Posts Tagged ‘LGBT equality and inclusion’
Our Amplification Grantees
One of Believe Out Loud’s greatest blessings, as a program of a social justice ministry, has been the ability to support and uplift grassroots LGBTQIA organizations around the world. Since 2019, we’ve distributed $73,370 in amplification grants to 16 organizations working to provide housing, food, spiritual resources, COVID-19 relief packages, mental health services and transformational…
Read MoreWe’re all in this together
The last couple of months have shown us in unprecedented ways the connectedness of our global family. Though international travel has come to a near standstill in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19, the lives and challenges of people in other parts of the world have rarely felt as close and relatable as…
Read MoreImitating God’s Heart
I grew up in the Baptist Church and we did not commemorate the liturgical season of the Christian Church. When I became a pastor, it was my church in Sacramento that schooled me on Advent and Lent. I developed a deep appreciation for the spiritual concepts of developing patience (a core part of anticipation of…
Read MoreReconciling United Methodists of Texas Conference Offers Support for Bishop Karen Oliveto
Reconciling United Methodists of Texas Conference unreservedly supports Bishop Karen Oliveto of the Mountain Sky Area. We pray her episcopacy will be long and fruitful—resulting in many disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We give thanks for vocal disciples in the Western Jurisdiction nominating, electing, consecrating, and assigning Bishop Oliveto. We…
Read More“I’m Sorry”: God Adores You
Someone on twitter recently asked me how I defined courage. I sat in my room turning the question over and over in my mind, but then I responded with “Courage is being able to step onto the stormy waters, despite your fear, when Jesus calls.” I felt Jesus calling this past week and I was…
Read MorePersonal Transformations: Learning to Embrace “The Gay”
Nearly all of our best and most important transformations are prompted by personal connections, when what was once theoretical becomes achingly personal and powerful enough to blast through our preconceived, long-held beliefs. It’s why, with fewer and fewer gay people staying in the closet, more and more of us are being transformed by those personal connections,…
Read MoreShowing Another Side of Catholicism
Whenever the media uses the phrase “Catholic Church” when they reference statements made by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) or individual church leaders, Marianne Duddy-Burke, Executive Director of DignityUSA, stands up to correct them. “The bishops try discredit Dignity by saying we’re not authorized not to use the word Catholic,” she states.…
Read MoreWhy This Queer Baptist Wants Religious Freedom, Too
Tomorrow is Religious Freedom Day, a day that celebrates the passage of Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. Passed in 1786, this piece of legislation. As a queer Baptist, my faith is often trivialized by those who do not believe it is possible to be both queer and Christian. I also know that my Baptist tradition…
Read MoreDiscrimination Is Not Religious Freedom
As recently as January of 2014, the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) filed a complaint against Fontbonne Academy, a religious college prep school in Milton, MA, when the school fired Matt Barrett—after offering him employment at the school as Food Services Director. Matt Barrett was fired after he stated on a form that…
Read More10 Resources For Trans Students
NCTE’s School Action Resource Center Link: http://www.transequality.org/schoolaction Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students: Your Rights at School Link: http://www.transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/kyr/KYR-Schools-May-2016.pdf Transgender Students and School Bathrooms: Frequently Asked Questions Link: https://www.genderspectrum.org/BathroomFAQ/ Schools In Transition A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools Link: https://www.genderspectrum.org/staging/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Schools-in-Transition-2015.pdf Trans-Inclusive Classroom Tips From using correct pronouns to challenging transphobia, this trans-specific resource…
Read More