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BMC NewsNet
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Kaleidoscope Coordinator Katie Hochstedler |
Jan Fairchild in the Hospitality Center, sponsored by BMC, Womaen's Caucus & Voices for an Open Spirit |
1) New SCN Community Welcomed
2) BMC Community Gathering, Lancaster, PA, August 25, 7:00 PM
3) Pastor’s Invitation to Speak Withdrawn by Brethren Encyclopedia, Inc.
4) Carpenter Foundation Grant Awarded
5) BMC Announces Blog – Coming Out Strong
6) Staff Change in Kaleidoscope Program
7) Bilingual BMCers Needed
8) Contribute to Outspoken
9) SCN Congregation Recognized
10) We Made It!
11) Summer Conferences Reviewed
12) Tearing Down Walls, Restoring Communities: Christian Peacemaker Congress IX
13) Family & Sexuality in Mennonite History Conference
14) Call for Papers
15) Staff Travel
1) New SCN Community Welcomed
The Parent Support Group of Southwestern Ontario is the latest community to join the Supportive Communities Network (SCN). This group has been meeting for many years, offering support, resources, friendship and hope to family and friends of lgbt people. Their statement of welcome includes the statement, “We provide confidential support, resource and opportunities for dialogue, in the Spirit of Christ, to create and encourage a welcoming and open environment.”
We welcome the Parent Support Group as a community of welcome, grace and hope!
2) BMC Community Gathering, Lancaster, PA, August 25, 7:00 PM
It is summer and a fine time to enjoy the longer evenings with good friends! If you are in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area on Saturday, August 25, please join other BMCers for an evening of lively conversation, interesting information and luscious snacks. This is an opportunity to meet BMC board members, hear what BMC is doing, connect with other justice-loving people and enjoy the richness of the BMC community. For directions and to learn more, please RSVP to Ruth and Jay Martin by calling 717-293-9892 or emailing them at jrmartin@redrose.net.
3) Pastor’s Invitation to Speak Withdrawn by Brethren Encyclopedia, Inc.
Kurt Borgmann, pastor at the North Manchester Church of the Brethren, was recently dis-invited from an invitation to speak at the 300th Anniversary Celebration of Brethren groups that is being held in Schwarzenau, Germany in August 2008. The event honors the 8 men and women who, as an act of faith, defied the authority of the church and state and were baptized in the Eder River in 1708, thus beginning the Brethren movement. The Board of Directors of Brethren Encyclopedia, Inc. withdrew Borgmann’s invitation to speak after an individual (who remains unnamed) raised a concern about Borgmann’s pastoral leadership at a congregation that, as an act of faith, is part of the Supportive Communities Network and willing to bless same sex relationships.
4) Carpenter Foundation Grant Awarded
BMC is pleased to announce that we received a $15,000 grant from the E. Rhodes and Leona Carpenter Foundation. The money is to be used in the production of resource toolkits for high school youth, their parents and youth advisors; worship resources for welcoming congregations; a DVD featuring parents with lgbt children; and an enhanced BMC library. BMC looks forward to making these resources available.
5) BMC Announces Blog – Coming Out Strong
The BMC Kaleidoscope program is introducing a new blog, Coming Out Strong. The blog focuses primarily on the perspectives of youth and young adults who identify with the BMC community. The blog (short for web log) will include commentary and news on a range of topics that relate to BMC. Some of these will include: lgbtq issues, language, homophobia, the church, Mennonites, Brethren, politics, culture, faith, being young, privilege, current events, school, theology, humor, coming out, stories, and family.
To view the new blog, go to www.bmclgbt.org/blog. We are looking for contributors, if you are interested writing on the blog, please contact Kaleidoscope Coordinator Katie Hochstedler at kaleidoscope@bmclgbt.org.
6) Staff Change in Kaleidoscope Program
Katie Hochstedler is completing two years of volunteer work as the Kaleidoscope Coordinator of BMC. In that time, she has met with college students and young adults, attended conferences, presented workshops, developed and updated resources, and launched new projects. Katie’s humor, insights and commitment to lgbt justice have added considerably to the work of BMC and her presence will be missed. Katie will be staying in the Twin Cities, beginning a two year culinary arts program at Saint Paul College in Saint Paul, MN. If you would like to express your appreciation to Katie for her work, feel free to contact her at kaleidoscope@bmclgbt.org.
BMC is pleased to welcome Maggie Miller, of Elkhart, IN, as the new BMC volunteer and Kaleidoscope Coordinator. Maggie, a 2006 graduate of Manchester College, will begin her service at BMC in October. We look forward to her presence in the Twin Cities.
7) Bilingual BMCers Needed
The BMC office has been contacted recently by more lgbt Mennonites and Brethren from around the world. Some of these individuals are looking for information and support in their own language. If you are able to help BMC provide support and information in languages other than English through translation or conversation, please contact the BMC office so we may note your interest and ability for future reference. Spanish speaking individuals are particularly needed at this time.
8) Contribute to Outspoken
Editor Randall Friesen is taking announcements for the Happenings column for future editions of Outspoken. Please send any events, announcements, achievements, etc. to editor@bmclgbt.org.
9) SCN Congregation Recognized
Congratulations to the Columbia United Christian Church (CUCC), an SCN congregation in Columbia, Maryland, for being awarded a 2007 Arc of Maryland Community Dignity Award. The award was given for “significant contributions to the dignity of persons with developmental disabilities and promoting their inclusion in the community to lead meaningful lives.” According to Arc, CUCC is a model for how to include people with disabilities. “They walk the talk, without fanfare, without hypocrisy, without judgment, just a simple message.” Congratulations, CUCC!
10) We Made It!
Because of strong contributions at the end of our fiscal year, BMC was able to meet a matching grant challenge and end our fiscal year solidly in the black. The matching grant of $7,500 is used to fund the Volunteer Position. An additional $7,500 matching grant challenge has been issued for this new fiscal year. BMC thanks our many contributors for your generosity and commitment to a kinder and more humane church and society.
11) Summer Conferences Reviewed:
+ For Just Such a Time: Living Out the Call
For Just Such a Time: Living Out the Call (San Francisco, June 29 through July 1) was a great experience! First Mennonite Church of San Francisco were wonderful hosts and the content of the conference was inspiring, strong, and downright fun. The event began with an evening gathering at Dan Flickinger’s and concluded with a powerful worship on Sunday morning. Pictures from the conference can be seen at www.bmclgbt.org. The next edition of Outspoken will feature the three major presentations offered at the conference.
+Proclaiming the Power of God’s Peace and Justice: COB Annual Conference Activities
As an act of solidarity and conscience, Womaen’s Caucus and Voices for an Open Spirit (VOS) declined the invitation to have a booth in the Annual Conference Exhibit Hall, opting instead for a shared hospitality space sponsored by BCM, Caucus and VOS. Dubbed the Hospitality Center, the space buzzed with activity during the Conference, with hundreds finding sanctuary, information, conversation, good music and refreshments within its confines. Events such as a Love Feast, panel conversation, insight sessions (Making Churches Safe for LGBT Youth and How Heterosexism Damages the Church), music presentations and a celebratory party were offered during the four days that the Center was open. In addition to the Center, BMC also helped sponsor a dinner for denominational officials and other leaders that featured a panel of UCC executives discussing how the UCC’s policy of “extravagant welcome” has impacted their denomination. The excitement, theological strength, compassion and vision of the UCC representatives were compelling and rich. Pictures from the Hospitality Center can be seen at www.bmclgbt.org
+ MennoNeighbors Resolution Discussed at Menn. Church USA Assembly
There was time for discussion of a resolution submitted by MennoNeighbors at the Mennonite Church USA Assembly in San Jose, CA. The Resolution on the Membership Guidelines for Mennonite Church USA challenged the practice of disciplining and expelling congregations deemed to be “at variance” with the Confession of Faith (i.e. those who welcome LGBT members) and called upon “…the leaders of MC USA to discourage, and member conferences to end, the practice of disciplining or expelling congregations based on differing interpretations of the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective.” The Executive Board of MC USA elected to submit the resolution to delegates as a Statement for Discussion, with the understanding that no votes would be taken.
Conference ministers Lloyd Miller of Central District Conference, and Kurt Horst of Allegheny Mennonite Conference led the discussion by speaking in support of or opposition to the statement. The rest of the time was used for table discussion and time for table groups to report on their discussion. Text and explanation of the statement, as well as Miller and Horst’s presentations are available at the Mennonite Church USA web page for the San Jose Convention: http://www.sanjose2007.org/delegates/index.htm. There was a forum later in the day for those who wished continued discussion.
12) Tearing Down Walls, Restoring Communities: Christian Peacemaker Congress IX
Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) is holding its ninth congress at Toronto United Mennonite Church in Toronto, Ontario on September 20-23, 2007. The conference, titled Tearing Down Walls…Restoring Communities, will explore the power of nonviolence in addressing communities broken by violence. BMC is one of the co-sponsors of the event and Carol Wise will be in attendance. Keynote speakers include Jim Loney, Judy Da Silva, and Ricardo Esquivia. For more information, see the CPT website, www.cpt.org or contact CPT Canada, 416-423-5525 or canada@cpt.org.
13) Family & Sexuality in Mennonite History Conference
A special conference addressing the meaning, structure and function of families in Mennonite history, including the notion of sexuality as experienced and expressed by Mennonites in the past, will be held at Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Ontario on October 12-13, 2007. For more information, visit www.grebel.uwaterloo.ca/family or call Marlene Epp, Associate Professor, Conrad Grebel University College at 519-885-0220 ext. 24257
14) Call for Papers
The Journal of LGBT Youth (previously entitled the Journal of Gay & Lesbian Issues in Education) invites scholars, practitioners, researchers, educators, lay persons, young persons, and policy analysts to submit abstract proposals for this special theme double issue that will focus upon the theme: Millennial Teens: International Perspectives on LGBTQ Youth. Download article submission guidelines at:
www.schools-out.org.uk/research/docs/Millennial%20Gay%20Teens%20CALL.pdf.
15) Staff Travel and Events
August
COB Program & Arrangements Meeting - New Windsor, Maryland
BMC Board Meeting and Community Gathering – Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Welcoming Church Program Leaders (Institute of Welcoming Resources) – Minneapolis
September
Bishops and Elders Meeting – Sarasota, Florida
Christian Peacemaker Congress IX – Toronto, Ontario
October
Prairie to Pacific Roundtable/Listening Event – Kansas City, MO
Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship Retreat – Deerpark Camp, NY
BMC NewsNet is an electronic newsletter produced by Carol Wise and Katie Hochstedler 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 or contact Paul Hawkins, Development Coordinator, at phawkins@bmclgbt.org or 260.341.6387. You can also send a check to the BMC, PO Box 6300, Minneapolis, MN 55406. Thank you for your generous support!
BMC Staff
Carol Wise – Executive Director, SCN Coordinator
Katie Hochstedler – Kaleidoscope Coordinator, BMC Volunteer
Paul Hawkins – Development Coordinator
Randall Friesen – Outspoken Editor
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