Don't let what happened in Maine happen in Iowa!

Here, on The Advocate, you can read about how a ballot measure to strike down Maine's gay marriage law passed yesterday.
While being sad and angry at this turn of events, we at Faithful Voices are looking towards the future, to the work still to be done, and to the hope tomorrow still holds.

Again, our Statewide Conference on Marriage Equality is going to provide skills and tools for people of faith to use so that what happened in Maine does not happen in Iowa. In addition to the workshops on dealing with conflict in congregations and having difficult conversations, there will also be workshops on advocacy and action. If you are someone who has decided how they feel about this issue, and decided you care about equality and protecting the separation between church and state, then please come to the conference and learn the skills to turn this belief into action. If you aren't sure about the issue yet, there are other workshops that will appeal to you.

You can register for the event on our website.

Faithful Voices Conference – We’ll be there…will you?

The Faithful Voices Statewide Conference on Marriage Equality is fast approaching. We want to make sure that everyone knows to register and register early.

Some of you faithful (pun intended) readers may think that you have nothing to gain from this conference. Perhaps your congregation has already become an open, affirming, and welcoming congregation. Maybe you are already involved as an advocate. Possibly, you just think you are beyond the need for further knowledge or skills relating to Marriage Equality.

To you we say: what makes you think that should stop you from coming to the conference? Has your entire community, town or city become open and affirming? Are you the most effective advocate you possibly could be? Have you already heard Harry Knox from the Human Rights Campaign, Rev. Dr. Weldon C. Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance and Anita Bradshaw, Ph.D. from the Institute of Welcoming Resources all speak on the very same day? No? Well then we think you definitely still have something to gain from coming to the conference.

If nothing else, come to meet some new faces and make connections with other progressive people of faith from all over Iowa.

The most important thing is that you register. We need to know how many lunches to order, how many nametags to make, how many workshops to have! Follow the link below, sign yourself up, and while you are at it, recruit two or three friends to come along. We’ll see you in November.

What: Faithful Voices Conference on Marriage Equality
Where: First Christian Church, Des Moines, Iowa
When: November 19th 2009
How: Faithful Voices Registration
Why: To bring people of faith and goodwill together to create marriage equality in Iowa