| Presbyterian-related Hastings College observes week of
events for GLBT equality
Michael Adee, National Field Organizer for More Light
Presbyterians, reports on his week at Hastings
April 15, 2006 [posted 4-17-06]
Hello from Hastings, Nebraska, and one of our Presbyterian
colleges, Hastings College. I am
serving this week as the educator, chapel preacher and guest lecturer with
The Alliance for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Equality on campus.
The Alliance is the student-led organization with faculty
and staff support that offers education, awareness and solidarity events and
experiences on campus to provide safety for and understanding of LGBT
persons and their families. The Alliance is similar to other "Gay-Straight
Alliances" on college and high school campuses.
An extraordinarily talented student leadership team
organized a week of activites around their annual observance of a Day of
Silence on April 12. Judy Sandeen, Director of the Student Health Center,
and Antje Anderson, Professor of English, are sponsors of the Alliance and
work closely with the students.
The Day of Silence at Hastings College is observed in
solidarity with GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network's annual
Day of Silence held in April. From
www.glsen.org: "The Day of Silence®, a project of GLSEN in
collaboration with the United States Student Association (USSA), is a
national student-led day of action where those who support making
anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) bullying and harassment
unacceptable in America’s schools participate in activities to recognize and
protest the discrimination and harassment - in effect, the silencing -
experienced by LGBT students and their allies."
At Hastings, the Alliance students offered an educational
table at the student center, gave rainbow ribbons to be worn on the Day of
Silence, Ally buttons, wore solidarity t-shirts, participated in the chapel
service and created the Breaking the Silence Vigil evening program.
Working with David McCarthy, campus chaplain and 2 student
leaders, I offered the chapel sermon, A "No Boundaries" Gospel inspired by
Micah 6: 6 - 8 and Mark 12: 28 - 31. Because MLP has such a strong and
comprehensive library of educational materials, I was able to offer an LGBT-faith
focused resource table for chapel and the vigil. The educational materials
on LGBT/faith issues, the Bible, etc. were taken quickly and I had to keep
restocking the table. Always a good sign.
The Alliance students produced the Vigil and they offered
poetry readings, Terrence McNally's "Andre's Mother," media, music, powerful
first-person narratives of coming out and what it means to be an ally. The
Vigil ended with candelight, a breaking of silence and a sending out
commitment to solidarity and safety for all students.
In addition to preaching in chapel, speaking at the Vigil,
meeting with the Alliance group, PHIVE-O Peer Educators, I also offered
guest lectures in three college classes, a luncheon "table talk" on faith
and sexual ethics, an educational program for the Hastings
PFLAG Chapter, and an Adult Forum
at First Presbyterian Church, Hastings followed by an after-church
educational luncheon.
It has been a remarkable and rewarding "more light" week
here. I am so impressed by the students, those who are out and proud, and
those who are heterosexual allies who are friends and stand with them. I am
impressed and grateful to see the rainbow "safe zone" stickers on faculty,
staff and administrators' office doors all over campus.
Hastings College offers a remarkable model for other Presbyterian college
campuses with its Alliance group, Day of Silence and other LGBT-supportive
programming. Judy Sandeen who has worked with the Alliance, Day of Silence,
etc. and I are ready to consult with you to start or advance LGBT-support on
your campus, to help get "A Day of Silence" as part of your campus' life,
etc. If you are a graduate of a Presbyterian college and it does not have an
Alliance group, a "safe zone" project, or Day of Silence, why not? Let's
talk.
LGBT/faith outreach to Presbyterian colleges and
seminaries is one of the educational and spiritual support priorities for
MLP. Your financial support of MLP made this week of field outreach to
Hastings College possible. Thank you. Together we are building a Church for
All God's People.
with hope and grace,
Michael
Michael J. Adee, M.Div., Ph.D., National Field Organizer
More Light Presbyterians, 369 Montezuma Avenue # 447,
Santa Fe, NM 87501, (505) 820-7082,michaeladee@aol.com,
www.mlp.org
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