Welcome to the
The central organizing tool of the YES! Coalition is the Guide to Welcoming Congregations. The online Guide lists over 250 faith communities, including their location, contact information, and a direct link to the congregations’ websites.
- Learn more about how your faith community can become a part of this list!
- It's not too late to join as a partner congregation for 2010!
- We welcome congregations and groups from Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, including Northern Delaware, South and Central New Jersey, Northeastern Maryland, Central and Northeastern Pennsylvania.
- Not a faith community? We also welcome listings from LGBTQQ/SGL affirming organizations that affirm and nurture spirituality as part of their mission.
Please join our email mailing list to keep up-to-date on the latest YES! Coalition news!
A special thank you to Tabernacle United Church, which has become the YES! Coalition's first sponsoring congregation.
Endorsements Requested: Pennsylvania Legislative Priorities
Equality PA is seeking organizational support and/or endorsement as they continue working towards equality for all families in Pennsylvania. Many groups and organizations are already members of the Equality PA's Value All Families Coalition and support current legislative priorities, such as marriage equality, hate crimes legislation, anti-bullying statutes, and the PA Human Relations Act (which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression).
The YES! Coalition does not make political endorsements, but the support of faith-based groups can be especially valuable to such advocacy efforts. Perhaps your congregation would want to consider this effort. Contact Stephen Murtaugh to learn more at EqualityPAintern@gmail.com or 215-731-1447 x17. You can find out more about Equality Pennsylvania at www.equalitypa.org.
YES! News
Check out our News page for past newsletter content. And don't miss our Outreach page for a list of upcoming outreach opportunities.
Neighborhood Outreach
It's important for welcoming congregations to be visible at festivals celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, same-gender-loving, queer, and transgender experience -- because decades of "culture wars" have left many LGBTQQ/SGL deeply skeptical about religious communities.
However, it's also useful for welcoming congregations to be visible in your local area at neighborhood festivals and community gatherings. It's not just LGBTQQ/SGL folks who want to find progressive faith communities!
Young people, families with children, and people with gay nephews, transgender grandchildren, same-gender-loving co-workers, or other personal connections may also may be looking for a spiritual home that does not foster religious bigotry.
- Being "out" in your local community is a great way to connect with a wide range of people who may be attracted by your congregation's welcoming stance.
- Including rainbow-themed YES! Coalition postcards on your festival table is a simple, easy way to make your welcome known.
We've just received and posted the application for the 39th Annual Mt. Airy Day -- which is a neighborhood festival in the northwest part of Philadelphia. What kinds of festivals happen in your neighborhood? Will you let us know and help us brainstorm more ideas for neighborhood outreach? Email info (at) yescoalitionphilly (dot) org or call 257-507-5507.
Upcoming Public Events
Send your listings to info (at) yescoalitionphilly (dot) org. Please be sure to include who is sponsoring and who is welcome, when it will be, where it be, cost of participation, and what will be happening. Website links with more details are especially encouraged! Please contact us at least three weeks in advance of your event so we can have time to get the word out.
March
Rev. Delores Berry in Concert
- Worship, praise and healing with Rev. Berry, a nationally known Gospel singer, with a commissioned ministry among the Metropolitan Community Church.
- March 20, 2010, 7pm
- Vision of Hope MCC (130 E. Main Street, Mountville, PA)
- For more information, visit www.visionofhopemcc.org
Gay Jewish Poetry Reading
- Jay Michaelson and Rabbi Jacob Staub will read poetry, offer queer midrash, and explore the intersections between spiritual and romantic love
- Sunday, March 21, 5:30-7pm
- Giovanni’s Room (345 South 12th St. Philadelphia, PA 1910)
- Free, open to the public
Rev. Cameron Partridge at Bryn Mawr College
- Cameron is a Bryn Mawr College alum ('95), transgender man, and Episcopal priest. He'll share his story with Bryn Mawr students and visitors.
- March 25, 2010, 8pm
- Campus Center, Bryn Mawr College (Bryn Mawr, PA)
- For more details, contact Katherine Sepulveda at 207.653.7395
Praying on Both Sides of the Wall: Transgender Jewish Identity, with Joy Ladin
- Joy Ladin is a professor of literature at Yeshiva University, who made headlines in fall 2008, when my return to work as a woman after years of teaching as a man made me Yeshiva University's first openly transgendered employee.
- March 26, 2010
- 6:30pm Shabbat service (with Kol Tehilla Unplugged: Kol Tzedek's musically-inspired Reconstructionist Kabbalat Shabbat Service); followed by 8:15pm dinner with speaker
- Penn Hillel, second floor (219 S. 39th St, Philadelphia, PA -- on the UPenn campus)
- Please RSVP for dinner to Nava.Szwergold@birthrightisraelnext.org
- For more information, contact Jason Goodman gja@sas.upenn.edu
Hallelujah, Healing, Hope: Rev. Delores Berry in Concert
- Worship, praise and healing with Rev. Berry, a nationally known Gospel singer, with a commissioned ministry among the Metropolitan Community Church.
- March 26, 2010, 7pm
- Imago Dei MCC (1223 Middletown Road, Glen Mills, PA 19324)
- A love offering will be received to support Rev. Berry's ministry
- For more information, visit www.imagodeimcc.org
Emma's Revolution and She Who Concert
- Get energized with a musical uprising of truth and hope. Emma's Revolution is a new duo of activist-musicians. She Who is a feminist women's vocal ensemble who sing to celebrate women and express their diverse experiences of spirit, and to promote social change and justice.
- March 27, 2010, Doors open at 7:00pm
- Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County (145 W. Rose Tree Rd., Media, PA 19063)
- General admission: $18 pre-sale, $22 at the door
- For tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets.com
- Sponsored by UUCDC Interweave, for more information contact bonnieandjean (at) gmail (dot) com
Navigating To Nirvana: What Buddha Has to Say to the GLBT Communities
- Program by Alan Oliver, UU Buddhist Educator, sponsored by The Rainbow Circle at Murray Grove
- March 28, 2010, 5-6 pm gathering, 6-7:30 pm dinner ($5 donation) and fellowship
- Murray Grove Retreat and Conference Center, 431 Route 9, Lanoka Harbor, NJ 08734 (corner of Route 9 and Church Lane)
- Overnight accommodations available - $35 per person per night
- For more information, visit www.murraygrove.org
April
Gateway to Religious Communities visits Bahai' Community of Radnor Township
- One in a series of interfaith explorations, sponsored by The Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia. Several of the participating communities are affiliated with the YES! Coalition.
- April 9, 2010, 7pm
- Community Leader's Home - Villanova, PA 19085
- For more information, visit www.interfaithcenterpa.org/involved/gateway-reg.php
The Soul of the Practice: Peace, Compassion and Understanding
- A retreat for People of Color in the Tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. This retreat offers individuals of Native American, African, Latino/a, Asian/Pacific Islander, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern ancestry an opportunity to practice the art of mindful living in a safe, supportive community.
- April 17th, 2010, 9am-5pm
- South America Room, International House (3701 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104)
- RSVP by Saturday April 10th, 2010 to Yvette Hyater-Adams at YHyater@aol.com or (856) 662-5399 ext. 1 or to Ivette Guillermo ivette_guillermo@hotmail.com
- Bring a Vegetarian Lunch to support our Mindful Eating practice. Suggested Dana (Donation) for the day is $10. No one will be turned away because of cost.
Speaker Tuan N'Gai: Evangelist, Author, and Co-Founder of Operation Rebirth
- Empowering Word Ministries is proud to host Tuan N'Gai speaking on Overcoming Homophobia
- April 17th, 2010, 1pm-5pm
- Empowering Word Ministries (4958 Lancaster Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131)
- Registration is $15 (which includes a copy of N'Gai's book, Will I Go to Heaven?)
- For more information contact, Min. Illya N. Johnson, Social Justice Minister, 215-253-8774
- See also: www.operationrebirth.com (a website dedicated to ending the religious and spiritual abuse against black gays and lesbians inflicted by Black churches)
May
Gateway to Religious Communities visits Mosque of M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen
- One in a series of interfaith explorations, sponsored by The Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia. Several of the participating communities are affiliated with the YES! Coalition.
- May 2, 2010, 1:00pm
- 580 Overbrook Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19131
- For more information, visit www.interfaithcenterpa.org/involved/gateway-reg.php
East coast launch of the new anthology, Balancing on the Mechitzah: Transgender in Jewish Community, edited by Noach Dzmura.
- Selections from the text to illustrate the celebrations and challenges of transgender Jewish life from all points on the gender spectrum; insight from Jewish texts about how communities can begin to adapt beyond a rigid two-gender system.
- Congregation Rodeph Shalom (615 N Broad St, Phila, PA)
- June 2, 2010, 7pm
- Free, open to the public, of interest to Jewish and non-Jewish participants of all genders.
- Sponsors include Congregation Rodeph Shalom, Congregation Beth Ahavah, Congregation Mishkan Shalom, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, the YES! Coalition, and TransFaith Online.
- The program is free and open to the public.
- For more information, visit www.yescoalitionphilly.org/news/20100602.
2nd Annual Philadelphia International GLBT Arts Festival
- Various performances, including the Transcendence Gospel Choir, Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus, Philadelphia Freedom Band and more.
- June 6-14, 2010
- Various sites in Center City (Philadelphia, PA)
- For more information, watch traversetheater.org/festival2/about.htm
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