Church Ladies on the Move!

From Marcey:

Today we had a great opportunity to speak at a church outside of Boston about "ONA" - this particular church's "Open and Affirming" statement that they're hoping to adopt. ONA is a hopeful thing that asks congregations to consider publicly stating their acceptance of LGBT folks within their faith community.
E preached (can I get an AMEN! Proud does not describe it alone - she was funny, honest, pastoral...but I digress), then both of us got to be part of a discussion group about: our faith, being gay, and the amazing ways that loved ones have shown their support for us.
To all of you reading, know that your love was a huge part of that conversation - from growing up in church communities, reminiscing about our wedding day, and celebrating the Bean's growing presence in our lives.
The folks who took the time to listen today could not have been sweeter. Their questions were rich, and their welcome was beyond warm. We left hearing that the church was one step closer to a commitment to an ONA statement - there were a few eloquent drafts already up on display boards, each with inclusive language, and lots of yellow post-its with commentary.

As a thank you, they gave us the book "Make Way for Ducklings," to welcome our baby into Boston-area history! We went from "gay spokesfolks"to blushing mamas in .2 seconds.

It's the person-by-person conversations like this that really give me hope - safe havens are growing, and so is the spiritual side of accepting diversity. It's just awesome. One might say, Amazing Grace. There it is, the gradual opening of hearts and minds, over coffee hours and folding chairs. Let there be laughing and questions, and the new senses of understanding.