Widening The Circle Forums

Franklin Circle Christian Church

(Disciples of Christ)

"Widening The Circle For All God's Children!"

News:

Disciples Host Diverse Meetings This Summer: 2008
Every other year, when the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is not meeting, the diverse constituency groups of the church do meet. This summer there's a place for everyone to go!

July 10-13: The National Hispanic and Bilingual Fellowship of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada will hold its 14th Assembly at Hilton Hasbrouk Heights, New Jersey. For more information, go online: http://www.obrahispana.org/

July 25-28: The 20th Biennial Session of the National Convocation will meet at the Marriott Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. The National Convocation represents African and Caribbean American Disciples. For more information, go online: http://www.disciples.org/convo/biennial.htm

August 6-9: North American Pacific/Asian Disciples of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Convocation will meet in New York City. For more information, go online: www.napad.net

August: Gay, Lesbian and Affirming Disciples Alliance (GLAD Alliance) is still finalizing plans, but hope to have their annual event in Southern California in August. Watch their website for more details: http://www.gladalliance.org/events.html

Article:

“They Are There” by, Janelle Eccleston

     By and large, this essay emerges from my personal experiences in life. In spite of the obstacles I have begun to overcome-- or quite possibly because of them-- I am learning to be my best self. I have experienced a great range of situations. I am a daughter, sister, mom, grandmother, friend, a nurse by profession (not practicing), a neighbor, a long-term survivor of HIV, a sinner, and now by the grace of God, a Disciple of Christ.
     Receiving all of God's goodness inside myself allows gratitude to take over. One dictionary's definition of gratitude is “thankful appreciation.” The Bible is full of examples of gratitude and grateful people. Often the term “thanksgiving” is used. Frequently thanksgiving leads to witnessing: Psalm 107:1-2 (KJV) says, "Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so...” Today I choose to witness my faith in Christ by stressing the message that Jesus made apparent in his actions and His works, as well as His words. Every person is worthy of love. Love is central to the teachings of Jesus. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 RSV ).
     The opening lines of Genesis state “God created Heaven and earth,” and this is followed later by, “And all that God created was good.” Because Jesus was God's son he reached out to all... the poor, the oppressed, the blind; he healed lepers, and he even forgave a prostitute. His ministry focused on and was concerned with justice and righteousness. Jesus took time for other people. He was never “too busy.” He took time to listen to people. Recently Pastor Allen challenged us to be more like Christ, by, “just being.” I am giving my best effort to rise to the challenge.   It certainly deserves every effort I can make, even if I may fail.
     It has only been recently as I learn to relate with others in the body of Christ that I have found out how unloving I can actually be. How many times have I been “too busy” and passed someone by? How many times have I inadvertently not really just listened? Do I know how to just be present?
     Recently during a car trip with my youngest adult daughter Leesa, we were discussing some of the problems in her life. At some point in the conversation, annoyed and perplexed, my daughter confronted me about past times when I had not listened to her feelings. I was hurt by her words. However after some reflection, I came to the conclusion that I was glad my daughter loved me enough to confront me and make me aware of my behavior. This writing is not intended to condemn.   It is merely an encouragement for us all to take off the blinders that may obstruct all possibility of seeing wider visions. Its intention is for us to learn to think
beyond our programmed prejudices. Being a member of one minority does not excuse us from endeavoring to reach out to those in another socially defined minority.
     When I was in treatment for drug addiction the program was one of confrontational means, calling each other out on our behaviors, denial, lies, etc. There was a saying we used; “If it doesn't apply, let it fly.” I would like to employ this phrase in my essay today.
     I am proud to belong to a multicultural fellowship of faith! The community surrounding our church is a mosaic of cultures. The building itself is beautiful and the huge sanctuary just seems to pull you in. When I see the empty seats on Sunday I feel a sense of personal responsibility to help fill some of them. However, just feeling doesn't fill them. It is only by action that I can live up to this responsibility.
     I tend to only bring other family members with me to church… people who are more or less, just like me… people I love… people who, for selfish reasons, I would like to see grow in faith and accept Christ. There is nothing wrong with this per se, but I don't know why I only shower my love and affection on those I already love. What I do know is that we can't limit our love and concern to only those inside our own families and inside the church. Jesus said, “...don't invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will repay you by inviting you back. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” (Luke 14: 12-13 NLT).
   It seems so easy to stay focused on our own little worlds and forget that there is a much bigger world all around us. Our faith must improve the entire community, not just our individual lives. We are a church all hours of the week, not just Sundays. We all need to take our faith out of our church and into practice in our community. Too often we crave the comfort of the familiar. We must leave our comfort zones. When I read the Gospels I feel challenged by Jesus who committed himself to those whom society has forgotten or found of little value - the poor, the oppressed, those who have no voice, those who have often not had the advantage of education.
     There are many opportunities to help the lonely, depressed, oppressed, and less fortunate. Look in the community that surrounds your church. They are there.   Look in the community you live in. They are there. Look in your place of employment or in the schools you attend. They are there. You just have to find them.
     How do I find them, one might ask? Chances are if they are a minority race or culture they have been victim to racism and discrimination at some time. I do not pretend to understand what the world looks like through a Black person's eyes, because I am not black. But I have felt the pain of prejudice. On a city bus in Miami Florida, I had my then small, olive-skinned, curly headed daughter Jada with me. An absolutely angelic little blonde-haired girl with china-blue eyes, about the same age as my daughter, took a seat next to her and engaged her in playful conversation. Immediately, her mother whisked her up from the seat and carried her to a seat toward the back of the bus. I can still remember vividly my daughter's questioning face, and the little girls, wondering, perhaps, what she had done wrong? This is how we "program" our young. Children do not see differences; they are pointed out to them.
    The color of one's skin, or country of one's origin, are not the only way we begin to socially malign others. People who suffer from mental illness are often shrouded in anxiety, shame, and isolation.   Families who are often their caretakers find themselves isolated as well. Gays and lesbians are experiencing unequal justice in our community. Bigotry and intolerance continue to run rampant in our streets. Fear and intolerance help to breed violence.
     We as a church community should reject any effort to place any individual or group of people outside of the human community. As a Christ-centered church, before we get judgmental about anyone else, we need to stand in front of a mirror. See your face in the face of strangers. Most likely there are more commonalities than differences. Sometimes our commonness just comes in different packages. Isn't a gift, still a gift, no matter how it is wrapped? We can acknowledge our differences while striving to appreciate the contributions each of us brings. Judgment is not our job, it is always God's. Matthew 7:1 (KJV) says, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” We are all children of God. We are not just individuals, we are meshed--a woven tapestry of many colors, shapes and textures. The body of Christ is
"knitted together" in love (Colossians 2:2 NASB). The different gifts we each bring enrich the fabric of community.
     When my granddaughter Imani was four years old, the Head Start program she attended celebrated the children's graduation at the end of the year with a Pee-Wee Prom. The event included being picked up and transported to the prom in a limousine. The day of the event her mother had to work and her father was not present in her life at the time. I carefully dressed her in her fancy dress and got her ready to attend. She was so excited, and I felt a little glum that I was the only one there to share her excitement. She wanted to show off her attire and delight with others, so I allowed her to knock on several apartment doors of some residents I knew casually. It so happened at the time, that I lived in a building that subsidized housing for HIV/AIDS residents; it also happened at the time the majority of the residents were Gay men. By the time Imani reached the front porch where the limo was to pick her up, 5 or 6 of the men were lined up to see her off! The men knew how important the event was to her without her having to say so. They participated in her joy by “just being present.” There was a sort of communal accountability in that apartment building; a place which was full of people torn apart by financial misfortune and disease, and yet it was an accountability which endured the entire time I resided there. To my astonished embarrassment, several of the men thanked me, for allowing them to be a part of her special day!
     What an encouraging resolution Pastor Allen has made (to make himself more present in our community and outreach programs)! These are the places we can all begin to create an environment that is receptive to both people and ideas different from our own. Just by being there and opening our arms to receive people with love can make all the difference in someone else's life. We have to resist the temptation to solely love by doing. Just be there. Learn to listen to other's pain and losses. Find out what hurts them deeply, then tell them you love them. Accept their weaknesses. Listen to someone and most likely that person will tell you who they really are, using their own definition, rather than yours. Sometimes we may become discouraged by a lack of what we perceive as results, however when we make ourselves available to others with the same acceptance and love that Jesus demonstrated, it is then that God takes over and our job is done.
    Jesus didn't preach the Gospels to tell us to be cookie-cutter images of each other; he didn't tell us to act alike, think alike, always agree, or even worship alike. He told us to love God and one another. The church of Jesus Christ is to be inclusive. Let's make Franklin Circle Christian Church a safe harbor for all. It is one of the richest sources of legacy we can leave with our already rich church heritage. Wouldn't it be rousing to hear this response to someone's cry, "I don't feel safe anywhere I go!" ...with finger pointed toward FCCC, “They are there!”

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Past Forums:

January 24, 2008

Widening The Circle Forum January 24, 7 p.m.
“Living In Community With Our Formerly Incarcerated Neighbors”

At the January Widening The Circle Forum we will deal head-on with the question, “How does a community live safely and justly with persons who are ex-felons, persons who have been incarcerated, and those who simply have some kind of criminal record?” Charles R. See, Executive Director of Community Re-Entry, a program of Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries, will speak from his 34+ years experience in the field and answer questions from the participants.

The forum will be held on Thursday, January 24 at 7 p.m. in the Chapel Media Center. Persons from the church and neighborhood are encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be offered. There is no charge for this event. The church's Widening The Circle Forum Series seeks to help church and neighborhood folks come together face-to-face to discuss issues of diversity in an honest and safe environment in order to help deepen our understanding and strengthen the entire community.

Since 1973, Community Re-Entry has served Cleveland by supporting persons returning to the community after a period of incarceration and persons placed on probation to reduce recidivism and enhance the quality of life for both the persons and the community served. Community Re-Entry also provides prevention and intervention social services to youth in low-income public housing estates who are at high risk for involvement in drug or gang activity and future incarceration. For more information about Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries, go to their website: http://www.lutheranmetro.org/index.php/Community-Re-Entry/

September 2007

Thursday, September 27 @ 7 p.m.

You are invited to our next Widening The Circle Forum. We are showing the movie "De Colores," on Hispanic lesbians and gay men on Thursday, September 27, 7-9 p.m. here at Franklin Circle Christian Church, 1688 Fulton Rd. near W. 28 St. Please call 216-272-0622 for further information. There is no charge. Refreshments and a time of moderated discussion will follow.

Cleveland City Councilman Joe Santiago will be present to share his story.

De Colores is a bilingual 28-minutes documentary about how Latino families are replacing the deep roots of homophobia with the even deeper roots of love and tolerance. Through moving personal stories we learn about how families are breaking cultural barriers and how love always prevails.

De Colores es un documental bilingüe de 28 minutos mostrando como las familias y comunidades latinas están reemplazando la homophobia con la tolerencia y el amor. A través de historias personales aprendemos como familias rompen barreras culturales y como el amor siempre prevalece.

For more recent information and press materials, please visit the producers at: www.UnlearningHomophobia.com.

Awards & Honors

Best Documentary Short, Los Angeles Lesbian and Gay Film Festival 2001

Best of Show, Berkeley Video Festival 2001

Grand Jury Award: Best Documentary Short 2002
New York Independent International Film and Video Festival

Screening Honoree: San Diego Latino Film Festival, 2002

Screening Honoree: Festival International Del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano, Habana, Cuba, 2001

Screening Honoree: Mix Mexico 2002, Mexico City

May 2007

Community Conversation On Crash, The Movie
Thursday, May 24, 6 p.m./8p.m.

“It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something.”

As the city of Cleveland continues to suffer from too many violent crimes, with young black men being shot and killed, gay men being harassed and beaten, transgendered youth murdered, and endless stories arising of confrontations and tensions between persons of different cultures and ethnicities, a way out of this dilemma must be found. Talking about it is not the solution, but certainly careful, honest, and purposeful conversation must be a starting point.

On Thursday, May 24 at 6:00 p.m. Franklin Circle Christian Church, 1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland will host a showing of the Academy-award winning movie Crash and offer a guided discussion following at 8:00 p.m. This is part of the congregation’s ongoing Widening The Circle Forum series looking creatively at diversity and how our differences effect what it means to be community. Melding issues not unfamiliar to the city of Cleveland, and the Near West Side especially, the movie compels the viewer to see the complexity of issues of class, race, culture, and gender.

Representatives from the community who have been affected by the violent situation in our city or who are in positions to help make a change will be on hand at the 8 p.m. discussion time to answer questions and share their perspectives. As of this time we have commitments from Dan Kilbane and Ed Boyte, a gay couple who live in Ohio City who have experienced physical violence and verbal abuse because of their perceived sexual orientation.

There is no charge, and refreshments will be available. The movie is rated “R” and permission is being obtained to legally show it for this event. The church is located at the intersection of Franklin Blvd., Fulton Rd., and W. 28th St. and has free parking.

A synopsis of the movie from the Internet Movie Database:
“Several stories interweave during two days in Los Angeles involving a collection of inter-related characters, a police detective with a drugged out mother and a thieving younger brother, two car thieves who are constantly theorizing on society and race, the white district attorney and his irritated and pampered wife, a racist white veteran cop (caring for a sick father at home) who disgusts his more idealistic younger partner, a successful Hollywood director and his wife who must deal with the racist cop, a Persian-immigrant father who buys a gun to protect his shop, a Hispanic locksmith and his young daughter who is afraid of bullets, and more.”

February 22
Thursday, February 22, 7:00 p.m.
Film & Discussion: All God's Children

Exploring & Celebrating Same-Gender Love In the African American Community

As part of its monthly forums exploring themes of diversity and inclusion, Franklin Circle Christian Church will screen the award winning documentary, All God’s Children on Thursday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m. Refreshments and discussion will follow. Such themes as race, class, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities may be seen as either opportunities or barriers in the life of the community, especially in religious institutions. This ongoing video/discussion series seeks to explore such compelling topics in a safe, informative, creative, and respectful environment.

All God's Children, a 27-minute video, presents a political, social, and religious analysis of sexual orientation within the context of the traditional African-American values of freedom, inclusion, and the Christian love ethic. Through the voices of politicians, religious leaders, academics, family members, and activists, All God's Children vividly illustrates the human toll exacted upon society by the unspoken stigmatization and alienation of lesbians and gay men.

In the documentary respected religious and political leaders, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. James Forbes, Rev. Carol L. Murray, Rev. Cecil L. Murray, Bishop Carl Bean, Rev. Waylon Melto; Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Senator Carol Moseley-Braun, Mayor Ken Reeves, and Cornel West call for spiritual reconciliation and a commitment to equal rights and social justice for all people.

Several Cleveland area community leaders will also be available during the conversation to offer their perspectives and to take questions from the participants. For more information, please call Pastor Allen Harris at 216-272-0622.

This film was produced by Woman Vision studios in association with The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, The National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum. It was produced and directed by Acadamy Award Nominees Dr. Dee Mosbacher & Frances Reid and Dr. Slyvia Rhue.

Awards & Honors
*Best Documentary -- 1996 National Black Arts Film Festival
*Best Film on Matters Relating to the "Black Experience" -- 1996 Black International Cinema Competition
*Special Merit Award -- 1996 National Black Programming Consortium Prized Pieces Film and Video Competition
*Apple Award -- 1997 National Educational Media Network
*Lambda Liberty Award -- 1997 Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund
*Screening Honoree -- 1997-1998 Council on Foundations Film Festival Series

Widening The Circle Forum, November 16, 7 p.m.

"Accessible Buildings, Accessible Hearts"

Franklin Circle Christian Church, 1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, invites members of the community to its November 16 Widening The Circle Forum at 7 p.m. Special guest speaker will be Laura A. Gold, Director of ADA/Accessibility Services for Independent Living, Inc. She will help our church, and other neighborhood individuals and organizations, consider more faithfully what it means to provide a fully accessible facility, not just in terms of physical access, but also in terms of attitude and participation.

In March of 2005, following a vote of the Board of Franklin Circle Christian Church, the congregation was welcomed into the Accessible Congregations Program of the National Organization on Disability. There are over 2,250 other religious institutions and houses of worship committed to the campaign. The Accessible Congregations Campaign (ACC) seeks to gain the commitment of congregations of all faiths to remove barriers, welcome, and include people with all types of disabilities as full and active participants. It is sponsored by the Religion and Disability Program of the National Organization on Disability. This forum is another way the congregation is seeking to make real its commitment to including all of God's children in its ministries.

The presentation will be followed by a time of discussion. Refreshments will be provided. There is no charge, however a free-will offering will be received to help defray the cost of the speaker. Please call the church office to register for the workshop: 216-781-8232.

For more information Services For Independent Living go on the web to: http://sil-oh.org/ . For more information on the Accessible Congregation Program, go to www.nod.org/ACC/ .

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Follow-up discussion to film "Flag Wars"

Thursday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m.

Dear Members & Neighbors,
Many of you were able to participate in the Widening The Circle Forum on Thursday, September 28 when we watched the PBS documentary film, "Flag Wars," and shared in a brief discussion following.

I would like to extend an invitation to everyone to gather for a follow-up discussion this Thursday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m. here at Franklin Circle Christian Church, 1688 Fulton Rd. It is my hope that we will come up with a strategy to help community organizations, such as this church, improve communication and build stronger bonds of understanding around the issues raised in the film, such as gentrification, identity, race, class, safety, poverty, family heritage, and community.

We will show the film again starting at 5:30 p.m. so that those who missed it can view it or those would like to see it again may do so.

Again, if you want more information on the film, and an extensive set of interactive resources, go to: http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2003/flagwars/index.html

It would be helpful to know if you plan on attending. Please RSVP via reply e-mail or by calling the church at 216-781-8232. Refreshments, as always, will be provided!

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As part of our Widening The Circle Forum series,
Franklin Circle Christian Church presents the compelling PBS video "Flag Wars"

"Flag Wars" is a poignant account of the politics and pain of gentrification. Working-class black residents in Columbus, Ohio fight to hold on to their homes. Realtors and gay home-buyers see fixer-uppers. The clashes expose prejudice and self-interest on both sides, as well as the common dream to have a home to call your own.

Thursday, September 28 – 7 p.m.
90-minute video, refreshments and moderated discussion following
at: Franklin Circle Christian Church
1688 Fulton Rd. (near W. 28th)
Call Pastor Allen Harris at 216-272-0622 or e-mail PastorAllen@FranklinCircleChurch.org for more details, and to receive copies of background readings (strongly encouraged) ~

There is no charge for this event

From the PBS website:
“Flag Wars” is a poignant account of the politics and pain of gentrification. Working-class black residents in Columbus, Ohio fight to hold on to their homes. Realtors and gay home-buyers see fixer-uppers. The clashes expose prejudice and self-interest on both sides, as well as the common dream to have a home to call your own.

Shot over four years, "Flag Wars" is a poignant 90-minute account of economic competition between two historically oppressed groups, seen through the politics and pain of gentrification. The setting could be any city with a once stable working and middle class black community, now aging and economically depressed, in danger of losing control of their neighborhoods as wealthier home buyers gentrify block by block. In this case, the neighborhood is in Columbus, Ohio and the home buyers are largely white and gay.

The resulting conflicts are a case study of differences in perception. Where realtors and buyers see run-down homes, black residents see evidence of institutional racism that steered resources away from this community. What newer residents see as a beneficial effort to renovate and restore value, veteran residents see as an assault on their heritage and a threat to their ability to hold on to their homes.

The events in "Flag Wars" unfold against a backdrop of racism, homophobia, and tensions between privilege and poverty. Mix in government zoning boards, the court system, lending institutions, and civic leaders, and you've got a film that literally hits people "where they live." "Flag Wars" explores the complexity of gentrification, and the contradictions between intention and result, belief and action. It goes beyond merely assigning blame or labeling people as "good guys" or "bad guys" to examine the relationship between housing, heritage, and public policy.

For background readings and extensive interactive resources, click on the photo above, or go to:
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2003/flagwars/index.html

Resources On Hospitality, Inclusiveness, and Diversity

http://www.gaychurch.org/index.html

An affirming gay Christian (GLBT) site dedicated to ... "Building (ALL) the Body of Christ in Love!"

Gay Church is a web site dedicated to ministering to the gay and lesbian Christian community (GLBT) and friends of our community. We feature one of the largest gay and lesbian welcoming Christian church directories and bulletin boards in the world. Network with other homosexual Christians!

"National Center for Transgender Equality: Home"
http://www.nctequality.org/

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Middle Collegiate Church/New York City

Multicultural Ministry

http://www.middlechurch.org/multicultural/index.htm