BMC NewsNet
Vol. 10 No. 2
Spring 2009
 
Ralph McFadden Join the Pink Menno Campaign!
www.pinkmenno.org
1) Open Letter to Mennonite Church USA
2) Call to Confession, Commitment and Action
3) Send Us Your Pictures!
4) Mennonite Church USA Assembly
5) Church of the Brethren Annual Conference
6) Building An Inclusive Church Trainings
7) BMC Goes to the Valley
8) Visits to McPherson College and Bluffton College
9) Legal Gains for Equality
10) Honoring Warden Woods Mennonite Church
11) Thank You, Ralph McFadden
12) Fiscal Year End Fundraising Appeal
1) Open Letter to Mennonite Church USA
In April, 2009, an Open Letter to Mennonite Church USA calling for the church to confession and healing for its unwillingness to extend hospitality to lgbt people, was released by pastors Sheri Hostetler (First Mennonite Church San Francisco), Cynthia Lapp (Hyattsville Mennonite) and Weldon Nisly (Seattle Mennonite). The idea for the letter originated at the 2007 BMC conference, For Just Such a Time, and emerged from a careful process of discernment undertaken by its authors. Before its formal release, 106 pastors had signed the letter. To date, nearly 1,400 members of MCUSA have joined this movement for inclusion by signing on. If you are interested in adding your support, go to www.openlettermcusa.org.
2) A Call to Confession, Commitment, and Action:
A Statement from Church of the Brethren Youth and Young Adults
A group of Church of the Brethren young adults has composed a powerful statement, A Call to Confession, Commitment, and Action, in response to Standing Committee’s Statement of Confession and Commitment. The paper, written by young adults, can be viewed from the BMC webpage (www.bmclgbt.org) and is open for any middle or high school youth, or young adult (35 and under) to sign. Please pass this information on to those who may want to participate in calling the church to accountability.
3) Send Us Your Pictures!
BMC continues to collect photos of Brethren and Mennonite lgbt people, our families and allies as a visual statement of who we are as a community. Brief personal statements about your relationship with the church are also welcomed. Send your best pose by this Friday, June 19, to bmc@bmclgbt.org. Thank you!
4) Mennonite Church USA Convention: June 30-July 5
Pink Menno Campaign
Help turn Columbus pink! Young adults in the Mennonite Church USA are leading a grassroots effort to generate a significant presence of lgbt and allies at the MCUSA assembly in Columbus this year. Supporters are encouraged to wear pink as a visible sign of a desire to help reopen dialogue about ensuring the church is an inclusive and welcoming body. To learn more about the Pink Menno Campaign, to order a tee-shirt so that you can show your pink support, or to find ways to get involved, go to their website at www.pinkmennocampaign.ning.com.
Open Letter Hospitality Room
The Open Letter Organizing Committee is sponsoring a hospitality room that will offer a place for conversation as well as information about BMC, the Open Letter Committee, Pink Menno and MennoNeighbors. It will be located in the Muirfield Ballroom in the Crowne Plaza Hotel
Seminars at the Hospitality Room
Wednesday, July 1, 3:15 - 5:15 pm.
How Heterosexism Hurts the Church
Carol Wise, BMC
Thursday, July 2, 4:15 – 5:15 pm.
Learning to Agree and Disagree in Love: A Congregation Processes Membership Issues
Marlene Steiner Suter and Steve Goering, Columbus Mennonite Church
Friday, July 2, 4:15 – 5:15 pm.
The Eunuch Trajectory in the Bible: Jerusalem to Gaza by way of Isaiah
Lin Garber, MennoNeighbors.
Saturday, July 4, 4:15 – 5:15 pm
Sexual Ethics Beyond the Rules
Sheri Hostetler, First Mennonite Church of San Francisco.
Open Letter Reception
A reception for signers of the Open Letter will be held on Thursday evening, July 2 at 9:00 pm in the Muirfield Ballroom at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. If you signed the Open Letter to MC USA you are invited to come and enjoy refreshments, hear from Open Letter Committee members, and meet others who share your desire for a more hospitable church.
Midday Prayer
Midday prayer services will be held daily from 12:15 – 12:30 outside the adult worship hall by the green and pink banner.
5) Church of the Brethren Annual Conference: June 26- 30
BMC Luncheon and Training
June 26, 12-3:30 p.m., First Church of the Brethren, San Diego
The program will include training for the mobile booth witness, important conversation with Womaen’s Caucus and Voices for an Open Spirit (VOS) regarding Annual Conference business, as well as time to catch up with old friends! To make your reservation, contact the BMC office at 612-343-2060, or download the reservation form at the BMC website (www.bmclgbt.org) by June 19.
Mobile Booth Witness
Although BMC has once again been denied booth space in the exhibit hall, we plan to make our presence known through mobile booths. Each booth will need two people to go to a designated place in the conference center, set up a card table and display materials, and engage others in conversation about BMC and the purpose of the witness. Each of you will be given some training on what to say, and how to respond to questions and concerns. If you are interested, it is recommended, but not required, that you attend the luncheon on Friday, June 26. The 90-minute time slots to which you can commit are listed on the BMC website along with other Annual Conference information. Please contact the BMC office if you are willing to be a witness for justice in this way.
Picture Project
BMC will continue to offer a picture witness of Church of the Brethren members who have experienced a deep frustration and disappointment with the Church of the Brethren because of the church’s treatment of lgbt people. We are particularly interested in photos of lgbt individuals and families. These enlarged photos will be visible throughout the conference experience, culminating in a more formal act of witness. Please consider carrying a picture during the conference and plan to join us for the formal witness on Monday evening, June 29. We will gather at 6-6:15pm in the Lion Fountain Court located on the grounds of the Town and Country Resort. The witness will be done before worship that evening.
Rainbow Scarves
Show your support for lgbt inclusion by wearing a rainbow scarf at Annual Conference. Womaen’s Caucus has been asking the Caucus community to knit and crochet scarves that will be given free to conference goers to wear as a statement of support for lgbt inclusion. Hundreds of scarves and other rainbow items have already been collected. For instructions on how you can get involved in this project, go to www.womaenscaucus.org. Scarves will be available at the Caucus booth in the Exhibit Hall. Thank you Caucus!
Peace Witness
BMC encourages conference goers to participate in a peace witness that will be held on Sunday afternoon, June 28th. Coordinated by On Earth Peace and Linda Williams of the First COB in San Diego, the plan is a simple witness of walking and carrying signs that speak of building peace or ending violence. Walkers will gather at 4:45 – 5:00 pm at a designated site (to be announced) and will be back at the conference center by 6:00 pm.
6) Building an Inclusive Church Trainings
BMC has partnered with three other lgbt groups to offer Building an Inclusive Church Trainings, an educational and pragmatic approach that is designed to help participants develop the organizing skills and strategies that are useful in helping their congregations become welcoming communities. The fall schedule is as follows:
September 18-19 Washington, DC (Calvary Baptist Church)
October 9-10 Lancaster, PA (Community Mennonite Church)
October 23-23 Seattle, WA (Seattle First Baptist Church)
November 6-7 Grinnell, IA (Grinnell College)
To learn more about these exciting trainings or register for an event, click here.
7) BMC Goes to the Valley
Ralph McFadden, vice president of the BMC board, and Carol Wise, BMC executive director, recently traveled to the Bridgewater/Harrisonburg, Virginia area to meet with supporters, hear what is happening in the valley, and offer resources and encouragement. Over 125 individuals participated in events that included a BMC workshop From Sanctuary to Solidarity, a luncheon, individual visits, and a presentation to the Altruistic Sunday School class at the Bridgewater Church of the Brethren. Positive things are happening in that region of the country as courageous individuals work for change.
8) Visits to McPherson College and Bluffton College
BMC Kaleidoscope Coordinator, Carrie Fry-Miller, was invited to visit McPherson College and Bluffton College earlier this spring. At McPherson, she met with multiple classes and the newly formed Gay/Straight Alliance. The highlight of her visit was facilitating a Safe Zone training, attended by 4 students and 16 faculty and staff. At Bluffton, Carrie met with a class, student groups and a group of faculty and staff.
While students at both campuses voiced frustration at the lack of awareness about issues faced by the lgbt community, it was encouraging to note the emergence of faculty, staff and students who are committed to working for change. Good things are happening!
9) Legal Gains for Equality
Despite the sobering and frustrating passage of Proposition 8 in California, marriage equality remains very much alive as Iowa (April 3), New Hampshire (June 3), Maine (May 6) and Vermont (April 7) all moved to legalize same sex marriage. There are currently 6 states in the US that have marriage equality. In addition, on June 15 the US Conference of Mayors passed a resolution titled “Equality and Civil Rights for Gay and Lesbian Americans” that includes support for same sex marriage as well as the endorsement of the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act, Military Readiness Enhancement Act, Uniting Families Act and the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
10) Honoring Warden Woods Mennonite Church
The final worship service for Warden Woods Mennonite Church, a publicly affirming congregation in Scarborough, Ontario, will be held on June 28, 2009. The congregation began as a neighborhood mission in 1937 and formally organized in 1951. They founded the Warden Woods Community Center over thirty years ago, an urban ministry that has expanded into a thriving, independent, multi-service neighborhood center. The congregation has a striking history of service, courage and compassion. BMC is forever grateful for its support and witness.
11) Thank You, Ralph McFadden
BMC is extremely grateful for the work of Ralph McFadden, who served as the acting director of BMC while Carol Wise was on a ten week sabbatical. Ralph, who is currently the vice president of the BMC board, brought his years of expertise as a chaplain, church administrator, writer and lgbt advocate to the assignment, and it was no surprise that everything ran smoothly. Carol used her sabbatical time to relax, reflect and do an intentional study of the dynamics and history of various social movements. She is now back in the office full time.
12) Fiscal Year End Fundraising Appeal
BMC is coming to the end of its fiscal year and we need your support so that we can meet our financial obligations and continue to do the important work that needs to be done. A positive close to our fiscal year, especially in these challenging economic times, sends a message of determination, commitment and value that will put us in a strong position for the coming year. Please consider a contribution.
Checks may be sent to BMC, Box 6300, Minneapolis, MN 55406 or you may donate online by going to our website www.bmclgbt.org and clicking on the “Donate Now” button at the bottom right hand side of the page. Thank you for your generous support!
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.
BMC Staff
Carol Wise – Executive Director, SCN Coordinator
Carrie Fry-Miller - Kaleidoscope Coordinator, BMC Volunteer
Randall Friesen – Outspoken Editor
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