During the first weekend of November, the GLAD Council and GLAD Ministry Team Leaders met in Indianapolis to set direction for the ministry of GLAD over the next year.
Two major events are planned for the next year. The Open & Affirminig Ministry Team is pulling together Breathing Life, the first Open & Affirming Training Event. The GLAD Council is also coordinating with Tapestry, planned for June, which will be a gathering of GLAD, the UCC Coalition, and AWAB, the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. Tapestry will be the annual GLAD event in 2006. This Crossbeams contains more news about these two events.
Also, moderator Patricia Case encouraged the council to make a bold new commitment to mission, and the council responded with a $4000 pledge to New Covenant Christian Church in Houston, Texas. New Covenant is the first Open & Affirming church in the Houston area and ministers especially to the needs of the area homeless, including many gay youth. The needs in the area have only multiplied in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
The council also expanded its mission to youth with a commitment for increased GLAD programming for young people and to explore youth programming with our ecumenical partners.
Other initiatives developed at the meeting are the need to develop a statement on same-gender marriage equality and a resource to open further dialog with churches on discernment.
GLAD leadership also discussed the need to develop relationships with other Disciples partners, including Hispanic Ministries, the Convocation (African American Disciples), NAPAD (Pacific-Asian Disciples), and also Disciples schools and seminaries.
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