MCC Moderator calls on MCCers globally to mark International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia On Monday, May 17th LGBT people and our allies around the globe will mark the Internationoal Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia {IDAHO}.
This year's focus for the IDAHO campaign is the role religions can play in creating a climate of acceptance and support for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Metropolitan Community Churches in conjunction with the organizers of IDAHO, the European Forum of LGBT Christians, IMAAN, the Unitarian Universalist Association, the World Congress of LGBT Jews, the International Federation of Human Rights and others forumulated and endorsed an International Appeal to Religions, pledging to renounce relgiously based stigmatization and discrimination and to create cultures of openness and love. The Appeal is available in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, German, Arabic, Italian and Portuguese and can be found at www.idahomophobia.org. I encourage each local Metropolitan Community Church to endorse the Appeal and to join me in circulating it among partnering religious and civil society organizations. Together we can shape the religious climates of our communities, influence those who shape the governance of our communities and make this world safe space for all God's children.
I also encourage as many of our leaders and congregations as possible to make the next 12 months, beginning May 17th, a time of engaging in dialogue with communities of faith and organizations that are not supportive of LGBT equality and inclusion. I know that such dialogues are already planned in Uganda, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Turkey, the Netherlands, Russia, Belarus, France and the United Kingdom. Dialogue with our opponents has proven over time to be one of the best ways to further the love of neighbor our faith calls us to embrace.
Finally, I ask you to join me in marking Sunday, May 16th as a day of prayer for an end to hatred and violence against LGBT people. Pray with me on Sunday for the safety and protection of LGBT people everywhere and that religious voices around the globe may unite in seeking to live at peace with God's great plan of diversity.
O God,
Ours is a long and complicated history as your people.
Though the Scriptures of many traditions have often been used
to fuel hatred and discrimination against your LGBT children,
those same Scriptures also carry
the stories of young men, like David and Jonathan, willing ot risk their lives
for the sake of the love they shared ---
stories of women like Ruth and Naomi,
who pledged to let nothing, not even death, separate them from each other.
Your word, O God, regardless of the specifity of our traditions,
is a word that cousels us to love one another the way you love us.
Help us this day, to place that call above all other loyalties.
May your Holy Spirit breath into every troubled breast
a spirit of openess and acceptance.
Together, O God, may we make this world safe space for all your children.
We make this prayer in the name of Jesus the Christ. +Amen Grace and Peace,
+Nancy
The Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson, Moderator
Metropolitan Community Churches
This statement prepared in conjunction with the Moderator's Global Justice Team, The Rev. Pat Bumgardner, Chair.
News & Information from the Moderator's Teams
On Thursday, 1 July, in Acapulco, The Moderator's Global Justice Team, Ecumenical/Inter-religious Team, and Theologies Team coordinated the day's programming for General Conference. Entitled, "Imagine a World of Justice: Reflecting Theologically, Cooperatively and Actively," this day will engage participants in holy conversation about a number of different justice-related topics affecting the world, and MCC's work in the world. You don't want to miss being a part of this dialogue!
Just some of the workshops are:
- Holy Conversations: What's Theology got to do with Justice
- How to Engage in Ecumenical Ministry
- Faith Media Action in a Sound Byte World (GLAAD)
- Public Policy: The Church and Advocacy in Public Life
- Organizing for Justice on the African Continent
- Immigration Issues
- Music and Global Justice
- AIDS and the Global Response
- Working for Justice in the Asian Context.
There will also be a panel of youth responding to justice issues, an international panel of those working across lines of denomination and faith, and a keynote address you will not want to miss. Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Team Stan Kimer, Chair This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
To start 2010, the Ecumenical and Inter-religious team thanks inaugural team member Ms. Lynn Farrand who is rotating off the committee. Lynn is a current seminarian and a member of Church of the Trinity MCC (Sarasota, Florida). We also welcomed two new people to our core team; Rev Steve Parelli, Director of Other Sheep Ministry who was awarded MCC clergy credentials last year; and Mr. John McLaughlin who is completing his M.Div. at Lancaster Theological Seminary and is serving as a clergy intern at MCC NOVA (Fairfax, Virginia).
A new major initiative we are launching in 2010 is building the extended MCC Ecumenical and Inter-religious network. We will be collecting the names of all MCC clergy and lay leaders who are representing MCC in various ecumenical and inter-religious bodies at the global, regional, national, provincial/state and local levels. We then can communicate with all MCCers engaged in ecumenical and inter-religious work on a quarterly basis and provide helpful materials and resources. If you want to make sure we have information on what you are involved in please send your name, contact information and body involved in to John McLaughlin at
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As part of the Moderator's Teams day at General Conference, the Ecumenical and Inter-religious team will offer two workshops around how to engaged in MCC's ecumenical and inter-religious ministries, and a panel featuring people from several nations involved in doing justice work through ecumenical and inter-religious connections.
Click here to learn more about MCC's ecumenical and inter-religious work, resources and team members.
The Global Justice Team Rev. Pat Bumgardner, Chair This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Rev. Pat Bumgardner accompanied Rev. Elder Diane Fisher on a trip to South Africa where they worked with MCCers from across the continent and began the steps to create an NGO for continued justice ministry there.
She also participated with Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson in the Walk for Tolerance, the first-ever public HIV/AIDS march in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Other MCC leaders present were Rev. Jim Birkitt, Rev. Michael Diaz, and Rev. Robert Griffin. The goal of the walk, which drew 150 participants, was to engender goodwill, support, and tolerance for persons living with HIV and AIDS. Members of the MCC delegation were quoted in or appeared on 11radio, TV, and print media outlets in Jamaica, as well as in the UK.
The folks and churches in MCC gave over $33,000 (USD) to assist the people of Haiti following the earthquake there.
Work continues on the same-sex marriage issue, especially in the United States, as well as in many countries around the world.
Theologies Team Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos, Chair This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
At General Conference The Theologies Team we will be unveiling a new local church resource, "Holy Conversations", which will support local churches in facilitating theological dialogue on a number of topics in a safe and mutually respectful environment that helps to build up the whole church.
Here is the workshop description launching this resource: Do you want to find ways to have safe and productive conversations about theology in your local church? Do you long to engage the theological diversity of members of your community to create opportunities for mutual growth and encouragement? The Moderator's Theologies Team invites you to this workshop where they will present a new Local Church Resource produced by the team which you can use to talk about such things as: baptism, sexuality and spirituality, justice, ministry (lay and clergy), Jesus and many additional topics.
Of course, Holy Conversations will be available to all churches, whether or not you can attend the premier in Acapulco. Message from Joshua Love 11 May 2010
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I am writing to ask you to hold two very important days in your prayers and hearts this week:
National HIV Vaccine Awareness Day- 18 May 2010
National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day-19 May 2010
In addition to your heartfelt prayers and consideration there are several ways you can make a difference.
- Please consider sharing this information with your email lists, on Facebook, on Twitter. You have the greatest power to make change in the hearts and minds of the people with whom you share committed and regular relationships.
- Visit the websites for these events to download resources and locate events in your area.
- Get tested!
- Take loved ones, especially young people, to get tested and explore local support resources.
- Announce these efforts in your faith community and ask others to join you in making a difference.
Click here for current information on local activities and resources of HIC Vaccine Awareness.
Click here for current information on local activities on National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
To find a testing location in your community visit http://www.hivtest.org or send a text message with your zip code to KNOWIT (566948) [USA only] to find an HIV testing center near you.
Please share this with your lists and check out the powerful work being done to bring an end to the overwhelming impact of HIV and AIDS on the lives of people in the Asian & Pacific Islander communities, as well as the need for a strong vaccine options for all of our communities.
Blessings,
Joshua L. Love
Director Metropolitan Community Churches Global HIV/AIDS Ministry and Metropolitan Community Churches Drug Literacy Program
Uncommon Hope, author
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