I remember when I was taking my first steps towards coming out, the BMC website was a wonderful resource. It took me a few months to get brave enough to send an email to my local BMC group. (Of course they’re the unscariest bunch of people I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing!)

This blog could be one more way to reach queer people looking for a safe faith space. It could also be a great way for far-flung BMCers to feel connected.

To echo Katie’s post, I’m also a young Anabaptist who likes to think I’m radical. At the moment I’m a social worker in South-western Ontario. In the fall I’ll be moving to Winnipeg, Manitoba, for a term of Mennonite Voluntary Service.

One thing I find interesting, is how as "the church" slowly moves towards accepting lgbtq individuals in their midst, often the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. The church’s exclusionary policies and practices are breaking down, but have not yet been replaced with welcoming ones. This seems to mean that decision-making responsibilities get down-loaded to indiviudals. Individuals who will make decions about welcoming or excluding queer people based on their personal opinions, beliefs and biases. We all understand the discrimination that can occur in this kind of set-up, without a larger body (congregation, denomination) to hold accountable. On the other hand, when a queer-friendly individual happens to be in one of these decision-making positions, wonderful things can happen despite the church’s official stance.

So I am left confused, wondering if I should be happy or angry with my conference’s and congregation’s lack of a strong stance. Most of the time I try to be hopeful that Christians everywhere will remember what Jesus said about neighbours.

Hey, having a soap-box is kinda fun - someone else should try it.

I’d love to hear more of your thoughts on the exclusionary policies breaking down but not yet being replaced with welcoming. Does it seem to you this is happening in your congregation? conference? Mennonite Church Canada? Does it seem to be coming from internal change (from inside the church) or external change (from society around the church)?

I must say, it’s been hard for me lately to see the slow movement forward in Mennonite Church USA. I am also trying to stay hopeful and stay involved. As the saying goes, “history is made by those who show up.” I plan to show up, radically. I’ll be posting more on this later.

I also encourage others to try out the soap-box as well.