Something that I've mentioned in early blog posts is that I have the privilege of working with a group called the Gay Christian Network (GCN) as a member and a volunteer. GCN has been a ministry that I really can get behind and I've been blessed even as I work for them. The purpose of this forum-based community is to connect people with those who identify as gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered and Christian with others like them, supporters, and friends and family members that are supportive and/or are searching for answers about what God is doing in this community.
Each year, this world-wide network hosts a conference in a major city in the United States. Last year was Washington, D.C. This year was Anaheim and it was my first conference. I've always been involved heavily with whatever church or ministry that I'm a part of, so I immediately volunteered to help out when I realized that I could go to this conference.
Sometime this last spring, a friend of mine contacted me to say "I'm helping coordinate the conference and I wanted to know if you're able to do this." She offered me the position of Publicity Director- I would make the printed materials needed for the conference. Well, I know my way around Publisher and I know what tends to be the best layout for this type of thing. I've attended a lot of conferences. So I said yes and we got rolling.
Getting the program printed was a bit of a nightmare. Unfortunately, schedules tend to wait until the last minute before they're finalized. In addition to this, the night I was hoping to have it finished, my dear Yoshihiro (my laptop) decided that he was going to throw a temper tantrum and not open things properly. I ended up being that crazy looking lady in the airport who has her lunch sitting next to her with her laptop in her lap and a cell phone in her ear, calling around and confirming everything. Still, the programs got printed, they looked awesome, and they got to the hotel early enough to be prepped for registration.
So how did I experience conference? Mostly, it was from the back of the room. Things kicked off Thursday with me learning how to run the program for the projection stuff during the services. I tried to stay as on hand as possible for Chris and Dennis, just basically being their minion of sorts. I absolutely love the job, by the way. They are two amazing people who are fired up for the Lord and just want to serve. Working with them was a blessing. I had dinner with my English roommate, got to talk to a few conference attendees down in the hotel cafe, and then headed up to help out with registration while the regular volunteers got dinner. It was so amazing to have the chance to meet so many people as they were registering. I think things got a little like a whirlwind at one point, but to see so many people registered...
I had a really great opportunity during the general session too. Just after the worship, I ducked out to visit the restroom and Nate from the office was wandering around. He needed more supplies but didn't have a way to get anywhere. Can you say field trip? We hopped into my truck and took off to Target. I loved that evening with Nate, just heading out, getting things done, and talking while we're at it. After cutting a bunch of cards for name tags and ribbon for identifying those who are ok with photos, I spent a while peeling the backs off of avatar photo stickers and just being available for answering questions. I love to be helpful, I really do. I feel like I get more out of an event when I can serve than when I am served.
After things wrapped up a little, I just went and crashed in bed. It wasn't pretty. Friday through Sunday left to talk about. Stay tuned!
Showing posts with label GCN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GCN. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Passed Props Pose Problems
I love alliterations.
So I haven't taken a huge look at the results of the recent election. I was pretty resigned to the fact that I wouldn't be too terribly happy with either president. I couldn't really care about the representatives for the state or anything along that line. What really held my interest were two propositions- Props 4 and 8.
Prop 4, as you may know, was the proposed law to require that abortion agencies inform parents prior to conducting an abortion for a minor. It did not pass. Frankly, this upsets me on two levels- intellectual and spiritual. On the spiritual level, I am fully pro-life and feel that once a child is conceived, it has life. Speaking as a woman who is at a very high risk of being infertile, I wish that there were more emphasis on adoption in these situations. On an intellectual level, it infuriates me that parents get angry over a child receiving an asprin without their permission but allow invasive surgery to be conducted, a surgery that has many complications and both emotional and mental scarring. What type of twisted world do we live in where that makes sense?
I understand that there are girls out there who make mistakes, end up pregnant, and could be hurt by a parent if they came out and said that they were pregnant. Still, wouldn't it be much more positive and proactive if we developed a way to facilitate the informing of parents that would keep the girl safe?
Prop 8. It's so loaded. I do not feel that God supports and blesses same sex relationships. However, I do not believe that it is a disease or a defect that should be "healed" or whatever it is that people believe should be happening to those who are gay. I did not support nor did I vote for Prop 8 and that is because I feel that by it passing, it just brings about another step of discrimination against these people who are in despirate need of God's love.
Now, there are gay Christians. I work with an organization called the Gay Christian Network. Their website can be found at http://www.gaychristian.net/ and you can see what their ministry entails. I support what they call Side B- those who identify and embrace their sexuality rather than try to change it, but still remain celibate and abstain from same-sex relationships. It is my dream, my very bold dream, that one day, churches will be welcoming people into their congregations and rather than promoting the ex-gay ministries, they advocate a Side B approach. It is my dream that every gay and lesbian that I come across will not feel like they are second-rate in society's eyes, in my eyes, in the church's eyes, nor in God's eyes.
Prop 8 just serves to lower these people. How can we call ourselves Christians if we reject a group of people based on one item that makes up part of who they are? We were not sent out to reach out to the whole, but to the broken.
I'm so glad that I don't plan on living in California for long.
So I haven't taken a huge look at the results of the recent election. I was pretty resigned to the fact that I wouldn't be too terribly happy with either president. I couldn't really care about the representatives for the state or anything along that line. What really held my interest were two propositions- Props 4 and 8.
Prop 4, as you may know, was the proposed law to require that abortion agencies inform parents prior to conducting an abortion for a minor. It did not pass. Frankly, this upsets me on two levels- intellectual and spiritual. On the spiritual level, I am fully pro-life and feel that once a child is conceived, it has life. Speaking as a woman who is at a very high risk of being infertile, I wish that there were more emphasis on adoption in these situations. On an intellectual level, it infuriates me that parents get angry over a child receiving an asprin without their permission but allow invasive surgery to be conducted, a surgery that has many complications and both emotional and mental scarring. What type of twisted world do we live in where that makes sense?
I understand that there are girls out there who make mistakes, end up pregnant, and could be hurt by a parent if they came out and said that they were pregnant. Still, wouldn't it be much more positive and proactive if we developed a way to facilitate the informing of parents that would keep the girl safe?
Prop 8. It's so loaded. I do not feel that God supports and blesses same sex relationships. However, I do not believe that it is a disease or a defect that should be "healed" or whatever it is that people believe should be happening to those who are gay. I did not support nor did I vote for Prop 8 and that is because I feel that by it passing, it just brings about another step of discrimination against these people who are in despirate need of God's love.
Now, there are gay Christians. I work with an organization called the Gay Christian Network. Their website can be found at http://www.gaychristian.net/ and you can see what their ministry entails. I support what they call Side B- those who identify and embrace their sexuality rather than try to change it, but still remain celibate and abstain from same-sex relationships. It is my dream, my very bold dream, that one day, churches will be welcoming people into their congregations and rather than promoting the ex-gay ministries, they advocate a Side B approach. It is my dream that every gay and lesbian that I come across will not feel like they are second-rate in society's eyes, in my eyes, in the church's eyes, nor in God's eyes.
Prop 8 just serves to lower these people. How can we call ourselves Christians if we reject a group of people based on one item that makes up part of who they are? We were not sent out to reach out to the whole, but to the broken.
I'm so glad that I don't plan on living in California for long.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
