Category: Open Table

‘Times are troubled, people grieve’ – A song of lament for today

The Northumbria Community’s video brings together voices, photographs, percussion, film clips, dance, translations and prayers from more than 80 people across their dispersed, worldwide network. The Community has offered it as a gift to be shared widely, ‘for it to bless other people and the world’.

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2021/04/01/times-are-troubled-people-grieve-a-song-of-lament-for-today/

Conservative Christian reaction to Cadbury Creme Egg advert made real-life queer couple question their faith

DID YOU HEAR the one about the advert which led to a huge petition for ‘trying to cause gratuitous offence to members of the Christian community’? Unfortunately it’s no joke – the petition has probably done more to harm the public perception of Christianity than the ad. Chocolate maker Cadbury launched the ad in January …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2021/03/22/conservative-christian-reaction-to-cadbury-creme-egg-advert-made-real-life-queer-couple-question-their-faith/

Declaration of gay survivors of the Holocaust 50 years after their liberation #HolocaustMemorialDay

ln 1995 – for the first and only time – a group of gay survivors of the Holocaust issued a declaration demanding recognition as part of a project of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. Here is what they wrote:

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2021/01/27/declaration-of-gay-survivors-of-the-holocaust-50-years-after-their-liberation-holocaustmemorialday/

Salt & light – A reflection for #TransDayOfRemembrance

THIS is a guest post from Sarah Hobbs, Co-Chair of the Open Table Network (OTN), written for a vigil for this year’s Trans Day Of Remembrance, which falls on 20th November each year. It’s taken from OTN’s online vigil which premiered here on YouTube on the day. The service was written by OTN Co-Chair Alex …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/11/21/salt-light-reflection-for-trans-day-of-remembrance/

Who can be against us? Coming out as LGBT & Christian

THIS MONTH, as the Co-ordinator of the Open Table Network, I led the first of a new series of monthly online worship gatherings. We took the theme of ‘coming out’, as 11th October is marked around the world as ‘Coming Out Day’.

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/10/27/who-can-be-against-us-coming-out-as-lgbt-christian/

‘A little tiny bit of what the world should be like’ – Open Table Network on BBC Radio 4 Sunday Worship

THIS MORNING, one of the new Patrons of the Open Table Network, Rachel Mann, led BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Worship on the theme of ‘Urban Harvest’, and invited me as the Network Co-ordinator to share a short reflection. Traditionally harvest is a time to celebrate and offer thanksgiving for God’s bounty in nature. Rachel reflected on …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/09/27/a-little-tiny-bit-of-what-the-world-should-be-like-open-table-network-on-bbc-radio-4-sunday-worship/

‘Keep me out of Your way’ – Fr Mychal Judge, chaplain & casualty of 9/11

Father Mychal Judge was a little-known Franciscan friar ministering humbly to the disenfranchised and unloved on the streets of New York City… until September 11, 2001, when he suddenly became a global figure. As chaplain to the city’s Fire Department, he rushed to help first responders at the World Trade Center but was killed by …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/09/11/keep-me-out-of-your-way-fr-mychal-judge-chaplain-casualty-of-9-11/

The opposite of shame – A reflection for Pride in Liverpool 2020

Pride in Liverpool is ten years old this year. It was formed as a response to the murder of 18-year-old Michael Causer, who died 12 years ago today. It’s also twelve years since the launch of the first Open Table community at St Bride’s Liverpool, and five years since the beginning of the Open Table …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/08/02/the-opposite-of-shame-a-reflection-for-pride-in-liverpool-2020/

So what’s the story? Thank you for asking!

TODAY is the day that the person who inspired me to begin sharing my story steps down as the President of the Methodist Conference, the governing body of the Methodist Church of Great Britain. Barbara Glasson was the Methodist Minister for Liverpool City Centre from 1999-2009. During this time I encountered the community she led, …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/06/27/so-whats-the-story-thank-you-for-asking/

Radical Welcome: What does it mean to be an inclusive church?

LAST MONTH, in my role as Open Table Network Coordinator, I was interviewed by Revd Phillip Johnson, vicar of the Parish of Malvern Link With Cowleigh, which is discerning whether to host an Open Table community. Phillip and I met in 2019 while taking part in the Journey of Hope pilgrimage exploring Christian reconciliation in …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/06/11/radical-welcome-what-does-it-mean-to-be-an-inclusive-church/

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