I have come across the True Freedom Trust. A friend in my workplace fellowship recommended them to me when I expressed my angst as regards homosexuality and the church.
This is just what I have been looking for: an organisation set up by gay Christians for gay Christians, which takes a conservative interpretation of the scripture yet also recognises that homosexuality is something you are born with, which cannot be ‘cured’ or ‘delivered’ (except in rare miraculous cases). TFT provides counselling, support, training, etc both for christian gays and for their families and churches.
I feel that at last I can tithe the mint and dill and also act mercifully and justly and help to lift the burden.
I feel that I am called to work in this field in some way in my role as a Reader, and am beginning to work up a project to make my church more gay-friendly (while remaining theologically sound of course), both in terms of its own members and in terms of evangelism. This would involve publicity and leaflets and possibly a support group within the church. Itwould also possibly involve building bridges with gay organisations outside the church using inter-faith events as a pattern. I would hope to be able to set aside for a while the things that divide us and concentrate on developing riendships and mutual respect and understanding, so that much later on when it comes to explaining our theology it isn't judged according to their pre-conceived ideas. But then again they might just lynch me as a homophobe….
I expect I will use TFT in some way.
The greatest obstacle is probably my own stubborn Vicar. My wife has approved my plan but only because she thinks it won't get past him and will therefore come to nothing.
Please pray that God will guide me and help me distinguish between a genuine calling and a flash in the pan idea, and that I will proceed with wisdom and that God will give me the diplomatic and political skills necessary...'coz I ain't got them yet..
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