Why Sanctuary Collective?

In the Christian tradition, the Scripture tells us that our bodies are temples (or sanctuaries) – which means that we should take care of ourselves and each other, and it matters what happens to us here and now. In the middle ages as well, a person could come to a church and ask for sanctuary, meaning that they would be kept safe there from the cultural and structural powers that be. We wish to take care of one another, and to share with one another – creating spaces where people feel comfortable talking about the intersection of faith and LGBTQ identities. A collective is simply a group of people motivated by the same issues, or working together toward the same goal. Everyone at the Sanctuary Collective believes passionately that LGBTQ people do not have to give up essential pieces of who they are in order to be a loved, supported, and validated part of the body of Christ; and we are working to empower young people to create places or atmospheres of sanctuary in their own communities.