Celebration of Ministry Recognizes a New Elder, Commissioned Clergy, and Local Pastors
As one of its first acts in its 187th session, the Northern Illinois Conference ordained an elder, commissioned two people for deacon's min…
Location: First United Methodist Church, 516 Church St., Evanston
Rainbows, Resistance, and Reconciliation (R3):
Rainbows, Resistance, and Reconciliation (R3):
A Celebration of Intersectional Pride
A convocation celebrating Reconciling Ministries
Feb. 15-16, First United Methodist Church, 516 Church St., Evanston
Feb. 15, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Speaker: Rev. Beth Stroud, assistant professor of history at Methodist Theological Seminary in Ohio, whose clergy orders were reinstated last year—20 years after a church trial removed her orders.
Activities: other speakers, lunch, workshops, and a panel to discuss "What's Next for Our Congregations Post-General Conference and the 2024 U.S. Presidential Elections."
Feb. 16: Celebration of First UMC's 11th Anniversary as a Reconciling Congregation
9:15 a.m.: Dialogue time
10:30 a.m.: Anniversary Worship Service; Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey, preaching.
Event purposes:
- Provide opportunities for healing and hope: build community
- Vision faithful movement forward. Strategize about what people and churches need for this work.
- Identify ambassadors for LGBTQIA+ justice and advocacy (as RMN names them)
- Address issues facing us now like ongoing prejudice and the many hateful laws restricting gender-affirming care.
- Strategize to take action against violence inflicted on members of the community, especially transgender folk
- Address issues of mental health as relates to homophobic Christian teachings and societal attitudes and seek to reduce high suicide rates)
- Embrace Queer folk who, because of cultural structural context (color), may still feel a need to be closeted
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