Imagine the stillness of a remote mountain lake, clear as glass, pristine. The stillness of a farmhouse, way down a country road, far off the highway, in the middle of the night, all its inhabitants fast asleep. The calm just before dawn, and the hustle and bustle of a new day.
Be still, God invites us, and know that I am God.
God of the places humans haven’t inhabited.
God of the countryside.
God of the city.
The God of the universe invites us to be still.
To simply be.
In the rush of the world around us, in all the frenetic activity we find ourselves in – and so much of it good, meaningful activity – it’s easy to forget our need as humans to still ourselves in the presence of God.
To just be.
To be our fully authentic selves before God and know that we are more than enough. Just as we are.
This year’s conference theme is STILL. Grounded in Psalm 46, specifically verse 10 – “Be still and know that I am God” – there’s a message of encouragement for us as LGBTQ+ Christians. We are STILL here. We are still a part of the Body of Christ. We are still seeking God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We are still devoted to following Jesus. None of those truths have changed for us.
And we have persevered through isolation, abandonment, and rejection, and the resulting pain of not feeling loved and wanted and cherished.
The absolute heartache of not belonging.
We’re STILL here, claiming our place at the table, a place of belonging where we aren’t just welcomed, but wanted. Where we are fully embraced and our gifts used to serve and advance the Kingdom of God on this earth. Still, after all we’ve been through…we’re still here. And that deserves a celebration!
If you find yourself needing a place to be reminded that the God of the universe – the God who created you and delights in you – is calling you still, maybe that’s worth checking out. And maybe the 2024 CenterPeace Conference is just the place for you to begin that journey.
On Thursday, October 24, we will gather in Dallas, Texas, at Wilshire Baptist Church for three days, connecting and reconnecting with LGBTQ+ folk, allies, parents, and pastors. We’ll begin with a pre-conference workshop for pastors with George Mason, pastor emeritus of Wilshire Baptist, sharing the process he led Wilshire through in their decision to become fully inclusive of LGBTQ+ individuals and affirm same-sex marriage. The main conference will begin Thursday evening and extend until noon on Saturday, October 26. And then immediately following, Don and Susan McLaughlin and Stan Mitchell will lead a post-conference workshop for parents of LGBTQ+ children on Saturday afternoon.
The spiritual community we’ve been building for nearly 20 years is a beautiful space, full of people from all different backgrounds, with hearts filled with love and curiosity about Jesus. Come join us. Find a place to still your heart and mind. Become a part of the community you’re still missing. Find your place to belong.
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