AFFIRMATION BUILDS BRIDGES TO THE MORMON COMMUNITY AND EXPLORES
“NEW FRONTIERS” AT ITS 32ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Affirmation, the oldest and largest organization of LGBT Mormons in the world, is holding its 32nd Annual International Conference in Salt Lake City, close to the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Organizers intend this conference to deepen Affirmation’s spiritual focus and broaden its participation among active members of the LDS Church, both LGBT members and straight allies.
In 2011, Affirmation held its annual conference in Kirtland, Ohio, a site where foundational events in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints took place. Devotionals held at the historic Kirtland Temple included prayer, story sharing/testimonies, and moving hymns sung by the assembly and by a conference choir. “Attendees were deeply moved. Missionaries from the LDS Church sites in historic Nauvoo were present, and some wept openly at the testimonies they witnessed. It was a turning point for us as an organization,” said Tina Richerson, Affirmation’s Vice President of Membership. “It’s energized us as an organization, and is bringing out more and more LGBT Mormons who feel a yearning to connect with or at least understand their spiritual and cultural heritage as Mormons.”
“Since the Kirtland Conference we’ve seen this tremendous turning of hearts of heterosexual Mormons within the Church toward their LGBT brothers and sisters, and we’ve seen a similar turning of hearts among LGBT Mormons, many of whom have experienced tremendous loss and rejection by their families and their church.” said Randall Thacker, President of Affirmation.“ The turning of hearts has caused some LGBT Mormons to seek ways to integrate into LDS congregations as adults. Hundreds of straight and LGBT Mormons marched together in LGBT Pride parades under the banners of Mormons Building Bridges, Mormons for Equality, Affirmation, and Mormon Allies for the first time the summer of 2012. The LDS Church launched a new site, mormonsandgays.org, to help open up dialog within the Church around these issues. It’s no surprise that we’re seeing a resurgence in interest among Affirmation participants in dialog with the Church and in exploring what it means to be a spiritual being, whether or not we ultimately connect with the Church or find spirituality in some other venue.”
The 2013 Annual International Conference will continue focusing on spirituality and inviting our straight allies to participate, as such we will feature a broad array of prominent straight allies like Steve and Barb Young, Carol Lynn Pearson, Judy Finch, and Wendy and Thomas Williams-Montgomery, and Robin Linkhart (of the Community of Christ).
Keynoting the Saturday evening session of the 2013 Affirmation Conference will be Steve and Barb Young. Steve is well-known as a Hall of Fame quarterback, but he –along with Barb– are also known for their work with children's charities both here and abroad.
Together they operate the Forever Young Foundation, a non-profit focused on passing on hope and resources for the development, strength, and education of children. One of their recent exciting projects was the opening of Sophie’s Place at Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City, a special room offering the healing power of music.
Another commitment that the Youngs have had for many years is that of bringing more understanding and love to the LGBT community, beginning with the many gay and lesbian friends and family members that have blessed their lives. Barb and Steve have been long time supporters of the Trevor Project, an organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth; the Family Acceptance Project, a research-based organization that uses a culturally grounded approach to help ethnically, socially and religiously diverse families decrease rejection and increase support for their LGBT children; and individuals doing great work in the area of teaching us all more what it means to “Love One Another.”
Both committed members of the LDS Church, Barb and Steve are happy to be part of Affirmation’s International Conference, where they hope to lend their voices to the healing work of making our families, our society and our church more welcoming places for our LGBT brothers and sisters.
Gay Mormon Benji Schwimmer (winner of the 2nd Season of “So You Think You Can Dance”) will be also be presenting.
Conference workshops will address themes of spiritual healing and reconciliation. Workshop topics will include: How to better support LGBT Mormon youth, support for parents of LGBT Mormons, learning more about BYU’s LGBT group, how to increase our empathy for each other’s choices, the lesbian Mormon experience, creating safe spaces and community for LGBT Mormons, God’s Affirmation, and more!
Of course, the conference choir will be back, performing at the Saturday evening testimony meeting and the devotional.
Additional information can be found at the conference website http://www.newfrontiers.affirmation.org, its public Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/155459584605275/, its Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/affirmationlds.
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Affirmation supports LGBTQ/SSA Mormons and their families, friends and Church leaders in seeking to live productive lives consistent with their faith or heritage.
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