Pre-Assembly Events
Movement-building pre-events will occur from 1:00 pm on July 2 until noon on July 3. These events provide opportunities to go deeper into particular aspects of the LGBTQ movement. Many of the events are for a specific population. The $50 fee includes facilitation, dinner and breakfast. Housing is one extra night.
Youth & Young Adult Forum
Designed for youth and young adults between the ages of 16 and 22, this pre-event will gather young activists and advocates for the GLBTQ movement and give them an opportunity to meet, collaborate, and rock the Lutheran Church. We will spend time in worship, leadership development, and advocacy planning.
The young people involved in this forum will have continuing contact after the pre-event, staying in community throughout Hearts on Fire. They will create a community that is passionate about inclusion and translate that passion into action at the assembly and continuing back at home in their communities and congregations.
LC/NA is looking for nominations for young people to be invited to attend and be a part of this forum. If you are, or know of, a young person in the age range who would benefit from this forum, please email yoyafam@lcna.org with details. LC/NA wants to be diverse and inclusive with this invitation in every way, including regionally within North America.
Finding the I in the Middle of Racism
Racism is a complex, often bewildering issue. Sometimes it is difficult to find safe, supportive spaces to learn about the issue and express how it affects us personally. “Finding the I in the Middle of RacIsm” will help us sort through the complexities of racism and discern meaningful ways of addressing its personal and communal impact. This is excellent training for local and chapter leaders to receive. This pre-event is a part of LC/NA’s continuing commitment to becoming an anti-racist organization.
There will also be a workshop during Hearts on Fire.
Legislative Training
In the next two years through the summer of 2009, synod, churchwide, and national assemblies will take place in the United States and Canada. It’s important to be prepared to create change within all of our Lutheran denominations. This legislative organizing and training will do just that. If you are on fire to help create the change you seek and are interested in legislation, this pre-event is for you. Participants can expect to spend time preparing and planning for the strategy to make policy change.
Ministerium
At Hearts on Fire, LC/NA will launch a Ministerium for LGBT clergy, ministers, seminarians, and would-be ministers from all rosters of the Lutheran communion. LGBT ministers, both lay and ordained, rostered and non-rostered, out, partially out, closeted, active, retired, resigned, or removed from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM), Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS), Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) and independent Lutheran churches are invited to attend.
The idea for the LGBT Ministerium came from conversations among ELCA, ELCIC, ELM, rostered, un-rostered, removed, retired, and resigned ministers who participated in the devotional booklet, “A Place Within My Walls,” and attended the ELCA Churchwide Assembly (CWA07) last summer. Out of the historic introduction of 82 LGBT ministers to the ELCA came a wonderful and respectful dialogue between colleagues. Participants encouraged additional gatherings to continue the conversation.
Since CWA07, a number of ELCA pastors have been outed or have chosen to come out. In addition many LGBT seminarians and seminary interns are moving through candidacy processes in the ELCA, ELM, and ELCIC. As we find our way through this chapter of the movement for full participation, it is critical that we provide places and times for mutual support and mentoring.
The ministerium gathering will be held as a pre-event to Hearts on Fire, on July 2–3 at San Francisco State, and is being planned by Pastors Anita Hill (ELM) and Brad Froslee (ELCA). The retreat-style gathering will include worship, large and small group conversations, and affinity group sessions. Probable topics of conversation include: building a network of support; finding a place: to worship, to serve, to be; preaching the liberating word; called to serve: for seminarians and those considering ministry; coming out to congregations; gender identity and expression in ministry; out, proud and serving — what’s next.
Sanctuary and confidentiality will be integral to this ministerium.
[See the Spring Issue of Concord for articles about ministerium by two LGBT pastors, one out, one not.]
CoupleCare
A time set apart to relax, laugh, talk, listen and pray with your partner or spouse and be encouraged by others. We will identify our strengths and growth areas, model dialog and effective communication practices, and explore our calling to serve God as couples of faith. “Top Ten Faith Practices” for establishing a Household of Faith will be introduced. “CoupleCare” is for all couples or partners in a committed relationship.
Dick and Linda Staats celebrated their 40th anniversary in December. Dick is a retired clergyman of an RIC congregation in Phoenix. Linda, Director of HomeGrown Faith and national consultant, has served on both congregation and synod staffs. Each has a degree in Marriage & Family Counseling and certifications in couple’s communication programs and marriage enrichment.