Transgender Spirituality & Ministry

RevAllison

On Saturday December 13th, Dignity Washington was privileged to host a talk on Transgender Spirituality and Ministry by Rev. Allyson D. Robinson, at the Dignity Center. For Rev. Robinson the transition has brought her inner peace, wholeness, and a closer relationship with God. The essence of her message revolved around the importance of allowing people to present themselves socially as they wish, without gender-policing of any sort. Rev. Robinson further underscored the diversity within the transgender community by pointing that “if you have met one transgendered person, you have met just one transgendered person.”

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A nationally respected, award winning social entrepreneur and movement strategist, Rev. Allyson Dylan Robinson has built a career advising and leading organizations on the vanguard of social change. She is founder and principal of Warrior Poet Strategies, a Washington, D.C. based consulting firm advising select clients in organizational design, diversity and inclusion, and social and civic entrepreneurship.

Since June, 2014 she has also been Transitional Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, an ecumenical, multi-racial, multi-generational congregation that has served Washington, D.C. for over 150 years. Previously, she led internal and external diversity initiatives at the Human Rights Campaign and was the first transgender person to lead a national LGBT organization as executive director of OutServe-SLDN. She’s also served as an Army officer and Baptist pastor, studied at West Point, Arizona State, and Oxford University. She has earned degrees in physics and theology.

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Fr. Jim Smith on Catholic Worker Justice Nov. 15

Jim-Smith-CatholicWorker

 

On Saturday November 15 Father Jim Smith will present on Catholic Worker Justice— a look at the recent firings of LGBT Catholic teachers, organists, and administrators, and the new homophobic contracts that are now mandatory for job renewal in Catholic schools and parishes.

The presentation will take place at 3:00 pm at the Dignity Center, 721 – 8th St SE, Washington, DC 20003. The presentation, sponsored by Dignity/Washington, is free and open to the public. Feel free to invite friends and allies. Refreshments will follow the presentation.

Fr. Jim Smith has served Catholic parishes as priest or retreat and spiritual director for over 20 years. He is currently a consultant for parish-wide visioning and life-long formation planning, as well as Dignity/USA’s Associate Director.

Fr. Smith is also the author of Welcome the People: Ways to Gather & Nourish Adult Catholics (Twenty-Third Publications), and presenter of many spiritual reflection videos available through www.youtube.com.

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Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family

A document published after the first week of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family demonstrated a more open and accepting tone toward Gay and Lesbian Catholics. The news was picked up by the local ABC station in Washington, DC. Dignity Washington President Dan Barutta was featured in this news segment from WJLA.

Click Vatican Shift on Gays, Divorced People to view the video.

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LGBT Elders Coming of Age: Join Us on October 18

Dr. Imani Woody

Dr. Imani Woody

Join Dignity/Washington on October 18th, 3:30 PM at the Dignity Center, 721 8th Street, SE Washington, DC, for a presentation on “LGBT Elders Coming of Age” by Dr. Imani Woody.

Dr. Woody is the founding director and CEO of Mary’s House for Older Adults, a LGBT friendly residential housing development in Washington, DC. She has a PhD in Human Services, specializing in non-profit management. Her thesis: Lift Every Voice: A Qualitative Exploration of Ageism and Heterosexism as Experienced by Older African American Lesbian Women and Gay Males when Addressing Social Services Needs. She holds a Master of Human Services degree from Lincoln University and is a graduate of Georgetown University’s Paralegal program.

Dr. Woody is currently working as a diversity consultant in the field of health, aging and issues affecting the LGBT and people color communities. She has worked as the pro-bono coordinator of the D.C. Bar and has served as the director of training for the National Association of Protection and Advocacy, coordinating and facilitating trainings across the country for people with disabilities and promoting cultural diversity.

As the director of client services at the Mautner Project, Dr. Woody managed programs that provided educational and direct services to lesbians and bisexual women with cancer. She was also a program manager for the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, working on national health programs to educate elderly African American women. Formerly a training specialist for the AARP’s Foundation, Dr. Woody developed curriculum and delivery of on-site and web-based trainings. She trained substantive experts to become trainers through the Train-the Trainer program and provided on-going technical assistance to field trainers. Formerly a co-chair of PRiSM, AARP’s ERG group, Dr. Woody worked to help form the Washington, DC LGBT Elder Coalition.

Dr. Imani Woody has been an advocate of women, people of color and LGBT issues for more than 20 years and has served on the board of directors of the Mautner Project, Women in the Life Association and Whitman Walker Lesbian services. She currently is a Commissioner on the (Washington, DC) Mayor’s GLBT Advisory Council, the Program Officer for the Older Adults Advisory Council for the Metropolitan Community Churches, is the Chair of SAGE Metro DC (an organization serving LGBT elders), an Advisory Board member of the SAGE National Resource Center on LGBT Aging and a Board member of the LGBT Technology Partnership.

Dr. Woody has been a life coach for more than 10 years and is the founder and principal of Living Life Like It’s Golden, a six-part program that empowers people to live their lives more fully through visioning. She lives with her wife of thirteen years in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington DC.

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Retreat & Training Day for Acolytes, Lectors October 18

The Dignity/Washington Liturgy Committee will be hosting a Retreat/Training Day for Acolytes, Lectors, and the Curious at the Dignity Center on Saturday, October 18th, from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. We request all current acolytes and lectors to register as well as members who are interested in serving in these ministries. This special day of reflection, faith sharing and training will enable our existing and new acolytes and lectors to come together in renewing ourselves as well as enriching our participation through continued training. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. To register, please call Eddie Weingart at 202-440-6757 or email him at MisterDudeDC@me.com

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Synod hopes: That all are welcome | Global Sisters Report

Ron Boyd and Sr. Jeannine at Dignity NoVA

Ron Boyd and Sr. Jeannine at Dignity NoVA


In this blog post from Global Sisters Report, Sr. Jeannine Gramick, co-founder of New Ways Ministries, reflects on the Vatican Synod on the Family. Click on the link below to read the whole article.

Synod hopes: That all are welcome | Global Sisters Report.

“Most LGBT Catholics have spent their lives working through negative and condemning messages from church leaders. They now feel they do not need approval or recognition because they have achieved a harmony and serenity that comes only with self-acceptance.” –Sr. Jeannine Gramick

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Dignity/Washington Turns 42

On Saturday, September 27, Dignity/Washington celebrated its 42nd Anniversary with a potluck dinner, silent auction, and awards. Here is a list of award winners for 2014:

Community Service Awards: Martin Witchger, Larry Ranly, Alexei, Stephen Phan & Chip Watts

John Willing Award: Allen Rose

Colfer Award: New Ways Ministry

President’s Award: Jamie Manson

Congratulations to all.

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Like Us on Facebook!

Dignity/Washington's Facebook page

Dignity/Washington’s Facebook page

 

Did you know that Dignity/Washington has a Facebook page?
Click on the Facebook icon to the right for quick and easy access to the Facebook page. Like Dignity/Washington on Facebook and receive updates in your News Feed.

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Dignity hosts table at the 17th Street Festival on Sept. 13

Join Dignity/Washington at the 17th Street Festival

Dignity/Washington at the 17th Street Festival

A few clouds and some rainy weather did not deter Dignity/Washington members from hosting a table at the 17th Street Festival on September 13th. The festival is a free community event that celebrates the 17th Street Corridor from Riggs Place to P Street. The 17th Street Festival includes:

– Art Show
– Business Specials
– Entertainment Stage
– YMCA of Metropolitan Washington Kids Zone (Ross Elementary School)
– Local Vendors
– Pet Zone

Tom Bower staffed Dignity Washington's information booth at the 17th Street Festival held on Saturday, September 13, 2014.

Tom Bower staffed Dignity Washington’s information booth at the 17th Street Festival held on Saturday, September 13, 2014.

Jim Sweeney (L) and Brian Brown staffed Dignity/Washington's information booth at the 17th Street Festival held on Saturday, September 13, 2014.

Jim Sweeney (L) and Brian Brown staffed Dignity/Washington’s information booth at the 17th Street Festival held on Saturday, September 13, 2014.

Bernie Delia (L) visits with Tom Bower and Brian Brown at Dignity/Washington's information table at the 17th Street Festival

Bernie Delia (L) visits with Tom Bower and Brian Brown at Dignity/Washington’s information table at the 17th Street Festival

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Reflections on Summer 2014 at Dignity/Washington

Summer of 2014 has come to a close. As people, including your web master, return from beach vacations and kids head back to school, it is worth looking back on the past summer’s activities at Dignity/Washington.

Dignity/Washington Joined Young Adult Retreatants for a Summer Picnic

 

As part of the first Dignity National Young Adult Retreat hosted by the Dignity Young Adult Caucus at the Dignity Center in DC from July 25 through 27, 2014, Dignity/Washington members hosted a potluck picnic that Saturday evening. It was a great chance to share good food, and have the local community get to know the more than forty young adults that attended over the weekend.

Young Adult Retreat Group Photo

Young Adult Retreat Group Photo

 

Dignity/Washington Goes to Town

 
Dignity/Washington Country Western dancers hit the town at TOWN, one of
Washington DC’s premiere dance clubs, Saturday night, August 23. Over twenty-five Dignity members and friends participated in a one-hour Two-Step class followed by open dancing (couples and line dances) from 7:00 to 10:30 PM.

A great time was had by all and a perfect place to spread the word about Dignity/Washington. The dance attendance totaled 266! Yeee Hawwww! Special thanks to our DJ Patrick DiBattista and dance instructors Sara and Mel. Also a huge thanks the DC Rawhides for hosting Dignity/Washington as special guests.

Dignity/Washington at Town Country Western Night

Dignity/Washington at Town Country Western Night

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