Murray K. Pruden

"As I have been introduced to the Joy exercise set by Francesca as one of my on-going tasks and self realization assignments, the placement of the exercise has taken me on a journey. And on this journey, I have had inspiration, regret, passion...

Richard Manley-Tannis

"The finality of it sits there. As with its kin, whether long barrelled or short, it is dressed in impassive, cold hard lines. On the nightstand, amidst journals filled with lament, doubt, questions and anger, it simply is. As thoughts of…"

Richard Manley-Tannis

"I wanted to change the world: who at 17 doesn't? I had seen them, the Blue Berets, as they endeavoured to be a thin line between…"

By Serena Patterson

"For years I thought that I had been sent into exile by a church that wasn’t ready to accept people like me completely.  I used to drive by full churches on Sunday mornings and feel sad for my loss of music, tradition, and fellowship.  I was the one, I thought, sent to Babylon, away from the church of my childhood.  Had I sinned?  Had I wandered?  I see it differently now.  ss of my writing a reflection of this nature as a straight white male. Surely there are more voices that have direct experiences on this matter and I am convinced that the LGBTQ2S+ community does not need any more unaffected individuals to tell them about their experiences or identity. As such, I decided to write my reflection in address to other straight Christians…"

By Morgan Bell

I have wondered at the appropriateness of my writing a reflection of this nature as a straight white male. Surely there are more voices that have direct experiences on this matter and I am convinced that the LGBTQ2S+ community does not need any more unaffected individuals to tell them about their experiences or identity. As such, I decided to write my reflection in address to other straight Christians…

Shirley O'Neill

Abstract: Homosexuality and the Christian church have long had a relationship rife with conflicting theologies and difficult choices. This qualitative research study, utilizes a phenomenological approach to examining the lived experiences of openly gay and lesbian ministers in the United Church of Canada since that denomination agreed to ordain them in 1988. What that has meant for the ministers, the church, and what might be gleaned from those experiences for both the United Church and other denominations working with similar issues are explored.

Michiko Bown-Kai

The United Church of Canada’s current work in creating an official apology to members of LGBTTQ communities has been largely motivated by the findings of the National GLBTT Consultation.  This consultation was mandated at the 40th General Council (2009) in order to “collect usable data regarding current conditions within the United Church for all people in the sexual orientation and gender identity continuums, and regarding where the church needs to be in the future” (United Church of Canada 2012, 3).  One of the key findings of the consultation…

Rev. Dr. Cheri DiNovo

"The book chronicles Cheri DiNovo's own attempts as a minister to expand the membership of a rapidly shrinking congregation in a poor, inner city Toronto neighborhood. As a result, DiNovo discovers that, in her congregation's decision to evangelize among the marginalized and "queer" in their neighborhood, church members are radically changed by realizing how "queer" or different they are themselves." --Jacket

Anne D. & Irene R.

Lament is an ancient literary form through which our Hebrew ancestors expressed to God their distress about injustice and suffering. The work of some contemporary scholars, however, indicates that lament has not been valued by the Christian church or Western culture. This research project…

Alyson C. Huntly

From the back cover: "Stories of hope, change, healing and transformation in the decade since the United Church voted not to exclude gays and lesbians from ministry. The heart of this sensitive and compassionate account is its engaging, deeply moving stories of how change is possible in individuals, institutions and society when the church dares to express God's inclusive love. Daring to be United tells the story of a church renewing itself in a struggle that shook it to the core, and left it stronger and more hopeful."

Michael Riordon

From the jacket: "In August 1988 the General Council of the United Church of Canada shocked the nation with its decision NOT to bar homosexual men and women from becoming ordained ministers Ever since, the church has been in turmoil. 

The First stone is a compassionate and fair-minded account of the events and debates surrounding this contentious decision. Drawing on over one hundred interviews with United Church members, Michael Riordon places the fears, concerns, and beliefs of people on all sides of the debate centre stage in his book, revealing an astonishing range of opinion and faith within this huge, democratic, turbulent church."