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Ripples - March 2010

Message from Your Interim Executive Director

: Gwen Thomas

Dear Coalition members,

I am honored and humbled to serve The Coalition as a “connecting piece” in the transition to the organization's next chain of success.

Many groups champion and support the values and ideals of justice, equality, fairness, and inclusiveness. Fewer actually put real actions to their thoughts and feelings about such matters. The Coalition and the United Church of Christ have demonstrated a real commitment to mobilizing and acting on stated beliefs and touted concerns.

It is my intent and commitment during my tenure as interim executive director to focus on what is most important and critical, in order to further the on-going causes and concerns of The Coalition and to promote a seamless transition for the future executive director to begin his or her duties.

: The Rev. Geoffrey Black with Gwen Thomas at a recent gathering in Atlanta, GA

I am grateful to know that persons from a myriad of churches and communities are also ready to take our visions and make them actual goals by adding definitions and deadlines to them. This is evidenced by the energizing and mobilizing of small groups and task forces through The Coalition and beyond. I also salute the Rev. Geoffery Black who expressed to me and other leaders his interest in all of our contributions to the image and persona of the church of the future. He assured me that this includes the causes and concerns of the LGBTQ community.

We have much more to do in our “image staging” for the 21^st century church and for The Coalition. It will take volunteering and cooperation and most of all prayer and constantly being led by the Divine. Please join me and others in The Coalition in maintaining the products of our rich history, while planting and cultivating the resources and relationships necessary for our even greater future.

With hope and commitment,

Gwen Thomas
Interim Executive Director

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Seeking Support for the Executive Director Search

from the Coalition Executive Director Search Committee

These are exciting times! Your Search Committee is working closely with the Coalition Board of Directors to move forward with the search for the next Executive Director of the United Church of Christ Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns. And we need you to help!

Be on the lookout for a Survey of the Membership of the UCC Coalition, to help the Executive Director Search Committee craft a UCC Coalition Profile.

Spread the word to potential candidates, so they can prepare their materials and be ready when we post the opening and begin receiving resumes and profiles.

Pray for us, and all the volunteers and staff in service to you, as we all seek to live into the UCC Coalition's mission to provide support and sanctuary to all our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender sisters and brothers, our families and friends; advocate for their full inclusion in church and society; and bring Christ's affirming message of love and justice for all people.

With blessings in this season of contemplation,

Your Executive Director Search Committee

Marie Bacchiocchi, James A. Darnell, Loyce Newton Edwards, Samuel E Loliger, Kyle Lovett, Barbara Satin, Eric C. Smith

Contact: CoalitionSearchUCC@gmail.com

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Come for Gathering, Stay for Pride

Early-bird registration for National Gathering 2010 in San Diego, CA, is now open. National Gathering 2010 will take place in San Diego, CA, July 14-17, 2010. San Diego’s renowned Gay Pride Festival takes place on July 17-18, 2010, just a short cab ride from the conference hotel. Early-bird registration is available for a limited time for just $99 per person. Click here to register now, www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp.

Come to reconnect with friends from across the country or to meet new ones. Experience the deep, meaningful worship services. Learn how to be a better advocate, steps you can take to encourage other congregations in your area to consider the ONA process, and things your home church can do to live out God’s extravagant welcome more fully. Take a break from the stress of everyday life and enjoy everything San Diego has to offer!

Visit the conference website for additional details about speakers, sessions, and related activities, at www.ucccoalition.org/programs/gathering/.

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UCC Transgender Caucus Begins Organizing

Some 44 UCC-affiliated people, mostly persons of transgender experience, gathered by conference call on January 30, 2010, to discuss pending changes in the Coalition's ONA policy and to discuss the development of a UCC Transgender Caucus.

This effort has its roots in the 2003 General Synod resolution on the inclusion of transgender people, which calls for input from "a representative group of transgender people." The goal is for the group to be developed strategically in order to be able to represent and further the goals of a broad cross-section of the transgender community.

Plans were also announced to gather May 7-9, 2010, in Cleveland, OH, at the UCC church house to determine details of mission and structure for this new caucus.

For more information, please watch http://www.transfaithonline.org/go/ucc.

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StillSpeaking magazine

The United Church of Christ is launching a subscription campaign for its new high-end-design StillSpeaking Magazine, an oversized, full-color publication that will debut in late April. The 88-page StillSpeaking Magazine will be published twice a year (in Spring and Fall). An inaugural, three-year subscription (6 issues) is only $29, if purchased before July 1, 2010. After that date, subscriptions will be $39 each. You can order online at http://ucc.org/magazine.

More on this story at http://www.ucc.org/news/voices.html?autologin=true.

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News, Events and Job Announcements

Please refer to our website for current listings of Newsbits, events and job announcements.

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