"Take Heed" Ministries

Cecil Andrews, PO BOX 13, Ballynahinch, BT24 8AL, Northern Ireland.

Telephone/Fax 028 9756 5511. E-MAIL - takeheed@aol.com

WEBSITE - http://www.takeheed.net

THE ROTTEN ‘FRUIT’ OF ALPHA USA?

The following information was downloaded from the website of

All Saints Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills, California, USA.

Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries – 7 August 2004

Starting April 21, 2004...Ask! Tell!

You don't know from queer until you've tried to be both gay and Christian.

Alpha.
Eleven Weeks.
You join a table.
You get to know each other.
You eat a great gourmet meal.
You listen to some Christian basics from gay people
who know what they are talking about.
You discuss.
You speak your mind.
You have cookies.
You come back next week;
same time, same table,
same people, same chef.
No pressure.

Call today to reserve your place - 818.762.1727,
or e-mail: ljacobson@allsaintsbh.org

ALPHA

Beginning 21 April, 2004.

at All Saints' Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills
Santa Monica Boulevard at Camden Drive

No question too simple. No comment too hostile.

Alpha for the Gay Community begins 21 April, 2004.
E-mail Linda to sign up or call her at 818-762-1727

Each Alpha Course meeting includes dinner.  Meetings are scheduled weekly.  Each eleven-week session also includes an Alpha Retreat weekend and closes with a celebration dinner.

The Ministry of Gay Women and Men welcomes you to

All Saints' Parish, the Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills.

We are a fellowship of women and men dedicated to the spiritual and social growth of gay men and lesbians.  It is our mission to spread the message of God's inclusive love to all who visit our church, to those who call it their church home and to the world beyond our parish.

We want you to know that All Saints' is a safe and supportive environment addressing the concerns and needs of gay Christians, their families, and their friends.

CHURCH WEBSITE http://www.allsaintsbh.org/index.html

All Saints' is an exciting place to be. Our growing congregation, both straight and gay, is diverse, with members coming from more than thirty zip codes in Southern California.  Many are initially drawn by the liturgy, the preaching, and the world-renown music program.  Many soon find themselves committed to one or more ministries -- serving Christ by serving others as lay Eucharistic ministers, lectors, ushers, acolytes, small group leaders, and volunteers in such program as our homeless lunch program.  And always they find themselves surrounded by a new family of friends. Gay men and lesbians are vital to the life of All Saints' and its mission: "to become disciples who make disciples through Christ." As our Rector Carol Anderson says, "It has been my vision and hope that gay and lesbian people be incorporated in the life of All Saints' as anyone else, and that has gone exceedingly well.  There's not a ministry here that gay and lesbian people are not involved in.

That has been a blessing for this parish and has brought new leadership in all directions. Like everyone else at All Saints', gay and lesbian people want to be loved, to be a part of the church's life, to share their lives, to be a part of God's kingdom.  We have strived to incorporate everyone as if there were no differences, but at the same time we recognize the prejudice that gay people have experienced.  So we pay attention to those areas where we need to support and encourage. The friendship, love, and good times I have shared with my gay and lesbian friends here at All Saints' have been a source of joy and have meant a lot to me personally." Come find out for yourself. Meet the men and women of All Saints', hear the music, take your place at the Table.  And find out what life steeped in faith and unconditional acceptance and love can truly be like.