“We have been too wrapped up in planning the communication of our truth by cooking up contingency plans for potential rebuttals that we have forgotten to think relationally. Looking for opportunities to build trust will inevitably remove some of the fears and obvious obstacles we face. ” — Love Is an Orientation, pp 44-45 It’s a Monday, and for many of us that means jumping back into work or school, and all the things this week will carry along with... Read more
This week Saturday, September 13 at Fourth Presbyterian Church (126 E Chestnut St, Chicago), we're partnering with Level Ground- the organization that created the world's first faith based LGBTQ film festival- to bring you the ONE DAY ONLY Chicago stop on the 2014 Level Ground Road Show! The afternoon will showcase a screening of Kidnapped For Christ (trailer above), a recent documentary that has gained international attention. Later, we'll be joined by Derek Webb and Hello Industry for an evening concert. Discussion, an interactive art space, snacks, and short films will be available throughout the afternoon. Read more
After taking a break for Labor Day, we’re back at our Living in the Tension gatherings this upcoming Monday, September 8th. This week we’ll be disscuing and sharing with one another about where we have grown and what has helped us in relation to loving and productively engaging with those that we adamantly disagree with or see as an ‘other’. In the same light, we will also be talking about where growth is still needed in our lives and the... Read more
The first approach is to say nothing. It’s hard to offend if you don’t open your mouth. There are any number of proverbs about “the fool” defending this position. It’s wise. However, it’s not really sustainable in the long run. The conversation around gender and sexuality has become one of the the defining issues facing the church today. As I wrote last week, moderate voices are needed. The second approach is to equip oneself with the right vocabulary and the right set of expectations. It’s hard to offend if you don’t say anything offensive. Or at least in theory. In practice, these conversations can be very difficult to navigate, as we’ll see. But this approach is known as cultural competency. There’s a third approach, of course. It’s cultural humility. Read more
I am glad my fiancée and I represented ourselves and our love in a positive light. BUT… What if I had been having a bad day? I can be quite shy and sometimes I just don’t feel like explaining myself to new people – so what if I had ignored my friend’s father? What if my fiancée and I had been arguing or experiencing a tense moment in our relationship? Would my friend’s father have walked away with the same positive changes in his viewpoint or would we have confirmed every negative opinion he believed about LGBTQ people? Read more
In case you missed it, our August newsletter hit the inboxes last week. Click here for a link to it, and here to sign up so you get the next one! New dates and details for several fun things coming up in September, I'm Sorry Campaign highlights, and a recap of our July/August Living in the Tension series all made the newsletter... we'll share that last recap below. Be sure to sync your calendar with our calendar so you don't miss any of the great things coming up! Read more
“Be Bold.” This is the declaration splashed across our website and facebook page. It’s The Marin Foundation’s motto, although it’s not one that I reflect on often. Read more
Join us for our upcoming Living in the Tension Gathering on Monday, August 18th, where we will be discussing sex trafficking.We have a special guest presenter, Brenna Cyr, who will be discussing LGBTQ sex trafficking in the city of Chicago. Sex trafficking is a worldwide issue with over 30 million slaves, 60,000 of whom live in the US. Brenna is one of Illinois’ most knowledgeable resources on this topic. She studied at the University of Wisconsin and then was a case... Read more
We’re putting together a team for the fourth year for the AIDS Run/Walk Chicago, and we would love to have you join us! The event is being hosted at Arvey Field (just south of Grant Park) on Sunday, September 14th at 9am. Your involvement with the run/walk will go to benefit the AIDS Foundation of Chicago as they fight against HIV/AIDS and improve the lives of people affected by the epidemic. Come on out and join us for a fun... Read more
Today's post is by Melinda Guerra, our Administrative Assistant here at The Marin Foundation. A few weeks ago, stuck in traffic, I noticed that the car to my left had a lanyard set on its bumper, with a car key and remote attached. Taking advantage of heavy traffic, I jumped out of my vehicle, grabbed the keys from the bumper, and knocked gently on the door, motioning for the passenger to lower his window. Two people around my parents’ age stared back at me, wide-eyed and terrified, holding their hands in the air like... like this was a hold-up. Read more
Love is an Orientation
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