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[sallygary]

"For all of your days"

The first time I ever witnessed a baby blessing at my new church, Wilshire Baptist,  I couldn’t hold back the tears.  At the end of the service, the pastor acknowledged the family and they all came up to the front of the church. Pastor Timothy greeted all of them and then he reached for the baby girl. She went to him without hesitation and seemed to instantly be right at home in his arms. Tim…

[sallygary]

Just One Family

[sallygary]

Choices

Wondering what's the big fuss about the CenterPeace Conference? Part of it is the variety of resources available - check out this amazing lineup of breakout sessions...

“Why did you make it so hard? Why do you have sooo many different breakout sessions? There are too many good options – I can’t decide!” Every conference, it’s the most common complaint – too many choices among the breakout sessions! And it’s true. We’ve tried every time to stop – to reduce the number of offerings for breakout sessions – but it’s impossible! Too many topics warrant our attention,…

[sallygary]

What My Parents Needed

What my parents needed when I first came out to them...the CenterPeace Conference, and the Parent Workshop, Nov 3-5, in Dallas. Learn more & register at centerpeace.net/conference

When I first came out to my parents, they needed someone to talk to. Someone who understood their perspective – someone who understood their world that had taught them that being gay was wrong, that it was a choice, and that surely I was confused, had been led astray, and needed help. They needed someone to talk to who understood that in the unspoken recesses of their minds, there was the…

[sallygary]

What the CenterPeace Conference is All About

What the CenterPeace Conference is All About

Two months from today we’ll be gathered for the CenterPeace Conference! It’s hard to believe that it’s been four years since we were able to be together in-person – and yet we’re so grateful for the technology that allowed us to connect virtually in 2020. But we missed the comfort of hugs and the reassurance of smiles, the fellowship  over cookies and conversation around meals, and just…

[sallygary]

A Rare Soul.

"At the height of the AIDS crisis when so many of our sons and brothers were dying, having been kicked out of families and ostracized from churches – this church was different.  ...Because their preacher was different."

For the last 20 years I’ve been collecting stories. Primarily the stories of people who have wrestled with resolving their faith and sexuality. Some because it was their own personal journey, others because of the close-up experience of their own child or of a beloved family member. Then there are the few rare souls who have come to see on their own that our questions of faith and sexuality our…

[sallygary]

A Rare Soul.

"At the height of the AIDS crisis when so many of our sons and brothers were dying, having been kicked out of families and ostracized from churches – this church was different. ...Because their preacher was different."

For the last 20 years I’ve been collecting stories. Primarily the stories of people who have wrestled with resolving their faith and sexuality. Some because it was their own personal journey, others because of the close-up experience of their own child or of a beloved family member. Then there are the few rare souls who have come to see on their own that our questions of faith and sexuality are…

[sallygary]

Jesus Is With Us. All of us.

"Because it’s about a baby and his imperfect family, it’s a story we can relate to. But it’s more - it’s about a God who chose to become ...one of us."

This season more than any other, much of the world is open to acknowledging Jesus. Maybe it’s because Christmas is about a brand new life coming into the world. It’s the story of a baby being born into less than ideal circumstances – the scandal of a pregnant young woman not yet married, in a culture that had no tolerance for such, and the difficult journey to a city where the only accommodation…

[sallygary]

Jesus is With Us. All of Us.

"Because it’s about a baby and his imperfect family, it’s a story we can relate to. But it’s more - it’s about a God who chose to become ... one of us." 

This season more than any other, much of the world is open to acknowledging Jesus. Maybe it’s because Christmas is about a brand new life coming into the world. It’s the story of a baby being born into less than ideal circumstances – the scandal of a pregnant young woman not yet married, in a culture that had no tolerance for such, and the difficult journey to a city where the only accommodation…

[sallygary]

Coming Out. A Quarter of a Century Later.

"It occurred to me driving on the ice that it would be so easy to just veer off the road, go through the guard rails and down into the ravine, hoping the car would just roll over and over and that I wouldn’t survive that tumble."

Twenty-five years ago today I got up earlier than usual, and put on my red boys’ polo sweater, my favorite button-fly Guess jeans that were a size too big, and my heavy tweed car coat, before heading out the door. Snow was already falling in a whirlwind and it was bitter cold. It had rained a little the night before, so there was a thin layer of ice on our driveway. My mom followed me out to the…

[sallygary]

Coming Out. A Quarter of a Century Later.

"It occurred to me driving on the ice that it would be so easy to just veer off the road, go through the guard rails and down into the ravine, hoping the car would just roll over and over and that I wouldn’t survive that tumble."

Twenty-five years ago today I got up earlier than usual, and put on my red boys’ polo sweater, my favorite button-fly Guess jeans that were a size too big, and my heavy tweed car coat, before heading out the door. Snow was already falling in a whirlwind and it was bitter cold. It had rained a little the night before, so there was a thin layer of ice on our driveway. My mom followed me out to the…

[sallygary]

Always Enough

 I knew for the first time that Mama had those same expectations that most every parent I’ve ever encountered has had – that someday she’d have a grandbaby to love on. But she never voiced that expectation to me. To my mom, I was "Always Enough."

For the past year we’ve been preparing to move my nearly 91 year old dad into an independent living facility close to where I live. We’ve been going through my parents’ belongings, pulling boxes from underneath beds, emptying closets, and retrieving treasures from the attic. My parents didn’t have a large home – but they had a lot of stuff! Stuff they’d been collecting since before they bought…

[sallygary]

Always Enough.

Seeing what my mom had tucked away in the attic gave me deeper insight into her expectations for me. Even more, how much she loved me. Thankfully just being me was always enough for my mom.

For the past year we’ve been preparing to move my nearly 91 year old dad into an independent living facility close to where I live. We’ve been going through my parents’ belongings, pulling boxes from underneath beds, emptying closets, and retrieving treasures from the attic. My parents didn’t have a large home – but they had a lot of stuff! Stuff they’d been collecting since before they bought…

[sallygary]

Pride

Featured in the CenterPeace Parent Newsletter on Pride. "Sometimes, when you haven’t heard the words, “I’m proud of you,” just for being you...it takes a whole month of parades & people around the world recognizing you to make up for the loss."

I’ve never been to a Pride parade. Not ever. But when all the restrictions of the pandemic are lifted and we start having them again, I’ll go.  Here’s why. Because when I started playing drums in a praise band at a church in Abilene on Wednesday nights, my mama came to hear me play. My mother grew up at a time when churches of Christ were not just known for their tradition of a cappella music,…

[sallygary]

High Hopes

"Truth is, coming to see things differently has happened for me over a lifetime. A lifetime of being deeply involved in a faith community that values Scripture and is committed to following Jesus." High hopes

 I had such high hopes for 2020. CenterPeace’s e3 Conference, traditionally held every other year, was scheduled for October of 2020. This conference was going to be extra special, not just because of the physical gathering of people from all over the country who are like family to me. This year’s conference was going to be special because I was planning to share the process of how I had come to…

[sallygary]

High Hopes

"Truth is, coming to see things differently has happened for me over a lifetime. A lifetime of being deeply involved in a faith community that values Scripture and is committed to following Jesus." High hopes, indeed.

 I had such high hopes for 2020. CenterPeace’s e3 Conference, traditionally held every other year, was scheduled for October of 2020. This conference was going to be extra special, not just because of the physical gathering of people from all over the country who are like family to me. This year’s conference was going to be special because I was planning to share the process of how I had come to…

[sallygary]

High Hopes

I had such high hopes for 2020. CenterPeace’s e3 Conference, traditionally held every other year, was scheduled for October of 2020. This conference was going to be extra special, not just because of the physical gathering of people from all over the country who are like family to me. This year’s conference was going to be special because I was planning to share the process of how I had come to…