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  Reconciling Dialogue Project

 
For Immediate Release

Presbyterian Promise Announces 
Bold New Reconciling Dialogue Project

May 16, 2005
New Haven, CT

And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, and to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

With great joy and hope, Presbyterian Promise announces its intention to hire a coordinator for the exciting new Reconciling Dialogue Project. Presbyterian Promise initiates the new project as part of its commitment to serve using the tools of prophetic voice and pastoral love in the Presbytery of Southern New England, where the organization is located, and throughout the Presbyterian Church USA.

The Reconciling Dialogue Project will initiate the effort of a skilled coordinator to nurture reconciliation among the members of our church families as well as among friends and colleagues who have experienced alienation caused by discriminatory and hurtful societal and church policies related to sexual orientation and gender identity, among other things.

"This Project is an act of faith and commitment," said Presbyterian Promise co-moderator, Dick Hasbany. "We believe that the deep pain that Presbyterians feel about issues surrounding sexual orientation can be healed only as grace moves among us, and as we share a commitment to compassionate conversation and listening. The gracious reconciliation that has been reported in the Peace, Unity, and Purity dialogues at the General Assembly and presbytery levels shows the transformational power that comes from humble and compassionate sharing. We hope to develop creative and effective ways to nurture such dialogue and reconciliation among people in the churches of Southern New England."

Presbyterian Promise will continue to advocate for the full inclusion of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender Presbyterians. "Healing, compassion, and justice are not incompatible - the life and teachings of Jesus demonstrates that," said Hasbany. "Presbyterian Promise is truly excited to make a public commitment to the development of new ways to foster reconciliation through the Reconciling Dialogue Project."

Presbyterian Promise has announced its search for creative, well-organized, and spiritually mature persons who may feel called upon in their Christian life to coordinate this Project. The Coordinator will work collaboratively with Presbytery of Southern New England ministers and lay leaders to initiate and nurture mechanisms of reconciliation at congregational levels. These mechanisms will include development of model programs that foster the sharing of individual stories deeply, and developing a maturity of acceptance of differences. 

The Project also will also result in the development of a pastors' workshop that will look at

  • pastoral issues relating to LGBT persons and their families, 
  • how to increase sensitive listening to LGBT persons and their families, 
  • developing ways to manage congregational disagreement about LGBT issues while serving all congregants fairly and sensitively, etc., 
  • and how to proclaim God's justice and inclusive love. 
Presbyterian Promise has committed itself to careful documentation of the Project so that its successes can be replicated in other places. 

The Project will run for one year, but the hope and expectation is that it can be extended and expanded.

Interested candidates should send a letter of application along with a resume to: 
Presbyterian Promise 
704 Whitney Ave.
New Haven, CT  06511. 

For more information, please call Dick Hasbany at (203) 777-4579. 

The application Deadline is June 10, 2005