Conference Schedule
(All links on the top portion of this page lead to more information about each event, biographies of speakers and other information at the bottom of this page)
Wednesday, Oct 22 - Special Film Festival and Panel Discussions
5pm - De Colores – Latino families
6.30pm - All God’s Children – African-American families
8pm - Straight From the Heart – Heterosexual parents, family and friends
Thursday, Oct 23 - Ex-Gay Survivor’s Night
7pm – Theatre performance featuring Peterson Toscano, talk by Darlene Bogle, and story sharing exercise with Christine Bakke.
More information about the Ex-Gay Survivor's Night.
Friday, Oct 24 - God and Gays: Bridging the Gap
7pm - Movie screening, Q&A including Kim Clark, Luane Beck, Darlene Bogle, Mary Lou Wallner, Rev. Deborah Johnson, and Valerie Joi Fiddmont from the movie, plus a special “Meet the Speakers” reception.
Saturday, Oct 25 - Our Family Matters Event
10am – Speakers
Dr. Jack Rogers, Rev. Deborah Johnson, Mary Lou Wallner, Darlene Bogle, and Peterson Toscano
Breakout Group Topics:
- Healing the Sense of Separation
- Youth Focus (ages 14-college)
- The Bible and Homosexuality
- Ex-Gay Survivor Stories
- Straight Talk for Families
Breakout group details
7:30pm – Celebration Concert
Hosted by REMIX TV’s Azariah Southworth
Featuring Valerie Joi Fiddmont and the Holy Trinity Choir
Sunday, Oct 26 – Worship Services
Event participants are warmly invited to attend any of our presenting church’s Sunday worship services.
Our Family Photos, Bios and Additional Information
Wednesday, Oct 22, 5pm - Special Film Festival Night
Straight From the Heart
Straight from the Heart explores parents' journeys to a new understanding of their lesbian and gay children by presenting simple stories about real people. Discussion lead by PFLAG leaders to follow.
www.womanvision.org/heart.htm
All God's Children
All God's Children vividly illustrates the human toll exacted upon society by the unspoken stigmatization and alienation of lesbians and gay men in the African-American population. Discussion lead by community leaders to follow.
www.womanvision.org/children.htm
De Colores
Through moving personal stories we learn about how families are breaking cultural barriers and how love always prevails in Latino-American families. Discussion lead by community leaders to follow.
www.unlearninghomophobia.com/decolores.htm
return to schedule
Thursday, Oct 23, 7pm - Ex-Gay Survivor’s Night
This night is dedicated to those persons who have physically, emotionally and spiritually attempted to change who they are, trying to fix what isn’t broke within themselves. Survivors convene for the first time on this side of the country to share their stories, heal intimacy trauma, freeing them to move on and become more of who they are as a unified person created whole and complete.
Featuring:
Peterson Toscano
Nationally known actor, Playwright and Co-founder of beyondexgay.com
As a gay man, Peterson's journey out of the closet has been long and complicated. After years of submitting to reparative therapy through counseling, ex-gay support groups, and even three exorcisms, Peterson enrolled in the ex-gay residential program, Love in Action. He graduated successfully from the program nearly two years later, but in January of 1999 he finally came OUT and fully accepted himself as a gay man.
Christine Bakke
Featured in Glamour magazine and on Good Morning America
Co-founder of beyondexgay.com
Christine Bakke is an ex-gay survivor who spent over four years trying to change her orientation. She moved to Denver in 1998 to become ex-gay and participated in an Exodus program, Living Waters, pastoral counseling, the “casting out of demons” and private reparative therapy. In 2003, she realized that while she had changed in many areas, her sexual orientation remained the same.
She found that telling her story and connecting with other ex-gay survivors to be cathartic, and healing. She has told her narrative in the pages of Glamour magazine, Good Morning America, and other media venues. Along with Peterson Toscano, she founded Beyond Ex-Gay, and is excited about journeying with other ex-gay survivors to find healing and true wholeness.
Darlene Bogle
Author, Former ex-gay leader
www.darlenebogle.com/
Darlene was a director of an Exodus Ministry for many years. Paraklete was an outreach of the Hayward, CA Foursquare church where she was the assistant pastor. She traveled nationally for Exodus, teaching and speaking at conferences, as well as appearing on such shows as Jerry Springer, Sally Jesse Raphael and CBS' 48 Hours. She appeared on other nationally televised programs and was interviewed by the 700 Club. She authored and contributed to 5 books promoting change from the “homosexual lifestyle”. In 1992 she found a Christian woman with whom she had a 12-year relationship, and was asked to leave all Christian organizations, while renouncing her ministerial involvement. Her partner passed away from breast cancer in February 2005.
Darlene's new book A Christian Lesbian Journey tells her story of ex gay recovery and love, fully reconciled. He has blessed her with a new relationship and she and Becky are actively involved in their church and in reaching out to the gay community with God's love and acceptance. Darlene is among the Exodus leaders who have issued a formal apology to those they “ministered” to in ex-gay programs.
Friday, Oct 24, 7pm - God and Gays: Bridging the Gap
God and Gays: Bridging the Gap
www.godandgaysthemovie.comGod and Gays: Bridging the Gap explores the religious struggle reconciling sexuality and spirituality. It gets into the head, heart and lives of the people who have found sexuality and their faith as self-defining work.
God and Gays puts the face and heartbeat of humanity into the emotionally-charged issue and answers:
- What is the "gay agenda"?
- Is being gay a choice?
- What does the Bible say?
- Is it possible to be gay AND religious or must we choose?
A movie for any age, hear for yourself what it’s like to be gay and Christian…and enjoy the humor as even with tough-to-hear stories, there’s always a smile even in the midst.
Kim Clark
Producer of God and Gays: Bridging the Gap
Luane Beck
Director of God and Gays: Bridging the Gap
Q&A with filmmakers and many people featured in the film follows the screening, followed by a “Meet the Speakers” reception.
Saturday, Oct 25, 10am – Our Family Matters Event
Dr. Jack Rogers
Theologian, Author, Professor
www.drjackrogers.com
Jack Rogers is Professor of Theology Emeritus at San Francisco Theological Seminary and Moderator of the 213th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He also served as vice-president of San Francisco Theological Seminary and founded their Southern California campus. Earlier, he was Professor of Philosophical Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary for 17 years. He is the author of the book, Jesus, the Bible, And Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church and many others including Confessions of a Conservative Evangelical.
Mary Lou Wallner
Co-founder of TEACH Ministries (To Educate About the Consequences of Homophobia)
www.teach-ministries.org
Mary Lou Wallner lost her lesbian Christian daughter to suicide in February of 1997. Being raised in a fundamentalist, legalistic church environment, Mary Lou was taught the untruth that homosexuality is a sin. Her journey from “tragedy to transformation” is nothing short of amazing. She and her husband, Bob, are strong allies for Gays, Lesbians, Bisexual and Transgender people and are leaders in TEACH Ministry, To Educate About the Consequences of Homophobia. They have a sincere desire to see the church accept and welcome GLBT people just the way God made them. Mary Lou’s book, The Slow Miracle of Transformation, now in its third printing, details her journey over the past years.
Rev. Deborah Johnson
Founder of Inner Light Ministries, Author, Diversity Trainer and Motivational Speaker
www.deborahjohnson.org
Rev. Deborah L. Johnson is the founder and president of both The Motivational Institute, an organizational development consulting firm specializing in cultural diversity, and Inner Light Ministries, an outreach ministry dedicated to teaching the practical application of Universal Spiritual Principles. A dynamic public speaker, she is known for her ability to inspire and to bring clarity to complex and emotionally charged issues. She travels the nation teaching, training, consulting, and facilitating for groups large and small. She is also the author of the very popular The Sacred Yes and Your Deepest Intent, both published by SoundsTrue.
She has been a voice for compassion, justice, and reconciliation. She joins her mentor, Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith from The Secret in holding a vision of Oneness, beyond creed and doctrine, and strives to heal the sense of separation between those adhering to conservative and progressive ideologies. A primary focus has been on coalition building, conflict resolution, public policy development, and cultural sensitivity awareness.
Breakout Group Topics and Leaders:
Healing the Sense of Separation: Rev. Deborah Johnson, Valerie Joi Fiddmont, Kim Clark, Luane Beck
Youth Focus (ages 14-college): Azariah Southworth
The Bible and Homosexuality: Dr. Jack Rogers, Rev. Cindy Andrews-Looper, Rev. Jim Kitchens, A.J. Levine
Ex-Gay Survivor Stories: Darlene Bogle, Peterson Toscano, Christine Bakke
Straight Talk for Families: Mary Lou Wallner, PFLAG (Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)
Saturday, Oct 25, 7:30pm – Our Family Matters Celebration Concert
Azariah Southworth
TBN Television Host
www.myspace.com/tourtv
The host of The Remix, a popular Christian youth music show, Azariah Southworth, announced that he has come out.
“This has been a long time coming. I’m in a place where I’m at peace with my faith, friends, family and more importantly myself. I must now live my life openly and honestly with everyone.” Southworth says.
Southworth has been hosting and producing the popular Christian TV show for a year and a half. It is in syndication and can be seen in more than 128 million homes worldwide. It averages more than 200,000 viewers weekly on one of three networks.
Valerie Joi Fiddmont
R&B/Gospel Recording Artist
www.valeriejoi.com
Valerie Joi’s song delivery is as fluid and focused as her life. She is a music minister extraordinaire and her message of unconditional love and acceptance is clear, strong and uncompromising. Listening to her sing, play or direct is an artistic and healing journey in itself.
Valerie Joi has studied classical piano and jazz voice privately and at the collegiate level, while she has pursued her undergraduate and graduate degrees. In addition, she has been able to utilize both her skills, singing and playing the piano with numerous recording and production artists as a background vocalist, vocal coach, composer, arranger and producer, and as a member of various mass gospel choirs. Her classical, jazz and gospel influences are apparent in her CD release Rise Above and her new release Singing the Sacred Yes, which accompanies her partner Rev. Deborah L. Johnson's book The Sacred Yes. Valerie Joi has appeared on stage several times at the world reknown Monterey Jazz Festival.
Holy Trinity Choir
www.holytrinitycommunitychurch.com/fellowship.html
Directed by Stephen Nix, members of the Holy Trinity Choir share their talents by rejoicing in harmony as they reach out to the community through expressive music. With a Christ-centered heart, this diverse choir offers hope, love and grace to uplift the soul.
Special Guest Performers (Additional Artists Announced Soon):
Kenya Walker
www.myspace.com/kenyawalkersongs
Since arriving in Nashville, Kenya has been a staff writer for Maypop Music, Hayes Street Music, BMG Music, and Big Yellow Dog/Sony Music. Several major label country artists have covered her songs. Kenya’s dynamic performance style and masterful writing quickly made her a favorite among the Nashville Songwriting community. She attracted the attention of Don Henry, (Grammy Award winning songwriter/producer/artist) who approached her about embarking on a solo recording career of her own. The end result of this collaboration is the 12-song CD entitled Alligator Purse.
The Alligator Purse CD led to a special invitation to contribute material for Aaron Spelling’s Any Day Now, on Lifetime Network by producer and music supervisor request. Kenya co-wrote, co-produced and performed special feature spots in select episodes of this series in 1998 through 2000 seasons.
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