Regional JustChurch Gatherings Planned
Regional JustChurch gatherings are planned for cities across the country in 2012 to make The Church Within A Church Movement (CWAC) more accessible to members and new friends.
“This Movement is about making connections, building relationships and growing communities of like-minded people where they can feel heard and valued,” says cathy knight, executive director of The Church Within A Church Movement. “As a lesbian I know the harm done when we have to live in fear and silence," she continues. "This Movement is offering the space to be who we are and find wholeness because you need community for that liberation journey.”
I have been dreaming about this for a long time. I’ve longed to bring together my CWAC Movement community and my Kansas community to gather as ones named as God's beloved; to be who we are, and share our stories of liberation and struggle.
Please join me at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries center on the KU Campus.
We will BE community through devotions, conversation, native people’s racial justice training, and telling our stories.
~ Former Rev. Colleen Riley, Lawrence, Kansas; Leader, Extraordinary Ordination Work Area of the Church Within A Church Movement
View Colleen's liberation sermon given March 2011 titled, "Sacred Worth" or listen to an audio file of the sermon given Oct. 2011 at FUMC Lawrence.
The first gathering will be in Lawrence, Kansas, March 16-18, 2012. The theme is "BEing Community: Sharing + Dreaming."
On May 1st, members and friends will share The Church Within A Church Movement story at The United Methodist Church’s General Conference in Tampa, FL. The JustChurch Tampa gathering will be held at the Sail Pavilion just steps from the convention center.
Other proposed locations for JustChurch gatherings are Washington, DC; Portland, OR; and North Carolina.
These activities will culminate in the 10th Anniversary celebration in Chicago, October 19-21, 2012. Save the dates and contact us if you want to help! We would love your participation in planning a JustChurch event or the 10th Anniversary celebration.
The Church Within A Church Movement is a national Chicago-based progressive Christian Movement dedicated to BEing the fully inclusive and just church. The prophetic Movement began in 2002 as a direct result of the continued discriminatory actions of the United Methodist Church (UMC) towards LGBTQ people.