WELCOMING SPIRIT NEWSLETTER FALL 2020

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WELCOMING SPIRIT NEWSLETTER FALL 2020“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” — Maya AngelouWe are living in what feels like days with social, political, and even theologicalstorm clouds swirling above and around us. As some recently have referred tothis time about which we’re living in the United States, this is a dark hour.For certain, these are hard times. But as the words of Maya Angelou remind us,we each have the capacity to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. In other words,we can add color and vitality and hope to this world to our communities toour families and to all of our circles of influence.My hope is that AWAB will continue to be a rainbow for you and for all of ourwelcoming and affirming Baptist communities. As I hear from congregationsand ministries from around the country and beyond, I am encouraged by theways so many of you are rainbows to others.As you read through this issue of Welcoming Spirit I trust you’ll see the color,vitality and hope that is around us during these challenging days. As always,thank you for all you do to help AWAB shine the light it does.With hope,Rev. Brian Henderson, DMinNational Coordinatorbrian@awab.orgVISIT US t

AWAB MembershipMembership in AWAB allows your congregation: (1) to be part of an associationof Baptist communities that publicly commit to being welcoming and affirmingof LGBTQ members and friends; (2) to keep informed of how other W&Acongregations are engaging in meaningful ministry; (3) access to resources toenhance your local W&A ministry; and (4) opportunity to search for LGBTQcandidates for ministerial positions.“AWAB has faithfully provided the church with wonderful educationaland welcoming resources—all the while, nurturing and growing ourvital network of connections.”—The Rev. Dwight Davidson, United Church of Granville, OHNew Member Churches since 2019: Grace Baptist ChurchSan Jose, CA Chico FirstBaptist ChurchChico, CA JacksonvilleCampus MinistryJacksonville, FL United CampusMinistryBillings, MT UniversityBaptist ChurchCharlottesville, VA First Baptist ChurchPottstown, PA Grace Baptist ChurchStatesville, NC First Baptist ChurchLittleton, MA Pine Street ChurchBoulder, CO Circle of FaithSt. Petersburg, FL First Baptist ChurchGreenville, SCWhy should my church join?AWAB offers a support system for your ministry so that you have alliancesand connections within the greater Baptist community and are not left feelingisolated. AWAB’s intention is to provide value that addresses your needs as amember church. AWAB provides a voice and image of God’s love that opposesthe often exclusive narrative associated with Baptists.AWAB is led by its Board:Contact UsBob SittigChair, Seattle, WADave HuntPortland, ORP.O. Box 7834Louisville, KY, 40257Reba CobbTreasurer, Louisville, KYDavid KeyAthens, GA1-888-906-2922Shella ChaceSecretary, Ithaca, NYRick Mixon, EmeritusPalo Alto, CAwww.awab.orgDonnie AndersonProvidence, RIThe Association of Welcoming & Affirming tist www.AWAB.org2

J O I N U S O C TO B E R 3AWA B N AT I O N A LZoom G AT H E R I N GDo you want to know what’s happening with AWAB? Do you want to connectwith W&A congregations, ministries, and Baptists from around the country?Looking for ministry ideas? Need encouragement and inspiration?Then plan to register for AWAB’s National Zoom Gathering that will be heldon Saturday, October 3, 2020, from 12:00-1:30pm EDT.Register at http://bit.ly/AWABZoom2020.You’ll hear from:Bob SittigAWAB Board Chair,Seattle FirstBaptist Church,Seattle, WARev. Dr. CliffordMatthews, Jr.Rev. Dr. MarciaBaileyRev. Dr. CodySandersSenior Pastor,St. Luke’s MissionaryBaptist Church,Charlotte, NCSenior Pastor,First Baptist Church,Pottstown, PASenior Pastor,Old CambridgeBaptist Church,Cambridge, MADr. Delane TewD.j. BoydRev. June JoplinBaptist Churchof the Covenant,Birmingham, ALSt. Luke’s MissionaryBaptist Church,Charlotte, NCToronto, Canada

AWAB BOA R D W E LC O M E SRE V. D R . D ON N I E AN D E R SO NRaised in Cranston, Rhode Island, Dr. Anderson enjoys the many wonderfulfacets of living in Rhode Island. She is an ordained minister (her credentials arerecognized by the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ andthe American Baptist Churches, USA), educator, counselor and social activist.She received her Bachelors degree in Business Education from BarringtonCollege, a Masters in ReligiousStudies from Providence College,a Doctor of Ministry degree fromEastern Baptist Seminary, as well as anumber of other graduate courses inbusiness and religious studies.Dr. Anderson lives in Providence,RI and is active in the Rhode IslandCommunity as the Co-Chair ofthe Rhode Island Commission onPrejudice and Bias, Co-Chair of theState Advisory Committee for theUnited States Commission on CivilRights, member of the Martin LutherKing, Jr. State Holiday Commission,Board member of Family Service ofRhode Island, Board member of RISAGE and other community groups.At age 69 she came out of the closet,sharing with her family and theworld that she is a transgender woman. Anderson shared, “For years my fantasywas to preach openly in a pink clergy shirt, fully expressing the fact that I am awoman. That fantasy is now my REALITY.”“As a member of the LGBTQ community that has known historic andcurrent exclusion and outright hatred and discrimination by many societalstructures—including the church—it is wonderful to simply live out Jesus’gospel of inclusion on a daily basis, face to face and heart to heart.” Andersoncontinues, “Everyone needs to know that they are loved by God, but manyare told that they have to make the false choice between being who theyauthentically are OR being a person of faith. That choice is not only false, it isin direct contradiction to Biblical teaching and Jesus’ own example of God’sinclusive love for all persons.” Anderson enjoys the opportunity to presentconversations on the intersection of transgender and faith.Continued, next pageThe Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists www.AWAB.org4

Formerly, Dr. Anderson served as Executive Minister of the Rhode Island StateCouncil of Churches (RISCC) and the Rhode Island Bible Society for almost 13years, comprised of churches from 11 Protestant denominations, numerous otherlocal congregations working in partnership with several affiliated Muslim andJewish organizations. Previously she has served congregations in Massachusetts,Connecticut and Rhode Island as pastor. In addition, she has served in executivepositions in religiously affiliated organizations in higher education, publishingand camping and conferencing. Most recently she served as the pastor of theProvincetown United Methodist Church in Provincetown, MA.Dr. Anderson is currently one of the co-convenors of the Jewish/ChristianDialogue sponsored by the National Council of Synagogues and the NationalCouncil of Churches and serves on the national Diversity Advisory Work Groupfor the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care. She is also active in social justiceissues in the areas of race, poverty and gender. Donnie’s current project is awebsite that offers Bible study, interviews and book studies from a transgendervoice (revdrdonnie.org).The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists welcomes Rev. Andersonto its Board and we are delighted that she shares with us from such broad andrich experiences.AWAB SUPPORTS MEMBERCONGREGATIONS & MINISTRIESDURING COVID-19C ON G RAT U L ATI O N S !AWAB celebrates with membercongregation Underwood MemorialBaptist Church in Milwaukee, WI, as itrecently called Rev. Jason Mack as itsnew Senior Pastor. Previously, Jasonserved AWAB member congregationFirst Baptist Church of Madison, WI,as Minister of Community.The Association of Welcoming & Affirming BaptistsAWAB recognizes that duringthis global pandemic each of ourministries are being impacteddifferently. At its August meeting,the AWAB Board identified 10,000from its budget and agreed to offersupport to our member congregationsand ministries in need by makingavailable grants up to 500. TheBoard wants our membership toknow we are here to offer support.If you are a member congregation orministry, simply email our NationalCoordinator, Brian Henderson,(brian@awab.org) and request anamount up to 500. The AWAB Boardwill respond quickly while grantfunds are available.Please make your request by September 25. www.AWAB.org5

REMEMBERING AWAB MEMBERS ANDFRIENDS: PEGGY & TONY CAMPOLOPlease continue to keep in your prayers Peggy and TonyCampolo. On June 20, Tony suffered a stroke. Sincethen he remains in therapy to return soon home. Peggyremains by his side with each step of this journey. AWABis grateful for the ongoing support and inspiration thatPeggy and Tony provide for our members and friends.U PDAT E F ROM P HI LI P KAK U N GULUCR OSSI N G L I NE S AF R ICA UGA N DARecently, in June of 2020, I worked with a donor on a 20,000 project proposal for South Sudanese RefugeeCommunities in Uganda; however, when asked forthese funds to be sent through BPFNA, we were toldthis funder doesn’t support pro LGBTQ organizations.I responded by saying our organization's identitycannot be defined by the work we have done in servicebut by the Lord God whom we ultimately serve. I toldthem we are a pro-Jesus organization.I also told them that we have not worked only with the LGBTQ community;we have also worked with people living with Albinism, drug addicts, childrenliving on the streets, sex workers, victims of human trafficking, ethnic groupsof Bakonzo and Bamba in the Rwenzori Mountains bordering D.R. Congo, etc.We work with all these minority people groups because their lives are at stake!And God has called us to reach where the need is greatest. You cannot work toserve these people and not build relationships with them or else we becomemodern-day pharisees.This particular hypocrisy from some western evangelicals has taken a bigtoll on us. Imagine the impact this has had on me, my family, staff andcommunities.This is why I keep reaching out and want people to know about our story andwork. We have real capacity to serve and as Rev. Dan Buttry has taught us tosqueeze water out of a stone, we are always in the mission field as peace makersand as children of God. Please pray with us. I write you these things withtears in my eyes, tears are not just for me but for all those we serve and thehopelessness being created in the name of self-righteousness.In 2019, the AWAB Board agreed to encourage our member congregations and ministries tosupport Philip’s ministry. Gifts can be given through the BPFNA at: https://www.bpfna.org/donate.Please choose “Crossing Lines Africa Uganda” to give directly to this needed work.The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists www.AWAB.org6

AWAB PASTOR/SCHOLAR PUBLISHES NEW BOOKChristianity, LGBTQ Suicide, and the Souls ofQueer Folk, just out from Lexington Books, isrooted in the narratives of LGBTQ people whowere willing to share the ways that suicidebecame a thinkable option for them and whatroles religion played in that process. Theserich narratives reveal ways that religioncan operate violently against LGBTQ souls,making life precarious and seemingly unlivable. It also illuminates the waysthat religion can become a source of strength, resilience, and resistance tosoul violence and serve to promote the flourishing of life for LGBTQ peopleand for faith communities. For more information, see this introductory videofrom author, Cody J. Sanders. Cody is pastor to AWAB member congregation,Old Cambridge Baptist Church in Cambridge, Mass., where he also serves asAdvisor for LGBTQ Affairs in the Office of Religious, Spiritual, & Ethical Life atMIT, and as American Baptist Chaplain to Harvard University.AWAB’S HISTORY BOOK UPDATEBy C. Delane Tew, Ph.DI have had an interesting summerworking on the ABConcerned/AWAB research. I have beenworking through theVoice of the Turtle andthe Inspiriter looking forinformation on activitiesof the organizations,understanding of how thegroups were dealing withevents in society in general,and the theology found onthese pages regarding theacceptance of the LGBTQ community.I also found on my trip to AWAB’snational office in Louisville, minutesfrom the Board of Directors in the2000’s. I wish I had more of these aswell as steering committee minutesfrom ABConcerned. I have alsostarted my oral history efforts usingZoom after consulting with an oralhistory colleague.The Association of Welcoming & Affirming BaptistsAdditionally, I have conductedinternet searches for press releaseson LGBTQ related events involvingseveral Baptist conventions. Myresearch has been hamperedsomewhat by the closure of theAmerican Baptist Archives inAtlanta related to COVID-19.If you have any records, files,articles, stories to share, knowthat AWAB would love toknow about them and suchinformation will help ourhistory project. Please sendthem to AWAB’s office, with attentionto: Janet Cole, AWAB’s AdministrativeCoordinator. You can email Janet at:janet@awab.org.Thank you for your support. Welook forward to 2022/2023 whenwe celebrate the completion of thishistory book as well as ABConcernedand AWAB’s 50 years of ministry. www.AWAB.org7

Soar with Us! AWAB offers Support duringCOVID-19—including COVID-19Support Gatherings via Zoom While national gatherings havebeen moved to online platforms,AWAB staff, Board, and membershave been actively present—ifyou’re connecting with folk viaany of these times, please sharehow AWAB has been meaningfulto you Does AWAB have your mostcurrent information? Pleaseemail church and personalcontact information updates tojanet@awab.org Your financial gifts to AWAB helpus continue to do together whatnone of us can do on our own.Thank you for your support.To donate now go to:https://awab.org/support If you have any documents,photos, or stories to tellabout AWAB’s history,we want to know! Pleasecontact email our NationalCoordinator, Brian Henderson,at brian@awab.org, or ourAdministrative Coordinator,Janet Cole, at janet@awab.org.P.O. Box 7834Louisville, KY, rmingbaptists@affirmBaptist

—The Rev. Dwight Davidson, United Church of Granville, OH New Member Churches since 2019: Grace Baptist Church San Jose, CA Chico First Baptist Church Chico, CA Jacksonville Campus Ministry Jacksonville, FL United Campus Ministry Billings, MT First Baptist Church Pottstown, PA First Baptist Church Littleton, MA

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