NEWS: Week of July 7, 2008
Next Chapter Meeting: July 20, 2008
We invite you to joint us for Worship (Eucharist) and Fellowship. We meet at Hollywood Lutheran Church in the Hollywood/Los Feliz area.
Monthly Worship Service - 5:30 p.m. in Hoick Hall
Potluck Meal and fellowship follows.
Hollywood Lutheran Church is at 1733 N. New Hampshire Avenue in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles (just north of Barnsdall Park, one block west of Vermont between Hollywood Blvd. and Franklin Ave.). For a map, see the church web site: www.hollywoodlutheran.org/contact.html.
Plan to join us at 5:30 on July 20!
ELCA Holds Hearings on Human Sexuality Statement
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is in the middle stages of polishing and publishing a major social statement on Human Sexuality. The First Draft was released to the public for study and discussion in March, and now local hearings are being held to received feedback from individuals and congregations. All responses must be received by November 1; the Draft will be presented for possible approval at the Churchwide Assembly in August 2009.
Local hearings are being held in our Synod area:
Saturday, July 19, 10:00 a.m. to Noon at Hill Avenue Grace Lutheran Church in Pasadena
Saturday, August 9, 10:00 a.m. to Noon at Bethania Lutheran Church in Solvang, CA
Anyone may attend to learn more about the draft or to comment publicly. The draft statement can be downloaded in its entirety from the ELCA's web site here.
What is a hearing for? The ELCA holds hearings on the first draft of a social statement in order to hear the responses to the draft statement from members in synods and other interested groups. This is a very important step in the social statement process because the goal is broad participation in the development of social teaching and policy documents. The task force then uses the information gathered at these hearings to help it consider revisions for the proposed draft.
It is worth noting that the proposed Statement is rather ambiguous on matters concerning homosexuality, and at one point simply states that the ELCA is not all of the same mind on these issues. Because it was prepared some months ago, it also does not reflect the new reality that, along with Massachusetts, California now allows legal same-sex marriage. The ELCA will likely be even more divided over gay/lesbian marriage in specific than it has been over homosexuality in general.
July 6: Faith Lutheran, Canoga Park, Votes Unanimously to Join RIC Program
In a wonderful new development for the reconciling and welcoming ministries in the Los Angeles region, Faith Lutheran Church voted unanimously at its July 6 congregational meeting to adopt an Affirmation of Welcome to LGBT people and to join the Reconciling in Christ program of Lutherans Concerned.
Pastor Wayne Christiansen is overjoyed, having worked very hard for this step for years. The congregation, which owns and operates two campuses in Canoga Park, is heavily involved in growing a new Spanish language mission, with the able ministry of Pastor Cesar Arroyo. Along with Angelica Lutheran Church in downtown Los Angeles, Faith becomes the second Latino-oriented Lutheran ministry in our region to unequivocally open its doors to lesbian and gay people.
Congratulations, people of Faith!
LC/LOS ANGELES participates in CSWest Parade and Festival
Lutherans Concerned again marched in the Christopher Street West Pride Parade on Sunday, June 8, and hosted a double booth at the CSW Festival on both days, June 7-8, under the theme of "My Big Fat Gay Church Wedding!"
Due to the Supreme Court Decision, our Wedding booth was a big hit for the second year, where more than 300 couples were photographed in tuxedos or wedding dresses as they visualized themselves as married not only in the eyes of God but in the rolls of the State of California as well!
Same-sex weddings began on June 16. Now hundreds of couples are tying the knot. Meet pastors and people from welcoming congregations in Southern California!
Download "My Big Fat Church Wedding" and "My Big Fat Lesbian Church Wedding" posters!
July 3-6: "Hearts on Fire" Assembly/Conference Meets in San Francisco
The biennial Assembly of Lutherans Concerned/North America met July 3-6 at San Francisco State in San Francisco, with some 350 people present, including 8 members of LC/Los Angeles as delegates.
Featuring Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson, Lutheran theologians Barbara Lundblad and Kelly Fryer and many others, the conference brought together more church leaders, pastors, bishops and members from all over the United states and Canada. We also had international visitors from Denmark, Catalonia (Spain) and Singapore/Malaysia.
LC/Los Angeles Sponsors "Spirit I Am"
As part of its ongoing support for local LGBT organizations and the arts, Lutherans Concerned/Los Angeles was a financial sponsor for Vox Femina's recent concert "Spirit I Am." We were featured prominently in the concert program, and received verbal recognition as well for our sponsorship.
Vox Femina Los Angeles is a world-class women's vocal ensemble which performs excellent choral music in a diversity of styles. The March 8 concert was held in the enormous nave of Wilshire United Methodist Church and drew a significant audience.
In addition to more widely acknowledged spiritual music, such as David McIntyre's "Ave Maria," Rosephayne Powell's arrangement of "Every Time I Feel the Spirit" and Francisco J. Nuñez' rendering of "Amazing Grace," other important and less-known works were presented with grace and power: Stephen Smith's "What I Want" is a treatment of the third verse of a poem by Canadian poet Pat Lowther, which was written while living in an abusive marriage. Shortly after she wrote the poem, she died at the hands of her husband. Paul Carey's "God Says Yes to Me" was brilliant, amusing, and insightful in its treatment of the divine presence in the smallest details of our lives. Jane Miller's arrangement of "Gimme That Old Time Religion" was enlivened with the addition of many unorthodox verses to reflect spiritual diversity and a touch of sheer irreverence to remind us not to take our own religious rules too seriously.
As well as the spectrum of sacred and spiritual music performed, a selection of liturgical stoles from the Shower of Stoles Project was displayed in the reception hall following the concert. Each stole displayed tells the story of a gay men, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person who was deprived of her/his ability to serve the church because of sexual orientation or gender identity. The full ecumenical collection consists of more than 1,000 stoles, and was displayed by Lutherans Concerned/North America last summer during the ELCA Churchwide Assembly at Navy Pier in Chicago. (An on-line exhibition can be viewed here.)
SPECIAL FREE SCREENING OF AWARD-WINNING FILM "FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO"
This important documentary film was recently in a limited engagement in Westwood, but it should be seen by thousands more. Now by special engagement, For the Bible Tells Me So will show at St. Matthew's Church of Burbank/Glendale on Sunday January 27, 6:00 p.m..
Can the love between two people ever be an abomination? Is the chasm separating gays and lesbians and Christianity be too wide to cross? Is the Bible an escuse to hate?
Through the experiences of five very normal, very Christian, very American families--including those of former House Majority Leade Richard Gephardt and Episcopal Bishop Gene Robsinson-- we discover how insightful people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child. Informed by such respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard University's Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steven Greenberg and Rev. Jimmy Creech, For the Bible Tells Me So offers healing, clarity, and udnerstanding to anyone caught in the crosshairs of scripture and sexual identity.
Progressive Christians Uniting and LutheransLove.com present For the Bible Tells Me So.
2007 Sundance Film Festival NOMINEE, GRAND JURY PRIZE
Seattle International Film Festival AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival KATHLEEN BRYAN EDWARDS AWARD FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Provincetown International Film Festival HBO AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
Outfest Los Angeles AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
Milwaukee International Film Festival AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY BEST DIRECTOR FOR DOCUMENTARY
Image Out: The Rochester Gay and Lesbian Film Festival AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
Reel Pride: Fresno Gay and Lesbian Film Festival AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
Tampa international Gay and Lesbian Film Festival GRAND JURY PRIZE FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WORLD AIDS HOLLYWOOD VESPERS/CONCERT
A Reconciling in Christ congregation in the southland has launched an all-out effort to involve its community in observing World AIDS Day.
Last year, Hollywood Lutheran Church in Los Angeles launched World AIDS Hollywood to promote its December 2 observance and to involve neighbors and parishioners in the world-wide fight against HIV and AIDS.
This year "Hollywood Remembers" will be held Sunday, November 30, featuring choral and instrumental music, the lighting of candles and ringing of bells for those who have died, guest artists and celebrities.
Panels from the National AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on display for the a week surrounding November 30.
The Los Angeles Chapter of Lutherans Concerned was a co-sponsor of the event in 2007, along with the American Catholic Church of Los Angeles.
Details can be found at www.WorldAIDSHollywood.org or by calling (323) 667-1212.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SIX LeBLANC HYMNS COMMISSIONED
by Rev. Dan Hooper
When he died of AIDS in May 1990, Bryan D. LeBlanc had already left his mark on Lutherans Concerned.
A former seminarian, Bryan had helped to re-start the Los Angeles chapter several years before, in his own apartment living room while serving as a seminary intern in a Manhattan Beach congregation. And he had given enormous amounts of energy to push the movement forward. In the late 80s, Bryan had served as the Secretary of Lutherans Concerned/North America, in the days when the organization had no paid staff and all members of its Board of Directors worked on its business as if they were moonlighting in a second job.
After withdrawing from the seminary program, Bryan’s fall-back job at Transamerica, became more and more important, for it was the source of his income, and his health and life insurance. He worked far beyond the date he should have stepped down and relied on disability, in part because he could boost his group life insurance coverage.
Bryan was a member of Luther Memorial Church in Burbank, where I had often been a guest in the pulpit and preached at his funeral celebration. Bryan was as determined in death as in life to show forth the resurrection of Our Lord, and the service had more the tone of Christ’s triumph than the defeat of Bryan’s death. In the weeks to follow, we learned more and more of how Bryan had struggled in declining health to contribute to that triumph. His insurance policy provided for his family, but he also left a considerable portion of it to Lutherans Concerned/Los Angeles.
He also left behind a small but useful theological library from his seminary days, a briefcase full of unresolved business and half-dreamt dreams, including the texts of six hymns which he had written, with the hopes that one day they would be set to music, the result of private piety conveying the hope to contribute to our corporate “deposit of faith.”
Lutherans Concerned/Los Angeles is pleased to announce that it has commissioned Eldon M. Turner III to set the six LeBlanc hymn texts to music, in an agreement approved June 17. Turner, who is Director of Music at Hollywood Lutheran Church, and a talented composer, arranger, organist and director of choirs, is comfortable in many musical genres including liturgical and operatic work.
Eldon M Turner III
The hymns of the Christian faith are our legacy, not the words of God but the words and music of the thousands—in fact millions— of those who have believed and put their hope in the promises of God. . . . The body of hymns and songs in almost any hymnbook, next to the Bible, is really the catechism of Christian people. Hymns teach us theology and discipleship, worship and stewardship.
But because of this, Christian hymns often express the faith and sentiments of “insiders” rather than outsiders. For LGBT people, who have been marginalized by the church for centuries, hymn texts have never been inclusive. Bryan LeBlanc understood this, and attempted to speak to our faith experiences in his hymn texts. It is hoped these new hymns will speak to, and be sung by future generations of LGBT Christians and our allies in the reconciling ministry of a church which truly embraces all God’s children.
--- Dan Hooper
NEW PRISON MINISTRY BEING EXPLORED
The Steering Committee of Lutherans Concerned/Los Angeles is presently reviewing a developing new ministry to LGBT inmates at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo. The brainchild of former ELCA Pastor Kenny Callaghan and chapter Convener Rev. Ken Dahlstrom, the prison ministry would become the only Christian outreach to sexual minority inmates in Southern California.
Sexual minority persons are at great risk while in prison – usually incarcerated for reasons that had nothing to do with being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender – not only for assault, rape and abuse by other inmates, but also at risk of depression, internalized homophobia, self-hatred and suicide. Harsh life experiences, along with a period of incarceration and the difficulties of finding good employment after release, put LGBT people at risk of falling into substance abuse, prostitution and other criminal activity.
When paroled back into civilian society, most parolees from the California Men’s Colony return to Los Angeles County, but without any personal, spiritual and emotional support. This ministry will attempt to link parolees to Reconciling in Christ congregations in Southern California.
The Christian approach to imprisonment is often misunderstood by churchgoers, and prisoners are rejected if not entirely forgotten by Christian churches. Jesus, however, made it clear that no one is outside God’s grace, especially not those in prison. In one of his famous parables, Jesus teaches:
Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” [Matthew 25:34–36]
The LC/Los Angeles Steering Committee met with Callaghan in mid-May to discuss concepts and details for the proposed part-time ministry, which would be funded initially by Lutherans Concerned/Los Angeles alone, through a bequest from the estate of Clarence “Andy” Anderson.
When launched, the Prison Ministry will form its own ministry board for accountability and support. If the ministry continues and possibly expands to other institutions, additional funding may be sought from other sources. Callaghan is a former inmate at the CMC, and is a gay man living with HIV. He already has ample experience within the Men’s Colony and worked as an assistant to (Lutheran) prison Chaplain Rev. Warren Alderson.
In a related development, the Southwest California Synod of the ELCA has already adopted the theme for its next Assembly (2008) in Woodland Hills“I was in prison and you visited me.” The Synod does not presently support any prison ministry program.
Lutherans Concerned recently hosted its annual reception during the Southwest California Synod Assembly held in Warner Center on May 16, a popular social event and “break” from the more tedious business or more inspiring presentations.
More than 60 people stopped by on Friday afternoon to enjoy wine and cheese, fun and fellowship.
Introduced during the reception was Rose Beeson, the Regional Coordinator for Lutherans Concerned. Beeson. Based in Phoenix, AZ, Rose has (volunteer) responsibility for relations between LC chapters in the southwestern states.
LC/Los Angeles Hosts Assembly Reception
LeBlanc Hymn Featured at Gay Wedding
At long last, one of the hymn texts written by the late Bryan LeBlanc has been set to music and performed at a gay wedding in March.
The music for "You Have Knit Their Souls Together" was commissioned by Lutherans Concerned/Los Angeles, and composed by Eldon M. Turner III, who is music director for Hollywood Lutheran Church. Turner's melodic setting for the 4-verse hymn was done as a two-part round, and sung by Phyllis Lundine and David Conrad, during the wedding for Mario and José on March 30.
The wedding ceremony was a complete Eucharist or Mass, utilizing elements of Lutheran and Catholic marriage rites, and conducted bilingually in Spanish and English. Pastor Dan Hooper of Hollywood Lutheran presided at the ceremony.
LC/Los Angeles' Steering Committee will decide shortly how and when it will distribute the hymns and tunes for wider use. It ispexpected that the music and texts will become available first to Lutherans Concerned chapters and Reconciling in Chist congregations.