Thought
 
Every Christian denomination is wrestling with the question of homosexuality.
 
Take the Anglican Communion for example.  Lambeth 2008 is less than a month away.
 
Ten years ago, Resolution 1:10 of Lambeth 1998 rejected homosexuality as unscriptural, yet  it included this:
 
" . . . we commend ourselves to listen to the experience of homosexual people . . . " 
 
Source:  Anglican Communion in Crisis by Miranda K. Hassett, p. 78. 
 
Resolution 1:10 raises the following question:  In the intervening ten years, has the Anglican church sought the opportunity "to listen to the experience of homosexual people?" 
 
I suppose Resolution 1:10 could apply to all Christian faiths:  Has the church "listened to the experience of homosexual people? . . . in the last ten years? . . . in the last twenty years? . . . at all?
 
Contact Info
You may contact the following people for more information or to arrange a meeting:
 
EAST AFRICA
Rev. Michael Kimindu
cell:  07 20 081 644
[email protected]
 
 
KENYA
Rev. John Makokha
cell:  07 27 549 693
UGANDA
Rev. Kiyimba  Brown
cell:  77 4412 443, or 20 3310 224
 
 
In Addtion to the Above:
 
Steve Paelli
 
Jose Ortiz
 Globe and LGBT cross
 
An Invitation 
from Other Sheep
To Our Friends In East Africa
 
June 24, 2008
Dear Friend,      

For the next six weeks (July 4 - August 5),  my partner and I of Other Sheep will be visiting Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.  We have been invited by three pastors -- two in Kenya:  Rev. Michael Kimindu (Anglican) and Rev. John Makokha (United Methodist Church); and a third pastor in Uganda, Rev. Kiyimba Brown (Pentecostal).
 
One of the things we hope to accomplish is to meet with pastors and lay leaders, as well as lay people in general, who would like to discus with us our experience and views on homosexuality.  We are happy to meet with any size group; to even meet with one-on-one.
 
My partner and I both come from an evangelical background and Bible college training in the United States.  For the longest time we held the view that the Bible condemned all homosexual acts.  After much time in counseling and study we have come to a different opinion.  In a nonaggressive manner, we would like to share our story and our studies with any interested person.
 
Although we are not Africans ourselves, we personally know many gay Christian East Africans who can not openly tell their story for fear of rejection and loss of church and family and livelihood.  Having heard their stories, we wish to speak on their behalf.
 
Below is our itinerary.  If you, or someone you know, would like to meet with us for an informal meeting, we would be very happy to do so. 
 
(Rev*) Steve Parelli, MDiv and
Jose Ortiz, MS in Applied Psychology
Other Sheep
 
*Defrocked by a local Baptist congregation for having entered into a same-sex committed relationship in 1997.
Itinerary
We are available for individual or small group meetings at the following places: 

July 4 - 13  Nairobi, Kenya
                       July 12  Seminar on The Bible and Homosexuality
                             Date to be confirmed.  Place to be announced.
 
July 15 - 17 Mombasa, Kenya
     
July 19 - 22  Kigali, Rwanda
                       
July 23 - 29  Kampala, Ugnada
                        July 26 & 27  Seminar on The Bible and Homosexuality
 
July 31 & August 1  Kisumu, Kenya
 
August 3 & 4  Nairobi, Kenya
Materials we will distribute in East Africa at no charge as supplies last:
  • The Children Are Free:  Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships by Rev.Jeff Miner and John Tyler Connoley
  • The Blue Book:  What We Wish We Had Known (about homosexuality).  A Resource for Individuals and Families by The Presbyterian Church, Mt. Kisco, New York
  • What the Science says - and Doesn't Say - About Homosexuality by Jeff Lutes, MS, LPB
  • What the Bible Says - and Doesn't Say - About Homosexuality by the Rev. Dr. Mel White
  • On CD:  A power point presentation on the Bible and Homosexuality:  A compilation of what Bible authors are saying today by Steve Parelli, MDiv.  Also available in print in outline form.
 
Other Sheep is an ecumenical Christian ministry working for the full inclusion of LGBT people of faith within their respective faith traditions world wide.
 
" . . . connecting people with people and people with resource . . . "