BMC NewsNet
Vol. 10 No. 5
September / October 2009

BMC NewsNet

Vol. 9, No. 5

September/October

Defunct hard drive

1)     CRASH!!

2)     Board Adopts New Goals

3)     Connecting Families Weekend – April 9-11, 2010

4)     Progressive Brethren Gathering: Ready at the Thresholds – November 11-13, 2009

5)     Welcoming Church Trainings

6)     Youth Advisor Resource Packet

7)     Did You Know?

8)     Civil Rights Victory:  Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act

9)     Pen Pals

10)   Upcoming Travel

1)   CRASH!!!

That’s what happened to the main computer in the BMC office last month as the hard drive completely failed (its malady was called “the click of death.”) We lost some information, particularly newer email addresses, but the damage does not appear to be too great. Since the office equipment is nearly eight years old, the experience offered a good opportunity to assess our technology needs. At its recent meeting, the board challenged itself to raise $5000 for new technology that includes the following:

2 office desktop computers

1 notebook computer for travel ease

1 video camera to record BMC events and the stories of elder BMC community members

1 LSD projector for workshops and presentations

1 office laser printer 

Please help us purchase this technology that will enable us to do our work more efficiently as well as develop exciting new program areas. Donate online at our website, www.bmclgbt.org or send a check marked “technology” to BMC/PO Box 6300/Minneapolis, MN  55406. Thank you so much!

2)   Board Adopts New Goals

The BMC board enjoyed the kind hospitality of Paul and Kathy Fry-Miller as they met at the Fry-Miller home in North Manchester, Indiana in September for an extended retreat. Kurt Borgmann, pastor at the North Manchester Church of the Brethren, skillfully led the board through a process of vision and mission discernment. It was an exciting and optimistic exploration about what it means to be part of an important social justice movement at this juncture in history. As a result of its conversation, the board broadened its long term outlook as well as adopted eight specific goals for the next three years. Goal areas include coalition building, leadership development, elder lgbt issues and recognition, gender identity education, heightened visibility and financial growth.

3)   Connecting Families Weekend – April 9-11, 2010

Connecting Families is a group of engaging and sensitive Mennonite, Brethren and other individuals who are interested in exploring sexual minority issues as they affect families, friends, individuals and congregations. The group holds an annual retreat style weekend that offers an opportunity to share, learn, find support, and explore ways to educate and engage our churches in dialogue. “Peter and Cornelius: A Paradigm for Inclusivity in the Church” is the focus of this year’s weekend, which will feature Vern Rempel, pastor at First Mennonite Church of Denver, Colorado. The weekend will be held at the Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center in Reisterstown, Maryland. For more information and to download a brochure with registration information, go to www.bmclgbt.org and look under “Coming Events.”

4)   Progressive Brethren Gathering: Ready at the Thresholds – November 11-13, 2009

Excitement is gathering for the second Progressive Brethren Gathering! Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren in Pennsylvania is the host for this event that is sponsored by BMC, Womaen’s Caucus, and Voices for an Open Spirit. Through worship, group conversations, individual reflections, music and presentations, the gathering will explore what it means to be faithful progressive Brethren within the context of a changing world with serious needs. Due to a serious illness, Gordon Kaufman was forced to cancel his participation. However, Jonathan Reed, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of La Verne, has graciously stepped in as our featured presenter. Jonathan, an internationally known archeologist, will present on “Paul and Imperialism” and “Sexuality and Domination in Antiquity.” To learn more and obtain registration materials, go to the Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren website at www.etowncob.org.

5)   Welcoming Church Trainings

BMC has joined with other ecumenical partners to offer trainings for individuals interested in helping their congregation become a community that openly welcomes people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Issues and skills related to change theory, church conflict and resolution, storytelling, biblical content, and positive strategies for change are included in the training. To quote one participant, “I came to the training thinking I would learn tips to help my congregation become a Welcoming congregation. And I did learn that. But what I didn’t anticipate was how the whole experience of the weekend gave me a sense of myself as a participant and actor in helping the Church be more faithful to the mission of Jesus in relation to ALL people in and outside the Church.”

Upcoming trainings are being planned for Grinnell, Denver, Dallas, Washington DC, and possibly the Waterloo/Kitchener area. Registration and additional information related to the trainings are 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.

6)   Youth Advisor Resource Packet

BMC is pleased to announce the completion of the Youth Advisor Resource Packet, a guide to helping church youth advisors respond to youth in their group who may be coming out or questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. Date from recent studies of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are indicating that the age of first awareness of same sex attraction ranges from ages 8 to 11 years on average and the age of identifying as lgb from 15-17 years on average (Source: Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network, at www.glsen.org), making this an important topic for conscientious youth advisors.

The resource complements “Coming Out Strong: Information and Resources for LGBTQA Brethren and Mennonite Youth” and will soon be available on the BMC website.

7)   Did You Know?

There has been an explosion in both the quantity and quality of resources related to lgbt justice; including resources addressing coming out, biblical interpretation, spirituality, being a supportive ally, worship, transgender identity, developing a welcoming church, etc.  BMC has access to many of these resources (electronic, paper, DVD), and we are eager to share them. In addition, we offer the following trainings and workshops:

• Welcoming Church Training (2 days) – how to make your congregation become more welcoming of lgbt people.

• How Heterosexism Hurts the Church (1-2 hours) – an exploration of why being lgbt friendly is good for a congregation.

• Safe Zone Trainings (3 hours) – how to offer support and a safe place for lgbt individuals

• Elder LGBT: Concerns and Challenges (1-2 hours) – explores the needs and challenges of lgbt adults who came of age prior to the Stonewall Revolt, and helps congregations and institutions grow in their sensitivity and understanding.

• Youth Advisor’s Workshop (3 hours) – helps church youth advisors understand and work with youth who may identify as lgbt or be questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity.

If you are interested in hosting or participating in a workshop, or are interested in any of BMC’s resources, please contact our office at 612-343-2060 or email us at bmc@bmclgbt.org – we would love to hear from you.

8)   Civil Rights Victory:  Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act

On Wednesday, October 28, President Barack Obama signed into law the first piece of US federal law that explicitly includes protections for the lgbt community. The federal hate crimes legislation gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence where the victim has been selected because of the person’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It also provides critical federal resources to state and local agencies in their investigation and prosecution of hate crimes. The act honors the memory of Matthew Shepard, a Wyoming college student brutally murdered in an act of hate violence in 1998, and James Byrd, Jr., an African American man who was dragged to death in Jasper, Texas in 1998.

9)   Pen Pals

Part of what was lost in the computer crash was a list of individuals willing to be a pen pal for lgbt individuals who are incarcerated and seeking some sort of connection. If you had previously indicated an interest in this kind of outreach, or if this now interests you, please contact the BMC office at bmc@bmclgbt.org. Thank you!

10)   Upcoming Travel

Oct 29 – Nov 2 – Kirsten to Wisconsin for Lutheran Volunteer Corp Retreat

Nov 7-8 – Carol to Illinois for IL/WI Church of the Brethren District Conference

Nov 12-14 – Kirsten to Bluffton College for Safe Zone Training

Nov 13-16 – Carol to Pennsylvania for Progressive Brethren Gathering

Dec 7-8 – Carol in Minnesota for Institute of Welcoming Resources meeting

Dec 15-16 – Carol to Illinois for Church of the Brethren Resource Committee meeting

BMC NewsNet is an electronic newsletter produced by Carol Wise and Kirsten Freed for the Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Interests (BMC).   BMC provides 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. We really need your contributions and thank you for your generous support!

BMC Staff

Carol Wise – Executive Director, SCN Coordinator

Kristen Freed - Kaleidoscope Coordinator, BMC Volunteer