The Portsmouth Group usually meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7.30 pm at a member’s home. For address details contact Derek on portsmouth@lgcm.org.uk.
A typical meeting will include
-
Time for members to catch up on personal news and concerns and to address anyone’s burning issue
-
Discussion of a topic related to the lives of gay and lesbian people, especially where this concerns them as Christians
-
A simple act of worship with the sharing of bread and wine and reflective open prayer
-
Tea, coffee, biscuits and chat.
Members are from a wide range of denominational backgrounds.
Next Meeting: Wednesday 15 February 2012.
Wednesday, January 18th 2012: Meeting at Derek’s to discuss the role of the group - Is it just a social get-together, an opportunity to discuss serious issues that affect us as Christian or as gay people, a support group for gay people in the churches?
Wednesday, December 21st 2011: We shall be meeting at 7.15 for 7.30 p.m. at Derek’s.
Chatterbox LGBT group has invited Portsmouth LGCM to their Chatterbox Christmas Get-Together on Friday 2nd December. Email chatterboxlgbtclub@virginmedia.com for more details.
Wednesday, November 16th 2011: Matt talked about his recent trip to India.
Wednesday, October 19th 2011: After the Agape, the group listened to a recorded talk given at Greenbelt by Padraig O Tuama on ‘Our Lady of Greenbelt’, followed by a discussion.
Wednesday, September 21st 2011: At the meeting Matt reported back from Greenbelt 2011 with an overview of the festival, including the main speaker Rob Bell, the communion service and the activities of ‘Outer Space’ which exists to support LBGT Christians attending Greenbelt as well as providing space to discuss LGBT related issues with the wider church in the context of the LCM stall in the exhibition tent and specific meetings on ‘The search for a spiritual home for LGBT people’ and ‘Stories from parents of gay Christians’.
Wednesday 17th August 2011: Peter led a well oganised session based around the book by Urs Mattmann, “Coming In” - Gays & Lesbians Reclaiming the Spiritual Journey. Starting from a definition of spirituality from the book, Peter used excerpts from the book and led us in a fruitful discussion about how our sexuality influences our spirituality and vice-versa.
Wednesday 20th June 2011: Matt led off our discussion on the Apostles’ Creed and it proved a good starting point for quite a lively discussion ranging over many points. We agreed that our faith could not be summed up in a list of dogmatic statements but the Apostles’ Creed covered most of the points that we felt were important for us. Everyone seemed to agree that Jesus was the starting point and the linchpin of their own personal faith.
Wednesday 15th June 2011: After the Agape, and due to the increase in membership, all those present introduced themselves and the tradition from which they had come. Members shared their views about the purpose of the Portsmouth LGCM group. Having such a variety of denominations and traditions present it was agreed the group should explore what common ground they shared.
Wednesday 18th May: We met together at a member’s house and began with our usual Agape. We then watched a DVD that Matt had brought along about the situation of young Gay Christians in the United States. They seemed to be more from the Evangelical wing of the Church but all had had bad experienes both with their families and their churches. They had been helped to accept their sexuality by the organisation that had made the DVD. This gave rise to discussion and the way in which the churches still fail to accept Gay people.
Wednesday 20th April: The meeting began with an agape celebration and then Derek talked about the celebration of the last days of Holy week, reminding those present of the origins of the celebrations and their significance. The group were were glad to welcome several new members and hope that they will continue to join us for future meetings
Wednesday 16th March: After breaking of bread and wine and reflection on the Gospel, the group listened to a presentation on the work with students and staff in the chaplaincy followed by a discussion.
Wednesday 16th February: Meal out at Gun Wharf.
Wednesday 19th January: The Feast of the Interior Life of our Lord. Derek explained this feast originated in the spiritual revival of the French church in the 17th century. It is about incarnation, Jesus born in Mary be born in me. And Jesus being incarnate in us is about us being beacons of community in the world, and as an example of this he talked of the martyred Cistercian monks of the Atlas Mountains monestary. The film of the event is ‘Des dieux et des hommes’ and it is showing at Cinema 6 in the Dockyard on Saturday 26th, Tuesday 29th, Wednesday 30th and Thursday 31st March . Members also did a lot of catching up with each other after Christmas.
Wednesday 15th December 2010: 5 members gathered for dinner and enjoyed an excellent meal prepared mainly by John. Many thanks to him and Derek for a very enjoyable evening.
Wednesday 17th November: The visit by the Rev Sharaon Ferguson was cancelled. Instead the group met the Angical Chaplain of Portsmouth University, and much of the meeting was given over to talking about the University chaplaincy and issues relating to students and young people. The chaplain also talked about his previous parish work in South Africa, and his experience of monastic life. It was a fascinating introduction to the person and the work of a chaplain.
Wednesday 27th October: Matt gave a report of GreenBelt. The group discussed plans people had heard for a MCC Portsmouth church, and it was decided to contact them.
Wednesday 22nd September: After a Taize style sharing of bread and wine, there was a discussion of the Pope’s visit and particularly the visit to Westminster Abbey.
Wednesday 18th August: Stuart gave a presentation about the differences between the Catholic tradition to do with the fate of the soul on death, and the protestant beliefs that developed after the reformation perhaps most rationally portrayed by Polkinghorn. Those present contributed their own church traditions on what happens to the soul at death. A good, lively and interesting discussion ensued.
