top of page
Oral History Project

Jim and Ed 

Jim Lichti and Ed Driskill of San Francisco, are featured in this Oral History interview with BMC board member Jess Hoffert. The two men recall experiences from the early days of BMC and particularly their experiences with the Mennonite Church. Their fierce and gentle reflections offer important insights into the challenges and courage of the early BMC community. 
 

Calgary Inter-Mennonite Church

Surprised by Joy: A Congregation's Story.  Members of Calgary Inter-Mennonite Church (CIM) share about their congregation's journey toward welcome of LGBT people.  Stories of joy, loss, and finding strength through community are woven throughout.  Features music by Thor & Friends & Alberta composer Valiska.

Martin Rock

Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests founder Martin Rock and those who worked alongside him, including Gary Smucker, Bev Brubaker, Pam Brubaker and others recount the beginnings of BMC.

John Linscheid 

The first recipient of the Martin Rock Award, John Linscheid recounts his experiences in the Mennonite church and his unqualified embrace of his identity as a gay man.

BMC Speaking Out: Pink Menno

​In the fourth in a series of videos on the theme of Speaking Out, Pink Menno co-founder Jen Yoder, along with Katie Hochstedler, Pax Ressler, and Reuben Sancken-Marx share stories of Pink Menno's participation in Mennonite Church USA Assemblies. Features photography by Kerry Bush and Jacklyn Wells.

BMC Speaking Out: Germantown Mennonite Church

The third in a series of videos on the theme of Speaking Out shares the story of Germantown Mennonite Church, the oldest Mennonite Church in North America. Current and former members of the congregation share stories of their community's path toward LGBTQ welcome and its continued message of joy and inclusion.

BMC Speaking Out 1986

In the second of a series of videos on the theme of Speaking Out, the 1986 General Conference Mennonite Church Assembly in Saskatoon is recounted.  Su Flickinger was a member of the Human Sexuality Committee that convened in the early 1980's that developed a study guide that was presented at the session.  Christian Yoder was the BMC Coordinator from 1984 - 1989.  Frank Trnka was a delegate at the session.

BMC Speaking Out 1983
In the first of a series of videos on the theme of Speaking Out, early organizers of the Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interest recount the unexpected message from a Church of the Brethren mother.

Our Voices: Ally
This is the first of a series of films produced by Paul Neudorf and Amy Short that share perspectives on a number of issues related to LGBTQ inclusion. "Ally" features interviews with Jim Sauder, Kirsten Freed, Su Flickinger, Pax Ressler, Katie Hochstedler, Reuben Sancken, and Jen Yoder. Our Voices is a series of the BMC's Oral History Project.

BMC History Project
Amy Short, in her work on the BMC Elder History Project, has been busy collecting stories, primarily from older BMC individuals, but also from some younger ones as well. Currently she has over 40 hours of taped interviews that will be preserved for our archives, with some utilized for trainings or simply shared as a celebration of our strength and variety as a community. Amy has pulled some of the material together into this short video clip.

Mennonite Church Camp

Luke Miller shares a series of vignettes on how Mennonite Church camp help shaped his identity.

Josih Coming Out 

At a BMC Storytelling Event in Watervliet, Michigan, Josih Hostetler shares a story about going to dinner at Applebee's with his family because he has "something very exciting to tell them."

Asset 2.png

©2017 Brethren Mennonite Council

bottom of page