News from the Gay, Lesbian, and Affirming Disciples Alliance

Contents: November 2005

Discernment in Colorado Springs

Richard D. Daetwiler from the Central Rocky Mountain Region brings us this report on how the church's discernment process on gay and lesbian Christians was introduced in Colorado Springs:

The Penrose House at the Broadmoor was the retreat setting October 1st for elders and clergy from Colorado Springs, including Village Christian Church and First Christian Church.

The agenda included a presentation by a panel from the Central Rocky Mountain Region's Discernment Team. The team was invited to present an overview of the discernment process as experienced by the panel members.  To model the process, the panel used the opening worship and the basic format of a discernment session from Listening to the Spirit: A Handbook for Discernment..

A brief history of the Disciples call to discernment was presented with an emphasis on the process in the Central Rocky Mountain Region including the team’s struggle to gather a balanced group that had representation from the gay/lesbian community.  An overview of the curriculum included added materials that had been gleaned from the Indiana Discernment Team as well as materials CRMR team had created. A brief excerpt from the Listening to the Spirit  video was shown, sparking a lively discussion.

Perhaps the most poignant part of the presentation was the stories told by the panel members concerning their experiences in their own discernment process.  It was a time for both laughter and tears.  A period for questions followed with opportunity for everyone present to express thoughts, fears, concerns and joys over the day's experience. The regional panel did express to the group their commitment to help in any way possible with discernment groups in Colorado Springs churches should they elect to go through the discernment process.

Because of the various positions of the panel members the team was able to demonstrate how Disciples can come together, disagree together, cry together, laugh together, discern together, and, at last, come to the Table together. 

And it was at the Table that the day came to a close.