Best Political Comment

On Sunday night Mike and I went to the Mardi Gras Awards at ARQ nightclub. 100Revs won the "Best Political Comment" Award!

Another trip into foreign territory for us, the crowd was really listening as Mike thanked them for the hospitality we had received at the march. At the same time he recognised that they haven't been given the same hospitality in return, and assured them that some of us are trying to change that situation.

Grace and Peace
Colin

Thank you letters from Sydney Star Observer

Follow the link below to read some very affirming responses from a variety of people, and to realise that there is still more welcome and more healing needed.
SSO this week

We made it!

There are now officially 100 Revs apologising to the Gay community for the lack of welcome that Gay people have experienced from Christian Churches and praying and working for churches which are truly places of prayer for all people.

Congratulations to Rev Mark Dunn who is number 100 to sign up!

Each week the order of service at Mark's church includes:

ST JOHN’S IS A SAFE PLACE FOR ALL PEOPLE TO WORSHIP

REGARDLESS OF

AGE, RACE, CREED, GENDER, CULTURAL BACKGROUND OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Thank you to everyone who has supported 100Revs in whatever way you have been able to. This is a beginning rather than an end. Please continue to encourage others to sign up and to use 100Revs as a forum to support one another and discuss relevant issues.

Grace and Peace

Colin

100 Revs Prayer

Here is the outline for prayers for the prayer time before the march:

A. The Church - the body of Christ ...

• For forgiveness for the sins of the church against the Gay and Lesbian community.
• For the church to be the eyes, ears, hands, feet and heart of Jesus.. to demonstrate His grace. "Where sin abounds grace super abounds" Romans 5:20

B. The Gay and Lesbian community ...

• That though our actions they will experience the grace and love of God.
• Pray in particular for Gay and Lesbian Christians.

C. Ourselves
as we stand in this difficult place ... offering confession and grace on behalf of the wider church

• For unity amongst us.
• That we will minister in the fruit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit
• To be protected by the Spririt of God, in the realm of spiritual warfare
• That a clear message of grace will be heard in our words and action.

Thank you GLBTIQ Sydney!

Those who marched last night with 100Revs would like to thank all the members of the GLBTIQ community for their hospitality at the march and the graciousness with which they received our apology. The officials were really helpful in guiding we newbies in unfamiliar territory. The other members of the parade welcomed us, and the crowd cheered loudly (with some encouragement from Tony "I can't hear you!" Gibson) as we walked past. Several people shook every member's hand, and many connected with us individually, to thank us for the apology and convey how much it meant to them.

Everyone was very warm and welcoming toward us. Thank you!

We pray that this signals a new era of the church being truly a place of welcome, and a place of prayer for all people.

Grace and Peace
Colin Scott

The 100 Revs

As promised, here is the list of ministers, pastors, and reverends that have affirmed the 100Revs statement. We have made 100! But don't let that stop you from signing up. If you are able to affirm the statement, please add you name by emailing 100Revs@live.com.au.

Grace and Peace
Colin

1. Brother Andrew Blair EFO
2. Brother Jon Owen
3. Captain Janet Staines
4. Captain Phil Staines
5. Dr Les Fussell
6. Father Bill G
7. Father Dave Smith
8. Father Iain Radvan s.j
9. Father Tony Joseph Newman
10. Pastor Adam Smits
11. Pastor Andrew Park
12. Pastor Anthea Smits
13. Pastor Cameron Burgess
14. Pastor David Ayliffe
15. Pastor Digby Hannah
16. Pastor Doug Faircloth
17. Pastor Graeme Frauenfelder
18. Pastor Jarrod McKenna
19. Pastor John Bond
20. Pastor Joseph Thomas-Kerr
21. Pastor Julie Brackenreg
22. Pastor Michael Hercock
23. Pastor Mike Hardy
24. Pastor Neal Taylor
25. Pastor Neil Jansons
26. Pastor Penny Davis
27. Pastor Randy Edwards
28. Pastor Rick Lewis
29. Pastor Rick Viede
30. Pastor Robert Clark
31. Pastor Tony Crossett
32. Pastor Tracey Wright
33. Pastor Wayne Jeffrey
34. Rev Andrew Collis
35. Rev Andrew Woff
36. Rev Andy Collins
37. Rev Ann Lock
38. Rev Anne Mallaby
39. Rev Anne Wilkinson-Hayes
40. Rev Anthony McCarthy
41. Rev Barrie Sutton
42. Rev Beryl Turner
43. Rev Bill Lawton
44. Rev Blair Cameron
45. Rev Brent Lyons Lee
46. Rev Bryan McClelland
47. Rev Carolyn J. Francis
48. Rev Chris Bedding
49. Rev Clive Norton
50. Rev Clive Watkins
51. Rev Daryl Gardiner
52. Rev Don Wright
53. Rev Dr Christopher Page
54. Rev Dr Colin Hunter
55. Rev Dr Garry J. Deverell
56. Rev Dr Ian Tozer
57. Rev Dr Jason John
58. Rev Dr Rowland Croucher
59. Rev Eileen Ray
60. Rev Emma Walsh
61. Rev Francis Chalwell
62. Rev Gerry Ball
63. Rev Glen Powell
64. Rev Graham Long
65. Rev Heather McClelland
66. Rev Ian Pearson
67. Rev Jim Barr
68. Rev John Connor
69. Rev Judy Redman
70. Rev Karl Hand
71. Rev Kevin D Crinks
72. Rev Lance Lawton
73. Rev Les Chatwin
74. Rev Linda Anchell
75. Rev Linda Young
76. Rev Mark Dunn
77. Rev Meewon Yang
78. Rev Melissa Baker
79. Rev Nathan Nettleton
80. Rev Newton Daddow
81. Rev Nick Jensen
82. Rev Paul Emerson Teusner
83. Rev Peter Breen
84. Rev Peter Holden
85. Rev Peter Los
86. Rev Peter Maher
87. Rev Rainer Schack
88. Rev Rex Hackett
89. Rev Richard Mallaby
90. Rev Robert Holland
91. Rev Robyn Richardson
92. Rev Ron Ham
93. Rev Rowena Curtis
94. Rev Scott Combridge
95. Rev Scott Higgins
96. Rev Simon Moyle
97. Rev Steve Warren
98. Rev Sue Emeleus
99. Rev Tom Pardy
100. Sister Meg Britton

Revving up for Mardi Gras

After a very supportive pre-march forum, the 100Revs team are on track to March at the Mardi Gras this coming Saturday. Please continue to support us by:

1. Encouraging any ministers/pastors/reverends that you know to march with us or affirm the statement. Ask them to email 100revs@live.com.au.

2. Praying for safety and courage for the marchers both in the march and in their ministries.

3. Praying that this action will have the intended outcome of bringing reconciliation and healing to people in the GLBTI community who have been hurt by the church, and encouraging churches to be welcoming in their attitude to gay people.

If you need details for the march, please email 100Revs@live.com.au
Publish Post
Grace and Peace
Colin Scott

100Revs Supporters' Gatherings

Whether you are a minister or not, marching or not, please come along to these two events to understand and support the campaign.

The first is a pre March Forum. This is for all suppporters - both ministers who have affirmed the statement and other who would like to support the campaign. The forum will be an opportunity for supporters to meet each other and to hear the story of what has led this Group of Ministers, pastors and Christian Leaders towards Marching in Mardi Gras this year, and to discuss together ways of making the church a place of welcome for the gay community.

DETAILS:
4pm Sunday 24 February
Sydney Mechanics Shool of Arts 280 Pitt St Sydney

The second is a get together and prayer time on the day of the march. Stay tuned for details.

Hope to see you there.
Colin Scott
Mike Hercock

100Revs Origins

Ministering in a community where about 35% of people are gay, we are very conscious of the barrier that the church has been in putting this community in touch with Jesus. The idea began more than a year ago and we finally went public in November 2007 with Mardi Gras 2008 as our target. Now the Mardi Gras looks really close!

100Revs Stories

Our goal is that the GLBT community will know more clearly that the outgoing love of God expressed in Jesus is for them.

Our stories site tells of churches sharing that love, and of people from the GLBT community seeking, searching, and discovering that love.

Contact 100Revs@live.com.au to submit your story.

May the love of our Lord be with you, now and always
Colin Scott

Revs AND Pastors AND Ministers

The invitation to join 100Revs is to anyone who is a pastor or minister of a Christian church or leader of a Christian ministry or agency.

"100Revs" was a catchy title rather than a restriction of the campaign to only ordained clergy. Please pass the invitation on to other ministers that you know.

Join us!

Whatever Christians think about the Gay and Lesbian community, the log in our own eye is the lack of welcome that we have offered that community.

We invite ministers of every Christian denomination to:

• Affirm their support for our statement with a comment.
• March at Mardi Gras 2008 to convey the apology to the Gay and Lesbian community.

Indicate in your comment or email us confidentially at 100revs@live.com.au and we will keep you informed.

Our aim is to have 100 ministers march in Mardi Gras 2008. -- Act now!

Rev. Colin Scott

Mardi Gras Morals

A couple of people have raised their concern that involvement in the Mardi Gras may be seen (by church members and perhaps by the Mardi Gras organisers) as an affirmation of the promiscuity and lewdness that are part of the parade.

This is certainly not our intention. The Mardi Gras remains the iconic Gay and Lesbian event and as such is the best way of communicating with the GLBT community as a whole.

So while there is much of the Mardi Gras which disturbs us, it is the best place to communicate with those who we are trying to reach - a strategy that was familiar to Jesus (Matt 11:19; Luke 5:27; John 8:3-11).

The '100Revs' Statement

Full text:

As ministers of various churches and denominations we recognise that the churches we belong to, and the church in general, have not been places of welcome for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people. Indeed the church has often been profoundly unloving toward the GLBT community. For these things we apologise, whatever the distinctive of our Christian position on human sexuality – to which we remain committed. We are deeply sorry and ask for the forgiveness of the GLBT community. We long that the church would be a place of welcome for all people and commit ourselves to pursuing this goal.

We ARE a group of Christian ministers who voluntarily and individually bring this apology.

We ARE NOT official representatives of our churches or denominations.

We ARE NOT making a statement on the biblical position on gay and lesbian relationships.

We ARE recognising the lack of hospitality, care and welcome that the churches have offered the gay and lesbian community.

New Blog Site!

G'day,

We've just moved the 100Revs blog over to Blogger -- there's now no need to sign up in order to comment.

Previous postings will be copied across presently; these and existing comments can be found at:

• http://100revs.spaces.live.com
• http://www.100revs.bigblog.com.au

All the best,

Mike.