Hello, friends of Alive in Christ! We have a number of opportunities we’d like to bring to your attention.
Come to Our Fall Retreat!
Our fall retreat is scheduled for October 17-19! We will be in Ashford, Connecticut. This retreat is open to anyone who has been impacted personally by same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria. That means those who experience these struggles in their own lives, as well as those who have loved ones identifying as LGBTQ+. Here are a couple participant testimonies from last year’s retreat: “One of the blessings was to be with a group of believers all with a shared experience that doesn’t need to be the bedrock of our identity or a source of pride – as it is for so many in our culture. Yet, neither does it need to be a source of shame. It was encouraging just to exist together united by an affirming and spiritually profound identity in Christ.”
“It was fruitful just to spend an entire weekend with fellow believers with similar struggles as I have and to enjoy one another’s company and lift one another up. God be praised!” Registration is available here.
Alive in Christ Offers Ministry Weekends
Did you know you can have someone from the leadership of Alive in Christ come and speak at your church for an entire weekend? This could include any of the following: teaching Sunday school, speaking to small groups including your church’s youth group, preaching on Sunday morning, and a Saturday seminar. We are offering more and more of these weekends as options for churches, especially those a distance away, to make the most of the time spent together.
Here’s what some of the churches where we’ve spoken have said about the ministry weekend:
Brenna Kate Simonds came to our church to lead a Saturday workshop on Same-Sex Attraction and the Church. It really helped our church folks gain a better understanding of the LGBTQ movement and its impact within society. The mix of statistics and stories was engaging and encouraging. As for the content, the subtitle, Compassion without Compromise, captures the truth of her message. Because of her background and experience, she was able to speak to LGBTQ issues with both clarity and compassion.
Brenna also gave the Sunday morning message, Real Love. The message was powerful and impactful as she talked about the heart struggle we all face in finding our identity in Christ alone. The teaching was theologically sound and Christ-centered, and it was a bold call to love those who are hurting and struggling as Jesus would love them.
We received a lot of positive responses from having Brenna come to EGCC, and expect to bring her back again. Pastor Mitch Reed, East Glenville Community Church
Church leaders and Christian parents are in need of some serious help to navigate conversations about sexuality and gender identification, especially when they are trying to discuss it with children, tweens, and teens. Brenna is a minister of grace and truth to help equip our leaders and parents with the tools they need for those talks.
Brenna’s biblical approach to sexuality, along with her compassion for those who are struggling or confused by societal messages, brings a timely message and opens the door to needed conversations. Karen Morton, co-lead pastor, Wellspring Worship Center
We have a page here sharing more about these informative and transformative weekends. Book a ministry weekend today!
June is “Gay Pride Month”
It is June once again, which means LGBTQ+ Pride Month. We’ve shared quite a bit in the past concerning how to respond to what you see this month, and some of those articles are available on our website. We will link some at the end of the web version of this newsletter. But our primary prayer is that each rainbow you see reminds you of God’s faithfulness in the lives of so many, including those we serve at Alive in Christ. I’ve worked with hundreds of people over the past 22 years that I’ve been serving with Alive in Christ, and they are also a testimony to God’s care and concern for those identifying as LGBTQ+ or struggling with same-sex attraction. God still “binds up the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18) and “those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame” (Psalm 34:5). God is still setting the captives free through the power of the gospel, and Alive in Christ is grateful to play a small part in His kingdom work!
Ways to respond to Gay Pride Month:
Wish You Could Opt Out of Gay Pride? 2024 newsletter
Mixed Reaction to Rainbow-ized Items? Pray! 2023 newsletter
Gay Pride Month Challenging for Those in Alive in Christ, 2022 newsletter