The Fountains is partnering with New Journey Lutheran (ELCA) and ONE Community for an interactive “inclusivity workshop” that will engage participants with the real-life experiences of being an LGBT person. Although designed especially to empower allies and family members of LGBT persons, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to attend.
This free event will be on Sunday, October 23rd at 2pm at The Fountains, a United Methodist Church. The afternoon’s activities have been developed by ONE Community, a broad coalition of socially responsible businesses, organizations, and individuals who support diversity and are committed to creating the best possible future for Arizona.
“People of faith are needed to help build a community with room for all,” says facilitator Rev. Debra Peevey, Faith Director of the ONE Community Education Campaign. “These two hours will open your eyes and hearts to both the very real need for change and ways to work for change.”
Although 75% of Arizonans think that LGBT people are protected by both state and federal laws, they’re not. A majority of LGBT Arizonans can be fired, denied housing and refused service in restaurants and hotels because of their gender and have no legal recourse to address such discrimination. ONE Community is working to educate people and work toward creating an Arizona that respects, protects, and celebrates the diversity of our state.
“Nobody’s going to deny that equality is one of the fundamental values of our society,” says Rev. David Felten, Pastor of The Fountains. “But some people misrepresent religious liberty to justify discrimination and others are simply unaware of the many ways our system excludes our LGBT neighbors. This workshop is about the power of empathy and compassion to open people’s hearts and minds.”
Rev. Adele Resmer, Pastor of New Journey Lutheran, is encouraging her whole congregation to attend. She says, “We are going to get away from thinking of ‘Gay and Transgender People’ as a category and get in touch with the lived experience of what it’s like to be a Gay or Transgender person living in our state – and find out ways we can be more inclusive.”
This is a free event, but to help us plan for materials, please RSVP to: welcome@thefountainsumc.org The Fountains is located at 15300 N Fountain Hills Blvd in Fountain Hills. All are welcome. For more information, call 480.837.7627