“How do I come out to my parents?” This is one of the most common questions we get from LGBTQ+ Christians who contact us. We thought it would be a good idea to seek the wisdom and advice of our Generous Space community, drawing on the experiences of real LGBTQ+ people and their parents. We’ve compiled…
DetailsThis week’s poem is by one of our community members. Here’s what they have to say about this piece: I have a hard time using my voice…which can be troublesome for life, but also tricky when you’re navigating your way through “coming out”. This poem is about that experience and how I am trying to find…
DetailsThis week’s Art Friday is by Amy Hall With a background in music journalism and business speak, Amy E. Hall currently focuses her creative writing energy composing free verse poetry and haiku. The southern-born, northern-bred Tennessean has self-published three haiku chapbooks to date, as well as two poetry chapbooks. Two of her poems appear in…
DetailsIt’s only been four days since the end of our Camp-OUT at Russet House Farm, and already the heat rising off the pavement of the city feels suffocating… I’m pining to be back in the fresh air and good company of the farm! To ease my urban woes, I thought I’d share some memories and photos from our…
DetailsThis week’s Art Friday post is a poem written by Chris Ong, who participates in a few of our Ontario Generous Space groups. Chris shares his poetry on his blog https://livingink.wordpress.com Here’s what he has to say about this poem: This poem I started to write the first week after the Orlando shooting. I am…
DetailsThis week’s Art Friday contribution is a prayer that our intern, Lyds, wrote for our prayer book, “Prayers From The Edges,” which you will be able to buy online in September, or you can get it as a gift if you contribute to our Summer drive fundraiser. This is what Lyds says about the prayer:…
DetailsMore and more people are experiencing Generous Space through our community groups running across Canada. Cultivating relationships and community shaped by the values and posture of generous space is bearing good fruit for so many LGBTQI+ people, their families, and allies. Another significant part of our ministry is in the church and broader Christian community.…
DetailsMass shootings. Police violence. Black Lives Matter protests. Pride events. Church politics. I’m guessing I’m not the only one who is feeling a mixture of uncertainty and paralysis, helplessness and grief, overwhelmed and guilty, all while trying to listen, learn, and process the intersection of oppression, violence, and injustice as it is protested and lamented…
DetailsThis week’s Art Friday post is a poem written by Chris Ong, who participates in a few of our Ontario Generous Space groups. Here’s what he has to say about this poem: Back when I first started to tell people that I was celibate, I got a lot of ‘interesting’ responses. Not many people understood…
DetailsWe’re grateful to have received a small grant from the Canadian government to hire a student intern who will join our New Direction staff team for July and August. Our intern this year will be Lydia Keesmaat-Walsh, a high school student from Lindsay, ON who has participated in some of our Generous Space events over the past year. Lydia will be primarily…
DetailsOur Art Friday post today is from a member of our Toronto Generous Space Group named Rob Walker. Here’s what Rob has to say about himself and about his poem: I’ve known Jesus since I was five years old. I’m a cisgender gay guy with cerebral palsy, a theology geek, and a writer. I want…
DetailsIt’s been one week since 49 people, mostly LGBTQ+ people of color, were murdered in a gay night club in Orlando. Our director, Wendy Gritter, originally wrote this post for Lorna Dueck’s Context blog, and we’re re-blogging it here at New Direction because we think these are important practical suggestions for the church. Six Ways to Love LGBTQ+…
DetailsWelcome to our second weekly Art Friday post. Our community is still reeling from the massacre at Pulse, the gay night club in Orlando where 49 people, mainly LGBTQ+ people of color, were murdered and another 53 injured. Some of our LGBTQ+ community members have written blogs in response, which you can find here, here, here, and…
DetailsIn 2011, New Direction launched an arts-focused website called “The Space Between.” The idea behind the name was the space between the art piece and the people viewing it: space for interpretation, inspiration, and collaboration. After several years of beautiful art on that website, we’ve decided to revive and consolidate our arts focus here on this blog with…
DetailsToday we have the opportunity to highlight a story that is even more “outside the box” than usual – and that’s saying something when it comes to our community! Alicia and Carrie are celibate, but they’re also covenanted life partners. In this beautiful piece, Alicia describes their journey together so far. Colouring Outside the Lines – by…
DetailsThis year’s Generous Space Retreat ended three weeks ago, and I’ve finally recovered enough to reflect on it. Actually, “recovered” is an exaggeration. To tell you the truth, I didn’t feel nearly as exhausted as I expected after this year’s retreat, and I’ll tell you why. As Director of Community, I sometimes catch myself believing…
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