{ grace }

In God’s House: Asian American
  Lesbian & Gay Families in the Church

Asian American lesbians and gays and their parents and allies have been largely invisible and silent in Christian churches. Some Asian American churches avoid the issue for fear of division and conflict. Other Asian American church leaders have condemned homosexuality and publicly protested against same-sex marriage.

Yet there are many gay and lesbian Asian American Christians and their families, quiet and invisible, in churches across the country. Where are their stories? What are their experiences? This honest and thought-provoking film invites you to hear personal stories which have long been unheard.  It tells a story that those in the church need to hear: that of Asian American Christian lesbian and gay people and their parents.

Oneida Chi, a devout young adult Chinese American in an evangelical Christian church, speaks of her struggle with the discovery of her own sexual orientation and her search for self-acceptance and religious community. Husband and wife Harold and Ellen Kameya, active leaders in their Japanese American church, tell the story of their shock and confusion when their beloved daughter first came out, of the isolation and alienation they felt in their church, and of the importance of a church community in their Christian journey to grow in understanding, courage and love for their daughter.  The Rev. Nobuaki Hanaoka, an immigrant Asian pastor, seeks to fulfill Jesus’ message of justice and love for all people as he speaks out and supports the full acceptance and affirmation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender  people in the church.

All four are church-loving and God-loving Christians. And yet they struggle to find kindred spirits and their recognized place in God’s house.

This film invites you to listen to their stories of courage, inspiration, and renewed faith, and to hear the importance of supporting LGBT people as important members of our Asian American families and churches.

Filmmaker Lina Hoshino and the PANA Institute’s project on Civil Liberties and Faith present In God’s House: Asian American Lesbian & Gay Families in the Church. This short film highlights the spiritual journeys of four Asian American Christians who discover that lesbians and gays are not just “others,” but loved ones in their own families.

For more information, please see: http://www.ingodshouse.

See also:

• In God’s House at Pine Church – Flyer for Nov. 19, 2006 (pdf)

GRACE at the 2006 Chinese New Year Parade

GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!
Year of the Fire Dog – 4704

Thanks for marching with us in the Lunar New Year Parade!

On Saturday Saturday, February 11th 2006, GRACE participated with the Network on Religion and Justice in a contingent with the GAPA float, along with a broad coalition of organizations:

PANA Institute, APIQWTC, CUAV, COLLAGE, TRIKONE, Our Family Coalition, Pacific School of Religion, Horizons Foundation, A&PI Wellness Center, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Equality California, Our Family Coalition, Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow and Robin Pugh, Gilbert Lee (GAPA), Asian Law Caucus, Bay Association of the United Church of Christ, and United Church of Hayward.

: : :

Thank you for those who came out and marched for the Chinese New Year Parade. For those who weren’t able to make it – thank you for your wonderful spirit and prayers.  We had over 200 marchers, 60 of those people were from various church group denominations and we had 10 pastors in all- Methodist, UCC and Presbyterian!

This was the first time that Asian American religious leaders and church members had marched for LGBT equality in the Chinese New Year parade. Over a million people were watching the parade. This parade was a dream come true for me. Never had I imagined that I would have the opportunity to celebrate the joy of being a Gay Asian Christian in an Asian community with gay friends and God loving brothers and sisters- and pastors!!  I felt so much love and support, it was overwhelming. And behind my mask, I cried with joy and pride as people all around cheered us on. It was awesome!

Please continue to keep us in your prayers – PANA has received a grant to put together an educational video for the Asian Christian community about Asian and Pacific Islander (API) allies and API LGBT Christians. This will be subtitled in several Asian languages.

Please let us know if you or someone you know is willing to speak on this important topic.

Thank you for your prayers-
God bless,
Oneida

'Coming Out, Coming Home' at Buena Vista Church

Coming Out, Coming Home:
Family, Faith & Religion in Asian & Pacific Islander Communities
Saturday, July 23, 1:00pm-5:00pm (Free and Open to Public)

Buena Vista United Methodist Church, 2311 Buena Vista Ave, Alameda, CA

API parents of lesbian and gay children, LGBT-affirming API pastors, church members, and an API seminary professor will speak about their journeys in coming out, love and justice. Dialogue and  conversation will follow.

Topics will include:

• “A Progressive API Reading of the Bible and Homosexuality” – Professor Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan
• “A young woman’s journey negotiating culture, sexuality and faith” –  Oneida Chi
• “A father and pastor’s story of love and courage.” – Rev. Nobu Hanaoka
• “One Japanese American Church’s Public Stance of Welcome” – Sachi Ishida, Toyoko Doi and Rev. John Oda of Pine United Methodist Church in San  Francisco
• “API parents share stories of how they came to acceptance and respect.” – Belinda  & John Dronkers-Laureta, Harold Kameya, and others  

Interested persons will also be invited to participate in a group forming to work toward respect and justice for API LGBT persons in our religious communities. For more information contact pana@psr.edu, 510-849-8244.

See an article on the event at: http://www.apifamilypride.org/articles/reconcile2005.html

Rev. Jeffrey Kuan

Rev. Dr. Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan was interviewed on the program Mosaic by Ron Swisher regarding the ordination of gays and lesbians. Rev. Kuan is Associate Professor of Old Testament at the Pacific School of Religion. Dr. Hugh Burroughs is the Executive Producer of the Mosaic program.

Rev. Dr. Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan
Associate Professor of Old Testament
Pacific School of Religion

Interview on Mosaic
Hosted by Ron Swisher
Dr. Hugh Burroughs, Executive Producer

GRACE folks participated in the Civil Marriage Rights Rally on Aug. 8th, 2004 at Larsen Park in the Sunset District in San Francisco. We recently joined “Asians and Allies for Marriage Equality” and the day was our first public effort on the issue. The day began at Oneida’s with breakfast (thanks Sunshine!). After arriving safely at the rally, we joined the silent prayer vigil with the Quakers. We were encouraged by the speakers and called to further action. Afterwards we were honored to share a wonderful lunch with one of the speakers, Prof. Jeffrey Kuan.

Marriage Equality Speech by Rev. Jeffrey Kuan

Here’s the email from our archives:

GRACE invites you: Asian Christians and friends…we’ll gather for a light brunch this Sunday at Oneida’s. We’ll eat, hang out and get ready for the rally by making some banners. Then we’ll carpool to the marriage equality rally from there.

Rev. Jeffrey Kuan Speaks at "Summer of Love"

**Marriage Equality Now!***

This Sunday you have the opportunity to make history as we participate in the first ever Asians & Allies FOR Marriage Equality Rally! It will be a day of celebration, information, entertainment, community building, and good cheer.

There are those organizing AGAINST civil marriage rights – against marriage equality for same gendered couples. This year in California alone, anti-marriage equality demonstrations were held with 7,000 people in San Francisco and 5,000 in Alhambra. We must do our part to organize FOR marriage equality. Bring friends on Sunday. Help us get 1,000 supporters to attend the August 8th rally to support marriage equality.

Speakers include:

MABEL TENG (City Assessor-General)
TOM AMMIANO (Board of Supervisors)
PROF. JEFFREY KUAN (Pacific School of Religion)
REV. PENNY NIXON (MCC)
REV. MYO DENIS LEAHY (Hartford Street Zen Center)
and more.

Join us on Sunday, August 8
for “Summer of Love 2004”
11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Larsen Park (19th Avenue & Wawona)
in San Francisco’s Sunset district

Fall 2003 Gathering
Barbeque event at Don Castro Park

Fall 2003 Grace Gathering at Don Castro Park

WE WILL NOT BE SILENT FORUM at Oakland Chinese Community Church (UMC).
Sunday, February 24th, 2002, 1 – 3 p.m.  CCUMC Annex, 321 8th Street, Oakland, CA  94607

The Chinese Community United Methodist Church in Oakland invites you to join them in reflecting on issues of homosexuality and faith.

In response to a United Methodist General Conference’s stricture against the practice of homosexuality (May 2000), the Western Jurisdiction of the UMC issued a declaration opposing the General Conference’s position entitled “We Will Not Be Silent.” The Chinese Community United Methodist Church is in the midst of considering how to respond to this declaration. Please join them in their reflection and discernment process by participating in a series of presentations that attempt to explore the many facets of this controversial issue.

Session 1 (1/13/02): Panel discussion including gay, lesbian, and transgendered persons (including Oneida Chi, member of GRACE).

Session 2 (2/24/02):  A Biblical Perspective from Dr. Jeffrey Kuan

For more information, please contact:
Burt Yin – 510.582.4368 or byin@ousd.k12.ca.us
Chinese Community UMC – 510.452.1020
UMC Western Jurisdiction’s Declaration

Kyle Miura

 
Kyle Miura facilitated a gathering of the GRACE group in El Cerrito on January 12th where we  honored the gift of our bodies and learned about self-care through the ancient Asian healing arts of shiatsu and acupressure.  It was informative, fun, refreshing, and invigorating.

Learn more about Kyle’s work on his website:
http://embodiedhealing.com

Honor Thy Children by Molly Fumia

On the evening of April 21, 2001 Al and Jane Nakatani  presented a pre-release version of a film documenting their story to a large crowd at the Bade Museum, Pacific School of Religion. They shared their story of losing three sons — two to HIV disease. They spoke powerfully about the continuing need to erase stigma and eliminate the shame associated with HIV.

A reviewer of their book said, “Al and Jane Nakatani have turned their hearts inside out for the world to see…and Molly Fumia, as their story’s conduit, treats those hearts with the tenderest, utmost respect. I find it difficult to convey how deeply moved I am by the infinite losses this family has suffered, and by the love and blessings that they have chosen to offer the world out of their broken-open hearts. *Please* read this book, and follow its most courageous lead: Honour your children, whoever they may be! ”

Honor Thy Children, Inc.
P.O. Box 962
Wailuku, HI 96793-0962
            or,
215 Alu Road
Wailuku, HI 96793

On February 24, 2001 PACTS – GRACE presented a well-attended Tea House Concert and fundraiser entitled “Opening the Gates of Heaven: An interfaith Celebration & Affirmation of API LGBT People of Faith and their ALLIES.” One of the goals of these groups and this event was to further human rights and compassion in the Pacific and Asian American communities of faith and beyond.

Please contact us if you have video or pictures from this event!

PACTS archives thru 2002 are held in the collections of the GTU Library. Pacific and Asian American Center for Theology and Strategies Collection, 1972-2002: http://grace.gtu.edu/search/o?SEARCH=54936682

http://library.gtu.edu/links/pacts.pdf