“Today We Are More American”

A Mennonite bloggeron yesterday’s Prop 8 ruling:

“I’m not overly patriotic, but I do love a lot of things about America. I am proud to be a gay American today, and I hope that soon marriage will be legal for all of us in the United States. A lot of my family, friends, and fellow Mennonites disagree with my sentiment. I would like to restate a few of the logical reasons to be for (or neutral) in this discussion.”

Winnipeg BMC Group Starts

Winnipeg now has a local BMC group forming for all “broadly and self-defined LGBT people able to tolerate hanging out with mostly Mennonites!” This is a great opportunity for gay Winnipegians who would love to connect with others in the area, or who are just passing through. The group plans to meet every month or two, with the mission of simply “to create queer space in which to be, to enjoy each other’s company, and food! For more information, email winnipegbmc@gmail.com.

Brethren Backlash

There are some rumblings over the Church of the Brethren’s recent acceptance of BMC in Brethren Volunteer Service’s placement site. This letter was sent to COB leadership expressing disappointment with the move. (Naturally, the writer chose to remain anonymous. The letter writer did not ask to remain anonymous. He is known to both the Brethren staff and Dunker Journal. )

It is my understanding, from your recent actions, that you and the officials of the COB are in favor of the gay lifestyle which the Brethren Mennonite Council promotes. . . . . Is this really the type of organization that the church should be supporting?

Sunday Morning Inspiration

Sometimes it is good to remember that we are part of history.
I Corinthians 13

Next Harmony Meeting

Harmony (Mennonites for LGBT Inclusion) has scheduled its next meeting for Saturday, February 4, at the CMU campus in Winnepeg. Board representatives from Mennonite Church Canada will be there to discuss the status of the Being a Faithful Church process. Everyone is welcome to attend.

BVS Accepts BMC

After more than a decade of being denied, Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests, (BMC) has been accepted as a Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) placement site. This means that BMC’s Kaleidoscope volunteers will now be able to serve through BVS, instead of needing to go through Lutheran Volunteer Corps or the Volunteer Ministries of the United Church of Christ, as they currently must.

We are grateful to Dan McFadden, Director of BVS, for being a persistent advocate for BMC, and to Stan Noffsinger, General Secretary, for his courage in making this decision. Please consider sending them a note of thanks and support to counter the negative feedback they are sure to receive. Their email addresses are dmcfadden@brethren.org and snoffsinger@brethren.org. We are also grateful to Lutheran Volunteer Corps and the United Church of Christ for their embrace of us for so long.
Times are changing! Maybe Mennonite Volunteer Service is next!”
Carol Wise, BMC Executive Director

Most Fascinating

Rebekah Enns, who initiated a gay-straight alliance group at Westgate Mennonite Collegiate in Winnipeg, was listed as one of Ace Burpee’s Most Fascinating Manitobans of 2011.

Enns had quite a year. In November, the Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties, the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Manitoba Human Rights Commission announced that Enns was the recipient of the Sybil Shack Human Rights Youth Award, which recognizes young people under the age of 25 who have promoted respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Manitoba.

Congratulations, Rebekah, and keep up the powerful work!

The Rainbow Fellowship

Check out a new blog, Der Reggeboge Freindschaft, dedicated to encouraging gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people of Pennsylvania German cultural and religious background.

Lining Up Words with Actions

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=33137123&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00adef&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0

Karl Shelly, of Assembly Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana, talks about being the pastor of an open and affirming Mennonite congregation.

SCN Grows!

BMC reports that the Supportive Communities Network (SNC), a network of Mennonite and Brethren congregations and communities that are publicly affirming of lgbt people, grew by nearly 20% in 2011! Highly significant is that most of this growth is in mid-sized congregations that have a long and stable history and are active in their respective conferences.