Category Archives: Hospitality

Meditation on a Theme

  Constance Merritt’s brilliantly crafted villanelle has great resonance at this moment we are living in. It invites reflection that will empower us for the work of resistance and renewal. Her poem teaches us that we must create a world …

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Posted in Black Lives Matter, Bullying/violence, Children, Church leaders, Church seasons, Congregational life, Economic disparities, Family, Gay/lesbian, Gender, Hospitality, Housing, Incarceration, Interfaith, Opening to change, Pop culture, Respectability, Social justice, Stigma, Women of color | Comments Off on Meditation on a Theme

Some LGBTQ people don’t or can’t embrace Christianity

God’s love is for everyone; Christianity is not, and that is okay. As people who believe that Christianity has room for the LGBTQ community, we can be zealous about our efforts to win people to our side. We want people …

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Posted in Blog, Church leaders, Congregational life, Hospitality, Straight allies | Comments Off on Some LGBTQ people don’t or can’t embrace Christianity

The Black church: Bold and bad enough to accept and affirm

The Black Church has been a strong pillar of the community. I pray that it will have the courage not only to accept, but affirm its gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender children. The recent VH1 segment, Out in Hip Hop: …

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Posted in Church leaders, Congregational life, Economic disparities, Family, Gay/lesbian, Hospitality, Media portrayal, Opening to change, Pop culture, Sexual orientation, Social justice, Stigma, Straight allies, Transgender, Youth and young adult | Comments Off on The Black church: Bold and bad enough to accept and affirm

Maybe Same Sex Marriage IS God’s Will

We are not the same America. We are not the same America that we were 20 or even 10 years ago. For decades, civil liberties framed the discourse about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) justice. Now marriage, a union …

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Posted in Church leaders, Church seasons, Congregational life, Family, Gay/lesbian, Hospitality, Opening to change, Sexual orientation, Social justice, Straight allies, Theology, Transgender | Comments Off on Maybe Same Sex Marriage IS God’s Will

A letter to the National Baptist Fellowship of Concerned Pastors

Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Recently, I learned of your public protest against the leadership of Dr. Forrest Harris, President of American Baptist College of Nashville, and his decision to invite Bishop Yvette Flunder, …

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Posted in Church leaders, Gay/lesbian, Gender, Hospitality, Opening to change, Sexual orientation, Social justice, Straight allies, Theology, Transgender | Comments Off on A letter to the National Baptist Fellowship of Concerned Pastors

Leading by Example

Rev. Reggie Longcrier appears in the Many Voices Video Campaign, a visibility platform that illuminates the powerful presence of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Christians and allies within the Black church. Watch and share the videos here. It took …

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Posted in Bullying/violence, Church leaders, Gay/lesbian, Hospitality, Opening to change, Straight allies, Theology | Comments Off on Leading by Example

When I spoke out, support poured out

Rev. Dr. Terence Leathers appears in the Many Voices Video Campaign, a visibility platform that illuminates the powerful presence of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Christians and allies within the Black church. Watch and share his video here. When …

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Posted in Blog, Congregational life, Family, Hospitality, Opening to change, Social justice, Straight allies, Theology | Comments Off on When I spoke out, support poured out

Southern Clergy Voices Signal a Shift throughout the Black Community

  For many, the very idea of an African American pastor or clergy person publicly embracing LGBT equality is unimaginable. You know the story; the Black Church is conservative and homophobic. That story is shifting. While the larger society has …

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Posted in Blog, Church leaders, Congregational life, Hospitality, Opening to change, Theology | Comments Off on Southern Clergy Voices Signal a Shift throughout the Black Community

Things I thought I would never say: An open letter to COGIC

My dear Church of God in Christ, I am about to take a risk and say some things that I more or less thought I would never say. I have concluded that it is time. I am approaching my 60th …

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Posted in Blog, Church leaders, Congregational life, Family, Gay/lesbian, Hospitality, Opening to change, Transgender | Comments Off on Things I thought I would never say: An open letter to COGIC

Having the conversation, even when you’re not sure how

Rev. Dr. Terence Leathers appears in the Many Voices Video Campaign, a visibility platform that illuminates the powerful presence of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Christians and allies within the Black church. Watch and share his video here. As …

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Posted in Blog, Church leaders, Congregational life, Gay/lesbian, Hospitality, Opening to change, Straight allies, Theology, Transgender, Youth and young adult | Comments Off on Having the conversation, even when you’re not sure how