Latest Diocesan News - Open conversation with the LGBT Community and the Church

Latest Diocesan News

The Episcopal Church of Greater Atlanta has taken a step forward in opening the door for conversations between the LGBT community and the Church. Commendations to those involved, and many blessings for the progress this will bring to the hearts of men, whose hearts are blocked by prejudice and ignorance. Christ be with you.

The questions they are asking are as follows:

1.      How have you, or someone you are close to, been impacted by the church on issues of sexuality and   gender identity?
2.      How do you perceive the mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta to and with LGBT people? How would you like the church respond to your experience? What do you need?
3.      What gifts do you have to share with the church, and how might the church be more receptive to the sharing of your gifts?
4.      What additional comments do you wish to share?

How would you answer these? Send me your response.


Click on the link to see their progress. Join the conversation.

Labels and Why We Use Them

Labels are the norm in our society. Everything has a name, a label, a place in our language and lingo. It's how we communicate - but not always effectively.

What happens when our labels don't match what we see? or what happens if our labels are offensive? Labels make life easy to some degree, but we might need to re-think how we use them.

Watch the video as an intro to labels and why we use them. Send me your feedback, and maybe we will use your info on the next video!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX9gs8gGbiE

Moses Came OUT Late in Life

I've pondered many times the similarities in my life to Moses. He was raised Egyptian, raised to be the leader of a people, only to find out that he was actually the descendent of the most despised people of his nation: He was a Jew.

What did he do? He came to terms with who he was and joined his people. He experienced anger at the oppression he saw for the first time, and he resorted to violence. He was cast out of his country, had to pull himself together, and went back to face his destiny.

So, what do we have in common? Moses embraced who he was and did not try to hide it. As an Egyptian prince, he was not raised to hide anything. He was it, the center of attention and respect. There was nothing about him that said he SHOULD hide anything. After he came OUT as a Jew, that didn't change. He embraced who he was.

I spent the first 40 years of my life as a heterosexual. I was not a closet heterosexual, was not expected to hide anything. I was in the "in" crowd, so to speak - as uncomfortable as it was. Now that I have finally come to terms with who I am as a bisexual woman, I am the same. I have never had any reason to hide my sexual orientation, so why should I start now. I embrace who I am, and have no intentions of going into a closet that I am completely unfamiliar with just because others are wanting to ignore the rainbow elephant in the room.

And I guess I am a bit of a rainbow elephant. I missed all the normal flirting and dating and intro relationships because I was a fish out of water. I was unaware of men who were interested, only dated people I knew well, hated being hit on, and eventually married people I considered my best friends.

Now that I know why I wasn't behaving "normally," I am trying to catch up on all those years I missed as a teen and twenty-something doing those things that teens and twenty-somethings do "normally": flirt and date and have intro relationships to the "real thing".

So please, if you meet me, or someone like me, please try to remember: Moses came out late in life and didn't actually take hold of his destiny until he was 80. I'm a forty-something trying to embrace mine. I'm not going in the closet to make you or anyone else happy. And if you happen to be the female I am flirting with, please take it in stride - whether or not you are straight or gay or bisexual - you are getting well deserved attention, and I am making up for lost time. Men hitting on women has been the norm on our society. It happens all the time everywhere (I) go. Women hitting on women is only odd because it is not the current norm except in closet circles.

I mean no harm, have a sense of humor, and simply want to enjoy life as I was created. I love women, think they are incredible, and want to let as many as possible know how much they are appreciated and respected. So please, if I flirt with you, know that you have made my day.

This Far By Grace

Episcopal Bishop J. Neil Alexander wrote This Far By Grace, A Bishop's Journey Through Questions About Homosexuality.

It is an excellent easy read, and very insightful to at least one persons journey - personally and through scripture - to come to terms with homosexuality in society and especially in the church.

I am forever grateful to The Episcopal Church for their stance on inclusion for ALL people regardless of gender, race, and especially sexual orientation and choice of partner. Because of this, I can operate openly in ministry, no secrets, nothing to hide, and minister the gospel to others by the love of Christ.

We are looking at this book to do a study group for Adult Education at St. Teresa's, or possibly a Sunday School Group for those who are interested.

If you are interested in being a part of a study group on this book anywhere, let me know.

Reactions to CFA

We've been working on dialogue for several years now. Nothing like this week to demonstrate how badly we need to continue working on that dialogue. Lots of misinformed people eating and not eating chicken sandwiches.

Stereotypes are developed from prejudice and lack of exposure to that thing or person one has an aversion to. Prejudice and discrimination can be eliminated through exposure and contact with those things in a way that demonstrates the stereotype was false or misleading. (http://www.usu.edu/psy3510/prejudice.html)

That being said, Christians just enhanced their stereotype this week as prejudiced and non caring, and the LGBTQ community did the same with the KISS-INS showing erratic public behavior lacking discretion. Most people don't condone PDA because it can be offensive for Gay and Straight alike. "Get a room" ...

So we have ruffled feathers on both sides, and PRIDE on both sides. It's time to reflect on our behavior and check ourselves regards what is going to bring our differences to a miniscule point. One man's actions caused a series of erratic REACTIONS. Self control, please.

Christians, please try to remember that Jesus Christ made friends with everyone - EXCEPT the self righteous Pharisees and Sadducees. To be a friend of Jesus means you are NOT self righteous and terrorizing. LGBTQ who love Christ, you are a miracle few recognize or understand.

During the time of Christ, the Romans were in control. Jesus did not try to use his influence to change the government or vote in a ruler that saw things his way. He ran when they wanted to make HIM king. The power of the Holy Spirit is what changes lives. He never met Herod, and He was humble before Pilate.

Marriage was a purely religious institution. State marriages were created to keep track of property and inheritance. Please don't confuse the two. Know your history. What you think you are fighting for is a man made creation - legal marriage has a history unrelated to religious marriage as we think of it today. Marriage licenses in the U.S. were actually created to prevent or keep track of interracial marriages, which were illegal until the 1960's and 70's.

We have come a long way. In order to truly be a nation that loves Christ and exemplifies HIS values, we need to walk as HE walked - without judgment, prejudice, and condemnation. "I did not come to judge the world, but to save it." Ask yourself, did your thoughts or actions this week in relation to CFA mirror the life of Christ? not your preacher, your mama, or daddy, or somebody else. But did your actions mirror the life of Jesus Christ?

Only when we get to a place in our lives where we know the life of Christ, know Him, and choose to be like Him, will we be able to really see the power of the Kingdom of God on earth. The kingdom is within you. That is what Christ taught. Did you show His kingdom this week? or yours ...

Launching Gay Straight Talk, Inc.

This is an exciting time in our country. The LGBTQ community has made great progress towards marriage equality, and we continue to make foot prints.

We are finally launching Gay Straight Talk, Inc. on FaceBook and the Web. Our first endeavor is a study group on Bishop Neil Alexander's book This Far By Grace hosted at St. Teresa's Episcopal Church. Bishop Alexander writes about his journey with the subject of homosexuality in The Episcopal Church - where he has come from and where he is now. It's a great read especially for those looking for an inclusive church family.

I will keep you posted on the study group and the changes taking place in the Episcopal Church. God Bless.

Political Life

Here is a question: How would politics change if the church took a stand and started blessing same sex marriages? What would/could the conservative right do then? How would politics change? Tell me what you think and how you feel about this possibility - because it is a near reality.