BMC NewsNet
Vol. 10, No. 1
January/February 2009
  Helen Herbst is honored Susan Boyer, Carol Wise and
at LaVerne Shawn Kirchner celebrate with Helen
1) Sabbatical Plans
2) Progressive Brethren Summit – Save the Date!
3) Denominational Conferences/Assemblies
4) Annual Conference Luncheon
5) Rainbow Scarves Project
6) Susan Boyer Joins the Board
7) Midwest BLGTA College Conference
8) Helen Herbst Honored
9) BMC Board Meets
10) BMC at Bethany
11) Heeding God’s Call: A Gathering on Peace
12) Iceland Names First Openly Lesbian Prime Minister
13) California Supreme Court and Proposition 8
14) Your Support is Appreciated
1) Sabbatical Plans
Ralph McFadden, the vice president of the BMC board, will serve as the executive director from March 16 – May 31 while Carol Wise is on sabbatical. Ralph brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the task. He is available for consultation, speaking engagements or conversation. Ralph may be contacted at rmcfadden@bmclgbt.org or you may call the BMC office at 612-343-2060. Carol plans on using the time to relax, study the development and growth of social movements, and work on worship resources for welcoming communities.
2) Progressive Brethren Summit – Save the date!
Ready at the Thresholds: Progressive Brethren Gather is the theme of this year’s Progressive Brethren Summit, to be held November 13-15, 2009 at the Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. A time of rich worship, genuine sharing, intellectual challenge and concrete strategizing is anticipated in order to forward the groundwork that was laid at last year’s event in Indianapolis. Save the date!
3) Denominational Conferences/Assemblies
BMC is gearing up for another round of summer denominational conferences. If you are a friend of BMC and plan on being in San Diego, Columbus, or Saskatoon at the time of the conferences and are interested in being part of a BMC presence, please contact the BMC office and talk with Kaleidoscope Coordinator, Carrie Fry Miller. She will be very glad to hear from you.
4) Annual Conference Luncheon
BMC will be hosting a luncheon at the San Diego Church of the Brethren on Friday, June 26, prior to the start of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. Following the luncheon, Womaen’s Caucus and Voices for an Open Spirit will share a program that will include some training for the BMC witness and important conversation regarding Annual Conference business. Additional details will be available closer to the date, but please consider coming to San Diego a little early in order to join us for this event.
5) Rainbow Scarves
The Church of the Brethren Womaen’s Caucus invites all knitters or crocheters to join the Rainbow Scarves Project! Initiated by some innovative women in California, Womaen's Caucus has taken on this project, and now there are even people across the globe creating rainbow-colored scarves, stoles, ties, hats, and more for wearing at Annual Conference as a statement of support for lgbt people. Both knitting and crocheting instructions for making the scarves and getting them to Annual Conference are posted on the Womaen’s Caucus website at www.womaenscaucus.org. Even if you are not going to Conference this year, consider joining this effort and sending in scarves for others to proudly wear and show their support. Please contact the office if you are interested in coordinating this project for the Mennonite USA Assembly in Columbus.
6) Susan Boyer Joins the Board
BMC is pleased to announce that Susan Boyer, a pastor at the La Verne Church of the Brethren in La Verne, California, has agreed to serve on the BMC board. The La Verne congregation is a member of the Supportive Communities Network (SCN). Susan graciously combines the gentle presence of a pastor with a strong voice for peace and justice. We welcome Susan to the board!
7) Midwest BLGTA College Conference
More than 1,500 GLBTA college students attended this year’s Midwest BLGTA College Conference held at IU Bloomington February 13-15, Living Out Loud: Examining our Past to Enhance our Future. Participants attended various workshops, lectures, and had time to build a network of community. As part of the conference, Kaleidoscope Coordinator, Carrie Fry-Miller led a workshop, Making our Voice Heard: Strategizing for Change on Faith-Based Campuses, in which 18 people participated with insightful questions and rigorous discussion. BMC is grateful to First Presbyterian Church in Bloomington for hosting a group of 3 students from Manchester College (affiliated with the Church of the Brethren) along with 3 students from Bluffton College (affiliated with the Mennonite Church USA) during the conference.
8) Helen Herbst Honored
BMC and the La Verne Church of the Brethren together celebrated the commitment and contributions of Helen Herbst at a special luncheon in January. Helen, who is now in her 90’s, has been a consistent supporter of BMC for decades. In her tribute, BMC executive director Carol Wise said, “Helen has been a source of encouragement, support, refuge and hope for many lgbt people who have found themselves rejected by family, church and friends. In her quiet, unassuming manner and with gracious hospitality, she has made people feel welcome and less alone.”
9) Board Meeting
The BMC board enjoyed the kind hospitality of the Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren for its recent board meeting. Items on the board’s agenda included sabbatical planning, strategizing for denominational conferences and assemblies, a fiscal review, reports, and preparation for a board retreat to work on new three year goals. The board was pleased to note that significant progress has been made on goals set in 2006. In addition, the board made a careful assessment of BMC’s finances and explored various options should difficult economic times result in declining contributions.
10) BMC at Bethany
Carol Wise was invited to spend several days on the Bethany Seminary campus in Richmond, Indiana as a resource for students and faculty. She offered a presentation entitled From Sanctuary to Solidarity: A Queer Movement of Hope to the Bethany, Earlham School of Religion peace forum, preached at a chapel service, and was available for conversation with students and faculty. She was particularly pleased to be able to be a part of a first organized meeting of Earlham and Bethany lgbt students. BMC thanks Bethany student Anna Lisa Gross for all the work that she put in to make this a rewarding and successful visit.
11) Heeding God’s Call: A Gathering on Peace
BMC was a participant at this important conference held in Philadelphia in January, sponsored by Mennonite Church USA, Church of the Brethren, and the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. The conference focused on revitalizing individual and community responses to the violence, terrorism and fear that is so prevalent at home and in the world. BMC was granted a display table at the event, which drew nearly 400 participants, including representatives from numerous faith traditions.
12) Iceland Names First Openly Lesbian Prime Minister
On February 1, Iceland named its first openly lesbian Prime Minister, Johanna Sigurdardottir. Not only is she the first out lesbian to be given a place on the cabinet, but she is also the first out head of government in Europe. In addition, not only is this a milestone for the LGBT community, but it also represents the first time there has been an equal number of men and women in Iceland’s cabinet.
13) California Supreme Court and Proposition 8
Thousands of people gathered on March 5 as the California Supreme Court began hearing arguments for and against Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage and forced the divorce of many same-sex couples in California. The Supreme Court will rule within 90 days.
14) Your Support is Appreciated
Like many organizations, BMC is impacted by the global economic downturn. This is unfortunate at this very exciting time in the movement for lgbt justice and inclusion. If you are able, please continue to support BMC through your gifts, presence and witness. Together, we are creating a better world and church for future generations. Thank you!
BMC NewsNet is an electronic newsletter produced by Carol Wise and Carrie Fry-Miller for the Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Interests (BMC). BMC seeks to provide programming, support and advocacy for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals and their families and friends. For questions, comments or to unsubscribe from this list, contact the BMC office at PO Box 6300, Minneapolis, MN 55406-0300, USA; bmc@bmclgbt.org; or 612.343.2060.
To donate to BMC, go to our website at www.bmclgbt.org and click on Donate Now. You can also send a check to the BMC office, PO Box 6300, Minneapolis, MN 55406. Thank you for your generous support!
BMC Staff
Carol Wise – Executive Director, SCN Coordinator
Carrie Fry-Miller - Kaleidoscope Coordinator, BMC Volunteer
Randall Friesen – Outspoken Editor
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