“Its time to believe out loud” is the opening phrase from David Lohman’s new song,  “Believe Out Loud,” about inclusion and proudly speaking-up for our StillSpeaking, inclusive God.  I can say that here in San Diego it is definitely time to believe OUT very loudly at the Coalition's National Gathering.

I came from Minneapolis, MN, with the rest of the staff of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Institute for Welcoming Resources. I have never been to a UCC Coalition Gathering, even though I have been to General Synod and to Southern California before. I am very excited to be here!

The van ride from the airport to the hotel was filled with UCC LGBT community members meeting, smiling, and "StillSpeaking" a lot (in good UCC fashion)! We are staying at a beautiful hotel in the appropriately named Mission Valley neighborhood of San Diego, CA. This is a week of refocus on our mission as a community and as a church.

The UCC is doing well compared with other churches that allow ONA-like processes. We have 16% of our national churches classified as Open and Affirming, while the next closest mainline denomination has only 4% with a similar designation. While 16% is a great start, our mission is not over as a StillSpeaking church. The Welcoming Church Movement will not be complete until there are 100% LGBTQQIA inclusive churches in our communion.

There was so much great activity today (Wednesday). There were two choir practices, which paid off because they sounded great! There was a beautiful opening worship that gave me goose bumps that still have not gone away.

The Shower of Stoles Project is up and looks beautiful all along one of the walls of our plenary hall. The Shower of Stoles Project is a collection of over 1,500 stoles given by LGBT ministers, their friends, and churches, to symbolize the need for full LGBTQ inclusion in the church. They are cared for by the Institute for Welcoming Resources and are shipped around the country to sites that would like to display them such as churches, denominational conferences, or other LGBTQ-friendly events.

National Gathering 2010 has a stellar hospitality room filled with green bags donated by a local church with treats inside. This evening there will be a pool party with fire pits and a hot tub after that. Now, don't you wish you were here?!

Greetings from the StillSpeaking witness of the UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns in Mission Valley, CA.

Report by Jake Joseph, July 14, 2010

I grew-up in Fort Collins, Colorado in an interfaith family with a Jewish Father, a Catholic step-mother, and a Presbyterian mother who me in an Assemblies of God church. When I came out at 15, I joined Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ and chose to attend, historically UCC-affiliated, Grinnell College in Iowa. I am active in work with the pre-seminarian group, the Religious Life Council, the Still Speaking Grinnell UCC student group, and state-wide Iowa Pride Network Leadership team. I am also currently serving as an Intern with the Institute for Welcoming Resources of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in the Twin Cities. I also serve as one of the UCC's four representatives to the UCC/ DOC Student Ecumenical Partnership Team (STEP) that works for greater youth and young adult coordination between our two denominations.

Have you had a chance to look over our new strategic plan yet? Please refer to the full PDF document at ucccoalition.org/fileadmin/news/Coalition_Strategic_Plan.pdf.

The White House released the first ever National HIV/AIDS Strategy on July 13, 2010.  You can read more about it at http://aids.gov/federal-resources/policies/national-hiv-aids-strategy/strategy/. 

Early reactions from groups like the National Black Justice Coalition (http://www.nbjc.org/news/nbjc-pleased-with-obama.html) and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (http://www.thetaskforce.org/press/releases/pr_aids_071310) applauded the plan, while urging full funding for its implementation.

The United Church of Christ HIV and AIDS Network is closing down its Facebook group.  You'll want to "like" their new Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/UCAN-United-Church-of-Christ-HIV-AIDS-Network/106825409363308?ref=ts) so you can keep up with their postings.