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Welcoming & Affirming: Cultivating Space for LGBTQIA+ People in Our Ministries

What do we need to do make our congregation welcoming to LGBTQIA+ people? I want to be affirming, but I’m worried I’ll mess it up: what should I do? While there are no quick fixes or one-size-fits-all answers to these questions, there are tools and resources to help. If you find yourself asking these questions, join members of the LGBTQIA+ Affirming Team of the Nebraska Synod for a two-part facilitated discussion, based in the concepts of the book Welcoming and Affirming: A Guide to Supporting and Working with LGBTQ+ Youth. While this book specifically focuses on working with youth, this discussion group will broaden the conversation to ministry with youth as well as adults.

Meet Your Facilitator

Emma Grinde is a queer identifying seminarian and a member of the LGBTQIA+ Affirming Team of the Nebraska Synod. Formerly a Food Scientist, Emma now spends her days at The Lutheran Center in Lincoln, in ministry with UNL students, and her nights watching lectures and writing papers as a distributed learner through Wartburg Theological Seminary.

When
  • Thursday November 11, 2021 7:00-8:00pm
  • Thursday November 18, 2021 7:00-8:00pm
Where

Online, through Zoom

Cost

While there is no cost to this discussion group, participants are encouraged to purchase Welcome and Affirming: A Guide to Supporting and Working with LGBTQ+ Christian Youth edited by Leigh Finke and read the book prior to the first session.

Not every section of the book may be applicable to every context and we won’t cover every chapter in the two sessions. If there is not time to read the whole book, focus on having the following pages read before each session:

  • For session 1 read pages: 8-44, 77-84
  • For session 2 read pages: 94-121, 159-165
Who is this for?

Anyone interested in learning more about welcoming LGBTQIA+ people in our congregations and communities: lay people, church staff and volunteers, Deacons, Pastors, Youth Directors.

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