'Progressive Brethren Summit' is announced for November.

A "Progressive Brethren Summit" has been announced for Nov. 7-9 in Indianapolis, sponsored by Voices for an Open Spirit (VOS), the Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Interests (BMC), the Womaen's Caucus, Christian Community, and a number of congregations and individuals. The event is being billed as "the first-ever summit" of people who see themselves as "progressive" and currently or formerly participating in the Church of the Brethren.

The weekend on the theme, "Faithful and Just: Progressive Brethren Speak," will be hosted by Northview Church of the Brethren. Speakers are Audrey deCoursey of the Womaen's Caucus and Ken Kline Smeltzer of VOS, on "A Challenged Church" for opening worship; Robert Miller, chair of Christian and Religious Studies at Juniata College and member of the Jesus Seminar, speaking on "A Grounded Church"; Susan Boyer, pastor of La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren, speaking on "A Welcoming Church"; and Kurt Borgmann, pastor of Manchester Church of the Brethren in North Manchester, Ind., speaking on "A Courageous Church" for the concluding Sunday morning service.

Various workshops will be offered including "Silent and Undecided Friends: Motivating Greater LGBT Advocacy Among Clergy and Congregations" led by Steve Clapp of Christian Community; "Old Lenses, New Eyes: The Old Testament and Progressive Biblical Interpretation" led by Christina Bucher, a faculty member at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College; and "Storytelling as Public Narrative" led by Carol Wise of BMC (workshop proposals are being accepted through Sept. 25 at bmc@bmclgbt.org).

Go to www.womaenscaucus.org for registration and more information.

Source: 9/10/2008 Newsline