pken's blog

The Conversation on Homosexuality Is Finally Here!

Monday, May 5, 2008 3:43 pm PDT

I've been talking/blogging/sharing about the Christians on Social Issues "Conversation on Homosexuality" for so long now (since January?) that, at least for me, it's hard to believe that it's going to take place this Saturday!  Again, if you're in the area and inclined to go, it's May 10, 7-9:30pm @ EvergreenLA (www.ebcla.org for directions). 

I was picking up a few bike-related things at REI's big sale early this afternoon when an attractive AsiAm woman approached me ("I'm a happily married spud, I'm a happily married spud").  "Hi, Ken.  I'm _____, Pastor ________'s wife.  I just wanted you to know that I've been following your online progress to this Saturday's event and that we've been praying for you daily, ever since we heard you were doing this.  This is such an important thing you're doing, something that really needs to take place.  We really appreciate how you always manage to bring things to our attention that we'd prefer to overlook or ignore in the Asian American church.  Thank you so much for always doing this, and for hosting this Saturday's conversation on homosexuality."

I replied, "Well, I'm doing it because the current "don't ask, don't tell, and don't come" attitude in the majority of evangelical AA churches is causing people whom God loves to suffer in silence or to feel unloved and unwanted.  Since this May 10th conversation showed up on people's radars, I've received so many messages from Asian Americans struggling with homosexuality, embracing homosexuality, and their family members and co-workers.  The conversation, it seems, has already started, and I think that's fantastic."

"I wish we could attend, but we're committed to a wedding this Saturday," she said.  "But my husband and I will keep praying for that evening and we know that some from our church will be there."

"We'll be recording the evening, so you can always snag a CD of the conversation and, as you know, we're making a short film about this event that you can see later."

_________________________________________

Please keep myself, Marian Sunabe, and Gary Hayashi in your prayers, as well as M/M Harold Kamiya, who will be sharing in the second half about their daughter's coming out as a lesbian and how that's affected their relationships (with her, the former church, with LGBT community).  Prayer that we would be able, with God's grace, to model how to have a civil conversation even as we don't share each other's convictions.  Pray that we are able to agree on even just one ultimate conviction before the evening's over.

I will be facilitating an adult CLASS called "We STILL Need to Talk" starting May 11 and running for 5 weeks.  More time to interact, to hear real stories, and to meet folks in the thick of this issue.

Peace,
pken.

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