Over the last few months, I had the privilege of joining several other Generous Space community members in auditing a course taught by Sylvia Keesmat entitled “Justice in the Biblical Story” at Wycliffe College. Sylvia, and her partner, Brian Walsh, host our annual Generous Space CampOUT at their farm in Cameron, Ontario. What follows are my…
DetailsGenerous Space Retreats include moments of resonance as we share our stories with one another. There’s something incredible about that ‘aha’ moment when you hear another person share a question, a fear, a doubt, or an experience that you are intimately acquainted with – it makes you feel less alone. At the 2017 West Coast…
DetailsOne of the most challenging but most significant spiritual lessons I have had to learn is that of relinquishment. This is not a new thought of course. I’m sure we have all been encouraged in some form to learn how to let go, to become enlarged in our capacity to cultivate acceptance. Some of you…
DetailsA couple of weeks ago, Wendy wrote a blog post about mixed-orientation marriages in the Generous Space Community. (Mixed-orientation marriages (MOMs) usually include one spouse who is straight, and one who is on the LGBTQ+ spectrum.) In Wendy’s blog post, she acknowledged that there is no single “right” path for MOMs. There are all kinds…
DetailsFrom May 24 – 27th we will be holding our Ontario Generous Space Retreat at Trent University. This year’s theme will be: friendship. Human beings are hard-wired for relationship and to long for deep connection and intimacy. When we experience true friendship we are grateful. When friends wound us the pain goes very deep. In…
DetailsRecently a very poignant blog post was shared by the poster couple for mixed orientation marriages after a viral post five years ago. This recent post announces their intention to divorce. The post is long, but worth the read. On social media, it has elicited all kinds of opinions and responses. In the Generous Space…
DetailsGenerous Space Retreats are highlighted with many moments of resonance as we share our stories with one another. There’s something incredible about that ‘aha’ moment when you hear another person share a question, a fear, a doubt, or an experience that you are intimately acquainted with – it makes you feel less alone. At the…
DetailsLast fall, Generous Space partnered with a Christian agency, Shalem Mental Health Network, to put on a one day conference entitled, “LGBTQ+, Mental Health, and Faith.” After many months of planning, we were excited to offer a co-learning experience that brought LGBTQ+ individuals, parents, practitioners, pastors, social workers, and educators together to address the stigma, assumptions, and stereotypes that…
DetailsFor the 4 Sundays of Advent this year, I’m focusing on Luke chapter one up until Mary’s Song. The first week, we looked at Zechariah. The second week, Mary. Last week, Elizabeth. And now we’ll conclude our Advent reflections with Mary’s Song. Mary’s Song: The Journey to Justice Read: Luke 1: 46 – 55 Angels…
DetailsFor the 4 Sundays of Advent this year, I’m focusing on Luke chapter one up until Mary’s Song. The first week, we looked at Zechariah. Last week, Mary. This week, Elizabeth. And we’ll conclude our Advent reflections with Mary’s Song. Elizabeth: From Shame to Blessing Read: Luke 1: 39 – 45 In our first reflection,…
DetailsFor the 4 Sundays of Advent this year, I’m focusing on Luke chapter one up until Mary’s Song. Last week, we looked at Zechariah. This week, Mary. Third week, Elizabeth. And then we’ll conclude our Advent reflections with Mary’s Song. Mary: Questions Energize Faith Read: Luke 1: 26 – 38 Gabriel’s visit to Mary finds…
DetailsFor the 4 Sundays of Advent this year, I’m focusing on Luke chapter one up until Mary’s Song. This week, we’ll be looking at the character of Zechariah. Next week, Mary. Third week, Elizabeth. And then we’ll conclude our Advent reflections with Mary’s Song. Zechariah: Unbelief and the Silencing of Patriarchy Read: Luke 1: 5…
DetailsIt was with some trepidation that I (Beth) approached our second annual West Coast Generous Space Retreat at Camp Squeah in Hope, BC. I tend to approach the second time doing something with the pressure of the expectations established the first time around, and the drive to make it even better. I knew we had 65…
DetailsFifteen years ago, when I took the role of Executive Director, people took it upon themselves to warn me about Brent Hawkes. It was 2002 and the Canadian debate about marriage equality was heating up. At that time, the ministry held a traditional theological position on marriage. And Rev. Hawkes was a gay clergy person,…
DetailsA new website launched last week called churchclarity.com, and already there is a lot of buzz. Simply said, this group is looking for churches to be clear about their policies regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion. As they say on their home page, “We believe that ambiguity is harmful and clarity is reasonable.” Through crowdsourcing, they want to…
DetailsAfter nearly two years of conversation and planning, last Friday we partnered with Shalem Mental Health to co-host a one day conference entitled, “LGBTQ+, Mental Health, & Faith: Exploring the Intersections.” Each of the three arenas we were considering can be fraught with assumptions and stigma. And yet there is such a tremendous need for…
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