It is time to take sides

There is a growing movement within straight Christian churches and communities away from outright condemnation and exclusion. Many well-intentioned folks seek to be "build bridges," to show "love & grace regardless of whether it is or is not a sin," and to focus on how "we're all broken and sinful." Those may be good intentions, and even touch upon real truths, but they miss something deeper, fundamental, and more pressing. "I don't hate you" is no longer enough.
 

Elie Wiesel said “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” 

Desmond Tutu said “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”

Queer people are tormented and oppressed. We are targeted for violence, discriminated against in jobs, ministry, accommodations, and daily life. The weight of having an integral part of who we are—which is celebrated in others—marked in us as sick and sinful leads to loss of faith, depression, and violence against ourselves.

We must all take sides. The question being asked is not whether “should I judge or should I not judge?” or “should I show grace or should I not show grace?” or even “can gay & straight Christians coexist within the body of Christ?” That is not the question being asked. We may wish it were, but it is not. 

The question asked is: is being gay or queer or trans a sin? That is the question which bars pastors from ministry, which kicks children out of houses, which instigates violence against queer people, and which fuels self-harm. Am I or am I not debased because of my orientation? That is the question being asked and we must all answer it. If we refuse to answer, or equivocate, or dance around it, or answer a different question, our answer is “yes.” And that answer is, frankly, death.

Hope is ready, indeed

From an anonymous source:

Hope is ready. Hope is ready to have the freedom to express themselves. Hope is ready to finally see the light at the end of tunnel. Hope is ready to be able to walk hand in hand with your same sex partner on campus. Hope is ready to go to sleep at night and not worried if you are going to lose your job because you came an ally the day before. Hope is ready to never hear from your pastor that homosexuality is a sin. Hope is ready to never live in a fear. Hope is ready to finally be able to come out of the closest without fearing the consequences. Hope is ready to have the rainbow flag flying next to the American flag in front of the campus. And finally hope is ready to accept that God made us this way, this is who we are, and that we can not change our orientation and identity--but Hope is ready to change.

This is might a far fetched dream to most people but we can make this a reality not only for Hope but for Christian colleges across the country.

We must never give up.

A Revolution in Michigan

Before leaving, lots of people asked me "Why are you going to Michigan?" My response was, "Michigan is the only place to be right now." I believe that more every day that I am here. I wondered if I was speaking in hyperbole, I do not think I am. There is truly a revolution underway at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Students are coming together in bold & dynamic ways--queer and straight alike. They are not just talking about justice for LBGT people but also talking about the ways in which they carry privilege and what else needs to happen in Holland and in their own lives.

The path is not clear. Pointed letters to the editor fill the newspaper while queer students face increasing harassment. Tensions are running high.  A recent chapel sermon at Hope accused petitioners to the Board, seeking to remove the anti-homosexuality statement--many of whom are Hope students and/or members of the RCA--of selling their spiritual birthright. Yesterday's sermon at the affirming Hope Church shattered a theology of "who is in vs who is out" and replaced it with a theology of "what is in vs what is out." Exclusion is out. Violence is out. Looking at the communion table, the pastor choked up as he wished for healing and unity amongst all people.

The school accused students and alumni of "ambush journalism" while supporters of equality work every day, amidst final exams and papers, to stand in the way of forces which oppress.

The powers and principalities are coming to a head in Holland, Michigan. This is the stuff of life.

Announcing Our YouTube Collaboration Project

Today we kick off the Sanctuary Collective YouTube Collaboration! Each week, participants of Sanctuary Collective will create videos to share with you and with each other. For the first week, we're doing introductions and then we'll jump with more meaty (or veggie!) content next week.  Check out the first video, featuring yours truly.

What We’re Reading Feb 19 - Mar 19

Another round-up of what we're reading.  Pick an article or two and comment here!  What else are you reading?

What We're Reading for February 19th - March 19th, 2010

Let You Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Parker Palmer, a Quaker writer and activist with amazing insight

"Sexless in the city: a gender revolution" by Joel Gibson, Sydney Morning Herald

The Bible on the poor

"Does your race matter if you face the death penalty" by ishita, Racialicious

"The Ashburn/Perez Axis" by David Link, Independent Gay Forum

"Making It Legal" by Terrance Heath, The Republic of T.

"Queering the Lunar New Year" by Jason Tseng, The Bilerico Project

What do you hope for?

"What do you hope for?" My friend, and support team member, Sam Lundquist posed that question to me recently. And not just me, Sam is asking anyone who will stop and listen. The Hope Chronicles is Sam's dream project and it seeks to uncover the hope of our world. Sam asks deep questions to strangers and takes the time and attention to really listen. He's documenting hopes in journals, on camera, and second-hand through community listeners. While listening to my fellow human's hopes, I lower my shields and connect, somehow, with strangers. Our humanity links us.

Last month, Emily West wrote about healing and hope at her college, Hope. In many ways, hope is the currency of what we do with Sanctuary Collective. We envision the way things ought to be and we set about to realize our hope for a better, more justice society.

I hope that Sanctuary Collective becomes one of many partners to the Hope Chronicles. The best, truest sorts of hope inspire us to step outside of our dreams and create a new reality around us. The Hope Chronicles shines a spotlight on the things we all-too-often don't share with others. As our hopes come to light, let us partner with each other to bring them to life.

One of the most recent videos on The Hope Chronicles reminds me of what we already know: the quest for justice and equality spans this country and our world.

I lived in large cities my whole life and went to a secular university with plenty of affirming resources at my disposal. Our co-founder, Micah, had a different experience. He grew up in a small southern town and attended a small Christian university. His immediate community lacked adequate resources and though he desired to create change himself, he found few outside resources available to help him. Too often resources for LGBTQ folks are concentrated in centers where other resources already abound.

And so we do things differently. Sanctuary Collective supports the work already underfoot in communities around the country, we connect young folks to local mentors, and we speak and train for our own, varied experiences. I have personally been inspired by the hope which each of our Discipleship Program participants brings. And I am inspired by the hope which our supporters and prayer network, and donors invest in our work and the work of young adults around the country.

Take a moment to explore The Hope Chronicles, read them, listen to them, watch them. Soak them up and let them unlock your own hopes. And then find ways to put your hope into action!

What We’re Reading

We like to read. And we like to share what we're reading with each other. And talk about what we're reading. And put what we've read into action.  We will regularly gather together what we're reading and share it with you.  A lot of what we're reading are blog posts and online articles, sometimes we'll share books or other offline material that we're reading.  If you're looking for a few good reads, check these out and then share your thoughts with us! 

What We're Reading for February 1 - 18th, 2010

Girls do what they have to do to survive A study of resilience and resistance by the Young Women's Empowerment Project (direct link to PDF)

"The Battered Bride of Christ : Religious Domsestic Violence" by Peterson Toscano

"DADT and the Silence / Silencing of Queer Anti-War Voices" by Yasmin Nair, on The Bilerico Project

ACT UP Civil Disobedience Training Manual

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

A New Kind of Christian by Brian McLaren

The Future of Faith by Harvey Cox

Sanctuary Collective Turns One

A few days ago, my credit card was billed for the Sanctuary Collective domain, marking our official one year mark!  Micah and I spent a good portion of 2009 meeting with friends, advisors, and prospective participants before launching our programming in mid-2009. Now, at the start of 2009, we have a lot to celebrate from the past year.  Here's some:

• Launched, sustained, and grew NYC Community Nights which serve as a hub for Sanctuary Collective volunteer activity in New York and led one participant to apply for the Discipleship Program (more on that later)
• Traveled from Austin, TX to Lynchburg, VA meeting with prospective participants and supporters to asses needs, generate interest, and recruit participants
• Accepted our first class of nine Discipleship Program participants!
• Began to document stories of young adults organizing for justice on our blog, Flickr, and YouTube pages

I am excited that you are part of this movement and look forward to sharing even more adventures with you in the months and years to come.  Here's a preview of things to come

Community Night NYC
We will continue to meet weekly in New York City for fellowship and service.  Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend.  Drop-in between 5:30 - 8:30 PM on Thursday evenings.

Local Community Nights
In the coming months, we will be helping supporters across the country launch community nights in their communities.  If you want to get plugged in to a local community night, email micah@sanctuarycollective.org. If you are interested in starting your own local community night, fill out our volunteer interest form and we'll help you get started.

Night of Celebration
In April, we will have our first ever Night of Celebration.  It will be something larger than a community night and smaller than a national conference. It's a time to gather friends who can make it to New York for a time of celebration and sharing.  We will screen videos from our participants, display photographs from the field, showcase spoken word, and offer opportunities for input and collaboration.  Get excited and keep an eye out for more information!

Discipleship Program Participant Blogs
If you haven't done so already, visit the Discipleship Program page to meet some of our fantastic participants.  Many of them have agreed to blog publicly about their experiences.  Those entries will be posted February 3rd (next Wednesday) so make sure you know how to find our blog (tip: you can subscribe in an RSS or Google Reader to keep up-to-date).


Here's to an exciting and fruitful second year!

Brian G. Murphy
www.sanctuarycollective.org

Greenpoint Gazette Covers Discipleship Program

Greenpoint Gazette (serving Greenpoint, Williamsburg, and Bushwick) wrote up an article about our Discipleship Program and the recent training we had at Greenpoint Reform Church. Thanks Juliette for the interview and Ann Kansfield for the connection!

Read the full article

Photos from Discipleship Program training

The Night before the Discipleship Program Begins

Sanctuary Collective in 2010

Three days into the new year and we are already less than two weeks away from the kickoff to our first cycle of the Discipleship Program. Though the participants will gather together for the first time on January 14, they have already begun working for justice. For many participants, Sanctuary Collective will support the work these young adults were already engaged in. For others, the Discipleship Program will help them formalize their vision for change into a concrete plan of action. And for still others, Sanctuary Collective was the impetus to finally step up and begin organizing!

Here's what the January gathering for the 2010 Discipleship Program has in store:

• Networking -- the powers-that-be within anti-queer Christian establishments make us feel like we're the only ones out there who believe in inclusion for LGBTQ folks. There are many folks inside and outside of Christianity who believe that faith should unite not divide, and liberate not oppress. The gathering in January will connect justice-minded young folks from around the country with each other. We'll inspire each other!
• Education -- We each come from a different background which means there is a lot to learn about each other and about the world. We'll use our time in January to get educated about histories of oppression, histories of struggle for liberation, and the history of each others' traditions and experience. 
• Training -- While in our excitement everything may seem fresh and new, we are not the first ones to think about justice. We'll learn from others who have gone before us and be informed by their experiences. We'll try some things on for ourselves and get comfortable in confident in our abilities to lead and organize.

For those of you in or near New York City, you are invited to join us each evening. I know meeting these young adults will be an experience you won't want to miss. Our evening meals and worship services are open to the public. Join us at Greenpoint Reformed Church at 6:00 PM on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening (Jan 15 - 17). Call Micah at 646-571-8266 if you have any questions or want to bring a large group.

What else is in store for 2010

• We will continue to hold Community Nights in New York City to meet, fellowship, learn, and serve. In the past, we've met on Thursday evenings and we are exploring moving the night or starting a second night for folks who are interested but can't make Thursdays. Let me know if you want to be part of our Community Nights.
• Individual support is available for folks who have questions or need support in organizing (or in their journey toward standing up and speaking out) but can't commit to a year with the Discipleship Program. We're excited about the many opportunities to meet and work with young adults in this capacity as well.
• Micah and I will travel to Austin, TX to lead training and workshops for the 2010 Soulforce Equality Ride. We are looking forward to equipping those young adults with tools to effectively engage the conversation of faith and queer issues. 
• In the coming months, we will begin a series of conversations with local communities in NYC--some congregations and some secular organizations--about the work of Sanctuary Collective and the young adults around the country. It's going to be a dynamic and on-going relationship where we meet with groups regularly to report in on the work we're doing. If you want Sanctuary Collective to come to you (and you're in the NYC area), let me know! If you're outside of NYC, stay tuned, our plan is to expand the discussion groups in the future!

That's all for now. More soon. Cheers! 

Brian

Announcing Our Discipleship Program Participants!

After nearly a year of planning and preparation, we are excited to begin announcing our 2010 Discipleship Program participants. We are excited to begin working with this dynamic group of young adults to make Christian communities around the country safe and inclusive for LGBTQ people. I'll let the program participants speak for themselves in the coming weeks and months about their particular plans but I am already anxious with excitement with the ways they will impact countless lives and institutions for the better. Be sure to check the Discipleship Program page for updates, pictures, videos and more on the exciting work these young folks are doing. We have a few more participants who will be joining in the next week or two, so be sure to come back.

We've also created profile pages for our collective members. People are connected to Sanctuary Collective in myriad ways and we like to acknowledge all of them. On our Who Are We page, you can click on any person to get more detailed information about them, see any resources or blog posts they've contributed, leave a note, or make a donation in their honor. We hope this will help you connect in personal ways with the many people who believe in the mission of Sanctuary Collective and who are committed to working for justice.  As always, if you resonate with our work and want to get involved, check out all the ways to Give Support and Get Support and sign-up! Or simply shoot us an email and we'll go from there.

Cheers!

Discipleship Program Update

As the Discipleship Program application deadline approached (and recently passed), I have been giddy reading through each new application. I'm already excited to gather together in January and look forward to the change each participant will create. We begin phone interviews soon to really get to know each applicant!

If you are still interested in being part of the Discipleship Program this year, turn in your application ASAP. Send us an email so that we can know to expect and let us know when you can have it in by. We can be flexible, you just need to let us know!

More soon. Brian.

Introducing the Discipleship Program!

Reunion in Michigan!

Collective Stories: Marie MacIntyre

One of our prayer team members, Marie MacIntyre, sent us this note:

Hi Everyone! I used your Daily Common Prayer in our call to worship today at Alpha Mennonite Church.

Oct. 11 is PinkMenno Day at our church and we will wear pink to show our support for our LGBT brothers and sisters. We could use your prayers that day and will continue to pray for you.

In the love of Christ, 
Marie

"Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly LOVED, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Col.3:12

Some of us say the Sanctuary Collective Daily Common Prayer together at Thursday community nights, a member of our prayer team says it every day, and some of us include it as part of our regular prayer life.  I am comforted to know that a body of people hold in me in their thoughts and prayers and hold LGBTQ young adults around the country--some they do not know--in prayer and thought.

I invite you to read the daily common prayer and try it in your life or the life of your community.  If you're already using it, please let us know so that we can think of you as well!

Update from NYC

Sam Crowell, a recent New York transplant, shares a bit about himself and what's going on with the group in NYC.

In The News: Sep 16 - 23, 2009

Two of our supporters were recently featured in separate news articles. We're excited for them and invite you to read these articles as well!

Identity in Ink

The University of North Carolina Daily Tar Heel ran a feature on prayer team member Angel Collie.  The article explores the connection between Angel's tattoos, spirituality, sexuality, and gender.

Campolos Oppose In Homosexuality Debate

And at Eastern University, in St. David's, PA, The Waltonian ran article about the recent conversation on homosexuality featuring Tony and Peggy Campolo, hosted by Refuge--the QSA on campus which Sanctuary Collective co-founder helped to start.  Peter Macari, a donor and supporter of Sanctuary Collective, is interviewed.  In the article he reflects, "I'm proud to say I'm an Eastern alum after this."

Note: The article incorrectly frames the conversation as a debate and is unclear on Peter's identity--he is an openly gay alum, he was not out when he graduated in 2007. You may also want to read Tony Campolo's response to the article

We Have a YouTube Channel!

You can now find us YouTube at youtube.com/SanctuaryCollective.  I will be creating videos from New York, Micah and Roman will be shooting footage during their Pilgrimage, and in the coming months, we hope to include video from young adults living and organizing in Christian communities all around the country.

Check out our inagural video:

Welcome to Our Blog

We want to give you a look inside of Sanctuary Collective and to create another avenue for collaboration.  We will be posting updates from our "main office" in New York, updates from our travels around the country, and importantly, we'll be letting others who are part of Sanctuary Collective add their voices to the mix.  Glad to have you with us!