Saturday Mini-Concert 6/27/09-Amy Grant

Words of Encouragement 6/26/09-"Abiding in Peace"

Apostle Dale Jarrett, Believers Covenant Fellowship, Vienna, VA

http://bcfchurch.us/images/BCF_Sermon1_AbidingInPeace.mp3

Music of Encouragement 6/26/09-Cry Out to Jesus

So Why Are You Gay?

Actor Jason Lewis actually asked that question to a waiter, and the answer he got provided a moment of enlightenment and helped him become a straight ally of the GLBT community. You can watch him tell his story in this video, part of the No Dumb Questions program.

http://www.nodumbquestions.org/video/actor-jason-lewis-my-story

Words of Encouragement 6/25/09: "Straight From the Heart-The Opposite of Faith - Fear"

A word of encouragement about overcoming fear from 1John 4:18

Music of Encouragement 6/25/09-His Strength Is Perfect

GLBT News Update From The Onion

Here's some good satire from The Onion:

New Hampshire Passes Law Forcing Old People To Watch Gays Marry

CONCORD, NH—Less than two weeks after legalizing gay marriage in the state, New Hampshire legislators enacted a new law Tuesday making it mandatory for persons over the age of 60 to attend three same-sex weddings every year for the rest of their lives. "Beginning July 1, all senior citizens must publicly condone gay unions by RSVPing to the rainbow-colored invitation, putting on nice church clothes, and spending an afternoon celebrating the wedded bliss of two men or two women who like to have sex with each other," bill H.B. 437 read in part. "Any grandparent who refuses to weep joyously when the grooms kiss may be subject to harsh penalties." Gay marriage advocates are already protesting the new statute, which they say unlawfully forces homosexuals to have gross old people at their weddings.

Words of Encouragement 6/24/09-"Seeing and Believing"

Rev. James P. Walker, Ph.D., White Rock Community Church, Dallas, TX

http://www.whiterockchurch.org/sermons/2009/02152009.mp3

Music of Encouragement 6/24/09-Jesus Bring The Rain

Denominations' Debates Over GLBT Issues Heats Up

The GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) blog has posted a preview of debates continuing this summer in several major religious denominations and summarizes the current status of each one. Included are the following:

Presbyterian Church USA
The Episcopal Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Reformed Church in America
Mennonite Church
United Church of Christ
Unitarian Universalist

The fact that these discussions are occurring is in itself a good thing.

Click here to read the GLAAD blog post.

Words of Encouragement 6/23/09: "Straight From the Heart-About Faith"

Brenda shares a word of encouragement about Faith from Hebrews 11:1.

Music of Encouragement 6/23/09-My Life Is In You Lord

"Breaking Through the Walls of Fear and Guilt"

Peterson Toscano is a spirit-filled queer Quaker who has been through hell and back. He tried very hard for years to change his orientation from gay, mistakenly buying into the claim that God would change him if he only had enough faith. He has performed several plays based on his expereinces, and he writes an essay on his blog A Musing answering someone's e-mail and trying to help them escape from the pain and guilt they have been driven to. Here is an excerpt:

In the end I discovered that I can be a person passionately in love with
Jesus, serving God and still have a gay orientation. I can be authentic about
myself, even if much of the church seems to disagree. In the process I
rediscovered the scriptures for myself, found myself in them and a deeper
faith.

It is not easy. Many trials, many doubts and the journey has required a
certain fearlessness in the face of LOUD opposition, particularly rattling in my
head from years of hearing it in the church. But when I get to the heart, when I
get to the Spirit, when I sit still in the presence of God, I have peace and
clarity. The ruts in my head that led me to places that continually condemned me
and harassed me have leveled out.

My mind grows more and more liberated each day as I practice Romans
12:1,2–No longer conform to the patterns of this world (Patterns that say one
must be gender-normative, heterosexual, and if you are not there must be
something wrong with you and you will encounter troubles. Patterns that say that
masculinity is more valuable than femininity. Patterns that insist that one must
bow and scrape to the teachings of men instead of the leadings of God), but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you can better understand God’s
will for you life.

Peterson went through a lot to get to this point. I hope that someone has found this post and, by reading his words, can chart a different path for their life.

Click here to read Peterson's entire essay.

Words of Encouragement 6/22/09-"Hope-the Believer's Right"

Pastor Paul Walker, New Covenant Church, Atlanta, GA

http://savedandgay.podbean.com/2009/04/25/hope-the-believers-right-pastor-paul/

Music of Encouragement 6/22/09-Perfect Love

Clergy Call 2009: A Prayer For Justice

Here is video of the opening prayer offered by Rev. Dr. Stephen V. Sprinkle from the HRC's Clergy Call, held a few weeks ago in the shadow of the U. S. Capitol. The HRC also provided a bio of Rev. Sprinkle. His passion for justice should resonate with us all.



Rev. Dr. Stephen V. Sprinkle is Director of Field Education and Supervised Ministry, and Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Brite Divinity School, Fort Worth, Texas, a post he has held since 1994. An ordained Baptist minister, he is the first open and out gay scholar in the history of the Divinity School, and the first open and out LGBT person to be tenured there. Author of two books, his current project is a book in process on the lives and untimely deaths of 25 LGBT hate crimes murder victims, Unfinished Lives: Reviving the Memory of LGBT Hate Crimes Murder Victims.

Sunday Worship 6/21/09

If you don't have a welcoming church near you, or you just can't make yourself step into one, we're bringing worship to you. Here are links to some worship music and services from open and affirming ministries (all times eastern). I hope you are blessed and take time out of your busy schedule to enter into the Lord's day.

Don't forget to click on the tab on the upper right of this blog and leave your prayer requests in the comment section so we can petition the Lord for your needs.

If you know of a service we should add to our list, please send an e-mail and share it with us.

Worship Music--sing along and make a joyful noise unto the Lord!









Live Sunday Services (all times Eastern)
VIDEO
AL-Covenant Community Church, Birmingham, 11:45 AM
FL-Potters House International Fellowship, Tampa, 11:00 AM
VA-Believers Covenant Fellowship, Vienna, 11:00 AM
NC-Church of the Holy Spirit Fellowship, Winston-Salem, 12:00 PM
OK-Diversity Christian Fellowship International, Tulsa, 1:00 PM
CA-Glory Tabernacle Christian Center, Long Beach, 1:00 PM
WA-Living Water Fellowship, Kenmore, 1:30 PM

AUDIO
Canada, Vancouver-Christ Alive Community Church, 10:15 PM
FL-Beacon of Hope Ministries, Dunedin (Living the Good Life radio program) 4:30 PM

Video Archive
AL-Covenant Community Church, Birmingham
CA-Glory Tabernacle Christian Center, Long Beach
FL-Church of the Holy SpiritSong, Ft. Lauderdale
FL-Potters House International Fellowship, Tampa
GA-Gentle Spirit Christian Church, Atlanta
MI-Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI
NC-Church of the Holy Spirit Fellowship, Winston-Salem
OK-Expressions Community Fellowship, Oklahoma City
OK-Diversity Christian Fellowship International, Tulsa
TX-The One Church, Garland, TX
WA-Living Water Fellowship, Kenmore

Audio Archive
AZ-Community Church of Hope, Phoenix
AK-Open Door Community Church, Sherwood
CA-Christ Chapel of Long Beach
CA-Christ Chapel of the Valley, North Hollywood
FL-Beacon of Hope Ministries, Dunedin (Living the Good Life radio program)
FL-New Hope Christian Center, Pensecola
GA-New Covenant Church of Atlanta
MD-Kittamaqundi Community, Columbia
NC-Revolution Charlotte
OH-Emmanuel Fellowship Church, Akron
OH-All Saints Community Church, Cortland
TN-Covenant of the Cross-Madison
TX-New Hope Fellowship Church-Dallas
TX-White Rock Community Church-Dallas
TX-Community Gospel Church-Houston
TX-Through Him Fellowship-Houston
South Africa-Deo Gloria Family Church