For Just Such a Time: Living Out the Call
BMC/SCN Conference

Presentations from the Conference

On Dignity and Queens: Esther 1

Carol Wise is Executive Director of BMC.

Beyond Apology and Tolerance: Queer Gifts in Our Own Backyard

The Rev. Jay E. Johnson, Ph.D. is on the faculty at Pacific School of Religion, and the Acting Executive Director of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry in Berkeley. He has published articles on the intersections of spirituality and Christian theology, as well as his 2005 book, Dancing with God: Anglican Christianity and the Practice of Hope. Jay is an Episcopal priest, and serves the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Berkeley.

Becoming the Subject of Our Lives

Sheri Hostetler is a graduate of the Episcopal Divinity School, has been the pastor at First Mennonite Church in San Francisco for seven years. Sheri is also a poet and a contributor to A Cappella: Mennonite Voices in Poetry.

Pictures from the Conference

Brief Summary of Conference

Saturday, June 30 – Sunday, July 1

San Francisco, California

Sponsored by:

-The Supportive Communities Network (SCN)

-Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Interests (BMC)

-First Mennonite Church of San Francisco (hosting)

-MennoNeighbors

Those who yearn for a church that is genuinely welcoming of lgbt people and who seek company for this justice journey, are invited to gather at the worship space of the First Mennonite Church in San Francisco for a conference that promises to be rich in worship, insight, laughter and hope.  The event began on Saturday, June 30, at 9:00 am, and concluded with lunch on Sunday, July 1. The co-sponsorship of BMC, SCN, First Mennonite Church of San Francisco, and MennoNeighbors, offered a depth of talent and resources that were well utilized. Thank you to all planners and participants for making it a great weekend conference.

About the Theme

How do we move the movement for LGBT wecome forward? How do we boldly take the next steps in this justice journey? The book of Esther guided conference reflections on models of resistance and hope as we explored these questions together. The weekend gathering was rich in worship, play, insight, laughter, and hope, just prior to San Jose 2007, the biennial convention of Mennonite Church USA.