10 things you can do

1. Get a purple MIND t-shirt and wear it to a church event. Tell someone why you are wearing it.

2. Join the reconciling committee in your church…or help start one, if there isn’t one. Not sure where to start? Talk to MIND; we can help! Consider getting a speaker from MIND to talk about how we can all help build a more welcoming church.

3. Reach out to gay communities in your town and invite LGBT people to your church services and events.

4. If your church does not have a welcoming statement that includes a declaration of full equality for LGBT people, urge your church to draft one.  Talk to your pastor about the importance of fighting for an inclusive church.

5. Preach a Gay Pride/reconciling sermon.

6. Work with your church council to write to your district superintendent and say that you would welcome and support a gay or lesbian pastor in your congregation.

7.  Help make marriage equality a lived reality for LGBT people in the New York Annual Conference by becoming involved in We do! Methodists Living Marriage Equality.

8. Write a letter to your local newspaper debunking the stereotype that all Christians are homophobes.

9. Work with your youth leader and youth group on a project about what your church means to them. Ask them to imagine being told they weren’t welcome.  Then have youth group members share their thoughts through posters, poetry, music and art in and around your sanctuary.

10. Join MIND.

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