Transfaith’s newest resource, the Transfaith Memorial Garden. What is the Transfaith Memorial Garden? There are many memorials in November (around Transgender Day of Remembrance) for transgender and gender non-conforming people who die violent deaths. However, the losses of transgender communities come by many means—and grief shapes our lives all…
Read MoreLearning To Live In Biblical Obedience
“Ah, how beautiful the feet of those on the mountain who declare the good news of victory, of peace and liberation.” Isaiah 52:7a These words rang true on March 21, 2015 when the Pacific Northwest Reconciling Ministries gathered at Bellevue First United Methodist Church for our annual gathering: Biblical Obedience: Learning, Engaging, Taking Action. We gathered to connect with…
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