Clergy have a Responsibility

Two of the presenters from the *Empowering People of Faith* Institute at the Creating Change conference. They shared what it means for clergy to have a year-round commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Harry Knox is the Director of the Religion and Faith Program at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).


Dr. Joel L. Kushner serves as Director for the Institute for Judaism and Sexual Orientation at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles.<!–

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Toolkit for LGBTQ Inclusion in Churches

Today’s *Empowering People of Faith” day long Institute is part of the *Creating Change* conference produced by The Gay & Lesbian Task Force.

The Task Force organizes, convenes and staffs the National Religious Leadership Roundtable (NRLR), a network of leaders from pro-LGBT faith, spiritual and religious organizations, and runs the Institute for Welcoming Resources (IWR), which works with the welcoming church movement in eight mainline Protestant denominations.

They offer a really great toolkit you can download:
http://www.welcomingresources.org/welcomingtoolkit.pdfhttp://www.welcomingresources.org/welcomingtoolkit.pdf

LGBT Conversations in the Black Church

Sharon J. Lettman is Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Black Justice Coalition.Sharon J. Lettman is Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Black Justice Coalition. Today, at the “Empowering People of Faith” Institute she shared some of the nuances about having the conversation about inclusion of LGBTQ people in Black churches.

One quote: “Expecting to have a meaningful conversation about sexual orientation when there is no conversation about sexuality in any form is unrealistic.” Then she talked about other entrypoints for a conversation that matters.