JANUARY 2021 ENEWS
JANUARY 2021 ENEWS
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
When so many people around the world had such an atrocious 2020, it’s a bit daunting to come up with an inspiring New Year’s message for my Kinship family. Not one place on this globe has been unaffected by the pandemic, much less the all-too-common bigotry and hate.
The last year makes us wonder and think of the song, “Where is the Love?” by the Black-Eyed Peas. Listen to the song here. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpYeekQkAdc&ab_channel=BlackEyedPeasVEVO] To read the lyrics, click on this link. [https://genius.com/Black-eyed-peas-where-is-the-love-lyrics]
But now that 2021 has arrived for all of us, I’m again hopeful for the future. The production of the coronavirus vaccines gives me hope that if we all do our part by receiving the vaccination when it’s available, and also by continuing to wear masks, socially distance, and wash our hands, we will finally be able to see each other, meet together and, as Kinship is very well known for, hug each other again!
Our siblings in Kinship Latinamerica suggested that the Kinship family could have a theme for 2021. After some discussion, we all agreed on the theme Loved & Affirmed. Nathon Hilton, a leader in Kinship Latinamerica and our International Director of Youth Interests, wrote the following statement about the theme.
Loved & Affirmed
Unfortunately, trauma, disease, and emotional deprivation have been universal elements that shaped most of humanity’s global experience this past 2020, and LGBTQ+ people have not been an exception to this. Rising social, political, and religious dilemmas, accompanied with polarizing discussions across many denominations, continue to affect the lives of thousands of LGBTQ+ people across the world.
Because of this, as a socially bound and spiritually woven international community, SDA Kinship wants to reiterate before its members and the listening world that LGBTQ+ people are wholly loved and thoroughly affirmed within the everlasting love that Christ has and continues to bestow upon a troubled world. Christ does not love us despite our sexuality or gender identities. As part of humanity’s blossoming diversity, Christ loves and affirms us in who we are as diverse individuals, for we are “wonderfully made” in the image of a God who has vowed to care and nurture all of Creation from its very foundations.
This year’s theme, “Loved and Affirmed,” comes from a thought that pulsates all across the scriptures: the unapologetic love of God for all creatures, and Christ’s unquenchable desire to grant healing and restoration to a world in need. Because of this, we join the Bible’s revolutionary call for everyone to know that God still appears before the world to tell us: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love, I have drawn you to myself” (Jeremiah 31:3).
Thank you, Nathon, for sharing your thoughts on our theme for 2021. I’d love to hear other members’ thoughts on the theme as well. One does not need to be religious to experience this affirmation.
I wish for each one of you during this new year and forward that you know beyond any doubt that you are, indeed, Loved & Affirmed.
Yolanda Elliott
President
SDA Kinship Int., Inc.
KINSHIP WORSHIP
Join us on January 8 for Kinship Worship - an inspirational program for us, by us. We have an amazing program for you and your friends. Please share this with your friends!
Kinship Worship will stream live on our Facebook page and Youtube Channel on Friday, January 8 at 8 pm ET and will be available on-demand afterward. Watch the December Kinship Worship program here.THE UNCLOBBER PROJECT
The board recently voted to fund a large outreach program targeting pastors, teachers, and church leaders. The aim of this program is to engage and change hearts and minds within the church by providing many of these pastors, teachers, and church leaders with a copy of the book "UnClobber".
UnClobber tells of the personal journey of an evangelical pastor to become affirming and has his research on each of the 6 “clobber” texts in the Bible. Learn more about the project at www.sdakinship.org/unclobber
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT
- Send us the names of people in your community who you think would receive value from us sending them this book at www.sdakinship.org/unclobber. You can also ask to receive a book for yourself.
- Donate to help Kinship cover some of the costs. It costs $10 to print and send each book at www.sdakinship.org/unclobber.
- Volunteer to lead a discussion group or join the support team at www.sdakinship.org/unclobber.
- Pray that people will allow the Holy Spirit to open their hearts and minds and that it will result in more loving actions within the local churches, schools, and communities, toward the LGBT community.
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FAMILY & FRIENDS ZOOM MEETING
Good connections are valuable for all organizations – and Kinship Family & Friends wants to connect with all willing families and friends.
Join us for a Zoom meeting on Sunday, January 17, 2021, at 9:30 AM PDT / 12:30 PM EDT.
John & Carolyn Wilt
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. EUROPEAN MEETING ON ZOOM
European Zoom Meeting
Dare to Trust
osez faire confianceSunday, January 17, 2021
7 PM (London) / 8 PM (Berlin)Bilingual...French translated into English
Registration required at https://tinyurl.com.y7agpmb9
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This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - FAMILY & FRIENDS
LOOKING BACK INTO 2020
Carolyn and I hope this finds you enjoying the Christmas and New Year’s holidays despite the virus. We pray you could connect in person or through digital media with your special family members. We also hope you all created some positive and beneficial memories as you traveled the unpredictable paths of 2020.We’ve looked back at our Kinship Family & Friends (F&F) activities with gratitude for Kinship’s support and many folks’ personal contributions. The Kinship website F&F section contains excellent resources for all family members exploring the LGBTQ+ world. It lists several valuable websites for further exploration, and several articles written by us on specific topics.
John & Carolyn Wilt
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. EUROPEAN KINSHIP MEETING -
EKM2021 will be in a small conference center called Eigentijdserf in the midsouth of the Netherlands, near the city of Eindhoven. Eindhoven has an airport for low budget flights.
European Kinship Meeting
Theme: Queering the Bible
Date: 2-6 September 2021
Place: ‘Eigentijdserf’ near Eindhoven
Reg.fee: €350 double room – €400 single roomRegistration will start in January
Ruud Kieboom
European CoordinatorThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. -
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STAY TUNED! CHAPTER 23 OF JOURNEY
About Journey by Jerry McKay
Most of what characterizes my life today—work, family, and faith—looks little like what I thought it would when I graduated from college in 1980. Naturally, people want to know when and how I first became aware of my orientation. Others are interested in my spiritual experience and how my faith and my orientation intersect and perhaps collide. Many questions revolve around my reparative therapy journey and how that impacted my belief in God and my relationship to the church.
I am often asked about the pivotal moment I decided to stop trying to change my orientation and the events that led up to that moment. Related to that decision is the question of short- and long-term consequences. I’ve been asked about where I see God in the whole journey—before counseling, during counseling, and since accepting my orientation.
And, finally, others want to know about my relationship, how it has evolved over the years, and the impact it has had on my life.
This is my story.
Next chapter:
Chapter 23 - Coming in February!Previous chapters:
Chapters 1-22DON’T FORGET TO USE AMAZON SMILE
AmazonSmile is now available as an app. A great way to support SDA Kinship at no cost to you and you can do all your shopping online from the app. You can find it in the App Store for IOS or Google Play for Android.When making purchases on Amazon.com, remember, if you use smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the eligible purchase price to the non-profit that you select! As we provide support and representation within the LGBTIQ community, every penny counts!
When first visiting AmazonSmile, customers are prompted to select a charitable organization from almost one million eligible organizations. To browse or shop at AmazonSmile, customers must first select a charitable organization. Please select Seventh-Day Adventist Kinship International Inc.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. CONNECTING VIA WHATSAPP
SDA Kinship continues to work to connect our members in communities where they feel most comfortable. In this time of quarantine and staying home, WhatsApp groups are a good way to stay connected.
If you have any questions, please send a WhatsApp message to Floyd at +1 214 718 8177, telling me who you are and what groups you are interested in connecting with.
Here are just a few of the WhatsApp groups that I can recommend:
Kinship Main International Group
Kinship Spiritual
Kinship en Espanol
Kinship Brasil (these are in Português, one for men and one for women)
Kinship France (this is a new group for members who communicate in Français)
Kinship Russia (this is also a new group connecting members who communicate in Russian) Если вы говорите по-русски и хотели бы стать частью нашей русскоязычной группы SDA Kinship, напишите мне в WhatsApp.
Jeśli mówisz po polsku i chciałbyś być częścią naszej polskojęzycznej grupy związanej z SDA Kinship, wyślij mi wiadomość na WhatsApp.
There are also numerous demographic groups for chapters, regions, and countries.
Send Me a message on WhatsApp to get connected.
Floyd Poenitz
Vice President, SDA KinshipThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. REGION AND CHAPTER EVENTS
Many local in-person events have been postponed or canceled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Join any of the online video chats or events as we find new ways to stay connected. Check our main Facebook group for Kinship members and/or region/chapter groups for announcements and links to the Zoom events.
KINSHIP AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND
Sabbath School without Walls
Lead by Kinship member Ross Cole
2:00 pm Australian ESTA supportive group for the study of the weekly Seventh-day Adventist Bible Study Guide with an open and searching mind.Join the private Facebook group for more information.
KINSHIP BRASIL
Sábado às 10h00
Hor. Brasília
Ocorrerá
KINSHIP COLOMBIA
Devocionales del Sábado
10:00 Hora Colômbia / PeruThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. KINSHIP GERMANY
Monthly Zoom Meetings
Will continue until the end of the year
Every 2nd Monday at 7 pm CET
Sind jetzt bis Ende des Jahres geplant: Jeden 2. Montag im Monat um 19 Uhr
( 14. Dez. )
For Zoom Link please contact Tanja- February 6, 2021: Host wanted - Gastgeber gesucht
- May 1, 2021: at David Diez - bei David Diez
Tanja Koppers
Koordinator für Kinship DeutschlandThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. REGION 2 - MARYLAND/DC AREA CHAPTER 
Region 2 continues to meet virtually via Zoom for First Sabbath lunch.On the first Sabbath of every month, we meet at noon after attending New Hope via live stream. It's a great way to stay connected to each other.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates in our next eNews edition!REGION 8 - SACRAMENTO CHAPTER
Sacramento Chapter monthly virtual meeting, 1st Sunday of the month:
WHAT: Sacramento Kinship Chapter Check-in
WHEN: Feb 7, 2021 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Cheryl Christopherson
SDA Kinship Sacramento ChapterThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. REGION 9 - INLAND EMPIRE CHAPTER
Kinship Sabbath School is a group of LGBT+ and allies who meet on Sabbath at La Sierra University Church in Riverside, California. It's a safe and affirming space, and we welcome all people! Although the church is closed, join us online from 10-11 am PDT! For details, check the Facebook page or email
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