December 2010


October 2010


    In This eNews
  1. Makokha's sudden, unexpected visit to America
  2. NYC LGBT leaders back Makokha's visit to NYC
  3. The pain we feel when at last the joy we know: When Steve's daughter and brother accepted him
    as a gay man
  4. Parelli speaks to LGBT Yale group
  5. Preacher-father fails to accept his gay Yale-student son
  6. My reflections on my personal meeting with Rev. Eddie Long
  7. Other Sheep Thailand host is shunned by fellow gospel singers
  8. Why no reports on India-Asia 2010 trip?


    There is "far more support" for religious African organizations that will name the gays of Africa as self-
    righteous, justified, deniers of the Word of God, rebellious against God, and as forcing the government's
    hand to protect the human rights of sexual minorities, says Rock House Way, "ex-gay" ministry of
    Tennessee.

    Reporting:  This eNews features Rev. Steve Parelli's brief observations, highlights and excerpts from the
    John A. Murphy email forwarded to him from Rev. John Makokha.  John A. Murphy is Founder of "ex-gay"
    ministry Rock House Way.  Murphy heard Rev. Makokha preach at Edgehill UMC in Nashville, TN, on
    Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010.

    Friday, October 22, 7:30 PM -The Riverside Church;
    Sunday, October 24, 12 noon - Rehoboth Temple;
    Tuesday, October 26, 7:00 PM - St. Paul and St Andrew UMC;
    Also: Bronx Open House at Parelli-Ortiz, Sat., Oct. 23


    Rev. Evlyn Wehling Fulton, 1923 - 2010, long-standing Other Sheep board member.  Articles in this
    eNews:  MCCNY Features Other Sheep Projects; Memorial Service to be held October 31; A Tribute to
    Evlyn by Tom Hanks; Article from Evlyn's Church Newsletter;Evlyn's Obituary published in the local paper.

August 2010


June 2010  


    In This Issue:  Help me help LGBT Latinas/os in the USA; Rev. Bigelow's recent visit to Ecuador;
    Introducing Rev. Bigelow as Coordinator; Contact information for Rev. Bigelow

    Excerpt:  Executive Director of Other Sheep Rev. Stephen Parelli, a panel member of the first session,
    citing Mary Wangila, author of Female Circumcision, The Interplay of Religion, Culture, and Gender in
    Kenya, said the problem of, and the answer to, homophobia is one and the same: religion.

    Donor makes gift in honor of Mark Sprunger

    Rev. Michael Kimindu of Metropolitan Community Church and Coordinator for Other Sheep East Africa
    speaks on Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC)'s weekly morning family talk show.
    Article by Ken Were (BTM) Correspondent

    Join the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office for wine and hors d'oeuvres to honor Bishop
    Christopher Senyonjo, often referred to as the Desmond Tutu of Uganda, an outspoken advocate for the
    human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

    Monday, June 7th, 2010, 6:00 to 7:30 PM. The National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South, New York, NY.

    Beijing LGBT Center; Weekend events at the Beijing LGBT Center; LGBT Beijing Community Brings
    Awareness; IDAHO in China; Straight Allies in China; A Christian LGBT Cell Group in Beijing

    Monday, June 14th, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on the 10th floor of the Church Center of the United Nations, 777
    United Nations Plaza, 44th Street (at First Avenue), New York, New York 10017.

    A day-long consultation on the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, and the
    international decriminalization of sexual orientation and gender identity with Ugandan Bishop Christopher
    Senyonjo, LGBT advocate, ally, and exiled Bishop of the Church of Uganda.

May 2010



    Kenya leads the way in Evangelical - LGBT discussion
    A remarkable, timely, historic meeting in East Africa

    Other Sheep Kenya held a discussion with Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School Apologetic class on
    human sexuality, gender identity and Christianity on May 27, 2010.  

    Editor's note:  There may be other formal discussions between evangelicals and the LGBT community
    happening in East Africa at this time, especially in light of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of Uganda, however,
    Other Sheep is not aware of any.  This remarkable event between Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School
    and Other Sheep Kenya needs to be heralded as an example of what needs to take place between the
    Evangelical community and the LGBT community worldwide. -Rev. Steve Parelli, Executive Director, Other
    Sheep                  

    Vanguard correspondent Mariana van Zeller investigates the growing influence American evangelical
    groups have in shaping anti-gay laws and attitudes in Uganda.
    Click here for this excellently filmed, very informative documentary. You will want to use this resource tool
    for meetings with your congregation or activist group.

    In This Issue
  • Bishop Senyonjo's article in which he mentions "other sheep"
  • June 6 - Bishop Senyonjo to Speak at St. Luke in the Fields
  • About Bishop Senyonjo of Uganda
  • NGO Project for Dem Rep Congo and Rwanda
  • Nepal Translation Project
  • Rev. Steve Parelli on the need for the Christian church worldwide to become involved in
    addressing the African situation where African Christians persecute and assault LGBT African
    Christians

    The coming out process is never easy, but coming out to Asian American parents and other family
    members has its own unique set of challenges in terms of cultural values. language issues, and other
    factors. Join Patrick Cheng, along with his husband of nearly two decades, Michael Boothroyd, and
    Patrick's mother Deanna Cheng, as they discuss what their experience has been in terms of coming out
    in the Asian American community. Deanna will speak in both Mandarin Chinese and English.

    Date: MONDAY 5/24
    Time: 7pm
    Location: APICHA 400 Broadway (entrance on 70 Walker St),

    ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT: Project Connect is a program created by APICHA to improve health for the
    lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex (LGBTQI) Asian and Pacific Islander
    (A&PI) communities. All A Healthier Me! Skills Workshops are tailored for LGBTQI A&PIs and FREE. Allies
    are welcomed. Want to know about all our monthly workshops? Please contact Project Connect for dates
    and information!

    Opening
    PASTOR JOSEPH TOLTON, REHOBOTH TEMPLE CHRIST CONSCIOUS CHURCH

    Panelists include
    REV. STEVE PARELLI - OTHER SHEEP; REV. JACKIE LEWIS - MIDDLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH;
    REV. BOON LIN NEGRO - MCCNY; NILA MARRONE - PFLAG FAMILIES OF COLOR  

    Workshops by
    REV. PATRICK CHENG - QUEER ASIAN SPIRIT; OLIVER MARTIN - UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
    HIV AND AIDS NETWORK; REV. RUBY WILSON - UCC SAFE HAVEN CHURCH; REV. MELVIN
    MILLER - FORT WASHINGTON COLLEGIATE CHURCH.

April 2010

    In this issue, links to the following: Rev. Gasana's 2009 Annual Report for Rwanda and DRC;  Rev.
    Gasana writes on "Rwanda les homosexuels defendent leurs droits souvent bafoues;"  Rev. Gasana
    forwards:  "Desmond Tutu on LGBT and Human Rights in Africa;" Rev. Gasana forwards: "Mukusa and
    Oberholzer letter to Malawi Council of Churches on their Council on Homosexuality;"  Anne Baraza
    reports:  "RUWEPO Holds Human Sexuality and Human Rights Seminar in Bungoma, Kenya:"  
    Emmanuel Kamau reports on Creating Change Conference 2010: Kamau sits on Creating Change
    Panels; Sin As The Closet, Grace As Coming Out: Rethinking Sin And Grace For LGBT People Today by
    Rev. Patrick S. Cheng, PhD; and Blog Link Article:  Ricky Martin and my daughter Heidi: Can her teenage
    crush for Ricky Martin soften her feelings towards her gay dad? by Rev. Steve Parelli


March 2010




February 2010


    "I read this week that Sir Elton John has made headlines claiming that Jesus was gay.  The quote was:  
    JESUS was GAY - according to the gospel of SIR ELTON JOHN."

    Other Sheep Kenya has organized a workshop for 30 Sheikhs and Imams in the Coastal town of
    Mombasa and another workshop for 30 Christian leaders during the first week of March. These
    workshops will address issues of sexual orientation and homophobia and transphobia in view of
    religious dogma.

    (02/22/2010) by Rev. John Makokha

    Other Sheep Kenya held seminar for parents, friends of lesbian and gay (PFLAG) persons in Nakuru on
    Feb 19. A total number of 32 participants attended the one day workshop. The seminar theme was
    “Sexuality and homophobia/transphobia in view of religious dogma”.

    The participants were drawn from Muslim, Seventh Day Adventist, Supkem, United Methodist Church
    Friends church, Reconciling Ministries Network, Family Hope, Human Rights Network, Mid Rift Human
    rights Network, God’s Family Church, Africa Independent Pentecostal church, Catholic church, Integrity,
    Changing Attitude, Kinship International, Home Vision Kenya, St. Joseph Youth Center, Brahma Kumaris,
    Kenya Youth Alliance, Teachers, Thairira widows, and Anglican church.


    Excerpt:
    "And as a matter of fact, that's exactly what Obama said in his book The Audacity of Hope:  "I am [not]
    willing," he wrote, "to accept a reading of the Bible that considers an obscure line in Romans [chapter 1]
    to be more defining of Christianity than the Sermon on the Mount" (page 222, emphasis mine).

    "Obama would rather err on the side of loving his fellow man as himself (The Sermon on the Mount) than
    to accuse his fellow LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender) neighbor of being a rebel, a sinner, a
    criminal, and just plain discussing (Romans chapter 1) as Ssempa would and does.  Now we have two
    distinct Christian walks: President Obama's and Martin Ssempa's.  And the question is how does any
    Parliament enact laws preferring one Christian practice over against another Christian practice?  It
    shouldn't."

    The Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) statement that "homosexuals are worse than beasts" is
    pivotal in Other Sheep East Africa's call for denouncement.

    Other Sheep East Africa asks AEA (Association of Evangelicals in Africa) to demonstrate that Yusufu
    Turaki's inflexible and dogmatic article on "Homosexuality" (which AEA published and in which it says
    "homosexuals are worse than beasts") is not to be misused by any evangelicals in Africa as an argument
    for the endorsement of the inhumane Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009 by making a swift and
    clear denouncement of the bill.

    An Open Letter from Soulforce to Jan and Paul Crouch, founders of the Trinity Broadcasting Network, and
    the Evangelical Christian broadcasters who are featured on Lighthouse Television, TBN’s affiliate in
    Uganda, including:  Matthew Crouch, Joyce Meyer,  Andrew Wommack,  Benny Hinn,  Kenneth Copeland,  
    Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes, and Franklin Graham


    Also: How The Family links (aka The Fellowship) The National Prayer Breakfast to the Anti-Homosexuality
    Bill of Uganda.

    "It had been a long, wonderful, memorable day, meeting at last, in person, Moses, a Ugandan whom
    Other Sheep had a small part in helping. I say a small part, but to Moses, that phone call he received from
    Other Sheep in response to his urgent email to me was, at the time, his life line." -Excerpt from article
    on Moses and Other Sheep  

January 2010


    Rev. Steve Parelli queers Galatains 2 verse-by-verse; summary of article by Dr. Renato Lings in Theology
    & Sexuality, Dec. 2009: 'The "Lyings" of a Woman: Male-Male Incest in Lev. 18:22?'

    Introducing Felix of Southeast Asia, new contributing writer to Other Sheep.  His writings and
    recommended articles; this issue has links to the following artilces.  Or, go to this webpage for a
    complete listing of writings and recommended articles by Felix.

    My Story:  Building a Complete Life
    By Felix of Southeast Asia  (2009 August 12)

    Becoming an Inclusive Community: Challenges from Hong Kong's
    Tongzhi Movement
    By Rose Wu (2009 November 19)

    Hong Kong Gay Flotilla 2009
    Reported by Felix of Southeast Asia (2009 November 16)

    Hong Kong Pride Parade 2009
    Reported by Felix of Southeast Asia (2009 November 5)

    Excerpts from the book Sex Priest by a retired gay Episcopalian priest
    Robert Warren Cromey (2005) and a Book Review by Peter R. Lawson  
    (2009 October 22)

    "Singapore seems to be more homophobic than Malaysia"   A casual email from Felix of
    Southeast Asia (2009 October 12)

    Hong Kong at risk of losing its only gay community centre (2009
    September 20)  Follow-up January 2010:  Rainbow Center HK is still open
    (2010 January 8)

    The Gay Sons of Allah
    By Juliane von Mittelstaedt and Daniel Steinvorth (Sep 17, 2009)

    Rev. Kimindu reports on his 2009 activities as Coordinator for Other Sheep East Africa.  Also:   Donate to
    a Kimindu Scholarship Fund for MCC General Conference 2010;  Kimindu to speak on panel at 4th Africa
    Conference on Sexual Health and Human Rights; The Blog of Wamala Dennis Mawejje, Chairperson of
    Other Sheep Uganda, writings and articles on the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009; Changing
    Attitude Blog on the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill and the Anglican Communion


    In This Issue:
    New York Times Article on American Evangelicals in Uganda
    Christian Right Blamed
    Focus on the Family Condemns Bill
    Ugandan Pastors Call for Apology from Rick Warren
    Rachel Maddow Video
    The Rt. Rev. Mark S. Sisk Denounces Bill
    US Republicans Condemn Bill
    Christians Threaten MPs
    Christianity Today on Bill
    Christianity Today Interview with Ugandan Bishop
    Church of Scotland Denounces Bill
    Archbishop of Canterbury Denounces Bill
    European Parliament Denounces Bill
    UN Panel Denounces Bill
    Interview with Scott Long on Uganda

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January 2010 -
December 2010
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"I have other sheep that are not of this
fold.  I must bring them in also."  
John 10:16
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"I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.  I must bring them also."  
John 10:16 NRSV

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