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
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27 comments:
I would like to congratulate 100 Revs for doing what everyone in ourcivilised land konws - gay people not not atrocities, they are people whosimply want to live their lives truthfully. The Christain Churches have so much potential for being an expression oflove and acceptance, rather than what many see as an expression of judgementand fear.
Thank you for your bravery in standing up against the bigots and fearful. Thank you for apologising to the LGBTIQ community for past injustices. Thank you for recognising that the LGBTIQ community is as worthy ofGod's love as anyone else. Rebecca
Its about time the church said sorry for the way they have judged, rejected and condemned the homosexual community. I may not condone the homosexual and lesbian lifestyle but every person deserves to be treated as an individual created in the image of God and the way the church has often handled this issue has been, to me, contrary to what I see as the character and nature of God.
As a young lesbian who was thrown out of a large Christian church for being gay, seeing that there are religious leaders out there standing up for us is more than important, it is spiritually gratifying. It is truly doing Gods work.
Hi, I just wanted to let you know that you have my admiration and support for all that you are doing. I teach in a Christian school and I used what you are doing in class today to show Jesus in action. Thanks for taking this stand - the right and proper stand, a stand that makes me feel proud to be a Christian and not embarrassed.
Just want to say thank you for the support you are showing the GBLT community. Having been bought up as Christian and been very close to the church in my pass, I now find it very hard to turn to the church now that I am a open and out gay man . God is still within me but the church is not. Once again a BIG THANK YOU
I am a Christian and I sending this email to encourage you in your endeavour to ‘put right’ what has happened in the past. I believe when Kevin Rudd had a sorry day for the Aboriginals of our community it was the catalyst for many more sorry days. It will be the first of many. This will be the beginning of healing for many in the gay community who have been humiliated, oppressed, judged and singled-out as the people to blame for the state of the nation. Instead of healthy introspection it is human nature to blame-shift which takes the focus off self.
It takes courage and conviction to take responsibility for has happened. In Corinthians Chapter 13, the Bible clearly states that love should be the overriding motivation for life. That’s what you are doing – and I commend you for taking a step towards reconciliation.
What a brave and loving step you are taking in the world. To hear that some Reverends within the church are taking active steps to right the wrongs of the past and asking forgiveness is a huge and potent symbol to the world and I thank you.
What you are doing is fantastic and a beautiful positive addition to the Universe.
Your ability to proactively rise above centuries of negativity is amazing.
Take it higher.
On behalf of both myself and TransGender Victoria Inc
bravo for the public declaration and confidence it is the Way.
Hi. Thank you for showing your faith in Jesus Christ - by doing exactly what Jesus would do. Thank you for showing the love of God and being an excellent witness for Him and a blessing to the community.
Ill Keep this short... when i heard of the 'sorry letter' and that some ministers were actually marching i realised that perhaps finally I have seen Gods true love through church leaders. Its such a huge brave and utterly amazing action that mean SO much to MANY!! thanks and congrats for having the guts to make a stand like this... it will not go unnoticed!
To all who have been a part of the creation and progression of 100Revs and the work that has gone in to it thus far – I say thankyou.
Thankyou for being prepared to be persecuted, slandered, abused and everything else that has come your way as a result, in order for us to be able to do what HAS to be done, and that is to apologise to the GBLT community for the attitude of the church in general and many Christians in particular, towards them.
The statement made by Thug on the 100Revs blog site may have been way over the top in terms of the average GBLT’s attitude, but it was a stark reminder of what sort of hate can be harvested when hate is sewn. There have been many other statements made on that site that are written proof of the attacks that so called Christians think they have the right to throw at those who have found themselves with an orientation other than that which is considered acceptable to Christianity. Their self righteous attitude is so loud it is hard to hear what they are really saying. I am sure that their attitude is not a sweet smelling fragrance to the Lord.
I want to encourage you to keep on keeping on. Our beginning steps may have opened a Pandora’s box, but I also believe that it has opened up the way for clearer discussion in the future for those who are hearing ‘a cry in the wilderness’.
I had never heard of this organisation until today.. and WOW what a fantastic and great idea in the TRUE sprit of God and Jesus. I am not "religious" at all, but I am VERY Spritual and my beliefs often are looked on by others, as naive or just plain wierd. I am Gay, however, that is not what defines me, it is merely a part of me, along with being a Mother and a Grandmother, a student and a teacher of life experiences through my own own life Lived.
It has taken me so long to just ...'like' myself ...after the damage the church has done to me ...no 'life giving' moment there! And to think that there are some straight Christians courageous enough (to step outside the abstract cultural/theological debate about homosexuality) to look one, another human being, in the eye and say 'sorry, i actually like you'.
You have no idea the magnitude of what you're doing...
thanx
The reason I think your statement to be very important and a step in the right direction is that for the fist time in long it shifted my paradigm of the church from a rather negative towards one of anticipation and ultimately I hope towards one of mutual understanding and harmony. It takes a lot to admit to a mistake and stand up to the past and I want to take the opportunity to say thank you for being so selfless and taking responsibility despite the above mentioned personal and social consequences you may face as a result.
It is really quite amazing that you are able and prepared to say sorry for the many wrongs of the past and present. It is a long road with many potholes.
It may not be easy for some of you, but hopefully your number will grow and flourish like a flower.
It is a wonderful gesture and appreciated by our community.
With love and thanks,
I'd just like to say how proud, and how thankful my husband and I areof all of you marching in the parade.We are so excited to see such wonderful, peaceful support.Both of us being PK's (Pastor's Kids ;) ourselves, we know howdifficult / complicated this must be. Thankyou so much.May God bless you, and continue granting you strength.We'll be praying for you.
I really appreciate your loving intention. Expressing love as God did, has no boundaries.
It is heartbreaking that the record of the church, claiming to represent Christ, has so often failed to reflect his heart in the way that we reach out to people. We have grown so good at erecting walls around walls and defining who is in and who is out. It saddens me that the apology is necessary because we have been so un-Christlike in the way we have treated GLTB individuals and groups.
The apology you have co-written is timely and necessary. It is well worded and appropriately expresses that you are not apologizing for Biblical teaching on relationships, but for the sin of the Church in perpetuating a distorted presentation of God's heart, and in failing (refusing even) to extend the gospel freely as we have been commanded to.
I guess what I'm trying to say is I know it's not an easy thing to do, as a straight person, as a Christian; but also that marching in the mardi gras is a great way to get at least some sense of what it is like for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people who often don't have the privilege of choosing to be transgressive. I'm currently working part-time with the Uniting Church chaplaincy at uni (even though I am more of an Anglican, but I've mostly given up on Anglicans in Sydney). It's one of the more supportive places I've found for queer Christians, but still difficult when they are hesitant to actively speak out. So I encourage you to keep working for change within your churches and to continue listening to queer Christians. I hope you find a way to support each other after the parade, and I hope you have a great time on the night!
Thank you for having the courage to admit to mistakes your Churches have made in the past, and having the courage to march in the upcoming Mardi Gras, in the face of opposition and ridicule. I wish you and everyone participating in 100Revs all the best in your endeavours.
Thank you so much for standing up and acknowledging the church has hurt many gays and lesbians...and transexuals and transvestites.
I appreciate your actions .. may God go with you..
I am delighted and grateful at what you are doing. It is hugely important. And just as the Australian government's apology to the stolen generations was not important just to aborigines but to white Australians, your apology is important to the straight members of your churches and to the Australian community.
I just wanted to send through a quick email to thank you for apologising to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender people across Australia for the damage caused by various churches’ negative attitudes towards these communities. This negativity, discrimination, and homophobia has undoubtedly caused immeasurable harm to many thousands of GLBT people, although I haven’t experienced it directly (as I have never really been affiliated with any particular church/religious body), I know many people who have.
I commend you for taking this action, and hope that it provides a way forward for mending the bridges between GLBT communities and various churches/religious organisations.
It is generally acknowledged that between 6 and 10% of the population are homosexual, or to some extent at least express same sex attraction. That means that up to 2,000,000 Australians are feeling alienated and possibly angry at what they would regard to be unacceptable treatment by the churches and those who throw stones at them from behind religious doctrines.
100Revs is a bold and incredibly important first step at reaching out to these 2 million Australians. Just as Kevin Rudd had the conviction of his courage to say “sorry” to the Aboriginal stolen generation, and for past mistreatment to Aborigines as a whole (which represent around 2,5% of Australia’s population), it is fantastic that 100Revs have found the courage to say “sorry” to another 10% of Australians.
It would be a wonderful day indeed if the 100Revs initiative is able to influence Canberra, resulting in the over-turning of draconian and discriminatory legislation against same sex couples. No one in the GLBT community believes for one minute that the churches do not have a strong influence on government with the result that Canberra remain frozen in time on this issue.
Well done 100Revs – you are certainly earning good karma on this path. May others now join you in the Light.
I would like to express my appreciation to the 100 Revs for having the courage to take such a brave stand. You are pioneers who will one day be remembered as such.May your message be the catalyst in helping break the barriers that have hurt so many and alienated others from the the love of God
Nancye
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