Coming Home to God

Event Summary of EC's 2003 West Coast Conference

San Diego, CA (July 30-August 3, 2003) - When we are reconnected to the One who made us, a sense of newness permeates our lives. How can this be captured in words?

ECWR’s annual conference in 2003, with the theme "Reconnection," was held on the campus of San Diego State University. The event enabled attendees to reestablish connections with new friends, old friends, themselves and more importantly, with God.

Just one week before the start of conference from two different locations, Olathe, KS and San Francisco, CA, two individuals were compelled by the Holy Spirit to attend, but struggled with how they were going to travel to San Diego. Neither had the money for transportation or registration.

Just days before the start, President Bush’s tax refund (for families with dependent children) arrived in the mailbox of one attendee from Olathe, KS, enough to buy a plane ticket. A last-minute donated bus ticket enabled the San Franciscan to travel south. Registration fees were covered by ECWR’s scholarship fund. Both persons received healing and returned home filled by God’s presence.

Alex Haiken captured his life experiences and spiritual journey as a Jewish gay Christian in "Not Knowing the Half of It: Confessions of A Wandering Jew."

Evangelicals Concerned founder Ralph Blair focused on the foundational aspects of reconnecting with one's faith. A psychotherapist, Dr. Blair has outspokenly supported the integration of evangelical Christian faith and homosexuality since the mid-1960's.

Patty Burgin poignantly touched home with "The Spaciousness of Reconciliation," regarding our relationships’ impact in reconnecting with the Lord and others around us.

Spiritual Survival in the Deserts of Life (finding spiritual resources for GLBT Christians)

Shouting for Joy and Singing the Blues (a study of joy, hope and depression in the book of Philippians)

Ex-Gay? The Good, the Bad and (mostly) the Ugly (dealing with the teachings of the ex-gay movement)

Positively HIV (dealing with the issues of life with HIV, and how to show love and compassion without making assumptions).

EC Bakersfield’s worship team led us in special times of wonderful worship. The hospitality café and mixers created an atmosphere of fellowship and spiritual bonding. Attendees discussed what they had appreciated from the day’s workshops or messages.

Of the 210 conference goers, 99 were volunteers. Attendees served on the prayer, registration, family group, hospitality café, resource & media, worship, communion, and logistics teams. Attendees represented diverse racial and national backgrounds, sexual orientations and religious upbringing.

The Women’s Retreat was full; 65 to be exact and Dr. Susan Shaw was amazingly intellectual and communal all at the same time. She lead the group in a discussion about "Bad Girls of the Bible." The women even took their icebreaker literally and chipped away at a 300-pound block of ice as they chiseled out a cross.

"Restoration—Coming Home to God," the Saturday evening community outreach event, brought together nearly 300 people to the Don Powell Theatre on the SDSU campus. Christian artists Jason and deMarco, Ptah and a 70-voice volunteer gospel choir (made up of local GLBT musicians, singers and conference attendees), provided uplifting music.

Jeremy Marks (former ex-gay ministry leader from Britain) then lead a round table discussion with four diverse EC members who shared their powerful testimonies of God’s love, grace and transformation. Each member told of facing added prejudices because of race, HIV status and physical challenge. This powerful segment was an opportunity to address concerns, fears, frustrations and emotions in an open, nurturing and loving manner.

The evening focused on restoration and healing for those who had been bruised and wounded by past church experiences.

On Sunday morning, all gathered for a solemn and joyful communion service. There is nothing like sharing the emblems of the broken body and shed blood with those who know extreme pain and triumph. The irony of this whole weekend-long experience is that it was not spent in tears as much as it was in laughter and joy through uplifting music, personal stories and an intimate message of true reconciliation to God and ourselves.