Creating Change

5th February, 2009 - Posted by nwilsonadmin - No Comments

About ten people from MCC were at the Creating Change Conference in Denver, the NGLTF’s version of our General Conference, which occurs yearly. Just briefly:

1) It is clear that the national LGBT movement and organizations and funders are struggling to understand the role of religion in the movment, and we have to help them!

2) The Roundtable of religious groups met at the conference, with about 40 or more people in attendance, led by Rebecca Voelkel of Welcoming Resources — We sent a resolution to Creating Change, expressing our frustration about the ways in which we were often shut out or marginalized during the recdent Prop 8 campaign. The campaign did not being religious leaders and solutions to the table, then blamed religious folks (often in a racialized way) for the bad results. Enough of that!! We also committed to passing a “United ENDA” which is trans inclusive.

3) BIshop Yvette Flunder spoke at the AIDS plenary, and told some hard truths about pathology in our religious communities; and also challenged the conference to reach out to families and allies in the churches who also need our support and to be mobilized! She challenged funders of our movement to fund the work of faith groups who can have a powerful impact on the body politic. I found myself shouting from my seat!  SIster Flunder was amazing, and set the crowd on fire.

4) Our MCC worshop went really well, thanks to Joshua Love, Connie Meadows, Carlos Chavez and others who helped out.

5) There is a lot to learn from Creating Change, and their leadership training is excellent — we need to get more young adults and teens there next year, in Dallas! A great, diverse, skills building conference.