Dec 24
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 …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/12/24/live-fully-love-wastefully-be-all-you-can-be-a-reflection-for-christmas-by-john-shelby-spong/
Dec 11
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 …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/12/11/welcome-into-the-story-a-reflection-for-the-ymca-christmas-carol-service/
Nov 18
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 …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/11/18/the-book-i-wish-i-had-written-queer-and-catholic-a-life-of-contradiction-by-mark-dowd/
Oct 31
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 …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/10/31/what-open-table-means-to-me-guest-post-by-jen/
Oct 24
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, …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/10/24/just-do-it-for-gods-sake-reflecting-on-the-christian-mission-of-the-ymca/
Aug 14
IN RESPONSE to a post I shared recently from my blog archive, ‘I am what I am’ – A reflection on identity, Moon, 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 …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/08/14/in-out-a-reflection-on-identity-guest-post-by-moon/
Jul 31
THIS is my reflection at the Post-Pride Chillout Service in the Lady Chapel of Liverpool Cathedral to mark the end of Liverpool Pride on Sunday 29th July 2018: The death of Michael Causer was Liverpool’s Stonewall moment. My name is Kieran, and I’m the coordinator of the growing network of Open Table communities, which began …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/07/31/liverpools-stonewall-moment-a-reflection-on-the-10th-anniversary-of-michael-causers-murder/
Jun 06
A CHRISTIAN community which warmly welcomes people who are LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer/Questioning, Intersex and Asexual), their friends and family, is celebrating its tenth anniversary in Liverpool this month. The inclusive celebration, hosted by the community known as ‘Open Table’, will take place on Sunday 17th June 2018, at St Bride’s Church on …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/06/06/come-as-you-are-lgbt-christians-celebrate-ten-years-of-inclusive-welcome/
Apr 21
LAST WEEK, at the launch of a new charity whose aim is to tackle prejudice and discrimination on the grounds of sexuality and gender in religious organisations, Bishop of Liverpool Paul Bayes spoke of his ‘pain and regret’ at the rejection and harm many LGBTI+ people have experienced personally and institutionally from Christians. More than 100 …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/04/21/just-love-for-all-bishop-speaks-out-against-inequality-and-harm-for-lgbti-christians/
Apr 08
This Lent, our inclusive church in Liverpool city centre offered a six-week course to explore the ‘queerness’ of the Christian tradition. Participants read and discussed Queer Virtue: What LGBTQ People Know About Life and Love and How It Can Revitalize Christianity (Beacon Press, 2016), written by the American Episcopal priest Elizabeth Edman. At the launch of …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/04/08/liverpool-lgbt-affirming-church-studies-queer-virtue/
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