Happy New Year! New Hope! Consistent Light!

Happy New Year!  Please read this inspirational LIGHT story....


          I'm glad I didn't give up on our church. Through the years a variety of decisions were made with which I disagreed. As one example, in 1960 my husband was not allowed to be ordained because he married me, a woman who divorced her first husband, a sociopath. Though disagreeing with the church's decision, we didn't leave the church or withhold offerings. Instead, we continued to love and pray for our church, contribute offerings, and then, two years later, lived to see a change in that earlier policy. That change resulted in my husband's service to the church as a clergyperson, and mine as a layperson, for over 50 years. 


      In 2010, my 75th year of life, I'm thankful that I've lived to see the church make another positive decision. This time it was regarding human sexuality and, specifically, homosexual clergy in a committed relationship being allowed to serve in our churches. One of my brothers is gay. He's taught me to appreciate committed relationships among homosexual and heterosexual persons, as they are role models of commitment for others to follow. 


      I am deeply grateful for the careful consideration and final outcome of this policy issue. It is truly a decision that honors the diversity of God's creation, bringing talent and light into our church and world. Once again, I'm glad I didn't give up on our church!   


Respectfully submitted, Vivian Elaine Johnson (January 1, 2010)


May the light of Christ shine on you all!  And please....share the light...what is your opinion?...
your story?  Please post a comment at projectlight2010.blogspot.com or email projectlight2010@gmail.com.  Posts may be anonymous or signed...your choice!  


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Merry Christmas!  Please check out the 8 COMMENTS...all the LIGHT stories people shared today!    And please do keep spreading the light!  Tell your friends, family and anyone you think may be interested to post their story on this blog.   

16 years ago, as a young seminary student, my family experienced a tremendous loss.  One of our beloved family members died.  He was a devoted, faithful pastor, and he was also a gay man.  I can only imagine the many emotions he must have felt, having to live with this secret.  And yet feeling called by God to serve faithfully in our church.  

His was a complicated death.  And the issues surrounding it caused me to have HUGE red flags about our church.  From my perspective the very institution I was entering into was causing my beloved family member to experience pain, prejudice and loss.  Could I, in good conscience become a part of this system?  

Then he said something to me during those days that solidified the course of my life.  "The church will change....maybe slowly, but it will change."  He said I could either choose to work from the inside for change, or watch from the outside.  I chose the former. 


I am so deeply grateful for his words of  LIGHT that resonated through those dark days... 

Now 16 years later....the CHANGE has come!  Because of people like you being a positive LIGHT and voice for change, opening your heart, listening, learning, working, proclaiming, sharing, believing...the church is slowly changing.  

God Immanuel is a work.  

With hopeful joy Project Light 2010 eagerly awaits hearing YOUR Light story....


Please post a comment.  Or send an email to projectlight2010@gmail.com -   Is your congregation thriving?  How have you been touched?    

PROJECT LIGHT 2010

in honor and celebration of Rev. Philip N. Knutson

There has been a lot of publicity and conversation around the August 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly vote on human sexuality, and most of it has been negative. I however, am someone who has been deeply affected in a positive way by the August 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly vote.

And I KNOW there are thousand of you, who like me, have been affected in a positive way because of our church's decision. You have compelling, Spirit-filled stories of hope, healing and transformation in your life and congregations because of our recent ELCA decision to open our minds, hearts and doors to all people. So, LET'S START TALKING ABOUT IT!

This is the intention of PROJECT LIGHT 2010.

PROJECT LIGHT 2010 is a collection of stories of healing, hope and transformation in the lives of individuals and ELCA congregations because of the August 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly vote on human sexuality to include gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people as full partners and participants in ministry.

PROJECT LIGHT 2010 is a movement to shed light on the many ways God is at work for justice and equality in our world.

PROJECT LIGHT 2010 is a response of God's hope to the ever-present, sometimes dominant human undercurrent of fear and depression in our country and our church.

PROJECT LIGHT 2010 is you and me sharing our story, raising up, shouting to the hills, celebrating, bringing to light God's promise of love for all people.

PROJECT LIGHT 2010 is positive perspectives. It is not a forum for debate. Please do respect the intention of this project. Thanks!

So.....What is your Light Story? Short and sweet, what is your vignette? Together let's see how many positive stories we can circulate throughout Epiphany (season of LIGHT) and beyond! Thanks for sharing your COMMENTS!!!