Faithful Call to Justice
Saturday/Sunday, June 2--3, 2007
Location: Across America
What is Faithful Call to Justice?
Faithful Call to Justice creates a unique opportunity for people of faith and all Americans to acknowledge the spiritual value and worth of our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters. Faithful Call is actually a continuation of a spiritual movement geared toward inclusion, understanding, acceptance and appreciation of same gender loving people.
What do I have to do to participate?
First, sign on to our “Statement of Affirmation”
“As faith leaders we acknowledge the spiritual worth of our gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and same gender loving brothers and sisters. We welcome their fellowship in worship, and we affirm their God-given rights to life, love, liberty, and equal justice under the law.”
Sign up by emailing: shrue@nbjc.org
We offer three strategies of participation. These are not mandatory, just examples to spur your creativity:
Deliver a Sermon that:
o Explains the spiritual harms caused by homophobia.
o Talks of the role of homophobia and the subsequent spread of HIV/AIDS
o Tells the story of your journey to the welcome and acceptance of same gender loving people as spiritual beings of worth
o Is a cautionary tale of demonizing groups of people to the detriment of their souls, society and democratic principles/why discrimination is immoral
o Explains Christ’s call for hospitality which includes the welcome of everyone
o Speaks of the realities of basic, sacred human sexuality that is inclusive of lesbian and gay people
o Affirms Love as the fundamental organizing principle of life/not limited to heterosexuals
o Educates congregations about same gender loving heroes and their contributions to society (i.e., George Washington Carver, James Baldwin, Angela Davis, Barbara Jordan, Bayard Rustin, A. Philip Randolph, Eleanor Roosevelt, Michelangelo, Da Vinci)
o Speaks of how transformative it is for people to experience equality, love, justice, fair play, acceptance and connection
Create a Program that acknowledges the worth and contributions of LGBT people: Examples:
o Have an afternoon program that features music from gay composers,
(i.e., Rev. James Cleveland, Handel, Shubert, Tchaikovsky, Chopin,
Debussy, Grieg, Beethoven, Ravel, Copeland, Mahler).
o Design a program of interpretive dance that reflects attitudes towards gay people and the resolve to create a beloved community
o Have congregants testify as to their own journey of struggle with the issues of gay people and homosexuality
o Conduct a prayer meeting for families to reconcile with their gay family members
o Give an opening or closing prayer for gay people worldwide, asking God to give them strength for their journey
Church Bulletins, acknowledgement:
o Place the Statement of Affirmation in your church bulletin
o Acknowledge Gay Pride Month
o Acknowledge the openly gay people in your congregation, have them stand, and welcome them publicly, extending them the hand of fellowship.
