Soulforce Email Update - June 8, 2005

Visit the New Equality Ride Website

Soulforce is excited to announce the launch of the new Equality Ride website. Scheduled to take place in the spring of 2006, the Equality Ride will take 25-30 young adults on a seven-week bus tour to confront religious and/or military colleges that ban the enrollment of GLBT students.

Jake Reitan, Soulforce Young Adult Coordinator and Director of the Equality Ride, states:

"At schools across America some students are forced to live a lie throughout their college life. They know that if they were to tell the truth about their sexual orientation, they would surely be expelled. And so school year after school year, these religious and military colleges continue to give a lesson in real-world oppression."

"This is wrong. And just as the young Freedom Riders in the 50's and 60's knew that segregation had to be confronted in order for positive change to take place, so too must these anti-gay policies be challenged."

To learn more about the Equality Ride, to apply to be a rider, or to make a financial contribution, please visit www.EqualityRide.com

A Message from Soulforce Southern Baptist Denominational Co-chair, Jamie McDaniel

Dear friends,

Although Soulforce will not have a large organized presence outside the 2005 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, a small group will be working to distribute materials to the next generation of Southern Baptist leaders.

One of the booklets will be Christian Youth: An Important Voice in the Present Struggle for Gay Rights in America. You can download a copy of the booklet from the Soulforce website at www.soulforce.org/pdf/youthstudyguide.pdf

Indeed, some of the Lord's gays will be outside the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville to be a voice in that vast wilderness that is current SBC understanding of sexual orientation. If you would like to volunteer to hand out booklets on Tuesday, June 21, send me an email at jamie@soulforce.org

Blessings,

Soulforce Southern Baptist Denominational Co-chair

Straight into Gay America hits the road on June 14.

Rev. Lars Clausen is an ELCA Lutheran pastor who holds the Guinness World Record for traveling 9,136 miles on a unicycle in all 50 states. On June 14, 2005, Rev. Clausen will launch a new unicycle tour called Straight into Gay America.

The 1,000 mile tour begins in Burlington, Vermont. Near the end of the trip, Rev. Clausen will ride into Lynchburg, Virginia where he will worship at Jerry Falwell's church along with Mel White and Gary Nixon.

Rev. Clausen will attempt to get beyond the religious and political polarization surrounding GLBT issues in America today. He hopes the vulnerability and hospitality of the unicycle will allow him to get closer to the everyday life of gay people.

To read more about the Straight into Gay America tour, go to www.StraightIntoGayAmerica.com

There is Still Time to Send in Your Photos for Mel White's 65th Birthday.

Be a part of the memories of Soulforce for Mel and Gary! We want to present the smiling faces that have joined with Soulforce as we celebrate Mel's 65th birthday. We need your photos to make this happen. We need pictures of you doing the work of Soulforce. We hope to have photos from all the actions Soulforce has done in our six year history. There have been so many people standing for justice. We want you all included in this photo album that will be presented to Mel on his birthday. Hurry now... find those photos and get them in the mail to Ellen by June 20 (extended deadline). If you like, include a donation to Soulforce in multiples of $65 in honor of Mel and Gary's work! Questions? Call Ellen at 434-979-2516 or email ellen@soulforce.org. Thanks for participating!

Send the cards, photos, and any donations to the Soulforce Director of Development:

Ellen Osborne
Soulforce
2025 Woodbrook Court
Charlottesville, VA 22901