The Collective
We seek not to be an organization or a corporation but an interconnected (and interdependent!) collective yearning for God's Kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven, and called to particular ministry and outreach around LGBTQ issues. As such, we see ourselves as an inclusive group and invite any who resonate with our mission to identify as “part of the Sanctuary Collective.” We also recognize that different individuals may desire varying levels of commitment and engagement with Sanctuary Collective. We've developed the following groupings to help folks make sense of their roles within the Sanctuary Collective.
Leadership Team | Support Team | Prayer Team | NYC Community | Discipleship Program
Leadership Team
The leadership team is committed to the on-going operation of Sanctuary Collective. They guide the group, oversee programs, develop goals and manage logistics.
In addition to our work with Sanctuary Collective, we have also been able to facilitate workshops on a number of topics. We'd love to come to your community, school, conference, or place of worship to share them with you! Here's a list of topics we've covered in the past:
Nonviolence - What does nonviolence look like in our daily lives? In our organizing? Is it even effective?
Grassroots/campus organizing - How do we make our ideas come to life? What if we have no money?
Intersection of faith and LGBTQ issues - What does it look like to be an LGBTQ person of faith today? What if I've been hurt by Christianity?
What the Bible really says about the LGBTQ experience - What about that handful of passages? Can LGBTQ people be a part of the body of Christ?
Trans 101 - What does it mean to be transgender? What should I do if my friend/family member/co-worker/acquaintance lets me know that they're trans? How can I be an ally?
Progressive theology - What does the Bible have to say about justice and oppressed people groups?
Gender and the Bible - Doesn't the Bible have strict gender roles? What does that mean for us today?
Of course, we'd also love to come and speak about what our reconciling work within Christian communities has looked like thus far. Please contact us if you'd like to have us come to you!
Brian Murphy
Brooklyn, NY
Donor, Leadership Team
Brian was raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC and despite a four year furlough in sunny Southern California, recently returned to the east coast—sharing a house in New York—to be closer to his family. He works in film, television, and graphic/print design, but is a math and science geek at heart.
Matthew Beams
Jersey City, NJ
Leadership Team, Prayer Team
Matt began working for social justice in 1990, when he, a handful of LGBT students, and their allies started the “Lambda Coalition” at the University of Richmond, Virginia. The Lambda Coalition hosted a number of events that challenged the University’s established order including a well-attended rally on campus hosting LGBT veterans fighting for the rights of all people to serve in the military. Today Matt lives in Jersey City, NJ, in an apartment he shares with friends, close to his family. He loves Star Trek for its beautiful promise of a future in which all folks work together for a common purpose with peace in mind. He also sings in the Festival of Voices choir and serves as the co-chair of the Young Adult Fellowship at Marble Church.
Micah Matthias
Brooklyn, NY
Leadership Team
Micah is a trans man discovering the wonder of his mid-twenties existence. He lives in Brooklyn with his beautiful partner Casey, two orange cats, and a couch and air mattress that are always open for visitors. His favorite graphic novel is Blankets (by Craig Thompson), favorite tv show is Firefly, and he owns a black Washburn acoustic guitar with a pickup that he still uses mainly to play worship songs. He has a loving family who relocated from Newport News, Virginia to Illinois, and a fantastic group of supportive friends in New York City and Philadelphia (where he went to school). He believes that he learns something from every situation, and that his life is pretty fantastic these days.