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MEETING OF LEADERS IN MEXICO CITY
On December 27-29, 2002, Otras Ovejas (Other Sheep) sponsored a
meeting of men and women working in Christian ministry to the lgbt
population of their areas in Central America and Mexico. As we
explained in the previous newsletter, one of the most serious problems
which these people experience is isolation. They too often are struggling
alone, the only one in their city trying to develop a ministry. We brought
them together so that they could feel part of a movement much bigger than
themselves, and so that they could share ideas and experiences.
Men and women, lay and cleric, participated from San Pedro Sula,
Honduras; San José, Costa Rica; Managua, Nicaragua; Panama City,
Panama; Dallas, Texas; and the Mexican cities of Juárez, Zacatecas,
Guadalajara, Monterrey, Querétero, Mexico City and Cuernavaca. In all
there were 34 participants. The representatives from San Salvador,
Tegucigalpa and Guatemala City were not able to come due to visa
problems. It is no easier to obtain visas for Mexico than it is for the United
States.
After a morning of getting to know one another and our different ministries,
there were panel presentations with time for dialogue among all the
participants. We talked about the challenge of working ecumenically, the
problems we have to confront in starting and maintaining a group, and the
question of the development of leadership. There was also time for singing,
prayer and preaching, ending the weekend with the Lord’s Supper,
presided over by four ordained ministers: the Rev. Alma Matos
(Pentecostal), who sang the consecratory prayer, Rev. Elder Armando
Sanchez (MCC), Rev. Hector Gutierrez (Roman Catholic), and Rev.
Jerry Cleator (Roman Catholic). At the conclusion there was a ceremony in
which all the participants re-committed themselves to working to bring the
Good News of Jesus to the lgbtt people in their area.
Two practical results came from the meeting:
(1) We have set up a virtual community on the internet through which we
can exchange ideas, experiences, advice.
(2) We are also investigating setting up an institute for continuing
theological and pastoral education for these men and women, again using
the resources of the internet. The Rev. Hector Gutierrez, Central
America/Mexico assistant to the Rev. Darlene Garner, Region 6 Elder of
the Metropolitan Community Church, has taken charge of this project
for us. We (Other Sheep) will be developing this program in cooperation
with Metropolitan Community Church.
The participants of the meeting were very positive with the experience, and
we are now planning our second meeting in Costa Rica sometime late this
year or next year.
On December 27-29, 2002, Otras Ovejas (Other Sheep) sponsored a
meeting of men and women working in Christian ministry to the lgbt
population of their areas in Central America and Mexico. As we
explained in the previous newsletter, one of the most serious problems
which these people experience is isolation. They too often are struggling
alone, the only one in their city trying to develop a ministry. We brought
them together so that they could feel part of a movement much bigger than
themselves, and so that they could share ideas and experiences.
Men and women, lay and cleric, participated from San Pedro Sula,
Honduras; San José, Costa Rica; Managua, Nicaragua; Panama City,
Panama; Dallas, Texas; and the Mexican cities of Juárez, Zacatecas,
Guadalajara, Monterrey, Querétero, Mexico City and Cuernavaca. In all
there were 34 participants. The representatives from San Salvador,
Tegucigalpa and Guatemala City were not able to come due to visa
problems. It is no easier to obtain visas for Mexico than it is for the United
States.
After a morning of getting to know one another and our different ministries,
there were panel presentations with time for dialogue among all the
participants. We talked about the challenge of working ecumenically, the
problems we have to confront in starting and maintaining a group, and the
question of the development of leadership. There was also time for singing,
prayer and preaching, ending the weekend with the Lord’s Supper,
presided over by four ordained ministers: the Rev. Alma Matos
(Pentecostal), who sang the consecratory prayer, Rev. Elder Armando
Sanchez (MCC), Rev. Hector Gutierrez (Roman Catholic), and Rev.
Jerry Cleator (Roman Catholic). At the conclusion there was a ceremony in
which all the participants re-committed themselves to working to bring the
Good News of Jesus to the lgbtt people in their area.
Two practical results came from the meeting:
(1) We have set up a virtual community on the internet through which we
can exchange ideas, experiences, advice.
(2) We are also investigating setting up an institute for continuing
theological and pastoral education for these men and women, again using
the resources of the internet. The Rev. Hector Gutierrez, Central
America/Mexico assistant to the Rev. Darlene Garner, Region 6 Elder of
the Metropolitan Community Church, has taken charge of this project
for us. We (Other Sheep) will be developing this program in cooperation
with Metropolitan Community Church.
The participants of the meeting were very positive with the experience, and
we are now planning our second meeting in Costa Rica sometime late this
year or next year.
Above: Hector Gutierrez, assistant to Rev. Elder Darlene Garner, the MCC elder responsible for Latin America Below: John Doner (left), the Other Sheep Coordinator of Latin America, with his partner Jose Hernandez (right) |
Other Sheep and MCC 2002 investigate setting up an institute for continuing theological and pastoral education for Mexico and Central America |
| To See This Report and others like it, go to www.othersheep.org |
| October 29, 2005 Washington, D.C National Catherdral |
| Summer 2005, Taxco, Mexico |