Did you know?
45% of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.
Nearly 1 in 5 transgender and nonbinary youth attempted suicide and LGBTQ youth of color reported higher rates than their white peers.
60% of LGBTQ youth who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it.
LGBTQ youth who live in a community that is accepting of LGBTQ people reported significantly lower rates of attempting suicide than those who do not. Stats from www.thetrevorproject.org.
Did you know?
Our presbytery camp, Johnsonburg Camp and Retreat Center, offers a week of summer camp called “Wonderfully Made” that is specifically offered to celebrate LGBTQIA+ youth in grades 2 through 12? You can read more about that at https://www.campjburg.org/wonderfully-made/
Did you know?
At the 223rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA in 2018, the assembly voted to adopt a statement entitled, On Celebrating the Gifts of People of Diverse Sexual Orientations and Gender Identities in the Life of the Church. You can read that statement here: GA action on LGBTQIA+ Inclusion.
We may each be in a different place of understanding when it comes to the LGBTQIA+ community – some at FPC are a part of it, some at FPC love those who are part of it and so are allies, and some at FPC are just starting to learn what the letters in LGBTQIA+ mean. That is ok.
As Christians in the Reformed tradition, what unifies us is trust in Jesus Christ as the Word of God.
In his life and ministry as well as in his death and resurrection, Jesus shows us God’s LOVE incarnate. Jesus reaches out to those who are misunderstood, cast aside, and hurting, to eat with, listen to, and care about them. At the very least, as disciples of Christ, this is what we are also called to do – to Listen, Learn, and Love those who are different from ourselves. Please reach out to me directly if you’d like to talk more about this. And watch for more opportunities to listen, learn, and love in this e-newsletter and in the weeks ahead.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Amy