Supportive
Communities Network - SCN
SCN is a program of the Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Interests. It is a network of Mennonite and Church of the
Brethren communities who are publically affirming of gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual
members. For more information, contact Carol Wise at the BMC office or email bmc@bmclgbt.org.
SCN Goals
- To offer support, resources and opportunities for dialogue among congregations
which welcome gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual members;
- To encourage meaningful dialogue at the
denominational level;
- To offer support and resources for individuals who
are working toward welcome.
SCN Conferences
Conferences provide an opportunity for supportive communities and friends to come together for netwoking, education, advocacy,
worship, sharing stories and fun.
The next SCN conference will be held in San Francisco on June 30-July 1, 2007.
Dialogue With the Church
SCN is present at church conferences and other church events,
creating opportunities for dialogue and advocating for the
inclusion of gay and lesbian people.
Why Should Your Community be Publically Affirming and Join SCN?
Because it matters. The sad reality is that the Church of the Brethren and The Mennonite Church actively discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (lgbt) people in their institutional practices and are often not very welcoming institutions. This makes the church a potentially harmful place for lgbt people. Many lgbt people assume that a Brethren or Mennonite congregation or community is not supportive or safe unless they specifically hear otherwise.
- “Coming out” as publicly affirming identifies the community as a “safe space” for lgbt individuals and their families. It provides lgbt people and the people who love them with some assurance that they will not be subjected to overt harm. It is an act of solidarity with the lgbt community.
- Being publicly affirming suggests that the community has educated itself about issues of sexuality, so that an openly lgbt person knows that they will not suddenly become a topic of controversy and discussion or that their presence in the congregation or community will suddenly become questioned.
- Being publicly affirming indicates to questioning or struggling youth that the church or community is a place where it is safe to discuss issues related to sexual identity. This is very important as lgbt youth have a statistically higher incidence of suicide because of their lack of mentors and support.
- Being publicly affirming shifts the onus of responsibility for explaining their position away from the lgbt community and onto those who would challenge the inclusion of lgbt people in the community.
- Being publicly affirming indicates a concern about the Church of the Brethren and the Mennonite Church. The level of hostility and fear that the church frequently exhibits towards lgbt people damages and diminishes the soul of the institution. Dissenting from the church’s fear and rejection of lgbt people is an act of faithfulness and hope because it witnesses to a more loving way of being church together.
- Being publicly affirming is a symbolic act of prophetic witness to the Church of the Brethren and the Mennonite Church and to the broader community, indicating a commitment to justice, hospitality, and the dignity of each human individual.
- Being publicly affirming connects a community with other communities that are serious about welcome, creating a network of support and encouragement.
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How to Join SCN
If your community is interested in becoming publically affirming and a member of SCN, contact Carol Wise, SCN Coordinator, at bmc@bmclgbt.org.
Most congregations and communities engage in a process of education and discernment prior to joining SCN. Resources and counsel are available through the BMC office, and congregations are encouraged to make use of these resources. Communities who join SCN are asked to make a public statement of their support and complete the SCN application form.
The SCN Application form is available for download as a Microsoft Word document and Acrobat PDF format.
SCN Form (doc)
SCN Form (pdf)
SCN Resources
These are Word documents. If you would like this information in another format, please contact the BMC office at bmc@bmclgbt.org.
Worship Resources (doc)
Video Resources (doc)
SCN Bibibliography (doc)
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List of Current Members
CANADA
Alberta
Calgary Inter-Mennonite Church
1308 Edmonton Trail NE
Calgary, AB T2E 3K7
403.230.2962
www.cimchurch.org
church@cimchurch.org
January 1997
Newfoundland and Labrador
Mennonite House Church in St. John's
c/o Wendolyn Schlamp
3 Park Place
St. John's, NL A1C 6B2
www.stjohnsmennonites.blogspot.com
wendolynschlamp@hotmail.com
March 2005
Ontario
Parent's Group
c/o Rebecca and Victor Fast
1151 Ivanhill Rd
London, ON N6H 4C2
rvfast@rogers.com
August 2007
Warden Woods Mennonite Church
74 Fir Valley Court
Scarborough, ON M1L 1N9
416.694.1138
wwmc@wardenwoods.com
May 2001
UNITED STATES
California
Fellowship in Christ COB
PO Box 7411
Fremont, CA 94537
510.651.8639
fremontcc@mindspring.com
March 2005
First Mennonite Church
PO Box 410656
San Francisco, CA 94141
415.695.2812
www.menno.org
fmcsf@aol.com
October 1995
La Verne Church of the Brethren
2425 E St
La Verne, CA 91750-4994
909.593.1364
www.lavernecob.org
susan.boyer@verizon.net
May 1995
San Diego Church of the Brethren
3850 Westgate Pl
San Diego, CA 92105-5199
619.262.1988
www.sdbrethrenchurch.org
pastor@sdbrethrenchurch.org
January 2004
San Diego Mennonite Church
4361 35th St
San Diego, CA 92104
619.281.3240
ann.moyer@sharp.com
March 2000
Colorado
Arvada Mennonite Church
5927 Miller St
Arvada, CO 80004-4717
303.424.6261
arvada.co.us.mennonite.net
arvadamennonite1@yahoo.com
May 1995
Boulder Mennonite Church
3910 Table Mesa Dr.
Boulder, CO 80305-5468
303.443.3889
www.bouldermennonite.org
info@bouldermennonite.org
July 1996
Fort Collins Mennonite Fellowship
300 E. Oak St.
Fort Collins, CO 80524-2915
970.224.4106
www.fortnet.org/fcmf
revjborg@juno.com
July 1999
Koinonia Church
730 - 25 RD
Grand Junction, CO 81501
970.242.3947
www.koinoniagj.com
koinonia@bresnan.net
July 1999
Spirit of Joy Fellowship COB
5927 Miller Street
Arvada, CO 80004
303.424.6261
arvada.co.us.mennonite.net
lshenefelt@wideopenwest.com
February 1995
Illinois
Chicago Community Mennonite Church
425 S Central Park Ave
Chicago, IL 60624
773.826.0442
chicagocomm.il.us.mennonite.net
meganramer@yahoo.com
December 1995
Douglas Park Church of the Brethren
1605 S California
Chicago, IL 60608
630.207.9379
June 2000
Evanston Mennonite Church
1010 Greenleaf
Evanston, IL 60202
708.864.3954
http://evanston.il.us.mennonite.net
mcb9476@comcast.net
January 2006
First Church of the Brethren
2115 Yale Boulevard
Springfield, IL 62703
217.523.5212
www.1stcob.org
a.krall@gte.net
July 2004
York Center Church of the Brethren
15071 Luther Ave
Lombard, IL 60148
630.627.7411
http://www.yccob.org/
February 2008
Indiana
Christian Community
704 W. Oakdale Dr.
Fort Wayne, IN 46807
419.872.7448
dadoftia@aol.com
December 2004
Goshen Area Connecting Families
1568 Redbud Ct
Goshen, IN 46526
574.533.5837
rliechty@juno.com
June 2005
Emerging Welcomers
Turkey Creek Church of the Brethren
72906 CR 13
Nappanee, IN 46550
574.773.3700
mimrog@embarqmail.com
January 2008
Inclusion Team
Assembly Mennonite Church
1201 S 11th St
Goshen, IN 46526-4509
574.534.4190
www.assemblymennonite.org
assemblymenn@juno.com
March 2005
Manchester Church of the Brethren
PO Box 349
North Manchester, IN 46962-0349
219.982.7523
www.manchestercob.net
manchestercob@hoosierlink.net
May 1997
Iowa
Ames Mennonite Church
PO Box 1752
Ames, IA 50010-1752
515.382.3223
allanbeatty@murraystate.alumniconnections.com
November 1994
Kansas
Peace Mennonite Church
1204 Oread
Lawrence, KS 66044
785.841.8614
peace.ks.us.mennonite.net
PeaceMennoniteOffice@yahoo.com
June 2001
Rainbow Mennonite Church
1444 Southwest Blvd
Kansas City, KS 66103-1829
913.236.8820
www.rainbowmennonite.org
office@rainbowmennonite.org
April 1996
Seekers Sunday School Class
Bethel College Mennonite Church
2600 College Ave, Box 364
North Newton, KS 67117
316.283.3667
bcmc.ks.us.mennonite.net/Home
office.bcmc@sbcglobal.net
November 2002
Maryland
Columbia United Christian Church
5885 Robert Oliver Place
Columbia, MD 21045
410.730.1770
users.erols.com/cucc
cucc@erols.com
May 2002
Dundalk Church of the Brethren
2660 Yorkway
Baltimore, MD 21222-4432
410.284.7081
dundalklcob@hotmail.com
December 1995
Massachusetts
Mennonite Congregation of Boston
1555 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138-2903
617.868.7784
congregationofboston.ma.us.mennonite.net
biedrzycki@mindspring.com
March 1995
Michigan
Lansing First Church of the Brethren
3020 S Washington Ave
Lansing, MI 48910-2957
517.882.0811
www.cob-net.org/church/lansing
smithbuckwalter@prodigy.net
October 1997
Skyridge Church of the Brethren
394 S Drake Rd
Kalamazoo, MI 49009-1100
269.375.3939
www.skyridge.org
eisenbuhl@aol.com
April 1995
Minnesota
Common Spirit Church of the Brethren
4223 Fremont Ave N
Minneapolis, MN 55412
612.724.0264
Bpetry@girlscoutsmpls.org
December 2005
Faith Mennonite Church
2720 E 22nd St
Minneapolis, MN 55406-1315
612.375.9483
www.faithmennonite.org
faithmc@faithmennonite.org
December 2003
Open Circle Church of the Brethren
2400 Highland Dr
Burnsville, MN 55337-2068
612.808.0161
www.opencirclechurch.com
jhsteele58@frontiernet.net
December 2003
Saint Paul Mennonite Fellowship
622 Bidwell St
Saint Paul, MN 55107-3610
612.291.0647
spmf.mennolink.org
spmennonite@hotmail.com
April 1994
New York
Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship
314 E 19th Street
New York, NY 10003
212.673.7970
http://www.manhattanmennonite.org
February 2008
Oregon
Peace Church of the Brethren
12727 SE Market St.
Portland, OR 97233-1244
503.254.6380
www.peacecob.org
peacecob@3dwave.com
March 1995
Springfield Church of the Brethren
1072 Main St
Springfield, OR 97477-4818
541.746.2278
www.efn.org/~spfldcob
spfldcob@efn.org
April 1995
Pennsylvania
Germantown Mennonite Church
21 W Washington Ln
Philadelphia, PA 19144-2601
215.843.5599
www.germantownmennonite.org
office@germantownmennonite.org
May 1998
The Group
Palmyra Church of the Brethren
45 N Chestnut St
Palmyra, PA 17078
717.838.6369
www.palmyracob.org
mshaak@palmyracob.org
February 2005
University Baptist & Brethren Church
411 S Burrowes St
State College, PA 16801-4017
814.237.2708
ubbcwelcome.org
bksmeltzer@verizon.net
June 1999
Welcoming Dialogue Group
22 Sussex PL
Lititz, PA 17543
717.625.3502
welcomingdialoguegroup.com
craber51@aol.com
August 2004
Virginia
Broad Street Mennonite Church
PO Box 46
Harrisonburg, VA 22801-0046
540.434.1972
broadstreet.va.us.mennonite.net
huberhe@emu.edu
January 2003
The Christian Church Uniting UCC/COB
6049 Indian River Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
757.420.1422
www.ccuvab.org
pastorron@ccuvab.org
August 2001
Wisconsin
Maple Avenue Mennonite Church
346 Maple Ave
Waukesha, WI 53186-4702
262.547.6937
bfons@webtv.net
April 1994
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Church of the Brethren Womaen's Caucus
5631 NE 31st Avenue
Portland, OR 97211
503.287.8455
www.womaenscaucus.org
djeller1@comcast.net
July 2004
Voices For An Open Spirit
9 N Union St.
Elgin, IL 60123
847.697.1371
www.voicesforanopenspirit.org
May 2004
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