The third in a series of Provincial Workshops about Believe Out Loud was just completed in Danbury, CT. This event targeted toward Episcopalians in Provinces 1 and 2, was held at St. James Church in Danbury, CT. The rector and local Integrity/Danbury members were wonderful hosts. Chap Day, Province 1 Coordinator and John-Albert Moseley, Province 2 coordinator facilitated this session we me. Many, many positive comments were received and participants left energized and ready to return to their home parishes to Believe Out Loud.
Of all the major protestant denominations, the Episcopal Church is the only one without a welcoming congregation designation that is consistent across the church. We have chosen to adopt the Believe Out Loud branding. This creation of Intersection is intended to be a universally recognized symbol of welcome to LGBT people. It goes beyond just saying "We welcome all." It includes a very intentional model of how to discern what that welcome looks like. Integrity has worked to modify the process so that it more clearly reflects the polity of the Episcopal Church. Our designation then becomes "Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregation (BOLEC)."
The program focuses on understanding the steps to become a BOLEC as well as learning tools to spread the good news that your church lives out out Baptismal Covenenant, "to respect the dignity of every human being."
We share our stories and learn how to tell them effectively to others. Using parts of Marshall Ganz model of public narrative, we look for challenges, choices and outcomes in the stories of what brought us to discovering our mission in the Church. We learn about graceful engagement and how to frame our stories in ways that they will be heard by others.
If you wish to join us, please go to www.integrityusa.org for additional scheduled events. We will be in Martinsburg, WV this weekend and then in Atlanta, Austin and central Ohio. Another event is in the works for Denver in September.
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