IntegrityNOLA - Our focus?
Michelle Robert
At a recent Integrity meeting at St. Anna’s, the few of us there questioned where our focus might more directly meet the needs of our LGBTQ community.
We admitted we simply did not know what folk were living with as to the hot button issues.
We admitted we had a higher level of anxiety post the election, with the rise of bigotry and prejudice.
To what extent this was shared, we had no idea. One strategy came up and that was to confess our ignorance and ask for help in articulation what might be a vision for our existence as an organization.
With this in mind our first task is to generate a series of questions that might help us gain some focus. We need your help and input that we might more faithfully live into the promises made in our Baptismal covenant that asks, “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?”
For those in stable relationships can you see a tendency to cocoon and wait the storm out?
For those who would like to be in a relationship have you discovered even more of a tendency to withdraw into yourself?
To what extent are you living with an increased level of unease?
Do you have a social network in place that is supportive?
What place does the church have in that network?
What more could the faith community do to respond to your needs?
Can you offer input to what might be a better social network that breaks through loneliness and isolation?
We are not interested in meetings for meeting sake, although it does meet some needs of affiliation, we would rather be open to the opportunity for ministry in our community, can we do both, affiliation and serve?
What you think and feel is important to us, hence we ask for your help. Are we even asking the right questions? Help us to understand how we might be for you, that is, what is God calling us to be in this ministry?
Please REPLY with your thoughts, opinions and input. We look forward to hearing from each and every one of you.