News

9 February 2012: Press Release: LGB&T ACT OF WITNESS

ON THE 9 FEBRUARY 2012

Talk with us not about us!

An Act of Witness will take place at General Synod on Thursday 9th February to draw attention to the many hundreds of LGB&T clergy who minister faithfully across the Church of England despite the institutional prejudice and suspicion they often face, and on whom the Church of England relies........ there is more

TO DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE PRESS RELEASE Click Here

PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW 9TH FEBRUARY FOR THE ACT OF WITNESS  WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE  AT 8:45 AM IN DEANS YARD BESIDE WESTMINSTER ABBEY.   Click here for a map.

2 February 2012: Press Release: "EMBRACE CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS" BISHOPS TOLD

The time has come for a change in stance on Civil Partnerships is the message from pro-gay groups in the LGB&T Anglican Coalition.

In its submission to the House of Bishops review group on Civil Partnerships, (made public today) the Coalition calls on the Church of England to allow churches to register Civil Partnerships, authorise services of Thanksgiving and Dedication, and end the ban on Bishops in Civil Partnerships.

With over 47,000 Civil partnerships have been registered by the end of 2010, the submission notes that "As social attitudes towards those in same-sex relationships have become increasingly open and accepting, the Church of England is becoming increasingly isolated. This is in turn damaging both our mission and our ability to provide pastoral care to those in our parishes, congregations, and clergy." On offering Civil Partnerships in Parish Churches, the Coalition has already identified 95 churches who want to press ahead but General Synod would need to approve the application. Although negative statements have been made by the Church of England's Press Office..................

more

TO DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE PRESS RELEASE Click Here

TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL LGB&T AC SUBMISSION TO THE HOUSE OF BISHOPS REVIEW GROUP ON CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS  Click Here

2 February 2012: Action: ACT OF WITNESS ON THE 9 FEBRUARY 2012

THERE WILL BE A SILENT ACT OF WITNESS IN DEANS YARD WESTMINSTER ON

THURSDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 2012,

ORGANISED BY THE LGB&T ANGLICAN COALITION, FOR THE THOUSANDS OF LGB&T  CLERGY WHO MINISTER IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND DESPITE THE DISCRIMINATION THEY OFTEN SUFFER

PLEASE DO COME AND SUPPORT US.

A PUBLICITY FLYER IS ATTACHED:

Click Here to Download the Flyer

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS INFORMATION AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE

There will be an Act of Witness in Deans Yard Westminster on Thursday 9th February - the final day of General Synod's meetings in London.

It will be a silent Act of Witness for the thousands of faithful LGB&T Clergy who minister in the Church of England despite the discrimination and suspicion which they often suffer.

We will congregate in Dean's Yard by the entrance to Church House at 8:30am on Thursday 9th February in time to welcome General Synod members as they arrive for the day's business. There will also be an opportunity for prayer and to give leaflets out to people arriving at Church House. The Act of Witness will end by 10:15am.

With the House of Bishops review group on Sexuality beginning its work shortly, this is an important opportunity to draw attention to the extent to which the Church of England relies on LGB&T clergy. We hope that you will be able to join us on the day.

The entrance to Dean's Yard is through the arch next to Westminster Abbey by the Abbey Bookshop.  The address is Deans Yard London, SW1P 3NY.

For more information please contact CCMCoward@aol.com

Click here for a map.

16 January 2012: PRESS RELEASE: 95 CHURCHES WANT TO REGISTER CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS

A limited survey by the LGB&T Anglican Coalition has already revealed that almost 100 Church of England churches would want to explore registering their buildings to offer Civil Partnerships - if the Church of England would allow it.

This comes as registration forms for religious buildings become available for the first time this month following the end of the Government ban in December.

The news that so many Anglican Churches would want to explore registration shows the disparity between the official stance of the Church of England and that of ordinary parishes.

More ............

To Download the Press Release Please Click Here

2nd August 2011: Press Release: THE LGB&T ANGLICAN COALITION OFFERS ASSISTANCE IN SEXUALITY REVIEWS

The LGB&T Anglican Coalition has written to the House of Bishops to offer its help in the forthcoming reviews on sexuality and the church.

Following his announcement of reviews on Civil Partnerships and Guidelines on Human Sexuality by the Bishop of Norwich, the LGB&T Anglican Coalition has written to the Rt. Rev Graham James welcoming the reviews, and offering to meet with him in the near future.

The letter states, "We are sure that you will want to consult widely in the review process, and would like to offer our services at an early stage. We hope you will welcome this offer to meet a small team representing the Coalition to discuss how our members can contribute to this work."

This offer stands in sharp contrast to claims made by Anglican Mainstream that such discussions have already been taking place during the past year..... Neither the Coalition nor any of its member groups have yet been invited to take part in conversations of this kind..................

For the Full Statement Please Click Here

For a Printable Version Please Click Here

17th June 2011: Action: GOVERNMENT'S CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS ON RELIGIOUS PREMISES CONSULTATION

The LGB&T Anglican Coalition, LGCM and Changing Attitude have submitted responses to the Government’s CP Consultation. We need as many people as possible to reinforce our arguments and we encourage you to submit your own response.

The Consultation document itself and the form are both lengthy! We have prepared brief responses to the key questions. You’re welcome to read everything and respond to all the questions but if you’re short of time, use the ideas contained in the link below to make a quick response. Change the "I" to "We"as appropriate.

Click Here for Suggested Responses

The Consultation can be found at:

 http://www.equalities.gov.uk/equality_act_2010/civil_partnership_consultation.aspx

The deadline for responses is 23 June 2011.

Please go to this site now and send your response – it will make a difference and encourage the Government to be radical in preparing the final legislation.

20 May 2011: Action: GOVERNMENT EQUALITIES OFFICE : TRANSGENDER EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

The Government Equalities Office will publish the first ever Government transgender equality action plan late in 2011. The action plan will outline commitments that the Government will deliver, within specific timescales, to improve equality for transgendered people.

The consultation process began in March 2010 . Documents which are relevant to the consultation can be found on the link below:

http://www.gndr.org.uk/transgender/government/government.htm

Click Here: to go to the relevant Government Equalities Office and to contribute to the Consultation

20 May 2011: Information: TRANSGENDER AWARENESS WEBSITE

This external website contains pastoral  and other documents relevant to the transgender community. To access it please click on the link below.

http://www.gndr.org.uk/transgender/index.htm

Pleas note that the LGB&T Anglican Coalition cannot be held responsible for the content of external websites

Friday 28 January 2011: News: ARCHBISHOP CONDEMNS MURDER OF UGANDAN GAY HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has made the following statement regarding the murder of the gay human rights activist David Kato Kisule in Uganda:

"The brutal murder of David Kato Kisule, a gay human rights activist, is profoundly shocking. Our prayers and deep sympathy go out for his family and friends - and for all who live in fear for their lives. Whatever the precise circumstances of his death, which have yet to be determined, we know that David Kato Kisule lived under the threat of violence and death. No one should have to live in such fear because of the bigotry of others. Such violence has been consistently condemned by the Anglican Communion worldwide. This event also makes it all the more urgent for the British Government to secure the safety of LGBT asylum seekers in the UK. This is a moment to take very serious stock and to address those attitudes of mind which endanger the lives of men and women belonging to sexual minorities."

For more information, please Click Here

17 November 2010: News: TRIBUTE TO SONIA JARDINIERE .

Sonia Jardiniere  (also known as Sonia Burgess) died at approximately 6:30 p.m. on the 25th October 2010 after she was seen to have been pushed under a tube train at King’s Cross Station. Sonia was a transgendered woman. Her alleged assailant who has been charged with murder is an asylum seeker and is also another transgendered woman.

Sonia was the finest immigration lawyer of her generation and was responsible for a number of trailblazing cases. She has also made an enormous, though largely hidden contribution to the integration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people into the mainstream Anglican Church.

On the 7^th July 2010 the UK Supreme Court in a unanimous judgment ruled that homosexual asylum seekers should be granted refugee status if going home would result in them being forced to conceal their sexuality. Sonia posted a report on the case on the Sibyl’s Group Website which can also be accessed via the link below:

To See the Full Tribute, Sonia's report on the Supreme Court Judgement and Other Articles Please Click Here

11 October 2010: Press Release: TIME TO ACCEPT GAY BISHOPS SAYS ANGLICAN COALITION

In a recent interview with The Times the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, was unclear whether celibate but partnered gay clergy are acceptable as bishops in the Church of England. The archbishop stated his unwillingness to consider partnered gay men and lesbians as bishops because of their ‘particular choice of life, a partnership, and what the Church has to say about that.’ .........................

In a letter sent to the Archbishop, the Coalition criticizes the Archbishop’s remarks as ‘hurtful and undermining to the many lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people who have been called to ordained ministry but not to celibacy’. The Coalition calls the Church of England to a renewed study of sexuality in the light of modern scientific and theological understanding......................

To Download the Press Release and the complete text of the Letter Please Click Here

9 July 2010: PRESS RELEASE: SOUTHWARK FAILURE DAMAGES CHURCH OF ENGLAND

Both recent meetings of the Crown Nominations Commission to choose a new

bishop for the Diocese of Southwark have been the subject of serious leaks

to a newspaper. This has resulted in huge personal pain and distress for

one candidate, Dr Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans, for the second time in

seven years. It is particularly outrageous that some senior church

officials have suggested the leaks were engineered by supporters of Dr

John, rather than by those opposed to his nomination...................

To Download the Press Release Please Click Here

3 July 2010: MOVING FROM THE MARGINS TO THE HEART

A Service of Celebration for “Christians Together at Pride”, with the title of "Moving from the margins to the heart": took place at St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square London at 6pm on the day of the London Pride Parade. The Preacher was the Rev Canon Giles Goddard, chair of Inclusive Church, Priest in Charge of St John's Waterloo and Hon Canon of Southwark Cathedral .

To download a copy of the Sermon, please Click Here

13 June 2010: CHORAL EUCHARIST AT 11.00 ON THE 13th JUNE 2010 IN SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the USA, and the first woman primate in the Anglican Communion, will preach and preside at  the Choral Eucharist at Southwark Cathedral.

You and all your friends, relations, supporters and parishioners are invited to attend and to show your support for the Episcopal Church of the United States and its stand for an inclusive communion.

7 May 2010: PRESS RELEASE:  THE LGBT ANGLICAN COALITION REJOICES AT LOS ANGELES CONCECRATIONS

The LGBT Anglican Coalition rejoices that Diane Bruce and Mary Glasspool will be consecrated as bishops in Los Angeles on the 15th May.

The Revd Diane Bruce and the Revd Mary Glasspool were each elected by large majorities of the laity, clergy and bishops of the Diocese of Los Angeles. Subsequently, their elections were confirmed by clear majorities, both of the bishops with jurisdiction in The Episcopal Church of the United States and of the standing committees of that church’s dioceses................

To Download the Press Release Please Click Here

10 December 2009: PRESS RELEASE: LOS ANGELES AND UGANDA

The LGBT Anglican Coalition warmly welcomes the election of two new suffragan bishops for the Episcopal diocese of Los Angeles, and notes:

• that the election has been carried out with a close regard to the norms and constitution of that church;

• that its transparency contrasts favourably with the still opaque processes by which Church of England bishops are appointed......

To Download the Press Release Please Click Here

24 November 2009: OPEN LETTER TO THE ARCHBISHOPS OF UPPSALA AND CANTERBURY

As Anglican clergy and lay people, we were dismayed to see that there was no official representation from the Church of England or any other Anglican Church from the British Isles at the service of consecration of Bishop Eva Brunne of Stockholm and Bishop Tuulikki Koivunen Bylund of Härnösand...........

To Download the Open Letter Please Click Here