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The Conversation Room

Posted on by StephanieKrehbiel Posted in Pittsburgh '11

One of my professors at KU describes ethnographic fieldwork as “attentive hanging out.” This is the phrase I repeated to myself periodically today when the convention threatened to overwhelm my senses. It’s a comforting phrase. It helps me focus when I’m staring blankly at the conference schedule without processing any of the words on the page–which, I should add, is something that has already happened to me today approximately 387 times.

My goal this morning was to make it through the first “Conversation Room” session, entitled “The Church and Human Sexuality.” (Aside: One of my larger goals is trying to understand the motivations behind this new “Conversation Room” structure–I’ve already heard some pretty interesting theories, and I plan to delve further.) The moderators were clearly not expecting the crowd that they got; they mentioned that they anticipated maybe twenty-five people, and if I had to guess the number that  actually came I’d say it was at least one hundred. At the door to the seminar room every attendee was immediately given a group number and sent straight to their assigned circle of fellow participants. Most of these circles had around five people. We seated ourselves and waited for further instruction.

(Take a moment, please, and imagine the mass scale of the social awkwardness.)

Read more ›

Bridges to (the) Cross

Posted on by JasonFrey Posted in Be a Bridge, Pink Perspective, Pittsburgh '11

Bridges to (the) Cross.

The theme for this week can be interpreted in various ways. Many have taken the literal route removing the post-modern parentheses. Bridges to the Cross. This way gives one meaning. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was God reconciling us to Godself. In Jesus Christ, God was both revealing who God is and also what it means to be human. The Cross has been used to symbolize that reconciliation. However, including the artistic use of parentheses, one can read the theme differently. Bridges to Cross.

Bridges to Cross and Reconciliation have been so interconnected this week. Reconciliation is what our Christian faith is based on. Reconciliation with God and reconciliation with each other.

The Church faces many challenges today, including the increased awareness and presence of LGBTQ people and issues. As a Church we can no longer remain on this side of the bridge. Like the Israelites who crossed the Jordan, we are called to cross the river of human sexuality. For so long we have tried to cross this bridge using other methods. Silence. Exclusion. Probation. Discipline. Read more ›

Justice can be Reconciling

Posted on by CaitlinDesjardins Posted in Pink Perspective, Pittsburgh '11

I’m not sure I could possibly overstate it: The convention worship space is HUGE. Massive. And absolutely very loud. I don’t mind the loudness so much and enjoy a break from Sing the Story/Journey to indulge some contemporary tunes. I must confess, though, that the opening joint worship session of the Pittsburg Convention left something to be desired and, as someone who works for Justice and Reconciliation, I was saddened at a message that seemed to discount our (Pink Menno’s and my own) Justice work and named us as “angry”.

I can appreciate the heart behind Shane Hipps message. I understand the division in the church and I lament it. I truly believe that we don’t have to fully AGREE about divisive issues like sexuality, gender, immigration and anti-racism in order to be a unified church. Yet, the notion that we can simply “make a bridge” by putting our arms around each other and erasing our difference (“there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, [gay nor straight]”) doesn’t sit well with me. Difference is innate, we ARE different from each other and I fully believe this is the Divine plan.

What I felt Hipps ignored or swept under the rug was the reality of privilege. As a white, heterosexual, married man in a powerful position in a nationally recognized megachurch, I sat in my seat last night saddened that he could say in front of a huge portion of our denomination that those who work for justice do so out of anger and need to focus on reconciliation instead. I believe he said that because he COULD say that: because of his social position and privilege he doesn’t HAVE to work for justice. But we are not all in that position.

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Convention, Day One

Posted on by KerryBush Posted in General

Whew! It’s been a LONG day working for PinkMenno at the Pittsburgh MCUSA convention, but a lot of progress has been made. We’ve been equipped with bracelets, scarves, stickers, and roughly 400 folded shirts bearing four fabulous designs. The hospitality room – located on the third floor of the Mariott Courtyard – is currently set up, so anyone is welcome to stop by at any time. We had some representatives from EMU Safe Spaces come in and help fold shirts and generally put things together, and we’ve had a huge variety of other volunteers as well. Tonight we had a hymn sing before the joint worship session, which I was unable to attend but heard went just swimmingly. There was also a rehearsal for the  “Choir for Inclusion,” which again, I didn’t attend but was told went marvelously. Tomorrow we have planned an early morning meditation, two open worships, and three hymn sings. Please continue to keep us all in your prayers!

– Kerry Bush, PMPress

imperfect, unsure, willing-to-if-you-will

Posted on by philipkendall Posted in Music, Pink Perspective, Pittsburgh '11

Yesterday evening, in the midst of a packed lobby outside of the youth worship space, I carried a cardboard box of bright-pink booklets. We affectionately call them our “Pink Hymnals”–a collection of songs that carry certain meaning for at least one of the many Pink Mennos who contributed suggestions to the list via a discussion on the PinkMenno Ning Network. I’m not going to lie–I was nervous. I knew these feelings would return to me this week–shame ingrained so deep in my being that it’s tough to wear a pink shirt and gather with other folks who are willing to take action in support of GLBTQ folk like me.

What will they think? What will they say later about the gay guy who lead the hymns? What if they don’t like me? These questions seem silly now, but they are the questions I’ve asked myself for a long as I can remember whenever I was around church folk.

But this is new. Slowly, one by one, people in pink and people in not pink joined our singing, picking up a hymnal or just singing from memory. The opening of the worship hall doors seemed to be delayed, which meant the lobby was getting very full. And warm. And loud. And worry crept in at times. But then I made eye contact with one of the many beautiful people standing in a roundish clump in the midst of the waiting, and wondering, and expecting, and fearing.

Singing with these folks, many of whom I don’t know, reminds me that God’s love comes to me in unexpected moments and connections that I could never plan or control. God’s love comes to me when Spirit connects me to another imperfect, unsure, willing-to-if-you-will Pink Menno.

We are people of God’s peace as a new creation.
Love unites and strengthens us at this celebration.
Sons and daughters of the Lord, serving one another,
a new covenant of peace binds us all together.

your resident ethnographer

Posted on by StephanieKrehbiel Posted in General

Dear Pink Mennos,

Hi! I just arrived in Pittsburgh and I’m writing with a quick introduction. My name is Stephanie Krehbiel, and I’m a doctoral student at the University of Kansas in the Department of American Studies and the Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. I’m here in Pittsburgh because my dissertation research is on the experiences of LGBTQ Mennonites, and more broadly, on the role sexuality-related issues play in Mennonite identities. I’m an ethnographer, so I choose to do my research in conversation with the people who shape and are shaped by the issues I’m studying. I decided to come to Pittsburgh two years ago, when I was preparing to start my PhD and reading all the dispatches from Pink Mennos at the MCUSA conference in Columbus. Clearly, important things happen at these conferences that have ramifications in people’s lives for a long time afterward.

I don’t think it’s ever fair for an ethnographer to go around studying people without giving back some of her own story, so a bit about who I am and why I’m writing about this: I don’t go to church, but I did grow up Mennonite, in North Newton, Kansas. I was baptized as a teenager at the Bethel College Mennonite Church, and later attended and graduated from Bethel College. My husband and I were married in BCMC a few years later. For both of us, the church’s treatment of our Mennonite LGBTQ friends and family members has been instrumental in our gradual drift away from Mennonite churches and institutions.

So it feels a little weird to be here. In fact, I’ve never been to a Mennonite conference before. And while the conference registration form wouldn’t allow me to label myself “other” or “anthropologist” or “none” rather than choosing a congregation, Ervin Stutzman and the other moderators know why I am here and have given me their official permission to be a fly on the wall at conference events. I’m most interested in the folks of Pink Menno, Menno Neighbors, and BMC, however, and part of how I’d like to thank you for letting me learn in your midst is to help you chronicle the events of this week. It helps me record what’s going on, and it lets you respond to and amend my accounts of the days’ events if you choose to, be that in writing or in person. I hope that between me and the other Pink Menno Press volunteers, we create a record of this week that is useful to all of us.

I’ll be around Pink Menno events all week, so please come introduce yourself. I’d love to speak with as many of you as I can. I’m the one with the brown ponytail and the HRC messenger bag, probably looking slightly intimidated. (I haven’t been around this many Mennonites in a long, long time!)

Welcome to Pittsburgh, Pink Mennos!

Posted on by philipkendall Posted in Pittsburgh '11

Convention is officially here, and our Pink presence is lovingly, optimistically, peacefully, hopefully, and excitedly under way. Today has been full of wonderful reunions from relationships built at convention in Columbus, and many shared stories of hope, compassion and inspiration as a result of Pink Menno. This is what gives us all the energy, courage and enthusiasm to be a bold Pink presence throughout convention!

Already this evening we’ve had many visitors to the Hospitality Room at the Courtyard Marriott hotel adjacent to the convention center. Pink gear (new t-shirt designs, wristbands, bandanas, stickers, etc.) are all available in the Hospitality Room, so come by and see us when you’re in need of some Pink (If you’re not able to be in Pittsburgh and would like some of our new gear, we will be posting these items at www.pinkmenno.org for sale after convention is over)! The Hospitality Room is also a safe space for any convention go-er to come be with accepting folks and decompress. Please take advantage of this space which will be open from 8am – 10pm.

We also plan to document all of our Pink activities throughout the week, including blogs/articles reflecting on workshops, photos, and as much video as possible. For those of you at home, www.pinkmenno.org will be a receptacle of all of this documentation. You can also help spread the word yourself by posting on Facebook and Twitter (use hashtags #pinkmenno, #menno11 and #mcusa). Additionally, keep an eye out for how you can join the Be a Bridge campaign throughout the week.

We are all extremely excited for the possibilities that our Pink presence in Pittsburgh holds. Please continue to wear your courage, compassion and hope throughout the week, just as you wear your Pink!

Peace and Strength,
Luke Y.

Join the “Be a Bridge” Campaign

Posted on by admin Posted in Take Action

“Be a Bridge” Campaign!

Pink Menno challenges you to take action to support the “Be a Bridge” campaign!  In Pittsburg, we will work to “Be a Bridge” by:

  • standing and smiling peacefully in the midst of uncomfortable conversations.
  • speaking and singing an unconditional “Welcome!” for those who have feel marginalized or disappointed by the church.
  • affirming youth who may not know that it’s possible be a part of a Mennonite community that celebrates Christian faith and God-given sexuality.
  • sharing a vision of hope and healing for the Mennonite church and all its members.
Now, we need YOU to help build momentum by sharing a story about how you’ve been a bridge in this movement, how you’ve seen bridging at work, or how you commit to being a bridge in the future.

 

Here’s how:

1. Watch the videos PinkMennos have already contributed (above or here).

2. Consider what YOU believe and in what what YOU are willing to publicly commit to being a bridge in the Mennonite Church.

3. Record yourself using a webcam or digital camera. (If you don’t have a video camera, don’t know how to use it, or are just plain camera shy, keep reading to see how you can still contribute!)

4. Upload the video to your own YouTube account* and email [email protected] with the link. We’ll add it to our campaign playlist.

*If you don’t have a YouTube account or don’t want people watching other videos you’ve uploaded, contact [email protected] and we’ll figure out how to get yourmovie file. We’ll upload it to our account.

5. Communicate your passion! Email, Facebook, Tweet, grab the mic during sharing time, and send old-fashioned, old-timey letters about your video so that people can’t pretend they don’t know what’s up!

Lower-Tech Option:  What’s that you say? You don’t have a camera on your computer?  Too complicated? Camera shy? No problem!  Contribute your written message and we’ll read it for you on camera! Just email your “Be A Bridge” statement to [email protected] and let us know who to attribute it to.

Now Go Forth!
(actually, stay seated…so you can record your video.)

Share your voice! Be a Bridge.

Join our call to MC USA Leadership

Posted on by admin Posted in Take Action

Help us support an alternative to the silencing of LGBTQ Mennonites. Click here to read and sign a letter to Ervin Stutzman and the rest of MC USA leadership in response to the silencing of Randall Spaulding.

Jumpstarting the Pittsburgh Campaign

Posted on by admin Posted in Take Action

Pink Menno is jump-starting the Pink Menno Campaign for the upcoming convention in Pittsburgh, and would appreciate your support. Click here to read more about Pink Menno’s plans, and about how you can help!

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