BMC NewsNet
Vol. 8, No. 1
January / February, 2008
 
Maggie Miller joins other UCC volunteers at a yearly Students and friends from Manchester
“Partners in Service” retreat. College join Kaleidoscope Coordinator
Maggie Miller for the MBLGTA College Conference.
BMC Canadians from Winnipeg joined
the NFO training in February.
1) UCC Volunteer Retreat
2) MBLGTACC 2008
3) Connecting Families Weekend
4) Welcoming Church Training
5) BMC Gathering 2008
6) Elder LGBT Task Force
7) BMC Canada Needs a Treasurer!
8) Sexual Health Research Project
9) Progressive Brethren Summit Announced
10) Kaleidoscope Coordinator Job Opening
11) Changes in European Adoption Laws
12) Remembering Lawrence King
1) UCC Volunteer Retreat
BMC volunteer Maggie Miller managed to escape the Minnesota winter for a week this January as she traveled just outside of Charleston, South Carolina for the annual United Church of Christ long-term volunteer retreat for the Partners in Service program. Maggie gave a well-received presentation on BMC and the Kaleidoscope Program, and heard the stories of other volunteers from the U.S., Hungary, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. She came back to the Twin Cities revitalized and appreciative to the UCC, who graciously welcomes BMC as a project site, for a fun, relaxing week.
2) MBLGTACC 2008
The annual Midwest BLGTA College Conference was held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, February 22-24. Kaleidoscope Coordinator Maggie Miller arranged housing for interested students from Mennonite and Brethren colleges and universities at First Mennonite Church in Urbana. Just a short walk from campus, First Mennonite provided Maggie and ten students with a fun and comfortable stay. Workshops ranged a variety of issues within the BLGTA community, including Maggie’s workshop entitled “Divided Loyalties: Allies within the Faith Community.” Next year’s conference is being held at Indiana University, Bloomington. BMC greatly appreciates the kind hospitality of First Mennonite Church in Urbana.
3) Connecting Families Weekend
Mark your calendars for the Connecting Families Weekend – April 18-20, 2008! This year’s gathering will take place at the Antiochian Villiage in Bolivar, Pennsylvania. The theme is “Welcome home: Why the Church Needs Sexual Minorities – a Biblical and Pastoral Vision for a Way Forward,” and features Weldon Nisly, pastor of the Seattle Mennonite Church, as the resource person. For more information about the weekend, contact the BMC office for Rose and Bob Moyer. A brochure and registration form can be downloaded from the BMC website at www.bmclgbt.org.
4) Welcoming Church Training
The first of five 2008 Welcoming Church Trainings was held in Minneapolis on February 14-17. Twenty five participants representing five church traditions worked diligently on issues and skills related to change theory, church conflict and resolution, storytelling, biblical content, and positive strategizing for change. This is a marvelous opportunity to help your congregation become a more welcoming and just place. The training is informative, insightful, educational, practical and deeply spiritual. There are four additional trainings tentatively scheduled for 2008, with the potential of others being added:
June 6-8 La Verne, California
September Wake Forest, North Carolina
October Goshen, Indiana
November Washington, DC
Registration and additional information related to the trainings is posted on the Institute for Welcoming Resources website (IWR is an ecumenical group of which BMC is a member) at www.welcomingresources.org. Click on National Field Organizer Trainings – Toward a Welcoming Church. Registration forms and information are also available on the BMC website, www.bmclgbt.org.
5) BMC Gathering 2008
Formerly known as the BMC Convention, this biennial gathering is taking place October 10-12, 2008 at the Potawatomi Inn in Pokagon State Park near Angola, Indiana. The theme for this year is Exploring Your Creative Spirit, and will include many opportunities for creative expression, introspection, community building, outdoor activities, conversation, and good plain fun. More information found on our website: http://www.bmclgbt.org/events.shtml. If you have pre-gathering ideas, including funding and/or workshop possibilities, contact the BMC office for Wilma Harder.
6) Elder LGBT Task Force
Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people who came of age prior to the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969, experienced a world where their very identity was viewed by society as criminal, a mental illness, evil and abnormal. Their survival in the face of such horror is a testimony to strength, courage and often, incredible faith. At its recent board meeting in Chicago, Illinois, the BMC board elected to develop an Elder LGBT Task Force to highlight the contributions, and address some of the needs and particular concerns of this significant part of the BMC community. If you have an interest and would like to work on this project, please contact the BMC office at bmc@bmclgbt.org. Board member Becky Kreps from North Manchester, Indiana, will be chairing the work of the task force.
7) BMC Canada Needs a Treasurer!
Do you enjoy details? Are you interested in making a vital contribution to an inspiring social justice organization with just two to three hours of work each month from the comfort of your home? Then this is the volunteer opportunity for you.
The BMC Canada board is looking for a new member to fill the role of treasurer. The role includes basic bookkeeping and financial reporting functions, as well as a commitment to the board which meets approximately 6 times per year by conference call. Previous bookkeeping experience is helpful, but not essential as the bookkeeping requirements are fairly simple.
Interested? Please contact the BMC office for Paul Neudorf, co-chair of the BMC Canada board, for further information.
8) Sexual Health Research Project
Canadian BMCer’s have been asked to participate in a Canadian wide research project that will explore the relationship between sexual health and national diversity. Researchers are interested in the ways that being a queer Mennonite or Mennonite Brethren impacts how one accesses and/or experiences sexual health services. Topics to consider include particular needs, barriers, the impact of stereotypes, representation, and ways that the sexual health services can be more responsive and accessible. To learn more about this important project, please contact Janice Shaw, Research Coordinator, Canadians for Choice at research@canadiansforchoice.ca.
9) Progressive Brethren Summit Announced
Under the banner Faithful and Just: Progressive Brethren Speak, a wide variety of Brethren will gather on November 7-9, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. This will be the first gathering of people who see themselves as “progressive” and currently or formerly, participating in the Church of the Brethren. The event will address four major topic areas related to a progressive expression: A Challenged Church, A Grounded Church, A Welcoming Church and A Courageous Church, with plenty of break out sessions, workshops, worship, music, and opportunities for conversation. The weekend will be hosted by the Northview Church of the Brethren and is sponsored by BMC, Voices for an Open Spirit, Womaen’s Caucus, Christian Community and Manchester Church of the Brethren. Registration materials will be available after April 15.
10) Kaleidoscope Coordinator Job Opening
Know of a young adult trying to figure out what to do with the next year of their life? The full-time volunteer position of BMC Kaleidoscope Coordinator is open as of September, 2008. We are looking for a young adult interested in LGBT justice in the Brethren and Mennonite traditions who has strong communication skills, a willingness to travel, and the commitment to help bring about change. A detailed job description can be found on our website: http://www.bmclgbt.org/KaleidoscopeCoordinatorJobDescription.shtml. Most volunteers choose to serve through the volunteer structures of the Lutheran Volunteer Corps (www.lutheranvolunteercorps.org) or Volunteer Ministries, United Church of Christ (www.ucc.org), two organizations who welcome BMC as a project partner.
11) Changes in European Adoption Laws
In France, The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the withholding adoption rights to individuals simply because of their sexual orientation is a discriminatory practice in breach of the European Convention of Human Rights. French courts will no longer be able to refuse adoption approval to unmarried individuals on basis of their sexual orientation. This ruling extends to all countries in the Council of Europe which allow adoption by unmarried persons.
12) Remembering Lawrence King
On February 12, Lawrence King, a young 15 year old junior high student from Oxnard, California, was shot in his school’s computer lab, and later died. Larry, who identified as gay and sometimes dressed in a “feminine” manner, was killed by a 14 year old classmate who apparently was so abhorred that Larry had asked him to be his valentine that he brought a gun to school, entered the classroom, and shot Larry in the head. The killing is being considered a hate crime by law enforcement officials.
Lawrence King, his assailant, and the thousands of young lgbt kids who have just gotten the message to be very careful about coming out or displaying any type of gender non-conformity, are all victims of a tragic homophobia. As a community, BMC expresses our sorrow, wishes Lawrence the peace that was denied him in life, and calls upon all of us to work for an end to the violence and harassment that lgbt students regularly experience at school.
BMC NewsNet is an electronic newsletter produced by Carol Wise and Maggie 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
Maggie Miller – Kaleidoscope Coordinator, BMC Volunteer
Randall Friesen – Outspoken Editor
|
