Creating Healthy and Safer Churches
For all of God’s people
A message from our Core Group
Dear Friends,
We thank you for taking the time to consider the Creating Sanctuary Resource.
This Resource has been developed by people with a range of views on how the Bible might be read in relation to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community (LGBT), but with a common conviction that our churches should be safe places for all people. Whilst some churches offer this safe place, others do not. Creating Sanctuary responds to Minister and Church Leaders’ request for help and support in this area. The impact of a lack of safe spaces has been significant for our LGBT siblings in Christ.
We recognise together that the long-standing debates about how we read Scripture in relation to the LGBT community are unlikely to be settled anytime soon. Instead, Creating Sanctuary is a pastoral and safeguarding Resource, which draws from recent learning emerging from our Body of Christ. Whilst the range of theological and Biblical readings are not rehearsed here, we have sought to learn from national leaders and church communities who have worked to offer either safer welcome or affirmation to the LGBT community.
Whatever our theological convictions, we believe that our churches want to be safer places – sanctuaries if you like – for everyone. It is especially important that our churches are safer places of care and well-being for those who have experienced hurt, rejection or marginalisation. When Jesus was asked which was the greatest commandment, he gave two – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31 NRSV).
We pray that through using this resource, our churches will understand more deeply what behaviours and approaches to people from the LGBT community and other minority groups communicate care and welcome, and those which cause harm. The aim is to love our neighbours and learn how we best show that.
If you need help or support along the way, please get in touch via our website: www.creatingsanctuary.org.uk/contact or by email, info@creatingsanctuary.org.uk
God bless you on this journey,
Creating Sanctuary, Core Group
Many of us feel uncomfortable or uneasy when questions about human sexuality are raised in the church. Despite our shared Christian commitment to loving each other and modelling grace, many of us feel uncertain where to start in the exploration of human sexuality and gender identity in a faith context.
We have a number of LGB siblings, their friends and family members within our church community, and sadly many have been treated poorly, in a way that has led to lasting harm.
It is important that we have a way of recognising this and find a way to talk about human sexuality together.
Part A - Real Life
In Part A we will spend time listening to, and learning from, each other and the stories of members of the LGBT+ community.
Part A: Real life
Session 1 - What is this About?
We have many different views and opinions on the Bible and on our role as a faith community in our local context. Specifically, we’ll all have different views on sexuality and gender.
This resource recognises those differences. The aim here is not to address different theologies, but to think about how we treat each other. It promotes respect, love, active listening and empathy and is founded on founded on restorative principle.
Session 2 - Listening Deeply to Stories
The purpose of this session is to listen to LGB stories and reflect on them. Ideally we encourage you to listen to all of the stories. We suggest that you leave Lizzie Lowe’s story to the end.
Session 3 - We all have a Story
A number of our church communities will discuss Session 2 and 3 together.
In this session we will talk about the relationships or encounters we’ve had with members of the LGB community and the impact that this has had on us. We’ll consider together what we have learned from those encounters and the questions or thoughts that arise from our discussions.
Part B - Real Love
In Part B, we will spend time listening to national leaders and to churches who have learning to share.
Part B: Real love
Session 4 - The Bible Story
In this session we will listen in on a conversation between faith leaders about the principles of inclusion within the Gospel. The discussion focuses on two Bible stories from the New Testament (Acts 10 and Luke 24:13-25). We want to consider how these Biblical principles and stories can help us in creating safer environments in churches.
Session 5 - Creating Safer Churches
In this session we will be thinking about what a safe and healthy church community looks like. What are the core aspects of this?
To help us do this we will be exploring culture. We will reflect on positive aspects of church culture based on findings from recent research and will also encourage us to think together about how we use power. We will think proactively about the good practice in your local church community and the things you want to change.
This will help us to build safer and healthier church cultures in the future.
Session 6 - Our Church
This session provides opportunity to listen to, and learn from, the experiences of other churches who have journeyed together to become welcoming or affirming.
This session is an opportunity for participants to share their learning locally and define the kind of community they wish to be.
