Our Purpose
Seventh-day Adventist Kinship Australia is a volunteer, nonprofit support organization devoted to
the spiritual, emotional, social and physical well-being of
current and former Adventists who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex and their friends and family. Kinship is not
supported by the church. Kinship is a confidential organization
which supports the advancement of human rights for all people.
Kinship Australia endeavours to reach out to people and let
them know that God loves everyone and that "acceptance
is unconditional". More info can be obtained by joining
Kinship Australia, on what is being done in your area.
SDA Kinship International has associations with us. Although SDA Kinship Australia is a separate entity to SDA Kinship International Inc, we are Sisters and Brothers who do share the same common links and goals. More reading can be obtained by visiting at their web site www.sdakinship.org
|
|
What
are Kinship Events?
Kinship's various events provide opportunities for members to meet, to renew friendships and to enjoy activities, music, worship, entertainment and good food. It's these times together that members repeatedly say is most valuable and meaningful to them-from meeting those who share similar Adventist backgrounds to hearing from supportive pastors striving to bring about change within the church.
Please see our events to learn more about upcoming Kinship meetings.
About SDA Kinship
Like other conservative Christian churches, the SDA Church
believes that homosexuality is immoral. This creates a conflict
for gay SDAs, says Kinship, whose members often feel hurt
and betrayed by their church's rejection yet value the SDA
beliefs and their history with the church.
Because of their church's stance, Kinship has a long road
ahead in helping it better understand its gay members and
the scientific and theological issues surrounding homosexuality.
Kinship provides a safe and supportive space for members who
need us for various reasons. We have members who are very
interested in creating change within our church and others
who feel too hurt by their church's rejection to remain very
connected. |
Noel - Australian Co-ordinator |
SDA Kinship International can trace its roots to the early
1970s when a group of gay Adventists living in the Los Angeles
area placed a classified notice in The Advocate, a national
gay news magazine, in an attempt to connect with others. They
received nearly 40 responses, and by 1975 they joined together
with other small groups meeting in California.
At the same time, another group had been meeting in New York
since 1974. The groups on opposite sides of the country joined
together to form Kinship and held the first annual membership
meeting in 1980 in Arizona. Today, Kinship
has a membership of more than 1,000 in 20 different countries,
including Australia, which has a presence since 1981. Kinship
is made up of current and former members of the SDA Church
and heterosexual supporters.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church was founded in 1844 in New
Hampshire and officially organized as a Christian Protestant
denomination in 1863. It chose the name "Seventh-day"
because of its belief in the biblical Sabbath being on Saturday
and the word "Adventist" to denote belief in the
return of Jesus Christ. Overseen by a General Conference in
Silver Springs, M.D., it now has 12.9 million members worldwide,
including 1 million members in North America, and more than
53,000 churches. Its Web site is located at www.adventist.org.
Someone to talk to.
A Support Organization for parents of Gay/Lesbian Adventists. Someone to talk to; Carrol Grady (aka Kate Mclaughlin. My Son, Beloved Stranger), Coordinator www.someone-to-talk-to.net .
The purpose of this ministry is for Adventist families and friends of gays and lesbians:
- to provide a listening ear for parents who desperately need a "safe" person to talk to,
- to help parents work through their initial emotions of shock, anger, shame, grief and pain,
- to enable parents to get past focusing on their own suffering so they can begin to understand their children's situations and the confusion and rejection they have experienced much of their lives,
- to encourage parents to demonstrate God's unconditional love to their children, and
- to provide information and resources in the hope that they will help our church to move beyond ignorance and prejudice and to reach out with true compassion and understanding to those who so often have not been treated the way Jesus modeled.
Relevant Books
& DVD's
Christianity and Homosexuality:
Some Seventh-day Adventist Perspectives. |
 This book is already receiving outstanding notice by thought leaders including Harry Knox, Director, Religion and Faith Program of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation USA: “I learned so much from this book. It is wonderful to have a resource to recommend to my Seventh-day Adventist friends that is so closely tied to Adventism’s rich heritage, traditions and unique witness. It has challenged and deepened my own understandings of the Gospel and homosexuality, and will do so for Christians from other traditions.”
Tony and Peggy Campolo, authors and lecturers, commented: “For Christians of all denominations who struggle to understand those children of God who happen not to be straight, this book will be of great help. It’s survey of the history and theologies that have impacted Adventism, the insights of medical practitioners and social workers, and the true stories of real families will broaden the perspectives of even those who disagree with some of it’s conclusions.”
This book has been two years in the making and is a collaboration between the Adventist Forum and SDA Kinship International. For more information go to www.sdagayperspectives.com |
My Son, Beloved Stranger
by Carrol Grady |
This excellent book has been reprinted with an added epilog.
This is a great book to have in your library and to have extra copies to give to parents, pastors, friends and anyone else who deals with having a loved one come out to them. |
| Open Heart, Open Hand ( Video/DVD ) |
Three conversations about homosexuality and the family - a life and death matter. Introduced by Dr. David Larson, a professor with the Faculty of Religion at Loma Linda University, this new resource features interviews with Adventist parents of gay and lesbian people: Dr. Walt and Virginia Cason (physician/daughter of Elder H.M.S. Richards), Dr. George P. Babcock (educator) and Mrs. Carrol Grady (minister's wife).
These are a must have resource for both GLBTI people and Parents that are Adventists and have a gay child, or who have an interest in this topic.
To order go to www.sdagayperspectives.com |
| Homosexuality and Christian Faith |
Questions of Conscience for the Churches.
Edited by Walter Wink.
www.augsburgfortress.org
|
| P-flag Australia |
For parents and friends of GLBTI people. DVD. Bouncing Castle
Keeping Familes together.
Made by P-Flag in Sydney. What a feel Good DVD
Contact P-Flag in your State for details. |
| God and Gays - The Movie |
This movie is a great tool for information and enlighting on coming out, God and the Bible.
The sharing of peoples stories, gay spirituality were enlighting. It was funny and it was sad, it was everyone’s story and yet each was a unique story. And each story in some ways spoke to our own hearts of our struggle and the promise of victory in Christ.
Quotes:
"Come out, come out wherever you are!” - Rev. Dr. Mel White in reference to ALL folks – coming out to who we are, who God made us to be.
“The closet is often put forth as an answer by people who can’t be in one themselves.” - Rev. Deborah L. Johnson
www.godandgaysthemovie.com |
|
