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EC’S 70th Summer connECtion
June 1-3, 2012
The Lodge at Kirkridge – Bangor, Pennsylvania
You’ll be supported and challenged to stretch forward in a
discipleship rooted and built up in Christ Jesus, the Lord. |
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§ A weekend of three
speakers, family groups, Q&A speaker discussions, free tune
activities
and fellowship on the mountaintop at Kirkridge Retreat Center's Nelson
Lodge. Kirkridge is in Bangor,
PA just 1½ hours west of New
York City on the Appalachian Trail and only a few minutes from the
Delaware Water Gap.
§ The
conference begins on Friday, June
1st at 4:00 pm with registration and ends on Sunday, June 3rd
after lunch.
§ Cost
is $390 and includes room and meals. (This
weekend is considerable subsidized by EC.)
To Register Write to:
registrar@ecinc.org.
Already registered and want to pay online?
Click here
§ This year’s speakers
are:
§ Kori
Ashton:
Kori is a pastor’s daughter who committed her heart to God when
she was four years old and dreamed of traveling the world
singing for Jesus. Kori was aware of her same sex attraction
from an early age. She attended private Christian school and
Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Texas. Leaving
college in 1999 Kori and some friends started a Christian band
called “Exit” and began using the title “Ex-Gay” for publicity.
Word spread quickly about the band and quickly began working
with Exodus International, Exodus Youth, PFOX, Focus on the
Family and several other ex-gay affiliates. Kori founded
MyTrueFreedom.net – an Ex-gay website where she shared her
struggle and directed kids and teens to Exodus Youth.
Eventually Kori went solo (Kori Ashton Band) and continued in
the ex-gay ministry as a full time worship pastor of a large
church in Idaho where she led five worship services to over
9,000 people per week. In 2005 she left full-time ministry and
through counseling and mentoring, personal discovery and family
support, has found a balance of her sexual orientation and her
faith. In 2008 she launched the website
LesBePure.com. She
started in full time ministry in 2000. Recently Kori was a
worship leader at the 2012 Gay Christian Network’s annual
conference in Orlando, Florida.
To read more about Kori and some of her writings go to
LesBePure.com.
§ Steve
Slagg:
Steve Slagg is a 2009 graduate of Wheaton College in Illinois.
Steve grew up in the Midwest, is the son of a pastor and played
piano at church. Steve is also affiliated with OneWheaton, an
organization comprised of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
and questioning, (LGBTQ), Wheaton College alumni. The group
distributed a letter at Wheaton College in April 2011 showing
support for gay students on campus and in the evangelical
community. OneWheaton was inspired by the "It Gets Better"
campaign and emboldened by similar alumni movements happening at
other Christian universities they came together as a voice of
freedom and hope for students who feel their sexuality relegates
them to a life of loneliness and isolation. Among other things,
Steve blogs about being gay and his story is one of those listed
on the www.onewheaton.com
website.
Steve pursued music while at Wheaton and writes several blogs.
On one, “I like guys”, he shares: “My experience isn't
universal, but it was very positive, despite the difficulties of
being gay while there (at Wheaton). People loved me and welcomed
me, and I made lifetime friends, many of whom were asking the
same questions I was.”
Steve reports that many of his college peers encouraged him to
reject his sexuality, but a handful encouraged him to embrace
it. “You can work out your sexuality with fear and trembling at
Wheaton, but you have to own it—nobody will do that for you.”
To read more about Steve and some of his writings go to
slaggetyslagg.blogspot.com .
§ Dr.
Ralph Blair:
Dr. Ralph Blair: is a
psychotherapist in private practice in New York City. He is
founder and president of Evangelicals Concerned, Inc. (EC), EC
has served the gay community for 35 years, providing hope,
encouragement, teaching and fellowship to women and men seeking
to integrate their faith and sexual orientation. EC seeks to
spread the Good News of God's grace and peace in Christ to a
people called to lives of grateful service.
Dr. Blair is the editor of “Record and Review” a quarterly of EC
published since 1976. Among his many writings is “The Bible is
an empty closet”.
“The Bible is an empty closet. It has nothing specific to say
about Homosexuality as such. But the Bible has plenty to say
about God's grace to all people and God's call to justice and
mercy. Jesus summarized God's law in these words of scripture:
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your mind . . . [and] you shall love
your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39).
From: THE BIBLE IS AN EMPTY CLOSET, © Dr. Ralph Blair
About Evangelicals Concerned
EC has served the gay community for over 35 years, providing hope,
encouragement, teaching and fellowship to women and men seeking to
integrate their faith and sexual orientation. EC seeks to spread the
Good News of God's grace and peace in Christ to a people called to lives
of grateful service.
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