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Cleveland’s Franklin Circle Christian Church Hosts “The Conversation Project”

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Cleveland’s Franklin Circle Christian Church Hosts "The Conversation Project"

Rev. Allen Harris, pastor of Franklin Circle Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Cleveland, OH, sent us this article about recent goings on in Ohio. Franklin Circle is an Open & Affirming Congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The workshop held at Franklin Circle was facilitated by the Institute for Welcoming Resources which works under the umbrella of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. GLAD is a founding member of the Institute for Welcoming Resources. For more information on ways you and your congregation can get organized and involved in LGBT issues in your community, contact Mark Johnston, Executive Director of GLAD’s Open & Affirming Ministry Program.

On Saturday, March 22 about 25 people from several different denominations, and some from no particular faith tradition, gathered at Franklin Circle Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) on the near west side of Cleveland, Ohio for a “Conversation Project” workshop. Coming out of the important work of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), this workshop seeks to help local church folks to be better prepared to talk with persons in their own network of contacts about the need for justice and equality for all people, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons.

FranklinCircleCC

Franklin Park Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Cleveland, OH

The Rev. Cheri Holdridge, a Toledo area United Methodist pastor, has recently been hired by both the Reconciling Congregation Program (UMC) and the United Church of Christ Coalition for Lesbian & Gay Concerns. She will work around the state of Ohio to educate and empower people of faith to have confident and informed conversations about LGBT equality and the need for more protections for the rights of all our citizens. She was joined by the new Faith Coordinator of Equality Ohio, Suzy Ujvagi, who co-led the event.

This workshop was one of many that will be happening around the state of Ohio, and other key states around the nation. It is also part of a three-point approach by NGLTF that will also offer education around gender equality, especially for transgender persons, as well as encouraging the visibility of LGBT people of faith and their allies. The Rev. Allen V. Harris, pastor at Franklin Circle Christian Church, noted that the congregation he serves was the first Disciples of Christ Open & Affirming local church in Ohio. In October of 2008 the congregation voted to become O&A as well as an intentionally Anti-Racist/Pro-Reconciling, and Accessible congregation.