Strangers and aliens no more

After many planning phone calls and much discernment, the Pink Menno leadership team is excited to announce a theme of: Strangers and aliens no more: one humanity, for the Phoenix 2013 convention.

This theme draws from the Ephesians 2:14-22 being used for the broader MCUSA convention. The New American Standard Bible reads: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19).

Pink Menno recognizes the importance and intersectionality of multiple concerns as we move toward Phoenix, with much of the denomination’s attention on immigration as we are hosted by a city in a state that continues to perpetuate injustices against immigrant communities.

Many are opting to abstain from Phoenix to stand in solidarity with the immigrant communities and we support this decision.  However, at this time, many Pink Mennos feel called to be present, drawing continued attention to the marginalization of voices in the Mennonite church.

While Pink Menno’s focus has and will continue to be the marginalization of LGBTQ voices in the church, the theme of “strangers and aliens no more” aims to underscore the importance of our shared humanity, emphasizing that no one should feel like a stranger or alien in the church.  We believe that this shared humanity includes our immigrant brothers and sisters as well

The Pink Menno site (pinkmenno.org) will be continually updated over the next two months with more details about our time in Phoenix.  As we move toward Phoenix, we renew our commitment to being a “visible, vocal presence supporting, sustaining and furthering genuine dialogue.”  We feel it is our responsibility to draw attention to the marginalized voices of LGBTQ persons in the Mennonite church, persons who have shown resiliency through years of standing in the margins.

At the same time, we renew our call to the MCUSA executive staff, Executive Director Ervin Stutzman, Moderator Dick Thomas, and Moderator-elect Elizabeth Soto Albrecht to build capacity within the church for the inclusion of all voices.

With the MCUSA Convention theme of: Citizens of God’s Kingdom: Healed in Hope, the Vision Statement of Pink Menno seems more relevant than ever.  We stand committed “to achieve healing and hope for the Mennonite Church through the inclusion and welcome of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) individuals and their supporters.”

We recognize the healing that is already taking place, and hope to continue that process in Phoenix!