Calling All Presbyterians...Celebrate Valentine's Day by Believing Out Loud!

Believe Out Loud, a trans-denominational effort to promote LGBT equality, will go public on Valentine's Day. We expect many expressions of affirmation and celebration to take place in congregations across the country. You can put together a Believe Out Loud celebration for your congregation, MLP Chapter, campus ministry or seminary community now.

Since 1974, More Light Presbyterians have been believing out loud. We are excited to see this new campaign calling for people of faith to make their private beliefs and care for LGBT people and their families known publicly.

It is here -- among congregations who are committed to welcome and affirmation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families -- that the this new movement will gather its strength. That a movement for LGBT equality is emerging from within Christian congregations instead of over against the religious community already marks this effort as something special.

Check out the Believe Out Loud Fan Page on Facebook.

How can my church or group celebrate this event in a public way? Here are three quick suggestions:

1. Use Believe Out Loud T-shirts, buttons or pins now available for sale (see article below) in worship. Affix name tags to the T-shirts that say, "Ask me about…" or put a notice in your bulletin encouraging those without the pins or shirts to ask about them; equip those wearing the articles with a standard answer, which is the theme of the Believe Out Loud effort: "Believing that LGBT persons should be welcomed is not enough; we need to Believe Out Loud."  You might choose to give a gift of an enamel pin or a T-shirt to a member or members in your congregation who have worked hard for LGBT equality. Have all members of your choir or youth group wear the T-shirts together as a visible witness to the cause. Use a flip video camera or take digital stills of your efforts and send them to believeoutloud@intersectionsinternational.org so that they can be included on the website.
2. Use illustrations about the importance of a public witness for LGBT equality in sermons, prayers or liturgies (look for liturgical suggestions in the next edition of OUT Loud news) so that it is clear that your congregation's leadership supports equality for queer people and that there is an openness to expanding the dialogue among those who, for whatever reason, are struggling with this issue in their lives. Announce that a new resource, www.believeoutloud.com, is available to help with this conversation. Print the announcement in your morning bulletin or newsletter.
3. Use your Sunday worship or educational gathering or when the largest number of your congregants are present to introduce an ongoing educational, programmatic or social action initiative that will help move your members and community from fear to compassion, from ignorance to understanding or from apathy to action. Announce this publicly within your congregation and to your community.