“IAM advocates that the South African religious communities should become more welcoming and affirming towards Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people.
IAM works as a catalyst, interacting both with the religious faith communities and the gay community, building bridges through our programmes and projects.”
ELM is support IAM ministries this year through an ELM Grant. Though Oberholzer lives in South Africa has been active in the ELM community for many years. He is touring North America to build partnerships.
Rev. Jen Rude, ELM board of directors member and Proclaim member introduced Rev. Oberholzer and talked about ELM’s work. The event was held at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square. Rev. Erik Christensen, ELM co-chair and Proclaim member is pastor at St. Luke’s. Additionally, St. Luke’s is a 2011 ELM Grant recipient–and home to the ELM office.
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As part Chicago’s LGBTQ Pride celebrations this month, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square is very proud to be hosting the Rev. Pieter Oberholzer. Oberholzer is the Founder and Chief Financial Officer of Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (IAM), the largest faith-based LGBTQ-rights organization on the continent of Africa. On Saturday, June 25th from 10:30am to 12pm at 2649 N. Francisco Ave in Chicago, IL Pieter will speak about his work.
Founded in 1995 in Cape Town, South Africa, IAM has gained national and international recognition for its work in the fight against discrimination towards LGBTQ people and is the only organization in Southern Africa with the explicit mission of working with religious leaders in the mainline Christian church – especially those still adhering to patriarchal and fundamentalist values.
Earlier this year, Rev. Oberholzer was featured as an advocate for LGBTQ rights in a televised debate with Ugandan MP David Bahati over proposed legislation that would have made some homosexual acts punishable by death. That debate was aired around the world on BBC World, and the bill was defeated just last month.
Rev. Oberholzer will be speaking at St. Luke’s as part of a tour of North America that includes stops in Canada and Mexico, with other points in the United States. St. Luke’s is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) that has been worshiping in the heart of the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago’s north side since 1900. Oberholzer is a member of the ELM Roster and Proclaim.
For more information, contact Pastor Erik Christensen at pastorerik@stlukesLS.org or (773)235-5420.
I shared that in San Francisco, there are estimated to be 5,300 homeless youth, 40% of which have diverse sexual and gender expressions. Last Saturday, at an event called the Great San Francisco Sleep-In, in partnership with the National Operation Shine America event that drew attention to queer homelessness across the country. I marched, listened to, sang with and slept on the streets with more than 300 homeless youth in San Francisco’s Castro district. You can read more about the event here.
This event was part of my Doctorate of Ministry work, supported by funds from Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, studying the Vanguard youth from the ’60’s and the methods the pastors who supported them used to empower the young adults. Over the past two years, I’ve not only been studying the past, but also listening, working with and being a pastor to the queer youth who live in San Francisco.
These young adults inspire me with their ability to survive. They remind me that my call to work with individuals in poverty and to be a moment of hope in lives that usually only hear “no” and experience darkness is exactly the work that I am called to do. They broke open my heart and made it impossible for me to not advocate for them.
One of the most powerful moments for me was when a member of First United Lutheran dropped off some leftovers from a fancy dinner in the midst of the pouring rain. The young adults, some as young as 12, called the bags of prime rib and gnocchi “rich people food” and consumed it with the typical hunger of a teenager. But when offered plates and silverware, the youth looked with confused eyes and remarked that they hadn’t eaten with plates for years because all their food came from garbage cans. So, we all ate together without plates, with our bare hands that were washed clean from the rain.
This moment made me thankful for ELM and all the support I’ve had over the years, to do what I do best; to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those in prison and to listen to those who are lonely. Your support has enabled me to live a life that inspires others and helps me to preach stories that unveil the humanness, fragility and heart of poverty, faith and community.
Tomorrow, hundreds of people of faith will join me in telling their stories about the things that move their hearts and drive their passions. If you follow ELM’s work, I trust that you value the ways that integrity and honesty can change culture, politics and the church. You may not have it in you to sleep on the streets or to make the trip out to Capital Hill, but you can talk to those in your congregation, family and join email lists (like HRC‘s) that will make it easy to email or fax your politicians during key time periods or for important votes.
If you’re shy like me, and not the kind of person who is likely to speak out or become active on your own, or if you get overwhelmed by the number of causes that need a voice, I remind you that, we as Lutherans’ owe our faith and culture to a man who was a loud mouth. He shouted his ideas from rooftops, posted them on doorways and printed volume upon volume of his thoughts – they weren’t all good, unbiased and sometimes they’re not even nice. Yet, without Luther speaking out what would we believe? What kind of faith would we have?
So today, I encourage you to speak out for LGBTQ issues, homeless youth and for the other issues that move your heart. Speak as if your voice is the one that will shape the faith of future generations for centuries to come.
We follow a loud mouth God whose voice booms from clouds, burning bushes and from the still small voice inside of us. May we be people who go and do likewise.”
Rev. Megan M. Rohrer is a nationally recognized leader on issues of homelessness, gender, sexuality and faith. Executive Director of WELCOME – a communal response to poverty in San Francisco, CA, Pastor Rohrer is an activist, advocate and educator who speaks and preaches nationally. She is a member of Proclaim and a long time member of the ELM community. She will be writing about Clergy Call throughout the week, so check back.
ELM welcomes Rose Beeson and Carolyne Schultz to the ELM Board of Directors. Board members are recruited by a board recruitment committee and elected by the full board.
Rose Beeson served on the ELM Board from 2009-2010 as the Congregation and Ministries chair. She will serve as Secretary of ELM. Rose is currently completing a Master of Divinity program at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, CA.
Carolyne lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her partner Brittanie and her dog Sparrow. She is currently working towards a Masters in Social Work with the University of Michigan.
Carolyne is interested in ELM because she is “passionate about making the ELCA an increasingly inclusive faith-filled place for all people and is “empowered in knowing that ELM is committed to supporting LGBTQ individuals as they continue to do God’s work through a message of inclusion and love.” Carolyne brings a wide array of experience with social justice issues to the board.
The ELM Board of Directors includes 12 volunteer members. We thank these great volunteers for their continued service.
Lisa Larges: Guest speaker at the recent Proclaim retreat
On May 10th the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted that it will allow ordination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender faithful Christians as elders, deacons and ministers in the church communities that wish for these candidates to become ordained. We give thanks for all individuals and groups that have worked so long to make this change to happen.
We are especially glad for the good news this brings to Lisa Larges, who was the recent guest speaker at the ELM/Proclaim retreat and who has been awaiting ordination in the Presbyterian Church for 22 years. Lisa works for That All May Freely Serve, here is their blog.
Read more about this historical decision and reflections at Rev. Janet Edwards’ blog: A Time to Embrace
Rev. Robert Goldstein is retiring from St. Francis Lutheran Church, San Francisco. All are welcome as we celebrate the wonderful ministry of Pastor Bob Goldstein! We thank him for many years of service.
The retirement luncheon party is Sunday, May 29th 12:30-2pm at St. Francis Lutheran Church- 152 Church St. San Francisco, CA. RSVP to 415-621-2635. Cards, letters & photo Tributes are welcome, please send them to the church. The event is hosted by The Lydia Circle.
ELM Executive Director Amalia Vagts is profiled on Rev. Janet Edwards blog- ‘A Time to Embrace’. Janet works with ‘More Light‘: “A network of people seeking the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of faith in the life, ministry and witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA).”
Proclaim member Rev. Megan Rohrer has long been involved in her local Bay area community and ELM. She recently joined Proclaim, the professional community for publicly-identified LGBTQ Lutheran rostered leaders and seminarians. Megan is a finalist (1 of 5) for the Bay Area Citizen’s, Citizen of Tomorrow Award. The contest is based on: “Which of these inspirational local leaders is creatively solving a significant Bay Area community challenge?” The winner gets $5,000 for their project. The winner is decided by the public voting for their project of choice.
Megan’s project: SF Refresh, created and coordinated by Megan, provides free whole body health care in community gardens throughout San Francisco where individuals receive free massage, acupuncture, listen to live music, participate in art projects and learn about mindfulness and meditation.
You can vote once per day until May 16 at 5pm, please vote here to support Megan’s project, she is #5 on the list:
