SEPTEMBER 21st is the United Nations International Day of Peace, created in 1981 as an opportunity for ‘commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.’ Two decades later, in 2001, the UN General Assembly designated the day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire. The World Council of Churches …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2025/09/21/make-time-for-peace-a-call-to-action/
Aug 08
‘Burn down their hatred with hope’ – Responding to racist riots in Liverpool
LAST SUNDAY, as part of my training as a Methodist local preacher, I led a service at a Black majority church in inner city Liverpool, about half a mile from a mosque. I had planned the service the week before, but as I woke to news of protests, riots, violence and destruction in the city the night before, I knew I had to respond somehow.
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2024/08/08/burn-down-their-hatred-with-hope-responding-to-racist-riots/
Jun 27
We boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God – A reflection for #PrideMonth
AT A SPECIAL communion service to celebrate the 14th birthday of the first Open Table community in Liverpool on Sunday 19th June 2022, I shared this reflection on Pride Month and how the origin of Open Table is linked to Liverpool’s first official Pride event. Readings: Romans 5: 1-5, Mark 5:1-20 “We boast in our hope …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2022/06/27/we-boast-in-our-hope-of-sharing-the-glory-of-god-a-reflection-for-pridemonth/
May 21
What needs to be healed – On Franklin Graham’s UK tour & support for ‘conversion therapy’
AS CONTROVERSIAL US preacher Franklin Graham began his UK tour in Liverpool on Saturday 14th May, the Open Table Network worked in partnership with others in Merseyside to offer an alternative event which showcased the Liverpool City Region as a safe, friendly and welcoming place for LGBT+ people of all faiths and none. At an …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2022/05/21/what-needs-to-be-healed-on-franklin-grahams-uk-tour-support-for-conversion-therapy/
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2022/02/01/gods-work-of-art-a-reflection-for-lgbt-history-month/
Aug 23
Under the Peace Doves: A vigil for justice at Liverpool Cathedral
SINCE MAY, Liverpool Cathedral has been home to a spectacular art installation called Peace Doves, featuring 18,000 paper doves created by renowned sculptor and artist Peter Walker. Peace Doves features around 18,000 paper doves suspended on 15.5 miles of ribbon from the ceiling of the Cathedral. Visitors to the cathedral, along with local school children …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2021/08/23/under-the-peace-doves-a-vigil-for-justice-at-liverpool-cathedral/
Jan 27
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:
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2021/01/27/declaration-of-gay-survivors-of-the-holocaust-50-years-after-their-liberation-holocaustmemorialday/
Jan 21
Be the light in the darkness – Why #HolocaustMemorialDay matters to our LGBTQIA+ Christian community
HOLOCAUST Memorial Day is marked on 27th January each year in the UK. I’ve compiled an online service of commemoration for the Open Table Network this month. Why does this matter to our LGBTQIA+ Christian community?
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2021/01/21/be-the-light-in-the-darkness-why-holocaustmemorialday-matters-to-our-lgbtqia-christian-community/
Nov 21
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 …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/11/21/salt-light-reflection-for-trans-day-of-remembrance/
Oct 27
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’.
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/10/27/who-can-be-against-us-coming-out-as-lgbt-christian/
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