#ComeAsYouAre – Christians At Pride In Liverpool
For the past three years, the Open Table LGBT+ Christian community based at St Bride’s in Toxteth has coordinated the Christians At Pride group in the Liverpool march.
Tag Archives: Christian
Everyone’s Chapel – Plans to re-open creative worship space after 20+ years #YMCA175
SINCE January 2019, I have worked part-time as chaplain for the community at YMCA St Helens. There I discovered a hidden gem, of which many of the hostel’s residents and staff were unaware. The chapel, on the second floor of the early 20th Century building on North Road, has not been used regularly for more than twenty years. When I arrived… Read more »
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Here I stand – The second step on the #JourneyOfHope
LAST MONTH I wrote about becoming a participant on the Journey of Hope pilgrimage of training in ‘Christian peace-building and reconciliation… to inspire and equip Christian leaders to become skilled practitioners of reconciliation in their churches and communities.’ reconcilerstogether.co.uk On the brink of the second step on this journey, I wrote about the first – so it is again this… Read more »
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Stop the deportation of Yew Fook Sam – Sign the Home Office petition
Yew Fook Sam, known as Sam, from Liverpool, Merseyside, has had his request for asylum rejected by the Home Office and fears he will now be detained and deported. Sam is 67 years old, in poor physical health, and facing physical punishment or imprisonment if he is forced to return to Malaysia because he is openly gay. The Home Office… Read more »
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Live fully, love wastefully, be all you can be – A reflection for #Christmas by John Shelby Spong
AT A carol service this month, hosted by the Open Table inclusive Christian community in Liverpool, I read one of the readings, which I found moving, inspiring and too good not to share. It’s an extract from a lecture called ‘Jesus for the non-religious’ by John Shelby Spong, a retired US Episcopalian Bishop: Suppose we change our God definition. Suppose we take… Read more »
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Welcome into the story! A reflection for the YMCA Christmas carol service
LAST WEEK the YMCAs in the Liverpool City Region gathered for a carol service in the city’s Parish Church, opposite the world famous Liver Building. As the chaplain for YMCA Liverpool, and just starting as chaplain for the YMCA in the neighbouring town of St Helens, I gave a reflection on the Christmas story and what it means for the… Read more »
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The book I wish I had written – Queer and Catholic: A Life Of Contradiction by Mark Dowd
THIS BLOG began as I turned 42 in 2012, as: an attempt to be heard, not just for myself, but for other lesbian, gay and bisexual Christians who struggle with their sexual orientation in faith communities that judge them, at best, to be defective heterosexuals, rather than recognising and valuing the gifts and insights that embracing their diversity can bring.[1] Six years… Read more »
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What Open Table means to me… Guest post by Jen
LAST WEEKEND Open Table – an ecumenical Christian worship community which offers a warm welcome to people who are: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer / Questioning, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA) and all who seek an inclusive Church – took part in a day conference called Gathering Voices – From Welcome to Affirmation. As part of that event I hosted a workshop called… Read more »
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Just do it, for God’s sake! Reflecting on the Christian mission of the YMCA
LAST MONTH, I spent three days with colleagues from around a dozen other YMCAs at the UK Unify conference, a platform for YMCAs to share and reflect on the Christian mission of what is now the largest and oldest youth charity in the world. I was expecting the conference to be mostly chaplains and managers, but people with all kinds… Read more »
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In & Out – A reflection on identity: Guest post by Claire
IN RESPONSE to a post I shared recently from my blog archive, ‘I am what I am’ – A reflection on identity, Claire, a member of the Open Table ecumenical Christian worship community for LGBTQIA+ Christians in Liverpool, wrote this response which I am happy to share: When I think about my identity, I often remember a dream I had… Read more »
