NC Baptists Against Amendment One: Justice, Equality & Personal Freedom

Myers Park Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C. will host NC Baptists Against Amendment One: Justice, Equality and Personal Freedom on February 25, 2012 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event is a part of the national Many Voices, One Love campaign sponsored by the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (AWAB), the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America (BPFNA), and the Alliance of Baptists.

Amendment One bans all legal recognition for all unmarried couples. It states,"Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state." Anyone who falls outside of this definition could potentially be harmed.
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Summarized content taken from United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ)

This Saturday, February 4th, people worldwide will send an important message against a potential war with Iran.
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The following is written by LeDayne McLeese Polaski, BPFNA program coordinator and leader of the Tijuana Friendship Tour.

I've been struggling to figure out a way to write about this experience; looking for a thread that connects it all together. Perhaps "no olvidados" (not forgotten) is that thread. Wednesday night, Ray Schellinger (one of the missionaries who runs Deborah's House, the domestic violence shelter in which we're staying) talked with the group about the theological foundations of their ministry in Tijuana. He shared the story of the Good Samaritan. He spoke of how the man who stopped to help felt "his bowels busting out" -- the literal definition of the Greek verb (which is also used to describe Judas' death.) It refers to a depth of compassion that is painful. Jesus tells that man who is seeking the secret to eternal life -- "Go and do likewise."
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We just arrived in Bagan after three incredible days in Mandalay. One of the highlights of the entire trip was a boat ride on the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay to Mingun and Inwa, two historical sites near Mandalay. We organized a meeting of Baptist leaders from Mandalay on the boat, so we had a day of fellowship and sightseeing together. The Baptist leaders are from all ethnic groups - Karen, Kachin, Chin, Lisu, Burmese. Our group chatted with them about the work of their churches, and they had the opportunity to interact with each other in a way that they would not normally have. Our guide, and my friend who organized the boat trip, said that the Baptist leaders were all so happy to have this opportunity to be together that they were asking her how they could organize such an event in the near future for themselves.
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We arrived in Yangon on Friday evening, Jan 19. On Saturday we spent the day with [Burmese exile] Ko Ko Lay and staff at Karen Theological Seminary. We were received warmly by Ko Ko Lay, staff, and students. We visited the campus, including spending some time talking to the students in their dorms. We then went to a nearby teashop where we sat and began to discuss the current political situation. This was a great experience - I was well aware that people in Myanmar (mostly the men) go to the teashops and spend time discussing current events, politics, etc. So here we were in a similar setting doing the same - however, more openly.
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BPFNA Program Director LeDayne McLeese Polaski will lead a Friendship Tour to Tijuana, Mexico from January 21-29, 2012. The group requests your prayers for safe travels and a successful trip, in which they hope to gain a deeper understanding of the complex issues and to develop new and lasting relationships.
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The BPFNA requests prayers for members going to Burma/Myanmar and Thailand for a Friendship Tour from January 18 to February 3, 2012. Julie Warner leads the tour, and fellow travelers include Kay Cheves, Carol Day and Carine Donze.The purpose of the Friendship Tour is to strengthen existing relationships and create new ones by meeting with Baptist leaders and congregations in these countries. This trip is designed to inform participants about Baptists in Burma and encourage individuals to form lasting relationships, and provide Baptists in Burma with a continuing link to Baptists in North America.
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The Board of Directors of the BPFNA met Oct. 27-29 at University Baptist Church and First Baptist Church in Seattle. Volunteer board members come from across North America and serve three-year terms, with focused work on specialized committees that help guide the programmatic and administrative work of the BPFNA. This was the first meeting for the board members elected this past spring.
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After 14-hours on the plane, I landed in Liberia. Along with my co-facilitator Virgil Nelson and his wife, Lynn, I was prepared to lead several 2-day Conflict Transformation (CT) trainings with Baptist pastors and lay leaders. I was not prepared for the heat and the noise that greeted us as we walked out of the airport in Monrovia.
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A new Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America documentary not only highlights unmet needs nearly six years after Hurricane Katrina, but also exposes social problems that existed before the storm that have hampered recovery efforts in New Orleans.
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As the BPFNA Summer Conference continues at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Va., WHSV-TV aired this report exploring the question, "why peace camp?"
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